# Chapter 2514: Right and Wrong
Haitang Po Po said: "I went to the Saint Bright Imperial City, met with the Green Emperor, and also met with some of the remaining ministers of the Holy Bright Central Empire. I asked the common people, and I exchanged words with cultivators from various major powers. The more I learned, the more helpless I felt in my heart. In the end, silently, I returned to the Sword Pavilion."
Next, Haitang Po Po recounted what had happened at that time, which was largely similar to what Chi Yao had said on Moon God Mountain.
At the very beginning, the Ming Emperor did not know Xue Hou's true identity.
After Xue Hou became empress, through people like Kong Lanyou's grandfather Kong Shangling and others, she had already controlled more than half of the Holy Bright Central Empire's court. Some court officials had been drained of blood by the Undying Blood Clan and transformed. Others had their minds directly controlled by Xue Hou.
The entire Holy Bright Central Empire, from the court down to the grassroots level, had been thoroughly eroded by the Undying Blood Clan. It was impossible to distinguish who was Undying Blood Clan, who was taking orders from the Undying Blood Clan, and who remained loyal to the Saint Bright.
Upon hearing these words, Zhang Ruochen remained calm from beginning to end.
He knew that what Haitang Po Po said was most likely true.
Because Xue Hou had her own position; she was Undying Blood Clan, and her arrival in the Kunlun Realm represented the Hell Realm, and even more so, the interests of the Undying Blood Clan.
Moreover, Xue Hou certainly possessed such methods and abilities.
Xue Hou's disciple, Qiu Yichi, specialized in the "Way of the Mind" and "Soul-Confusing Blood Art."
Even at the Saint realm, Qiu Yichi had been able to control the Blood God Sect right under Yan Liren's nose, and also controlled the Azure Dragon Ruins Realm.
After breaking through to the Saint King realm, she became the number one figure on the Heavenly Court's Saint King-level assassin bounty list, known as the "Inner Demon," using the Way of the Mind to control a large number of powerful individuals.
And she was merely Xue Hou's disciple.
As a top-tier figure among Great Saints, how profound must Xue Hou's Way of the Mind and Soul-Confusing Blood Art be?
Even the Grand Tutor of the Crown Prince, Shangguan Que, had been controlled by her. Naturally, Zhang Ruochen found it unsurprising that others in the court were also controlled.
In terms of various abilities, Zhang Ruochen felt that Xue Hou surpassed the Ming Emperor.
Of course, Zhang Ruochen also believed in his heart that perhaps initially, Xue Hou approached the Ming Emperor purely to control him, to control the Holy Bright Central Empire, and even to launch a war to control the entire Kunlun Realm.
But later, they must have developed deep feelings.
If there were no feelings, given Xue Hou's personality, she would never have borne the Ming Emperor a child. She would have only treated him as a blood slave puppet.
Haitang Po Po said: "After the Ming Emperor disappeared, Kong Shangling united with a large number of court officials, seized control of the government with lightning speed, and entered the Ming Emperor's Palace."
"At that time, the head of the Murong family, Murong Chengde, who was one of the Three Dukes and held the position of Grand Tutor, led a group of court officials in loudly condemning Kong Shangling for acting against the Way of Heaven and usurping the throne. They advocated that a member of the Zhang clan should be supported as the new Ming Emperor. Unfortunately, they were suppressed and persecuted by Kong Shangling. No one knows how many died."
"Later, when the army of the Chiqing Central Empire attacked the Saint Bright Imperial City, the Murong family and those court officials fought until the very last moment. But they could not turn the tide, and in the end, they had no choice but to retreat. Some hid in the Eastern Domain's Evil Lands, some fled into the wild secret realms, or went far away to outer realm ruins realms."
"Perhaps Chi Yao and the Green Emperor only wanted to eradicate the Undying Blood Clan and those controlled by Xue Hou. But war has never been controllable. Once it erupts, it inevitably harms the innocent and creates countless hatreds. With hatred comes more sin, darkness, and killing. No one can stop all of this."
"An emperor cannot stop it. A god cannot stop it either."
"An emperor is just the trunk of a great tree. No matter how much the trunk shakes, it cannot shake off the dust from every single leaf."
"In war, more innocent people die than those who deserve to die."
"You tell me, who is right and who is wrong?"
"I still haven't figured out this question. Perhaps the root lies in that event thirty thousand years ago. It was the fault of the era, the fault of this great age."
Zhang Ruochen's expression was neither sorrowful nor joyful. "What about the Zhang clan's children? Since you are the clan's guardian, you couldn't have just watched them be killed without being moved, could you?"
"Do you know why I ultimately returned to the Sword Pavilion in silence?" Haitang Po Po asked.
Zhang Ruochen said: "Could it be that the Zhang clan's children..."
Haitang Po Po nodded. "The vast majority of the Zhang clan's children had already left the Kunlun Realm long ago. Led by the Grand Princess, your aunt, they went to the Vermilion Bird Ruins Realm."
"I see."
Zhang Ruochen closed his eyes. His heart was filled with mixed emotions. He felt emptiness, confusion, and turmoil.
Whose fault was it?
Xue Hou's fault?
The Ming Emperor's fault?
The fault of those who had awakened in the Kunlun Realm?
Chi Yao and the Green Emperor's fault?
...
But precisely in that era's context, everyone was compelled by circumstances, doing what they most needed to do. Standing in their respective positions, none were wrong, yet all were wrong.
These emotions lasted only a moment before he expelled them.
