Tens of thousands of blood-red vines originally twisted and writhed in midair, as if sensing Hou Yuduan's pain, their movements gradually became gentler, and they began to slowly converge, eventually forming a figure in red robes, floating opposite Hou Yuduan.
"You had my Hou Clan use the Qinglong Token to create chaos in the martial arts world of the four counties, was it because you wanted everyone to think your target was the martial artists of the four counties and not Tongling County, right?"
As Hou Yuduan asked, the true face of the figure in red gradually became clear, indeed it was Maiden Hong, who should have been in battle against the six great masters at that point.
Maiden Hong looked at the pain in Hou Yuduan's brow, silent for a moment, her heart unknowable, but she nodded serenely.
"And then you had Yang Xin and the other two kill Yan Sannu in front of the six great masters at Shengxin Residence, deliberately revealing that demons were behind the Qinglong Association, so as to lure the six great masters and the Mansion Army out of the city to encircle and suppress the demons, and you took the opportunity to enter the Prefectural City and break the barrier, allowing the demon army at your command to easily invade the city?"
Upon hearing Maiden Hong's response, Hou Yuduan abruptly raised his head, his pain turning to anger as he roared, "Why did you hide it from me?"
Hearing Hou Yuduan's roar and feeling the indignation in his tone, Maiden Hong took two steps forward, stopping less than three inches from him, her face forming a faint smile tinged with a trace of sorrow as she said, "This is the first time the Jade Gentleman has ever yelled at me..."
Restlessness rose on Hou Yuduan's face, he who normally had the most stable of emotions, rarely losing his composure , but after looking down at the catastrophe in the Prefectural City, he still stepped back two paces, glaring at Maiden Hong without a word.
Seeing Hou Yuduan step back, a fleeting look of sadness crossed the depths of Maiden Hong's eyes, after a while, she finally spoke softly.
"I need blood to consume, to recover my cultivation; you've known this for some time, haven't you?"
"I knew, but like everyone else, I thought your targets were only those martial artists from the four counties who coveted the Qinglong Token. Had I known you would massacre the common folk of Tongling, I would have stopped my elder brother at all cost, stopped my Hou Clan from becoming complicit in tyranny!"
"What's the difference between the two?"
"The difference is vast. Looking at the world, all who oppress the good and roam as tyrants are martial artists. They cultivate martial skills ultimately to wield extraordinary power, to suppress others, and to satisfy their own desires.
It is precisely because of these martial artists, engaging in constant strife and campaigns, that wars bring endless suffering to the people and generate resentment everywhere, giving rise to an endless cycle of demons. Without these martial artists, Tongling would only be more peaceful and tranquil."
Hou Yuduan's heart was shaken, and the Vast Righteous Qi within his Eighth Orifice gradually ascended to his Sea of Consciousness along with his words, the scent of ink emerging slowly from the Sea of Consciousness. His cultivation on the Confucian Path had made another breakthrough.
These words he spoke, not only to Maiden Hong but also to himself. Cultivating Confucianism was different from the Martial Path; it was insight that led to advancing one's realm. He had entered the Five Realms of Rectifying Heart and was promoted to a lesser scholar because these words were his own thoughts and reflections, conforming to propriety and approaching the truth.
The Zhaoyang Disturbance had left thousands dead or injured, and in one night, the city had over ten thousand orphans. Hou Yuduan had already begun to seriously contemplate why these events occurred and, tracing the roots, had reached these conclusions.
This was also why he, by nature kind-hearted and disliking to kill, did not deter his elder brother from assisting Maiden Hong, even aiding them from the sidelines, because he believed that the root of chaos in the world lay with these martial artists.
He knew of Maiden Hong's resentment and that her cultivation recovery was fueled by a desire for revenge. Using these martial artists, whom he saw as the root of chaos, to help Maiden Hong achieve her goal seemed acceptable to him.
Moreover, he had long discussed these views with Maiden Hong. At the time, with Maiden Hong remaining silent, Hou Yuduan had thought she agreed with him.
Now, it appeared that Maiden Hong had been deceiving him all along.
Facing Hou Yuduan's accusations, Maiden Hong remained silent for a long time before speaking softly, "But in my eyes, whether martial artists or ordinary people, they're all the same."
Though she spoke softly, the thick disappointment in her tone was evident.
Staring at her for a long time after hearing this reply, Hou Yuduan said, "You've suffered too much injustice in life and are disillusioned with human nature, filled with hatred. I know this, so I didn't stop you from regaining your cultivation to carry out your revenge against Tian Linong and his son.
But I know that, at your core, you are not evil. I've been trying to influence you every moment, hoping to gradually dissolve the obsession and quell the resentment in your heart, hoping you wouldn't cause too much slaughter, bringing disaster to the common folk of Tongling.
Your wisdom far surpasses mine; from the moment we met, you must have seen my intentions. You knew well that committing these acts would make me unable to forgive you, yet you still chose to deceive me.
You are truly... beyond redemption!"
Hou Yuduan's words grew sharper with each sentence, his tone deeper and deeper, and the final phrase "beyond redemption" was thick with disappointment.
Maiden Hong extended her hand to gently stroke Hou Yuduan's face, gazing at him for dozens of breaths before withdrawing her hand. Then she began to laugh heartily, her laughter unrestrained and clearly laced with a heavy note of mockery.
"Tian Linong and his son?"
"Dissolving obsession, quelling resentment?"