“Yang Hua is finished. Once the Spirit-Sealing Grand Formation is activated, anyone trapped inside cannot possibly get out unless their soul is completely scattered.”
Having spent so many years in the Shangqing Sect, Yang Hua naturally knew the terrifying power of the Spirit-Sealing Grand Formation. His body grew rigid as he stared at Jiang Youbai, his eyes locked onto that smiling face while a deep shiver coursed through his entire body.
Not every disciple in the Shangqing Sect knew how to cast the Spirit-Sealing Grand Formation. Even Senior Brother Tang Ci had only learned it after managing sect affairs for two whole years. Yet right now, the Sect Master had actually taught such a vital formation to a disciple who had only entered the sect a few days ago?
Just how important was Jiang Youbai to Shen Changchuan?
This thought surged through everyone’s minds. The disciples of Kun Hall were filled with delight, while the expressions of those from Qian Hall turned alternately pale and ashen.
Yet everyone present knew one thing for certain: Yang Hua was undoubtedly doomed.
Only Mu Jiyuan did not spare even a single glance for Yang Hua. Instead, he fixed his gaze entirely on Jiang Youbai. When no one else was looking at him, his eyes grew as deep as an abyss, as though he had locked that person firmly within his vision, unable to let him leave.
Standing within the boundaries of the Spirit-Sealing Grand Formation, Yang Hua felt a deep, overwhelming terror, yet he still stubbornly put up a front. “Jiang Youbai, if you kill me, the Shangqing Sect will not let you go either! Do you really think someone who harms a fellow disciple can still remain the Sect Master’s personal disciple?”
Jiang Youbai crossed his arms and looked at him indifferently. “You don’t need to worry about that. You’d better worry about yourself first and figure out how to die with some dignity, because having your soul scattered hurts terribly, you know.”
Yang Hua’s face turned ashen. After a long moment, he stammered, “Can you undo the Spirit-Sealing Grand Formation?”
Everyone present knew that once the Spirit-Sealing Grand Formation was opened, no one could undo it. But what if? What if the Sect Master had also taught Jiang Youbai a method to break it?
Watching himself locked inside the Spirit-Sealing Grand Formation with his spiritual soul unable to move, Yang Hua completely panicked. The terror of impending death closed in on him, sparking a desperate urge to survive. “As long as you let me out, I swear I will never look for trouble with you again! Or I can be your beast of burden, anything you want! Ah!”
The Spirit-Sealing Grand Formation had already fully activated, cutting off Yang Hua’s words midway and turning them into a piercing, heart-wrenching scream.
“Xiao Bai!”
A cold voice rang out from beyond the crowd. Tang Ci’s brows were tightly knitted at that moment, his typically gentle face wearing a rare expression of sternness. Every disciple in the Shangqing Sect knew that Tang Ci rarely lost his temper like this, and his sharp cry of “Xiao Bai” just now clearly indicated genuine anger.
The surrounding disciples hurriedly cleared a path for Tang Ci, bowing respectfully. “Senior Brother.”
Inside the Spirit-Sealing Grand Formation, the sight of Tang Ci felt like a drowning man grasping at a straw. Yang Hua cried out in desperation, “Senior Brother, save me!”
Looking at Tang Ci not far away, the smile slowly faded from Jiang Youbai’s lips. He was far too familiar with that expression. In his past life, he had also seen Tang Ci wear this exact look, a coldness that mirrored Shen Changchuan’s.
In the past, Tang Ci had frequently directed that expression at him because of Mu Jiyuan, and in the end, it was with that very same expression that Tang Ci had crushed his demonic core.
He superimposed the image of the Tang Ci from his memories onto the Tang Ci currently walking toward him. With an air of feigned casualness, he asked, “Is Senior Brother going to punish me? Throw me into the Law Enforcement Hall to take ten whip lashes?”
Seeing this, the disciples of Qian Hall immediately shouted, “Senior Brother, you must seek justice for Senior Brother Yang!”
“It was merely a verbal dispute, yet Jiang Youbai actually used the Spirit-Sealing Grand Formation to kill Senior Brother Yang!”
“Someone who harms fellow disciples so ruthlessly does not deserve to be a disciple of the Shangqing Sect!”
Upon hearing this, Lin Shuang flared up with anger. “Stop twisting the truth!”
Before he could finish, Mu Jiyuan interrupted him. Mu Jiyuan rushed in front of Jiang Youbai, blocking Tang Ci’s path. “Senior Brother, please don’t blame Senior Brother Jiang! It’s all my fault. Because of me, Senior Brother Yang stepped forward to stand up for me. Senior Brother Jiang was only provoked into signing the life-and-death duel. None of them are at fault, so if you want to punish someone, punish me instead!”
