3 – You Talk to Me About Integrity? Do I Have Such a Thing as Integrity?
“Uh…”
Yun Sangsang was at a loss for words.
Of course she couldn’t possibly take this child to kill everyone in the village.
The villagers had indeed bullied him, but that was because he had stolen others’ belongings when he was starving, which led to them beating him.
Perhaps from this child’s perspective, all the villagers appeared detestable, but from her standpoint as an outsider, the villagers merely lacked compassion—none had been so vicious as to deliberately harm him. Why should they pay with their lives?
She gazed into Yuan Ning Wang’s eyes: “I won’t help you kill all those people, but I can help you teach your grandparents, uncles, and aunts a lesson. I’ll make them pay for abusing you these past eight years, ensuring they never live comfortably for the rest of their lives—”
Yuan Ning Wang shook his head with a light laugh, though his eyes remained cold and detached: “Not enough. I want their lives.”
Yun Sangsang looked helplessly at this child brimming with too much resentment and killing intent, attempting to persuade him: “Death would be an escape for them. Wouldn’t it be better to let them live, making them taste all the pain and suffering you’ve endured over the years, forcing them to regret their actions?”
Yuan Ning Wang smiled: “Of course not. I’ve heard that if people show remorse, the King of Hell will reduce their punishment in the underworld. So why would I let them repent? I want them to die stubborn and unrepentant, then suffer torment all over again in hell.”
He scoffed, “If they repent, they might ‘drop their knives and become Buddhas on the spot.’ Then what about me, the victim of their cruelty? How could I accept that?”
“Uh…” Yun Sangsang was speechless again.
As a celestial maiden, she couldn’t possibly endorse his insistence on taking lives.
But still…
She secretly felt there was some logic to his argument…
No, no—she couldn’t continue this discussion about killing with him. If she heard too much of this ‘an eye for an eye’ rhetoric, she might actually be convinced!
Since he was so determined to become a Vengeful Ghost for revenge after death, using hatred wouldn’t ignite his will to live. She needed another approach.
Hmm, perhaps try love and dreams?
She gazed tenderly at Yuan Ning Wang and pressed on: “Little one, what’s so good about being a ghost after death? Wouldn’t you rather live and become an Immortal Deity? Having endured so much suffering, this celestial sister’s heart aches for you. How about I take you as my disciple and teach you immortal techniques?
Once you become my disciple, you’ll have family. I’ll cherish you, love you, and spoil you, making you happier than any other child in the world—”
“Uh…” Yuan Ning Wang pressed the back of his hand firmly against his lips, nearly laughing aloud at this foolish celestial maiden.
Trying to coax a Demon Lord into becoming an Immortal Deity? She was truly the first in all of history.
Besides, what was so great about being an Immortal Deity? They had endless rules—the slightest mistake could get you banished to the mortal realm. How could that compare to the freedom and ease of being a Demon Lord?
He glanced subtly at Yun Sangsang.
Perhaps this silly celestial maiden had violated heavenly laws and been exiled to the mortal world—that would explain why she was so desperate to find someone to worship her…
Tch. She’d fallen so low herself, yet she still tried to lure others into becoming Immortal Deities. Had she no shame?
Yuan Ning Wang looked at Yun Sangsang and said leisurely, “I don’t want to be an Immortal Deity. Look at you—you became one, yet here you are, squatting before a mere mortal like me, earnestly trying to persuade me?””Clearly wanting to persuade me to live well, yet not even daring to go help me kill everyone in the village—what’s so great about being such an unimpressive Immortal Deity?”
“Uh…” Yun Sangsang stared at Yuan Ning Wang in disbelief!
Ah, what a terrible child this is!
So young and already skilled at the art of cutting to the heart—so infuriating! He’s making my chest ache, does he even know that!
She gave Yuan Ning Wang a deep, lingering look, then turned around, pressing a hand tightly to her chest as she transmitted her complaint to the Parrot in the tree: “So mad! How can there be such a difficult child? It’s too infuriating!”
The Parrot expressed deep sympathy for its master, transmitting soothing words: “Master, let’s not bother with him anymore. Let him go die. Master, let’s leave and find the next destined one!”
Yun Sangsang glanced back secretly at the thick, rolling black aura around Yuan Ning Wang and felt an intense fondness.
She transmitted to the Parrot: “No, I’m afraid I won’t find a second person like him, so full of Misfortune. Only by being with him will he not fear me, the Broom Star, bringing him harm. If I find someone else to worship me, others simply can’t withstand my Misfortune…
Just like my previous eight destined ones—they couldn’t bear my Misfortune and ended up weeping and begging on their knees for me to spare their lives. Sigh, being rejected like that hurts me too…”
She wiped her face. “So it’s fine. Compared to being begged and cried at by chosen ones to leave, dealing with this child in front of me is nothing. Your master can still fight on!”
What else could the Parrot say? It could only flap its wings and cheer its master on.
Yun Sangsang transmitted again: “Since neither hatred nor love can make him live well and worship me, let’s try using delicious food! Go catch me a plump wild rabbit. I’ll roast it for him. Maybe once he’s full and content, he’ll regain the courage to live.”
The Parrot’s flapping wings stiffened slightly.
After all that talk, it’s just about making it work again?
It didn’t want to go.
It was just a small, delicate, and fragile bird.
It couldn’t catch big, big bunnies.
Its lazy, round black eyes rolled thoughtfully as it transmitted very seriously to Yun Sangsang: “Master, I think we, as Immortal Deities, should have dignity. How can a dignified Immortal Deity stoop so low as to please a mere mortal?
What virtue or ability does he have? Is he even worthy? I can’t bear to see you bowing and scraping to please him! Let’s go find the next destined one. Let’s leave!”
How could Yun Sangsang not know what kind of temperament this Parrot had?
A lazy bird.
She calmly transmitted: “Dignity? You’re actually talking to me about dignity? If I had any dignity, back when the Immortal Realm made me the Broom Star, I would have ripped out my own immortal bones and died to prove my point… Did you see me die to prove a point? I’m still living quite well and happily, so I simply don’t have something like dignity.”
She raised her head slightly, looking at the Parrot on the tree branch. “So, don’t talk to me about dignity here. I just want to find someone to worship me so I can survive. You hurry up and catch me the fattest rabbit—right now, immediately, go.”
The Parrot stared back at her deeply: “…”
Three breaths later, it twisted its head in defeat and flapped its wings, flying away.
To be stuck with such a shameless master who constantly puts herself down—what sin did it commit in its past life to deserve this!After the parrot flew away, Yun Sangsang patted her chest, mentally prepared herself, and then turned back to Yuan Ning Wang with a smile.
Don’t be afraid, keep trying—she can do this!
Yuan Ning Wang had been watching her back with ease, waiting for her to stand up and storm off, swearing never to care about this ungrateful child again.
Instead, she turned around with that same bright smile, which surprised him slightly.
Her resilience is quite strong—she still hasn’t left?
He couldn’t help but smile and asked, “What method does the celestial maiden plan to use this time to persuade me to live well?”