Rao Mingxian's lips curved into a self-mocking smile.

Rao Mingjun kept saying family, but he controlled, oppressed, and even threatened and enslaved them.

Zhou Leng, an outsider, however, made me treat myself a little better.

In the end, who is family, and who is the outsider?

A flash of white light appeared in Rao Mingxian's mind, and the lifelong question he had was finally answered.

"It turns out, what decides insiders and outsiders is not the apparent relationships."

Rao Mingxian looked up and saw Rao Mingjun talking and laughing with some teammates who didn't share the Rao surname, his right hand touching the Magic Spirit Bag.

Inside, there were some poisons.

That evening, Zhou Leng, Zhang Xinglie, and some Ancient River Sect disciples left.

They then found an opportunity to have Zhang Xinglie use the Magic Transformation Ring to disguise as Guan Canglong.

In the following days, some demons saw Zhou Leng and Guan Canglong appear at the same time.

A few days later, Zhou Leng, Zhang Xinglie, and the Ancient River Sect disciples returned.

Upon returning to the camp, Zhou Leng heard a piece of news.

The team, including Rao Mingjun and Rao Mingxian, encountered a large group of demons, and except for Rao Mingxian, all perished.

Thousands of young warriors had already died in battle; dying in battle was no longer unusual.

Rao Mingxian was severely injured, lying in the tent recuperating.

Zhou Leng visited Rao Mingxian and offered a precious Healing Medicine Fruit, enough to heal Rao Mingxian's injuries.

Rao Mingxian was in low spirits, unwilling to say anything.

Knowing that he was too heartbroken, Zhou Leng left the tent and asked others not to visit further.

As Zhou Leng walked out of the tent, the initially dull eyes of Rao Mingxian slowly brightened.

He glanced at the expensive Medicine Fruit beside him, gently touching it with his fingertips, tenderly afraid of puncturing it.

In his eyes, there was gratitude, relief, and comfort.

Rao Mingxian closed his eyes and slowly drifted off to sleep.

In his dream, he returned to the day before.

The seven members of the team sat together chatting, Rao Mingxian busily using a solar-powered electric stove to heat a large pot of stew.

Once the meat was stewed, the eight shared it, and Rao Mingxian ate it all too.

After the meal, the eight sat together discussing everything under the sun.

Rao Mingjun suddenly frowned and asked, "Something's not right with my body, it's all going numb…"

"Hmm? Me too."

"We've been poisoned…"

Everyone's face changed dramatically, hastily reaching into the Magic Spirit Bag for the Antitoxic Elixir.

Rao Mingxian kicked his legs quickly, shadows flickering, hitting everyone who fell bleeding.

He took away everyone's Magic Spirit Bags.

The seven were stiff all over, lips turning black, looking at Rao Mingxian in horror.

Under the night sky, with his back to the bright moon, Rao Mingxian appeared as a thin, black silhouette, gazing at the seven lying on the ground.

"Don't blame me; if you must blame someone, blame Rao Mingjun. He forced me to betray Zhou Leng, leaving me no choice but to kill him and you all."

Sitting on the ground, Rao Mingjun spoke in a deep voice, "Rao Mingxian, give me the antidote, there's still room for compromise in this matter. You don't understand the strength of the Rao Family, nor the strength of the Zhao Clan, nor the might of the Demon Worship Sect."

Silently, exerting all his power to expel the poison.

The remaining teammates paused, turning to look at Rao Mingjun.

"You're a traitor?"

"You've sided with the Demon Worship Sect?"

Among the six, four glared at Rao Mingjun angrily, while two looked calm.

Rao Mingjun looked at Rao Mingxian and said, "He's also one of the Demon Worship Sect; he practiced Demon Skill before the college entrance exam."

