Chapter 182 Qing Shi Lian



Human life holds significant value, yet it raises questions about the value placed on other living creatures.

For instance, why is it acceptable to exterminate cockroaches, while killing butterflies is regarded as inhumane? 

This debate centers on utility - the usefulness of an organism to its environment.

Researchers and scientists that provides significant positive utility to society are viewed as more valuable than other individuals.

Conversely, those who cause harm or provide negative utility, such as criminals, should be neutralized with urgency. 

Ultimately, the question of whether human life matters is multifaceted and requires an examination of how value is assigned.

"Again...?"

Ye Zhao groggily opened his eyes, rubbing the sleep from his face as he looked over at his wife Qing Shi Lan. Ethereal beams of sunlight filtered through the windows, casting a warm glow around her delicate features. 

"Wife, are you going there again?" he asked, his voice hoarse and heavy with concern.

Qing Shi Lan turned towards him, revealing an angelic smile that lit up the room and banished the shadows.

The gentle curve of her lips, the way her hair cascaded down her back like an endless waterfall - everything about her embodied the grace of a moon goddess.

"It is for Wuhan, my husband. You know how important it is," she whispered softly, her voice quivering with sadness as she moved gracefully towards the door.

Once she disappeared, Ye Zhao watched as his heart twisted in agony.

Every day, his wife would rise before dawn, racing towards the crystal lake to pray that the water spirit would grant her prayers and heal their son's disability.

As he lay back down, the sound of her footsteps slowly fading away, Ye Zhao couldn't help but feel a maelstrom of anger and frustration roiling within him.

"I can't bear to watch her suffer anymore. If only I could go alongside her, help her bear this burden," he thought, his fists clenched tight in despair.

But deep down, Ye Zhao knew that his efforts would be in vain.

His son's ailment was beyond the purview of science, beyond anything he could fathom.

And so, his wife bore the excruciating task of seeking aid from the ancient spirits.

Years passed, and Ye Zhao watched as his wife became increasingly frail, delicacy slipping away from her like sand through his fingers.

Her once bright eyes now surged with dark circles, a haunting testament to the toll the quest for their child exacted. 

One day, he could take it no longer. He approached her, voice shaking with desperation as he pleaded with her:

"Why don't you rest, my wife? I'll go and pray for our son, anything to help him."

Qing Shi Lan turned guided by sad compassion, her eyes filled with quiet strength.

"I know how helpless you feel, my love. But this is my duty to our son. You have your own responsibilities, and I don't want you to suffer. Please let me handle this," she responded.

With those few simple words, she spun on her heel and left, the door drifting shut behind her.

And as Ye Zhao lay alone with his thoughts once more, he knew how fiercely he would always love her.

Qing Shi Lian skillfully maneuvered through the guards, weaving through their sleepy postures and stepping out into the cool night air from the back entrance.

The guards lazily opened their eyes for a moment, but within seconds they were back in their slumber, the sight of Qing Shi Lian's nightly rituals no longer enough to keep them alert.

She made her way towards the glimmering lake, the moon's reflection shimmering on its surface. As she knelt down next to the edge, she felt the coolness of the water against her fingertips, sending shivers down her spine. Offering her prayers, she closed her eyes and felt the tranquility of the moment wash over her.

With a final deep breath, she stood up and made her way back to the entrance, her movements fluid and graceful as if she was gliding on air, leaving no trace of her nightly wanderings.

...

At the same moment, two more figures appeared at the scene, their steps echoing softly against the rocky terrain.

"Whoa! The water looks crystal clear," Xia Ying whispered, her voice barely audible over the rippling waves. She knelt at the water's edge, dipping her fingers into the cool liquid to test its purity.

Zhou Zhixuan had resumed her human form, her expression pinched as she regarded Xia Tian. "Why are we here?" she demanded, irritation threading through her words.

Xia Tian ignored her, his gaze fixed on Xia Ying as she slowly waded into the water until it submerged her entirely.

When Xia Ying emerged a few moments later, her clothes were bone dry, the water dripping off her skin in droplets. She stared at herself in wonder before turning to face her brother.

"What's the plan, brother?" she asked eagerly, her eyes gleaming with excitement.

Xia Tian chuckled, his fingers pointing towards the distant horizon where the Ye Family territory lay. "See that?" he said, "We're going to destroy it without using violence."

