Chapter Forty-Two: Choice

Shi Qi was astonished. "First victory?"

The elder nodded. "That's right. You are the very first challenger to defeat Master Gu Xinjue."

He continued, "Do not think it was an easy feat. Firstly, anyone who can compel Master Gu Xinjue to appear must be someone of extraordinary talent—a prodigy in cultivation, with outstanding innate ability, and true energy both powerful and pure."

"Secondly, I have observed the previous challengers who faced the Sword Flight Technique. Some could withstand the first few rounds of attacks but lacked combat experience and couldn't find a way to overcome the technique, falling to each successive wave. Others might have noticed the underlying principle, but lacked the means to withstand or break the Sword Flight Technique."

"So, to both perceive the secret and have the means to counter it—thus far, you are the only one."

Shi Qi nodded. It was true. By the fourth round of the Sword Flight Technique, his Thousandfold Shield had already been forced into dormancy. Though he and the shield were only at the first stage, its innate defensive power was formidable. Without an effective means of withstanding the Sword Flight Technique, it would have been nearly impossible to break through.

The elder said, "Now, we come to the final trial. Please, follow me."

Shi Qi nodded, following the elder out the door, turning a corner in the corridor, and arriving at another door.

The elder addressed Shi Qi, "Beyond this door lies another illusion—our final trial. The details will become clear once you are inside. Please, enter."

Shi Qi bowed, pushed the door open, and stepped inside. The room was identical to the previous one, with various sigils inscribed upon the floor.

He did not hesitate, stepping directly into the array.

As before, a brilliant white light flashed before his eyes, and the world spun, though this time Shi Qi found the dizziness less intense.

The light faded, and the scene transformed. Shi Qi looked around, taking in his surroundings.

He stood on a small hillside. At that moment, a voice echoed in his mind:

"You are now a member of the Alliance of Humanity. Your task is a warrant mission. The fugitive, Passerby Jia, is currently at Luoxia Slope, ten li away. Pursue and apprehend this individual at once! Remember—you have only the time it takes an incense stick to burn! Otherwise, the fugitive will escape!"

"A combat simulation?" Shi Qi rose into the air, got his bearings, and flew toward Luoxia Slope.

"Help! Somebody, help!"

Suddenly, a cry for help rang out beside him.

"So, it's not that simple," Shi Qi sighed, turning toward the source of the shout.

He saw a man in black grasping a child, preparing to flee.

At this moment, Shi Qi faced two choices:

First: Ignore the situation and focus on completing the mission—capture or kill Passerby Jia within the time limit.

Second: Save the child, though this would make it difficult to finish the mission in time.

With a sigh, Shi Qi changed direction, flying toward the man in black. He chose the second option.

"Let him go!" Shi Qi shouted.

The man in black, seeing Shi Qi land, yelled, "Stay back, or I'll kill him!"

What a joke, just a mere illusion, yet you put on quite the act.

"I don't have time to waste with you." Shi Qi's voice sounded from behind the man in black.

The man in black, startled by the voice behind him, looked ahead—only to see that the Shi Qi who'd just landed had turned into a mist of water.

It was Shi Qi's water clone. Before entering the illusion, Shi Qi had suspected the trial would not be so straightforward, so he had summoned a clone of water. The clone flew overhead while his true self moved along the ground.

As expected, when the incident occurred, Shi Qi controlled the water clone to land and draw attention, while his true body sprang from the darkness.

With a swift motion, Shi Qi formed a sharp ice blade in his right hand. Before the man in black could react, Shi Qi drove the blade into his neck from behind.

Without lingering, Shi Qi set the child aside. After some thought, he cast a protective barrier around the child before summoning his energy and flying toward Luoxia Slope.

The whole process took only a few seconds.

"I wonder if I can still make it," Shi Qi mused.

There was still time left. Shi Qi sped toward Luoxia Slope.

Before the incense had burned down, Shi Qi arrived at Luoxia Slope, but there was no sign of Passerby Jia.

As he suspected, the final trial was not truly about the mission. The first trial tested the fundamentals of cultivation, the second tested combat prowess, and the third, it seemed, tested one's humanity.

Luoxia Slope was deserted. The time limit elapsed, and a familiar white light shone before Shi Qi's eyes. He exited the illusion and found himself back in the room.

Without looking back, Shi Qi walked straight out the door.

The elder was already waiting outside.

Shi Qi smiled, "I failed the final task, so I'll take my leave."

He turned to go.

"Wait," the elder called after him. "Please come with me."