Opening his eyes again, Zhang Ruochen's gaze became sharp once more. "Everyone understands grand principles. But when they happen to oneself, who can truly let go? I cannot."
Haitang Po Po did not say more, because she understood that what happened back then was truly unfair to Zhang Ruochen. He had suffered too much.
His father was indecisive and incompetent, his mother had thrown the Saint Bright into chaos. Both were condemned by thousands. Upon learning such a truth...
His heart must be even more pained than before, right?
Half the bloodline of the Kunlun Realm, half the bloodline of the Hell Realm — this was itself a sin. He was accepted neither by the Kunlun Realm nor by the Hell Realm.
After great difficulty, he had defied fate and lived a second life, becoming a true human. He was on the verge of becoming the backbone of the Kunlun Realm, a hero who would save the world, accepted by the vast majority of cultivators.
Yet he was forced to merge with his previous life's body, once again becoming half-human, half-Undying Blood Clan.
It was as if fate was toying with him, tormenting him, forever unable to escape its palm.
Like a chess piece on a board, some wanted him to go east, others wanted him to go west. Even after changing his fate, he still had to return to the trajectory of destiny.
Zhang Ruochen pointed to the sky. "Even if the fall of the Holy Bright Central Empire was inevitable, even if Xumi Saint Monk changed my fate and made me a true human, why was it Chi Yao back then? Why was it Chi Yao who killed me?"
"I don't know."
Haitang Po Po shook her head. "This question, you can only ask her."
Zhang Ruochen had already asked Chi Yao this question, but unfortunately, there was no answer.
Compared to Chi Yao, his cultivation was too low.
Unless his cultivation surpassed hers, perhaps he could force an answer.
...
On that cosmic rock, Zhang Ruochen sat alone in silence, motionless, as if he had become a stone.
Three days later.
Xiao Hei, with a mournful face, flew down onto the rock and sat beside Zhang Ruochen. "Some truths, I would rather not know. After knowing them, they are so painful."
Zhang Ruochen felt he had found a kindred spirit in suffering and asked with concern, "What truth?"
"My origins." Xiao Hei's tone was sorrowful, deeply grieved.
Truly a kindred spirit.
Zhang Ruochen patted its wing. "Don't be sad. No matter how great the pain, it can be overcome. Those pains only temper our hearts. Tell me about it. Speaking it out might make you feel better."
"Really?"
Xiao Hei looked at Zhang Ruochen with wide eyes.
Zhang Ruochen suppressed the bitterness in his heart, forced a bright and sunny smile, and nodded encouragingly.
Xiao Hei sighed. "The Dragon Lord said he was a close friend of my mother and told me to call him uncle from now on. If any god targets me, I can directly use his name."
"Pfft!"
Zhang Ruochen felt as if he had been stabbed.
Having someone of the Dragon Lord's level as an uncle was something countless cultivators dreamed of. Why were you so grieved?
Showing off?
Xiao Hei continued, "The Dragon Lord also said that the Ice King is my father. If I encounter trouble in the Hell Realm, I can go directly to him. Tell me, can I tolerate this?"
"Pfft!"
Zhang Ruochen felt another stab.
The Ice King was such a powerful figure. Even though he had confined himself, he still shook the world with his influence.
Not only had he found his father, but such a powerful father at that. What was there not to tolerate?
Xiao Hei went on, "The Dragon Lord said that Yunshen Daozhu is my grandmaster. My mother was his most accomplished disciple. She was once one of the most powerful formation divine masters, with the hope of becoming a Formation Tai Shang."
"Pfft!"
Third stab.
I kindly comfort you, why must you treat me like this?
Zhang Ruochen felt that Xiao Hei was deliberately trying to anger him and finally couldn't help but want to fight.
Let's fight. A fight would bring relief.
"The Dragon Lord said my mother is dead." Xiao Hei's cat face was drooping, his voice weak.
Zhang Ruochen lowered his hand. He didn't know how to comfort him and gently patted his wing. "My condolences."
Xiao Hei was like him, hating the Undying Blood Clan. Learning that his father was a god of the Undying Blood Clan was indeed nothing to be happy about.
"My condolences for what? When she died, this emperor was still very young. I have no memory of it. Why should I mourn?" Xiao Hei raised his voice, puffed out his chest, and said this.
Zhang Ruochen knew him well. The earlier emotion was not faked.
Perhaps he was being stubborn, or perhaps he was using this method to make Zhang Ruochen understand that everything could be taken lightly.
The past was not something they could decide.
But the future was not necessarily the same.
Zhang Ruochen looked up and saw the Dragon Lord, Blood Lingxian, and Haitang Po Po walking over.
He stood up, clasped his hands, and bowed. "Lord Dragon!"
"Now that you know the truth, how do you feel?" the Dragon Lord asked.
Zhang Ruochen smiled bitterly. "Not bad."
"You can still smile. It seems you really are fine."
The Dragon Lord clasped his hands behind his back and asked, "Between the Kunlun Realm and the Undying Blood Clan, you must make a choice and firmly stand on one side. Otherwise, you will suffer even more in the future. Those who want to have it both ways often end up with neither."
"I will seriously consider this question," Zhang Ruochen said.
The Dragon Lord laughed. "No matter what choice you make in the future, at least for now, in the matter of rescuing the Island Master, you have greatly helped the Kunlun Realm. Let me also lend you a hand."
"What does the Lord Dragon mean?" Zhang Ruochen asked.
The Dragon Lord said: "Demonstrate your Sacred Will for me to see."