Translator: Lordbluefire

  Sun Mo followed Hu Xingjiang through a heavily guarded door and entered the lowest level of the prison— the laboratory that Kong Yuxin had mentioned.

  “Teacher!”

  Sun Mo’s expression was still calm, but he was panic-stricken. What was going on?

  Was he going to let Sun Mo pick a side?

  But Sun Mo really did not want to board such a pirate ship!

  “Teacher Sun, wait for me here!”

  Hu Xingjiang led Sun Mo into a room and left. ……

  The laboratory was in a mess.

  When Hu Xingjiang entered and saw that Huang Tian was flipping out, he comforted him, “Old Huang, calm down!”

  “Congratulations!”

  Huang Tian cupped his hands and suppressed his anger at the failure of the experiment. He forced a smile, but after sizing up Hu Xingjiang’s body, he was stunned. “Hmm? Weren’t you the great teacher who had become a saint?”

  Huang Tian was the person in charge of the laboratory. His cultivation base and strength were extremely formidable, and he knew that the huge commotion just now meant that someone was successful in their breakthrough attempt to become a saint

  He didn’t go up to observe the scene. Firstly, it was because he was a saint and didn’t care about such things. Secondly, it was because the experiment was at a critical juncture and he couldn’t step away.

  Moreover, after his good friend became a saint, he would definitely come down to share this joy with him. Therefore, he just had to wait.

  However, his guess missed the mark.

  (That shouldn’t be the case. Out of the three secondary saints in the prison, Hu Xingjiang is the one closest to the saint tier.)

  “It’s Yang Shizhan!” Hu Xingjiang explained.

  “Who?”

  Huang Tian thought that he had heard wrongly.

  “Yang Shizhan!” Hu Xingjiang repeated.

  “That’s impossible! How many forbidden experiments had he gone through? Half of them were done by me, so I know better than you how serious the damages to his body are. It’s already good enough that he didn’t die, so how could he advance to become a saint? Don’t be daydreaming!”

  “I’m not lying to you!”

  Hu Xingjiang felt helpless. To be honest, if he hadn’t seen it with his own eyes, he wouldn’t have believed it either.

  “.……”

  Huang Tian’s brows furrowed deeply because his good friend would not lie to him. However, putting aside the wounds on Yang Shizhan’s body, his will had long since broken down. It would not be overboard to say that he was a walking corpse, so how could such a person become a saint?

  “It’s because of Sun Mo!”

  Hu Xingjiang told Huang Tian what he knew.

  Huang Tian was stunned from hearing this.

  (Who is this guy? Is it really fine to give someone a saint-tier cultivation art so easily? And he even dared to be so arrogant to give guidance to a secondary saint? How confident did he have to be?)

  “Are you sure you’re not joking?”

  Huang Tian scratched his hair that hadn’t been washed for a long time. “Why does it sound so fake?”

  “I’ve brought Sun Mo here. You can take a look for yourself to see if it’s fake or not!”

  Hu Xingjiang chuckled.

  “Xingjiang!”

  Huang Tian’s face sank and he said solemnly, “You know how important this experiment is. Why did you tell an outsider?”

  “It’s because he can become a strong assistant!”

  Hu Xingjiang looked excited. “Let me tell you, he’s a great ancestor-level spirit runist, one on Bai Wenzhang’s level. Moreover, on the day he came to the Prison of Desolation, he solved the first riddle and inherited Saint Bai Dong’s legacy. His weaponsmith ability is probably at the ancestor level too!”

  “.……”

  Huang Tian was stunned.

  “Hurry up, let’s not be negligent toward Sun Mo.”

  Hu Xingjiang tugged at Huang Tian.

  Soon, the two of them saw Sun Mo.

  “So young?”

  Huang Tian glanced at Sun Mo. If it wasn’t for his good friend’s assurance, he’d have turned and left.

  (The heck, this kid is only around 25 years old. It’d be considered amazing if he has one great ancestor-level title, but you’re telling me that he’s at least an ancestor in two areas? Who are you kidding?)

  “Teacher Sun, allow me to introduce you. This is Great Teacher Huang Tian!”

  Hu Xingjiang didn’t say that Huang Tian was a saint, but a saint’s body carried a natural fragrance that could calm one’s mind. Therefore, Sun Mo knew the moment he smelled it.

