"So, I now possess a Faint Mandate of Heaven?"
"Yet being favored by the world is not a good thing; it might invite mortal peril."
"At the pinnacle of Divine Descent... they all perish. It seems I am still not strong enough."
On the deck of the vessel, basking in the sunlight, Qi Yuan continued his sermon to the sea fish.
After achieving Harmony with Heaven and Earth, his affinity with this realm had deepened, allowing him to channel even more of heaven and earth's might.
Now, he could truly be deemed invincible beneath the God rank.
As he preached to the fish, he periodically examined his inner condition and contemplated the art of artifact forging.
Only a few months remained before his roleplay as the Blind Implement Master would begin.
He needed to enhance his forging proficiency as quickly as possible; once blinded, raising his forging progress would become far more difficult.
In this world, going blind meant one could not release spiritual sense outward, leaving one's perception of the world entirely shrouded in darkness.
Advancing his craft under such conditions would be an arduous feat.
Yet even so, the Blind Implement Master had still risen to become a Heaven-rank implement master.
One could only imagine... just how absurd that talent had been!
"It seems all my blood that entered this game is doing quite well for itself."
"Except for Qi Yuan the matrilocal husband."
"Wait, no—he seems to be the only one with a wife."
"According to some people, having a wife is a skill in its own right."
After all, whenever people hurled insults, they loved to sneer that you couldn't find a wife or that no man would ever want you.
"Uncle, are you an implement master?"
Right then, a delicate young girl with two braided pigtails blinked her large eyes at Qi Yuan.
She did not appear tall—under one point six meters—petite and compact, with a baby face that looked remarkably tender, as if she had not even reached thirteen.
"Hey, by the looks of it, I'm at most a year older than you. How am I an uncle?" Qi Yuan retorted, unable to hold back.
He was in the prime of his youth; how on earth was he an uncle?
Liu Chudong flashed a mischievous grin, her voice sweet and mellow. "I'm only twelve."
Her cheeks held a trace of baby fat, making her look quite young and exuding the distinct, fresh innocence of an adolescent girl.
"You're clearly seventeen," Qi Yuan said casually.
A flicker of astonishment crossed Liu Chudong's face. "You know me?"
"Old woman, stop acting young!" Qi Yuan showed no restraint.
Since she had called him uncle, there was nothing wrong with calling her an old woman, right?
"Hey, what did an old woman ever do wrong? What's wrong with acting young?" Liu Chudong protested indignantly.
Qi Yuan paused, momentarily stunned. He suddenly felt a sense of deja vu, as if facing Horned Sis.
"You're right. Everyone is equal; I shouldn't stigmatize old women!" Qi Yuan reflected earnestly on his conduct, adopting a sincerely remorseful attitude.
Liu Chudong stared, surprised by how swiftly he had conceded. Soon, a look of appreciation appeared in her eyes. "You're actually a pretty decent guy."
She could tell his apology was genuine and straight from the heart.
"I've always been lawful good," Qi Yuan claimed proudly. "If I see an ant on the ground, I can't bear to step on it. If I see a fish, I can't bring myself to kill it."
"You..." Liu Chudong actually believed him.
Qi Yuan's words were simply delivered with too much sincerity, and his expression showed not the slightest trace of deceit.
Beside them, Chen Kangbao remained silent.
He desperately wanted to pipe up: *Young Master, you might not step on ants, but you swat down plenty of mosquitoes and flies. And not killing fish? That's only because this old servant does all the cooking.*
Liu Chudong looked at Qi Yuan and could not help but say, "Kindness is a fine virtue, but being too kind isn't good."
She felt Qi Yuan needed to adjust his disposition; otherwise, being overly kind would easily cause him to suffer.
"Don't worry. I'm merely kind; I haven't reached the level of a holy mother," Qi Yuan replied.
"What is a 'holy mother'?" Liu Chudong asked, puzzled.
"A holy mother is..." Qi Yuan explained the definition from Blue Star.
Liu Chudong raised a brow. "Such hypocritical do-gooders certainly deserve to die, but... how could anyone use the characters 'holy' and 'mother' to describe them? That's defiling the title of 'Holy Mother'!"
Qi Yuan was left utterly baffled. "To be fair— ...mother— to put it fairly, that wasn't my doing."
He really wished he could just activate Do As One Pleases.
Otherwise, speaking felt restricted at every turn.
"Sigh, it truly isn't your fault. Anyone can tell you are upright and honorable at first glance—a genuinely good person. It's just that sometimes being too good isn't suited for this world. This world preys precisely on the kindhearted," Liu Chudong chattered on without end.
She had taken a liking to Qi Yuan's disposition from the start, considering him prime material worth cultivating.
She admired people like him; with just a bit of guidance, he could become a like-minded comrade.
The ship sailed across the boundless ocean.
Liu Chudong and Qi Yuan talked about anything and everything under the sun, and truth be told, they felt quite like kindred spirits.
After speaking for an entire two hours, Liu Chudong was still eager for more.
"Big Brother Qi, you're simply too softhearted. Sometimes you have to be harsher, or else good people get bullied, just as docile horses get ridden!" Liu Chudong sighed with emotion.
