“Return to the hall, Wu Fang disciples.”
Looking at the row of senior masters standing on the platform, then at the Wu Fang disciples lined up in several rows along both sides of the hall, Er Sheng felt somewhat apprehensive.
She helplessly looked up at Shen Zui beside her for help, but he merely nodded to his senior brothers before walking up to the elevated platform himself, taking his place opposite her. Seeing that no one could help her, she obediently lowered her head.
“Kneel!” The one presiding over this disciplinary session was Ji Wu, Chen Zhu’s grand master whom she had previously encountered at sea. He gazed down at Er Sheng sternly with a solemn face.
Remembering Shen Zui’s words that she should follow whatever the senior masters said and put aside her pride for now, Er Sheng dropped to her knees with a clean thud. She kept her head lowered, but the small black snake coiled around her arm began to grow restless. Er Sheng quickly shook her arm, causing the clear sound of bells to ring twice. As if understanding her intentions, the black snake settled down.
Ji Wu inquired coldly, “Why did you trespass into the forbidden area?”
Er Sheng finally raised her cat-like face, gazing pitifully at Ji Wu. “I… when this disciple was practicing sword flight techniques, I couldn’t control the sword properly…”
“Sword flight techniques?” Ji Wu frowned. “You’ve been here less than two months. How could you be learning sword flight techniques?”
Er Sheng sighed helplessly, mumbling, “That’s why I couldn’t master it…”
Everyone present was highly skilled – how could they not hear her sigh? Just as Shen Zui’s lips curled into an almost smile, Ji Wu severely reprimanded, “Shen Zui, why did you teach her sword flight techniques before she had mastered the basics?”
Shen Zui secretly stifled a yawn but seeing his senior brother’s genuine anger, he quickly cleared his throat and responded seriously, “Senior Brother may not know, but Er Sheng has extraordinary talent and exceptional comprehension abilities. Moreover, before joining our sect, she had already accumulated considerable spiritual power. Thus, after teaching her the basic fasting and breathing techniques and seeing how well she grasped them, I proceeded to teach her sword flight.”
“Grasped them well?” Ji Wu let out a cold laugh. “Indeed, she grasped them so well that her first sword flight took her straight into the forbidden area – a place ordinary disciples would find quite difficult to enter.”
Shen Zui pursed his lips, choosing not to respond.
“Er Sheng.” Ji Wu called out gravely. “You joined Wu Fang with an unclear background and possess strange spiritual power. Now you’ve trespassed into Wu Fang’s forbidden area. If I were to expel you, what would you say?”
“Senior Brother…” Shen Zui began but was cut off by Ji Wu.
Er Sheng stared at Ji Wu for a moment before scratching her head, saying frankly, “From what you’re saying, it seems I shouldn’t have anything to say.”
Shen Zui covered his face in exasperation.
Ji Wu nodded: “Considering you had no ill intentions and truly possess remarkable talent, Wu Fang will not expel you for now.” Before Er Sheng’s bright smile could fully form, Ji Wu changed his tone, “However, that sword you carry must be handed over to Wu Fang’s Arsenal Hall for safekeeping. Its spiritual energy is too powerful, and as a novice on the path to immortality, you cannot yet master this weapon. Possessing it now does you more harm than good. Surely this incident occurred because you couldn’t control the sword…”
“You want to take away the Yi Lin sword?” Er Sheng interrupted Ji Wu, staring at him intently.
Ji Wu’s brow furrowed at her attitude, but he still patiently explained, “Not take away – merely keep it in safekeeping.”
“No.”
A wave of unrest swept through the hall as everyone looked up to observe Er Sheng, wondering why her attitude had suddenly become so unyielding.
Ji Wu’s face darkened as he threatened, “If that’s the case, you may as well leave the mountain. Wu Fang cannot afford to keep you.”
Seeing that her chance to avoid a beating might be slipping away, Er Sheng patted her knees and stood up on her own, looking at Ji Wu neither humbly nor arrogantly. To her, she was simply looking at Ji Wu as an equal, but to the cultivators present, Er Sheng’s direct gaze at Ji Wu was an implicit challenge – utterly disrespectful…
She’s grown too bold… Shen Zui thought.
Er Sheng straightened her back and said, “You’re not my master, so why do you get to drive me down the mountain?”
Ji Wu’s face turned livid with anger: “Shen Zui, you tell me, can I expel this troublemaker from the mountain or not?”
Shen Zui rubbed his forehead: “Senior Brother, that sword is a token left to my disciple by her missing husband. Naturally, it holds special meaning for her. It seems she hasn’t yet understood your meaning. Let me try to persuade her.”
Hearing these words, Er Sheng’s expression changed dramatically: “Master! You’re a traitor!”
The crowd burst into commotion. Shen Zui narrowed his eyes dangerously and gritted out, “Little ears?”
