"...Taiyi Country has suffered from the Cultivation World for too long.

The cultivators, by taking possession of the beautiful mountains and rivers, focus only on their own cultivation. They selfishly consume resources without working towards the country's benefit, gathering them in excess for themselves.

Are they immortals? Or merely self-interested rats?

Occasionally, Demon Cultivators lose their sanity, treating human lives like grass underfoot. This causes the state to expend enormous resources to manage the situation.

Are they demons? Or just thieves?

Now, Lin Bai of the Righteous Door steps forward. He joins forces with the Celestial Descendants, intending to condemn and suppress the Magic Gate's cultivators, to bring peace back to the world and stability back to the country. I, Guo, deeply agree with this…"

"Insolent fool, you've ruined my grand plans!" Throwing the 'Justice Weekly' harshly onto the table, Guo Yuan's lips trembled with rage. Despite having governed Qian City for many years, he usually maintained a calm temperament. But since Lin Bai and the Celestial Descendants arrived, his composure had been shattered countless times; these individuals always found an unexpected way to strike at him.

"City Lord, please calm your anger."

The Scholar sighed, uncertain how to console him.

An interview with the City Lord portrayed him as a fervent hero, unafraid of cultivators, but it also meant pushing Qian City into opposition with the Five Evil Sects.

If matters escalated, it could potentially ignite a conflict between Taiyi Country and the Five Demonic Sects.

The most infuriating part was that the Celestial Descendants from the Beggar Gang had never even interviewed the City Lord; this slander had been flung at them so brazenly…

These people are too much! They truly don't mind stirring up immense trouble…

The Scholar glanced askance at the 'Justice Weekly' on the table. The first character in the word 'Justice' of its title was written with such an abbreviated top stroke that it strongly resembled the character meaning 'stop.' Thus, 'Justice Weekly' mockingly appeared as if it were titled 'Stop-tice Weekly.' Beneath this, the motto "Write justice, spread truth" seemed incredibly sarcastic!

"City Lord, allow your subordinate to dispatch men to seize and ban 'Justice Weekly'!" the Scholar proposed. "These Celestial Descendants are too outrageous. If they are allowed to continue their reckless behavior, it will inevitably lead to an irreversible disaster. We must punish them severely to ensure Qian City's stability. They fear imprisonment…"

"It's too late," Guo Yuan waved his hand dismissively. "Old Zhao, the Celestial Descendants are immortal. We can punish them for a while, but can we punish them for a lifetime? Driving them to join the Magic Gate would be the true disaster. Lin Bai is right: guiding is better than blocking. Giving them something constructive to do is the correct way to handle these Celestial Descendants."

"Did Lin Bai intentionally provoke this incident?" the Scholar asked.

"He possesses great wisdom; I am no match for him," Guo Yuan sighed, a rueful smile on his face. "He didn't portray me as a scoundrel colluding with the Magic Gate; he has already spared me some dignity. Let them do as they please!"

"What about the Five Evil Sects?" the Scholar asked.

"Pay them no mind," Guo Yuan replied. "As long as they aren't fools, they will realize this is Lin Bai's divisive ploy. They won't provoke Taiyi Country over such trivial matters. With Lin Bai up front acting as a shield, it's quite good!"

"What if Lin Bai loses?" the Scholar asked after a moment's hesitation.

"Seal the city gates and leave him to his fate," Guo Yuan glanced at the 'Justice Weekly' on the table and snorted coldly. "Taiyi Country will not bear the consequences of the trouble he has stirred."

「...」

"Shen Kuang, over six hundred and eighty years old (for cultivators, age is meaningless), has been in the Mysterious Darkness Cult for more than six hundred years. He started as an outer sect disciple and gradually climbed to the position of Sect Master. He has accumulated rich experience in cultivation and sect management. His patient yet ruthless personality is the fundamental reason for his achievements.

Question 1: Why did you choose to become a Demon Cultivator?

Lady Hua Xi: The primary reason was my extreme frailty as a child. Furthermore, I was the daughter of a concubine, which led to frequent bullying within my family; even the servants looked down on me. At that time, I vowed that if I ever had the chance to turn my situation around, I would mercilessly crush those who had bullied me. The rules of orthodox Cultivation Sects are too restrictive; becoming a Demon Cultivator was more conducive to my revenge.

Interviewer: Did you eventually get your revenge?

Lady Hua Xi: I left no trace of them. I remember achieving the Golden Core at the age of fifty-five. If I hadn't returned for revenge then, my tormentors would have soon died of old age… (Due to the graphic nature of the topic, the interviewer has omitted some content. Readers are invited to imagine the details.)

Question 2: It is said that many Demon Cultivators kill innocent ordinary people to advance their practice. Have you done so?

Lady Hua Xi: Can one still be called a Demon Cultivator if they don't kill? The lives of ordinary people are like those of ants, struggling painfully in this world. Killing them is a form of release for them. Aren't we straying from the topic? Weren't we supposed to be discussing the Sect Master?" She laughed.

