Chapter 156: A Total Mess
Shang Qian’s flying sword abruptly unsheathed, but Shen Bingsi was one step ahead of him. In a flash of golden light, Shang Qian’s flying sword was struck by an overwhelming spiritual pressure and forced back into its scabbard with a heavy thud.
This brief exchange ended in the blink of an eye. Before the surrounding cultivators could even react, they saw Shang Qian’s face turn pale in a flash. His hand, still raised in mid-air holding the sword hilt, trembled as a trickle of blood seeped from his tiger’s mouth, flowing down across the wood grain of the scabbard.
Lu Yingqi shifted his gaze away from Shang Qian, looking toward Shen Bingsi with quite a bit of admiration.
Elder Bai also looked as though he had finally vented some of his frustration. However, that feeling only lasted for a moment. When he remembered that their Heartless Path Palace actually needed Shen Bingsi to save their reputation, Elder Bai’s expression became complicated again. He stared at Shang Qian with a look of pure disgust.
Only Rong Xie looked at Shen Bingsi with deep worry. He knew exactly what state Shen Bingsi was currently in; to put on such a strong front, he had to be suffering immensely in secret.
Furthermore, Shang Qian was not the kind of person who listened to reason.
“Shen Bingsi, I don’t want to completely fall out with you, so don’t think for a second that I’m afraid of you,” Shang Qian said in a sinister tone. “Right now, you are nothing but a spent force, while I am like the rising sun. I advise you not to stand in my way. Otherwise, I wouldn’t mind using the Mirror Palace’s methods for capturing criminals on you right in front of everyone.”
Rong Xie had seen the Mirror Palace’s methods for catching criminals before. Their tokens could transform into inescapable chains; Shen Bingsi had once used those very chains to capture Madam Mei. For Shang Qian to threaten a former Adjudicator with such tactics meant he no longer cared about basic decency or face.
Rong Xie shook his head at Shen Bingsi, signaling him not to stick his neck out too far.
“Daoist Shang, everything must be governed by reason. You suspected Xiao Zhi was a monster, but Shen Bingsi has already proven he isn’t using the Sheng Xie Sword. If you still insist on taking him away, I’m afraid you won’t have the law on your side, will you?” Rong Xie spoke in a gentle, calm voice.
Originally, Shang Qian hadn’t taken the words of a bystander from the Spirit Mirror Sect like Rong Xie seriously. However, Rong Xie’s point held weight. Shen Bingsi’s Sheng Xie Sword possessed significant prestige in the cultivation world; the results it produced were considered absolute facts by most. To force everyone to ignore those facts and arrest Xiao Zhi, Shang Qian would need overwhelming strength. Yet, Shang Qian held no advantage there, either. Lu Yingqi had remained silent on the side, but his strength far surpassed Shang Qian’s. Not to mention Elder Bai, an old senior whose prestige and spiritual pressure were not to be trifled with, and who was currently standing firmly by Lu Yingqi’s side.
If Shang Qian couldn’t provide a powerful justification, it would be difficult to end this day in his favor.
“I am well aware of the difference between a monster and a demon. Sword Saint Shen, that Sheng Xie Sword of yours can only detect demons, not monsters, can’t it?” Shang Qian’s tone softened, but his words became even more piercing, pointing directly at the loophole in Shen Bingsi’s argument. “The Sky Mirror has issued a mission to capture a certain yaomo. It did not specify whether it was a monster or a demon, only that it is terrifyingly powerful and capable of traveling a thousand miles in an instant. Among the many locations revealed by the Sky Mirror, our Heartless Path Palace was actually listed. Is it not perfectly reasonable for me to start investigating from my own home?”
“Did the Sky Mirror specifically show this courtyard?” Rong Xie asked, frowning.
He couldn’t shake the feeling that Shang Qian was using this as an excuse to make a scene, but he glanced at Shen Bingsi. Shen Bingsi’s face was dark, as if he had realized something—could the mission Shang Qian mentioned be legitimate?
Rong Xie didn’t know that Shen Bingsi had once come to the Heartless Path Palace specifically for a monster-hunting mission and had even clashed with Elder Bai. The other three present, however, knew very well. Shen Bingsi, Elder Bai, and Lu Yingqi all simultaneously thought back to that night. Shen Bingsi had indeed come to Zhilan Ridge to catch a monster that could move a thousand miles in a heartbeat. Throughout the entire New Year period, Shen Bingsi had been searching for traces of that monster but had never found it.
Since Shang Qian was being so specific, it seemed the Sky Mirror had assigned the task to him now.
