Xiao Shixiong had always been gentle, making people feel as comfortable as a spring breeze. Even when he was stern, it was only towards enemies.

This was the first time Situ Jian had been looked at with such coldness by Mo Hua, and he felt as if the blood in his veins was freezing.

At the same time, his heart was a mix of shame and pain.

“Xiao Shixiong, this isn’t the place to talk. Let’s… find somewhere else,” Situ Jian said.

Seeing Situ Jian’s expression, Mo Hua couldn’t bear to say anything more and nodded.

Situ Jian led Mo Hua to a tall building in the center of the encampment.

Mo Hua, who had once been a great shaman in the Great Wilderness, was very familiar with the customs of the barbarian tribes. He knew that this tall building must have been used to worship a barbarian god, and he could still smell some divine aura in the air.

But now, the tribe was annihilated, the idols were toppled, and the tall building was occupied.

And all the tribal people had become “slaves.”

Not slaves of the Great Wilderness, but “slaves” of Dao Ting and Jiuzhou.

Mo Hua sat on the edge of the tall building and looked down, seeing children kneeling on the ground, prostrating themselves and begging for survival.

There were also barbarian slaves covered in whip marks, toiling away.

Not to mention, in the distance, women were being stripped of their clothes, their dignity gone, being picked and chosen, bought and sold.

Mo Hua looked at everything before him with an expressionless face.

Situ Jian dismissed two elders of the Situ family, sat opposite Mo Hua, sighed, remained silent for a long time, and then slowly began to speak:

“Xiao Shixiong… after I graduated from the sect and returned to my family, on one hand, I diligently cultivated, preparing to form my Golden Core, and on the other hand, I was arranged to handle some family affairs…”

“As for cultivation, there’s no need to mention it. The legacy of my Situ family cannot compare to that of Tai Xu Men. Within Tai Xu Men, I received guidance from excellent teachers, and with you, Xiao Shixiong, and many fellow disciples, we encouraged each other to strive forward. On the path of cultivation, I probably had a clear direction, but…”

Situ Jian paused silently, “Only in family matters, I’m not quite used to it.”

“The Situ family… from childhood to adulthood, all the elders and peers I met were kind to me. I always thought my Situ family should be an upright and harmonious aristocratic family, but when I grew up and started to deal with family affairs, I realized my thoughts were… a bit naive…”

“My Situ family is actually not at all what I imagined.”

“Within the clan, people’s hearts are not that good either.”

“Many clansmen were friendly to me simply because I am the patriarch’s son, a young master, a promising genius.”

“I knew before that competition within aristocratic families is fierce, and you have to fight for whatever you want. But I never realized that they are divided into different ranks.”

“It’s not a matter of importance or not, but truly a division of noble and lowly.”

“Some people, even though they are my relatives, my uncles, cousins, but when they see me, they are a rank below me. Many clansmen don’t even have the资格 (qualified) to see me…”

“This is even quite normal within aristocratic families. Within the family, although there’s shared blood, the hierarchy is clear, and the noble and lowly are strictly defined… this is truly nothing out of the ordinary.”

“I could have accepted it with a clear conscience…”

Situ Jian’s gaze was profound as he sighed, “If I hadn’t left the Situ family during that time, entered Tai Xu Men, and had nine years of study there…”

The atmosphere at Tai Xu Men was too good.

The sect was amicable, disciples helped each other, and during the Sword Discussion Assembly, they fought together for the honor of the sect, turning the tide from a desperate situation and becoming the top sect in the Qian Xue Zhoujie.

Under the leadership of Xiao Shixiong Mo Hua, although there were differences in talent and ability among the sect disciples, there was no situation of mutual disparagement or comparison.

In fact, because Mo Hua himself had very poor aptitude, yet could be the Xiao Shixiong and earn everyone’s respect.

Therefore, this generation of disciples at Tai Xu Men didn’t attach much importance to spiritual roots, aptitude, or family background.

Instead, whoever performed well in the Dao Discussion Assembly, whoever could win honor and merit for the sect, had more face and was more esteemed by fellow disciples.