  “Good afternoon, Saint!”

  Sun Mo greeted them, but his mind quickly searched through all the saints still alive in the Nine Provinces. There didn’t seem to be anyone called Huang Tian!

  “Since Old Hu is your guarantor, I’ll trust you!”

  Huang Tian sized up Sun Mo and said, “Everyone is tight on time, so I won’t stand on ceremony. As usual, you’ll have to do two sets of test papers. As long as you pass the average score, I’ll take you in.”

  As Huang Tian spoke, he sent a mental voice transmission to his disciple.

  Soon, a man wearing a Peking opera mask came over with a stack of papers.

  “The time limit is two hours!”

  After Huang Tian said that, he stopped paying attention to Sun Mo and left the room with Hu Xingjiang to chat in the corridor.

  Sun Mo shook the papers and glanced at them. He then pursed his lips and sat down, starting to answer the questions.

  “The experiment has reached a bottleneck. The step of soul separation always fails, but I can’t find the reason behind that!”

  Huang Tian sighed.

  “Take it slowly!”

  Hu Xingjiang consoled him.

  “Time waits for no man!”

  Huang Tian sighed. “The Saint Gate has also set the examination venue here. Did they discover something?”

  “Don’t worry, this is my territory!”

  Hu Xingjiang snorted coldly. “Without my permission, no one can think of boarding the island.”

  After the two of them talked for a while, Huang Tian took out his pocket watch and took a look.

  “I’ll get going first. You can check Sun Mo’s papers!”

  Huang Tian instructed his disciple and was about to leave. His time was very precious, so he couldn’t waste it here. However, he had only taken a few steps when he saw Sun Mo open the door and walk out.

  This made him frown.

  “What’s the matter?” Hu Xingjiang was also stunned. “Did we disturb you?”

  “No!” Sun Mo smiled.

  “Since that’s not the case, then just continue!”

  Huang Tian was displeased. The people he wanted on his team must be serious and capable. It was impossible for them to get in through connections.

  “I’m done with the papers”

  Sun Mo shrugged.

  “What?”

  Hu Xingjiang had wanted to persuade Sun Mo to follow Huang Tian in his experiments as it would be very helpful to his life. This kind of opportunity was something that others could not even hope to get.

  However, Sun Mo’s answer made him speechless.

  “That’s impossible!”

  Huang Tian shook his head subconsciously. “It’s only been half an hour. How can you possibly have finished the papers?”

  “Go take a look yourself!”

  Sun Mo smiled. “Next time, please increase the difficulty level.”

  Huang Tian did not reply. He only strode into the room, picked up the papers, and flipped through them quickly.

  The more he looked through them, the more surprised he became.

  (Damn, they are all correct?!)

  Getting all the questions correct and getting them all correct in half an hour were two different concepts. The latter meant that Sun Mo was very familiar with these questions and could answer them easily without needing to think through them.

  “Are you really at the ancestor level in both the art of spirit runes and weaponsmithing?”

  Although Huang Tian had Sun Mo’s results as evidence, he still found it unbelievable. After all, Sun Mo was too young.

  “I am in spirit runes, but I haven’t taken the test for weaponsmithing!!”

  Sun Mo was very confident.

  “Not bad. You’re qualified to be my assistant.”

  Huang Tian was very satisfied.

  However, Sun Mo shook his head. “Farewell!”

  Sun Mo was worried that he would not be able to get off such a pirate ship.

  “Teacher Sun, stop messing around!”

  Hu Xingjiang pulled Sun Mo back. “The experiments we’re doing are top-notch in the Nine Provinces. Moreover, it concerns the future of humanity.”

  “Lad, don’t worry. Everything you’ve learned here is yours. After we leave the prison, we’ll treat it as if we don’t know each other!”

  Huang Tian comforted him and handed a Peking opera mask to Sun Mo.

  Sun Mo did not take it. “Your sincerity is to give me a mask that has been enhanced with a Gu technique?”

  “Hmm?” Huang Tian was shocked. “You know Gu techniques too?”

  “I also know herbology and spiritual control techniques!”

  Sun Mo rolled his eyes.

  “Haha, don’t be mistaken. This mask is used for disguise. Since you can see through its background, you should know that it’s not harmful, right?”

  Huang Tian did not believe Sun Mo’s words. After all, having two ancestor-level titles was already very scary. Would he still be considered human if he knew other stuff too?

