Preach to Me About Human Nature? The Big Picture? I'll Hack You to Death!

"Kill!" "Kill!" "Kill!" As far as the eye could see, the vanguard swept forward. Under the formation Qi Yuan had specifically modified, the Sovereigns surged toward the Wanzhang Plain like an unstoppable torrent of steel. A hundred thousand Sovereigns advanced like heavenly soldiers, crushing all in their path. None could stand against them. After all, this formation had been jointly created by every Grand Sovereign of the Liufeng Realm, and Qi Yuan had personally spotted its flaws and improved it. Its power far surpassed the formation brought by the Sovereigns who had besieged Ning Tao back then. With overwhelming momentum, they steamrolled directly ahead. Qi Yuan stood in the void, his red robe more vivid than fresh blood. A lazy look rested on his face. "Now this... is what playing a game is all about." At long last, he tasted the exhilarating thrill of a pay-to-win gamer. A horde of underlings continuously rolled over the opposition. He didn't even need to lift a finger. Compared to the brutal, desperate battles in Dijue, this was effortless to the extreme. Now, he truly felt like an archvillain, bombarding the righteous side without pause and suppressing them with overwhelming might. Facing an enemy ten times their number, how could the Sovereigns of the Myriad Demons Realm dare to fight? They fled in all directions. Unfortunately, every direction was already cordoned off by the hundred thousand blood-robed Sovereigns. Over a hundred Sovereign Battalions steadily closed the distance, relentlessly unleashing origin divine abilities in beyond-visual-range strikes. They didn't even need to target a specific Sovereign; they simply hurled origin divine abilities into designated areas. Through an endless barrage of divine abilities, they bombarded those demon Sovereigns to death by sheer volume. The battle was entirely one-sided. The Sovereigns of the Myriad Demons Realm, whom the Liufeng Realm regarded as their greatest nemesis, were left utterly defenseless before Qi Yuan's surging army. "No!" "How is this possible?!" "Why is this happening?!" The once-lofty, high-spirited Sovereigns of the Myriad Demons Realm felt small and helpless for the first time, lost in bewilderment and shock. Their cries were swiftly drowned out by origin divine abilities. These Sovereigns had no idea how to breach the perimeter, nor did they know which origin divine ability to block. There were too many. Far too many. Simply overwhelming. On this day, the hundred thousand Sovereigns steamrolled the Myriad Demons Realm's forces, leaving countless dead. The Wanzhang Plain was blasted into an abyss. Here, the aura of origin grew intensely dense. If ordinary Sovereigns merely stepped foot inside, they stood a high chance of perishing. Much like a battlefield contaminated by nuclear fallout, living beings could not enter at all. Qi Yuan stood in the void, his long robe billowing. Deep self-reproach showed on Chen Huan's face. "Blood Lord, the Venerable... she's gone." This time, he didn't call Qi Yuan "Big Brother," but "Blood Lord." Now that almost all major enemies had been steamrolled and slain, only the Venerable remained unaccounted for. For her to vanish without a trace under the siege and advance of a hundred thousand Sovereigns was truly bizarre. Hearing this, Qi Yuan wasn't surprised in the least. Amusement flickered in his eyes. "It seems the big boss has a few tricks up her sleeve after all. "As for where she went... she's probably... right there!" He already had a good grasp of Shang Yanran's identity. She was indeed... a troublesome boss. But that was only true for others. Qi Yuan cast his gaze across the vast distance, seeming to pierce through time itself, landing upon the Liufeng Realm's final stronghold. "Move out!" The army of a hundred thousand blood-robed Sovereigns marched together toward the final stronghold. The scene was majestic beyond measure—even terrifying. The Sovereigns within the stronghold had lived for most of their lives; what hadn't they seen? Yet a sight like this was genuinely unprecedented! Originally, they thought the final clash would be the most harrowing battle of all. They had been prepared to shed their last drop of blood for the Liufeng Realm. Yet who could have foreseen that they wouldn't be needed for the final battle at all? A hundred thousand Sovereigns had charged into the Gate of Myriad Demons and drowned the Sovereigns of the Myriad Demons Realm in raw power. It was simply... incomprehensible. And now, that army in blood-red robes was advancing like a crimson cloud toward them. A tremor ran through every heart. In the blink of an eye, the orderly, magnificent battle array arrived outside the stronghold. The army parted cleanly, and a blood-red figure emerged. Every Sovereign looked upon him with deep awe and reverence. Qi Yuan's gaze fell upon the girl in the black dress in the distance. His expression softened considerably. "I'm here." This time, unlike in the first world, no accidents had