14. Evil has blossomed.

On the hilt, Song Cheng's five fingers suddenly clenched.

The veins on the back of his hand bulged.

He flicked his blade, which swung open, and then he continued to throw punches.

At this moment, the numbness that pervaded his body suddenly faded.

Perhaps a long time had passed, or perhaps it was very short.

More and more people gathered outside Rejuvenation Hall.

And at some point, the cries of "The place where those dishonest lovers were punished, The place where those dishonest lovers were punished," "Luring men, causing the death of the old lady," "The place where those dishonest lovers were punished" intertwined and continued unceasingly.

The voices echoed, forming chaotic and twisted pale human figures in Little Blind Boy's field of vision.

Suddenly, he saw a figure that was not very tall among the crowd starting to retreat in the opposite direction...

Song Cheng recalled for a moment, that figure should be Ding Sigu, the third son of the Ding Family.

And at that moment as he retreated, Ding Sigu's favorability dropped sharply from "60" to "0".

"The place where those dishonest lovers were punished!"

"The place where those dishonest lovers were punished!"

"Vixen, you deserve to die! You deserve to die!"

Amidst the noise, Ding Sigu retreated quickly.

Song Cheng narrowed his eyes, watching Ding Sigu, the third son of the Ding Family, who was swiftly moving away, his mind raced like lightning. Suddenly, he understood what Ding Sigu was about to do.

The plan to collude with the bandits had been moved up!

Should he expose it?

He had no evidence.

If Ding Sigu turned the tables on him, wouldn't he end up like Crippled Chen? Even if the matter was dropped, he would become a target for the Ding brothers, and they could play dirty tricks on you and Tong Jia until you're dead.

The villagers didn't care about the real truth, they only cared about the "truth" they believed in. There was no one to uphold justice, only the thrill of judgment, a frenzy of venting anger.

A dark shadow rose from the bottom of Song Cheng's heart: he, too, hated these villagers, hated the Village Chief, so let the Ding brothers, trusted by the village chief, bring in the bandits and let the chief taste the bitter fruit of his own doing!! And he...would have no need to worry about the Road Guide. He could completely take Madam Tong and escape to the surrounding county towns as refugees. But how to escape? One step at a time, he thought. As for Yune, he wanted to save her.

On the other side, Ding Sigu, expressionless, left the crowd, looked around to make sure no one was there, and suddenly started running. He ran into his own house and saw the Eldest Son of the Ding Family leaning against the bed. He said, "Big brother, that vile woman is definitely going to be punished in The place where those dishonest lovers were punished.

Uncle believed us, and by now he must hate that vile woman to the bone.

Luring the man, wanting to lure big brother, and having the man come back to kill big brother, embezzling the family's property herself, and then killing Granny Shi."

Ding Siyu bit his teeth and suddenly said, "Uncle has still been good to us."

Ding Sigu furrowed his brow, looking at the Eldest Son of the Ding Family.

Ding Siyu took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and said, "Go quickly.

The matter of The place where those dishonest lovers were punished is not a small one, the entire village will probably be drawn to spectate.

Seize the chance when you go out to find the bandit leader in the mountains."

Ding Sigu breathed a sigh of relief and said, "Good! Without poison, one cannot be a great man, that's my big brother!"

He also clenched his little fist and said, "This damned world, if it won't let us live, then we won't let it get off easy either!

Rather than growing up here, being sent off to the battlefield to die a confused and unknown death. Better to be an outlaw, free and unfettered!"

Ding Siyu laughed and said, "Well said!"

Then he clenched his fist and said, "Why should we endure oppression?

Why can't we eat meat? Play with women?

Why is it only the gentry who get to enjoy? Why should we mud-legs be sent to die?

Little brother, go, next year at this time, let's eat our fill of meat together, let's enjoy beautiful women together!"

Ding Sigu nodded, then made to leave.

Ding Siyu said, "Wait."

"What's up?"

"Little brother, Uncle took the crossbow.

Take my dagger with you.

That thing is handy."

Ding Sigu hesitated for a moment, said "Okay," and then took the dagger and tucked it at his waist. Then he went to the door, and a voice came from behind.

"Little brother, don't be nervous, you can do it!"

Ding Sigu turned and smiled warmly, "Don't worry, big brother!"

The brothers looked at each other from a distance.