  Sun Mo took the mask and wore it.

  Crackle! Crackle!

  Changes started to take place on Sun Mo’s body. He grew taller than before and became thinner. His voice also turned hoarse.

  This mask was actually made from a type of gu-bug. After wearing it, it would stimulate the human body and mutate one’s appearance.

  “Since you specialize in spirit runes and weaponsmithing, then you will be in charge of the maintenance of experimental equipment!”

  Huang Tian assigned Sun Mo some tasks and asked his disciple to pass this portion of the data to Sun Mo.

  15 minutes later, Sun Mo was led to a large study the size of a basketball court. It was filled with bookshelves with densely-packed information.

  “You can go take a look yourself!” The disciple reminded him, ” And don’t spoil them.”

  “There’s so much?”

  Sun Mo felt a headache coming.

  “Much? This is only one-fifth of it!”

  The disciple chuckled. ……

  Although Sun Mo had joined the group, he wasn’t qualified to participate in the experiments. Even with his terrifying learning ability, in addition to going without sleep or rest, it still took him three months to get familiar with the parts he was in charge of.

  He finally understood that Huang Tian was carrying out soul transfer experiments.

  Simply put, it was to extract a person’s soul from the body and channel it into a new vessel. If this new vessel was a person, then it would be a case of eternal life for the soul.

  There were also variants in this experiment. For example, to wait for a time before injecting the extracted soul into the original body or another person’s body.

  This experiment was both mysterious and advanced.

  Because it involved the soul, the equipment used was very precious and precise. Sun Mo was good at weaponsmithing and spirit runes, so his job was to maintain the equipment.

  As for participating in the experiments?

  Sun Mo had only joined for a short time and didn’t have enough qualifications.

  Even so, Sun Mo had reaped a lot because the equipment itself was filled with imaginative and high-end technical attainments. It was an eye-opener for Sun Mo.

  It wasn’t a loss for him at all.

  Through the weaponsmith process of the equipment, Sun Mo started to develop new ideas. He planned on combining spirit runes with weaponsmithing to make a groundbreaking product.

  Time flowed by unknowingly like a mountain stream.

  The past six months had been the most fulfilling and happy days for Sun Mo. He had been studying, researching spirit runes and weaponsmithing knowledge, participating in experiments, maintaining equipment, and even undergoing meditation and cultivation. Sun Mo felt that he was growing every day. ……

  Yu Lin was locked in prison and was bored out of his wits. When he saw Ji Han passing by, he hurriedly called out, “Boss Ji, where’s Teacher Sun?”

  “He left!”

  Ji Han replied half-heartedly.

  It was not only Yu Lin. The other prisoners, as well as examinees like Pang Tong and Wu You, were also thinking of Sun Mo. It was because his God Hands were too comfortable.

  “Could something have happened to Teacher Sun?”

  Yu Lin was worried. “God, please let Teacher Sun live a safe life!”

  (If I can meet Teacher Sun again, I am willing to turn over a new leaf and follow his side. I will listen to his teachings and become an ordinary teacher in the Central Province Academy.) ……

  Bang!

  A huge explosion rang out, stunning Sun Mo, who was fiddling with a pile of machinery.

  “Equipment team, come over quickly. Something has exploded!”

  Someone shouted.

  Sun Mo quickly got up and rushed to the laboratory.

  The laboratory was in a mess, and a few researchers were also injured. They were lying on the ground, unconscious and receiving treatment.

  “Hurry up and change the equipment!”

  Huang Tian urged.

  The other members of the equipment team were already used to listening to Huang Tian’s orders and were about to enter when Sun Mo held them back. “The experiment must stop!”

  “Scram!” Huang Tian cursed. “Do you know how much losses we’ll suffer if we stop the experiment now?”

  Putting aside the precious equipment that had been damaged, the experiment progress this time was much greater than before. Who knew, he might be able to complete the experiment after some fixing.

  “The equipment is already unstable. If we continue with the experiment, who knows how many people will die!”

  Sun Mo argued.

  “So what if people die? The experiment takes priority!”

  Huang Tian shrugged Sun Mo’s hand away and shouted at the entire team, “What are you guys waiting for? Get to work!”

  The footsteps were hurried.

  “If you value your life, then scram!”

  After Huang Tian bellowed, he was about to continue his experiments when another explosion occurred.

