Let’s set Lin Mubai aside for the moment.
Xiao Hongyi had thought that Jiang Lianyue’s madness was getting better, but now it seemed to have worsened.
Fortunately, the Supreme Great Elder returned to the sect and brought back two Nine Abyss Soul Embryos a few days ago.
Otherwise, she really wouldn’t know what to do.
The question she had asked earlier was just a lead-in.
Glancing at Qingning, who was frolicking with the White Tiger, Xiao Hongyi finally asked the crucial question.
“…Li Fadu said Qingning had gone mad and even wanted to bury people alive. Is this true?”
“Absolutely true!”
Jiang Chen sold out Qingning without any hesitation: “Ah, I’ve always taught Qingning to have a kind heart, but unfortunately, she doesn’t listen to me. She not only wanted to bury Lin Feng alive, but she has already buried more than a dozen cultivators from the Pill Pavilion!”
“Ah? She’s gone that mad?” Xiao Hongyi’s beautiful eyes widened in disbelief.“Yes, those people died horribly.”
“This is a serious matter. You can’t talk nonsense!”
“Master, I saw it with my own eyes!”
“…”
Xiao Hongyi was disheartened and fell silent for a long time before sighing: “Sigh, why is there another mad one.”
With her cultivation, she could see at a glance that something was off with Qingning, but she was somewhat reluctant to believe it.
“Master, this matter must be severely punished! I think not only Qingning but also Lin Mubai and Jiang Lianyue should be locked up in the sect’s prison for at least a hundred years! Only then can we do justice to the souls that died because of them!” Jiang Chen said with unprecedented seriousness.
“This…” Xiao Hongyi hesitated.
The Jiuyan Sect’s prison was located at the main peak.
It was specifically for detaining elders and disciples who had committed serious offenses but whose crimes were not punishable by death.
Inside, there was the sword intent left by Sword Peak, the suppressive formations arranged by Formation Peak, the Trapping Dragon Talismans posted by Talisman Peak, and several bloodthirsty monsters introduced by Beast Taming Peak.
These things would subject the imprisoned cultivators to daily harm.
If one were trapped for a long time, the punishment could be as severe as being stripped of cultivation and expelled from the sect.
“Don’t hesitate, Master, this matter concerns the reputation of our sect!” Jiang Chen urged while the iron was hot.
“Wait, you just said you saw it with your own eyes?”
“Yes! I saw it clearly!”
“Then why didn’t you stop it?!”
“Uh…”
Seeing that Xiao Hongyi seemed about to get angry, Jiang Chen quickly slipped away.
He had only wanted to get Xiao Hongyi to lock up those three madmen so they wouldn’t affect his own plans, but he hadn’t expected to get himself involved.
But just as he had taken a few steps, Li Fadu appeared in front of him.
“Jiang Chen, you destroyed Lingshan Town, hundreds of cultivators were seriously injured, and three died under your ancient Way of the Sword! Get on the spirit boat and come back with me to the sect for trial!” Li Fadu said expressionlessly.
To this, Jiang Chen just smiled and spat out one word.
“Scram!”
“How arrogant!”
Hearing this, Li Fadu was about to burst with rage and wanted to draw his sword and start a fight!
But just as he was about to act, a powerful aura pressed down from above like thousands of high mountains, making it difficult for him to resist even with all his vital energy.
The next second.
“Boom—”
Li Fadu was drenched in cold sweat, kneeling on one knee in front of Jiang Chen, his knee piercing through the deck of the spirit boat!
His eyes were bloodshot, his body trembling, and he shouted angrily: “Chen Sheng! You demon, how dare you attack me?!”
“Why wouldn’t he dare?”
Jiang Chen looked down on him and replied: “We are six hundred li away from Jiuyan Sect and the agreement between the Jiang family and Jiuyan Sect is that the Jiang family members must not enter within a hundred li of Jiuyan Sect, so what’s wrong with attacking you?”
Li Fadu was at a loss for words, his forehead bulging with veins from extreme shame and anger.
“…Jiang Chen.” Xiao Hongyi called out softly from a distance after seeing the situation.
Jiang Chen waved his hand.
At the same time, that powerful aura whipped up a storm of spiritual energy, which then transformed into a giant palm, slapping Li Fadu and the other Hall of Enforcement disciples off the spirit boat.
Tumbling through the air, Li Fadu smashed into the ground below.
