Chapter 486: I Will Follow My Own Desires
Translator: Novel Saga Editor: Novel Saga
"This Young Master has never claimed that he's a good man, right? But, we're on the same boat. After all, Young Mei isn't an angel herself." Jun Mo Xie smiled. He then asked inquisitively, "If I may dare to ask — how are you related to Tian Fa's Venerable Mei?"
"Venerable Mei?" Mei Xue Yan rolled her eyes. She cursed herself in her mind for being a fool. She then smiled and said, "He's my elder brother."
"I see." Jun Mo Xie's thoughts became gloomy. [No wonder they have the same technique! Damn it! This Young Master has suffered so much because of this World Cage technique. It turns out that they are siblings. They are the damned "Mei" siblings!]
It wasn't surprising that Jun Mo Xie would think that way. After all, the tyrannical Venerable Mei had seemed like a real man when he had appeared in the Tian Fa Forest that day. Everything had made him seem like a real man… whether it was the voice or the fighting style. But, this Mei Xue Yan had appeared in the form of a woman before him. And, she was easy on the eyes. In fact, she was extremely beautiful. The impressions of these two personas were worlds apart.
Jun Mo Xie's imagination was certainly very wild. However, even he wouldn't be able to imagine that beautiful woman whose posterior he had made swell was that Venerable Mei who had mistreated him at the Tian Fa Forest the same way as she had done here…
"Jun Mo Xie, you humans have a great saying, 'Bright people don't speak dark words.' So, I'll tell you right now… that we were looking for you to get to your master. And, you should probably know what it is for. It could be even said that we people from Tian Fa may seem narrow-minded. Hehe… but, it seems that your master is a profound mystery. He's like that dragon whose tail can't even be spotted!" Mei Xue Yan spoke in a tranquil manner, "Therefore, we wish to know your master. It's fine even if its for a short while. So, I request the Young Master to inform his master that I would like to discuss an important matter with him."
"Oh?" Jun Mo Xie tilted his head.
"But, I would understand if the Young Master finds this inconvenient," Mei Xue Yan smiled and withdrew in order to make headway. The Scared Fruit's importance to the Xuan Beasts of Tian Fa couldn't be explained in words. This was why Mei Xue Yan had decided to follow Jun Mo Xie first even though she had come out to experience the human world. And, her main reason for doing this was derived from the fact that she wasn't very assured about this matter.
"Ah, that would be extremely inconvenient. So, many thanks for your consideration, Young Mei," Jun Mo Xie grinned and spoke-up.
"…" Mei Xue Yan was left angered in a bind by this reply. A long time passed before she spoke-up, "You're genuinely not a noble person, Jun Mo Xie." She had proclaimed two evaluations of Jun Mo Xie by now — It was 'not a good man' at first. And, 'not a noble person' now…
"Young Mei's words seem confusing. I admitted to not being a good man a moment ago. And, I obviously can't be a noble man since I'm not even a good one."
Jun Mo Xie shrugged and sniggered as he spoke, "Good men are very easy to hurt. And, a noble person is too restricted. So, you can treat me as a hoodlum or an evil tyrant. You can even treat me as a scoundrel or a demon. But, never treat me as a good man or a noble person! You'll suffer if you do that… hehe…"
"You… you… what are you saying? Don't humans wish to be good? Don't they want to boast of being noble? I don't understand why you don't want to be a good man! Is it possible that you humans have abandoned the morals which have been passed on through the millennia? Or maybe I don't understand the current moral standards of you humans…?"
Mei Xue Yan had spoken this in a bad mood. She had encountered and dealt with innumerable troublesome characters over the course of her life. But, she simply couldn't deal with this mischievous Jun Mo Xie she was now faced with.
Jun Mo Xie laughed heartily at first. Then, he said, "This can't be generalized. I'll tell you a story to demonstrate — There were two people once upon a time. They lived amongst seven or eight other families. One amongst these two people was a notorious scoundrel; he was a proper rogue. However, the other one was a well-renowned good individual. The scoundrel was feared and hated. But, the good man went out every morning to draw water. He would then fill each family's jars with the water he'd get. He helped his neighbors whenever they needed. In fact, he would leave no stone unturned to help people. Therefore, everyone was fond of him. And, everyone was relieved to have him at home.
"Then, something happened one day. The scoundrel was returning from a robbery. But, he wasn't able to choose a proper route due to panic. He accidentally ran into another person, and knocked him down as a result. In fact, he knocked him down and killed him. However, the man who had been knocked down was another scoundrel. And, this second scoundrel had been gearing up to act rudely towards an innocent woman. That scoundrel of a robber had done this unintentionally, but he had still done a good deed. Therefore, everyone praised him. In fact, they spoke of him as a savior, and a man who had suddenly repented for his sins. The authorities even considered him a model citizen. So, everyone praised him, and forgot about the misdeeds he had committed in the past."
Mei Xue Yan couldn't understand what he was trying to say. So, she obviously didn't understand why he was telling her that story. But, she figured that he must have a point at the end. So, she listened to him calmly, and didn't interrupt. The Snake King also listened calmly while sitting beside her.
Jun Mo Xie laughed, and continued to speak, "Then, that well-renowned good man fell seriously ill one day. He couldn't get out of the bed that morning because his fever had made it very difficult for him to do so. He didn't have any strength in his body. And, he was extremely thirsty as well. He wanted a sip of water. But, his jar didn't have enough water. He called out, but nobody was home. Therefore, he forced himself out of his bed, and went out to fill water. But, he was very tired and had no strength left. So, he could only fill water for himself before he went back to bed.