  Boom!

  Another piece of equipment exploded.

  The scorching spirit qi radiation scalded many people.

  Sun Mo saw that Huang Tian refused to be persuaded and he cursed out before he dashed toward the damaged equipment. “All of you, get out! I’ll do it.”

  Of course, his words were useless.

  In order to confine the soul and transfer energy, the surfaces of this equipment had spirit runes engraved on them, forming a stable force field.

  The explosions had damaged those spirit runes, so the experiment would naturally fail.

  In the past, everyone’s method of doing things was to change the equipment. However, with Sun Mo around, he could directly repair the spirit runes.

  “Huh? Can it be done like this?”

  The team members were stunned when they saw Sun Mo holding a spirit rune carving knife to repair those cracks. In the past, when they encountered such situations, they would always change the equipment directly.

  “You guys, go and check the spirit runes. Change the equipment that is more than 70% damaged. For those that are 50% damaged or so, report to me. I will repair them!”

  Sun Mo instructed.

  The team members did not know what to do and looked at the team leader.

  “Do as he says!”

  This team leader who wore the dan mask[1] was someone who knew his stuff. When he saw Sun Mo’s skills, he immediately gave him the command rights.

  Three and a half hours later, the repair work was completed.

  Sun Mo slumped into the corridor, tired out.

  After repairing advanced spirit runes for such a long time, his mental energy and spirit qi had been seriously depleted.

  “Here, have some water!”

  The team leader handed him a water bottle.

  “Today has been an eye-opener. To think that maintenance work can be done like this!”

  “If it wasn’t for you, today’s experiment would have failed!”

  “Your mastery of the spirit runes must be at the ancestor level, right?”

  The team members sized up Sun Mo, curious about his identity.

  “Have you forgotten the laboratory’s rules? Don’t try to find out about other people’s identities!”

  The team leader reproached.

  “Team Leader, there are less than ten spirit runists in the entire Nine Provinces who can do what he just did. I’d be able to guess with just my kneecaps!”

  A team member chuckled.

  Many of the assistants in the laboratory had been found with help from the Dark Dawn. Among them were great teachers from the Nine Provinces. Besides, the reason they had chosen to join the laboratory was to improve their skills.

  Working in such a top laboratory for three years would bring about a much greater improvement than pondering over things by themselves.

  “Ten?”

  The team leader sneered. “There’s at most three. Didn’t you see that even Teacher Huang was astonished?”

  [1] Dan is the general name for female roles in Chinese opera, often referring to leading roles…… They may be played by male or female actors.

  Chapter 1251: Great Teacher’s Bottom Line And Second Riddle Translator: Lordbluefire |

  The assistants chosen to enter the laboratory were all geniuses picked from one in ten thousand. Therefore, they had very high standards and would not easily admire someone. However, right now, they were completely convinced by Sun Mo.

  “I feel that he must be a famous person in the Nine Provinces too!”

  The team leader analyzed.

  As the laboratory was located on an isolated island, everyone inside would be cut off from the rest of the world.

  Their rule was that any great teacher who joined would have to complete at least one full experiment cycle, which lasted about ten years.

  Hence, these assistants came to this isolated island before Sun Mo became famous, and that was why they were not familiar with him.

  However, after this event, they started to secretly inquire about Sun Mo’s background.

  Two days after the experiment, there was a routine analysis meeting.

  In the past, Sun Mo didn’t have the right to participate in the meeting, but this time around, Huang Tian had given him an exception.

  “The transmission rate of souls isn’t up to standard again. Is it because the energy isn’t good?”

  “The energy we use is the refined essence of spirit diamonds. It’s good enough.”

  “I think it’s a problem with the compression speed. When the soul is extracted from the body, the compression speed is too slow, causing a portion of the soul to leak.”

  Everyone was discussing the reason why the experiment had failed, but no one could confirm the reason!

  Huang Tian sat at the main seat and quietly sized up the team members. The entire team was only responsible for repairing and maintaining the machines, so they did not need to be proficient in experiments. Therefore, the team leader had his head lowered and his eyes were closed to take a nap. On the other hand, Sun Mo had been paying attention to everyone’s discussion and would occasionally take notes.

  “Dark Night, what are your thoughts on this?”

  As Huang Tian asked this, everyone stopped talking and looked at Sun Mo.

