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"Of course," Lan Qi replied casually.

Ning Lang remained silent, simply looking at him with clear disapproval in his bright black and white eyes, along with something else he couldn't quite decipher.

This child is so murderous and ruthless... Mingkong looked at Lan Qi with concern, then turned his head to see Feng Yi staring blankly at him from two zhang away. He then slowly lowered his head and looked down, revealing no emotion.

"This Seventh Young Master... is too ruthless." Yuwen Lindong whispered from behind, "Brother Mingkong, such a person is probably not a blessing to the martial arts world."

"One must possess such martial arts skills to achieve this level." Yuwen Feng pursed his lips as he looked at the white jade fan, which was spotless.

"Feng'er, you mustn't harbor such thoughts," Yuwen Lindong immediately warned. "Our aristocratic family is chivalrous; we can't be so ruthless!"

“He did it to intimidate his opponents,” Mingkong sighed.

Indeed, when more than ten people on the ship died at Lan Qi's hands in an instant, not only were the experts of the Dark Blue Sect terrified and retreated to their own ships, but even the heroes were also intimidated and avoided him.

"Such a heavy killing intent... how ruthless must one be?" Qiu Hengbo couldn't help but feel shocked. A chivalrous person shouldn't kill indiscriminately like this.

“That’s why he’s called a ‘demon,’” Hua Fushu said from the side.

The ship had now docked, and the people on board jumped onto the small island. When they witnessed the duel between the three people on the island, they couldn't help but be shocked.

In mid-air, three figures appeared and disappeared at incredible speed, making it impossible to discern their movements or techniques. The only visible sight was Lie Chifeng's Blazing Sun Blade, which flashed like black lightning, its dazzling light and unparalleled power causing onlookers to pale. Finger force, palm wind, and blade energy crisscrossed, shattering boulders and snapping vegetation, leaving no one within ten feet of him.

"Those who can withstand ten moves from me and my brothers combined are few and far between in the world."

Ming Er spoke softly, and a sword rang out in mid-air. Everyone felt as if sword energy was breaking through the air. Then, a muffled groan of pain was heard, and the three figures separated. The green and black figures landed gracefully, while the dark blue figure was blown towards the sea like a kite with a broken string. Just as it was about to fall into the sea, the person raised his palm and slapped a reef, using the momentum in mid-air. With a turn of his body, he flew towards the ship.

At that moment, Lan Qi gently waved her jade fan and drifted leisurely toward another ship.

"I'm in a good mood today, so I'll send you all to the King of Hell's palace to enjoy some tea."

The demon smiled faintly, handed out a white jade fan, and then used it to bewitch the soul. Suddenly, a palm wind came from behind. He turned to the side, returned the fan, and with a flick of his left sleeve, the palm wind and sleeve force collided, and the two were thrown back several feet away.

After Lan Qi stopped and looked up, he saw a tall figure standing straight opposite him, but his face was pale, clearly indicating that he had suffered internal injuries, and blood was seeping from his shoulder. Ha, so that fake immortal finally made a move? He couldn't help but smile and say, "You actually survived the combined attack of the Second Young Master and Lie San, truly remarkable."

Yun Wuyai's gaze swept over the fallen, dark blue corpses on the ship, his eyes narrowed, and he looked up at Lan Qi, momentarily stunned, but then a sharp glint appeared in his eyes. "You killed so many people in an instant, you're quite remarkable!"

"Didn't you all bring these up yourselves?" Lan Qi said calmly.

Looking at Lan Qi, who exuded a murderous aura, Yun Wuyai suddenly felt a sense of weariness.

"Are you from Dongming Island?" Lan Qi asked.

"My name is Yun Wuyai of the Eastern Sea," Yun Wuyai said in a deep voice.

"Why?" Lan Qi turned her head, like a curious child, her expression unusually innocent.

20. The Heartless Demon Soul (Part 2)

Yingshan seized the order and carried out a massacre in the East Sea. What was the purpose of all this?

Yun Wuyai did not answer, but looked at the blood on the deck and the corpses of his subordinates, then looked up at Lan Qi, "I will remember this grudge." With a wave of his hand, all the people of Dongming Island leaped back onto the ship carrying the corpses.

"You should also remember the three thousand blood feuds," Lan Qi said, waving his jade fan, completely unconcerned.