occurred. He seemed to speak to the girl, yet also to everyone else in the stronghold. Ning Tao looked at Qi Yuan. For the first time, her steps hesitated. Thousands of words welled up inside her, but in the end, they formed only a single sentence: "I was waiting for you." Today, she wore light makeup and had deliberately put on black stockings. Beneath her black silk dress, her figure appeared exceptionally delicate and petite. Her bosom, like upside-down jade cups, was neither too large nor too small, exquisitely shaped. Her slender, fair calves were clad in black stockings, making her look just like a yandere girl stepped straight out of an anime. Her complexion was remarkably fair—a cool porcelain white that suited her temperament well. Yet she seemed entirely out of place in this world. In her, Qi Yuan saw traces of Canary. Right then, a sultry voice drifted from within the stronghold. "The Archdemon is truly worthy of the name, actually forcing me to expend a life." The speaker was none other than the vanished Venerable. She had appeared inside the stronghold! "The Venerable!" "How is she here?!" The hundreds of Sovereigns within the stronghold were shaken, regarding her with immense dread. By concealing herself among them, she was using them as a human shield. The Venerable possessed formidable strength, outmatching even the White Emperor by a margin. However, against an encirclement of a hundred thousand Sovereigns, she naturally could not stand alone. Now, by mingling among the Sovereigns, she was forcing the Blood Lord to hesitate for fear of harming innocents. Qi Yuan looked at Shang Yanran. "Actually, I'd love to see you dead right now, but... I also feel a bit reluctant." The moment Shang Yanran died, the game would end. Whenever a game reached its finale, a pang of melancholy always arose in Qi Yuan's heart. It was just like reaching the end of an anime he had followed, or the final episode of a TV show. Having stayed in the Liufeng Realm for so many years—longer even than in the Canglan Realm—he had grown somewhat accustomed to it. Shang Yanran didn't quite understand Qi Yuan's words, but she replied, "I feel the same toward you, Honored Master. I wish for you to perish, yet I also hope... that you could remain in this world." As she spoke, she sounded remarkably wistful. Hearing this, fury burned in Ling Yayi's eyes. "Shang Yanran, how can you be so shameless?" "The outcome is decided. What more do you have to say?" Shang Yanran remained composed as she looked at Qi Yuan. "I have always believed that justice will inevitably triumph over evil!" "Ha! You, justice? That's the biggest joke in the world!" Ling Yayi cursed loudly. Although the Thirteen Northern Demon Fiends were branded as fiends and had slaughtered many pursuers, they were hardly villains who stopped at nothing. "Everything I have done was for the sake of the Liufeng Realm. My conscience is clear!" Shang Yanran stated calmly. "Ask Bai Ze yourself. Which deed of mine was not for the Liufeng Realm, for the common people of this world?!" Her voice grew impassioned. A mocking smile appeared in Qi Yuan's eyes. "Is the big boss trying to whitewash herself before dying to polish her character setting?" Shang Yanran ignored Qi Yuan and turned to Bai Ze, demanding, "Was the North-South Accord not meant to eliminate demonic monstrosities? "Was drawing in the Sovereigns of the Myriad Demons Realm not meant to suppress the demonic monstrosities?" Bai Ze remained silent for a long while before speaking: "Yanran, your methods were too extreme." "If I hadn't been extreme, if I hadn't played the villain, the Liufeng Realm would have fallen long ago! "Ten thousand years ago, I gave up a life to send away nearly three thousand aging Sovereigns! "And today, it was I who stepped forward to bear the guilt so that you, Bai Ze, could enjoy your glorious reputation!" Shang Yanran's voice turned hysterical. "Once the number of demonic monstrosities in this realm reaches a certain threshold, the Liufeng Realm... will truly collapse! Even the Heavenly Dao will be thoroughly tainted! "This realm will become a true paradise for demonic monstrosities." Bai Ze fell silent, offering no rebuttal. A look of anguish surfaced on Shang Yanran's face. "You, Bai Ze, were unwilling to kill, unwilling to execute Sovereigns, so I did it in your stead. "And what came of it? Bai Ze, look for yourself at who the real sinner of this world is! "A hundred thousand Sovereigns... What grand generosity! What a staggering move! "Do you honestly believe these hundred thousand Sovereigns will peacefully pass away of old age? "If even a tenth of these hundred thousand Sovereigns refuse to accept a peaceful death... "This realm is already a God-Forsaken Land. The Heavenly Dao will be corrupted in an instant. "Everyone, every Sovereign, including you and me, will turn into demonic monstrosities." Shang Yanran looked at the crowd, her expression agitated. "So tell me, who is the true Archdemon? Who is the great villain bringing ruin to all living beings?!" As she spoke, she stared