Chapter 700: People Like Lamps Extinguished

Chapter 700: People Extinguish Like Lamps

“Brother, it’s those ghosts... they’ve come again.”

One by one, figures rose from amidst the rubble and debris, men and women, old and young, looking no different from ordinary commoners.

But in the girl’s eyes, they were clearly a group of vile fiends crawling up from hell.

“Don’t be afraid, your brother is here.”

Though his own body trembled incessantly, the youth still held the girl tightly in his arms, using his not-so-broad chest to block her view.

He did not know who the man wielding a long black object before him was, but he understood that this man had just saved his life.

Yet this upheaval had utterly crushed his trust in strangers, leaving only unease, suspicion, and doubt in his heart. The youth quietly picked up the dagger he had discarded earlier out of cowardice, while the valuable high-quality spiritual aperture he tossed aside casually, letting it sink into the dust.

“Shang Lu, stubborn resistance is meaningless. Surrender the authority, and you might still have a chance to live!”

“Wishful thinking.”

Shang Lu’s cold and resolute attitude instantly enraged this group of Fa Xu, and harsh rebukes came thick and fast.

“Didn’t your Shang family torment us Fa Xu enough over the years? For the sake of obtaining the Yellow Millet Law Realm from Zhang Fengyue to advance himself to Fa Xu level three, he was willing to grovel, causing Fa Xu to be utterly abandoned by imperial power, descending from the overseer of all sequences into Zhang Fengyue’s personal guard dog, and making the people of the world forget the majesty of the law.”

Someone roared: “All the humiliations Fa Xu has suffered were caused solely by him, Shang Sigu. Now that he is dead, it still cannot wash away the mistakes he made over the years. Therefore, your Shang family is no longer worthy of holding the authority of the Yellow Millet Law Realm!”

Shang Lu looked at this group of self-righteous individuals and said with a cold laugh: “Do you not know in your hearts why he died?”

“What if we do? Shang Sigu’s lone attempt to assassinate that traitor Zhang Fengyue was nothing but a joke from start to finish. His utterly shallow speculations and schemes—whose eyes did they escape? You uncle and nephew put on a show, thinking you were placing bets on both sides, but in the end, who saved whom?”

Someone interjected: “In such an earth-shattering upheaval, we Fa Xu could only stake everything to prove our worth and truly win a chance to rise. Shang Sigu couldn’t even understand that—he deserved to die so wretchedly!”

“Exactly! Your Shang family is the greatest sinner of Fa Xu, and Shang Sigu is utterly unworthy of being the originator of the sequence!”

The torrent of abuse rained down on Shang Lu like a violent storm.

“Yes, my uncle was indeed nothing remarkable. He had neither iron-fisted methods nor unfathomable cunning; he was taciturn and dull, utterly incapable of leading a sequence. But I really would like to ask all of you…”

Shang Lu raised his eyes like a drawn blade, cutting across the faces of these people one by one.

“You say he groveled—then back when the Yellow Millet was first established, when the Confucian Sequence magnates planned to use ‘rites’ to replace ‘law’ and wipe out Fa Xu entirely, where were you? If he had not willingly taken on a load of infamy to plead for a sliver of authority for Fa Xu, would Fa Xu even exist today?”

“You say he put on a show—then when he set the rules in the Shang family, demanding that all Shang clan children must sacrifice themselves before death to become law-keepers, where were you?”

“You say he died wretchedly—then when he gave up his own life, using assassination as a means to beg Zhang Fengyue to give Fa Xu people a chance to choose, where were you?”

The law ruler in Shang Lu’s hand trembled violently, its sharp sound piercing.

“My uncle never intended to betray Grand Secretary Zhang, but in the end, he did it anyway, because he was a complete fool who could not think of any better way. All of you who have reaped the benefits now pretend to understand nothing… Very well. Today, I, his nephew, will make you recall it clearly!”

As his words fell, black light erupted.

Shang Lu grasped the cracked law ruler with both hands and thrust it heavily into the ground before him.

“Dream-thieving bandits, by law, be exiled!”

An invisible ripple surged outward, and the crowd surrounding them instantly stiffened, eyes rolling back, collapsing one by one into unconsciousness. The Yellow Millet ghosts that had possessed their bodies were all expelled and annihilated by the force of the law.

“Urgh… hah…”

Shang Lu suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood. Such a large-scale lawful judgment was undoubtedly a tremendous burden on him at this moment.

“The Great Ming Code clearly states: In all cases of possession by a Yellow Millet ghost, the possessing ghost bears primary responsibility for causing chaos between truth and falsehood; the possessed person bears secondary responsibility for entering base dreams and failing to investigate themselves. In severe cases, regardless of human or ghost, all shall be executed.”

From among that group of black-robed Fa Xu who had been standing by, a contemptuous sneer rang out.