These things, when he was at Tai Xu Men, when he was with Xiao Shixiong Mo Hua, were implicitly understood and gradually assimilated.

Everyone was accustomed to it, and so was Situ Jian.

But once he left Tai Xu Men and returned to his family, Situ Jian suddenly felt a sense of incongruity.

The rules of aristocratic families did not operate this way.

Within aristocratic families, the hierarchy was strict.

If he had entered another Qian Xue Zongmen at that time, rather than Tai Xu Men, Situ Jian might have changed his sect habits and slowly adapted to the family’s rules.

For aristocratic family disciples, this was actually a kind of “progress” and “growth.”

But he happened to have entered Tai Xu Men and had a Xiao Shixiong named Mo Hua.

The experience of cultivating Dao at Tai Xu Men had influenced Situ Jian too deeply. Now, back in his family, he felt uncomfortable no matter what, and something felt wrong no matter how he thought about it.

Situ Jian frowned, then continued:

“My Situ family treats its own disciples this way, let alone the loose cultivators below.”

“There’s a huge chasm between aristocratic families and loose cultivators.”

“And almost every bit of profit for an aristocratic family is exploited from loose cultivators. Conversely, aristocratic families look down on loose cultivators, considering them cheap.”

“I didn’t understand these things at first…”

It was also because he had more contact with Mo Hua at Tai Xu Men, which enlightened him a little, and then he gradually came to understand.

“It’s not to say that the Situ family is full of ‘bad people,’ or that everyone is selfish and exploits and oppresses loose cultivators. There are good people in the family too, but…”

Situ Jian gave a bitter smile, “I’ve observed it; any family disciple with good intentions who gives up profits for loose cultivators will gradually be marginalized, not valued, and unable to wield power…”

“Furthermore, this isn’t even done intentionally by someone, they aren’t deliberately excluded to be marginalized; it’s a natural evolution according to the family’s rules…”

“Because within aristocratic families, competition is fierce. Only by striving with all one’s might, by snatching and fighting for one’s own interests, securing more cultivation resources, and using every bit of those resources on oneself, can one climb step by step…”

“But once you don’t seek profit for yourself, and even hand over a portion of your own interests to loose cultivators, then naturally you can’t compete with others, you can only fall behind and be on the fringes of the family.”

Situ Jian looked up at Mo Hua. “My sister Situ Fang is actually such a person.”

“The reason why their lineage can’t produce a Zhenren is because they are not ‘overbearing’ enough, not ‘selfish’ enough, not unscrupulous enough…”

“My sister Situ Fang is actually like this too. I looked up her family register and résumé, and found that the Grand Elder’s annotation for her was: ‘Average aptitude, ambitious, diligent and responsible, but overly enthusiastic, meddlesome, not suitable for important positions.'”

“So, even though she is considered a direct descendant and quite capable, she has always been on the periphery of the Situ family’s core power, without much cultivation resources.”

Situ Jian sighed deeply, his expression forlorn.

Mo Hua’s expression, however, softened. He poured a cup of tea for Situ Jian and said, “Take your time.”

Situ Jian drank the tea Mo Hua poured, knowing that Xiao Shixiong wasn’t as angry with him, and then he breathed a sigh of relief, continuing:

“Although I was a family prodigy before, I lived a pampered life and didn’t have access to these things.”

“Now that I’ve graduated from Tai Xu Men and am about to form my Golden Core, I’ve started trying to take charge and gradually understood the rules of how the aristocratic family’s upper echelons operate.”

“I don’t really like these rules, but I…”

Situ Jian’s face showed disappointment. “I have no other choice. I… am a genius of the family, cultivated by consuming the family’s provisions. The Old Ancestor, my parents, the elders of the clan, those high-ranking elders, all place great hopes on me. They rely on me to work for the prosperity of the Situ family. I truly cannot go against their wishes, nor can I resist…”

“Just as I was struggling internally, the Great Wilderness rebelled.”

