"I don't believe it. It couldn't have been my brother. You must be mistaken. He would never do something like this!"
After listening to Mingyue recount Bu Ying's various misdeeds and the tragic fate of the little monkey, Ba Jiu was even more determined to kill Bu Ying and avenge the little monkey. Bu Zhi, however, roared in his room.
He refused to believe that Bu Ying would commit such heinous acts for the sake of accumulating wealth.
In Mingyue's description, the brother he had admired since childhood was a demon.
He had lost his humanity, resorting to any means to amass wealth, scheming against ordinary people, and not even sparing children.
He didn't want to believe it, but he knew Mingyue's character well. Without concrete evidence, she wouldn't say such things.
His anger, excitement, and roars were all because he couldn't accept it immediately and needed to vent.
"Sister Mingyue, Ba Jiu, please spare him this once. Don't kill him.
How about this? I'll take his punishment. You kill me instead, one life for another.
Ba Jiu, kill me and let my brother go, okay?
The lives of the little monkey siblings, I'll pay with my own life, is that acceptable?"
After venting, Bu Zhi knelt before Mingyue and Ba Jiu, begging them to let him trade his life for Bu Ying's.
What else could he do? After all, they were brothers, bound by blood.
He knew Ba Jiu's capabilities. If he wanted to kill someone, no one except Mingyue could stop him.
But even Mingyue harbored murderous intent towards his brother. The thought of Bu Ying's certain death pained Bu Zhi.
Throughout his life, his brother had always taken good care of him. Even if Bu Ying was wicked, he had at least been a responsible brother.
He knew his brother had made a grave mistake and that he should uphold righteousness, even to the point of disowning his own kin.
But he couldn't. He didn't want the only family he had in this world to be killed, so he pleaded with Mingyue and Ba Jiu.
He knew he was wrong, that this would put Mingyue and Ba Jiu in a difficult position.
He even felt ashamed because he was using his status as a teammate to blackmail Mingyue and Ba Jiu, but he truly didn't want his brother to die.
Therefore, he proposed to exchange his own life for a chance for Bu Ying to live.
Faced with Bu Zhi's pleas, Mingyue didn't know what to say. Bu Zhi had been with her since the beginning of the apocalypse.
He had always been a cheerful and bright young man. She had never seen Bu Zhi like this before and couldn't help but frown.
"Get up. I won't kill him."
Ba Jiu clenched the jade pendant given to him by the little monkey, his small face taut, and said with difficulty.
He made this decision not because of Bu Zhi, but because he saw his sister's distress.
The little monkey had told him to have responsibility, and his responsibility was to protect his sister and prevent her from being sad.
So, just as the little monkey had said, he had to choose, to choose for the sake of the person he loved.
Whispering an apology to the little monkey in his heart, Ba Jiu suppressed the tears that threatened to fall and ran out.
"Bu Zhi, although Ba Jiu has spared Bu Ying, to prevent him from harming the survivors of Yuncheng Base.
To stop him from committing more evil, his powers must be crippled. Do you agree?"
Watching Ba Jiu run off, Ji Shiyou followed behind. Mingyue said to Bu Zhi, her tone serious.
She didn't want Bu Ying to continue his evil ways or for innocent people to be harmed, so she proposed crippling Bu Ying's powers.
"I agree."
Bu Zhi knew this was Mingyue's greatest concession, and she had already shown him enough respect.
If Mingyue and Ba Jiu had killed Bu Ying directly without telling him, what could he have done?
It was already a great fortune that his brother's life was spared. Without his powers, he would protect his brother.
So he said he agreed and, like a deflated balloon, got up from the ground and walked out of the room, dejected.
Seeing Bu Zhi in this state, Tian Chang hurried after him. Gong Que was about to follow to comfort Bu Zhi but was pulled back by Jin Xi.
"Foolish boy, no tact. Why are you going?"
Jin Xi's question made Gong Que realize his mistake. He scratched the back of his head and chuckled sheepishly.