Xia Ying and Zhou Zhixuan exchanged incredulous glances, but both trailed behind Xia Tian anyway.

As they walked, Xia Ying couldn't help but notice the features of the landscape around them. "Shouldn't that be Sister Suyin's family?" she asked, gesturing towards a nearby structure.

Xia Tian nodded, a sly grin spreading across his face. "Indeed, which is what makes it all the more intriguing to destroy."

Zhou Zhixuan peered at Xia Ying, watching as her eyes widened in surprise. Instead of fear or reluctance, the latter asked, "Do I have to do something as well?"

Xia Tian raised a brow and looked at her, slightly curious. 'So her hidden personality is coming out?'

Xia Ying was soon about to meet a new version of herself. She was on a journey of self-discovery.

While they were marching on their way, Xia Tian told them a small story.

It was a story about a man who belonged to the lower realms and had no cultivation or aptitude for it.

His realm was cut off from the outside world.

One day, he discovered an ancient weapon left by an immortal that boosted his strength and life span.

For the next thousands of years, he kept control of his realm from the shadows until he stumbled across a door to the heaven, a place of real cultivators hidden within his dimension.

According to the map, there was a hidden treasure behind the door.

He approached the place and met a guardian, a woman precisely.

For the first time in his life, he faced defeat.

The woman became interested in him, and they started meeting daily.

However, she couldn't take him to the other side of the door as she wasn't allowed to.

Before long, they fell in love, and the woman broke the rules and took her lover to her hidden village.

The village head, however, was angry with her decision and gave her a choice: leave her lover forever and stay in the village or both would be banished from there.

Just like any other love story, she chose the former and decided to live in the outside world along with the man.

The man, who was once cruel and ruthless, changed.

The woman suggested that he put away his ancient weapon and live in peace.

The man complied, and they soon had children.

He disbanded his army and started living a peaceful and secluded life.

They didn't teach their kids how to fight.

One day, when the man was away, his old enemies barged into the house and attacked his wife.

She fainted without any chance of fighting back. Her children watched in horror, but there was nothing they could do.

In front of them, she died.

The man came back and realized that although he had chosen peace, it only comes when you are powerful enough to suppress any voices.

He took out his ancient weapon again and started training his kids to fight.

He resumed his earlier motive to go back to the ancient village and discover the hidden treasure there in hopes it would revive his wife.

However, the children didn't agree with his decision and escaped, taking asylum in the same village.

They were granted entry by the sister of their mother, who recently came to know of her death.

The man was even more enraged and formed an army, ready to raze that village to the ground.

Next, a huge war took place between the ancient village and his army.

.....

"What happened afterwards?" Xia Ying leaned forward, her eyes wide with anticipation as she waited for the conclusion of the story.

Xia Tian's lips curled into a faint smile. "Does it matter?" he asked. "It was just an endless tale of destruction. But who do you think was responsible for it?"

Zhou Zhixuan leaned in, her voice firm. "Of course, the person who caused the destruction," she declared, her eyes glinting with determination.

Xia Ying furrowed her brow, deep in thought. "Was it the people who attacked and killed his wife?" she asked tentatively.

Xia Tian let out a booming laugh. "Whenever you want to check the cause of a huge conflict or destruction, always look for either a woman in her prime or a man in his old age," he said, a hint of amusement in his voice.

"In this story, it was the same - an angle which people always ignore. It was the old man, the village head, who didn't want to bend his beliefs. At the beginning, he didn't take the pair in, but if he had, nothing would have happened. Second, you can always say it was his beautiful wife who was responsible - naive enough to assume she could live in peace without power. The first one was an old man, while the second one was a beautiful woman..."

Zhou Zhixuan furrowed her brow, confusion etched on her face. "But why does it matter to us?" she asked skeptically.

Xia Tian silently looked at the huge entrance in front of them and smiled.

The destruction is going to happen again.

And he was that old man, while it would be Ye Suyin, that beautiful woman, both responsible for it...

If beauty attracts good people, it also attracts the evil ones, like Xia Tian...

This is why beautiful women, although they appear to have an easy life, are mostly victims of manipulation and harassment.

Ye Suyin trusted her eyes of truth, and Xia Tian... In the end, she gave him an interesting game to play with her...

Unlike Su Yanling, her reaction would be complete different on destruction of her family...