fixedly at Qi Yuan. Her gaze seemed to proclaim that he was the true sinner, while she was merely a gentle, misunderstood flower wronged by the world. The Sovereigns present were shaken to their cores by her words. Could what the Venerable said truly be the truth? Had everything she did truly been to purge the demonic monstrosities and keep the Liufeng Realm from complete destruction? Everyone looked toward the White Emperor, hoping to hear the answer from his lips. A complex look flashed through the White Emperor's eyes. "Once the demonic monstrosities in this realm reach a certain number... the Liufeng Realm will indeed sink into true ruin. "This was a warning from the Heavenly Dao, conveyed to me when it bestowed the Heartless Lotus." The Sovereigns fell into stunned silence. Even the Sovereign among the Thirteen Northern Demon Fiends who held grievances against Shang Yanran wavered in doubt. "Why wasn't this revealed and made known to all?" a Grand Sovereign couldn't help but ask. Shang Yanran's face turned icy. "Human nature... is selfish. What good would announcing it do? "Who wouldn't want to be the one who gets to die peacefully of old age? "Could everyone truly be selfless enough to sacrifice themselves for the world? "If anything, once some people knew, they might deliberately spawn vast numbers of demonic monstrosities. "As long as greed and selfishness exist, this world... will ultimately march toward destruction." Shang Yanran turned back toward Qi Yuan. "Honored Master, the hundred thousand behind you... are they all selfless paragons willing to lay down their lives?" Bai Ze looked up at the hundred thousand Sovereigns across the firmament, his expression lost. A hundred thousand Sovereigns... The demonic monstrosities they could spawn would be more than enough to doom the Liufeng Realm. Behind Qi Yuan, the hundred thousand Sovereigns showed signs of confusion and unease upon hearing Shang Yanran's words. A look of profound sorrow and grief covered Shang Yanran's face. "Fortunately, the reincarnations of both the Archdemon and the demoness have been found. "The demonic monstrosities of the Liufeng Realm began with the Archdemon and the demoness, and they should end with them as well." She looked directly at Qi Yuan and Ning Tao. Her implication was clear: these two were the reincarnations of the Archdemon and the demoness. Only when both died could the Liufeng Realm know peace. Sure enough, following Shang Yanran's proclamation, the way everyone looked at Qi Yuan shifted. After all, if Qi Yuan truly were the Archdemon, the realm's calamity had originated from him. Only his death would bring peace to this world. None of the Sovereigns would have to worry about whether they could peacefully die of old age. With just a few words, Shang Yanran had swayed the hearts of the crowd. Furthermore, an insidious thread of bewitchment lay hidden beneath her speech. Many seemed to fall under its sway. Hearing this, the corners of Qi Yuan's mouth curled into a smile. "Playing with hearts... How amusing. "Preaching human nature to me, preaching depth, trying to guilt-trip me?" A terrifying blood aura erupted from Qi Yuan. "Today, I'll show you that what you call the human heart... is nothing of the sort. "The greatest power in this world... is strength!" With that, Qi Yuan turned to the hundred thousand Sovereigns behind him. "Am I the Archdemon?" A flicker of hesitation passed through the eyes of the hundred thousand Sovereigns. Yang Hun and Chen Huan hastily roared, "The Blood Lord is no Archdemon!" Behind them, recalling the Blood Lord's terrifying might and his devastating origin divine ability that slaughtered Sovereigns like chickens, the hundred thousand Sovereigns hesitated no longer. They bellowed in unison: "The Blood Lord is no Archdemon!" The roar rolled forth like thunder, reverberating throughout the Gate of Myriad Demons. Qi Yuan stood tall in the void. "See that? This is what you call the true will of the people! "What 'big picture'? What 'common people'? "I am the big picture!" Disdain filled his eyes. "The Sovereigns of the Blood Palace fear me, dread me, and some even want to kill me. So what? Don't they still obediently do my bidding right now?!" At this moment, Qi Yuan looked every bit the arrogant, domineering archvillain. And yet, nobody could do a single thing about him. "Calling a stag a horse is quite amusing." Qi Yuan raised his hand. "Shang Yanran is the Archdemon." Chen Huan and Sovereign Yang Hun immediately caught on, bellowing at the top of their lungs, "Shang Yanran is the Archdemon!" The hundred thousand Sovereigns behind them roared in lockstep, "Shang Yanran is the Archdemon!" The sound was like the crashing of mountains and seas, shaking heaven and earth. The spectacle was absurd, yet profoundly striking. "See that?" Qi Yuan pointed toward the Sovereigns all around. "Now that is the human heart!" For the first time, a trace of urgency surfaced deep within Shang Yanran. She had manipulated hearts and brought ruin to realms; what kind of person hadn't she