After transmigrating into the body of the protagonist's childhood friend, he was targeted by a

Lin Zhixu said coldly, "Beasts! No, you are not even as good as beasts."

Agu's smile froze.

He thought he had misheard, turned to look at Lin Zhixu, and his eyes slowly darkened.

Lin Zhixu turned to look at the leader of the evil cultivators, his gaze icy: "He's a born demon, so it's one thing if he doesn't treat people like human beings. But what about you? You were originally a human being too. Helping them harm their own kind, have you lost your conscience?"

The leader of the evil cultivators avoided eye contact, and the fawning smile on his face crumbled.

He opened his mouth, seemingly wanting to explain, but when he met Lin Zhixu's gaze, his throat felt like it was blocked by something.

Lin Zhixu took a step closer, his words piercing to the heart, "Because you are cowardly, incompetent, you have spent your whole life being trampled underfoot. Now that you have a little power, you only dare to bully those weaker than you. You use other people's lives to fill your pitiful sense of self-esteem."

"You're the most pathetic kind of person. You think you can turn your life around by joining the demonic path, but you're not even as good as a dog."

The leader of the heretical cultivators' face turned purplish-red, and the veins on his forehead throbbed.

He wanted to lash out, but due to Lin Zhixu's status, he could only hunch over and force out a smile that was more like a grimace: "Yes... Your Excellency is right to reprimand me..."

Agu's face darkened, and he said coldly, "Lin Zhixu, what do you mean? You're a member of the Demon Clan now! I think you still cling to the righteous path and want to betray the Lord!"

"You've finally shown your true colors! I'll go report this to the Lord right now and let him know your true nature—a traitor who harbors ulterior motives!"

As he spoke, thinking about Lin Zhixu's impending fate, Agu could no longer contain his smile.

Without waiting for Lin Zhixu's response, she excitedly left.

I'm afraid that if I wait even a second longer, something unexpected might happen.

Lin Zhixu ignored him. He looked back at the leader of the evil cultivators.

After Agu left, the leader of the evil cultivators panicked completely.

"M-My lord..." the evil cultivator leader chuckled dryly, "I was just following orders, please be merciful... don't hold it against me..."

He could tell that Lin Zhixu was different from Agu.

This person didn't possess the inherent ferocity of a demon; instead, he resembled the righteous cultivators he was familiar with.

However, the other party is someone that Agu is wary of and who is also favored by the Demon Lord, so his identity is definitely not one that he can afford to offend.

Lin Zhixu stopped listening to his nonsense.

He suddenly moved.

A black arc of light flashed, and before the fawning expression on the evil cultivator leader's face had completely faded, his head had already rolled to the ground.

His eyes were still wide open, and his mouth was slightly agape, as if he couldn't understand how he had died.

The surrounding soldiers were all dumbfounded.

The leader is dead, so what will happen to them?

Lin Zhixu said coldly, "Open all the cages. Release them."

The soldiers dared not disobey, and scrambled towards the iron cages, their hands trembling so much they couldn't even insert the key into the lock.

The people in the cages, seeing them rushing towards them, shrank back in terror, their faces filled with fear.

The soldiers were even more frightened than the others, stammering, "Go...go! Go quickly!"

People looked at each other, and no one dared to move.

Until one person, unwilling to give up this only chance, shakily stood up from the corner, held onto the cage edge, and slowly walked out.

He looked back every few steps, and seeing that no one was going to kill him, he suddenly turned and rushed towards the cave entrance.

Once there's a first one, there will be a second and a third.

People helped each other, dragging children along, their cries and footsteps mingling together, surging out of the cave like a tide.

No one could believe that they would actually walk out alive.

After the crowd dispersed, the cave was mostly empty. Lin Zhixu walked to the largest iron cage.

The half-human, half-beast monster in the cage seemed to have sensed something as well.

It raised its distorted face, and Lin Zhixu's figure was reflected in its turbid eyes.

A low, hoarse roar rolled out from deep within his throat, whether it was a plea or resignation was unclear.

Lin Zhixu looked at it and slowly raised his hand.

The demonic energy in his palm condensed into an extremely thin black blade of light.

"Take care," he said in a low voice, and then the blade fell swiftly.

The monster's massive body stiffened abruptly, then crashed to the ground, falling silent once more.

Lin Zhixu didn't look again and turned to walk out of the cave.

Little Black obediently followed beside him.

It could sense that Lin Zhixu was in a bad mood, but it didn't know how to comfort him, so it could only stay with him silently.

Even in his pure heart, a trace of resentment inevitably arose.

It complained that Yu Linzhou really took very bad care of its owner.

Lin Zhixu left the cave without looking back.

He raised his hand, and a stream of black flame formed from demonic energy shot out from his palm and crashed straight into the cave.

Moments later, the entire cave collapsed with a roar, sending rocks flying and thick smoke billowing out.

The sins, bloodshed, and screams hidden in the shadows were all buried under the collapsed rocks.

He stood against the wind, his robes fluttering in the heat, his face expressionless.

In the distance, those he had released were desperately running down the mountain.

Someone fell down, and someone else pulled them up.

Lin Zhixu watched those disheveled figures.

"Live," he whispered, as if telling himself, "Live well, everyone."

Little Black squatted quietly at his feet, its tail no longer wagging.

It tilted its head and gently touched the back of Lin Zhixu's hand with its wet nose.

Lin Zhixu looked down at it and saw an almost clumsy worry in its bright black eyes. Finally, the corners of his mouth curled up very slightly.

"It's alright." He patted Xiao Hei's head. "We still have to go back; we have a tough battle to fight."

Xiao Hei let out a low "woof," as if it understood, or perhaps it was somewhat unwilling.

He disliked both the Tianheng Sect and the Demon Palace.

It longs for a peaceful and tranquil environment where it can stay with its owner.

But in the end, it still kept up with Lin Zhixu's footsteps.

The man and the wolf walked back along the mountain path, their shadows stretched long by the setting sun, slowly disappearing into the vast twilight.

Little did he know that those he had released were carrying today's story down to the human world.

……

Tianhengzong, inside the council hall.

The Grand Elder sat at the head of the table, his gaze slowly sweeping over everyone in the hall, his tone calm and measured: "You should all have heard the rumors circulating among the people."

"The Western Mountain Evil Cave has been destroyed, and hundreds of captive civilians have escaped. Everyone says it was done by a young cultivator dressed in black robes and accompanied by a black wolf. Do you all think this person could be Lin Zhixu?"

These words immediately sparked a flurry of discussion within the hall.

Elder Xuanqing pondered for a moment before speaking first: "I think it's almost certainly him. His appearance is so similar, and he's carrying a black wolf—who else could it be?"

The Grand Elder nodded: "That's what I think too. If it really is him, then it means that although he has fallen into the demonic path, he has not completely lost his conscience."

"A gentleman judges by actions, not intentions. Whether he was forced to go or there are other hidden reasons, this matter alone makes it worthwhile for us to give him a chance. If he is willing to turn back in the future, I hope you will remember this day and not push him to the brink."