  Dark Night was Sun Mo’s code name.

  Actually, Huang Tian wanted to call Sun Mo, Black Doggy, but the latter rejected the idea.

  “I think the problem is on the equipment and spirit runes. The force fields they form are unable to completely confine the soul!”

  Sun Mo analyzed.

  The experiment was about the transmission of souls. The current bottleneck was that every time the soul transfer occurred, a portion of it would be lost.

  “The smithing of equipment is too difficult, but the spirit runes on them can be improved.”

  Sun Mo suggested.

  “Do you know what you’re talking about?”

  An old man wearing a wusheng[1] Peking opera mask lashed out. “Those spirit runes were designed by Bai Wenzhang. Since you know of spirit runes, you must have heard of his name before!”

  The old man’s meaning was very simple. As a small fry, you were not qualified to evaluate the spirit runes designed by Bai Wenzhang. This was because Bai Wenzhang stood at the very top of the Nine Provinces’ spirit runes domain.

  “Everyone makes mistakes, including Bai Wenzhang.”

  Sun Mo rebutted. “Moreover, these spirit runes were created 15 years ago and can no longer keep up with the times. If you show them to Bai Wenzhang now, even he will scoff at you.”

  Everyone was shocked. Who was this person? How dare he speak such bold words and judge Bai Wenzhang like this?

  Although the old man was rebutted, he did not retaliate any further. That was because Sun Mo had exposed the age of those spirit runes. Just this judgment ability alone was quite amazing.

  “Can you perfect those spirit runes?”

  Huang Tian asked.

  “Teacher!”

  Many people were shocked by his words and quickly tried to dissuade him.

  Every experiment required a tremendous amount of money and effort. Moreover, the most troublesome part was that there’d be a life-threatening danger. If Sun Mo was allowed to rashly change the spirit runes on the equipment, the failure rate might surge drastically.

  “Yes!”

  Everyone could almost see the confident smile on Sun Mo’s face through his mask.

  “You really dare to brag!”

  The old man wearing the wusheng mask curled his lips.

  “I guarantee that he can do it!”

  Huang Tian’s words immediately made the old man feel awkward.

  “There’s no need to doubt it. His standard in spirit runes is on par with Bai Wenzhang!”

  Hu Xingjiang chimed in.

  In the past few months, he had sent people back to the Nine Provinces to collect Sun Mo’s detailed resume. His glorious achievements were simply dazzling.

  In the next three months, Sun Mo spent all his time perfecting those spirit runes.

  Then, the experiments started again, and the result was unexpectedly successful.

  Although the soul’s transference rate still wasn’t high enough, it was 20% higher than before, and this fact boosted everyone’s morale.

  At another analysis meeting, Hu Xingjiang raised a suggestion.

  “The last three experiments have gone very smoothly. The basic goals have been achieved, so I think we can start the Heaven Awakening Plan!”

  Those who had the right to make decisions raised their hands, and the call was made.

  Huang Tian started assigning tasks.

  “Dark Night, from today onward, you will be the deputy leader for the equipment team!”

  Huang Tian instructed.

  Next up, it was time to decide on the candidates for the experimental subjects.

  “Yang Shizhan has become a saint. He won’t be an experimental subject anymore, right?”

  The old man sighed.

  “Of course. Even if he’s willing to do it, would you dare to?”

  Hu Xingjiang glared at the elder.

  In the Nine Provinces, saints were not just a title. They represented true strength and the highest realm one could reach as a great teacher. These people were far more valuable alive than dead.

  “Looks like we can only use the Mad Secondary Saint then!”

  The old man proposed.

  He was talking about the crazy guy who was always spouting nonsense because his brain was damaged.

  “There’s something wrong with his soul. It will interfere with the accuracy of the experiments!”

  Huang Tian rejected it.

  For a moment, everyone was silent.

  “Damn it, it’s all Sun Mo’s fault. Why did he have to treat Yang Shizhan and let him become a saint? Now we don’t even have an experimental subject anymore.”

  The old man was furious and slapped the table.

  “The rest of you can leave now!”

  Huang Tian said, “The core members of the experiment group, stay behind!”

  This wasn’t because Huang Tian wanted to keep it a secret, but rather because the use of humans in experiments involved ethical issues. Therefore, in order to not let the other assistants feel a sense of guilt, Huang Tian took the initiative to shoulder this matter.

