The light of the sword is like the moon reflecting on Kyushu

Chapter 2121 Poison Spreads Far and Wide
When Pang Shiwu emerged from the cave, Bigwof and the others had been waiting for a long time. Around him, a number of ragged, emaciated boys were lying or sitting. These were the boys he had rescued.

Looking at the Tibetan youths before him, who were tortured to the point of being skin and bones, barely human, and on the verge of death, Pang Shiwu clenched his fists, burning with rage!

Han Yuan gently reminded him, "Young Master, leave these children to me. I'll have a disciple from our sect take charge of sending them back to their families."

Pang Shiwu suppressed his anger and tried to speak calmly, saying, "Fine!" He knew that getting angry now would be pointless! The henchmen here were all dead, but the mastermind behind it all was still at large! Only by finding the mastermind and bringing him to justice could he vent his hatred!
Chang Zijing looked at one of the boys, who was shirtless, covered in wounds, emaciated, with lifeless eyes, weak and unsteady on his feet, barely able to stand with the support of his two companions. The two companions supporting him were also pale, with sunken eyes, blank stares, and panting heavily. Their scars included cuts from sharp objects, burns from branding irons, and whip marks.

Chang Zijing's eyes reddened and she almost burst into tears. She couldn't help but sigh, "What kind of deep-seated hatred could drive someone to such a brutal act? These people are utterly inhuman!"

Pang Shiwu said with a gloomy face, "What deep-seated hatred could there be? These bastards are just psychologically twisted! They're fucking perverts!"

My elder brother once said that when Xunzi wrote "Human Nature is Evil", he began by saying, "Human nature is evil, and what is good is acquired." Moreover, he criticized Mencius's theory of "human nature is good" in many places, emphasizing that human nature is inherently evil!
Pang Shiwu disagreed at the time, laughing and saying, "Isn't it said that human nature is inherently good?"

The older brother said, "Both sides have their own reasons."

Pang Shiwu asked, "So which side do you lean towards?"

The older brother said, "I'm more inclined to believe that human nature is inherently evil!"

Pang Shiwu asked, "Why?"

The older brother said, "Originally, I also thought that people are born without good or evil, just like the saying 'Heaven and Earth are ruthless, treating all things like straw dogs.' Everything is natural, and good and evil are formed later in life. But later I began to waver. I think people are born with evil intentions, and the reason they can distinguish between good and evil and right and wrong is indeed due to their upbringing. For example, a baby needs to be breastfed as soon as it is born. Do you think the baby is good or evil?"

Pang Shiwu was dumbfounded and said, "A child? A newborn child? How can you distinguish between good and evil? What evil could a child possibly do?"

Feng Jiuxiao said at the time: "Breastfeeding is a kind of harm to the mother! It is harmful to both her body and mind! It is noble for a mother to raise her child selflessly, but let's be honest, when a child is hungry, it will cry, and when it is thirsty, it will cry. How can the mother eat and sleep well? What does it mean to endure hardship?"

Pang Shiwu was deeply moved at the time. "Yes, even if the child doesn't cry, the mother will still get up in the middle of the night to check if the child has wet the bed, for fear of irritating the skin. She can't get any rest at all!"

Feng Jiuxiao said at the time: "So for a father, a child is the hope of the family, but for a mother, a child is the villain who torments her! Of course, every mother is selfless and loving, and is willing to give to her child. How could they hate the little life they have nurtured after carrying a child for ten months and giving birth to a baby?"

Pang Shiwu said at the time, "But in fact, it is the baby that makes the mother suffer and be tired!" His thinking changed at that time, and he no longer believed that human nature is inherently good.

Feng Jiuxiao said at the time, "Children are naturally inclined to seek advantage and avoid harm. They will lie when they do something wrong. If adults do not correct them in time, the children will become habitual liars when they grow up."

Pang Shiwu later reflected on his thoughts and came to agree more and more with his elder brother's ideas.

There are only two kinds of evil in people: great evil and small evil! So-called good is just a disguise! Hiding evil makes it appear as good! Like myself, I belong to the category of small evil!

