Upon entering Flower Fruit Island, the seven saints could sense qualitative changes in the world around them. The air on this small island was rich with pure spiritual energy, but more importantly, the breath of dao was so dense that the saints could faintly feel it without the need for meditation.
The island teemed with vegetation, yet it hadn't devolved into a messy jungle; instead, it resembled a well-maintained garden.
Wherever their saintly perception wandered, all they could see were exotic and rare treasures they had never encountered in their lives.
Beyond the plants, the saints also discovered legendary animals and demons that had embarked on cultivation, deriving from both plant and beast.
The old monk, who wore only two pieces of cloth, salivated upon seeing everything here; the light of greed shone brightly in his eyes.
To the extent that his thoughts materialized, causing all native beings on Flower Fruit Island to deliberately avoid his gaze.
Before long, they reached their destination at the heart of the island. A small mountain, visible from the continent, stood before them. A gentle stream flowed, eventually cascading down as a small waterfall.
Behind the mountain, a small cottage crafted from natural materials stood, accompanied by a nearby pavilion.
A figure sat in wait, the seven saints landed, fixing their attention on the young man who anticipated their arrival.
Despite being visible to their eyes, they couldn't detect any presence from this young man. However, none of them felt fear, as they sensed that his dao breath resonated with theirs.
'He is still a saint,' the old monk remarked with interest. "He is actually in the perfection stage?"
In the realm of saints, there existed four minor stages: the early stage, middle stage, advanced stage, and, finally, the perfection stage.
Each minor stage had its distinct limits.
To become a saint, it signifies the opening of a small world within their own body.
In the early stage, they could virtually project their inner world into reality.
As they progressed to the middle stage, they could blend the virtual and reality, thereby melding with their surroundings.
In the advanced stage, saints could fully manifest their small world in the larger reality, where they reigned as rulers.
The final stage represented the perfection of this small world. It no longer existed solely as a means to enhance a saint's attack power, but rather became a self-contained realm with its own rules, capable of housing living beings and evolving independently.
Naturally, the increase in actual power surpassed that of merely summoning the inner world to the outside world.
"Welcome, everyone. Please take a seat wherever you prefer," the young man said, lifting his face to address them.
Even the busy Lan Xin was momentarily stunned as she felt her emotions unsettled by simply gazing upon the young man's visage.
"He possesses a heavenly appearance," remarked the man with multiple wives, his words tinged with both envy and admiration.
He, among the seven, was the most pleasing in appearance, as his obsession with looks was evident.
"Hahaha," chuckled the old monk as he conjured something with his holy power to sit upon. He chose a spot beside the pavilion and added, "Young friend, are you the one who has summoned us here?"
Despite his friendly demeanor, he didn't even try to conceal his greed. He displayed a willingness to indulge in any form of pleasure, regardless of gender, a desire to experience them all.
The Western monks had a unique approach to cultivation. While they upheld the notion of great enlightenment, their practice revolved around indulgence in worldly desires.
Lust and violence were commonplace in the Western Region, almost as if they were the norm.
Due to their unrestrained behavior, the other regions quietly concurred to eliminate any monk venturing beyond the Western Region.
They were akin to beasts in human guise.
At times, they would greet you with smiles and discuss harmonious relationships. However, when your guard was down, they would betray you in various treacherous ways.
They would cripple your cultivation, rape your family members, dismember them, and cook them for you to eat.
If this were not enough to convince any newbie who has just started their journey on the martial path, they would be convinced when their teacher said there were no good monks.
A good monk is one who no longer breathes.
This made the young one ask the crucial question.
"Then, teacher, do you mean all the monks practiced the same method of cultivation?"
The teacher only gave a short reply, "Yes."
While there were various approaches in the monks' attempts for great enlightenment, most of them were done in a distorted way.
Great compassion would make them kill all living beings in an attempt to free them from suffering, but deep in their hearts, they just wanted to kill anything and do whatever they wanted.
The same applied to great love...
Nothing could escape their mighty rod.
The rest of the saints took their seats.
The two from the east chose to sit closely. Followed by the man from the north not far away.
Dao Jin Dan chose to take an empty place away from the rest.
The first monk chose to take a place not far from the eastern duo.
Lastly, the second man from the Central Region sat inside the pavilion.
The young man with the heavenly appearance no longer smiled as he opened the conversation. "I will talk directly to the point. The seven of you are the strongest on the continent. There are indeed more saints, but you are the strongest nonetheless. The continent that gave birth to and sheltered you in the past is now facing a great disaster that will decide the future."
He paused for a moment to give the saints time to digest what he had just said.