The next moment, the fourteen-year-old boy swung around and ran crazily out of the village.

Today, his fate would change!

...

...

"The place where those dishonest lovers were punished!"

"The place where those dishonest lovers were punished!"

The roar grew more agitated.

Granny Shi hadn't even been buried when Yune was dragged by her hair.

"The pig cage is here!" someone shouted.

The Village Chief said coldly, "Stuff her in! Today we must rectify the morals of our village!"

Upon receiving the order, the villagers began to shove Yune inside.

Yune didn't understand what was happening; at this moment, she stopped pleading for mercy and even stopped being agitated, her eyes numb and as cold as the darkest ice.

Song Cheng, leaning on a thin iron cane, suddenly walked towards the Village Chief.

The Village Chief was surrounded by people.

Song Cheng pushed them aside.

"What are you doing, Brother Cheng?" someone yelled.

When the Village Chief heard the commotion, he turned his head toward Song Cheng and said, "Looking for me?"

Song Cheng performed a courtesy and said, "Village Chief, I have something to say."

He wanted to save Yune. Since he wasn't strong enough physically, he would try another method.

The Village Chief said, "Then speak quickly."

Song Cheng took a deep breath and quickly said, "Since Yune has embezzled her family's wealth, being dipped in The place where those dishonest lovers were punished, she will certainly think of using those silver taels to save her life. The Village Chief only needs to send someone to trick her, saying that as long as she pays, they are willing to secretly let her go. She will surely agree."

After speaking, Song Cheng changed the subject and added, "But if, even so, she is unable to give money, then...it can only mean she did not embezzle any wealth. If she didn't embezzle, then the matter of seducing a lover for the sake of wealth and killing her own mother-in-law can also not stand."

As his words fell, a silence enveloped the surroundings.

Song Cheng chuckled and said, "Everyone could try—it wouldn't take up much time."

But, no one paid any attention to him.

He was like a clown.

Suddenly, a woman's sneering shattered the silence.

"Ah, a vixen will always be a vixen. She just spent one night at Rejuvenation Hall, and she's already hooked Brother Cheng's soul!"

Then someone else said, "Brother Cheng, she didn't give you the money secretly, did she?"

The outside crowd joined in the mockery, and there were more shouts.

"Doctor Tong, was your man with you all of last night, or could he have been committing adultery with that vixen?"

"Have you no shame!?"

Following that, the remarks got nastier.

"I heard the vixen didn't just lure one man; Brother Cheng couldn't also be the vixen's secret lover, could he?"

"I think that's possible."

"Right, right, right, if he's not her secret lover, why would he come forward?"

Song Cheng: ...

He scanned the surroundings, and in that instant... he saw wisps of red mist emerge from the black world, centering around Yune, forming into a faint spinning vortex, ensnaring all the villagers on this piece of land, except for him... and Tong Jia.

He understood.

The villagers were being influenced by the "soon-to-be established taboo."

This land of "Endless Hell" was undergoing bizarre tremors.

And what he was contending with wasn't just the villagers, the Ding brothers, but also this calamity-like fate. "As the universe conspires, the hero is not free in its movements," this was the shift in the cosmos. Yune had called upon the taboo, and the taboo had chosen Yune...

Song Cheng quickly glanced again at the panel's "[Taboo: Locked]"

The grey of the text's surface was more cracked than before, as if about to leap out, and the "blood-red words 'taboo'" inside were also faintly discernible.

A chilling fear enveloped Song Cheng, causing goosebumps all over his body.

As he was considering this, he had already been roughly pushed aside by the villagers.

He didn't go back to argue but instead went to the empty courtyard and continued practicing his punches, using every second to train.

If civility fails, then let it be through force!

Elsewhere, the bamboo pig cage had been locked, Yune enclosed within, and dragged out. When it neared Song Cheng, the numb and despairing woman suddenly looked up, glanced at Song Cheng, and said, "Thank you."

Song Cheng clenched his fists and continued to swing punches, over and over again.

Only by becoming stronger can he change anything!

The pig cage became more distant...

A moment later...

Suddenly, his panel popped up.

[Name: Song Cheng]

[Points to Allocate: 20]

[Realm: Unranked]

[Cultivation Technique: None]

White Snake Blade (Yellow Level Grade D) (Uninitiated) (0/2)