Part 2
Master Chongjiang retorted with fierce brows. Seeing the two about to quarrel again, just as Su Huan was about to intervene, Xiao Jianming stepped forward first. He lifted his robes and knelt on the ground, first bowing to the various Masters, then glancing at Su Huan. His dark eyes were filled with watery guilt. Finally, he said resolutely, “This matter originated from this disciple injuring Senior Brother Su. This disciple is willing to voluntarily enter the Cold Pool Sin Prison for punishment.”
Su Huan looked at him in astonishment. The Black Lotus was acting out again. No, what did he want to do?
He didn’t believe the other party had the consciousness to admit his mistake.
The Sword Venerable’s expression changed, and he immediately scolded, “What nonsense are you talking about? Is the Cold Pool Sin Prison something you can withstand? Get up quickly!”
Xiao Jianming gave a rather sentimental smile. Out of the corner of his eye, he noted the change in Master Chongjiang’s expression, displaying a look of infatuation with his whole heart tied to Su Huan. He kowtowed deeply. “This disciple’s mind is made up… It is I who wronged Shixiong.”
Su Huan: “…” It’s you who constantly thinks about killing me, right?
The Sword Venerable’s face was ashen, but since the person involved said so, what could he do?
He flicked his sleeve, turned his head, and stopped talking.
Master Chongjiang still felt it wasn’t enough. “So what if you are thrown into the Cold Pool Sin Prison? My disciple’s Golden Core won’t come back! Even if you are punished with eternal confinement in the Cold Pool, it isn’t enough to offset the harm to my disciple!”
Xiao Jianming, head bowed to the ground, fell silent, decisively ruling out Master Chongjiang.
This old man was vicious but stupid; he could absolutely not be the mastermind.
Then… could it be the Sect Master?
The old Sect Master paused his hand stroking his beard and spoke up. “Alright.”
Master Chongjiang snorted coldly. Knowing that continuing would anger the old Sect Master, he shut his mouth just like the Sword Venerable. Secretly, however, he signaled Feng Jiangyue to wail a few more times.
Senior Brother could control him, but he couldn’t lose face to control a junior, right? It would be best if she wailed until Senior Brother’s ears callused, forcing him to agree to punish that brat with another hundred Spirit-Burning Whips, beating him until his roots and bones were broken.
Feng Jiangyue understood, but the old Sect Master cast a sideways glance at her. She choked and dared not speak.
The old Sect Master withdrew his gaze and was just about to make a final decision when Master Zihuan suddenly spoke up. “Hey, Senior Brother, the Cold Pool Sin Prison has historically held only those guilty of heinous crimes. But after listening for so long, I don’t feel Martial Nephew Xiao is that kind of person. Entering the Cold Pool Sin Prison just like that—wouldn’t it ruin a person’s Immortal path?”
“Why not do this: since he destroyed Martial Nephew Su’s Golden Core, then let him compensate him with a Golden Core.”
Everyone in the hall fell silent, expressions uncertain. The Sword Venerable slammed the table in anger, roaring, “You actually want to cut out my disciple’s Golden Core to give to him?! I don’t agree!”
Master Chongjiang snorted coldly. “Why not? It’s just a Golden Core; it’s not asking for his life. His Golden Core is precious, so my disciple’s Golden Core isn’t precious? What kind of logic is that? I tell you, today I am determined to take this core!”
The Sword Venerable was clumsy with words and couldn’t find a retort. He slammed the table again in anger, shouting loudly, “Forbidden!”
The two were at swords’ points again. Zihuan covered her lips with a smile and mediated softly, “Who said anything about cutting out the core? This Golden Core isn’t irreparable; one Spirit Restoring Pill will patch it up.”
“My meaning is, since he caused Martial Nephew Su to lose his Golden Core, then the medicinal herbs to repair the Golden Core should be found by him to atone for his crimes. Wouldn’t that be fine?”
The Sword Venerable’s face relaxed slightly, his anger subsiding. He thought that although the herbs for refining spiritual pills were complicated, they couldn’t compare to a sword cultivator’s natal sword, so it was acceptable.
He asked Master Chongjiang, “Are you satisfied?”
Master Chongjiang narrowed his phoenix eyes, calculating in his heart. The herbs to repair a Golden Core were extremely hard to find, all located in dangerous places. Sometimes, even running across the Seven Continents and Four Seas wouldn’t guarantee finding a single stalk, let alone gathering them all to refine into a pill. It would surely torment that brat to death.
That brat seemed to still have designs on his little Huan-er. If he couldn’t gather the herbs to refine the pill, wouldn’t he die of guilt!
