Chapter 146 Standing on the Moral High Ground

"Ah!"

When the three words "Fuxi Village" rang in his ears, Bai Mu instantly felt a pain as piercing as being struck by five bolts of heavenly lightning.

Clearly, he was the one who had saved the entire Fuxi Village. How on earth did it become the slaughter of an entire settlement in the eyes of the Exalted Heavenly Punishment?

Wasn't this plot twist happening a bit too fast?

Could it be that after he left Fuxi Village, someone else attacked the settlement in order to seize the Fuxi Fang?

Hoo...

Bai Mu stood in place, took two deep breaths, and forcibly calmed his frantically pounding little heart before speaking with a feigned composure, "Exalted Heavenly Punishment, I did indeed pass through Fuxi Village, but I did not slaughter the village..."

"Say no more."

Heavenly Punishment angrily waved his palm and shouted to stop him. "Since you visited Fuxi Village a few days ago, everything is now crystal clear."

"Originally, I only intended to come and notify Uncle Tianfan to prepare to resist the Heavenly Dao Calamity. Never did I expect to encounter a murdering demon like you here in the Cold Abyss Valley!"

"Judging by how the valley outside is tightly surrounded by a barrier, I suppose the people inside have long since fallen victim to your persecution?"

"To think that my Uncle Fansheng, renowned for a lifetime, would actually fall into the trap of an unpolished punk like you. It is simply mind-boggling."

"Furthermore, the woman in green who broke into the back mountain of Fuyu with you last time should be Lingyan, the Heavenly Emperor's daughter, right?"

"To think you would even secretly harm someone who fought side by side with you. You are utterly devoid of human nature!"

"Talking nonsense!"

Faced with this series of unfounded accusations from Heavenly Punishment, Bai Mu roared these four words with an almost hysterical tone to fight back.

Then, his expression turning icy, he retorted with righteous indignation, "I do not know where you heard these preposterous rumors, but I am neither the murdering demon you make me out to be, nor did I harm Senior Fansheng and Lingyan!"

"Furthermore!"

"I will emphasize this one last time: that day at the Ruins Sacred Palace, I was driven to a desperate dead end by your junior brother Tianqian, which is why I accidentally killed the Ruins disciples guarding the array."

"Looking at it from another perspective, if I hadn't killed the array guards that day, the ones who would be dead right now are Lingyan and myself!"

"Every man for himself, or heaven and earth will destroy him. Faced with malicious accusations and attacks from enemies, I have no reason not to fight back."

"For the Ruins Sacred Palace to falsely claim the title of the number one grand sect across all the primordial realms is a disgrace. Back in the era of the God of War, you accomplished quite a few earth-shattering feats."

"Yet by the time it was passed down to your generation, you've become so incapable of distinguishing right from wrong. It seems the fortune of the Ruins Sacred Palace is truly exhausted!"

"Lastly, let me issue you one final warning: if you dare to continue cursing me as a murdering demon without reason in the future, I will never let the Ruins Sacred Palace hear the end of it!"

When these words fully left his lips, even Bai Mu had not anticipated that he, who had always preferred to avoid trouble, would be filled with such righteous indignation today.

Especially when facing a high-cultivated and deeply respected powerhouse like Heavenly Punishment, to still display such an unflinching and unyielding stance was simply beyond all expectations.

As for Heavenly Punishment himself, upon hearing this righteous and stern rebuke from Bai Mu, his usually calm and rippleless heart actually skipped a beat.

Especially upon hearing the words "never let the Ruins Sacred Palace hear the end of it," a horrifying image flashed once more before his eyes—the tragic aftermath of the back mountain of Fuyu scorched by the Primordial Karmic Fire. Instantly, a chill rose from the soles of his feet, slowly surging up to the crown of his head.

However, a powerhouse was still a powerhouse. A grandmaster like Heavenly Punishment, who had lived through thousands of long years, could never be intimidated by a few words from a fledgling punk.

Immediately straightening his expression, he retorted tit-for-tat, "Not let it end with me? What can a mere mortal like you possibly do?"

Then, casting a scornful glance at the rather handsome white-robed youth before him, his gaze finally came to rest on the large and small firebirds by his side, and he asked mockingly, "This single-legged firebird must be the Bifang bird, one of the four great ominous beasts of the primordial realm, right?"

"Birds of a feather truly flock together. A murdering demon paired with an ominous beast. How amusing!"

"Heavenly Punishment!"

Now subjected to insults, the Bifang could no longer hold back and shouted in reprimand.

"Do not think that just because you are one of the four great holy sons of the Ruins Sacred Palace you can act so arrogantly and domineeringly. I, Bifang, do not bow to your threats."

"Besides, I can stake my beastly honor that Bai Mu did not slaughter Fuxi Village. On the contrary, he once saved the lives of everyone in the village. When he left Fuxi Village, the entire settlement was still completely intact!"

"Of course, high and mighty self-proclaimed immortal celestials like you would certainly never listen to my defense."

"No matter. If you want to fight, I, Bifang, will accompany you to the end!"

"That's right, we'll accompany you to the very end!"

A youthful voice with a playful, childish tone came from the tender yellow beak of Huoliuli.

Hearing this, Bai Mu couldn't help but feel a shock in his heart, quickly casting his gaze toward Huoliuli.

Could it be that in just these few short days, Huoliuli had already learned to speak human words?

Thinking of this, a wave of joy welled up within him. He immediately turned to the side and pressed, "Huoliuli, you can speak already?"

"Yes, Master."

Huoliuli nimbly flew onto Bai Mu's shoulder, its beak opening and closing as it explained, "After consuming the Fire Lotus, my cultivation has grown exponentially. Although I'm still not as strong as Bifang, it's already enough for me to speak!"

"You are a Fire-Lark?"

Heavenly Punishment stared intently at the golden little bird singing and answering back and forth before him, asking with suspicion.

"That's right, I am a Fire-Lark! And what kind of freak are you, running your mouth and cursing my master as a murdering demon?"

Huoliuli remained perched on Bai Mu's shoulder, asking back with an arrogant and proud expression.

"Humph, humph."

Heavenly Punishment let out two cold snorts with an expressionless face, suddenly enlightened as he said, "So you went to the Southern Wilderness to steal the Myriad-Year Fiery Red Lotus. No wonder you traveled thousands of miles to Fuxi Village to set fires and kill people!"

Then, changing the subject, he glared at Huoliuli and angrily demanded, "As the guardian spirit beasts of the Crimson Flame Ancient Cave, you Fire-Larks actually dared to collude with outsiders in an inside job. Aren't you afraid the Heavenly Emperor will send the divine clan to encircle and annihilate you?"

"What do you mean by an inside job?"

Bai Mu raised his handsome eyebrows and asked back with feigned ignorance, "Could the Exalted One please explain to us the meaning of the phrase 'inside job'?"

"I nurtured the Myriad-Year Fiery Red Lotus with my own vital essence, which is why I was able to gather the fire lotus to save Senior Fansheng and Lingyan. Yet here you are at the mouth of the Cold Abyss Valley spouting venom and slander—you are truly an incorrigible, muddle-headed old fool!"

"Fine, fine, fine."

Heavenly Punishment waved a hand at him, regaining his previous calm and composure, and then laughed out of anger instead of rage. "Your eloquent and glib tongue is truly top-tier. I won't waste words with you anymore. Since our paths have crossed today, I will simply eliminate a scourge like you and make a modest contribution to the peace of the primordial realm!"

"Isn't it just a fight?"

"Is there any need to prop yourself up so high?"