Chapter Seventy-One: Good and Evil

The woman's body fell like a drifting leaf, carried by the current for some distance before slowly sinking to the bottom of the river.

The man named Zhao Da stared blankly at the scene, unable to accept what he had witnessed.

Shen Yu, calm and indifferent, gazed at Lu Caiwei and said, "Because of your hesitation, another person has died."

The child let out a strange, cackling laughter, darting toward Shen Yu, his mouth opening wide, the corners splitting all the way to the back of his head. Countless scales erupted across his body, and razor-sharp teeth glinted menacingly.

Shen Yu remained composed, showing not the slightest reaction.

Lu Caiwei suddenly shouted, "Die!"

A jade sword shot forward from in front of her, slicing through the air and transforming into a white beam aimed directly at the demon child's vital spot.

The demon child's pupils contracted, caught off guard by this unassuming woman's lethal attack. He thrust out his hands, and a curtain of bluish demonic energy shimmered before him.

The jade sword collided with the energy shield, producing a shrill, grating sound.

Lu Caiwei roared, "Break!"

Instantly, the blue shield splintered into countless cracks, a sound of shattering followed, and it dissipated in a moment.

The jade sword pressed on, piercing straight for the demon child's chest, but instead of impaling him, it struck with the sound of metal clashing. The child was not skewered but used the force to hurl himself backward, landing in the river.

Lu Caiwei withdrew her right hand, surprised by the strength of her strike.

Shen Yu watched the water.

An explosive splash.

The demon child leapt back onto the shore.

Blood gushed from his chest, his face thickly covered in scales, baring his teeth as viscous saliva dripped, a terrifying sight.

Shen Yu said, "What are you waiting for?"

Lu Caiwei, prompted by his words, instinctively manipulated the jade sword, her right hand forming sword seals, and again the sword stabbed forth.

"No!"

Zhao Da, who had been stunned for a long time, cried out in panic. He ran toward the monstrous figure, now barely human, spreading his arms as if to shield it with his own body.

Lu Caiwei hastily twisted her sword seals, halting the jade sword three feet before the man.

She shouted angrily, "What are you doing? He’s already become a monster!"

Zhao Da, his face contorted with rage and hatred, spat, "You’re all wicked! If not for you, my wife wouldn’t be dead, my child wouldn’t be like this. You brought this upon us..."

He turned around, suddenly wearing a gentle smile, murmuring, "Zhen'er, quick, eat them all. Once you do, everything will be fine."

Shen Yu remarked, "Demonic energy has invaded his body; his mind is gone."

Lu Caiwei's expression was conflicted.

She suddenly shouted, "Get out of the way!"

The fish-faced, human-bodied demon behind Zhao Da opened its maw wide, and in the blink of an eye, devoured Zhao Da from the waist up, spraying blood everywhere, leaving only his legs on the ground—a scene of unspeakable horror.

Lu Caiwei, never having witnessed such brutality, clapped her hand over her mouth and retched.

The demon child howled at the sky, seizing the opportunity to lunge toward Shen Yu.

Shen Yu did not even lift his eyes, apparently content to stand aside.

Lu Caiwei, seeing his cold indifference, bit her lip and manipulated her sword seals, pointing forward.

The jade sword shot out again, forming a curtain of light to block the demon's advance.

A loud splash!

The wooden bridge at the crossing erupted in gaping holes, the river surged upward.

Lu Caiwei swung her sword wildly, lacking any technique, but relying on the power of the jade sword itself, she fought the demon monster to a stalemate.

Shen Yu watched, thinking to himself that this demon was not particularly powerful—if Li Fugui were here, a single punch would have obliterated it. Its reputation was only due to its cunning.

Who could have guessed that after a child consumed a demon pill, his own parents would help conceal the truth?

Lu Caiwei's expression grew stern, her sword seals waving incessantly, gradually gaining the upper hand.

At last, with a determined shout, the jade sword plunged into the demon's shoulder, pinning it firmly to a wooden post.

Lu Caiwei prepared to finish it off, but the monster's appearance shifted, transforming back into the innocent child.

"Save me, sister!"

The child wept, his face filled with distress, pitiful beyond words.

Lu Caiwei's hand paused, her gaze turning to Shen Yu.

Shen Yu stood on the riverbank, hands behind his back, staring at the rushing waters, deep in thought.

"Sister, I’m still young, I don’t want to die, please save me, save me..."

The child continued to cry and plead.

Lu Caiwei approached him, and the jade sword flew out of his shoulder.

Having just experienced her first life-and-death struggle, she spoke gently, "Don’t be afraid, soon I will..."

Boom!

Just a yard away, the once pitiable child’s eyes suddenly blazed with murderous intent, like a tiger pouncing from the mountain.

Yet his form froze in midair, his face full of confusion.

A jade sword had pierced straight through his chest, this time without hesitation—a single strike through the heart.

Lu Caiwei slowly released her sword seal.

The monster collapsed with a thunderous crash.

Shen Yu’s eyebrow arched slightly, as if surprised.

"Don’t look at me like that."

Lu Caiwei said quietly, "You told me long ago that this child was already dead. I’m not stupid."

Shen Yu nodded, "That’s right."

It was the first time Shen Yu had acknowledged her, and her first successful demon-slaying, but Lu Caiwei felt no joy. She asked, "Why?"

Shen Yu gazed at her.

"You did it on purpose. You already knew the child had eaten a demon pill, otherwise you wouldn’t have chosen to stay at their house. But why couldn’t you tell me directly? Why waste so much time? If you had, two fewer people might have died."

She suddenly reddened her eyes. "Is human life truly so worthless to you?"

Shen Yu replied, "Yes."

He spoke without hesitation, his tone casual.

"You... you... you’re a bastard!"

Lu Caiwei clenched her fists, tears in her eyes, and turned away.

Shen Yu did not stop her, only turned back to gaze at the vast river before him.

A red shadow flashed between his brows; the long-unseen spirit Jing Qing emerged.

"Why did you do this?" Jing Qing’s ethereal form stood beside Shen Yu.

Shen Yu shook his head, "Originally, all three were doomed, and she would have done it herself. Unexpectedly, the little demon solved her dilemma."

Jing Qing was taken aback, then asked, "So what was the purpose? To make her see the truth of the world, dispel all unrealistic fantasies about cultivation?"

Shen Yu smiled. "She holds a great deal of kindness toward this world, naive and foolish—that’s something most people lack."

Jing Qing asked, "So, is that a bad thing?"

"No."

Shen Yu gazed into the distance, sighing, "It is, in fact, the best thing of all."