What Crime Has Been Committed?
In Xiao Yuan’s heart, Duan Wangyue had always been the image of a bright, sunny little sun. Not to mention that he had raised Duan Wangyue for all these years, watching him grow from a little toddler into the appearance he had now. It was impossible not to feel the quiet satisfaction of an aging father.
Furthermore, he had raised Duan Wangyue so exceptionally well. Standing anywhere, his posture was as straight and upright as a vibrant green scallion, and anyone could tell at a glance he was a fine young man from a good family.
The days of cultivation were always arduous, and a set of sword forms had to be practiced repeatedly many times before one could truly master them.
Whether practicing swordplay until his wrists swelled and turned blue-purple or his legs trembled, Duan Wangyue had not reddened his eyes even once. He still woke up before dawn every day to practice his sword, a routine that remained unwavering for three whole years.
Xiao Yuan bent down to scoop the dragon cub into his arms, casting a cold glance at the two Medicine King Valley cultivators who were still spouting nonsense. It was difficult to find a reason to whip someone right at the Sword Sect’s mountain gate, but once they entered the Sword Sect tomorrow, that would be his territory.
The Sword Sect had everything good about it, with just one flaw: the entire sect was fiercely protective of its own. Regardless of reason or etiquette, they would protect their own first before discussing anything else.
What was more, someone was now bullying his disciple within the sphere of influence of the Sword Sect.
“Slap, slap!”
Xiao Yuan grasped his disciple’s hand and, through the air, delivered two slaps across the face of the surnamed Mu disciple from Medicine King Valley. His spiritual energy condensed into the shape of a palm, striking him squarely and sharply twice across the face.
Two distinct, perfectly shaped red handprints quickly emerged on the face of the Medicine King Valley disciple.
“You! Which sect’s disciple are you? What is your name? How dare you hit me!”
Mu Sen clutched his burning, stinging face in disbelief. If he had initially just wanted to win favor with the Junior Sister, now his own dignity was being rubbed into the dirt by an unknown cultivator who had popped up from nowhere.
This time, Xiao Yuan said nothing. Duan Wangyue was held in his Master’s arms, looking down at him from a high vantage point, and said in a cold voice, “You are not worthy of knowing my Master’s name.”
Xiao Yuan remained silent, which was taken as tacit approval of his little disciple’s words. Tipping his toes lightly, he vanished before everyone’s eyes.
The Junior Sister looked at the surrounding cultivators and commoners who were watching the commotion, feeling that she had lost face. Stamping her foot, she shoved her way through the crowd of onlookers and ran off.
Seeing this, Mu Sen pointed once more in the direction where the master and disciple had departed, hurled a few harsh threats, and then bolted off in pursuit of the Junior Sister:
“Hey! Junior Sister, wait for me!”
The protagonists on the stage had all dispersed, and the surrounding onlookers gradually drifted away as well. A few cultivators exchanged glances, silently understanding one another as they followed in the direction where the two Medicine King Valley seniors and juniors had left.
Sword Sect – Sixth Peak
Xiao Yuan carried Duan Wangyue and landed lightly in front of the bamboo house. The candlelight flared with a crackle, illuminating the entire front hall.
“Dragon cub.”
Duan Wangyue’s eyes were red and moist as he looked up at him. Driven by emotions he could not control, his dragon horns and dragon tail popped out with a soft poof.
His snow-white dragon tail drooped listlessly on the floor, only perking up a little when he heard his Master’s voice.
His previous grievance had been an act, but later, when he saw his Master stride out from the crowd to stand up for him, Duan Wangyue truly felt aggrieved.
Back when he was surrounded and bullied, he had often fantasized that someone would suddenly appear before him, not needing to do anything elaborate, but simply holding his hand and leading him away.
“Master…”
Xiao Yuan bowed slightly, his three thousand strands of hair cascading forward with the movement. He reached out to gently ruffle his little disciple’s hair and said:
“Next time you encounter such a situation, strike first and talk later. If you cannot beat them, your Master is here.”
Xiao Yuan added, “I brought you up to cultivate and taught you swordsmanship not for you to merely strengthen your body, but so you can protect yourself.”