"The neighbors returned home in the afternoon. They were accustomed to the good man filling water for them. They had returned home tired and thirsty. But, they found that their water jars were empty. They immediately got angry, and went to the good man's home to criticize him. But, they saw that the good man was drinking water while lying down. Consequently, they became enraged, and started to curse him in their state of rage, 'You're a selfish man! You feign illness and goof off at home. You want to eat your food alone?!' And thus, this good man found himself alienated from everyone. In fact, everyone said that they had been cheated by him for a long time. After all, they felt that he was an extremely selfish man in reality."
Jun Mo Xie sneered as he finished the story. He then laughed and said, "What is a good man? And, what is a bad man? They're nothing but a narrow view point of foolish men and women. It's very similar to how people look at government officials. Let's assume that there's a very honest and upright official. He speaks the truth, and remains untainted by corrupt practices. In fact, righteousness drips from the sleeves of his robes. But, the people under his jurisdiction don't even have a belly-full of food to eat. Therefore, everyone will call him a wretched man. They will say that he's an official with no knowledge of governance. However, let's assume that there's another government official. And, this one acts like a leech. He wants to gobble up the people's money. In fact, his greed for wealth is as insatiable as a bottomless pit. And, even the deities from the ninth heaven can't set him on the right path. But, the people under this official are satisfied with their lot. They have enough to eat, and they live very comfortably. So, they will say that he's an extremely good official who cares for the well-being of the people… This is the true morality of the masses nowadays!
"So, why should I live according to the opinions of others? What are the benefits of being a good man? What good outcome is there in that? Moreover, what's the harm in being a bad man? I'm Jun Mo Xie! I'm me! Let's say that there's something that I wish to do. And, the entire world says that I shouldn't. But, I still wish to do it. So, I'll do it! And, that's only because I want to do it! Now, let's say that everyone wants me to do something, but I don't want to do it. They will say, 'You'll earn name and fame if you do this. So, you should do it. You must do it!' But, I still won't do it! And, that's only because I don't want to! I have a simple philosophy in my life. Nothing is as easily reversible as the division between good and bad. After all, right and wrong aren't set in stone! It's only a matter of perspective…"
Jun Mo Xie laughed heartily and said, "So, I will follow my own desires!"
Mei Xue Yan was stunned by this. A long while passed. She then shook her head and smiled as she said, "There's one thing that I don't understand even after hearing this fallacy of yours… you're either far-sighted or a bigot… But, what you've said is correct. Perhaps this is a common problem with you humans."
"Your words aren't entirely correct. It doesn't mean that all humans are like this. Aren't you Xuan Beasts the same? Everyone despises a bad apple, and looks down on them. In fact, everyone secretly feels that they're much better than that individual. Therefore, everyone suspects this bad person in case he or she has a change of mind and tries to mend their ways. And, everyone is accustomed to the help of a good man who is conscientious and helps everyone. In fact, everyone is grateful to him. However, everyone invariably thinks that he's better than them. But, let's assume that this good man suddenly makes one mistake. Then, the criticism from others is several times more severe than what a normal person would have to face. And, that originates from that feeling of being inferior. Consequently, the masses are unforgiving towards his mistake. It's almost as if they feel a depraved pleasure by bringing down a God from his altar. 'Ah, he is no better than us at the end of it…'"
Jun Mo Xie continued calmly, "Therefore, I believe that being a good man is a very tiring job. Moreover, you first have to be a good man in order to be a noble person. Therefore, it's even harder to be a noble person! Then, there's the so-called 'heroes' as well. But, you're required to be a good man and a noble person for that. That isn't tiring — that's plain miserable!
"Therefore, I'd rather be a bad man. In fact, I want to be a bad man!" Jun Mo Xie continued in a calm manner, "I only wish to become powerful. I never think about being a good man or a bad one. But, I find it strange that you people from Tian Fa are so attached to the notion of a good or bad person. Don't you people give seniority to the strong? Don't tell me that your notions have changed?"
Mei Xue Yan was startled by this. [It's true that the Tian Fa Forest's fundamental doctrine is to give seniority to the strong. But, why did I get entangled in the notion of who is a good or a bad person if that's the case? Whether a person is good or bad… doesn't hold any meaning for me. Are we like humans as well?]
[Or have I been accepting the human standards of morality because I've taken on a human form?]
"The Young Master speaks correctly. It seems that I had been attached to it very strongly," Mei Xue Yan smiled as she ridiculed herself.
"Perhaps it's not about you being strongly attached to it. Maybe it's my view that's too open," Jun Mo Xie smiled calmly, "Maybe people like me are fitter to live in Tian Fa Forest instead of this outside world of mortals."
"That's not it. And, that's because of your nature. You will inevitably find a way to be a bad man no matter where you go and live. After all, you are you. And, you will always be you," Mei Xue Yan cracked a rare joke.
"Of course! This Young Master is an expert at benefitting at others' expense. I'll give everything I've got to take advantage of people. And, I'd rather die than lose!" Jun Mo Xie snorted. He then rubbed his fingers and smelled them. The smile on his face indicated the triumph of teaching a lesson. And, the twirling of his fingers and the smack of his lips clearly acted as a recollection of the cheap advantage he had taken a while back.
Mei Xue Yan snorted. Her beautiful face suddenly became a bit red as she seethed in anger. [This vulgar guy can't even hear two words of praise without getting haughty about it!]