  Although this was a little self-deceiving, to the great teachers who did not want to join the Dark Dawn, there was finally an excuse to forgive themselves.

  (I don’t know, so it’s none of my business.)

  Three days later, everything was ready and the experiment started.

  After Sun Mo finished the pre-experiment inspection and maintenance work, he led a small group and started to patrol the area. This would allow them to resolve any issues at the point of discovery.

  “I don’t want to be an experimental subject anymore! Let me go, I’m begging you!”

  A crying voice reached Sun Mo’s ears. He stopped and listened carefully.

  “Stop being so noisy! You agreed to it yourself!” The assistant scolded, “It’s too late to regret now.”

  “But I don’t want to die!”

  The man cried like a pitiful wretch in despair.

  “The chance of dying is not high. At most, you will become an idiot!”

  The assistant consoled him.

  The crying voice suddenly stopped. Sun Mo was stunned for a moment then understood that the assistant must have covered the experimental subject’s mouth. He did not hesitate and immediately followed the direction the voices came from.

  “Wait!” A team member pulled Sun Mo back. “Where are you going?”

  “To save him!” Sun Mo said very simply.

  “What’s there to save?”

  The team member frowned. “The experimental subjects that Teacher Huang uses are all criminals. And you’ve heard it too, the other party has agreed to it.”

  “But that person regrets it now.”

  It only took Sun Mo a few minutes to find the room where the experimental subject was located.

  The unlucky guy was lying on a mobile hospital bed, wearing only a pair of linen shorts with his hands and his feet secured by a belt.

  “This is not a place you guys can enter. Get out!”

  The assistant scolded.

  “His emotions have violent fluctuations right now, and it will affect the success rate of the experiment!”

  Sun Mo reminded the assistant.

  “This isn’t something for me to worry about. You can go tell Teacher Huang about this!”

  The assistant pushed Sun Mo hard to get him to leave.

  “I beg of you, let me go. I admit I’ve cowered! I’m regretting it!

  Zhang Qingmin had a piece of cloth stuffed in his mouth and he spoke with a muffled voice. He was crying so hard that his face was covered in snot and tears.

  Sun Mo knew this person. He had been brought in because he had conducted experiments on forbidden arts.

  “I remember you saying that forbidden arts are necessities for the improvement of the world. The lives of those experimental subjects are not great, but they can die in a great way.”

  Sun Mo chuckled. “You now have a chance to put your theory into practice.”

  “Don’t mock me anymore. Can’t I admit my mistake?”

  Zhang Qingmin was really afraid.

  Hu Xingjiang had come to look for him and asked him to be an experimental subject. The former had promised him a lot of benefits, including saint-tier cultivation arts, top-notch secret treasures, and opportunities to seek guidance from a saint.

  Zhang Qingmin wanted these benefits, so he agreed. He felt that he had nothing to fear, but when the time came, he realized that he wasn’t as strong and resilient as he had expected.

  Only when death was really close at hand would people understand how terrifying it was.

  “As long as I survive, I will apologize and compensate the families of the experimental subjects who died because of me. I will go to their graves and kowtow to them.”

  Zhang Qingmin cried like a 17-year-old child, his sadness flowing like a river.

  Sun Mo sighed and went to look for Huang Tian.

  “Is something the matter?”

  The old man wearing the wusheng mask was very dissatisfied. Everyone was making the final preparations before the experiment and must not be disturbed. If it wasn’t for Sun Mo’s talent, he would have kicked this guy out long ago.

  “Zhang Qingmin has gone back on his word. Given his current mental state, he’s not suitable to be an experimental subject.”

  Sun Mo reported.

  “It’ll be fine. We can just inject a sedative!” The old man urged impatiently, “Hurry up and get out!”

  “What do you mean by that?” Huang Tian asked.

  “Change to someone else!” Sun Mo said very simply.

  “Who should we change to? You?”

  The old man spat out angrily. “Do you think that just anyone can be an experimental subject? Zhang Qingmin is regretting it? Your conscience is unsettled? Let me tell you, it’s useless!”

  “The reason I didn’t stop you guys previously was because those experimental subjects were willing to do it for various reasons. However, Zhang Qingmin has regretted it.”