When I was a child, I was idle and got into fights; I was definitely not a good person!
But I neither steal nor rob, so I'm definitely not a bad person! At least not a really bad person!
And some people, like the Liu Changfeng family, are born evil! Every single one of them is a devil! They take pleasure in abusing and harming others, even disregarding human life!
The more others suffer, the happier they are!
Therefore, their methods of committing evil will only become more and more cruel! Their actions will only become more and more perverse! It has even reached the point where only "dissecting living people" can satisfy their twisted psychology!
Bigwof said, "Now that Master Hanyuan has solved the problem of the child's future, let's go to the Golden Top Royal Tent. Didn't your elder brother say that we should meet there?"

Pang Shiwu said, "Yes! Let's go!" Now that the villains here have been eliminated, all the victimized boys have been rescued, and Master Hanyuan has offered to help ensure the boys' safe return home, this matter can be concluded. He is now eager to go to the Golden-Topped Royal Tent to join his elder brother and deal with the mastermind behind it all—the Great Wizard Chizudezan!

Now that Gusiluo Zanpu has escaped, he can only bear the brunt of my anger!
Feng Jiuxiao also rescued the trapped boys and girls, who were all extremely weak and frail, barely able to stand, and could only support each other as they moved slowly. Most of them had blank expressions, showing neither the elation one would expect after being rescued nor any gratitude towards Feng Jiuxiao and his companions. They were all like walking corpses, emaciated and numb.

Xiong Mengyan frowned and said, "They were ravaged beyond recognition, and their spirits were broken."

Wang Sheng said, "Fortunately, they still have the strength to travel, otherwise it would be difficult for us to bring them back."

Duanmu Yan said, "Look at them, half-dead. Can they even walk? Forget about the inn, they should be grateful if they can even leave the gate!"

Wang Sheng immediately fell silent.

Xiong Mengyan agreed with Duanmu Yan, "Then what do we do? We have to find a carriage to take them back?" Where can we find a carriage around here? Unless we go back to the inn!
Feng Jiuxiao asked, "Does anyone know the art of controlling corpses?"

Wang Sheng laughed and said, "My Shu Mountain specializes in swordsmanship and can control swords, but I know nothing about evil... strange arts like controlling corpses."

Xiong Mengyan pondered, "I remember there seems to be someone on Demon Island who knows how to use this method, but I don't."

Duanmu Yan shrugged and said, "I don't know either. Back then, the Demon Lord was plundering the Demonic Sect's scriptures, but my godfather was a step too slow and failed to get this manual."

Feng Jiuxiao said, "Since no one else knows how to do it, I can only reluctantly try it myself."

Wang Sheng was taken aback. "You know the art of controlling corpses?"

Feng Jiuxiao laughed and said, "How could I possibly know such evil magic?"

Duanmu Yan's eyes flashed: "Young Master Feng, could it be that you intend to use the Isolation of the Small World Divine Art?"

Feng Jiuxiao said, "Brother Duanmu, you have a good point! I used the Isolation of the Small World Divine Art to forcibly control their minds and drive them to travel! This may cause them to be severely exhausted, but fortunately the journey will not be too long and the damage to their bodies will not be too great. The key is that they are young and have good physical foundations. I will also inject some internal energy into them for support, so they should not suffer any lasting health problems."

Wang Sheng said, "Young Master, what a brilliant idea!" He couldn't help but admire Feng Jiuxiao. Not only was he bold enough to think and act, but more importantly, he could actually come up with such a plan! He himself couldn't think of it! Of course, he couldn't do it either! He could wield a sword, so naturally he could wield this boy who was like a walking corpse!
But he didn't think of that! The reason he didn't was because he could only control two flying swords at a time! Facing more than twenty people, it would be strange if he thought of "controlling people to travel"!
Feng Jiuxiao suddenly shouted, "Rise!"

Whether standing or sitting on the ground, the boys and girls all started moving at the same time, standing up straight!

Feng Jiuxiao's voice was deep, yet it possessed the power to penetrate the depths of the netherworld: "Form ranks and advance!"

With a rustling sound, more than twenty boys and girls actually formed two lines and stepped forward!
The three members of the Demonic Sect were all secretly amazed!

If these young men and women hadn't been walking normally, they would have suspected that Feng Jiuxiao was transporting corpses! It is said that the Demonic Sect's "Corpse Control Technique" incorporates the "Corpse Transport Technique" of Xiangxi.