Surprised, Shi Qi followed the elder into an inner chamber.

The elder gestured to a chair, inviting Shi Qi to sit. Shi Qi complied.

Stroking his beard, the elder spoke, "Before I tell you the result, may I ask why you chose to save the child?"

Shi Qi considered for a moment, then replied, "There is no particular reason. My conscience simply wouldn't let me ignore it."

The elder pressed on, "But what about the mission? Because of this, you failed."

Shi Qi laughed heartily. "Senior, it's just a failed mission. How could it compare to a human life?"

The elder continued, "But in saving one life, you let the fugitive go. That fugitive might harm even more people."

Shi Qi replied, "Senior, I am no sage. I cannot concern myself with the affairs of the whole world. Sometimes, I can't even manage my own. There is much injustice in this world; if I had to right every wrong, I would be powerless. But as long as I encounter it and have the ability, I must act."

The elder asked, "Are you not concerned there might be hidden reasons or extenuating circumstances?"

Shi Qi replied, "No secret or circumstance justifies threatening a child's life. That alone outweighs all other considerations."

The elder burst out laughing, "Excellent! You have passed the trial."

Shi Qi was stunned. "What?"

The elder smiled, "We have known each other for some time and I have yet to introduce myself. Now that you have passed, you deserve to know. I am Ouyang Qun, head of the Yongzhou Branch of the Alliance of Humanity."

Ouyang Qun continued, "Our conversation just now was the fourth trial. Congratulations, you have passed."

Shi Qi asked, "Why? I failed the mission."

Ouyang Qun replied, "Just as you said, a mere mission is nothing compared to a life. The founding purpose of our Alliance was to pursue the righteous path, to uphold the cultivator's moral baseline, and to secure dignity for ordinary people."

"We are not a rigid organization, nor are we an evil sect. Missions are always secondary; the first priority is an unwavering heart. Cultivation is first about the heart, then about the path. Many become obsessed with the power to move mountains and rivers, and in the process, lose their way. As you said, we are not saints and cannot right all the world's wrongs or vanquish every villain, but whenever we encounter injustice, we must act."

Shi Qi replied, "Well said! I am honored to join the Alliance!"

Ouyang Qun took a token from his spatial ring, infused it with true energy, then tossed it to Shi Qi.

Shi Qi caught the token. It was brown, small enough to fit in the palm, and incredibly sturdy; its material was unknown. On its face were inscribed the words "Alliance of Humanity" in a bold, flowing script, full of vigor and spirit.

"These words?" Shi Qi asked.

"These are the characters of our leader, Lord Li Jing," Ouyang Qun explained.

"Indeed, a fine hand. One glance tells me Lord Li’s cultivation is unfathomable," Shi Qi murmured.

He turned the token over; on the back was his own name, Shi Qi, freshly engraved by Ouyang Qun.

Shi Qi thought to himself, This Ouyang Qun’s cultivation is no small thing either.

Ouyang Qun said, "Now, Shi Qi, you are a member of our Alliance. Let me introduce you."

"You can now accept any of the three types of missions I mentioned earlier—warrants, escorts, and retrievals—from the Alliance Hall. Choose according to your ability, and never overreach."

"Our leader, Li Jing, stands at the peak of the Minor Attainment stage—a figure of renown even among the twelve prefectures. Beneath him are the Four Guardians: Gu Xinjue of the Demonic Sect, whose Sword Flight Technique you just experienced in the illusion; Lei Wenzi of Thunder Mountain Sect; Wang Hongzhen of Tianyuan Sect; and the wandering cultivator, Chen Tianjing."

"The Alliance is not a sect. As you have seen, the Yongzhou Branch is run by a handful of old men like myself; the rest are mostly ordinary staff. Even the leader and the Four Guardians spend most of their time in their own sects and only appear for special matters."

"Were it not for us old fossils, there’d be no one to handle induction in person."

Shi Qi replied, "I was just thinking—it's quite something for the branch leader to oversee the trials himself."

Ouyang Qun laughed. "Cultivators are not bound by so many rules. Well, make yourself at home. I will submit your basic information."

Shi Qi stood and bowed. "Senior—no, Branch Leader—I will take my leave."

Ouyang Qun waved him off, watching Shi Qi disappear into the inner hall, secretly delighted. Another young tiger joins our ranks, and chosen by me, no less.

Shi Qi exited the inner hall, passed through the corridor, and entered the main hall. It was empty.

So, Shi Qi thought, it seems the others who took missions just now have already left. Time to see what tasks are available.