Rao Mingxian smiled and said, "Yes, I risked everything to cultivate Demon Skill to get into a good Martial Arts Academy. Unlike you, my dear brother, raised with top-tier resources from a young age and recruited into Jinjing as a sports student special admission during the college entrance exams. And my second brother, Rao Mingxing, got into an ordinary university, but with a transfer letter, he entered West Sea Martial Arts Academy. Then there's the third sister, who took the donation route to Yunhua."

"You all cheat openly, and I who practice Demon Skill am unforgivable."

"You stand among the high ranks of the Demon Worship Sect, righteous in your approach, while I, a dog to the Demon Worship Sect, as lowly as mud."

"Brother, I told you many times."

"I said Zhou Leng has no interest in being enemies with the Rao Family; he wants to eradicate demons for the safety of the Human Race."

"I said Zhou Leng, although ruthless in his actions, wouldn't strike if not crossed."

"I said Zhou Leng doesn't care for power struggles; he seeks only Martial Arts."

"I said Zhou Leng is the hope of humanity."

"I said Zhou Leng is a good-hearted person."

"I said, brother, let bygones with Zhou Leng be bygones, I'll vouch for it, with my life."

"But you didn't listen. I said it many, many times, and yet you wouldn't listen."

"I'm curious, why didn't you understand my words?"

"I've begged you and sent countless signals, almost got on my knees."

"But you not only didn't understand, it seemed as if you couldn't even hear."

"As if there's an invisible wall between us."

"For some reason, I suddenly remembered a line from when Tong Tianxia's video circulated online when we were kids."

"Some people can only understand words spoken by a knife slicing through flesh."

"I never understood the meaning of that line until I met you here, until I humbled myself, saying so much, even screaming with my soul, yet you never understood, didn't even listen."

"Suddenly I realized what separated us wasn't a vertical glass wall but a horizontal glass ceiling."

"I'm under the ceiling, and you're above it."

"I finally understood that line."

"Once the body speaks through wounds, everyone can hear and understand."

"Even with a glass ceiling in between."

Rao Mingjun panicked and said, "Mingxian, calm down, let's talk this over. Help me with the antidote first, whatever you want, I'll agree, I promise."

Rao Mingxian laughed, happily.

"So, you can hear and understand after all."

Rao Mingxian pulled out the demonized blade from the Magic Spirit Bag, slicing into Rao Mingjun's neck.

Blood sprayed profusely.

Rao Mingjun's head tilted, body gently swaying, staring at Rao Mingxian with a strange gaze.

He seems not to understand, yet he seems to understand everything.

"Too bad it's too late." Rao Mingxian drew his knife, looking at the wound on Rao Mingjun's throat spurting blood, listening intently.

His face is covered in blood, a faint smile hanging at the corner of his mouth, as if listening to beautiful music.

"You asked me what Zhou Leng gave me."

"He actually didn't give much, only a kind intention."

"That kind of pure kindness."

"My grandfather was very kind, but the kindness he gave me was mixed with anger, beatings, and curses."

"My parents were also kind, but the kindness they gave me was mixed with guilt, indifference, and firmness."

"Actually, second brother and you were also kind, but your kindness was mixed with arrogance, discrimination, and oppression. Just a few days ago, your kindness even added fear, afraid that I would surpass you."

"Your kindness is a dagger coated with honey, stabbing into my heart one blade at a time."

"Zhou Leng's kindness is neither honey nor a dagger; it's just plain boiled water."

"Plain boiled water is not precious, but in the desert, it is the most precious gift in the world."

"Zhou Leng is walking in the desert like me."

Rao Mingxian stabbed Rao Mingjun repeatedly, blood flying like ice.

"You destroyed the path where Zhou Leng and I were walking together!"

"I only drank a mouthful of plain boiled water, yet I have to leave."

"I don't want to leave Zhou Leng!"

Rao Mingxian chopped Rao Mingjun into a pulp with his knife.

Rao Mingxian picked up the knife, bringing it to his mouth, licking the fresh blood.

Sweet as honey.

Rao Mingxian stood up, looking at the corpse.