Hearing this, Tang Ci’s expression grew even uglier. “You actually signed a life-and-death duel in private? What do you take the sect rules for?”
Mu Jiyuan quickly explained, “Everyone was just acting on a momentary impulse. It was only a minor dispute to begin with. It really isn’t Senior Brother Jiang’s fault, it’s all my fault. Senior Brother, if I hadn’t insisted on staying in Kun Hall, none of this would have happened. I am willing to bear all the consequences.”
The people from Qian Hall could no longer hold their tongues. “How can you blame yourself, Junior Martial Brother? Clearly, it was Jiang Youbai who insisted on signing the life-and-death duel and deliberately used the Spirit-Sealing Grand Formation. He did it on purpose! He deliberately wanted to kill Senior Brother Yang!”
“That’s right, Senior Brother must punish him severely without leniency!”
The voices below devolved into a chaotic mess as the disciples of Qian Hall and Kun Hall argued fiercely, each sticking to their own version of events.
Yet Jiang Youbai couldn’t be bothered to listen to any of their words. He simply stared at Tang Ci, suddenly catching a flash of crimson deep within Tang Ci’s eyes, resembling the mind-manipulation technique using innate companion abilities.
He quietly shifted his gaze to Mu Jiyuan, who was standing with his back to him.
Shen Changchuan had once said that Mu Jiyuan possessed abilities similar to his own. Could it be?
Yang Hua’s agonized shrieks continued to echo. “Ahhh! Senior Brother, save me! Save me!”
Tang Ci let out a sigh, reached out to pull Mu Jiyuan up, and drew the junior disciple behind him. Ignoring the way the other was clutching his sleeve, Tang Ci walked straight up to Jiang Youbai. At this moment, Jiang Youbai wore no trace of his usual smile; his eyes were entirely desolate, and those star-shattered pupils met Tang Ci’s gaze without reflecting the other’s figure at all. “Xiao Bai, I know you have an old grievance with Yang Hua, and I know you aren’t the kind of person to intentionally harm a fellow disciple, but the rules of the Shangqing Sect cannot be ignored. You cannot escape the ten whip lashes of the Law Enforcement Hall.”
Jiang Youbai’s lips curved into a bitter smirk. Then he heard Tang Ci continue, “I cannot undo the Spirit-Sealing Grand Formation. I already sent a voice transmission to Master just now, and we can only hope Master has a way. If Yang Hua does not die, I can still intercede and plead for leniency on your behalf. But if Yang Hua dies, even with the life-and-death pact signed, I fear Master will still expel you from the sect.”
Jiang Youbai looked at him, and after a moment, he actually began to chuckle. “Isn’t that wonderful? If Shen Changchuan truly intends to expel me from the sect, that is precisely what I want.”
Seeing that Jiang Youbai didn’t have a shred of joking in his eyes, Tang Ci hurried to explain himself. “Xiao Bai, it’s not that I don’t trust you, it’s just that…”
Jiang Youbai finished the rest of the sentence for him. “It’s just that favoritism is not allowed. I understand, Senior Brother.”
Tang Ci fell silent.
The disciples of Kun Hall immediately began defending Jiang Youbai. “It was clearly Yang Hua and the others who provoked him first. Senior Brother, this isn’t fair!”
“Why should Xiao Bai be driven away? He didn’t do anything wrong! Didn’t Yang Hua try to kill him just now? Xiao Bai was merely defending himself!”
“The Sect Master! The Sect Master has arrived! Let’s beg the Sect Master for mercy!”
A snowy figure swept across the firmament, resembling an immortal crane descending from the clouds. His robes fluttered like thousands of blooming pear blossoms, cutting an otherworldly figure that was impossible to forget once seen.
He landed on the sparring platform, cast an indifferent glance at Yang Hua trapped within the Spirit-Sealing Grand Formation, and then turned his gaze toward Jiang Youbai. His aloof face remained entirely devoid of emotional fluctuation, making it impossible to tell whether he was pleased or angry.
The disciples of Qian Hall rushed to speak first. “Sect Master! Please save Senior Brother Yang! Jiang Youbai is going to kill him!”
“It was just a minor verbal dispute, yet Jiang Youbai actually used the Spirit-Sealing Grand Formation to kill Senior Brother Yang! Sect Master, you must save Senior Brother Yang!”
Jiang Youbai looked at Shen Changchuan, paying no mind to the insults hurled at him, simply waiting for Shen Changchuan to hand down a verdict.
Shen Changchuan, will you still trust me this time?
Yet Shen Changchuan behaved just as he had in his past life, ignoring Jiang Youbai entirely and instead asking Tang Ci, “How did you handle this just now?”
