Chapter 71: Stand Up

For the first time, Wang Ping directly faced the fury of the souls.

This was no spell attack like those of the Soul-Falling Studio Master. The countless souls were simply unleashing their raw rage, yet the emotion immersed Wang Ping far more deeply than any magic could.

[The black-headed commoners are not human.]

Those five simple words had stripped away all their rights, reducing their already miserable lives to human livestock, meant only to be bled dry until death.

It was utterly absurd!

"Feudal society was backward enough as it was. But looking at the state of these black-headed commoners, this era is completely driving history in reverse, sliding straight back into a slave society."

For a moment, Wang Ping felt somewhat helpless. He finally understood Shouchong's reasoning. The fury of the countless vengeful spirits had been transmuted into tangible killing intent. In ten days to half a month at most, these spirits—used as cultivating blood—would naturally give birth to demons that would unleash a massacre upon the county town.

However, he quickly shook his head.

"Doing this is completely meaningless."

Wang Ping's tone was calm, yet he bluntly and directly rejected the souls' fury. "Even if you slaughter everyone in the city, it won't do your situation any good."

"This is only the first step."

At the other end of the soul connection, Shouchong's figure surfaced, his gaze profound. "Slaughtering a county town might not be enough to shake the imperial court's stance."

"But what if we slaughter a whole province? Or a Dao prefecture?"

"If all else fails, we just keep killing. We kill everyone who isn't a black-headed commoner. When that time comes, everyone will be a black-headed commoner, and naturally, the world will achieve great harmony."

"For the sake of final victory, no matter how many sacrifices are made along the way, it will be worth it. After all, rebellion isn't a dinner party; how could there be no bloodshed? Besides, the black-headed commoners can resurrect endlessly, and they won't remember their experiences before death. For them, it is nothing more than a long dream. When they wake up, they will enjoy blessings."

"Since that is the case, why not do it?"

His impassioned tone echoed like thunder, immediately drawing a response from many vengeful spirits. However, Wang Ping merely raised an eyebrow at this before letting out a cold scoff. "Superficial."

Looking at Shouchong, Wang Ping said flatly, "Even if the whole world becomes black-headed commoners, will no one commit evil anymore? Will there be no more bullying and oppression?"

"In the end, it's just swapping one skin for another."

"Or is it that you merely want to vent your rage? That you just want to kill?" Wang Ping looked toward the throng of vengeful spirits. "Are you telling me you're all natural-born homicidal maniacs?"

"I didn't think so," Wang Ping murmured. "You just want to survive, to live a slightly better life... You only want to kill them because they refuse to let you live, right?"

As his words fell, a restless stir gradually rippled through the vengeful spirits.

Wang Ping struck while the iron was hot. "Your goal should be figuring out how to survive, how to live better. Killing is only a method, not the end goal. Whatever you do, don't end up putting the cart before the horse."

"Senior, there is one thing you said that is absolutely correct."

Wang Ping turned to look at Shouchong and continued, "Rebellion indeed isn't a dinner party, but it isn't as simple as just shedding blood and making sacrifices either."

"It means you will face unimaginable difficulties. Friends who once shared life and death with you will become enemies, and unforgivable foes will become friends. You must tolerate the intolerable, compromise with those you once swore never to compromise with, and unite anyone who can be united."

"Only then can you firmly hold onto that single thing that cannot be shaken."

"But even so, you can never settle things once and for all."

"When the battles in the light end, the battles in the dark will only just begin. Once the external threats are resolved, internal conflicts will breed all over again."

"Do you think that if you slaughter all your enemies, win a war, and defeat some mastermind, you can just sit back and relax? That the world will be at peace from then on?"

At this point, Wang Ping scoffed. "If it were that easy, you wouldn't have been reduced to this state."

His deafening words reverberated among the vengeful spirits. The originally howling miasma of resentment scattered, even revealing a hint of bewildered loss.

Even Shouchong blinked in shock.

After all, while "rebellion isn't a dinner party" had truly come from the bottom of his heart, heaven knew he hadn't put nearly that much thought into it when he said it.

Soon, the vengeful spirits' restlessness became increasingly obvious. They were souls corroded by resentment with deep-seated obsessions. Since Wang Ping had flatly rejected the plan to slaughter everyone in the city, he had to provide an alternative that these souls could accept; otherwise, they would turn on him.

It was completely unreasonable.

But at the end of the day, they were already dead and mired in resentful miasma. They had never been beings capable of communication, let alone retaining any sense of rationality.

Seeing this, Shouchong's expression also shifted slightly.

"Not good!"

If the vengeful spirits turned on him and clashed with the spirit of this divine weapon, both sides would suffer heavy losses. Wouldn't that just be handing a free victory to the National Academy and the imperial court?

Thinking this, he hurriedly spoke up. "Good disciple, leave first."

"Wait until I pacify these vengeful spirits, then—"

"There's no need."

Wang Ping cut Shouchong off without hesitation, looking coldly at the agitated vengeful spirits. "You prayed to the gods and immortals, you begged the emperor, and now you're coming to me?"

"Am I the one struggling just to survive?"

"It's you, isn't it?"

"People must rely on themselves!"