Feng Jiuxiao led them back to "Eight Directions Are Guests," where Bai Lian had already come out to greet them. "Young Master, rest assured, these boys are still in their care," she said, glancing around until a middle-aged man in Tibetan attire appeared before them. Bai Lian said to the man, "These children are yours to take care of and send them home!"

The middle-aged man bowed and said, "Yes, sir!" With a wave of his hand, a large group of sharp-eyed, tall young men appeared, gathering before Bai Lian with respectful expressions. The middle-aged man said, "Pass on my orders: safely return these boys to their parents, and those without parents, return them to their grandparents!"

The young people shouted in unison, "Yes, sir!" Their voices were thunderous and their momentum was overwhelming! They quickly helped the swaying teenagers up and disappeared from sight.

Feng Jiuxiao smiled and said, "Venerable One, please accompany me to the palace."

Bai Lian clasped her hands together and smiled, "No need for such an honor!"

He was so concerned about helping Feng Jiuxiao solve the problem of the children's future arrangements, all so that he could go to the palace with Feng Jiuxiao!
There's not much to see in the palace, but it's where he's looking for something!
It is said that there are many rare and precious natural treasures there! Things like Tian Shan snow lotus, cordyceps, and top-quality saffron are rarely seen in ordinary people, but they are commonplace there!
Who knows, they might find something even better! When Feng Jiuxiao, Yuan Zishan, and the three members of the Demonic Sect stopped a hundred feet away from the foot of Chiling Mountain where the Golden Peak Royal Tent was located, Pang Shiwu and the others had been waiting there for a long time.

Feng Jiuxiao said, "You guys are pretty quick!"

Pang Shiwu laughed and said, "Mainly because the eagle house is close to here."

"You little rascal, you've actually learned to be humble."

"Isn't this necessary? People have to grow up!"

Feng Jiuxiao silently looked up at the summit of Chiling Mountain, lost in thought. Everyone's gaze followed him as they looked towards the palace of the Tibetan king of Qingtang!
The royal palace, like a golden roc, stands majestically atop the Red Ridge, below which lie the dwellings of 100,000 Tibetans, who depend on it for survival like a nest.

The staircase forms a clearly defined three-tiered structure from top to bottom: the golden dome of divine authority, the stone nests of the nobility, and the earthen burrows of the common people. Each level is like a solidified declaration of social hierarchy!

The walls of the palace are made of whole blocks of red sandstone, with relief carvings of the Bon religion's "Sun-Eating Roc" on them.

The golden canopy atop the palace is adorned with over three hundred wind chimes made of skulls. When the cold wind blows, the wind chimes wail, like the whispers of wronged souls!

Feng Jiuxiao asked, "Are those white things on the suspension bridge's iron chains human hand bones?"

Bai Lian said, "Yes. It is said that the hand bones of enemy generals were collected and tied to iron chains, mainly to intimidate the enemy. The Tibetans liked to take the bones of their enemies and make them into various objects. It is said that the names of the cities that were massacred or the names of the enemy generals who were killed were engraved on the iron chains and hand bones."

Feng Jiuxiao said, "Yes, it suits their temperament very well."

Below the royal palace lies a ring of stone fortresses inhabited by nobles, built around the mountain. The walls are made of basalt, inlaid with yak horns, their sharp points pointing outwards, resembling magnified hedgehog quills from a distance—primarily to prevent the "lower classes" from climbing up! What would happen if these lower classes were to casually infiltrate the nobles' living quarters? The strict hierarchy was so vividly portrayed!
The narrow windows on the stone fortress, like arrow slits, pointed downwards, making it easy for nobles to shoot rioters at any time!
By this time, there was not a single person left in the stone fortress complex. The nobles had long heard rumors of Gusiluo's escape, and soon they followed suit.

Now, only the earthen burrows of the "untouchables" remain, where faint traces of human activity can still be seen.

Feng Jiuxiao couldn't help but sigh, "This is no residential area, it's clearly a cemetery for the living!"

Looking down from the sky, the earthen caves covering the hillsides are as dense as honeycomb, and almost every cave is covered with a yak hide for snow protection; the alleyways are as narrow as intestines, only wide enough to pass sideways; cow dung cakes are drying on the roofs, serving as both fuel for winter and material for repairing walls.

