Ye Liangcheng said this, and He Kao was not surprised, even quite satisfied.

In a sense, Ye Liangcheng could also be considered a victim of Hu Shulue's machinations, leading to his family's ruin. If such a grudge isn't avenged, what can we expect from him? Distinguishing right from wrong and maintaining clarity of grievances is a basic requirement for a person.

He Kao asked, "You have cultivated for five years and reached Tier Three Cultivation. Have you ever tried to seek revenge?"

Ye Liangcheng: "I once tried to ambush Hu Shulue, but I almost got killed. Fortunately, Master Kucha happened to pass by and saved me. Though I've made progress in my cultivation over the years, every time I recall that day, I ask myself and know I'm still far from being Hu Shulue's match."

He Kao: "Have you ever asked Kucha to help you?"

Ye Liangcheng: "No! Because when Master Kucha taught me the secret technique, he told me he wouldn't interfere in my personal grievances. If I want to settle accounts with Hu Shulue, I must cultivate diligently and wait for the day I can defeat him upright."

He Kao put down his chopsticks and shook his head.

Ye Liangcheng wondered, "Senior, is there something wrong with that idea?"

He Kao looked at him and retorted, "If you want to punish a corrupt official, do you have to become a higher-ranking official? If you want to punish a corrupt merchant, do you have to be richer?

This is not about a competition where you decide to win back after losing. Hu Shulue deserves punishment not because you hate him, but because his actions are intolerable, which is why you hate him.

You cultivate, and he also cultivates. If, in terms of cultivation realm, you never surpass him in your lifetime, does it mean he shouldn't be punished?"

Ye Liangcheng was stunned, before slowly answering, "What Master Kucha said has always been in my heart. What you said just now also makes sense… But I'm really not a match for that thief Hu."

He Kao asked again, "When your father was harmed, it was clearly Hu Shulue's scheme. Even if it was a setup, he surely didn't act alone, and those who took advantage from your family, harming you, definitely weren't just Hu Shulue.

With your cultivation and skills, can't you deal with others if not Hu Shulue? Have you tried to investigate the insider details and punish those involved over the years?"

Ye Liangcheng opened his mouth wide in surprise, looking a bit bewildered, and suddenly drank a large gulp of wine directly from the decanter, not using a cup.

After finishing a pot, he wiped his mouth and said, "At first, I did think about it. Although I didn't understand it as clearly as you explained it, I always felt that even if I couldn't defeat Hu Shulue, I could still do something else."

He Kao: "But it seems you didn't do anything."

Ye Liangcheng: "Master Kucha said, when passing the secret technique on to me, not to let hatred consume reason, as it would affect the mindset.

Moreover, he also said, if I wanted revenge, not to alert the enemy and to defeat Hu Shulue outright one day.

To be honest, back when my father just passed away, during those sleepless nights, I had a flash of murderous thought, wishing I could kill Hu Shulue's entire family…"

He Kao: "Oh, just a passing thought?"

Ye Liangcheng smiled bitterly, "Indeed, just a passing thought, I couldn't actually do that. Even back when I ambushed Hu Shulue, I didn't intend to kill him.

After all, our loss was just wealth; though my father's illness was related to Hu Shulue, he ultimately passed away from illness."

He Kao: "Did you ever share this thought with Kucha?"

Ye Liangcheng: "I mentioned it once. Master Kucha told me that grievances have their origins, and debts have their owners. One must not harm the innocent, a practitioner can't do such things."

He Kao: "Indeed, you can't do that. Magic Sect also has Sect Rules. The principles I just mentioned, honoring the master, observing the precepts, assuming responsibilities, fulfilling promises, and protecting the teachings, are all part of the Sect Rules.

Above these Sect Rules, there are Jianghu Drifting Gate Laws that all disciples worldwide must adhere to—Don't create troubles, act first with authorities; Don't provoke undue situations, keep one's techniques hidden; Don't overlook disasters, act decisively; Don't wield unwarranted reasons, face joint punishment by all…"

He Kao detailed the Jianghu Drifting Gate Laws, including the newly issued Joint Punishment Order by Ancestral Hall.

It was the first time Ye Liangcheng heard these, and he keenly caught a new term: "Senior, you just mentioned the Magic Sect, what does it mean exactly?"

He Kao: "I've told you before, the Fundamental Technique you cultivate is called Micro-Entry Skill. The secret techniques passed down in this world are not limited to Micro-Entry Skill alone; cultivating different techniques means being disciples of different Magic Sects."

Ye Liangcheng: "What other secret cultivation sects are there?"

He Kao: "It's not the time for you to ask about these, remember the Jianghu Drifting Gate Laws I just told you."

Ye Liangcheng pursued, "If, hypothetically, I did go and kill Hu Shulue's entire family back then, would I have violated the Joint Punishment Order, and the masters worldwide would want my life?"

He Kao: "There wasn't the Joint Punishment Order back then, but the outcome would have been the same. Don't forget the first rule of the Jianghu Drifting Gate Laws: 'Don't create troubles, act first with authorities.'

Such behavior would mean abolishing your cultivation and expelling you from the sect, and then handing you over to the police... What do you think your sentence would be?"

