Inside Heavenly Dominion Hall, Ji Yuchan’s complexion had improved considerably, yet her brows were tightly furrowed as she looked sternly at Mo Qiushuang.
“Your Dao heart is unstable? How could it be this serious? What happened? Did Jiang Han anger you again?”
“It’s not Jiang Han’s fault. It’s because my Dao heart is not firm enough.” A trace of sorrow rose in Mo Qiushuang’s eyes.
Even at a time like this, Master was still blaming Jiang Han. No matter what happened, was it always Jiang Han’s fault in her eyes?
“Hmph! Just as I thought, that useless thing!” Ji Yuchan snorted coldly. “That wretch is becoming more and more outrageous. You’re his senior sister, yet he dares to anger you like this. Truly ungrateful!”
After speaking, she asked, “Have you found him?”
Mo Qiushuang hesitated. She did not know whether she should tell Master.
If she went to persuade Jiang Han to return on her own, it might still be manageable. But if Master found out and, in a fit of anger, went to the Purple Firmament Sword Sect to demand his return…
Given Lei Qingchuan’s fiercely protective temperament, a fight would likely break out. And if that happened, Jiang Han would probably hate her even more.
After thinking for a moment, Mo Qiushuang decided not to say anything for now. “Yesterday, I found some clues near the Purple Firmament Sword Sect, but I’m not certain yet. Once I confirm it, I will report back to you, Master.”
“The Purple Firmament Sword Sect?” Ji Yuchan sneered. “Does that wretch think that by running there, I’ll have no way to deal with him?”
“Such a brainless fool! Does he really think I would be wary of those reckless brutes?”
Ji Yuchan grew irritated. “I scolded him a few times and he dares throw a tantrum at me? Does he truly think he can oppose me now?”
Mo Qiushuang’s eyes widened. It felt as though she was truly seeing her Master clearly for the first time. It was they who had beaten and berated Jiang Han, forcing him to leave. How had it become Jiang Han’s fault instead?
Clenching her teeth, she gathered her courage and asked, “Master, do you know why Jiang Han left?”
“Why did he leave?” Ji Yuchan looked puzzled. “Wasn’t it because I scolded him a few times and he threw a tantrum at me?”
Mo Qiushuang took a deep breath. “Jiang Han has not lived well these past years. He has many injuries on his body. His condition is very poor. Although his meridians are not damaged, if he does not receive timely treatment, he may develop hidden ailments.”
Ji Yuchan was startled. “He stays in the sect every day and doesn’t even dare participate in the sect competition. How could he possibly be injured?”
“Are you sure he didn’t deliberately injure himself to stage a pitiful act?”
Mo Qiushuang froze. She wanted to say that Jiang Han would never pretend to be pitiful like that.
But she did not know how to refute it. It seemed no matter what she said, Master would always shift the blame onto Jiang Han.
If she felt this way now, how much despair must Jiang Han have felt when he faced it alone?
Had Jiang Han grown up in such an environment?
Perhaps Jiang Han’s departure was because of Master.
It seemed her decision not to tell Master was indeed correct. If Master knew, Jiang Han would surely be forcibly dragged back and punished.
Mo Qiushuang felt bitterness in her heart. “Many of Jiang Han’s injuries are old wounds. They don’t look self-inflicted. They should be…” She paused. “They should be injuries sustained during punishments.”
“Injuries from punishment?” Ji Yuchan frowned.
“If he was injured, why didn’t he treat himself? The Spiritual Milk Spring in the Back Mountain Forbidden Area is unique to the Heavenly Dominion Sect and is a sacred healing water. Why didn’t he use it?”
At that, Mo Qiushuang fell silent. All disciples of the Heavenly Dominion Sect could use the Spiritual Milk Spring for healing. Jiang Han could not have been unaware.
Why didn’t he use it? Why endure the pain instead of healing? Could it truly be as Master said, that Jiang Han was pretending?
Seeing Mo Qiushuang remain silent, Ji Yuchan said coldly, “Summon the outer disciple responsible for Jiang Han’s daily affairs. He should know.”
“I want to see what that wretch is plotting. Does he resent my punishment and deliberately refuse treatment to embarrass me?”