Suddenly, a tall figure appeared on the mountaintop, looking down at the foot of the mountain.

Bai Lian's pupils contracted. "The Great Wizard!"

Feng Jiuxiao asked, "Is he the Great Wizard? Chi Zudezan?"

"Not bad!"

What's on his head?

"Nine-Skull Lotus Crown!"

Why do the things on my ears seem to be moving?

“Young master, you can see him from this far away? I can only vaguely tell that he is a great wizard from his clothes, I can’t even see his eyebrows and eyes clearly! Luckily I have seen him up close before. If he hasn’t changed his clothes, he should be wearing a purple-gold corpse beetle on his left ear, which is indeed a living creature; and a string of human teeth on his right ear, which is said to be a hundred incisors.”

"What incisors? Human incisors?"

"Yes! A human!"

"Damn it!" Pang Shiwu cursed. "What is that bastard wearing? Is it human skin?"

Bai Lian clasped his hands together and said, "I heard it's made of human skin! Of course, I only heard it; I didn't even realize he was wearing human skin that time. But my master later said that what Chi Zu Dezan wore was called the 'Ten Thousand Souls Cloak,'" he lowered his voice, "It's said that to make this cloak, the entire back skin of ninety-nine twin children was peeled off, and the 'Blood Sea Devouring Buddha' painting was embroidered with human sinews. I don't know if it's true or not." In front of Feng Jiuxiao, he unconsciously used "I" again instead of "this humble monk." No one else would point out this "flaw." The Great Bright Temple—no one in the martial arts world considered them a Buddhist temple!

Pang Shiwu sneered, "If we don't know if it's true or not, then we'll treat it as true!" Only by taking it as true can we have a reason to kill this heinous villain!

Bai Lian said, "His spinal cane is also very powerful."

"how to say?"

"It is said to be made from the entire vertebral column of the Tibetan war god. When it is danced, hundreds of ghosts weep, the wind and clouds change color, and it is terrifying! Blood centipedes formed from rotten blood can also shoot out from the spinal cord, which specialize in drilling into people's seven orifices and eating their brains!"

"Damn, that does sound a bit scary!"

"Ahem, Young Master Pang, please stop joking. Are you afraid of him?"

Pang Shiwu said in a serious tone, "He has five times the combat power of the Glazed Realm. Even with the Blood Sword's enhancement, I can only manage a draw with him at best! However, he also knows some unorthodox methods, such as incantations and witchcraft, which I can't match. It's inevitable that I feel a little guilty!"

Bai Lian smiled and said, "Witchcraft isn't as terrifying as you think! Witchcraft is divided into black and white, like a double-edged sword! Black witchcraft usually focuses on curses and sorcery, seeking to use the power of darkness or evil to deal with the caster's enemies. But it comes at the cost of backlash, since its primary purpose is to harm people. White witchcraft, on the other hand, subjectively aims to predict future events in a mysterious environment or to take effective measures to cure diseases and restore health, so it doesn't suffer from backlash."

"So, witchcraft is a double-edged sword, and there are good and bad wizards?"

"That's right! The Records of the Grand Historian states: When King Cheng was young, he fell ill. The Duke of Zhou then pinched his own nails and threw them into the river to pray to the gods... King Cheng's illness was cured. The witchcraft used here was simply to hope for the protection of the Heavenly Emperor, ancestors, and gods, and it was full of goodwill!"

"I see!"

Suddenly, Chizu Dezan, who was standing on the mountaintop, slammed his staff on the ground, and the entire red mountain seemed to tremble!
A crimson mist spread outwards from the base of the staff, flowing down the hillside like ripples on water.

Wherever the blood mist passed, flowers and plants withered instantly, and chickens and dogs died immediately!

Several Tibetan women who were hanging clothes to dry also collapsed instantly!

Bai Lian frowned and said, "Poison spreads for thousands of miles? This move is truly vicious! The poisonous fog will spread, leaving nothing but barren land! Those civilians are going to suffer!"

Feng Jiuxiao frowned, also greatly surprised!
He hadn't expected Chizu Dezan to be so ruthless, disregarding the lives of tens of thousands of civilians in order to attack him! He suddenly drew his Heaven-Shaking Bow and shot an arrow out with a whoosh!
[Above image: Portrait of the High Wizard]