Ye Liangcheng nodded instinctively, saying, "Then I would still not escape death. Even if I weren't executed, Hu Shulue would want my life." After thinking it over, he asked, "What if I didn't care about dying, willing to be jointly punished by all, then what?"

He Kao: "Then it wouldn't matter, it would only show you're not afraid of death, willing to bear the cost."

Ye Liangcheng: "If that's the case, even the Joint Punishment Order cannot protect the families of secret cultivators."

He Kao: "The Joint Punishment Order is not omnipotent. Even with it, you cannot completely prevent harm to your family. This serves as a reminder to Magic Sect disciples to not go too far in their actions."

Ye Liangcheng furrowed his eyebrows again and said: "Master Kucha's words back then, I have always remembered them. All these years, I've been thinking of cultivating the Secret Technique, hoping that one day I could defeat Hu Shulue. But I had no time to do anything else.

However, according to what you just said, I shouldn't think this way, because if, in my entire life, my cultivation doesn't surpass Hu Shulue, it would be as if nothing ever happened..."

He Kao: "Have you finally figured it out?"

Ye Liangcheng: "But Master Kucha also said that nothing is too difficult in this world as long as you put your heart into it..."

He Kao interrupted him: "Then write me a prime number equation and try it out!"

This sentence hit Ye Liangcheng like a bolt out of the blue! Although he had graduated from college and understood what He Kao meant, this was a mathematical problem that countless geniuses couldn't solve in their lifetimes.

The thought steel seal left by Kucha was deeply ingrained in him. If he hadn't met He Kao, he might have always been stuck in this stubborn mindset. Seeing he was in thought, He Kao stopped the Socratic questioning and spoke directly—

"Even if your lifetime cultivation never surpasses Hu Shulue, that doesn't mean you can't do other things.

Even if you can't kill his whole family at your discretion, it doesn't mean you can't investigate his family.

Besides harming you, has he harmed others? Are there any accomplices among his friends and family?

Just because Ancient Tea dissuaded you, does that mean you shouldn't do these things? Even if you had no time before, what have you been doing in these past six months?

If you can gather incriminating evidence against him, you can completely submit it to the police. Even if the police can't catch him, at least you can force him to give up his current identity..."

Ye Liangcheng stood up with a decanter in his hand and said: "Senior, I understand, I toast to you!"

He Kao gestured to lower down: "Drink less, I have something else to tell you."

Ye Liangcheng: "What is it?"

He Kao: "In the past six months, have you, all by yourself, inquired about Hu Shulue's condition?"

Ye Liangcheng: "I haven't heard from him for a long time, I was just going to look into it!"

He Kao: "No need, Hu Shulue is dead."

Ye Liangcheng's decanter slipped from his hand and fell onto the table: "What, he's dead! How did he die?"

He Kao: "If Bitter Tea could meet with an accident, so could he. The saying goes, 'many evil deeds lead to self-destruction.' I heard that he went down while committing a crime... In any case, the news is confirmed, this person no longer exists in this world."

Ye Liangcheng was lost in thought for a long time, his expression seemed to fluctuate between wanting to cry and wanting to laugh. Finally, he poured the half bottle of wine onto the ground and said: "He deserved it, good riddance, dying was too easy for him!"

He Kao stopped Ye Liangcheng's impulse to open another bottle of wine. It was only after he calmed down that he spoke: "As for the purpose of cultivating secrets, the last time you answered well, it is all about pursuing that transcendent realm.

Whether you want revenge, to repay a favor, or to do something else, having cultivation gives you better abilities.

You no longer need to keep thinking about avenging Hu Shulue. Let's talk about Secret Technique cultivation instead. What did Bitter Tea teach you? You don't have to tell me, let me ask you which ones he actually taught..."

He Kao did not let Ye Liangcheng speak first but instead introduced the content of the Tier Three Technique of the Micro-Entry Skill he knew, asking Ye Liangcheng one by one if he had learned them?

Ye Liangcheng hadn't yet adjusted his emotions, and his attention was immediately drawn. He nodded as He Kao introduced the skills. However, midway through He Kao's introduction, he suddenly said, "Senior, the content from here on, Master Kucha hasn't taught me yet."

He Kao: "Oh? It seems that the inheritance you received is incomplete."

Without saying a word, Ye Liangcheng pushed away his chair, walked to He Kao's side, bowed, and said: "Elder Huo Qing, Master Kucha is no longer here, and I see no path forward. Could I apprentice under you?"

He Kao shook his head: "According to the customary rules of the Magic Sect, I am not twenty years older than you, so it's inconvenient for me to take you as a disciple.

But you have already received the Micro - Entry Skill inheritance and have cultivated it successfully. As long as you vow to abide by the Jianghu Floating Sect Laws, I can indeed, in the name of senior authority, help you complete the technique.

Since the fundamental techniques of each realm should not be incomplete when passed on, this is also the sect rules of all Magic Sects. You are now considered an independent cultivator in Jianghu. In the future, if Karma allows, you might acknowledge your ancestors and formally join a Sect."

Hearing the first part of He Kao's words, Ye Liangcheng was initially despondent, but later, he couldn't help but be overjoyed. Despite He Kao stating that it was inconvenient to accept him as a disciple, he still performed the grand apprentice ceremony on the spot.

**

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