I created the Bureau of Anomaly Control

This is a particularly good question, and Ma En didn't immediately think of a reasonable answer.

He asked with doubt:

"Could it be that the prosperity you told me about before was just an illusion, and their high morals were just a facade, and they had deeper purposes?"

"In other words, they are just hypocrites." Xiaoyao said with a smile, "That's a good answer. A long time ago, I also thought they were hypocritical and arrogant, but now I don't think so anymore. It would be good if these immortals were really hypocritical.

"In fact, as early as when they set up the Spirit Gathering Array, they personally cut off the path for you mortals in the desolate world. At that time, there was no distinction between the desolate world and the cultivation world. There were only those who escaped quickly and those who escaped slowly.

"Of course, the immortals and their children all successfully left here, and those who stayed in the desolate world were definitely the lowest-level mortals.

"And at that time, you and us were compatriots. In fact, some of the mortals here were not particularly submissive, but in the eyes of those immortals, there were more important things than leaving a way out for you, that was to prevent demons from learning immortal techniques, and to concentrate spiritual power to teach cultivators, in preparation for the war when demons broke through the two worlds in the future, and to protect the lives of the remaining humans at that time.

"Although that war has not yet occurred, that was the idea of those immortals in the past. Later, the cultivation world had adapted and became dependent on the current concentration of spiritual energy, so when they realized that mortals were rising again, they monopolized the spiritual energy.

"Returning the spiritual energy to you could help you fight against demons and the harsh environment, but they still need this spiritual energy. In fact, I think this is not too much from your standards, but it is completely inconsistent with their self-proclaimed moral standards.

"The original spiritual energy was the property of the whole world and all mankind. This kind of Spirit Gathering Array was actually a forbidden technique before the appearance of demons, and even within the current cultivation world. It can only be used under extremely harsh conditions. Do you know why this is?"

Xiaoyao didn't intend to let Ma En answer, and took the lead in saying:

"Because they think it's unfair. Everyone has the right to enjoy spiritual energy. Unless there are special circumstances, no one can monopolize this spiritual energy that belongs to all cultivators. The spiritual energy in the Spirit Gathering Array is also distributed as evenly as possible to every place.

"Although this can't completely erase the gap in aptitude, they are indeed trying their best to do so.

"So in fact, what they do internally and externally is completely different. Are the mortals in the desolate world not human in their eyes? Do they distinguish people by geography like you superficial Federation people?

"No, neither the immortals nor the half-immortals have such low awareness. They know that people are people. No newborn baby has more right to live than anyone else, nor should anyone be more likely to obtain resources than others.

"When I thought of this back then, the most instinctive idea was to suspect that they had two faces. At that time, I was still young and vigorous, and I even made some ridiculous and laughable stupid things, but the more I understood, the more I realized that they were indeed the good people they showed themselves to be.

"They are all doing good deeds, how could they not be good people? If the immortals wanted to carry out tyranny and trample on the lives of others, it would be the simplest thing to do. The evil alliance they established would be far more efficient and powerful than your bloated Federation.

"No mortal can resist an immortal."

Ma En showed a humble and eager-to-learn expression and asked:

"Then what is the answer?"

Xiaoyao said with a smile:

"The answer they gave is that there is no such thing as complete goodness in the world, so they can only make choices.

"But the actual impact of what they did indirectly led to the tragic death of countless low-level cultivators who fought against demons back then, and also led to you not being able to survive in the harsh environment for a long time. Moreover, the environment of spiritual energy depletion also bred many evil things.

"I think for your ancestors, those immortals and goodness are not even remotely related. In fact, they are already very safe, and the fact is that all their preparations are useless, and they are unwilling to bear the consequences of their actions.

"They are just afraid of death."

Ma En continued to ask:

"Then Master, what is your answer?"

Xiaoyao said:

"My understanding is simpler than theirs - I don't think morality exists at all.

"I don't mean that the world has no morality, nor that morality has no meaning. I just think that morality is not important. There is no truth called morality in the universe we exist in. I think everyone is very clear that this is just a concept circulating among humans.

"Moreover, people like good people only because they may bring benefits to themselves. People hate villains only because they are afraid that they will harm their own interests. In the end, your joy and anger towards good and evil are just the instinct of animals to seek advantages and avoid disadvantages.

"After seeing you, I am even more convinced of my idea. You have shown me how unimportant morality is.

"Since this is the case, what reason do we have to follow and care about so-called morality? Good and evil are just our innate nature, but we are not perfect creatures, otherwise why would everyone want to become immortals - of course, because they don't want to be mortals.

"Then the morality originating from mortality naturally has no tenable ground. Since this is the case, what we should pursue is our own freedom. The life and death, joy and anger of others are ultimately external to your heart. Only your own joy is important."

Ma En frowned slightly and said:

"But you can't be free alone, we live around other people."

Xiaoyao said with a smile:

"This is because you saw morality and laws first. In fact, this is a bit funny, because if my disciple were other Federation people, they might not question me like you. Only someone like you who once followed Shenxiao's power still firmly believes in the existence of morality.

"You still believe in it, just because it already exists, but you should know that it has not existed since ancient times, and it will not continue to exist in the near-eternal future. Which came first, the chicken or the egg? When you are in a world that relies on morality to exist, it is impossible to see the most original appearance of the world, nor can you see where it should go.

"I am not saying this to make you have the same ideas as me. If you think the same as me, why would I need to accept you as a disciple.

"I just want to tell you the reason why I left the cultivation world.

"I think you have already guessed that I didn't just run out here for nothing. Although my Xiaoyao Dao allows me to practice in the desolate land, the real reason I left the cultivation world is that they can no longer tolerate me. They do not accept my questioning of the original Taoism.

"I just hope that they can abandon hypocrisy and pretense. I hope that they can wake up from this meaningless morality. I hope that they can not break free from the shackles of so-called laws. I hope...

"Everyone can be free."