chapter 33:The chains of reason...

While practicing his martial arts and circulating his pseudo blood qi,

Li Yuan Tian found himself drawn back into memory—

the memory of a trial etched into his soul:

The Trial of the Crimson Flame Lotus.

The moment the trial began, agony surged through his body.

It was not ordinary pain—it was torment so profound, so excruciating, it transcended what any mortal could endure.

Yet, he endured.

Through sheer force of will, he persisted.

Moved by his tenacity, the figure clad in black bestowed upon him the inheritance of the first level.

But just as he prepared to leave the trial grounds,

a strange force dragged his consciousness into an illusion.

It was too vivid to be false, too overwhelming to be a dream.

It felt like a state beyond dreaming—a realm of lucid awareness.

There, in a place too radiant and surreal to describe, stood the same figure in black—

silent, observing him from afar.

The figure turned slowly, his voice cutting through the air.

"You are cruel, and a bit murderous, boy. But cruelty… cruelty must never be like yours.

It must be tamed—like a beast, shackled by chains."

The illusion shifted.

Now, a scene unfolded before him: a group of villagers surrounding a wounded tortoise.

They struck at it with sticks, stones, and fire.

It cried out in pain—yet, somehow, Li Yuan Tian understood its words.

"Please… save me. What have I done to deserve this?"

But the villagers ignored its pleas.

They killed it—

and when the deed was done, one of them muttered,

"The creature of misfortune is slain. Now, our village shall be saved."

The land had been suffering from drought,

and in their desperation, the villagers blamed the tortoise for angering the heavens.

They believed its death would appease the gods.

The illusion shifted again—years later.

The village lay in ruins, destroyed by the same drought they thought they had ended.

And now, in their madness, they turned against the one who had declared the tortoise a harbinger of doom.

Li Yuan Tian watched it all unfold—his heart growing colder, wiser.

The figure in black spoke once more:

"Tell me—was that cruel?"

"Of course it was," Li Yuan Tian answered.

"And why?"

"Because hurting a helpless creature brings no gain. It was defenseless."

The figure's voice deepened.

"Helplessness is a sin, boy. Weakness… is a sin in itself.

The world does not pity the weak—it devours them."

He continued, his tone heavy with ancient wisdom.

"Reason... reason is the veil that cloaks cruelty in righteousness.

It turns the slaughter of innocence into the mercy of saints."

He paused, then added with grave clarity:

"An old man once told me—

'Cruelty without reason is idiocy or evil.

Cruelty with reason… is wisdom or mercy.'

Cruelty without reason is heresy.

Cruelty with reason is righteousness.

The righteous sects and clans of this world—

they do not hide their cruelty.

No, they forge their justifications so well,

the world itself is convinced they were kind.

That their blades delivered salvation.

They speak of sacrifice—

'The few for the many.'

But who is right in that?

Who is moral?

Who is the victim—and who is the oppressor?

Did the sacrificed rejoice in their martyrdom?

Of course not.

But this is cruelty—

polished with reasons.

And reasons, boy, can turn even the most absurd and inhumane acts into something noble, even holy."

The world fell silent.

"Human nature is fragile," the figure concluded,

"and so is life."

Li Yuan Tian understood now.

His father's harsh words echoed in his mind—

"Be cruel. Show no weakness. Hide your emotions."

It had been for his protection.

To shield him from a world that fed on vulnerability.

He thought of his parents.

If only he had been stronger…

Maybe he could have bought the medicine.

Maybe they would still be alive.

The figure in black smiled knowingly, as if reading his heart.

"You've grasped the lesson at last," he said.

"You're still weak… but you have potential.

Struggle.

And tame your cruelty—with the chains of reason and gain."

Li Yuan Tian opened his eyes.

Outside, Zhao Qilin greeted him with casual words, but was clearly surprised—

Li Yuan Tian had changed.

Now, reflecting on it all, he thought once more:

The world is grey.

Only reason gives it color.

So why not live according to one's reason?

That would be his path—

To live by his will.

By his reasoning.

By his profit.

Because that—

that is humanity's true nature.

And with that thought,

Li Yuan Tian stepped out of the cave,

heading off to enjoy a simple meal prepared by Zhao Qilin.

Far away,

in a sacred cave nestled atop a spiritual mountain in the heavens,

an old man sat cross-legged, immersed in meditation.

Suddenly, his eyes opened.

A faint smile touched his lips.

"Someone has passed the trial I left behind... all those centuries ago."

"Interesting."

And with that, he closed his eyes again,

returning to his silent meditation.