“Hmph, that is not something you need to know,” Shang Qian sneered. He looked around, and seeing that Shen Bingsi, Elder Bai, and Lu Yingqi had all fallen silent, his mood improved significantly. “Not just this little attendant, but any other person of unknown origin, as well as any disciples of the Palace who haven’t undergone the illusion test recently, must be taken away for a thorough investigation. Anyone who dares to resist is effectively resisting our Sect—and resisting the Mirror Palace itself!”
Following Shang Qian’s display of authority, the men he brought began to stir again, preparing to move in and seize Xiao Zhi.
Lu Yingqi ignored his words entirely. He simply stood like a shield in front of Xiao Zhi. If anyone wanted to take a single step past him, they had to consider whether they could withstand a strike from the Mystic Sky’s First Sword.
“Don’t be afraid, everyone! Charge!” Shang Qian incited the crowd from the back. “Lu Yingqi, if you refuse to obey, feel free to leave the sect! Just get the hell out of here!”
Lu Yingqi gazed coldly at Shang Qian. Just as he was about to speak, Elder Bai called out first, “Yingqi!”
Lu Yingqi turned his head to look at Elder Bai. The old man wore an expression that suggested he was hesitating to speak.
Lu Yingqi’s heart stirred. A certain premonition hit him, and his heart sank heavily.
“Yingqi, let them go. I will handle this matter properly,” Elder Bai said.
Lu Yingqi remained in front of Xiao Zhi, the spiritual pressure rising from his body making it impossible for the other cultivators to get close.
“Yingqi, do you no longer believe your Master’s words?” Elder Bai sighed.
Time seemed to freeze for a moment as Lu Yingqi stared fixedly at Elder Bai.
Suddenly, the spiritual pressure relaxed. The cultivators crowded at the front found an opening and rushed to Lu Yingqi’s side. They were stunned for a moment before remembering their goal was to seize Xiao Zhi.
Lu Yingqi flicked his hand. “Don’t touch him.”
A layer of silver light enveloped Xiao Zhi. Those who reached out to grab him were repelled by the rebound of the silver light and fell back one after another.
“Xiao Zhi, if you want to go, go. If you don’t want to, no one can stop you.” Lu Yingqi still watched the approaching cultivators.
Xiao Zhi slowly stepped out from behind Lu Yingqi. His eyes were still filled with fear, but there was a newfound touch of determination.
“Brother Qi… I believe in you. I believe in Elder Bai. It’s fine… if I go with them.” As Xiao Zhi spoke, he bowed respectfully to Lu Yingqi and Elder Bai respectively. Then, lowering his head, he walked toward Shang Qian.
He was still covered by the protection charm Lu Yingqi had placed on him; no one could lay a finger on him. Shang Qian glanced at him and said, “Lu Yingqi, what is the meaning of this? If we want to investigate him but you leave a spell on him, how are we supposed to do our jobs?”
Elder Bai cleared his throat. “Yingqi, Shang Qian is an Adjudicator after all, and he holds the Sect Leader’s Token. I doubt he would dare do anything that violates justice or morality. If you are worried, just leave a sliver of your spiritual sense on the boy.”
Lu Yingqi looked at Xiao Zhi, and the boy gave him a small nod.
The silver light on Xiao Zhi gradually faded until only a single wisp remained, hiding behind the curve of his ear.
Seeing this, Shang Qian laughed. “A wise man submits to circumstances. Now that’s more like it. Let’s go!”
Shang Qian led his men away in a grand procession, and the courtyard quickly became empty.
With Xiao Zhi gone, there was no one left to open or close the door. The wide-open courtyard gate swayed back and forth in the wind.
Rong Xie turned and walked out, standing on the steps to watch for a while. He saw several cultivators surrounding Xiao Zhi, but they hadn’t bound him or used any forceful means. Only then did he breathe a small sigh of relief, closing the door as he returned to the yard.
Shen Bingsi withdrew the Sheng Xie Sword and leaned against the doorframe. He looked as though he had lost interest in everything, staring up at the sky.
Lu Yingqi remained expressionless, but upon closer inspection, his gaze seemed somewhat hollow. Elder Bai stood beside him, rambling on as he explained something.
Rong Xie walked closer and heard Elder Bai trying to soothe Lu Yingqi:
“Those who do not know are innocent. Even if they find out Xiao Zhi is a furnace cauldron, it doesn’t matter. Your spiritual power was never obtained through those crooked, shortcut methods—Master can testify for you! Besides, if having used a furnace cauldron for cultivation meant one couldn’t stay in the Palace, then every one of the senior uncles and brothers of our generation would have to be purged from the sect. Even Shang Qian’s own master, Perfected Yuan Qing, wouldn’t be spared…”
Rong Xie thought to himself that it was no wonder Elder Bai had agreed to let Shang Qian take Xiao Zhi away. The waters of this Palace were never clear to begin with.