seen? Yet she had never encountered anyone like Qi Yuan. Even so, she refused to cower. "Honored Master, when you were the Archdemon, you once slew your most beloved demoness for the sake of the common people. "At the Ends of the Earth, to seal away the demonic monstrosities, you stepped into the Gate of Myriad Demons alone, feeding the demons with your own flesh. "Today, could you not also sacrifice yourself for this world, for the countless living beings of the Liufeng Realm?" Shang Yanran spoke with righteous fervor, her voice ringing out persuasively in all directions. Upon hearing this, Qi Yuan's grin widened. "You're even more disgusting than the Palace of Light. Still trying to guilt-trip me?" "I know asking this may sound selfish, but for the world, for the big picture, I am willing to play the villain and speak these words!" Shang Yanran pressed on. The disgust on Qi Yuan's face deepened. For the first time since arriving in this world, he let slip a curse. "Damn it, still running your mouth? I'll hack you to death!" "I've got no manners—I'm a college student! I don't give a damn about your big picture!" With a flick of Qi Yuan's wrist, the crimson sword in Ning Tao's hand flew straight into his grasp. Clutching the longsword, he slashed toward Shang Yanran. Qi Yuan had long reached the pinnacle of this world. As the sword struck, boundless desire burst forth at that very moment. Even Shang Yanran's eyes revealed shock. Her current body hailed from this realm, meaning she too was susceptible to inner demons. Yet as the strike landed, Qi Yuan's usually invincible origin divine ability did not flow as smoothly as before. The sword merely wounded Shang Yanran without drawing out her inner demon. Her face turned pale. Only by severing one of her own arms did she neutralize the divine ability. She shouted frantically, "Bai Ze, what are you waiting for?! Only by slaying the Archdemon can this realm truly find peace!" Inside the stronghold, Bai Ze's eyes were filled with endless hesitation and conflict. Shang Yanran's voice rang out once more. "The Buddha once slew his most beloved demoness for the world! "Now, if you strike down the Archdemon, Honored Master will not blame you! "The one before you is not Honored Master at all—it is the Archdemon! "Slaying the Archdemon is Honored Master's dying wish!" Bai Ze stood motionless within the stronghold, ten thousand emotions warring within him. A terrifying aura radiated from the Heartless Lotus. Even Qi Yuan sensed a faint whiff of danger. Qi Yuan's gaze fell upon the Heartless Lotus, a flicker of surprise passing through his eyes. [The Dust-Covered Great Sun Golden Lotus: A relic left after the parinirvana of the Great Sun Radiant Buddha, capable of forging a flawless lapis lazuli golden body. Infinitely powerful; once truly awakened, it can incinerate all things in the world.] The moment he saw the Great Sun Golden Lotus, Qi Yuan suddenly understood everything. His origin divine ability was Oblivion, the Great Oblivion Heart Scripture. It required holding all past events in mind, forgetting them, and then remembering once more. In his mind, he had reviewed the plot of this world's game countless times. Among them were many puzzles and discrepancies. Back on Mount Jiupan, he had instructed Bai Ze and Shang Yanran to investigate the Gate of Myriad Manifestations and listened to their report. At that time, he had glanced at Bai Ze, and the information presented before his eyes was that Bai Ze was a monk. He had smiled at Bai Ze and Shang Yanran back then. Later, through the Slate of Fate, he finally confirmed that Shang Yanran was the spirit of the Slate of Fate. Moreover, a great Buddha had once redeemed the Slate of Fate—which was also known as the Slate of Deceit. He had thus concluded that Shang Yanran was the demoness, as well as the Slate of Deceit. And his disciple Bai Ze was the former Buddha, and the former Archdemon— the origin of all demonic monstrosities. Yet there was still one thing Qi Yuan had not understood. Why had Shang Yanran gone to such lengths? Could it be merely to make the Buddha fall and turn into the Archdemon? If that were the case, she would only need to spread word that Bai Ze was the Archdemon. Wouldn't that cause Bai Ze to fall on his own? Now, seeing the Great Sun Golden Lotus, he understood completely. Shang Yanran's goal had only ever been the Great Sun Golden Lotus. However, she didn't dare push too hard, nor did she dare face Bai Ze directly. If Bai Ze awakened his memories as the Archdemon, he would likely become the Archdemon once again. At that point, the dust-covered Great Sun Golden Lotus would incinerate all things in the world. A corrupted Bai Ze would slay the demoness once more, just as the Archdemon had in the past. The Liufeng Realm would be thoroughly destroyed, and even she, as the Slate of Fate, would not be spared. Thus, she had taken a different route. She framed Ning Tao as the demoness and branded the Blood Lord as the Archdemon. She wanted to force Bai Ze to strike down the Blood Lord and Ning Tao.