The old monk just smiled, but he didn't give much thought to listening seriously. He had heard the information, but he thought it wasn't that important to him.
The old man from the Green Sun Sect was listening attentively, while Lan Xin was only paying half attention, the other half on her celestial board.
Dao Jin Dan and the younger monk remained silent.
"Could you please provide us with more specific details about this great disaster you are talking?" The distinguished tutor from the north was the one displaying the utmost seriousness.
The north was governed by a single empire, and everything fell under the control of the emperor. However, this centralized control over the vast expanse of the Northern Region also led to greater peace compared to other regions, thanks to the wisdom of the ruler and the virtue of his ministers.
As the grand tutor, it was Tu Nong's natural duty to ensure the safety of everyone. While his focus was understandably on the people of the north, he still cared about the well-being of the entire world.
"Our time is limited, and with each passing second, the threat grows stronger. Therefore, I will illustrate everything about him with this demonstration."
The young man opened his palm, and holy power danced in the air, transforming into seven colored lights that eventually converged into seven distinct points of light.
The seven sages apprehended the seven points of light and examined them closely, each displaying various reactions in a short span of time.
The old monk burst into hearty laughter.
"I never imagined the existence of something like this. Someone who can create and refine cultivation techniques effortlessly, as if breathing..." Lan Xin was astounded as she perused every technique and skill that Niu Chang had unveiled to the world.
"He possesses remarkable comprehension," the elder from the Green Sun Sect responded to Lan Xin.
His words appeared to address both Lan Xin and Niu Chang.
Initially puzzled, Tu Nong gradually pieced together the information. "Young man, I fail to identify any issues with this boy. Although he displays peculiarity in various aspects and exhibits exceptional cultivation talent, I find no fault in him. It's evident that those he eliminated were individuals who held malevolent intentions toward him."
The young man did not respond directly but instead scanned the surroundings, seeking someone to address Tu Nong's inquiry.
"Ambatukam," the other monk intoned the distinctive chant of their teaching. "The boy indeed refrained from harming the innocent, yet he proactively created karma with his innocence. Despite the world's lack of mercy, the boy chose to enter the tiger's den, knowing that the tiger would attempt to strike first."
If Niu Chang were here, he would be laughing uncontrollably. However, this world had no relation to his previous world. It was a natural phenomenon; in the realm of endless possibilities, some aspects might be similar, but the details could be different, just like in this world.
According to the teachings of the monk, that word held a very positive meaning. Thus, it was unjust for Niu Chang to judge it based on his standards as a reincarnator. It was akin to deeming a fish unintelligent for its inability to climb a tree, an irrelevant topic for its background.
"Grand Tutor Tu Nong, I recognize your caring nature. Yet, do not judge him solely by his actions. You must also consider that with each conflict he faced, he remarkably augmented his power according to his adversary," spoke the man with many wives.
"Furthermore, if you scrutinize his actions, you'll find he has made few, if any, commendable decisions in his life. He forsook his parents, sacrificed his sister when he could have saved her, not to mention the numerous reprehensible deeds he committed merely to amass more strength!"
"I have encountered individuals like this young man before," the man cast a fleeting glance at the two monks before resuming. "Given his peculiar ability, what do you anticipate upon his arrival on the continent?"
"Considering his past conduct, it is evident that he places great emphasis on his own safety. However, this will likely change upon his discovery that the mightiest individual on the continent is a saint. How do you suppose he will react?"
"No speculation is necessary; his cunning nature speaks for itself. He will likely seek out early or middle stage saints to bolster his foundation, thereby transforming the entire world into his playground. How great a threat does this boy pose? He put no one in his eyes, as everything is expendable for his great cause."
While the man delivered an extensive and meticulous speech, Tu Nong remained plagued by lingering doubt. He, a man brimming with compassion and concern for others, discerned that Niu Chang was not truly malevolent.
He surveyed his surroundings and noticed that the others were silently concurring with the discourse.
His shoulders slumped, for he found himself incapable of championing justice. His words would effect no change. 'These individuals are saints, both in cultivation and character. For them, status and power reign supreme. When faced with a potential threat to their status and power, they will inevitably oppose the menace, even if it is just an infant in its mother's womb.'
'Oh, if only this world forbade cultivation. Would people therein prioritize the greater good over personal gain?' Tu Nong pondered.
As much as he longed to advocate for justice, Tu Nong acknowledged the prevailing reality. The assembly revealed that he alone was an advanced stage saint in the Northern region. Resistance would yield consequences not solely borne by him, but by the innocent populace as well.
'There is no justice in this world. People perpetually crave more than what they possess. Even I, as a saint, am unable to just speak up for it.'