Yuan Zhao: Demonic Cultivator

The Temple of a Thousand Grace opened its doors to welcome the new abbot. Devoted worshippers came like surging tides to offer grace and warm felicitations. The monks tried to control the flow of the crowd but with so many people and very few monks, they could only do so much.

Elmmmy watched in horror as a young girl was shoved to the side and lost her footing. The young girl has no aura of a cultivator. If she falls, she would be trampled over by the surging crowd. Elmmmy was too far from the girl, unless she used her immortal strength to part the crowd Elmmmy would not be able to help the girl in time.

But most of the followers of the temple were ordinary people with very little strength, unlike cultivators. If Elmmmy makes a move, more than one person could be hurt. But if she doesn't, the girl would surely die.

Out of the corner of her eye, Elmmmy felt a vicious aura approach. The shadow swiftly swooped in and grabbed the helpless girl. The crowd gasped in terror but no one made a move to save the girl from the dark shadow. Out of everyone's expectation, the girl was safely deposited by the gates of the temple as the shadow vanished out of sight.

Elmmmy was shocked. It was brief but she recognized the person who saved the girl. He was one of the cultivators who wanted to ascend during the fair at heaven's gate. Why did he turn to the demonic way? Without further thought, Elmmmy flashed to give chase.

"Why?" Elmmmy asked when she caught up to him.

The demonic cultivator stopped and turned to Elmmmy. "Why not?" He asked back, looking amused.

"You were cultivating on the righteous path, why did you diverge?" Elmmmy did not understand. It was not as if his cultivation was scrapped or he suffered a backlash. He merely had to wait for another opportunity to ascend.

The man laughed and said, "You righteous cultivators are either ignorant fools or arrogant snobs! You look at me and only see that I practice the dark ways. But when that girl was about to be trampled to death, neither you nor those you dubbed to be good and honorable made a move to save her!"

Elmmy frowned and tried to reason with the man. "The choice was either her or the others and…"

"You choose to sacrifice one to save many? How noble!" The man snorted. "To answer your question, I saved the girl because I wanted to. I turned to the dark ways because I wanted to. Remember this, there is no good or bad way. There are only good and bad people. I have not killed anyone who does not deserve to die nor sacrificed an innocent. My conscience is clear. Now let me ask you, goddess, could you say the same? Are you good or are you evil?" He coldly looked at the stunned Elmmmy before he turned to leave.

Elmmmy was unable to refute. But before he disappeared she managed to call out, "Tell me your name!"

Elmmmy might not know the answer to his question now but she will, perhaps, know later. What he said was not entirely correct but it wasn't wrong either. Still, it's something to ponder on.

A long silence followed and just when Elmmmy was about to give up, a soft whisper was heard with the gentle breeze. "Yun Zhao…"

The end… or is it?