One-Eyed Monster

Kuyi Tulan felt no guilt for his methods of acquiring power, believing he had never done anything outrageous.

However, that was not the reality. His Purification Plan was a prime example; to obtain the powers he coveted, he was prepared to sacrifice many people, a significant number of whom were his friends.

Most of the victims present had come to understand Kuyi Tulan’s character to a certain degree. They wouldn’t be surprised by anything he did, so whatever Kuyi Tulan said, they wouldn’t pay it too much mind.

For them, there was only one way to deal with Kuyi Tulan: beat him senseless.

But the Great Mentor seemed to think differently. He appeared to believe there was still some hope for Kuyi Tulan, that he wasn’t completely beyond redemption yet.

Igor silently observed everything unfolding, making no reaction. To him, this was merely a dispute between a master and his disciple, albeit one with a rather high price.

Still, for Igor, being able to see the Great Mentor and the disciples of the Alchemy Workshop here was already a significant gain.

Moreover, he had engaged in a very good exchange with the Great Mentor.

Now, the Great Mentor was patiently trying to reason with Kuyi Tulan, much like Kadi had done earlier.

Yet, Kuyi Tulan remained as stubborn as ever. He wouldn’t listen to any advice, determined to go his own way…

”Some things must be done by someone, just like the Guardian Army. Without their sacrifices, where would our peace come from?”

This was Kuyi Tulan’s rationale, and admittedly, it sounded quite reasonable. But there was something Igor still didn’t understand. Kuyi Tulan kept talking about wanting to change things, but what exactly did he want to change? The world? Isn’t the world quite fine as it is now? Why do so many people want to change it?

It seemed the world was quite pitiful, being coveted by so many who were eager to change it. What exactly was wrong with this world that made so many people want to alter it?

Igor had no way of knowing the answers. He jotted down this question in his notebook: What on earth is wrong with this world? On my future adventures, I must observe it carefully to see what it truly looks like.

The Great Mentor, Guzan, seemed to have very deep feelings for his disciple, Kuyi Tulan. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have lost his usual composure and become so agitated.

Kuyi Tulan still stood there, as arrogant as ever. To him, his intention was to execute his plan, and no one could stop him.

Did the Great Mentor’s words make sense? Naturally, they did, and Kuyi Tulan could hear them. But he still felt his own approach was also reasonable.

He was once just a lowly blacksmith’s apprentice. Back then, he had no say in anything. If he was told to add coal, he had to add coal. If he was told to fetch water, he had to fetch water.

At that time, he had no voice, only a fate of being ordered around. Whenever he tried to say something, he would be ruthlessly cut off. In a blacksmith shop, time was everything; every weapon had to be forged at the opportune moment, or good materials would be wasted. The master blacksmiths were generally not men of many words; their only rapid way of communicating was by shouting commands and work chants.

That monotony made Kuyi Tulan understand a principle back then: if you want others to listen to you, you must possess sufficient power.

The Great Mentor’s appearance allowed Kuyi Tulan to bid farewell to his short-lived blacksmith apprenticeship and embark on a different path.

On this path of an Adventurer with Class, he quickly obtained many things, things he had never even dreamed of before they came to him.

It was then Kuyi Tulan discovered that once he had power, he could speak freely… At that moment, he felt that he absolutely had to continue down this path of an Adventurer with Class, no matter what.

And so he walked this path for a very long time. Now, he was a leader among Adventurers with Class, arguably very successful.

Yet, he still felt he couldn’t speak freely. He still couldn’t achieve that feeling he yearned for in his heart…

He wanted everyone to listen to his words. He wanted everyone to listen to him speak…

This intense desire filled him with a craving for power, a craving that gradually transformed him into the person he was today.

People who insist on their own way are always a little lonelier than others. Even with a group of followers, how many can truly understand him?

This was Kuyi Tulan’s tragedy: he harbored a grand blueprint, yet very few truly understood him.

The reason Kuyi Tulan was so obsessed with power was fear. He feared loss. He was afraid of losing this right to speak.

When he first entered the Alchemy Workshop, he feared that one day he would have to leave. He feared he wouldn’t be able to gain the recognition of others.

So, he strove with all his might. He strove for his right to speak, for his status, for his ability not to leave…

Time did not forsake him. He obtained the status he deserved, becoming the head of the Alchemy Workshop at a young age. This position was the envy of many, yet Kuyi Tulan was not content. He always felt he would lose what he currently possessed… He was afraid, he panicked, always thinking that after waking from a dream tomorrow, he would be back in that phase where no one listened when he spoke…

The more he gained, the more he feared losing. He was like a miser, terrified of losing the Gold in his hands…

In those days, Kuyi Tulan was taciturn, constantly honing his skills. This was because he hadn’t yet amassed truly formidable power; he had merely established a firm foothold in the world of Adventurers with Class.

It was in such a psychological state that Kuyi Tulan gradually, step by step, established his Purification Plan.

Only by becoming strong himself would he have the chance to protect what he wanted to protect. Only then could he prevent what he held tightly in his grasp from slipping away.

And what could make him stronger was, unequivocally, the continuous acquisition of power.

No matter what kind of power it was, as long as it could make him stronger, he would draw from it. Kuyi Tulan also had his own principles; he wouldn’t just passively accept power. He wouldn’t accept power wholesale like the Dark Wizards. He only wanted to understand these powers and ultimately make them his own.

He felt that the things he feared losing were increasing, and correspondingly, the things he needed to protect were also increasing…

Consequently, he also felt that the things he needed to acquire were increasing, so much so that it was beyond his control…