Duan Wangyue felt his Master’s palm gently stroke the back of his head. Unable to express the surging emotions welling up inside him, he could only bury himself in his Master’s embrace, the countless words and his pounding heartbeat condensing into two simple words:
“Master…”
Xiao Yuan responded with a soft, “Mm, I am here.”
The next day
Disciples from various immortal sects arriving to participate in the grand competition entered the Sword Sect one after another. Because they were not formally invited by the Sword Sect, the sect did not arrange accommodations for these outer-sect visiting disciples, leaving them to handle their own food and lodging.
If other sects came to challenge them, the Sword Sect was certainly no pushover either; the patrolling disciples were all at the Golden Core stage.
The patrolling disciple on duty caught sight of the Law Enforcement Elder standing at the Sword Sect’s mountain gate and gave an involuntary shudder. When he caught sight of the shimmering, colorful Unstained Whip hanging at the Law Enforcement Elder’s waist, he shuddered even harder.
Hell, why is this one spotted during this grand competition? Could it be that all the outer-sect participants this year are tough nuts to crack? Otherwise, why would the Law Enforcement Elder, who normally stays rooted on the Sixth Peak, show up at the mountain gate?
It looked like he would have to give it his all this year, lest he be treated as a soft pushover or good-for-nothing by disciples of other sects.
The patrol team disciples stepped forward with textbook propriety to offer a salute. Just as they drew close enough to notice Duan Wangyue standing beside the Law Enforcement Elder:
“This disciple pays respects to Immortal Lord Qingyuan and Junior Uncle Duan.”
Xiao Yuan gave a slight nod. Normally, if one was fortunate enough to encounter Immortal Lord Qingyuan, that was the cue to take one’s leave. Just as the patrol team prepared to salute and withdraw, they heard the Law Enforcement Elder state: “During the grand competition, patrol with utmost vigilance.”
“This disciple obeys.”
Only after walking a safe distance away did they dare to whisper among themselves:
Disciple A: “Did you guys see that? Just now when the Immortal Lord said to patrol with vigilance, the Unstained Whip seemed to glow a bit brighter.”
Disciple B: “I saw it too. I thought it was just my imagination at the time, but I didn’t expect you to see it as well.”
Disciple C: “God knows how terrified I was back there. Who knows what promises the Sect Master made to coax the Immortal Lord out of the Sixth Peak after all these years.”
Disciple D: “Is your focus entirely on the Unstained Whip? As long as we don’t break rules and get dragged to the Hall of Discipline, no matter how brightly the whip glows, it’s not going to strike us.”
He continued, “What I’m more worried about is whether the other visiting sect cultivators coming to cause a stir this time are truly as troublesome as rumored.”
This speculation quickly spread among the Sword Sect disciples, who each resolved to make those visiting sect cultivators beat a retreat when they met on the competition platforms later.
Duan Wangyue had not stood at the mountain gate with Xiao Yuan for long when a trembling paper crane fluttered before Xiao Yuan. Opening it up, it was predictably a message from Xiao Ziyu.
Come quickly. Elder Qin of Medicine King Valley is here with ill intent.
The communication paper crane turned to ash upon being read. Xiao Yuan gave a light flick of his fingertip and lowered his gaze to meet Duan Wangyue’s eyes. “We beat the cub, and now the old bear has come knocking.”
Sword Sect – Main Hall
Elder Qin wore an unpleasant expression. Yesterday, while he was resting comfortably at the inn, his disciple and darling granddaughter had come running back one after another. His disciple had two symmetrical handprints on both sides of his face, and his darling granddaughter had red, tearful eyes.
When asked what happened, they said nothing. After repeated questioning, the disciple stammered, “The Junior Sister took a fancy to a spiritual beast belonging to a small-sect disciple. This disciple offered a Tier 4 Mysterious Grade Foundation Establishment Pill to trade for it, but that small disciple was unwilling and even hurled verbal abuses. Then his Master came over…”
“And without asking right from wrong, he slapped Ah Sen twice across the face right in front of everyone.”