Mo Hua’s eyes moved slightly, “So, to avoid these choices, you came to the Great Wilderness?”

Situ Jian nodded, “Yes, I don’t like the top-down selfish oppression in the family, but I can’t resist it. So, seizing the opportunity of the rebellion, I volunteered to come to the Great Wilderness, thinking I could leave the family’s territory and, instead of exploiting others, rely on my own abilities to achieve merit, create new situations, and do what I wanted…”

“The result…”

Situ Jian’s face became even uglier. “I was too naive. The situation here in the Great Wilderness is even worse. It’s not even oppression here; it’s direct ‘man-eating man.'”

“This is war. From the perspective of Dao Ting, it’s a war to suppress a rebellion.”

“But from the perspective of aristocratic families, it’s actually a ‘game’ set up to ‘grab territory,’ grab slaves, grab resources, grab legacies…”

“The Dao Ting legacy spans over two tens of thousands of years, and even aristocratic families have long since solidified. Tian Quan Ge’s delineation of power ranks has also become extremely cautious. Not to mention fifth-grade, there are almost no spots for even fourth-grade.”

“Because any decent Zhoujie has already been divided and monopolized. Large aristocratic families grow larger, and it becomes increasingly difficult for those below. The top also doesn’t allow others to come and take a share.”

“At such a time, if one wants ‘new nobility,’ one must expand outwards.”

“And most of Jiuzhou is within Dao Ting’s control. The only place left to expand is the Great Wilderness.”

“Once the Great Wilderness rebels and war breaks out, there are countless opportunities. Large aristocratic families can take another bite, and medium and small aristocratic families also have room to get a share.”

“And war is always accompanied by bloodshed, barbarism, filth, and cruelty.”

“It’s a life-and-death struggle on the battlefield. After the war, they occupy territory, kill and slaughter tribes, abduct slaves, defile women, traffic people…”

Situ Jian’s face was extremely grim.

He was a young cultivator with ideals and ambitions, who disliked the family’s schemes and so went to the Great Wilderness battlefield.

As a result, what happened on the battlefield was a hundred times dirtier than schemes.

This made Situ Jian feel as if he had tried to avoid getting his shoes wet in a dirty ditch by seeking a clean place, only to jump directly into a cesspit.

An indescribable disgust, coupled with a hint of despair.

“When I was in Lizhou, I already refused some family arrangements. Now that I’m in the Great Wilderness, I truly… have no room left to refuse.”

“Everyone is killing, everyone is snatching, everyone is competing. All aristocratic families are involved in selling barbarian slaves. As a member of the Situ family, I simply don’t have the right to ‘claim moral superiority,’ let alone disregard the family’s interests…”

“I can only… help the family with these businesses…”

Situ Jian’s face was pale, and he found it difficult to speak.

He had hidden these things in his heart for a long time, but there was no one he could confide in.

Moreover, even if he spoke out, no one would understand, and he would be seen as a “kind-hearted anomaly” by the family elders, and as “being melodramatic” and “hypocritical” by others.

Only in front of Xiao Shixiong could he express his true feelings.

Therefore, he both did not want Xiao Shixiong to know about these ugly dealings that he and the Situ family were involved in.

But at the same time, he hoped that Xiao Shixiong could see and know these things firsthand.

This way, his conscience, which was heavily burdened and increasingly numb, might feel a little better.

Situ Jian looked at Mo Hua weakly.

Mo Hua also looked at Situ Jian, and only then did he notice that Situ Jian’s face showed two intertwined causal auras, one bright and one dark.

One aura was very familiar to him; it was that of the youthful, righteous, and passionate Situ Jian of Tai Xu Men from back then.

The other aura carried a sense of unfamiliarity; it was that of the current Situ Jian, the young master who held a respected position in the Situ family, was highly regarded, and was compelled to seek profit for the family.

Mo Hua felt a chill in his heart and realized that this might be the fate of aristocratic family prodigies like Situ Jian.

When they were young, no matter how ambitious and full of chivalry they were, as soon as they returned to their families, they would inevitably be subtly influenced by fame and fortune, and gradually “re-disciplined” by the shackles of power.

