Chapter One Hundred Eighteen: Leave or Stay

Liu Pan spoke quickly, almost in one breath conveying all these matters. Within the Burning Heaven Sect, the next moment’s events were impossible to predict. Therefore, seizing this precious time and opportunity to relay everything was the most important thing at the moment.

Liu Kuang was somewhat bewildered. Although Liu Pan’s words were straightforward and conveyed only a few critical pieces of information, in that brief instant, he still felt a bit unable to fully digest it all.

Liu Pan was about to leave the Burning Heaven Sect? Liu Kuang wasn’t particularly concerned about that.

However, the fact that Vice Sect Master Li Feiyang might be a threat to him was baffling. At that moment, Liu Kuang recalled the cry Liu Pan had let out in the Baiyang Sect’s dining hall: “My family name is Liu, I live on Peak 14.” For some inexplicable reason, Liu Kuang felt that his peaceful and carefree cultivation life was about to end.

As for going to the Central Plains—due to the Great Wilderness Blade, Liu Kuang knew that sooner or later he would set foot on that vast land, but he had never imagined that he would join the organization known as “Ji.”

What did an organization represent? Different people held different views. Perhaps, fundamentally, an organization symbolized reliance—everyone’s reliance.

Yet, in Liu Kuang’s eyes, an organization was not a refuge but a chain, a restraint.

Had it not been for the Great Wilderness Blade, when Liu Pan mentioned “Ji,” Liu Kuang would not have given it much thought. But now...

Liu Kuang had already met Xu Xiaozhan, a second-rate family scion from Yunliu City, who left no particular impression on him. As for Hu Lang and Ye Ming, each had their own traits, but upon closer examination, Liu Kuang did not feel they would be of much help.

If there was one person, it was only Liu Pan. Even now, Liu Kuang had not fully grasped what kind of person Liu Pan truly was. However, despite being the only one, Liu Pan could not influence Liu Kuang’s judgment much.

To put it plainly, Liu Kuang did not believe there was much within “Ji” that he could rely upon.

More than just the lack of support, an uneasy feeling lingered—he sensed that Liu Pan seemed to want to use the Great Wilderness Blade as a means to manipulate and exploit him.

It is said, it is better to teach a man to fish than to give him a fish, but if after teaching him to fish one still takes away his catch, it might be tolerable in the short term, but over time, no one could endure it.

Moreover, when Liu Pan entrusted the Great Wilderness Blade to Liu Kuang, Liu Kuang was not yet at a stage where he needed to be taught how to fish.

For this reason, when Liu Pan mentioned that he had been added to “Ji,” Liu Kuang inexplicably felt that Liu Pan was trying to bind him, to exploit and command him over a long period. How could he accept that?

Or rather, Liu Kuang was not opposed to Liu Pan’s plan itself but to Liu Pan’s methods. If Liu Pan had openly told him to join the organization and assist others within it, Liu Kuang would not have refused; even if he were being used, for the sake of the Great Wilderness Blade, he could accept it. But Liu Pan’s refusal to be straightforward made Liu Kuang feel as if he was being played with underhand tricks, as if he were not respected.

To ally with someone who disrespects you? What a joke! Liu Kuang’s nature would never allow compromise.

Thus, after absorbing all that Liu Pan had said, Liu Kuang spoke without hesitation, his voice suddenly growing colder: “I understand everything you’ve said, but I will not join ‘Ji.’”

Liu Pan was taken aback; Liu Kuang’s reaction surprised him, but he soon understood. With the Great Wilderness Blade in his possession, Liu Kuang indeed had the capital not to join any organization.

Martial arts techniques? With the blade spirit Yan residing in the Great Wilderness Blade, Liu Kuang would never lack martial arts techniques.

Alchemical pills? Yan had followed a master of the alchemical path; what pill formulas would be unknown? What pills could not be refined?

Array formations were currently under exploration and study. It was no exaggeration to say that no one in “Ji” could match Liu Kuang’s skill in array formations.

Martial arts, pills, array formations—he lacked nothing. As for various resources, Liu Pan was not even certain whether Xu Xiaozhan would ultimately become the wealthiest person in Tianfeng’s Sixth District, as written in the book.

It could be said, from any angle, Liu Kuang seemed to have no need to join “Ji.”

Yet, was there truly no need?

Perhaps not.

In Liu Pan’s view, Liu Kuang did need to join the organization.

Liu Kuang was wild because he had the capital to be wild.

In fact, although in the book Liu Kuang had met Hu Lang and Ye Ming in the Baiyang Sect, forming a trio of brothers, later, due to growing differences in cultivation and outlook, their relationship gradually weakened.

The more one experiences storms, the harder it becomes to maintain the initial heart. It was precisely because of this changing mindset that the book’s Liu Kuang ultimately faced that bleak conclusion alone.

When Liu Pan entrusted the Great Wilderness Blade to Liu Kuang, his greatest hope was to steer the plot back on track, to watch from the shadows as Liu Kuang took his steps forward. However, after a series of events, Liu Pan realized that reality would never unfold as the book had written.

Since there was no script, he would follow his own will. Liu Pan held deep feelings for Liu Kuang and sincerely hoped for his ultimate success. As for why the ending in the book had Liu Kuang dying under the final tribulation lightning—it was because...

Ultimately, Liu Pan did not want the ending to be like the one in his writing, so he intended to change Liu Kuang’s fate.

An existence like “Ji,” though it claimed no restrictions, once joined, invisibly ties a rope deep in one’s heart. Unless one is utterly ruthless and heartless, they would inevitably be influenced in some subtle way.

What Liu Pan sought was simple: to let Liu Kuang’s heart settle a little. As for why he needed an organization besides himself, it was because his own existence was an anomaly.

Liu Pan could not be certain he would witness the final ending, so he wanted to pull Liu Kuang into “Ji” as a backup plan.

“Do you think I’m asking you to join ‘Ji’ just so you can help the others inside it?” Liu Pan smiled as he spoke, his gaze scanning Liu Kuang.

Liu Kuang snorted softly through his nose, noncommittal, saying nothing.

“I think you might be overthinking,” Liu Pan said lightly, paying no mind to Liu Kuang’s response. Instead, he fixed his serious gaze on Liu Kuang’s eyes and said, “I’ve already told you, there’s complete freedom in the organization, no restrictions whatsoever.”

“Perhaps you can’t fully understand if I say it this way, but if I put it differently, you should understand completely.”

“Complete freedom, no restrictions. Even if someone within the organization were killed right before your eyes, you could do nothing, or if you were in a bad mood, you could step in and deliver the finishing blow—that’s your freedom. As for helping each other, it depends on one’s own feelings...”

Liu Kuang was silent upon hearing this, and after a long pause, he spoke again: “By your description, the people in the organization are little different from strangers. If that’s true, then what use is joining?”

“Useless?” Liu Pan smiled again and said, “If you truly believe in me, you should understand that I’m not making you join without purpose. It’s because this will really help you.”

Liu Kuang frowned, a faint glimmer shining in his eyes. Previously, thinking Liu Pan disrespected him, treating him like a mere laborer, he had dismissed the matter outright.

Now, hearing Liu Pan’s words, he suddenly understood—Liu Pan was a man who knew everything.

Would such a person do something meaningless?

Seeing Liu Kuang’s frown, Liu Pan considered for a moment and then spoke again: “Take your time to think about the organization. You don’t need to give me an answer soon; for now, you can remain in the organization. If you decide to leave, just tell me anytime. If you decide to stay, there’s no need to inform me.”

“Lastly, to avoid entanglements, members of the organization have no tokens or symbols by which they can recognize each other.” (To be continued.)