Perhaps due to the presence of Qi Yuan's blood in this world, familiar sayings from his past life frequently cropped up, which came as no surprise to him.
"You're right. It's precisely because I'm too kind that I get bullied everywhere.
"Sigh, I have always been law-abiding, yet all it brought me... was endless oppression from my enemies!" Qi Yuan lamented.
The Black Mountain Sect had gone too far!
The Palace of Light had shown no martial ethics!
Taihuang Palace was steeped in monstrous evil!
"Could it be that I shouldn't obey the law?" Qi Yuan sighed, feeling deeply wronged.
He felt as if the entire world owed him.
"Obeying the law... is what one ought to do." Liu Chudong's gaze grew conflicted. "It's just that in this world, the law... is dictated entirely by those corrupt officials. Those vermin even shamelessly mock the idea of royal law!" Liu Chudong gritted her silver teeth, her face flushed with fury. "If only... if only..."
Through their conversation, Qi Yuan had already gathered that Liu Chudong was an idealist, with a healthy dose of youthful indignation.
Lowering her voice, Liu Chudong finally finished her thought: "If the God of Judgment were still here, how could there be so many unjust things in this world?"
*Un-mothered things?* Qi Yuan inwardly quipped.
As Liu Chudong spoke, she kept a close eye on Qi Yuan's expression.
This magical vessel was headed straight for Rakshasa Country.
In Rakshasa Country, the God of Judgment was taboo.
The kind where reporting someone brought a massive reward.
Seeing that Qi Yuan remained calm without showing any panic, Liu Chudong knew she had judged him correctly.
"Big Brother Qi, are you also dissatisfied with this world?"
Qi Yuan shook his head. "I wouldn't say dissatisfied, but the prevailing atmosphere is simply dreadful. Sigh, some people don't work hard at all, yet they occupy high positions. It's truly..."
He was referring to his white moonlights; if they didn't cultivate diligently, how was he supposed to farm experience points from them?
Liu Chudong's eyes brightened.
What she heard was that Qi Yuan was disgusted with Rakshasa Country, where the court officials were mere parasites—monkeys dressed in robes and hats.
"Big Brother Qi, do you want to change this world?"
"I do. I want to make them work hard!" Qi Yuan said earnestly.
He wished he could pull out a whip and lash those old fellows from Thorn Blood every day, forcing them to cultivate with all their might.
Hearing this, Liu Chudong's gaze turned resolute. "Big Brother Qi, since you possess such resolve, it seems we walk the same path. Would you like to join us and change this world together? ...However, joining us means you might be hunted and arrested by the corrupt court, facing endless perils. I have to tell you this upfront!"
Liu Chudong did not want to miss out on such a like-minded companion.
"What group are you?" Qi Yuan asked.
"We revere the just and selfless Divine Descent. Only Divine Descent can disperse the darkness and restore clarity to this world.
"We originally wanted to call ourselves Judgment, but that might draw the court's attention and prove too conspicuous, so we named ourselves Trial..."
Well then.
Naming the organization Trial seemed pretty conspicuous too.
Was this a group established by his own fan club?
"Hmph, the corrupt court goes too far. Even though we call ourselves Trial, they still hunt us everywhere!" Liu Chudong said with indignation.
"Do you know about the Council of Judgment?" Qi Yuan asked.
As Divine Descent, Qi Yuan naturally knew that the Council of Judgment was his true backing fan club—the official one.
To roleplay Divine Descent effectively, he would definitely need to make contact with the Council of Judgment.
"I know of them..." A look of longing appeared on Liu Chudong's face. "Our goal in Trial is to become an organization like the Council of Judgment. However... the Council of Judgment is riddled with corruption now, and many of its members have secretly defected to the imperial family. So if you ever run into anyone from the Council of Judgment, you must never trust them."
Liu Chudong spoke with evident wariness.
Seeing this, Qi Yuan gained a deeper understanding of the Council of Judgment.
However, he did not care much about those details.
"Do you hunt guiling?" Qi Yuan asked.
This Liu Chudong seemed idealistic yet naive, yet she was living quite comfortably.
This showed that Trial either wielded considerable influence, or Liu Chudong possessed formidable connections.
Otherwise, having disclosed information worthy of decapitation after knowing him for barely a couple of hours, she could not possibly have survived until now without either strong backing or extraordinary luck.
"We do! We specifically hunt wicked people and malevolent spirits that cause harm!" Liu Chudong answered solemnly. "Don't look down on Trial just because we're small and our members have ordinary strength. We have actually slain a Heaven-rank guiling before!"
At this mention, pride washed over Liu Chudong's face.
She glanced around, then lowered her voice. "I once saved an injured God-rank weapon wielder and helped him escape his pursuers. He has remained deeply grateful ever since and often helps me out."
Right, mystery solved.
Turns out she had a God-rank weapon wielder backing her?
Still... Qi Yuan looked at her with a complicated gaze.
Did that person really help her just because she had saved him?
"I can join you," Qi Yuan said earnestly. "However, I want to hunt guiling. I want to... reduce the number of unjust and un-mothered things within my sight!"