When Elder Qin heard that a Tier 4 Mysterious Grade Foundation Establishment Pill was used for the trade, his face did not even flush and his heart did not skip a beat. Their Medicine King Valley lacked nothing except pills; a single Tier 4 Mysterious Grade Foundation Establishment Pill was nothing, given to whoever as long as his granddaughter was happy.
However, upon hearing that the little disciple was ungrateful and hurled insults, the hand stroking his beard paused. When he heard that his disciple had been slapped twice in public, he couldn’t help letting out a hiss.
He had accidentally pulled out a few strands of his beard.
“Was Nannan beaten?”
Qin Miaomiao’s eyes were red as she sobbed softly and shook her head. Though she hadn’t been hit, she had been pampered since childhood and could get whatever she wanted in Medicine King Valley; losing face in public outside felt no different to her than being beaten.
Seeing this, Elder Qin immediately began cooing over his little darling and precious treasure, pulling his granddaughter onto his lap to soothe her.
Early this morning, he had stormed into the Sword Sect with his disciple and granddaughter, determined to demand an explanation from Sect Master Xiao.
My disciple and granddaughter were bullied by an unknown cultivator on your Sword Sect’s turf, so you Sword Sect people had better give me a proper account.
After listening to Elder Qin’s purpose for coming, along with the descriptions of that master-disciple pair provided by his disciple Mu Sen and granddaughter Qin Miaomiao, Xiao Ziyu gained a clear picture of the situation.
His junior brother would never strike an outer-sect disciple for no reason; undoubtedly, this Medicine King Valley disciple must have done something to provoke his junior brother into taking action.
Xiao Yuan and Duan Wangyue walked into the main hall one after the other. “Senior Brother.”
Xiao Yuan nodded to Elder Qin. “Elder Qin.”
Qin Yan: “Elder Xiao.”
Duan Wangyue bent over in salute. “This disciple pays respects to First Senior Uncle.”
Once Xiao Yuan took his seat, Duan Wangyue stood behind his Master, seeming entirely unaware of the two burning gazes fixed upon him.
If he hadn’t lacked the courage to make a sound, Mu Sen would have screamed out loud. Who could have told him that yesterday’s master-and-disciple pair were actually the Sixth Peak’s Lord of the Sword Sect, Immortal Lord Qingyuan?
And that little disciple was actually Immortal Lord Qingyuan’s personal student.
It was over. Completely over. They had stirred up a colossal disaster this time.
Qin Miaomiao’s complexion wasn’t looking too great either. Who could have guessed that Immortal Lord Qingyuan, who rarely stepped out of his doors on ordinary days, would actually leave the Sword Sect, let alone spend his time strolling through the market with his disciple?
Elder Qin knew that Xiao Yuan was the Law Enforcement Elder of the Sword Sect, and he was quite pleased that Sect Master Xiao had summoned Xiao Yuan out from his normally secluded peak.
What did this signify?
It signified that the Sword Sect took this matter seriously!
Elder Qin felt immensely smug inside, though he showed not a hint of it on his surface. He reached out to nudge his disciple. “Sen’er, repeat to Elder Xiao what you just told Sect Master Xiao.”
With that nudge, he noticed his disciple was trembling slightly. Thinking he was frightened of Xiao Yuan, he offered reassurance: “Do not be afraid. Speak boldly; Elder Xiao will uphold justice for you.”
Mu Sen looked up at the expressionless Xiao Yuan. The handprint on his face remained as fresh and red as ever after an entire night, perfectly symmetrical on both left and right.
Mu Sen opened and closed his mouth several times without producing a single sound. Finally, his knees went weak and he dropped straight down onto his knees.
“D-Disciple knows his wrong.”
Elder Qin let out an “Aiya” and brought a fan-like palm down heavily on his disciple’s back. “What wrong could you have done? The ones in the wrong are that blind, arrogant master-and-disciple pair!”
Xiao Yuan seemed to develop an interest in the matter as well. “What crime has been committed?”
Mu Sen struggled to swallow his saliva. Under intense tension, his saliva wouldn’t even secrete, leaving his throat burning with pain.
Duan Wangyue looked coldly at Mu Sen, who was trembling on the ground. Indeed, what crime have you committed?