Upon hearing this, Tang Ci quickly replied, “Master, although Xiao Bai used excessive force, Yang Hua and the others provoked him first. Please, Master, do not expel Xiao Bai from the sect.”
Shen Changchuan’s tone turned frosty. “I asked how you handled it.”
Tang Ci lowered his head. “Jiang Youbai shall receive ten lashes from the Law Enforcement Hall.”
Shen Changchuan offered no comment on that, asking instead, “And Yang Hua?”
Tang Ci was startled. “Yang Hua… he… can Master save him?”
If Yang Hua were already dead, there would be no question of handling him. Did Master mean that Yang Hua could still be saved?
If he really could be saved, then Xiao Bai wouldn’t face expulsion from the sect!
Amidst Tang Ci’s expectant gaze, however, Shen Changchuan said coldly, “Is this your idea of a proper judgment? Tang Ci, you disappoint me.”
Tang Ci hastily knelt down to beg for forgiveness. “This disciple has disappointed Master. Please forgive me, Master.”
Shen Changchuan lowered his gaze, looking down at Tang Ci. Even though he spoke without raising his voice at all, it caused every single person present to hold their breath in sheer terror.
He only asked, “What crime has Jiang Youbai committed?”
Tang Ci could only choke out, “Harboring… harming a fellow disciple…”
Shen Changchuan glanced sideways at Yang Hua and calmly issued an order. “Since a life-and-death duel was signed, life and death are up to fate. Yang Hua has repeatedly stirred up trouble, provoked conflicts, and harmed fellow disciples without showing any repentance. Effective immediately, he is expelled from the Shangqing Sect.”
With that, he walked toward Jiang Youbai. As his robes brushed past Tang Ci, he left behind a final sentence: “The Spirit-Sealing Grand Formation requires the caster’s spiritual power to sustain it. The stronger the spiritual power, the stronger the formation. This array has no external solution. That is the very first thing I taught you when you learned the Spirit-Sealing Grand Formation, Tang Ci. Have you forgotten?”
Tang Ci shuddered as if struck by lightning, instantly snapping back to his senses.
Although the Spirit-Sealing Grand Formation had no external solution, it required the caster’s continuous spiritual energy to maintain. Jiang Youbai’s constrained spiritual power was only enough to sustain the formation for a brief moment, and right now its barrier was already showing signs of dissipating. Yang Hua was never going to die in the first place, and he had simply forgotten this fact in his panic and failed to observe closely.
Shen Changchuan stopped in front of Jiang Youbai and, in full view of everyone, extended his hand toward him. “Tomorrow is the initiation ceremony. Take today to rest. Let’s go back.”
Jiang Youbai stared at the hand held out before him. Slowly, he reached out his own hand, placing it in Shen Changchuan’s palm and letting the other grip it. He deliberately provoked, “Is Master not going to drive me away?”
Shen Changchuan looked at Jiang Youbai, who had managed to stitch a smile back onto his face, and pulled him along as they walked. “You didn’t do anything wrong. Why would I drive you away?”
Jiang Youbai let out a sigh. “What a pity.”
Jiang Youbai genuinely felt it was a pity. Yet as the people from Qian Hall heard this, they couldn’t help cursing inwardly that Jiang Youbai had gotten off easy while still acting spoiled, truly shameless.
Jiang Youbai chuckled softly. As he walked past Yang Hua, seeing the man still trapped within the remnants of the formation, he made a playful face at him. “To scare you like that, so much fun.”
Before Yang Hua could even recover from the torment inflicted upon his spiritual soul, he stared in lingering horror as Jiang Youbai walked away.
A total lunatic.
Halfway back to Yuling Peak, Jiang Youbai looked at Shen Changchuan’s back. The man’s ink-black hair cascaded like a waterfall, carrying an air of upright dignity that seemed entirely incapable of anything resembling favoritism. He couldn’t help asking, “Shen Changchuan, why did you trust me? Was it because the jade plaque inside me told you that I harbored no malicious intent?”
Shen Changchuan did not answer.
Jiang Youbai took that as tacit confirmation and sneered, “Then your jade plaque must be malfunctioning, because I genuinely wanted to kill him. It’s just a shame my spiritual power wasn’t enough to sustain the formation and actually kill Yang Hua. What a pity, what a pity.”
Shen Changchuan still remained silent.
Jiang Youbai glanced at him, closed the distance with a few quick steps, and asked, “If one day I were to slaughter every single disciple in the Shangqing Sect, would you still refuse to drive me away?”
Shen Changchuan finally came to a halt, turning his head to look at Jiang Youbai. “Anyone in the Shangqing Sect may leave. The only one who cannot be is you.”