He needed to roleplay Divine Descent.
To increase his roleplay progress, he had to 'act heroically' and 'stand up against injustice.'
Furthermore, he had to root out the mastermind behind the scenes.
Raising his Divine Descent roleplay progress would grant him a massive boost in strength.
"Great!" Liu Chudong was ecstatic, delighted to have recruited another reliable member into Trial.
As night deepened, Liu Chudong returned to her cabin.
Her room was modest in size, filled with the faint sound of breathing and a subtle scent of blood.
"Sister Qian Ran, I just met someone outside! He's a wonderful person, and I recruited him into our Trial!"
Excitement danced on Liu Chudong's face.
Lying on the bed was a woman dressed in Taoist nun attire.
However, her injuries were severe, leaving her unable to walk.
Had Qi Yuan been present, he would have recognized this Daoist woman as someone he had seen back at Red Cloud Stockade.
Hearing Liu Chudong's words, Qian Ran revealed a helpless expression. "One must always be on guard against others. I'm just afraid that one day, someone will swindle you out of your wealth and virtue!"
"Sister Qian Ran, what nonsense are you talking about? You can't slander my friend!" Liu Chudong grumbled unhappily. "Everyone in Trial is my friend!"
Liu Chudong widened her almond eyes, wearing an expression reminiscent of a little girl declaring, 'Just wait until I'm in the big kids' preschool class, then I'll bully you.'
Qian Ran did not argue further.
"I'll have to trouble you to bring me to Liu Manor this time. My injuries are grave."
After departing Red Cloud Stockade, Qian Ran had encountered a powerful guiling. She had intended to temper herself in battle, but unexpectedly proved no match for it, suffering severe injuries that even damaged her natal artifact.
Now, to heal her wounds without lingering aftereffects, she needed... the intervention of a God-rank weapon wielder.
"Sister Qian Ran, don't worry. I'll plead with Grandfather to help!" Liu Chudong said earnestly.
Although her relationship with her grandfather had been quite strained lately, she was willing to swallow her pride for the sake of Sister Qian Ran's life.
Gratitude surfaced on Qian Ran's face. Looking at this younger sister, she suddenly recalled the man she had met at Red Cloud Stockade.
"Chudong, do you think... the God of Judgment is still alive?" Qian Ran asked.
At the mention of this, a crestfallen look appeared in Liu Chudong's eyes. "Not even a remnant of the God of Judgment's divine body remains, and all His divine statues were destroyed. How... could He possibly still be alive?
"If the God of Judgment were here, how could Rakshasa Country be in such foul disarray? How could it keep retreating before the armies of Deng Country, even going so far as to cede territory and pay indemnities!"
Beneath her disappointment lay even greater indignation toward the Rakshasa imperial family.
"What if He were alive?" Qian Ran asked casually.
"Rakshasa Country would welcome the light once more!" Liu Chudong said firmly.
Qian Ran thought of something, but held back her remaining words.
If the God of Judgment returned, would He... still be the God of Judgment?
Would He be the God of Judgment that Liu Chudong loved and believed in?
After all, the God of Judgment possessed no personal consciousness; He represented absolute fairness and justice.
Ten days passed.
Liu Chudong came to chat with Qi Yuan every day, their discussions revolving around fairness, justice, kindness, and harmony.
The more Liu Chudong observed Qi Yuan, the more pleasant he seemed to her eyes.
"Big Brother Qi, with you joining, I believe Trial's future will be exceptionally bright!"
Liu Chudong gazed at the ocean ahead, hope for the future blooming in her heart.
"Rest assured. Those who don't work hard, I will certainly urge them to work hard!" Qi Yuan said seriously.
He was eager to urge those white moonlights to work hard rather than idling away their old age.
"If only everyone were like you, Big Brother Qi, this world would be wonderful," Liu Chudong remarked wistfully. "After all, you can't even bear to step on an ant, and after eating a fish, you even apologize to it."
Through her interactions with Qi Yuan over this period, she had discovered that his kindness was not mere talk.
When he saw ants, he truly avoided stepping on them, steering clear instead.
After catching fish, he released them back into the water.
He never cooked or killed fish, because he never saw them die cruelly.
Such a person was truly a great kind soul!
Simply too kind!
"We'll probably dock tonight, Big Brother Qi. I have some urgent matters to attend to and won't be able to accompany you to Trial. When the time comes, someone will initiate you and guide you to Trial's branch!" Liu Chudong said.
She had to take Qian Ran back to Liu Manor to treat her injuries.
Otherwise, she would have personally led Qi Yuan into Trial so they could uphold righteousness and champion justice together.
"It's fine. Go attend to your business," Qi Yuan said, not minding in the least.
He planned to use Trial's channels to gather information on guiling and facilitate his roleplay of Divine Descent.
"Alright." Liu Chudong nodded vigorously.
She resolved that once she returned to Trial, she would take Qi Yuan to experience some of the world's harsh realities.
Otherwise, being too indecisive would not do.
Being overly kind made one prone to suffering losses.
Even if he didn't kill wicked people, he should at least learn to kill a few rats!
Chapter 524