He chopped up both Rao Mingjun and his own life.

Rao Mingxian turned around, slashing at others.

Tears flowed from his eyes in sleep.

Like plain boiled water slipping down.

The next day, Zhou Leng came to visit Rao Mingxian again, leaving a healing elixir, arranging matters with fellow disciples of the Ancient River Sect, and departed from the human camp.

Zhou Leng entered the demon camp once more, under the identity of Guan Canglong.

The entire demon camp was making final preparations.

The next day, the giants set camp outside.

That day, Wind of Grey Steel and Mountain Armor fought a duel, ending in a draw, exchanging curses before separating.

Various clans arrived one after another.

At the foot of the highest mountain, more than two thousand elite individuals gathered from each clan.

Zhou Leng's friends and acquaintances were almost all present.

Zhang Xinglie, Song Juesi, Rao Mingxian, Li Yuanhe, Mountain and River Origin, Mountain River Oak, Molten Hammer, Cyan Flame, and those tree-men all came, even some unfamiliar faces.

Lou Fei Qiong was also among them.

Two enormous camps, facing each other across a kilometer.

Deep Dark Fury led a negotiation with the Humanoid Alliance.

After a day's time, the two sides signed a temporary contract.

Deep Dark Fury released the prisoners.

The Humanoid Alliance participated in the mountain assault.

Regardless of the outcome, both sides would rest afterward.

As for whether to negotiate or to fight in the end, there was no stipulation.

If you want peace, then peace; if you want war, then war.

In the morning, as sunlight spread over the golden mountains.

This group of over two thousand people jointly climbed the highest mountain.

Reaching the summit, everyone sat down to rest.

Each party contributed ideas, discussing battle plans, and assigning the number of Martial Stone-men to deal with.

All disciples of the Ancient River Sect were grouped into the support team.

They could act independently; their goal was to find Martial Stone-men corresponding to their practiced martial arts, fighting while learning.

At Deep Dark Fury's command, more than two thousand people moved forward.

Light shone brightly as three hundred Martial Stone-men stepped forward.

Deep Dark Fury frowned, "Everyone be careful, the Martial Stone-men seem stronger."

At this moment, a faint white glow emerged from the Martial Stone-men, which was not present before.

"Kill, kill, kill!" Wind of Grey Steel gave Mountain Armor a provocative look.

Mountain Armor snorted coldly.

Zhou Leng glanced at Mountain Armor, thinking no wonder Mountain and River Origin was not his match.

The surface of Mountain Armor's body was covered with cyan rock-like skin.

He resembled a stone giant, his physique a full eight meters tall, far exceeding ordinary giants.

The two thousand trial takers surrounded the three hundred Martial Stone-men.

Within mere seconds, cries of agony echoed all around.

Those ranked beyond a thousand occasionally couldn't withstand even a single move, suffering heavy injuries.

Zhou Leng ignored others, directly going to the Martial Stone-man of Void-Breaking Finger, driving others away for single combat.

Zhang Xinglie faced the Martial Stone-man of Great Storm Fist, Elder Song the Martial Stone-man of Celestial Tide Palm.

Those disciples practicing the same martial arts were diligently memorizing and learning from the Martial Stone-men's moves nearby.

Zhou Leng, who had learned before, felt he gained even more this time.

The Martial Stone-man executed all its moves, and Zhou Leng slowly retreated, letting other disciples of the Ancient River Sect who practiced Void-Breaking Finger have their turn experiencing the Martial Stone-men.

Rao Mingxian also practiced Void-Breaking Finger, joining with four others in the assault.

This time, there were more people assaulting the mountain, and the Martial Stone-men had also strengthened.

Gradually, more people were severely injured and withdrew.

Those ranked within the top 200 fought with exhilaration.

Ten minutes later, the first Martial Stone-man fell to the ground.

"Victory is within reach!" Deep Dark Fury kicked the fallen and motionless Martial Stone-man, charging at the next one.

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