This was much more painful than being locked in the Cold Pool Sin Prison once. Wonderful, wonderful!
As for the Spirit Restoring Pill capable of repairing a Golden Core, he actually had a ready-made one here. He would secretly give it to little Huan-er later, then let that brat run to the ends of the earth to suffer on his own. Let him suffer!
Looking at this brat, although his talent was good, his cultivation wasn’t high—hiding a mere Nascent Soul stage. He had as many schemes as a needle’s eye. If he died on the road, it would be Heaven having eyes, a just punishment, saving his obedient disciple from being hooked away.
Master Chongjiang finally felt satisfied in his heart and nodded reservedly in agreement.
Seeing both agreed, the old Sect Master stroked his beard and asked Xiao Jianming, “Child, do you have any objections?”
Xiao Jianming was puzzled. This situation actually made it harder for him to see who the mastermind was.
To set up such a flawless trap, logically, they should seize the opportunity to let him fall into the abyss, then let Su Huan provide help in his time of need to coax him into deeper devotion, until he willingly worshipped him as faith and successfully opened the Wuwang Sea to bring people in. That would be correct.
He kowtowed again. “This disciple is willing.”
The old Sect Master looked at Su Huan again, asking for his opinion.
Su Huan wished the Black Lotus would stay far away from him, so naturally, he had no objection.
Master Zihuan clapped her hands and smiled. “See, the problem is solved. Why break up the young couple? Maybe after spending time together on the road, they will reconcile as before.”
Su Huan was confused.
Huh? Why did these words sound more and more wrong to him?
Master Chongjiang also frowned. “What ‘on the road’? What are you saying?”
Master Zihuan blinked, pretending to be surprised. “Eh? Did I not say? Although consuming the Spirit Restoring Pill can repair a Golden Core, if one wants to obtain a Perfect Golden Core, the properties of three of the medicinal herbs must match the pill taker.”
“To achieve such an effect, the pill taker must pick the spiritual herbs personally. Hmm, could it be that Martial Nephew Su doesn’t want a more perfect Golden Core?”
Master Chongjiang’s face turned ugly immediately, but he couldn’t refute it. His Spirit Restoring Pill was obtained from an auction; it really couldn’t allow his disciple to generate a Perfect Golden Core.
As for a Perfect Golden Core, only a fool wouldn’t want one.
Damn it, he was set up by Zihuan!
Hearing this, Su Huan’s eyes lit up. Only a Heavenly Spirit Root like the Black Lotus could form a Perfect Golden Core. If he could possess a Perfect Golden Core, wouldn’t his cultivation improve by leaps and bounds, and he would never have to fear not beating the Black Lotus again?
Combined with the constraints of the Heavenly Dao oath, the Black Lotus could never do anything to him again!
Great! Master Zihuan was simply his lucky star!
The more Su Huan thought about it, the brighter his eyes became. He wasn’t even afraid of traveling with the Black Lotus anymore, wishing he could set off immediately.
Xiao Jianming watched this scene and fell silent.
He laughed inwardly. Fate truly toyed with people. The complete sincerity he had sought for half a life, he now obtained, but was destined to fail it.
Su Huan was not that person. This was not the sincerity he wanted.
His palm involuntarily touched the petal of Lotus Water Jade over his heart again. He was familiar with every line on it, and the words “Buhuan” carved on it had been rubbed by him thousands of times.
Brother Buhuan… The demonic cultivator raised me but coveted my flesh and blood; the hypocritical old Daoist gave me clothes and food but imprisoned me only to possess my body. Now, finally, someone treats me with sincerity. What about you?
This time, can you save only me?
Author’s Note:
Chongjiang (to Xiao Jianming): Yellow hair, stay away from my obedient disciple! [TN: “Yellow hair” refers to NTR/cuckold/bad boy tropes in anime/manga contexts, basically “punk/interloper”.]
Sword Venerable (to Su Huan): Male version of a femme fatale! (Blue-face calamity!)
Finally starting the next dungeon. The next chapter begins the Seven Continents and Four Seas world tour! Guess where the first stop will be? [Doge with a rose in mouth]
Recommended Reads
![Those Years When the Son of Destiny Was Severely Scammed [Quick Transmigration]](https://beereads.space/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/QUICK-TRANSMIGRATION1-214x300.jpg)
![The League’s Hei Yueguang Has Fought His Way Back [E-sports]](https://beereads.space/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/hei-214x300.jpg)
![Does A Broken Mirror Reunion Exist in Esports? [Esports]](https://beereads.space/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/esports-225x300.png)