Every family has its own difficulties. Their Mystic Sky Sect’s Heartless Path Palace was a total mess, never having a single moment of peace. Looking at it this way, although the Spirit Mirror Sect’s Heartless Path had lost a Great Elder, at least they were united. There was never any talk of life-and-death factional struggles, nor did anyone try to take Shen Bingsi’s life while his Dao Heart was shattered.
Rong Xie wanted to eavesdrop a bit more, but Shen Bingsi started coughing over there, gesturing with his eyes for Rong Xie to come over quickly.
As soon as Rong Xie approached, Shen Bingsi pulled him into the room.
“Well? Did you get any results from your questioning? Does their Mystic Sky Sect really have a way to combat a shattered Dao Heart?” Shen Bingsi asked urgently.
“There is a way…” Rong Xie paused. “But I can’t tell you.”
“There really is?” Shen Bingsi’s eyes widened, looking skeptical. “Even my Master didn’t have one… are you sure their method actually works?”
“Elder Bai said there have been successful precedents. He shouldn’t be lying to a junior like me, right?” Rong Xie said.
“That’s hard to say. That old fellow is as slippery as an eel. To keep us tied here, who knows what kind of lies he’d cook up? Look at how he just sold out Lu Yingqi’s attendant without even blinking. Is there anything he wouldn’t do for his precious disciple, Lu Yingqi?”
Rong Xie was a bit surprised. “You aren’t actually feeling indignant on Xiao Zhi’s behalf, are you?”
Shen Bingsi had always looked down on Xiao Zhi—anyone could see that—and Xiao Zhi was terrified of him. One could say the two were completely different types of people. Yet now, Shen Bingsi was actually starting to speak up for him.
“I just can’t stand their habit of abandoning their companions.” Shen Bingsi crossed his arms. “Whatever they do is none of my business. Now that you’ve asked about the method to fix a shattered Dao Heart, let’s just leave.”
Rong Xie let out a small laugh. It made sense; Shen Bingsi detested evil and couldn’t tolerate any deceit. Naturally, he looked down on Elder Bai’s move of sacrificing Xiao Zhi to get through a crisis.
However, they couldn’t leave just yet.
Putting aside the fact that Xiao Zhi had helped Rong Xie many times and he couldn’t just sit by while he was arrested, there was also that ridiculous method of proving the Dao. Rong Xie couldn’t complete it alone; he needed a reliable person to guard the formation, and Elder Bai was the only candidate.
“We can’t leave yet,” Rong Xie said. “The method to combat a shattered Dao Heart requires Elder Bai’s help to be realized.”
Shen Bingsi arched an eyebrow, looking suspicious. “For real? Could it be that Elder Bai is just using this as a way to trap us here?”
Rong Xie felt a bit helpless. “That’s unlikely… Besides, do we actually have any value left that’s worth trapping?”
Shen Bingsi choked. “Cough, cough, cough…”
“However, if you successfully overcome this calamity and recover your power, you can return to your position as an Adjudicator. Everything will return to the right track. That annoying Shang Qian won’t be able to cause trouble anymore, and Xiao Zhi will be able to come back…” Rong Xie sighed.
“True. Our ‘utilization value’ is actually quite high. If Elder Bai is smart, he should go all out to help me through this.” Shen Bingsi resumed his self-assured attitude. “But that method he mentioned… it couldn’t be one of those ‘proving the Dao by killing the person you truly love’ methods, could it? That kind of ridiculous trope that even a three-year-old knows—surely they don’t call that a top-secret of the Heartless Path Palace?”
“…”
Author’s Note: An early update for the Qixi Festival! [Scattering flowers]
Translator’s Note:
- Tiger’s Mouth (虎口 – Hǔkǒu): This refers to the webbed area of the hand between the thumb and the index finger. In martial arts and swordplay, this area often takes the brunt of the recoil when a weapon is struck.
- A Spent Force / Strong arrow at the end of its flight (強弩之末 – Qiáng nǔ zhī mò): An idiom referring to someone or something that was once powerful but has now lost its strength and is nearing its end.
- A Total Mess / A Pot of Porridge (一鍋粥 – Yī guō zhōu): A common idiom used to describe a situation that is chaotic, disorganized, or completely muddled.
- Qixi Festival: Often called the “Chinese Valentine’s Day,” it celebrates the annual meeting of the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl in mythology.
- Furnace Cauldron (爐鼎 – Lúdǐng): In cultivation novels, this refers to a person used as a tool for another’s cultivation, often through dual cultivation, where their energy is drained to benefit the “master.”
See you in the next chapter!
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