Yun Wuyai leaped back to his own ship, looked towards the island, and said, "I originally came to 'welcome' you distinguished guests to Dongming, but it seems that it would be better if you all went to Dongming on your own."

"Heh..." Lan Qi laughed, "Your hospitality is really not very good, so please don't blame us for being rude when we arrive at your island."

"I will await you all on Dongming Island." Yun Wuyai led the people of Dongming Island away.

Four large ships flew away like arrows, with Yun Wuya standing at the bow, gazing at the island that was getting farther and farther away.

"Young Master, are we going to return empty-handed like this?" a subordinate asked Yun Wuyai.

"It's alright." Yun Wuyai waved his hand, signaling him to leave. "They will eventually go to the island, just in a different way."

"Young Master, you are injured. Please return to your cabin so that I can treat your wounds," a subordinate said, stepping forward.

Yun Wuyai looked down at the wound on his shoulder and touched his aching chest. He hadn't expected the martial arts of the three young masters of the Imperial Martial Arts World to be so high, and completely different from what he had learned. And that Mingkong, hailed as the number one, had remained unassuming. This time, their three hundred men were even stronger than the three thousand of the last time! But… so what? Dongming Island awaited them. Hundreds of years of planning and waiting—everything was already destined!

"Young Master..." His subordinate was worried when he saw that he was not moving.

Yun Wuyai waved his hand and walked towards the cabin.

As Lan Qi watched the Dongming ships gradually disappear into the distance, the smile on his face slowly faded, and a solemn expression appeared in his green eyes. He relaxed his mind and suddenly felt tired, realizing that he had really exhausted his energy just now.

Turning around, he saw that almost everyone on the boat had already gone ashore. The remaining people stared at him in surprise and fear. He then smiled, fanning himself, and flew onto the island.

Once everyone had landed on the island, Mingkong discussed with the group that it was getting late, so they would rest there for the night. Having not set foot on solid ground for a long time, everyone was dizzy and weak from the rocking of the boat, and thus unanimously agreed. So, the heroes carried food and utensils from the boat to the island to start a fire and cook, and many others set up tents to camp. By the time everything was settled, the sun was setting, and dusk had arrived.

After dinner, the last rays of the setting sun faded, and night slowly fell, plunging the world into darkness. The group lit many bonfires, sat around them, drank and talked, creating a lively atmosphere. Gradually, the conversation turned to the battle of the day, discussing the martial arts of Ming Er, Lan Qi, and Lie Chifeng. While expressing admiration, they also felt a sense of fear, especially Lan Qi's massacre, which sent chills down their spines.

Of course, some who disliked crowds sought quiet places to be alone. For example, Lie Chifeng stood on a rocky shore, sword in hand. A bright moon rose, and the sea breeze blew, creating a scene like a silent landscape painting. The others could only gaze at him from afar, not daring to approach, for Lie Chifeng exuded a chilling aura that said, "Do not disturb." Ming Er strolled alone to one side of the shore, quietly watching the waves. Lan Qi, however, distanced himself from the group, found a tall tree, leaped to the top, leaned against a branch, and gazed up at the stars and moon.

Ning Lang was sitting with Ming Kong, Yuwen father and son, Feng Yi and others, but his eyes couldn't help but wander around. When he saw Lan Qi lying on the treetop in the distance, he couldn't sit still. Seeing that Yuwen father and son, Ming Kong and others were talking, he quietly walked away.

A crescent moon hangs high in the sky, stars twinkle sparsely, the sound of waves crashing fills the air, and the sea breeze rustles the treetops, making one feel as if in a cradle—calm, peaceful, and soft, intoxicating.

It had been a long time since she had gazed at the stars and moon so quietly, and a long time since she had felt this way. Lan Qi gently closed her emerald eyes, her lips curving slightly, and a faint, pure smile appeared on her face. In the pale silver light, on the gently swaying treetops, that smile was tinged with a touch of desolation.

Hearing soft footsteps, he opened his eyes and saw Ning Lang standing under the tree, looking up at him.

"Come up." Lan Qi beckoned.

Ning Lang was taken aback for a moment, then realized what was happening and felt a sense of relief. He lightened his foot and leaped into the air. Although his movements weren't exactly graceful, he landed steadily on the treetop without breaking a branch.

"Sit down." Lan Qiyu pointed to the tree trunk beside her.

Ning Lang obediently sat down.