Lu Fei soon arrived at Heavenly Dominion Hall. He was nervous. He had been summoned to the mountain peak many times recently. That was never a good sign.
“Sect Master, Senior Sister.”
The moment Mo Qiushuang saw Lu Fei, she asked urgently, “Junior Brother Lu, you once said that Jiang Han was often injured. Do you know why he endured his injuries instead of using the Spiritual Milk Spring?”
Lu Fei was stunned. Jiang Han again? Hadn’t they always ignored whether Jiang Han lived or died? What was happening recently?
But he was only an outer disciple. These matters were beyond his concern. After hesitating briefly, he spoke.
“Sect Master, Senior Sister, Senior Brother Jiang didn’t use the Spiritual Milk Spring because… because…” He suddenly stopped, cold sweat breaking out on his face.
“Because what?!” Mo Qiushuang grew anxious and instinctively released a surge of pressure.
Looking up, he saw Ji Yuchan staring at him coldly. Gritting his teeth, he spoke without further hesitation. “Because Sect Master forbade Senior Brother Jiang from using it!”
“Nonsense!” Ji Yuchan erupted in fury the moment the words left his mouth. “When have I ever said such a thing? Think carefully before you answer!”
Lu Fei was terrified. Forgetting everything else, he hurried to explain, “Sect Master, please calm your anger. You manage many affairs and may not remember. When Senior Brother Jiang first arrived, he already had many injuries.”
“At that time, I brought him to the Back Mountain Forbidden Area to collect Spiritual Milk Spring water. Sect Master happened to see us and became furious. You scolded Senior Brother Jiang harshly and told him not to take Spiritual Milk Spring again.”
Lu Fei wiped the sweat from his forehead. “After hearing Sect Master’s words, Senior Brother Jiang never went to the Spiritual Milk Spring again. Later, he only gathered spiritual herbs and tried to study healing methods himself.”
“How is that possible?” Ji Yuchan’s expression darkened, her gaze icy. “How could I say something like that? Lu Fei, do you dare lie to me?”
“I wouldn’t dare!” Lu Fei’s back was drenched in sweat. He quickly tapped his storage pouch and took out a Recording Pearl. “Sect Master, I am telling the truth. The Recording Pearl captured it at the time.”
“A Recording Pearl…” Ji Yuchan narrowed her eyes. “Activate it. I want to see what really happened!”
Lu Fei hurriedly formed a hand seal and activated the Recording Pearl. A light screen appeared in midair.
“Sect Master, are you really forbidding Jiang Junior Brother from using the Spiritual Milk Spring?” Lu Fei’s voice sounded in the projection.
Ji Yuchan waved her hand casually. “He’s just a mortal. Those minor injuries would waste the Spiritual Milk Spring. Don’t bother me with such trivial matters again.”
“Yes.” Lu Fei cupped his fists and withdrew. The screen darkened and the Recording Pearl fell back down.
Silence filled the hall. Lu Fei suddenly felt the surrounding spiritual energy grow violent.
“That wretch!” Ji Yuchan shouted angrily. “He must have caused trouble at the time. Otherwise, I would never have been so angry with him.”
She looked at Lu Fei again. “What exactly did Jiang Han do back then? Tell me in detail!”
Lu Fei dared not delay and answered honestly. “At that time, Senior Brother Jiang was preparing to use the Spiritual Milk Spring to heal. There was some dirt on his body. Sect Master thought he was too filthy, scolded him, and drove him away.”
“Master…” Mo Qiushuang stared at Ji Yuchan in shock. She had never imagined Master would treat Jiang Han so harshly.
Ji Yuchan grew irritated under Mo Qiushuang’s gaze. “Those were words spoken in anger! Jiang Han is too useless. Just because I told him not to go, he stopped going? Couldn’t he sneak there? I wasn’t watching him all the time.”
“I was truly too lenient with him, raising such a cowardly and incompetent thing.”
“If he’s so useless, why keep those injuries? For whom was he preserving them? If others saw them, they’d think we were abusing him!”
She turned to Lu Fei again. “If he couldn’t use the Spiritual Milk Spring, couldn’t he use spiritual medicine? The Spirit Herb Pavilion has so many herbs. Why didn’t he use them? Why insist on keeping his injuries just to provoke me?!”