“Such soft-hearted indecision shows that the Shang family has no right to wield the law as their authority!”

Shang Lu’s face was tinged with an eerie flush, blood streaming from his nose: “Slaughtering the innocent, you bastards…”

“Everyone in this world now scorns the law—who deserves to be called ‘innocent’?”

Someone flicked their sleeve with a cold laugh: “In times like these, harsh penalties are needed!”

Clang!

Shang Lu said nothing, drew his ruler, and stepped forward.

“Criminal Shang Lu, wielding a heavyweight instrument of Fa Xu while holding no official post—this is usurpation. By law, you shall be executed!”

A grand and solemn pronouncement of guilt towered over the unconscious commoners lying on the ground.

Shang Lu, as if weighed down by shackles, staggered and struggled to move.

“Criminal Shang Lu, using the order of Fa Xu to defy the imperial authority of the Great Ming—this is rebellion. By law, you shall be executed!”

Crack!

Blood burst from Shang Lu’s body like arrows; the law ruler in his hand shattered into pieces. Blood stained his face, and his body tottered precariously.

“Wen Sikou, Bai Jian, Xue Wuqu—so it’s you three ungrateful old dogs!”

Only then did Yang Baize finally recognize these members of Fa Xu—they were none other than the current chief officials of the Three Judicial Departments of the Great Ming.

“Ungrateful to whom? For the sake of Fa Xu, your Shang family worked in the shadows; didn’t we, likewise, work in the light?”

One of the three replied: “Yang Baize, you’re a clever man. You should know that the price we’ve paid over the years is no less than that of the Shang family. So why accuse us of ingratitude?”

“If suffering a bit of grievance and mockery in the public eye can be considered paying a price, then I can only say the Shang family has protected you too well over the years. Your legs should have been broken, forcing you to kneel on the ground and truly understand what it means to be humiliated at others’ mercy!”

“Yang Baize, don’t be in such a hurry to die. After Shang Lu is dead, you’re next. Instead of blathering on with all this nonsense, use your last moments to turn around and see what those people you just saved are doing now.”

The chaos had distracted him, and Yang Baize’s attention had been on Shang Lu. Hearing this, he turned in shock and saw the youth pulling the girl step by step backward.

Startled to find himself discovered, the youth instantly raised his dagger at Yang Baize and screamed at the top of his lungs: “Leave us alone…”

“See? Ants only fear the mighty; they never learn gratitude. That is their innate flaw. Zhang Fengyue severed the connection between heaven and earth for their sake, yet in their eyes, all he did was cut off their path to advancement. He and Shang Sigu were the same—self-righteous fools.”

“Bullshit.”

Unexpectedly, Yang Baize showed no sign of being enraged. Instead, he smiled and waved at the youth, signaling him to leave quickly.

He turned back to the three, his expression contemptuous: “With your shallow insight, how dare you presume to fathom the Grand Secretary’s well-intentioned design? Though his heart is full of fear, he still dares to wield a blade against an enemy. A furious young tiger—is it not a hundred times better than you three old dogs begging for mercy with your tails between your legs?!”

Clang!

A flash of black light appeared, in an instant before Yang Baize’s brow.

A foul wind blew against his face. A hand with clearly defined knuckles burst into Yang Baize’s field of vision, catching the flying law ruler midair.

Puff!

The bladeless ruler slid through the palm, splattering blood across Yang Baize’s face.

“Fa sequence follower Shang Lu, now voluntarily renounces all emotions, desires, and physical human form, sacrificing his consciousness into the Yellow Millet Law Realm, willingly becoming a keeper of the law! For eternity, for a thousand, ten thousand years…”

As Shang Lu’s low voice sounded, a nameless tremor spread through the air.

“After dawdling so long, Shang Lu, you’ve finally decided to give up this life. But the Yellow Millet nowadays—can you enter it just because you wish? Lords of the Eastern Palace, it’s your turn. Once the deed is done, Fa Xu will repay you handsomely!”

Suddenly, the unconscious crowd began to rise from the ground again, their fierce, beast-like gazes fixed on Shang Lu. Regardless of age or gender, they all let out piercing shrieks in unison!

The overlapping sound waves surged like a tide, carrying a soul-snatching magic. Yang Baize, who had already removed his spiritual aperture, felt as if knives were being stirred into his brain. Blood spurted from his mouth and nose as he collapsed in agony.

Shang Lu, connected to the Yellow Millet, shivered uncontrollably, hoarse roars tearing from his throat as if another soul was fighting him for his body.

“Shang Lu, you are now like these people—caught in the possession of a Yellow Millet ghost. As a member of Fa Xu, do you choose to expel the ghost, or to kill the people?”

“Or now that the guilt touches you, do you choose to disregard the law and bend it for your own sake?”