The trees swayed in the wind, and people swayed on the treetops. The waves gently lapped against the shore, creating a rhythmic sound. The stars and moon blinked and peeked at the two people sitting side by side in the tree. The one in purple closed her eyes and pretended to sleep, while the one in blue stared blankly at the one in purple.

"Ning Lang, do you have something to say to me?" Lan Qi suddenly spoke up from the silence.

"Huh?" Ning Lang was still in a daze.

Lan Qi opened her eyes and quietly looked at Ning Lang. The moonlight seemed to blend into her emerald eyes, making her so beautiful that it was almost unbearable to look at. "Do you have something to say to me?" she asked again, her emerald eyes turning away to gaze at the sea.

Ning Lang slowly came to his senses and looked at the sea. The bloody massacre that had taken place during the day was now vividly before his eyes.

Why did you kill them all?

"If we don't kill them, they'll kill us." Lan Qi wasn't surprised at all by Ning Lang's question; she simply answered calmly.

Ning Lang couldn't refute his words, and after a moment of silence, he said, "Killing is wrong."

"Oh." Lan Qi's gaze remained fixed on the sea.

“We and they are all human beings. The most cruel thing a human being can do is kill another,” Ning Lang said slowly, a melancholy rising in his clear black and white eyes. “We and they are all the same. We have flesh and blood, we feel pain and we cry. We have parents, brothers, wives and children, and we are also other people’s parents, brothers, wives and children. Whether we kill or are killed, it is all wrong.”

Lan Qi listened quietly, neither mocking nor refuting, but simply said, "Ning Lang, have you forgotten the first three thousand heroes who went to sea?"

“I haven’t forgotten.” Ning Lang’s eyes dimmed, but he persisted. “But…we, they, are all human beings. Our relatives and friends, their relatives and friends, are also human beings, so they are no different from relatives. Would you kill your relatives? For example, Brother Feng Yi, could you really bring yourself to kill him?”

"Who says I can't kill him?" Lan Qi looked at Ning Lang with an extremely indifferent expression. "If I can only survive by killing him, then of course I will kill him."

Ning Lang was stunned upon hearing this.

"What's so bad about killing your own family? There are countless examples of this in the world." Lan Qi said this with a faint smile on his face. "Beasts kill each other because they are just beasts, lacking human minds and consciousness. It's just an instinct, which is understandable. But humans learn propriety, etiquette, integrity, and shame; they understand morality, righteousness, benevolence, and virtue, yet they still kill each other. So, humans are even worse than beasts. All human words and actions are nothing more than the desires in our hearts; humans are nothing more than beings enslaved by desires."

Upon hearing these words, Ning Lang's face turned pale instantly.

"Heh, what? Scared?" Lan Qi sneered, looking at his expression.

"No." Ning Lang looked at Lan Qi, then down at his chest. "It's just that this area suddenly hurts." He raised his hand to his chest, puzzled. "Could I have suffered internal injuries during the day?" He circulated his internal energy throughout his body, but found nothing amiss. "No injury? That's strange. Hmm? I'm not in pain anymore."

Lan Qi sat quietly to the side, her gaze towards Ning Lang slowly becoming complicated, until finally she fell into a silent silence.

The treetops suddenly fell silent, with only the sounds of the wind and waves in the air.

Ning Lang's pain subsided, and he remembered his principles. "A person shouldn't kill! A person shouldn't kill their own family! If a person kills their own family, how can they be considered human? If a person kills others, how can they be considered human!" His tiger-like eyes were clear and bright, his gaze pure and unwavering as he stared at Lan Qi without blinking. For the first time, he could look Lan Qi directly in the eye. At this moment, his mind was clear, fearless, and free from delusion or confusion.

Lan Qi suddenly laughed, a laugh that was both a sigh and a sneer, "Ning Lang, I don't believe you won't kill someone in the future. In this world, especially in the martial arts world, who can be completely clean?"

"No! I would never kill anyone!" Ning Lang said firmly. "I... Ah..." With a startled cry, he fell headfirst from the treetop, landing with a thud and feeling dizzy.

Lan Qi withdrew her hand from the person she had pushed, swiftly opened her jade fan, and uttered a mocking whisper: "Humans can't kill? Precisely because they are human, they can kill. Humans are the ugliest things in this world!"

