Fellow Daoist! That scoundrel has written a new book again.

Upon witnessing this turn of events, everyone silently sat down and put away their magical artifacts.

In their view, the order to respect Heaven and punish evil has been issued, and Zhu Wuyao is only at the Qi Refining stage, so how could he possibly break through the Heavenly Punishment?

This only shows that Heaven never intended to punish her and left her a glimmer of hope.

Moreover, how many of you here dare to swear on your conscience that you have never done anything wrong in your life?

You, Zhao Huaiyi, keep talking about "punishing evil and eliminating wickedness," which is the righteous way of doing things, but now you have been locked down by the will of Heaven.

Wu Guihong looked at the token hanging high above Zhao Huaiyi's head with a grim expression.

He dared not step forward to save the person.

Zhu Wuyao saw the dark clouds gathering again and heard bursts of thunder.

But she didn't feel much joy.

This display was far less impressive than the one that had just been placed over her head. Zhu Wuyao shifted her gaze and looked at Wei Zhang, whose expression was ashen.

Amidst the thunder, I walked up to him.

"Why are you so certain that this token can be used to judge me?"

Few people knew that the cause and effect of what happened in Nanli City had been attributed to them, and even fewer knew the truth on Jiangshuang Bridge.

But Wei Zhang did not hesitate for a moment when he offered up his fortune.

It seemed as if he was certain that he would be punished by heaven.

Wei Zhang raised his head and looked at the person who was coming with a sword. He saw Zhu Wuyao coming with a sword and saw the dark clouds behind her. Wei Zhang suddenly laughed.

"You think I'm the one who wants to kill you...you think he's the one who wants to kill you? Hahaha!"

"I'm waiting for you to be abandoned by everyone!"

"I'll wait until you die a horrible death!!"

Zhu Wuyao's gaze narrowed slightly as he saw blood trickling from Wei Zhang's lips, and he was dead.

Upon seeing this, she turned around sharply and looked at the token hanging high above.

With Wei Zhang's death, the divine light of the Order to Revere Heaven and Punish Evil dimmed instantly, as if it were about to fall at any moment.

The dark clouds were about to disperse before they had fully gathered, and the thunder gradually subsided.

Zhu Wuyao gripped the sword tightly. She saw Zhao Huaiyi pause for a moment, then turn to ecstatic joy, about to break free of the restraints and continue his evil deeds in the world.

Is this destiny?

If Heaven doesn't want to kill him, Zhao Huaiyi will survive.

Even if the decree to honor Heaven and punish evil has been issued, if the person who performs the sacrifice to Heaven commits suicide and Heaven does not punish him, then he will not die no matter what.

How ridiculous!

She looked at the dissipating dark clouds and at Zhao Huaiyi, who was laughing triumphantly. After this incident, Zhao Huaiyi would definitely regard her as a thorn in his side and be more wary of her. Since the difference in their cultivation levels was already huge, there would be no chance for him to seek revenge.

No, there is another way—

As long as someone goes to pay homage to Heaven, bows three times, and offers their own fortune as a sacrifice, they can ask Heaven to punish them again.

Otherwise, we'll see Zhao Huaiyi living a carefree life.

Wu Guihong suddenly stood up, wanting to burst into laughter, but then suddenly felt relieved.

However, his laughter stopped abruptly.

As if his throat had been grabbed, Zhao Huaiyi suddenly opened his eyes wide.

He saw the variable that he had never anticipated, yet should have expected.

Some people are not afraid of death.

Some people stood under the decree of revering Heaven and punishing evil, remaining upright, innocent, and unafraid of divine retribution.

I fear that Heaven is blind and will allow evildoers to go unpunished.

"I, Xu Yicheng, bow down to Heaven and Earth, and beseech Heaven to open its eyes, judge evil and punish wickedness!"

His usually dull eyes shone brightly; he saw the raging flood rushing towards him, saw his master's forlorn white hair in the heavy rain, and heard cries and pleas in his ears...

