Chapter 1236: Guiding the Transformation into God

Jiang Wuya stopped abruptly.

He instinctively said, “Of course, according to the law, he must be executed...”“No, he saved many disaster victims; he should be rewarded!”“Still no, murder is murder; the iron rule cannot be broken...”“But he shouldn't die.”

As someone who deeply believed in punishing evil and promoting good, his eyes changed dramatically. The path he had always pursued was now shaken.

“How could this be?”“What should I do?”

With his hands behind his back, Jiang Fan calmly said, “Didn't you say that each matter should be handled separately? If he saved people, he should be rewarded. If he killed someone, he should be severely punished. Why aren't you separating them now? Is it because you’ve also realized that the rewards and punishments are severely disproportionate? The reward for saving countless lives and benefiting the common people is merely some material or spiritual gift. Yet, for killing one person—a vicious bandit at that—he must pay the ultimate price with his life. Is this punishing evil and promoting good? No, it's punishing good and promoting evil! Through your actions, you are telling the world that doing good is meaningless. If you make a mistake, your fate will be the same as those who commit evil! And doing evil carries no psychological burden, because everyone makes mistakes, and in your view, making a mistake is equivalent to doing evil. If this continues, who will still be willing to do good? And who will fear doing evil?”

Jiang Wuya’s eyes struggled intensely, and he clutched his head. His expression gradually turned painful: “Stop talking! I... I’m not wrong! I am punishing evil and promoting good, not punishing good and promoting evil!”

Jiang Fan shook his head. When they first met, he had wanted to properly guide Jiang Wuya. His path was flawed. If he continued down it, it would be a dead end, yielding no results. His ultimate fate would be to be forever trapped in madness, unable to awaken. However, last time Jiang Fan was chased down and fled in disarray, so he had no opportunity to discuss philosophy with him.

Seeing that he was still stubborn, Jiang Fan took a deep breath and spoke incisively: “I’ll ask you one last question! If murder is a crime, and you tried to kill me, should you also pay with your life?”

This was the most fundamental contradiction in Jiang Wuya’s black-and-white philosophy of good and evil! If murder demands a life for a life, then should Jiang Wuya himself also pay with his life? If he doesn't, his path crumbles. If he does, he would have to commit suicide in atonement, dying and ending his spiritual path.

Jiang Wuya was in even greater agony. The path he had always adhered to completely collapsed at this moment. Streaks of sword intent uncontrollably burst from his pores, and the vast aura of his Nine Orifice Nascent Soul surged wildly outwards. The chaotic Dao rhythm of punishing evil and promoting good also radiated around him.

“Then what *is* punishing evil and promoting good? What is it truly?”

Jiang Fan said calmly, “Everyone has a different standard for good and evil. Evil people can kill indiscriminately and still feel a sense of satisfaction. Good people, even for minor mistakes, will feel self-reproach and guilt. If you wish to punish evil and promote good, you need a measure in your heart to clearly gauge whether a person’s evil is great or small, their good is great or small, and whether their life has accumulated more evil than good, or more good than evil. Only by clearly measuring these can you be qualified to punish evil and promote good. Otherwise, if you cannot distinguish between good and evil, how can you punish evil? How can you promote good?”

Jiang Wuya clutched his head, his face still contorted in pain. “Measuring good and evil, only then can one punish evil and promote good... Measuring good and evil, measuring good and evil, measuring good and evil...”

He muttered continuously, and the pain in his eyes gradually receded. Soon after, it transformed into bewilderment. He stood rooted, looking up at the sky, endlessly repeating the four words: “Measure good and evil.”

Once, twice, three times, four times... His voice changed from confusion to clarity, then to steadfastness, finally becoming ethereal, like a rhythm from the depths of the unknown. The “punishing evil and promoting good” madness emanating from Jiang Wuya steadily grew stronger. Even maintaining his distance, Jiang Fan was still affected. He quickly backed away. But Jiang Wuya’s madness, like a breaching flood, swept through the eight directions with a thunderous laugh.

“Without distinguishing good from evil, how can one punish evil and promote good? Hahahahaha! I understand!”

Jiang Fan was instantly engulfed by the madness, immediately falling into a tremendous “punishing evil and promoting good” delirium. He was startled. In this delirium, he would cripple his own cultivation! Indeed! He once again uncontrollably loathed the Yin energy in his body; beyond that, he also loathed all the schemes he had previously devised. This time, he not only wanted to cripple his cultivation, but also to commit suicide in atonement, to end his sinful life! Jiang Wuya’s delirium was far more powerful than before! Even more frighteningly, the pain from his Nascent Soul did not completely free Jiang Fan from the delirium. He uncontrollably drew his purple sword and held it against his neck!

Just as he was about to commit suicide, a palm slapped his shoulder, and the madness completely dissipated. Jiang Fan looked up—it was Jiang Wuya!

His eyes were bright, like pearls cleansed of impurities, radiating a brilliant luster. He was also like a vibrant flower growing from the desolate silence of ancient ruins. A transcendent aura, transcending heaven and earth, comprehending the essence of things, and reaching the other shore of life, slowly flowed from him.

At this moment, Jiang Wuya had awakened! He had successfully reached the end of his path, waking from his madness. He looked up at the sky and couldn't help but let out a loud laugh:

“The dark night ends, the sword-bearer returns to his dream! I, Jiang Wuya, have finally awakened! Hahaha!”

Amidst his laughter, a mysterious fluctuation surged directly into the sky, drawing forth multicolored auspicious clouds that obscured the sun. They enveloped Jiang Wuya, showering down rays of light. Behind Jiang Wuya, a divine halo slowly condensed. Jiang Fan’s pupils constricted. This... this is entering the Venerable Realm?

***

Meanwhile, at the Imperial Astrology Bureau.

Grand Wine Sacrifice sat in the Heartless Abode, a scene floating before him. In the scene, Bai Xin carried two swords on her back. One was her Seven-Star Treasure Sword. The other was the Mingxin Sword.

“She accepted Jiang Fan’s gift. It seems her seal can no longer hold.”

Bai Xin, with her seven emotions and six desires sealed, should not experience any joy or anger. She wouldn't accept Jiang Fan’s gift. But now, whether it was because she liked the Mingxin Sword or had a favorable impression of Jiang Fan, it all indicated that she was slowly developing human emotions. If her emotions became obsessive, it would awaken her demonic nature, turning her into a world-destroying True Demon.

Grand Wine Sacrifice massaged his temples: “I hope that day never comes.”

Suddenly, a mysterious ripple swept across the sky above the Imperial Astrology Bureau. He abruptly opened his old eyes, surprise evident in them: “Who has entered the Transformation God Realm?”

***

At Washing Moon Lake, at the White Pagoda.

Venerable Zhenyan leaned back in a recliner, holding a booklet in her left hand and a brush dipped in ink in her right. She would sometimes ponder, sometimes frown, as she wrote something in the booklet.

Upon closer inspection, the heading was conspicuously: “Feasible Methods for Safely Severing Jiang Fan’s Lifeline.”

“First, I must avoid Grand Wine Sacrifice; he is protecting Jiang Fan.”“Second, Jiang Fan has a life-saving lotus, so I must prevent him from escaping (truly shooting myself in the foot; I gave that life-saving lotus to that little rascal!).”“Third, to prevent Jiang Fan from reporting me afterward, I cannot appear as Venerable Zhenyan; I need to change my identity so he won't know whom to report.”“Fourth...”

As she was racking her brains in thought, a ripple of fluctuation swept past. She suddenly sat up, her beautiful eyes wide: “Someone has entered the Transformation God Realm? How is that possible?”