Under the tree, Ning Lang got up, looked at Lan Qi in the tree, and said with unwavering determination, "I will never kill a single person in my life!"

Lan Qi ignored him and simply looked up at the stars and moon in the sky.

The tide rises and falls along the shore. Ming Er stands quietly on the bank, and no matter how the tide rolls in, it always stops three feet away from him.

"Second Young Master." A voice more melodious than the lowing of a nightingale rang out from behind.

Ming turned around and saw Qiu Hengbo standing a few feet away. The dark night could not conceal her beauty. Firelight flickered behind her, and the sea breeze lifted her skirt, making her seem like a fairy from the sea who had quietly descended. He couldn't help but smile gently, "Miss Hengbo."

Qiu Hengbo took a few steps closer and said softly, "How has the Second Young Master been?"

"Thank you for your concern, Miss Hengbo." Ming Er also took a few steps closer and saw Qiu Hengbo's stunning beauty, as well as the hint of melancholy between her brows. "Miss Hengbo, you should take it easy."

Qiu Hengbo smiled gently, her melancholy undiminished. "My father's fate is unknown; how can his children not worry?"

“It’s only natural for Miss Yokobo to be worried about Uncle Qiu, but please take care of yourself,” Meiji gently advised.

"Thank you for your concern, Second Young Master. I understand." Qiu Hengbo raised her wrist to smooth the stray strands of hair at her temples, lowered her head slightly, and seemed to have countless words in her heart, but she didn't know what they were or what she wanted to say. She looked up and saw Ming Er's gentle and mild smile, which seemed to reflect her own feelings. She couldn't help but feel a little sweet and a little melancholy.

In the distance, many people watched. One of the most beautiful women in the martial world, a handsome young man hailed as a celestial being, naturally attracted much admiration and attention. Now, under the bright moon, the two stood gracefully against the wind; the man was elegant and otherworldly, the woman breathtakingly beautiful. A perfect couple, a match made in heaven, appeared before their eyes. Perhaps everyone felt a pang of envy, but all could not help but marvel at how perfectly they were a match made in heaven.

"During the day, did the Second Young Master notice anything amiss?" After a while, Qiu Hengbo asked, "Why did they try to seize the Holy Decree? And why did they do this today? Father and those three thousand martial arts masters..."

Ming Er turned and looked at the sea again, pondered for a moment before saying, "Perhaps we'll know everything when we get to Dongming Island."

Qiu Hengbo gazed at him intently.

Ming Er glanced back at her and said, "Dongming Island has always been a mysterious place for us. Now, it has taken the initiative to venture into the martial world to seize the Holy Decree and has led us to Dongming Sea. There must be a reason for this, but unfortunately, no one in the entire martial world knows it. So instead of making wild guesses, it is better to wait for the answer, so as not to disturb our minds."

"Oh." Qiu Hengbo nodded. "I suppose Senior Mingkong had the same plan, which is why he didn't say much."

“Yes. Regardless of the reasons for Dongming Island’s actions, it is a fact that they seized the order from Ying Mountain and killed more than 300 guards in the palace. It is also a fact that the first batch of 3,000 experts who went to sea disappeared in the Dongming Sea. Therefore, it is an undeniable fact that they are enemies of Dongming Island.” Ming Er looked at the dark and unpredictable sea.

“Yes.” Qiu Hengbo’s heart sank. “Palace Master Qi of Shouling Palace went to sea with Father. If something happens to him, Shouling Palace…”

"The Shouling Palace has not left Yingshan for over a hundred years, guarding the sacred decree generation after generation, yet this is the result. It is truly regrettable." Ming Er sighed slightly, and after a moment, he added, "Dongming Island... perhaps there are still people in this world who know about Dongming Island."

"Oh? Who is it?" Qiu Hengbo asked in surprise.

“White Wind and Black Breath,” Ming Er said with a calm smile. “They visited Dongming Island more than a hundred years ago, and are probably the only people in the dynasty who were able to reach Dongming Island and survive.”

“They…” Qiu Hengbo said wistfully, “but alas, we were born too late.”

“Yes.” Ming Er nodded. In the night, a glint of light flashed in his hazy eyes, or perhaps it was just a reflection of the starlight. As the mist dissipated, his eyes brightened, and he seemed to emerge from the fog. “So… we should go to Dongming Island ourselves. Whether the Dongming Sea is stormy or calm should be decided by… us.”