Aksai followed Haitin’s lead as they approached Bai Yu, another of Aksai’s captured teammates.
Bai Yu was bound, unable to move or speak, his eyes full of desperation as he looked at Aksai. Haitin, ever the instigator, grinned as he addressed Aksai, his voice casual yet dripping with underlying amusement.
“Kill him too,” Haitin said, gesturing towards Bai with a lazy flick of his hand. “I only captured him because he was with that girl at the time. And I didn’t want to kill her and complicate things.” Haitin’s eyes slid to Siya Solaris, who stood nearby.
Aksai didn’t immediately respond. He glanced at Bai Yu, who was staring back at him, eyes wide with fear. But Aksai’s expression remained neutral, unreadable, which quickly made Bai realize that pleading wouldn’t get him anywhere.
The desperation in Bai’s eyes shifted to something more feral—a sudden flash of defiance as if warning Aksai not to take this lightly.
Haitin’s smile widened, clearly amused by the change in Bai’s demeanor. He turned back to Aksai, his tone playful but with a clear edge of malice.
“Brother Aksai, this man is Bai Yu. From the look in his eyes, I think he’s trying to tell you something—something about how his sect, the Silver Moon Palace, won’t let you off if you kill him. He’s a core disciple, after all, one of their grand elder’s favorites.”
Haitin paused, letting the weight of his words sink in. “And, just so you know, the Silver Moon Palace is currently stronger than Emerald Cove. Even though they’re not one of the Big Five Sects, they’ve got a pretty solid foundation among the righteous sects. So if you kill him now, you’d make a pretty formidable enemy.”
Haitin’s voice took on a more playful tone, as though he was relishing the dilemma he’d laid before Aksai. “But if you don’t kill him… well, I won’t let you off either. So, what’s your choice?”
The atmosphere became tense as Haitin’s words lingered in the air. Aksai could tell this wasn’t just about whether or not to kill Bai Yu. Haitin was testing him, pushing him to draw a line between his affiliation to the righteous faction and the inevitable pull towards the demonic faction.
If Aksai killed Bai, he’d be burning a bridge with the Silver Moon Palace, forcing Emerald Cove deeper into the demonic sphere of influence. If he didn’t, he’d lose face with Haitin—and more importantly, might lose his life.
Aksai pondered the situation, understanding the weight of what was being asked. Killing Rong Zhi earlier hadn’t bothered him much—Rong was a nobody, a disciple from the mediocre Iron Mountain Sect. His death wouldn’t bring any serious consequences.
The Iron Mountain Sect, though stronger than Emerald Cove, wasn’t influential enough to retaliate, especially since they had no sway over the seas of the Dadangar Archipelago. Plus, Rong’s sect was far removed from the matters related to the fight between the righteous and demonic sects.
But Bai Yu’s situation was different. The Silver Moon Palace was another matter entirely. They were known to be close allies of the Sun Ocean Society, one of the Big Five Sects.
The Silver Moon Palace had deep roots in the righteous faction, and killing one of their core disciples would be a declaration of war. Bai’s connection to such a powerful sect made this decision far more complicated.
Retaliation for seemingly insignificant inconveniences was how the powerful organizations maintained their reputation. This reputation was everything as it helped maintain a dominion over a region.
Aksai also knew why Bai had stuck close to Siya Solaris, even though Bai hadn’t recognized her real identity. He could tell, from her aura and cultivation technique, that she had strong ties to the Sun Ocean Society.
As one of the Silver Moon Palace’s core disciples, Bai was adept at identifying techniques from the Sun Ocean Society. He must’ve thought that staying on Siya’s good side would benefit him in the long run, a typical move for someone trying to curry favor with higher powers.
Bai could have never imagined that following Siya Solaris was a death trap. Not only did he not benefit from following her but he was also at the mercy of a drifting cultivator like Aksai.
Now, Aksai had to decide: kill Bai and face the wrath of the Silver Moon Palace, or refuse and risk losing Haitin’s favor—and possibly his life.
He sighed inwardly. This situation was far more precarious than the one with Rong Zhi. Killing Bai would place him and Emerald Cove in a dangerous position, drawing the ire of a sect that had far more influence and power than his own. And yet, not killing Bai could undermine everything he’d worked for in this volatile situation with Haitin.
Haitin watched Aksai closely, his amusement only growing. He wasn’t pressuring Aksai outright, but the test was clear. Aksai knew that choosing the Silver Moon Palace over Haitin would sever any potential alliance with the demonic faction.
After a moment, Aksai lifted his gaze to meet Haitin’s. “Bai Yu’s sect may be stronger than mine,” he said, his tone measured, “but my situation won’t change if I refuse to act. Your anger wouldn’t disappear, and I’d still end up with enemies.”
He turned to Bai Yu, whose fierce expression had now morphed into something almost desperate. The reality was hitting him hard—there was no escape.
Aksai looked back at Haitin. “This isn’t just about strength or politics, though. It’s about making the right choice. The right choice for the time being– not for the long run. I don’t care what happens in the future as long as I get to secure my present.”
With that, he stepped forward, drawing his sword.
Bai Yu’s eyes widened in shock, but before he could utter another sound, the blade descended.
Swoosh. Zoom. Pierce.
Aksai chose to pierce Bai’s heart instead of granting him a swift death. Bai’s attempt to threaten him with his sect’s background had struck a nerve. It was Bai’s decision to follow Siya Solaris—why blame Aksai for the consequences?
Even if Aksai hadn’t been the one to strike, did Bai really think Haitin would spare him? The executioner didn’t matter. One way or another, Bai Yu was fated to die here.
Did he truly believe Aksai feared him or the sect behind him, simply because of the current circumstances?
‘Bitch,’ Aksai thought, glancing at Bai’s pained, dying expression. ‘I’ll bury the entire Silver Moon Palace and rob them of everything if they dare to mess with me.’
With that, Bai’s eyes closed for the last time.