Chương 5: As Long As You Don't Kill Me

Zhu Youchang saw Fang Cheng's smile and thought he was joking. He joked right back, putting on a serious face.

"Fang, I can't bear it. Life is so beautiful. How could I bear to destroy it?

"It's all the fault of that cruel Heavenly Dao!

"The Heavenly Dao forces wolves to eat cute little rabbits. Forces humans to eat pigs, cattle, and sheep, and drink tender tea leaves. Forces cultivators to become immortals. We're all forced, bound by a fate we can't change. Sigh!" Zhu Youchang let out a long sigh and continued, "We're wolves. We're destined to eat meat. If we go against the Heavenly Dao and eat grass, we'll be malnourished and sick. When we're lying on our deathbeds, we won't have the strength to save the world. So we're all forced.

I want to be a good person too. But I have to eat a little rabbit first, so I'll have the strength to do good deeds. Hahaha..." At that point, he burst out laughing. His fat jiggled like a white pig just out of a bath, thinking everything he did was clean and truly for the sake of doing good. Fang Cheng was deeply dissatisfied.

"Youchang, that's not right. How can you be a good person? You have to be a bad person. Rephrase that. I don't want to hear any talk about you wanting to be good."

"Haha, Fang, I just realized today. You're quite funny." Zhu Youchang patted Fang Cheng's shoulder with a laugh, then admitted, "To be honest, I'm not that bad. The lives I've taken aren't even a tenth of yours. Sometimes I wonder if there's a gentler way to cultivate. But there isn't."

"Zhu Youchang, don't compare yourself to me. Or I'll lose control," Fang Cheng warned.

"Yes, Fang, we're different. You're bolder than me. Your methods are more ruthless too." Zhu Youchang sighed. He'd never dare do such terrible things under his real name. Fang Cheng sensed something wrong. Zhu Youchang kept deflecting the topic back to him.

"Damn you, Zhu Youchang. Stop changing the subject. I only want to hear about your crimes. Spit them out. The more, the better." The more crimes Zhu Youchang admitted, the more excited Fang Cheng would get. He wished Zhu Youchang was a monster of the highest order. Then the legend of Fang Cheng the Great Sage punishing the Archfiend would spread far and wide.

"Fang, what do you mean by crimes?" Zhu Youchang didn't understand. He thought about it and decided Fang Cheng had killed too many people and lost his sanity. Time to talk some sense into him.

"Though we're cultivators, we can't always be fighting. We need to build connections. The reason I got the City God position in White Flower City was because I sent a huge amount of Immortal Crystals to a high-ranking official at the Hall of Eternal Life.

"Where did those crystals come from? Did I get them through despicable means? The higher-ups don't ask. All they care about is the quantity.

"Once I'm in White Flower City, I'll be able to refine more crystals and bribe more higher-ups for bigger territories. Over time, I'll save enough crystals to ascend to the Heavenly Realm.

"Brother Fang, this is what the path to immortality really looks like for small-time cultivators like us. Constant fighting and killing? That never ends well..." This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. Zhu Youchang patted Fang Cheng's shoulder, acting like a veteran giving advice, hoping Fang Cheng wouldn't be so stubborn.

"Oh." Fang Cheng nodded, then fell into thought. He was wondering whether bribery counted as a crime. If it did, then the bribed high-ranking official was also a bad person. He was itching to go take care of that official.

"Zhu Youchang, confess. Who is the official you bribed?" Zhu Youchang shook his head.

"We only communicated by flying sword. We've never met. I don't know his name. He only knows mine. But that's enough." As he spoke, he pulled an appointment letter from his robes and handed it to Fang Cheng. Fang Cheng unfolded it and read carefully. It said only one thing: Zhu Youchang was appointed City God of White Flower City. The official seal of the Hall of Eternal Life at the bottom proved its authenticity.

When Fang Cheng first became a Land God, aside from being chosen by the small immortal in heaven, he also needed the Hall of Eternal Life's approval. That was because his village was in the territory of the Great Sheng Dynasty, and the entire dynasty was under the Everlasting Emperor in heaven. Zhu Youchang continued, "Fang, I'm leaving for White Flower City soon. The formation here in Gaoliu Village, and these villagers. I was going to erase all of them..."

"Excellent, Zhu Youchang! You're going to kill all the villagers too? That's so cruel!" Fang Cheng interrupted. He said "cruel," but his face was lit up with joy. Excellent. Another crime to pin on him.

"No, Fang. I've changed my mind." Zhu Youchang replied.

"I want you to take over Gaoliu Village. We split the Immortal Crystals fifty-fifty. What do you say?" Zhu Youchang had been building up to this. He wanted to turn Fang Cheng into his underling, growing the business bigger and bigger.

"You despicable demon, Zhu! You're trying to tempt me with crystals! Yes, I need them. But my sense of justice and chivalry will never allow me to do something so depraved and inhumane!" Finished. Fang Cheng was already pumped. That sounded like exactly what a good person should say. The demon sword appeared in his hand of its own accord, seemingly approving and ready to mete out justice.

"Fang, calm down. I know fifty-fifty is a bit unfair to you. How about eighty-twenty?" Zhu Youchang conceded when he saw Fang Cheng about to lose it. Fang Cheng didn't answer. He stepped closer, his eyes alight with bloodthirsty excitement. Zhu Youchang glanced at the demon sword in Fang Cheng's hand, his eyelids twitching. A cultivator's sixth sense told him that if he kept bargaining, he'd really get stabbed.

"Forget it. You can have it all. We've been colleagues for years. I should help you out." Zhu Youchang said as he backed away, trying to sound casual. Fang Cheng still didn't answer. He stared at Zhu Youchang greedily, like a wolf eyeing its prey. Not wanting to kill immediately, but savoring the fear of its victim. Zhu Youchang felt he was about to die. He could truly feel death's terror. He wanted to fight back, but the demon sword's pressure made him suffocate. He couldn't even move a wisp of Divine Energy.

"Fang Cheng, killing me won't help. You don't know how to operate the formation. And do you really think I have no backer?

"This Spirit Gathering Array wasn't something I just found in the mountains. Someone gave it to me. You can't kill me. You'll be hunted down!"

"A group operation. Even better." Fang Cheng wanted to stop and question Zhu Youchang about his accomplices, but his body wouldn't obey. The demon sword controlled his limbs, drawing him ever closer to Zhu Youchang. Calm down, demon sword. Don't give up a whole pot of deliciousness for one bite. Fang Cheng struggled for control of his body, giving Zhu Youchang a moment to breathe.

"Please, Fang. Don't kill me. I'll agree to anything you want." As he spoke, his mind raced for a way to survive. Driven by pure instinct, he reviewed every word he'd exchanged with Fang Cheng. Suddenly, he reached a terrifying conclusion. This man killed to punish evil? Mad! He must be mad! Zhu Youchang screamed internally. His worldview shattered. It was impossible. No cultivator cultivated purely for justice. Absolutely impossible!

"Fang Cheng, I can change! It's not hard to be a good person. I can be like you!" Zhu Youchang forced these words from his throat. He didn't believe them himself, but he had no choice. He had to bet that Fang Cheng truly killed for goodness. But this statement enraged Fang Cheng. Why, why did every bastard on the verge of death always say, "I can be a good person too. It's not hard"?

"Do you know how much suffering and pain I've endured just to be a good person?

"Do you think I want to be good?

"I just have no choice!" Fang Cheng roared. He raised the demon sword and plunged it deep into Zhu Youchang's chest. Bright red blood sprayed across the entire room. He licked the blood that splattered on his lips. Sweet, warm. Excellent. Hahahaha... excellent...