As his words fell, the vengeful spirits instantly rioted. A chaotic torrent of consciousness bombarded Wang Ping's sea of consciousness. It was absolute bedlam, yet it couldn't affect him in the slightest.

In the wordless clamor, it was as if they were saying:

[But we are too weak. We have no power.]

"That doesn't matter."

Wang Ping nodded and continued, "I have power. Follow me, and I can give you power—the power that will let you survive."

Having said that, he unfurled the Six Desires Heavenly Demon Flag.

On the other side, seeing that Wang Ping seemed to have suppressed the spirits' riot, Shouchong, who had initially felt somewhat relieved, froze. Then, his face changed.

Huh? This wasn't right.

These were all congregants of his White Lotus Sect. They were the demon seeds he had accumulated over a decade of traveling north and south to build a rebellion. And now you want them to follow you?

You little brat, you're poaching my people!!!

"Wait a minute—"

"..."

Shouchong leaped up on the spot. But as he had said before, the vengeful spirits were driven by obsession. They possessed no reason, and naturally, they wouldn't listen to orders.

Therefore, in the very next second, the previously rioting spirits swarmed headlong into the Six Desires Heavenly Demon Flag. Wang Ping operated the profound mysteries within the flag at full power. The moment the vengeful spirits entered, they were refined into demons. Then, they stepped back out, spreading outward as the shadows beneath Wang Ping's feet.

Shouchong's heart bled watching this.

"You beast!"

He finally couldn't help but curse out loud.

However, Wang Ping paid him no mind. He continued to unearth the power of the Six Desires Heavenly Demon Flag, and soon, two more demons walked out of it.

Compared to the other demons, these two were exceptionally powerful.

"Thud!"

As the two great demons fell to their knees, the demons formed from the rest of the black-headed commoners, along with the demons originally residing within the flag, quickly responded, kneeling onto the ground one after another.

From this, it was evident that they had already assumed a dominant position among the demons.

Senior Brother Guo, the Soul-Falling Studio Master...

Evidently, after powerful cultivators were converted into demons, not only did their strength surge, but they even gained a touch of spiritual awareness, enabling them to command the demonic horde.

Seeing this, Wang Ping nodded in satisfaction.

When he turned around, however, he was met with Shouchong's wrinkled old face, his eyes filled with immense grievance. "Good disciple, these are all congregants of my White Lotus Sect..."

"Are they?"

Wang Ping spread his hands and unfurled the Six Desires Heavenly Demon Flag. "Then call them back. As long as you can call them back, I promise I won't stop you."

Shouchong: "..."

"Give it up. A forced melon is never sweet."

Right in front of Shouchong, Wang Ping firmly gripped the Six Desires Heavenly Demon Flag. "They have long been molded to my shape. I am the only one who can satisfy them now."

For a moment, Shouchong was so furious that his old face flushed red and smoke practically steamed from his ears. The temperature in the entire quiet room seemed to rise. Yet, just as Wang Ping suspected the old bastard was going to turn hostile, Shouchong suddenly let out a long breath and actually laughed. "Good, good, good... Truly, the student surpasses the master."

"Good disciple, you really are natural-born rebel material."

Shouchong smiled. "Since that's the case, go ahead and do things your way."

Wang Ping was somewhat skeptical. "Old thing, are you really that kind-hearted?"

"I'm out of options, aren't I?" Shouchong appeared very honest. "You've taken all the vengeful spirits, and they're no longer under my control. My plan has already gone bankrupt."

"There's no point in falling out over it now."

At this point, Shouchong appeared very nonchalant. "And don't forget, I am also a black-headed commoner. Liansheng Bodhisattva is compassionate; I will not die."

"If you succeed, then naturally all is well, and I will be happy to see it happen... If you fail, it simply means I'll have to prepare for the next time."

"I have plenty of time."

Having said that, Shouchong took a step back, hiding himself in the shadows of the quiet room. Only his lingering voice remained in the air: "So, what do you plan to do next?"

"Stand on the emperor's side? Stop the National Academy from slaughtering all the black-headed commoners and extracting the lifespans of good citizens?"

"Something like that," Wang Ping nodded.

"You should know that this treats the symptoms, not the root cause, right?"

"Saving a few more lives is never wrong," Wang Ping said, completely unbothered. "Regardless, let's go save the black-headed commoners outside the city first."

Shouchong sighed. "They are clearly brimming with resentment, and the black-headed commoners' only weapon is infinite resurrection. Why on earth won't you use it? They wouldn't truly die anyway."

"Even so, there is still meaning in living." Wang Ping shook his head. "They shouldn't seek death; they should strive to survive."

Hearing this, Shouchong looked at the demons behind Wang Ping and said softly, "They are already dead."

Wang Ping smiled. "There are still people alive."

As his words fell, Shouchong said no more. He completely faded into the shadows, his presence vanishing entirely a moment later. It seemed he had quietly left.

Meanwhile, Wang Ping slowly turned around and looked at the throng of demons kneeling before him. He thought for a moment, and finally, he said softly, "Stand up."

Let's go stop the National Academy, smash the Longevity Rivaling Heaven Gourd, and from all this injustice, seize back the lives that were stolen from us, one by one!