Chapter 47

Chapter 47

Qi Wuyu's consciousness ebbed and flowed, feeling on the brink of death, or perhaps lost in an endless dream, dreaming of many people.

Perhaps because it had been so long since anyone had called him "Qi Zhuo," he suddenly dreamed of events from long, long ago.

Those things long buried in the dust of his memory were dredged up again.

"Good heavens, my little ancestor, get down from there now!" Xu Shengyu called to him in a low voice, frantically reaching out, terrified the little troublemaker in the tree trying to steal a beast egg might slip and fall at any moment.

This little rascal had truly outdone himself in mischief. Barely taller than a sword, he dared sneak into the back mountains alone and try to snatch an egg right under the sleeping Black Roc's nose!

Qi Zhuo, young but bold, stretched his arm and fumbled around for a long time before finally touching the egg. A look of gleeful triumph spread across his face. Just as he was about to pull the egg out, he sensed something off about the air around him. Turning his head, he found himself staring right into the Black Roc's eye. He wasn't even as big as its beak. The Roc roared at him. Qi Zhuo, ever pragmatic, immediately clutched his head and yelled, "I was wrong! Master, save me!"

Before Qi Zhuo could be blown away, Xu Shengyu decisively grabbed him by the scruff of his neck, hauling him back like a chick. The grip was choking him. "Mas... ugh..."

Xu Shengyu looked and saw Qi Zhuo was nearly rolling his eyes.

Great. He didn't die by the Roc's beak, but almost died at the hands of his own master.

Xu Shengyu quickly set him down and channeled some spiritual energy into him. Looking down, he saw the brat, even in this state, was still clutching that egg!

"..."

Once he'd caught his breath, Qi Zhuo looked up at Xu Shengyu and gave a silly grin.

"What do you want that egg for?"

Qi Zhuo sat up. "For the hen."

Xu Shengyu: "?"

Qi Zhuo explained he had put a chicken egg in the Black Roc's nest, wanting the Roc and the hen to swap eggs for incubation, to see what might hatch.

Xu Shengyu: "..."

Is something wrong with you?

Qi Zhuo looked at the egg in his arms, much larger than a chicken egg, and worried on behalf of the hen. "Master, do you think the hen can hatch it?"

"Put that egg back right now!"

Xu Shengyu seized Qi Zhuo's ear, wrenching his head to the side. "Ow, Master, I know, I know, it hurts, it hurts!"

"Who's your master? I don't have a disciple like you!"

Xu Shengyu gave him a kick that sent him stumbling toward the Black Roc. Qi Zhuo landed sprawled on the Roc. He wrapped his arms around the Roc's neck, baring his teeth in an awkward smile, and offered the egg. "Is this the egg you lost?"

The Black Roc, a dignified creature, gave him a sidelong glance and couldn't be bothered with him further. It merely took the egg in its beak, placed it back in the nest, then extended a wing, gesturing for Qi Zhuo to get lost.

Back in the room, Xu Shengyu punished him by making him copy the *Scripture of Purity and Tranquility*. Qi Zhuo, used to this, recited as he wrote, dragging out each line interminably. Xu Shengyu yawned.

Qi Wuyu seemed to watch from an observer's perspective, not really looking at his younger self, but at Xu Shengyu.

In truth, so much time had passed. His memory of Xu Shengyu's face had grown fuzzy. He only remembered a little old man with a white beard. As a child, he had once tied the beard into a bow... and was punished with sweeping the courtyard for seven days.

Yes, he thought, he had been a troublemaker as a child, never going three days without causing some uproar, often making Xu Shengyu flush red with anger, veins bulging in his neck. Being punished with copying texts or extra training was a daily occurrence. Xu Shengyu probably wanted to expel Qi Zhuo from the sect at least four hundred days out of the year. His most frequent saying was: "I'm not your master! Whoever wants to be, can be!"

"Quite annoying," Qi Wuyu observed with detachment.

As he wrote, he grew up. As an adult, he was even more a born troublemaker. From the sect leader down to the newest junior disciple, there was no one he hadn't tricked. A new junior disciple, unfamiliar with many things, was coaxed by him into tasting a pill he had concocted himself, resulting in three days of diarrhea.

The one who suffered most from Qi Zhuo's antics was Xie Yongdao, often dragged into mischief by Qi Zhuo. Qi Zhuo was always the mastermind, Xie Yongdao always the one left holding the bag. Xie Yongdao felt he must have owed Qi Zhuo a great debt in a past life, one that remained unpaid even a century later.

Xu Shengyu saw red whenever he saw Qi Zhuo, yet he was also the most talented, learning everything quickly. Just past ten, he ranked near the top in the sect's grand competition. As soon as he was old enough to participate in the Qingmang Conference, he won it two years in a row.

This lovable yet detestable little disciple truly had Xu Shengyu at his wit's end.