Shang Lu, hand over the Yellow Millet Law Domain, and we can allow you a clean and honorable death.

Amidst the smug and self-satisfied shouts, Shang Lu could no longer stand; his knees bent and he crashed to the ground, blood streaming from his entire body.

Now that his connection to the Law Keeper's sacrifice had been severed, he seemed to have no strength left to resist. Only two choices lay before him: either hand over his authority and die swiftly, or watch helplessly as he was completely possessed.

“Uncle, they’re right. You really are that stupid.”

As if he had entirely given up on struggle, Shang Lu slowly raised his hand and gazed at the sky, a half-smile on his face, murmuring to himself.

“You should never have wavered even a bit, nor should you have clung to those corrupted statutes. You should have followed Zhang Fengyue and slaughtered all these bastards. The Law Order as it is now no longer has any reason to exist.”

Shang Lu suddenly roared aloud: “Law Order’s Shang Lu is guilty. The first crime: failure to eradicate the rebellious and treacherous.”

“Not good!”

The three who had been standing cautiously at a distance to guard against a desperate counterattack from Shang Lu all changed expression instantly, as if they had suddenly understood his intention.

Two Law Rulers, wrapped in howling wind, shot forth one after the other.

“The second crime: failure to protect the weak and ensure their safety.”

Swish!

One Law Ruler severed Shang Lu’s left hand, while the other pierced through his abdomen and pinned him to the ground.

Crimson blood, along with a piercing cry, burst into the air.

“The third crime: failure to uphold the majesty of the law. Now I must atone by taking my own life, without delay.”

Crack!

With a solemn expression, Shang Lu suddenly raised his hand, broke the Law Ruler that was stuck in his abdomen, and drove it backward into his own heart.

In that instant, a vast and majestic aura burst forth from his body, enveloping the entire ruin.

It was as if a bright sun leaped into the clear sky, casting warm light. Yang Baize's excruciating headache melted away like snow in spring, and he finally regained consciousness, struggling to climb to his feet.

Upon looking up, he was horrified to find that everyone around him had fallen to their knees, even Xue Wuqu and the others were not spared.

They were all trembling, like criminals kneeling on the execution platform, heads bowed, awaiting decapitation.

“Law is the good thought in people’s hearts. If the heart is good, then the law may not be needed. If the heart is evil, then the law cannot be forgiving.”

“May under the good thought in people’s hearts there be no treachery, no sycophancy, no deceit, no fraud, no theft or robbery, no moral chaos; may the world be peaceful and clear, and the people’s hearts be at peace forever.”

Shang Lu’s eyes shone with a divine light like swords, his voice like a great bell ringing, deafening and enlightening.

“Those without goodness shall be beheaded without mercy!”

His words fell like a verdict, and one after another, shadowy figures of Law Keepers appeared behind the crowd of guilty prisoners, like executioners carrying out the judgment, raising their blades and bringing them down.

No blood spattered, but countless souls in that moment turned to ashes and vanished.

The wind howled through the broken ruins, like resentful spirits wailing in unison.

Xue Wuqu and the two others had eyes that were withered and dead; their bodies fell into the dust, void of any life.

Yang Baize stared blankly at the scene, unable to snap out of it for a long time, until a voice as faint as a mosquito’s buzz sounded beside him and woke him.

“So. Law Order isn’t just about bullying the weak. Those stronger than me, I can kill too.”

Yang Baize rushed over and embraced Shang Lu, but it was like holding a block of ice; it was bitterly cold to the touch.

“Don’t fucking brag. Fine, you were impressive this time, okay?”

Yang Baize rolled his eyes and asked with feigned irritation: “Are you going to die or not? If not, get up. What’s with this half-dead act on the ground?”

Shang Lu twitched the corner of his mouth, forcing a smile, and said: “I wasn’t going to live anyway. I originally planned to hold on until I saw you out of the city, but it seems I can’t manage that now. Sorry.”

“What bullshit! Get up, I’ll carry you out!”

Shang Lu raised his hand and pressed down on Yang Baize’s shoulder: “Don’t bother. Do one last thing for me—return the Yellow Millet Law Domain to the Grand Secretary. Tell him the Law Order is no longer needed.”

The light in his eyes gradually dimmed and faded along with his voice.

A person dies like a lamp going out—sudden, yet expected.

“You give it back to him, but what can I give back to you?”

Yang Baize murmured to himself, his expression numb.

“A fine saying: ‘Those without goodness shall be beheaded without mercy.’ But who can draw the line between good and evil? Such is the Law Order—how tragic.”

In the midst of dead silence, another thunderclap sounded. Yang Baize turned in horror, only to see Xue Wuqu, who should have been dead, standing up again.

His facial features were visibly contorting on their own, and in a moment, they transformed into a face that Yang Baize knew very well.

Zou Sijiu!