The floodwaters have long since receded, and the perpetrators have slipped away and continue to enjoy their former glory.

But some people were trapped in the flood.

They could swim to the end, never see the clear sky, and though they were in the prime of their lives, they had imprisoned themselves within their own boundaries.

It was the cold that lasted day after day, and the pain that lingered for a long time.

Today, he is in high spirits.

Those who kick someone when they're down in Nanli City shall be killed!

"Those who disregard human life and run rampant should be killed!"

"Those who receive the grace of Heaven to cultivate the path of immortality but commit heinous crimes deserve to be killed!"

Zhao Huaiyi stared in disbelief at Xu Yicheng's prayer to heaven. He cursed and threatened in a fit of rage, and then begged and bribed in fear and trepidation...

But Xu Yicheng waited for too long.

He did not receive the karmic retribution he deserved.

He only saw Zhao Huaiyi lording it over the Juque Sect, and he only saw the Heavenly Punishment that was about to dissipate, so he came!

Even a common man, in a fit of rage, can spill blood five steps away!

Dark clouds pressed down.

Xu Yicheng bowed deeply, and a thunderous sound exploded in his ears. In a moment of realization, he was back in that stormy, thunderous scene.

This time, he seemed to see the wall that could hold back the flood successfully rise, and he saw that the girl who sacrificed herself to the heavens no longer needed to sacrifice her life to the heavens.

He seemed to see his protective shield protecting each mortal, and he saw the relief of everyone escaping death after the flood subsided.

That's how it should be.

Zhao Huaiyi's screams rang out.

The cries that constantly lingered in my ears, day and night—

Stopped.

He felt a relief he had never felt before, as if a huge boulder that had been weighing on his heart had finally been removed.

At the same time, I also felt the loss of vitality.

He would feel very sad and heartbroken for letting his master down, and a few more strands of white hair would appear on his head.

There is no way to have it all in this world.

"Traitor!!"

A furious shout reached his ears, and Xu Yicheng turned around to look in the direction of the Juque Sect. He saw that his Uncle Wu had a horrified expression on his face, as if he was afraid.

More than anything, there was anger.

He was not afraid at all as long as the person who uttered those words was not his master.

From the moment I set foot here, I have no regrets, even in the face of death.

Unfortunately, only Zhao Huaiyi was killed; many more villains remained alive.

Everyone present fell silent, looking at the place shrouded in dark clouds, at the person standing tall and upright beneath the token.

They saw the Order to Revere Heaven and Punish Evil shatter, and the man named "Xu Yicheng" slowly collapsed.

It was just a flood.

It was just a flood that you heard about and then forgot, something you had to painstakingly recall.

Countless cultivators thought this way.

Some of the cultivators thought about how many people must have lost their lives and how many tragedies must have occurred in the flood. As they looked at the dissipating dark clouds, they cursed Zhao Huaiyi and admired the person who dared to seek justice.

Many more people looked with lingering fear at the charred remains beneath the thunderbolt.

I'm glad it wasn't me.

Zhu Wuyao silently walked towards the arena. This was the 232nd person she was to collect the remains of, the person who had perished in the flood.

She did not know Xu Yicheng before this.

However, Zhu Wuyao had fought against everyone from the Juque Sect.

I've told fortunes for everyone.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

The Star-Picking Tower stands before the Water Mirror.

Elder Xiaobai watched this scene with a sigh.

He was certainly aware of the Juque Sect's style, but he never expected that among that group, there would be someone with such pride and benevolence.

Looking at the reflection in the water mirror, Zhu Wuyao was collecting Xu Yicheng's remains. He saw Ye Xiaozhou and the others stopping the Juque Sect from destroying Xu Yicheng's remains, and he nodded in agreement.

Sect Leader Fang sighed; she knew the matter was not yet resolved.

She knew that some stories had officially begun.