  Sun Mo looked at Huang Tian. “Zhang Qingmin and I don’t get along. Teacher Hu knows this. The reason I’m speaking up for him now is purely because I feel that as great teachers, we should maintain our basic conscience and morality. We can’t give up on the fundamentals of being human just for the sake of results.”

  “You are teaching us how to do things?” The old man was furious. “Get out!”

  Boom!

  Profound Words erupted. The golden halo radiated out with an irresistible force.

  However, it was useless against Sun Mo.

  “I’ve always felt that the greatest difference between humans and wild beasts is not that they are more intelligent, but that they are kinder!”

  Sun Mo sighed and said, “Didn’t you guys say that the reason you’re putting in so much effort to complete the experiment is so that you can make this world better? For the future of humanity? Doesn’t Zhang Qingmin count as a member of humanity?”

  “So we will remember his sacrifice!”

  The old man persisted.

  “Then why is he the one being sacrificed and not you?”

  Sun Mo asked.

  The old man wanted to continue, but Huang Tian stopped him.

  “Dark Night, I agree with what you’re saying. As great teachers who teach and nurture people, we should set an example for others. If we don’t cherish lives, what right do we have to ask our students to cherish the lives of others?”

  Huang Tian turned around and instructed his assistants. “Activate the backup plan!”

  “Teacher!”

  Everyone wanted to persuade him. They felt dissatisfied that after depleting so much money and time, they ended up going with a backup plan. It wasn’t worth it at all. Moreover, the failure rate was higher.

  Huang Tian raised his hand and interrupted everyone.

  “Dark Night, I understand your persistence. I hope that in the future when you have the right to decide the fate of humanity, you will remember the kindness you’ve shown today.”

  Huang Tian closed his eyes. “You can leave now. You’ve been kicked out of the team.”

  Sun Mo bowed to Huang Tian and left the office.

  “Teacher, you’re too indulgent toward him.”

  The old man was furious.

  “Everyone, do you know what you’re lacking?”

  Huang Tian’s tone was cold. “It’s respect for life. You’ve already regarded the experimental subjects as consumables and not living people.”

  Zhang Qingmin was sent back to his prison cell.

  Having survived an ordeal, he was lying on the stone bed, still in shock and trembling. His prison uniform had long since been drenched in sweat.

  When Sun Mo stood in front of the cell, he felt a mixture of emotions.

  Was it worth it to give up the opportunity to participate in the experiments for such a person?

  “Teacher Sun?”

  When Zhang Qingmin saw Sun Mo, he scrambled over and said, “I was wrong. I was an asshole for saying that it was an honor for the experimental subjects to sacrifice themselves for science that day!”

  After saying that, Zhang Qingmin raised his hand and slapped himself.

  Pa pa pa!

  He used a lot of force and slapped hard, leaving a strong handprint. It was clear that he really regretted it.

  “Then what do you intend to do?”

  Sun Mo remained unmoved.

  “After I’ve completed my sentence and am released, I’ll build a private school in their hometown and teach their children to read and write to atone for my mistakes.”

  Zhang Qingmin rambled on.

  When he came back to his senses, he realized that Sun Mo had left.

  “Of all time, why did he come now? Could it be that he was the one who had saved me?”

  Zhang Qingmin guessed.

  However, at this moment, a comprehension exploded in his mind like a thunderclap. His body also lit up with a golden glow.

  Swoosh!

  A golden halo scattered out.

  It was Turn Over A New Leaf!

  As Zhang Qingmin had recognized his mistakes and sincerely repented, wanting to make amendments, he comprehended this great teacher halo.

  “Teacher Sun, Zhang Qingmin has comprehended a new halo!”

  Hu Xingjiang found Sun Mo. “At least, the person you helped isn’t heartless.”

  “Teacher Hu, stop making fun of me.”

  Sun Mo smiled bitterly. “I don’t know if I did the right thing either!”

  “Who can make the clear distinction between what’s right and what’s not? It’s good as long as you have a clear conscience!”

  Hu Xingjiang patted Sun Mo’s shoulder. “Oh right, do you want to go and solve the Prison of Desolation’s second riddle for a change of mood?”

  “Alright!”

  Sun Mo was feeling bored anyway.

  After being busy for more than a year, he was not used to suddenly having nothing to do.

  He should complete the mission earlier and return to Jinling to teach his students!

  [1] The wusheng is a martial character for roles involving combat.