Question 3: What kind of person is Shen Kuang in your eyes?

Lady Hua Xi: Within the sect, we usually don't dare to discuss the Sect Master. Now that I have left the Mysterious Darkness Cult, I have no such inhibitions. Let's put it this way: the Sect Master appears aloof and unapproachable on the surface, yet deep down, he's quite timid and insecure!

Interviewer: Why do you say that? How could a timid person become the Sect Master of the Mysterious Darkness Cult?

Lady Hua Xi: His name wasn't always Shen Kuang. I heard from my master that he was once called Shen Simshui, a very feminine name. Back then, as an outer sect disciple, the Sect Master endured considerable ridicule because of this name. Later, in anger, he changed his name to Shen Kuang. This could be seen as compensating for a perceived lack!

Reporter: People dared to mock the Sect Master of the Mysterious Darkness Cult?

Lady Hua Xi: The Sect Master hadn't risen to power yet! Who doesn't suffer some bullying when they are weak? Later, those who had mocked him met with various 'accidents.' Eventually, the Mysterious Darkness Cult only knew Shen Kuang, not Shen Simshui, and no one dared to laugh at him anymore…"

「...」

"They ask the world, what is love, that it makes one pledge life and death.

Who says that people of the Evil Door are all iron-hearted? Even the most ruthless have a tender spot in their hearts.

Back then, Ge Feiyun of the Magic Spirit Sect was merely an outer sect disciple who had just reached Foundation Establishment. Pei Yanzong, on the other hand, was already a prodigy of the Waning Sun Gate; he had formed his Golden Core when he was just over thirty years old and enjoyed immense prestige within the Waning Sun Gate.

If not for an accident, these two individuals, whose statuses were worlds apart, would likely never have crossed paths.

However, fate plays cruel tricks. Pei Yanzong, under his master's orders to infiltrate the Magic Spirit Sect and steal its secrets, unfortunately had his identity exposed one day. An elder of the Magic Spirit Sect struck him in the heart meridian. He barely managed to escape by desperately using a secret technique from his sect. But after escaping from the Blood Shadow Sect, his heart meridian was completely shattered, leaving him weaker than an ordinary person and on the verge of death from his injuries.

Unexpectedly, in his dazed and desperate flight, he tumbled off a cliff and plunged into a spring on the back mountain of the Magic Spirit Sect, landing directly on Ge Feiyun, who was bathing there.

As fate would have it, his head landed squarely between Ge Feiyun's own 'Flying Cloud Mountains,' causing her such pain she nearly fainted. She was about to kill this scoundrel who had sullied her innocence with a single palm strike.

But, as it happened, Pei Yanzong was remarkably handsome.

It turns out that all love at first sight is merely lust at first sight…"

「...」

"How a hot-blooded man was driven to madness by the Evil Door.

Seven hundred years ago, Zhao Tulong was known as Zhao Hongwen, a scholar well-versed in the classics, who vowed to save the world and benefit humanity.

Seven hundred years later, Zhao Tulong, who had become the Sect Master of the Blood Separation Sect, had a new mantra: 'Before slaying dragons, slay men. To kill one is a crime; to slay ten thousand is heroic. Only by slaying nine million does one become a hero among heroes…'"

「...」

The moment 'Justice Weekly' was launched, it caused an enormous stir in Qian City.

In this world, ordinary people had few forms of entertainment, mostly relying on storytellers, operas, or various storybooks to find some amusement in life.

Official information from proper channels came via government reports, but these were not accessible to the general populace.

Ordinary people learned about official policies through notice boards and verbal announcements from local officials.

The publication of 'Justice Weekly' almost instantly filled the void for both entertainment and timely news, offering a blend of current affairs, amusement, and even compelling stories.

「...」

"So this is what the Cultivation World is really like!"

"What's this about 'slaying nine million to be a hero among heroes'? Such a man who treats life like grass should be killed to appease public indignation! Aren't the lives of us common folk worth anything?"

"Why should these selfish individuals be allowed to live forever? City Lord Guo is right; I support the Righteous Door."

"It's not just the Demon Cultivators; those lofty Immortals of the Righteous faction are no better! They've allowed the Evil Sects to plague the world for so many years. If the Righteous Door hadn't appeared, we would probably still be kept in the dark, and who knows how many more would have been harmed…"

"I just don't know if the Righteous Door will win this time. Perhaps we should go to the City Lord's Mansion and petition. To exterminate the Demon Cultivators, we can't rely only on the Beggar Gang and the Celestial Descendants; after all, they are outsiders. The City Guard Army should also contribute."

"I really want to go watch the battle! I'm going to bet on the Righteous Door to win."

"Count me in! Placing a bet also counts as praying for the Righteous Door's success."

"I heard that at the last recruitment fair, Sect Leader Lin became enraged and struck down a Demon Cultivator. The Righteous Door truly lives up to its name!"