He achieved fame young, his brilliance sharp and unconcealed. Some admired him, others envied him, but he gave it little thought—his attention was limited, reserved only for those who were good to him.

Then came the demonic uprising, their invasion of the mortal realm. Qi Zhuo used all his cultivation to power a sealing array, his hair turning snow-white in an instant. At that moment, he was desperate, charging headlong toward death. His body was pushed beyond its limits; the meridians within nearly shattered by the violently expelled spiritual energy. He plummeted from the sky as if a massive cauldron crushed his chest, blood flowing from all seven orifices.

It was Xu Shengyu who caught him, sealed his meridians, kept a sliver of life within him, and brought him back to the Tianyao Sect.

That battle claimed many lives in the Tianyao Sect. Xu Shengyu was also gravely injured. After handling numerous affairs and as the sect gradually returned to normalcy, he passed the leadership to Xie Yongdao. Then, he used his lifelong cultivation to exchange for a chance at life for Qi Zhuo.

He said, "I'm old now. At this age, there's nothing I haven't seen. It's all rather meaningless. Anyway, ascension is beyond my reach. This life is just about over. Since I'm going to die anyway, I might as well help him."

Xie Yongdao, holding the sect leader's seal, cried without shame.

Xu Shengyu ruffled his hair. "What are you crying for? I'm very confident leaving the Tianyao Sect to you."

"Master..."

"Alright." He sighed, looking at Qi Zhuo lying on the bed. "With so many sect leaders and elders, why did it have to be him?"

When Qi Zhuo awoke, there was almost no spiritual energy fluctuation in his body, like an ordinary mortal. He hadn't felt this heaviness in his body since he was four, finding it hard to adjust momentarily.

But having survived was fortune enough. What more could he ask for?

He turned his head and saw Xu Shengyu sitting beside him, head bowed, devoid of vitality. Qi Zhuo seemed to sense something, his heart pounding wildly. He gently patted his shoulder. Xu Shengyu startled awake.

"Hmm? How did I fall asleep?" He turned and saw Qi Zhuo. "Oh, decided to wake up?"

Only then did Qi Zhuo relax. "You scared me to death."

Xu Shengyu ruffled his head. "Such a scaredy-cat."

"Is it about being scared? You have no idea how frightening you looked just now..."

The moment he woke, he started chattering non-stop. Who knew where he got so many words? Asking about the demons one moment, the Tianyao Sect the next. Xu Shengyu showed not the slightest impatience. Qi Zhuo was surprised—he wasn't even being scolded? Since when did the old man have so much patience?

Not only did Xu Shengyu not scold him, he looked at him with a kind, almost doting expression, making Qi Zhuo's hair stand on end.

Xu Shengyu said, "I've passed the leadership to your senior brother."

Qi Zhuo's heart skipped a beat. "Why..."

Xu Shengyu raised a hand, cutting him off, and continued with a smile, "You're a hero to the whole world now. Go out and ask, even three-year-olds know your name. Worthy of being my disciple."

"I never wanted to be any hero..." Qi Zhuo lowered his head, idly tugging at the corner of his clothes.

Xu Shengyu's smile faded slightly, speaking almost earnestly, "Xiao Zhuo, the praise and adulation of the world isn't always a good thing. It can become a shackle. As long as you live a day as 'Qi Zhuo,' you'll be controlled for a day."

But Qi Zhuo was someone who absolutely refused to be constrained. He wanted freedom.

"So, your master has given you a new name." Xu Shengyu smiled, speaking slowly and deliberately. "How about 'Wuyu'? And... the surname 'Qi'."

As his words fell, his head drooped without warning, like a withered blade of grass.

"Qi Wuyu."

Qi Wuyu turned at the sound of his name and saw Xu Shengyu walking toward him. His eyes were red, but he couldn't resist a snarky remark: "That name you picked for me is awful."

Xu Shengyu laughed heartily. "Not pleasant, but you've answered to it for a hundred years."

Qi Wuyu snorted haughtily and asked, "Am I dying? Have you come to collect me?"

Xu Shengyu didn't answer directly. Instead, he countered, "Do you think you can die right now?"

Qi Wuyu was slightly taken aback.

Could he die?

It seemed he couldn't...

"Xiao Zhou..."

Before meeting Liu Nanzhou, he wouldn't have cared. But now, even disregarding the bond between them, he couldn't abandon Liu Nanzhou. His Heart Demon had been exposed, and he had been controlled by a demon. Those people would inevitably come for him.

"I can't die," Qi Wuyu stated.

Xu Shengyu, as if he'd expected this. "You're still young, no need to rush to see me. Go on, someone is waiting for you."

With that, he vanished like a wisp of white smoke. Qi Wuyu looked around, but before he could react, the pain in his body came rushing back, sharp and clear. It felt as if someone had pushed him, causing him to stumble and fall into the water. His mouth and nose submerged, and he smelled the metallic tang of blood.