Mingyue also left the room, but to find Ba Jiu and Ji Shiyou. She was afraid the child might do something rash, and Ji Shiyou might not be able to console him, as Ba Jiu only listened to her.
"Stop being sad. You shouldn't have pleaded for that scoundrel Bu Ying, or offered to die for him. It wasn't worth it."
Mingyue saw Bu Zhi sitting under a streetlamp, looking lost.
Tian Chang stood beside him, her tone not of comfort but of scolding.
"He's my brother."
Bu Zhi replied impatiently, his tone laced with annoyance.
"Yes, he's your brother. I, an outsider, shouldn't be advising you. I'm just worried about you, aren't I?
Also, I'm fat, all blubber. You must find me repulsive.
Don't talk to me anymore. I shouldn't have liked you, trying to get a warm reception with a cold shoulder."
Tian Chang suddenly exploded, shouting at Bu Zhi, then turned and ran.
"Wait, you said you like me, is that true?
Wait for me, let me explain. Those words were just to tease Hua Hua, listen to me."
Bu Zhi, who had been feeling down, perked up immediately upon hearing Tian Chang's confession of liking him. He got up and chased after her.
He finally understood why Tian Chang had been giving him the cold shoulder since they left Youyue Valley.
She was still holding a grudge for his past remarks. He had to explain clearly that he didn't mean it that way.
Seeing this pair of bickering lovers, Mingyue smiled. It seemed love could heal all wounds.
She searched for a while but couldn't find Ba Jiu and Ji Shiyou. Anxious, she activated her Heavenly Vision and Earth Hearing to locate Ba Jiu.
She discovered Ba Jiu had left the base and was with Ji Shiyou, but they were arguing. She hurried over.
"How am I not good enough for your sister?"
Ji Shiyou said indignantly. He had come to console Ba Jiu out of concern.
Who knew that as they talked, this brat would bring up his relationship with Mingyue and look down on him.
"You're too weak."
Ba Jiu glanced at Ji Shiyou. Ever since he learned of Ji Shiyou's relationship with his sister, he had disapproved.
His sister was the most important person to him. To be with his sister and become her brother-in-law,
he had to be mature, stable, and powerful. Otherwise, how could he protect his sister?
Ji Shiyou was cheerful and still weak. Ba Jiu simply didn't approve of him; he didn't meet his standards.
"I'm handsome and dashing, a man of great talent, and I cook well too."
"You're too weak."
"I am devoted to Mingyue, caring for her meticulously, willing to be the man who supports her from behind."
"You're too weak."
"I understand her. With just a glance from her, I know her thoughts."
"You're too weak."
No matter what Ji Shiyou said, Ba Jiu only replied, "You're too weak," which gradually made Ji Shiyou agitated.
"Both of you, be quiet! Ba Jiu, apologize to Ji Shiyou. You've only been human for a few days, what do you know about love?
When two people are together, they complement each other and support each other. Do you think two strong people together will be happy?
Everyone is imperfect. Besides, Ji Shiyou is not as weak as you say. He possesses qualities that I lack.
My own feelings are my own business. Do I need you to dictate them?
Ba Jiu, remember, the key to being human is not to impose your own ideas on others. Everyone's choices have reasons.
That's what it means to be mature. You're still young and have much to learn. Don't be willful, or you'll go astray."
Mingyue wasn't angry because Ba Jiu didn't approve of Ji Shiyou, but because she feared that if Ba Jiu, who had just become human, wasn't guided properly, his values might deviate. That's why she spoke to him sternly.
"I'm sorry. I won't say you're weak anymore."
Scolded back to his senses by Mingyue, Ba Jiu apologized to Ji Shiyou, acting like a well-behaved child.
"Ji Shiyou, you apologize to Ba Jiu too. Do you know where you went wrong?"
Seeing Ji Shiyou's smug expression, Mingyue said irritably.