They had nowhere to escape.

Escape from one pit, and another pit awaited them.

All the powerful and influential people were selfish.

Sooner or later, they would eventually become sophisticated and self-serving aristocratic family prodigies.

In the current world, this was almost destiny, irreversible.

Mo Hua sighed softly in his heart.

A broken world cannot tolerate people with conscience.

No matter who they were, no matter their talent, no matter their status, there would be no exception.

Mo Hua patted Situ Jian’s shoulder, understandingly saying, “Don’t worry, it’s not your fault…”

When Situ Jian felt his Xiao Shixiong’s pat on the shoulder and heard those gentle, understanding words, he felt as if sunlight had streamed into his heart, and the gloomy, long-accumulated ice gradually melted away.

The ugliness and gloom born from guilt in his heart also dissipated considerably.

Then Situ Jian couldn’t help but ask, “Xiao Shixiong, if you were me… what would you do?”

“Me?” Mo Hua was slightly taken aback.

“Hmm,” Situ Jian nodded.

Mo Hua pondered for a moment, then said grandly, “If I were you, I would cultivate diligently, unite forces, and one day, when my cultivation advanced and I became the family head, holding great power, I would implement reforms with swift and decisive action, doing things entirely according to my own will, planning for the family’s development. Whoever disobeys, I’ll suppress them; whoever opposes, I’ll eliminate them…”

Situ Jian twitched his lips, giving a bitter smile, “Xiao Shixiong, true to yourself…”

Mo Hua nodded.

Situ Jian thought his Xiao Shixiong was joking.

But in fact, not long ago, Mo Hua had done exactly that in the Great Wilderness.

These things, he had actually done himself.

Of course, Mo Hua did indeed have some element of joking.

After all, the situation in the Great Wilderness was special and couldn’t be generalized.

Situ Jian was the young master of the Situ family, and he was still young; he couldn’t do such “wolfish” things to his own family.

Mo Hua comforted Situ Jian, “You are just a young master, only at the Foundation Establishment stage; it’s normal to be powerless in many matters. Don’t put too much pressure on yourself. If something is impossible, temporary compromise and protecting yourself is also a wise strategy.”

“But remember, your Dao heart must not change. The heart is destiny. Once the Dao heart changes, destiny also changes, but as long as the original intention remains, anything is still possible.”

Mo Hua’s expression was somewhat serious.

Situ Jian repeated these words in his mind and nodded earnestly:

“Xiao Shixiong, I’ve remembered.”

As he spoke these words, the causal aura on his face changed slightly.

The noble and cold causal aura of “Young Master Jian” gradually faded, and the brilliance of Situ Jian, the sect’s prodigy from back then, reappeared on his face.

Mo Hua smiled gently.

Situ Jian looked down at the barbarian slaves being oppressed and traded below the tall building, frowned, and asked, “Xiao Shixiong, what about these barbarian slaves…”

He really didn’t know what to do.

Mo Hua thought for a moment, then shook his head, “Let’s plan for the long term. In the current situation, even if you have good intentions, you might not be able to do good deeds.”

This was the “rule” implicitly accepted by aristocratic families.

Situ Jian nodded.

After that, neither of them said anything more. They sat for a while, then set off to return to the Situ family.

But as they left the tall building, Mo Hua’s divine sense suddenly stirred. His gaze swept across the crowd of barbarian slaves, then narrowed slightly, and he said:

“I need to buy a barbarian slave.”

Situ Jian was slightly stunned. He turned to look at a long line of female slaves who had been stripped of their clothes, revealing their graceful figures, looking pitiful. He thought to himself, Xiao Shixiong has grown up after all…

He thought Xiao Shixiong had felt compassion and wanted to rescue a few women, so he asked, “Xiao Shixiong, which ones do you want to buy?”

Unexpectedly, Mo Hua pointed with his finger to an inconspicuous, thin young barbarian slave in a messy corner and said:

“Bring him back for me.”

(End of chapter)