Time was frozen still. The air lacked moving wind, and the trees were completely motionless. The sun was hidden behind the clouds, depressing what was the colorful courtyard just moments ago.
Wu Niu's throat tightened under the pressure of the rapidly rising tensions.
All of the people in the courtyard had been utterly disillusioned by what they were witnessing. Before them lay the black block soul gauge. Within it, there was a noticeable absence of a soul projection. They hadn't a clue what that could've meant. The situation was entirely unheard of—completely illogical even.
-I must have some kind of soul, right? Every living being has a soul. Otherwise, it wouldn't be living.
From what Wu Niu had learned in his studies, Yin-Yang energy can only be absorbed from the atmosphere. Without Yin-Yang, energy life becomes unsustainable because qi is, in essence, lifeforce in it of itself. Yin-Yang energy is what gives people life. That much would be an absolute truth if it weren't for demonic creatures.
-Demon beasts?!
Demon beasts are examples of creatures that live without a soul. They have what is called a spirit.
A spirit is more or less a soul that is relegated to a crystal situated deep inside a demon beast's body. When they die, they don't reincarnate because their spirit stays trapped within the stone.
-But that's impossible, isn't it?
-Humans are fundamentally different from demon beasts, aren't they?
After a moment of awestricken confusion, the patriarch worriedly spoke.
"H-How could this be. This type of soul gauge… shouldn't it always show the soul tier above the user's soul tier? So, if it doesn't show anything at all, wouldn't that mean…?"
The undiscerning mood in the courtyard had sharply digressed to one with murderous intent.
"Wu Niu doesn't have a soul!" yelled Wu Chen with a spiteful grin.
Abject distraught beset Wu Niu as he looked at Wu Chen and yelled, "W-What?! Only demon beasts don't have souls."
Silence once again befell the courtyard, this time for multiple seconds.
One woman broke the silence and yelled, "D-Demon! He's a demon!"
Just like a candlelight that had been instantaneously snuffed, the crowd overflowed with fear and vitriol. A murderous look of spread across most of their faces and the few that were close with Wu Niu averted their gazes with downright complacency.
"Disgusting demon!"
"I always knew there was something wrong with that boy."
"Go kill yourself."
"You dare break the soul gauge."
"Your mother should've snuffed you out while she still had the chance."
The people Wu Niu thought had cared for him all this time had become so unduly vile. It was as if he had committed a terrible crime worthy of the highest of sentences.
"That boy is some kind of demon beast! We should end his existence before he eats our children!"
Wu Niu dejectedly whimpered, "W-What, are you all saying? I don't eat children!"
"Shut it, you fiend."
The outlandish accusation levied against Wu Niu by his family and former friends drained all of the innocence directly out of his heart.
At first, only one, but then more and more of them began to chant in unison.
"Kill him! Kill him! Kill him! Kill him! Kill him! Kill him!"
Throughout all the yelling and chanting, Wu Niu heard the lone voice of a child defending him.
"No! He's not bad! Father, don't let them hurt Wu Niu. He's my best frie—"
It was Wu Chao. His father had kicked him to the ground and yelled at him.
"Quit speaking, you useless trash."
Having seen this was more than enough to set off Wu Niu. He couldn't stand the sight of Wu Chen's father mistreating him.
Bursting his way through the crowd, Wu Niu jump-kicked Wu Chen's father in the jaw, knocking him unconscious.
Kicking Wu Chao's father only further fanned the flaming vitriol of the crowd.
"Wu Niu just kicked him!"
"Get him!"
Wu Niu had put himself in a poor position against a wall, all because he felt the need to protect Wu Chao.
Now the mob was surrounding Wu Niu. They inched closer and closer every few seconds.
In response, Wu Niu took up a fighting stance and yelled, "Stay back, or I'll knock you out!"
With every step they took, their faces became more visible to Wu Niu. Their eyes were cold and apathetic to Wu Niu's plight. Their breathing patterns were crazed and wild.
Wrath welled up inside each and every one of the encroaching mob.
With every step, Wu Niu took one backward until he was backed up against the wall. Tears streamed down his face, too absolutely zero sympathies on the part of the mob.
The patriarch, who was upset by their loudness, yelled, "Silence, idiots!"
The crowd quickly settled down and becoming slightly more docile—as docile as an angry mob can be.
The patriarch had wanted Wu Niu to succeed him and become the patriarch of the estate one day. That was when he had thought Wu Niu was going to become a powerful practitioner. Now the patriarch could only look at Wu Niu with sheer contempt.
"If only it were you who died instead of her."
Wu Niu cried, "G-Gran—"
"Don't ever call me that, you little shit!"
An angry look spread across the patriarch's face. It was a look Wu Niu had never seen the patriarch make before.
Wu Niu wiped away his tears and stuttered, "B-Bu—"
"Please restrain this little demon spawn of mine, will you?" grumbled the patriarch.
-What?!