He let out a muffled groan and then roared again: “Jiang Chen! You will be treated as a traitor if you don’t return to the sect for trial within three days!”
Jiang Chen sneered.
Of course, he would return to Jiuyan Sect.
The plot was finally back on track, and he wanted to continue collecting system rewards there while tormenting Lin Feng and stirring up enmity.
But this time, things had gotten a bit out of hand, and he didn’t know how the high-ranking members of the sect would deal with him.
If they decided to expel him directly, then he would just wait outside Jiuyan Sect, and he would deal with him as soon as Lin Feng dared to come out!
After having his fill, he would return to the Jiang family.
“I’ve told you before not to recklessly rely on the power of the Jiang family,” Xiao Hongyi said with a stern face as she approached.
“Does Master mean for me to surrender without a fight and let Li Fadu tie me up and send me back to the sect?” Jiang Chen retorted.
“No, that’s not it.”
Xiao Hongyi took a deep breath and said, “I’ve said before, no matter what happens, I will protect you on your return to the sect.”
Jiang Chen fell silent.
Xiao Hongyi shook her head and then asked, “This incident has caused too much trouble, and the Ancient Pill Tower has always been on good terms with Jiuyan Sect, so I can’t protect you. If you go back, the Sect Master will surely punish you severely!”
“What would Master do then?” Jiang Chen countered.
“What do you hope I would do?”
“…”
Jiang Chen realized.
Every time he had a deep conversation with Xiao Hongyi, he would be left speechless.
Because of the nine cycles of reincarnation, he always knew.
This Master of his always had the same expectations of him: to take care of his junior brothers and sisters and shoulder the responsibility of the Ninth Peak’s Eldest Senior Brother.
Besides that, Xiao Hongyi would always protect him as long as he didn’t commit a heinous crime.
Of course Xiao Hongyi would still get angry and still scold him, but would never completely lose hope in him for the sake of unrelated people.
It would probably be the same this time.
“…Master, you don’t need to worry about this matter,” Jiang Chen finally spoke after a long while.
“If you’re afraid, you can return to the Jiang family, and I won’t stop you,” Xiao Hongyi replied, not directly answering the question.
Afraid?
Jiang Chen laughed.
He had been blamed for countless things in the previous nine lives and had never been afraid.
This life was his doing, so why would he be afraid?
“Return to the sect!” Jiang Chen turned and ordered his followers.
He proved with his actions that he was not afraid at all!
Seeing this, Xiao Hongyi smiled with relief.
Perhaps Jiang Chen had made a big mistake again this time, but just for his attitude of facing it head-on, she was willing to protect him until the end!
“Master, haven’t you realized that you don’t even understand yourself?” Jiang Chen suddenly said.
“What do you mean?” Xiao Hongyi was puzzled.
“Nothing, just saying.”
Jiang Chen shook his head with a smile.
In every life, before being expelled from the sect, Xiao Hongyi would always protect him and say, ‘This is the last time’ whenever he made a big mistake.
Even until he was truly expelled from the sect, he didn’t realize how many ‘last times’ had passed.
This is Xiao Hongyi.
A woman who thought she could be ruthless, yet always protected him, regardless of what the truth was, and even if she was utterly disappointed, she would still cling to him tightly and cry her eyes out when he was on his deathbed.
Yeah, pretty foolish.
Just like Jiang Lianyue and others, how good it would be to just follow destiny.
At least that way, Xiao Hongyi wouldn’t live every day in turmoil and pain…
Soon, the spirit boat began to move slowly.
Jiang Chen had planned to rest for a while, but he suddenly stopped and looked back at the Hengduan Mountain Range with a puzzled expression.
“What’s wrong?” Xiao Hongyi asked.
“Master, did you hear someone calling me?” Jiang Chen wondered.
Xiao Hongyi shook her head.
Jiang Chen didn’t think much of it and assumed he had heard wrong.
……
High in the sky.
An elder in a purple robe saw the spirit boat departing and was about to follow when he heard Jiang Chen say, “Elder Chen, please stay.”
“Ah…” The elder sighed deeply.
Jiang Chen didn’t allow him to follow, so there was nothing he could do.
He could only watch helplessly as the spirit boat moved further and further away, eventually disappearing from his sight.
His gaze and silhouette were like that of an old man watching his grandson leave, filled with a touch of vicissitude and dejection.
Several moments later.
The elder finally withdrew his gaze and was about to leave when his pupils suddenly contracted.
“Hm? A three-tailed white fox?”
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