“This is non-negotiable!” Er Sheng shouted, “I’ll listen to Master about everything else, but not this! I’m learning immortal arts only to find my husband. If you insist on taking away my Yi Lin sword, I’d rather leave Wu Fang and no longer be your disciple!”
In the emotional tension of the moment, no one noticed the continuous tinkling of the bells on Er Sheng’s wrist.
Ji Wu’s lips twisted into a cold smile: “Look at the fine disciple you’ve brought back!”
Shen Zui felt a headache coming on, suddenly understanding how parents feel when they realize how troublesome they were as children…
After shouting these words, Er Sheng thought to herself that she had already learned the mental techniques for sword control anyway, and could practice on her own later. There was no real need to stay at Wu Fang anymore. With this thought, she turned and ran toward the door.
No one had expected her to leave after saying she would.
Ji Wu trembled with anger, and even Shen Zui’s fury rose. After maintaining his composure for so many years, this was the first time someone had made him flush red with anger, completely losing his usual grace: “Stop right there!”
Though reluctant, Er Sheng still obeyed, standing by the door with her neck stiff and lips pouted, giving Shen Zui a look that was half grievance and half anger.
“Do you think Wu Fang is a place you can come and go from as you please? Do you think being someone’s master is like a piece of clothing you can put on and take off at will?” Shen Zui raged, “For what you just said, I’ll give you ten strikes with the disciplinary rod today! Bring the rod – I’ll do it myself!”
Seeing that Shen Zui was truly angry, Er Sheng trembled pathetically, her legs going weak.
Hugging the Yi Lin sword tightly, she said quite pitifully, “How am I in the wrong? You want to take my things, and I’m supposed to hand them over willingly? You say you want to drive me away, so I leave on my own – and that’s not okay either? What right do you have to beat me now?”
“No, you shouldn’t be beaten.” As soon as Er Sheng finished speaking, a voice she had never heard before suddenly emerged in her mind. The voice was dark and gender-neutral, making her hair stand on end as it continued: “These self-righteous cultivators, what right do they have to condemn you?”
Er Sheng startled, stepping back two paces.
Seeing this, Shen Zui, who had already taken up the disciplinary rod on the platform, thought she was frightened and trying to flee. He flashed forward to block her path.
“Take her to the bench,” Shen Zui ordered, and immediately two people moved to grab Er Sheng. As they approached from both sides, Er Sheng wanted to dodge, but inexplicably, her hand shot out and struck one person’s shoulder. Though the force wasn’t great, it was enough to send that person sprawling to the ground, unable to rise for quite some time.
Er Sheng stared at her own palm in horror, looking at the person she had struck with panic: “I’m sorry… I don’t know how I ended up striking out…”
However, her explanation was drowned in a wave of accusations. The cultivator disciples around her all frowned at her, while the senior masters on the platform wore expressions of indignation. Many called her a demon. Seeing her harm a fellow disciple, even Shen Zui flew into a rage, his face cold as he said, “I taught you techniques so you could harm your fellow disciples?”
As Er Sheng struggled to explain, the Yi Lin sword suddenly emitted a faint blue light, and the unease and restlessness in her heart gradually calmed.
The small black snake quietly poked its head out from Er Sheng’s sleeve, its golden eyes gazing at her silently. Feeling comforted knowing someone was on her side, Er Sheng let out a breath. Looking at the immortals around her, she suddenly felt they were all overreacting. Usually, she had never seen any cultivator speak to others with such anger-flushed faces, yet today in this great hall, everyone was acting as agitated as common ruffians or quarrelsome fishwives.
Restlessness…
Just as Er Sheng was pondering this, she felt her body suddenly constrict. Looking down, she found herself bound tightly by a golden rope.
Ji Wu spoke softly from the platform: “Such a wicked disciple, with improper intentions, who not only refuses guidance but harms others – today, I shall administer punishment on behalf of Wu Fang.” The rope binding Er Sheng tightened inch by inch as if trying to crush her bones.
Er Sheng couldn’t help but cry out in pain.
Shen Zui seemed to suddenly wake up, his expression changing dramatically: “Senior Brother, you mustn’t…”
Before he could finish, the Yi Lin sword seemed to come alive, its blue light blazing brightly. With a soft “swoosh,” it cut through all the golden ropes binding Er Sheng. She collapsed to the ground weakly, staring dumbly at her floating sword.
It positioned itself in front of Er Sheng, slowly raising its tip to point at Ji Wu on the platform. To Er Sheng, this stance was purely protective, but to Ji Wu, it was an act of contempt and provocation.
The commotion in the hall grew louder, with everyone declaring the sword abnormal. Ji Wu narrowed his eyes, killing intent immediately spreading, as man and sword reached a standoff.
At that moment, clear energy swept in from outside as the hall’s main doors creaked open slowly. The bright sunlight from outside cast the silhouette of a figure in flowing robes. Shen Zui started slightly before dropping to one knee respectfully, calling out: “Master.”