"Cough—"

Qi Wuyu jolted upright, spitting out a mouthful of blood. Yao Shuning had been dozing, her head propped on a nearby table, and was startled by the sound, nearly bumping her head. She immediately rushed over, handing Qi Wuyu a cup of water. "Elder, you're finally awake!"

Qi Wuyu wiped the blood from his mouth, drank the water, his throat feeling as if it were filled with sawdust. "How long was I unconscious? Where are the others? Where's Xiao Zhou?"

Yao Shuning fell silent for a moment. Qi Wuyu frowned, his expression unusually stern. "Speak."

Looking at him, Yao Shuning said softly, "You've been unconscious for five days. The Sect Leader and Master didn't want to tell you... but..." Her eyes reddened, and tears fell. "Elder, you should go see. Junior Brother has been taken to the punishment platform."

Five days... it was far too late.

Qi Wuyu immediately got out of bed and ran out. Yao Shuning followed behind, struggling to keep up. "Elder, slow down!"

During these past few days, the various sects had been resting and recovering within the Five Cities of Tianmen. Usually, joint trials involving all four sects were held at Chaowu Tian, presided over by Si Muyun. Chaowu Tian had dedicated facilities for trials, but this time, the round trip was too troublesome. Moreover, many were still injured and unfit for travel, so a temporary venue was set up at the training grounds within the Five Cities of Tianmen.

The joint trial had been noisy and chaotic for two days. Jiang Ce's corpse was destroyed, his three souls thrown into the Soul-Devouring Lamp to suffer eternal fire punishment, never to reincarnate.

Yang Zhen surrendered all of Jiang Ce's lifetime's worth of talismans. Some, still unsatisfied, demanded that Zhou Xun be punished in his master's stead. Yang Zhen strongly defended him, finally stating: "I understand everyone's anger. Name any compensation you desire, and I won't say no to anything. If you wish to avenge or vent your anger for your fallen fellow disciples, come find me. I am ready at any time. However, one thing: this has nothing to do with the disciples of my sect, nor with Jiang Ce's disciples."

Zhuang Yanming, having experienced similar events himself, naturally did not make things difficult. The Tianyao Sect had its own troubles to deal with, and Xie Yongdao had no objections. Si Muyun had even less reason to say more.

Liu Nanzhou's situation was more complicated. Everyone had seen his Heart Demon Seal and witnessed him controlling other disciples, leading to infighting. From others' perspectives, he was solely responsible for the disciples turning on each other; even death wouldn't be an excessive punishment.

As Qi Wuyu's disciple, Si Muyun and Zhuang Yanming had no intention of making things hard for him. However, their own disciples had genuinely suffered harm, and they couldn't fail to seek justice for them. Otherwise, how could they explain things to their other disciples in the future?

Even if they didn't take the lead, other elders wouldn't let it go easily, especially since they had no personal ties with Qi Wuyu.

These two days of joint trial had primarily revolved around the dispute over Liu Nanzhou. Xie Yongdao argued with them for over a day, until he was hoarse, before finally securing Liu Nanzhou's life. Not only was it his duty as Sect Leader to protect Liu Nanzhou, but also, Qi Wuyu hadn't woken up yet. If he woke to find his disciple gone, wouldn't he go mad?

However, while the death penalty might be avoided, living punishment was hard to escape. Having harmed so many, receiving some penalty was inevitable.

He was ultimately sentenced to forty-nine lashes of the whip, to be carried out on the punishment platform at the Five Cities of Tianmen. This was the result Xie Yongdao fought for; otherwise, it would have been sixty-four.

The whip punishments of the Five Cities of Tianmen were notoriously severe, known throughout the land. They possessed a Green Frost Whip. It was formless, not even requiring human control. Once on the punishment platform, it would strike from the unseen. The person being punished wouldn't even know where the whip came from. Almost no one survived it.

Liu Nanzhou was already injured. Xie Yongdao and Shen You used their spiritual power as shields to block several lashes for him. Later, the spiritual shields shattered, and the Green Frost Whip struck his back.

Liu Nanzhou knelt on the high platform, his limbs bound by chains from the surrounding stone pillars. If not for the chains holding him up, he would have likely collapsed face-down.

The second lash followed immediately. Zhou Xun was sweating bullets for him. No one saw where the second whip came from. They only heard a "clang—" as a long sword cut through the wind, its spiritual light so brilliant it nearly blinded the onlookers.

"Who is that?"

"Seems like Qi Wuyu?"

Qi Wuyu stood sword in hand before Liu Nanzhou, his robes fluttering. His eyes were calm. With his upward-slanting eyes, he usually seemed perpetually smiling and easygoing, as if nothing in the world was truly serious to him, as if he could find a comfortable spot to lie down even if the sky were falling.

But when he wasn't smiling, one would realize his features were sharp, and his entire demeanor turned cold instantly, even somewhat aloof.

"His wrongs are mine to bear."

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Author's Note: Did he stand up? [eating melon]