Following his call, all Wu Fang disciples in the hall knelt. The elders on the platform also started, then descended and knelt respectfully: “Master.”
The newcomer was none other than the Immortal Lord of Wu Fang. With a sweep of his wide sleeves, the turbid energy in the hall immediately dispersed: “How shameful for those on the path of immortality, that mere evil energy could disturb your clear minds so.”
Everyone was stunned, suddenly realizing their recent behavior had been unusual. They hurriedly lowered their heads to recite meditation mantras to expel the turbid energy that had invaded their hearts. Only Er Sheng remained sitting on the ground, staring blankly at the Immortal Lord. She thought, everyone calls him Immortal Lord, and someone of that status should be very old, so why does he look even younger than Master?
The Yi Lin sword quietly descended, obediently returning to Er Sheng’s side.
With silver-white hair like a waterfall trailing on the ground, Er Sheng rubbed her head, thinking practically: Isn’t such long hair heavy? And wearing such long robes – sure, it looks beautiful and elegant, but what if you step on the hem? That would be quite an ungraceful fall.
The Immortal Lord cast a cold glance at Er Sheng, making her jump in fright and quickly cover her mouth, worried she had accidentally spoken her thoughts aloud.
He walked slowly past Er Sheng to the platform. Everyone else stood up, but Er Sheng remained sitting. Shen Zui came forward and gave her head an exasperated tap. Er Sheng started, hurriedly scrambling to her feet, her dusty clothes and dirty face making her stand out awkwardly in the great hall.
“Little disciple Er Sheng,” the Immortal Lord called softly.
Er Sheng looked directly at the Immortal Lord, saying with an innocent face: “Earlier, Senior Ji Wu said he would expel me. Am I still a Wu Fang disciple?”
Unprepared for her to lodge such a complaint at this moment, Ji Wu glared hatefully at Er Sheng but dared not act, silently reciting meditation mantras to himself.
The Immortal Lord gave Ji Wu a bland look and said: “Once one has entered the gates of my Wu Fang, there is no reason for casual expulsion.”
Er Sheng turned to look at Ji Wu with a smug smile.
The Immortal Lord continued: “However, as a Wu Fang disciple, one must strictly follow Wu Fang’s rules. Do you admit your error in trespassing into the forbidden area of the back mountain?”
Er Sheng thought that while she hadn’t intended to trespass into the forbidden area, it had happened because she couldn’t control the Yi Lin sword, so it was still her fault. She nodded honestly: “I admit it.”
“Since there is a fault, naturally there must be punishment…”
Er Sheng anxiously tried to clarify: “I have no problem with being beaten with the rod. I’m willing to accept punishment, but Senior Uncle said he wanted to take away my sword – that’s what I couldn’t accept.”
After a moment’s silence, the Immortal Lord spoke again: “This sword has spirit and is extremely protective of its master. Ji Wu’s action was rash.”
Ji Wu stepped forward and bowed in apology: “This disciple was thoughtless.”
The Immortal Lord waved his hand and asked Er Sheng: “Was it you who destroyed the Evil Spirit Pearl?”
Er Sheng nodded.
The Immortal Lord mused: “If so, then its evil energy entered your body, affecting everyone present and causing the disciples to become agitated, disturbing Wu Fang’s clarity.” Hearing this, everyone looked at Er Sheng in amazement.
Everyone knew the Evil Spirit Pearl was an ancient evil artifact that had been cast into the endless sea by the fallen immortal Chang An hundreds of years ago, never to be seen again. When it was brought back last month by Ji Wu and others, it had lost its evil energy and was in a broken state, now sealed beneath Wu Fang’s Jade Pagoda. No one had imagined that the one who had destroyed the Evil Spirit Pearl would be a girl who couldn’t even properly control sword flight!
But Er Sheng’s concern wasn’t about who had destroyed the Evil Spirit Pearl. She asked anxiously: “So… so you’re saying the pig… entered my stomach?”
Seeing her terrified expression, the Immortal Lord said calmly: “There’s no need to fear. This evil energy is not yet mature and will only manifest when you harbor ill thoughts. For now, you are sentenced to three months of reflection in the Valley of Contemplation to purify the evil energy within you.”
Er Sheng blankly touched her stomach, showing no reaction.
Finally, Shen Zui pressed her head down and said: “Thank you, Master, for the light punishment.”
When he took Er Sheng to the Valley of Contemplation, she suddenly seemed to wake up, asking Shen Zui with a miserable face: “Master, with the… pig in my stomach… am I going to die?”
Shen Zui’s lip twitched slightly: “You’re too tough to die.”
“But…” Er Sheng began crying in fear, “But I don’t remember cooking that pig’s meat! It ran into my stomach while still alive… alive! How disgusting…”
Shen Zui covered his face and sighed deeply: “Foolish disciple, oh foolish disciple.”