Chapter 29 The Scheming Disciple and the Charming Master 29

Chapter 29: The Cunning Disciple and His Enchanting Master 29

Even Yin Shuangyue couldn't stand listening to this, and said with dissatisfaction:

"Hey?! What kind of talk is this? My young disciple just turned fifteen. How old is Immortal Venerable Huaiqing? Do the disciples of your Baqi Sect really talk about people like this?"

Many of the Sect Masters present also found it hard to listen further and stepped forward to speak for Lin Huaiqing.

"Exactly. I think this Baqi Sect disciple has no respect for his elders. Immortal Venerable Huaiqing is at least your senior. If you show him such disrespect, it serves you right that the Immortal Venerable's disciple struck you!"

Zhang Ting's face flushed red with embarrassment, and he said reluctantly:

"Nonsense! I never said such things!"

"Then find a disciple from another sect to prove it. If someone can vouch for you, our Xuantian Sect will consider that you never said it. But if no one can prove it..."

Chu Xiuyuan's teacup shattered with a sharp crack. The veins on his forehead bulged as he spoke in a dangerous tone:

"I'll destroy your cultivation!"

The Baqi Sect's targeting of the Xuantian Sect was nothing new.

The open and covert struggles between sects—he could treat them as a calculated game of give-and-take.

But if these people dared to speak rudely about his junior brother, then he would show them what real bullying looked like!

At these words, Zhang Ting trembled like a leaf, looking around desperately, hoping someone would step forward and lie for him.

But he hadn't even seen the disciples of the other sects before, and not a single one was willing to help him.

Yuan Tianba saw Zhang Ting shaking like a coward and shot him a venomous glare.

Then he turned to face Chu Xiuyuan, who sat in a high position.

"Chu Xiuyuan! Even if this is the territory of your Xuantian Sect, you have no right to punish a disciple of our Baqi Sect!"

"If your Baqi Sect doesn't know how to educate its disciples, what's wrong with me doing it for you?"

In the blink of an eye,

Before anyone could react, a blast of spiritual power struck Zhang Ting directly in the chest.

Chu Xiuyuan moved so swiftly that none of the Sect Masters even saw him move.

Though Zhang Ting was struck, he wasn't sent flying like he normally would have been, nor did he feel much pain.

But his dantian burned fiercely, and in an instant, something seemed to snap inside him.

His cultivation visibly plummeted.

From Foundation Establishment... down to Qi Refining...

Until all spiritual power within him was completely gone, and he became an ordinary person again.

Yuan Tianba was the first to react. "Chu Xiuyuan! What do you think you're doing?!"

"Rest assured, your disciple's spiritual root is still intact, and he can start cultivating again. I merely taught him a small lesson—a warning to anyone who might follow his example."

They could touch the Xuantian Sect if they wished, but laying a hand on his junior brothers and sisters meant only one thing—death!

Though Lin Huaiqing, seated in the hall, couldn't see, he could easily imagine the expression on Yuan Tianba's face.

Anger, hatred, and gnashing teeth.

Zhang Ting, struck by a blow from the Nascent Soul stage, naturally passed out cold.

The other Baqi Sect disciples carried him away.

Now the most panicked person in the hall was the Disciplinary Elder of the Baqi Sect.

He had come today hoping the Sect Master would defend him, but he hadn't expected Chu Xiuyuan to act so ruthlessly.

Losing cultivation levels was one thing, but if he had to start from scratch like Zhang Ting, he might as well be dead.

So he began communicating with Yuan Tianba through secret voice transmission.

"Sect Master, let's drop this matter for now."

"Let it go?! How can I let it go? Zhang Ting is my most valued disciple. The Xuantian Sect is throwing their weight around!"

"Sect Master, why not bide our time? Once we have solid evidence, we can hold the Xuantian Sect accountable."

That demonic cultivator, Qin, hadn't woken up yet. Once he did, they could send someone to watch him and find evidence of his demonic cultivation.

"It seems I have no other choice."

With that, Yuan Tianba could only return to his seat, seething silently.

"Since there's nothing more, let's continue discussing the matter of the demon race..."

Lin Huaiqing saw no reason to stay either. He made some excuse and left the meeting hall.

"Master..." Qin Du, lurking by the door, called out weakly.

Fearing that the Baqi Sect members might discover Qin Du was already awake, Lin Huaiqing quickly pulled his sleeve over Qin Du's head.

"We'll talk when we get back to Lingxiao Peak!"

Qin Du loved the feeling of flying on the sword with Lin Huaiqing. He leaned gently against his master's back, breathing in the pleasant scent of him.

He often wondered if Lin Huaiqing had put some kind of spell on him.

The closer he was to Lin Huaiqing, the more he craved him.

Back at Lingxiao Peak, Lin Huaiqing didn't send Qin Du to rest but called him into his main hall instead.

Since Qin Du was still injured, Lin Huaiqing let him sit down to talk.

Seeing Lin Huaiqing's sudden serious expression, Qin Du's heart began to race.

Though the Baqi Sect matter had been settled, he still needed to ask Qin Du something.

"Xiaodu, I'm going to ask you something, and you must answer truthfully."

"Yes, Master."

"Have you been practicing the Demonic Path?" Lin Huaiqing asked directly.

Qin Du thought for a moment. Did the techniques of dual cultivation of the immortal and demonic paths, as recorded in the *Discourse on Immortals and Demons*, count as demonic heresy?

For demons, it certainly wouldn't count. But for the righteous sects, it would still be considered a form of the Demonic Path.

After all, demons and humans have always been at odds. Even if they practiced the righteous path, these righteous sects would absolutely never tolerate their existence.

So how could anyone say he practiced the Demonic Path?

Having gotten his thoughts straight, Qin Du stubbornly insisted, "This disciple hasn't."

"Really?" Lin Huaiqing was somewhat skeptical.

But Qin Du answered without hesitation: "Really not!"

"Then how did you manage to knock that elder from the Baqi Sect down a realm with a single palm strike?"

"It was clearly because that elder's cultivation was unstable—built entirely on pills and elixirs. This disciple only wanted to protect himself, so he had no choice but to strike back with everything he had."

Half-truths and outright lies flowed smoothly from Qin Du's lips, leaving Lin Huaiqing with no choice but to believe him, doubts and all.

When faced with death, people often unleash power they never knew they had.

If Qin Du hadn't been pushed to the brink, why else would he have fought back so fiercely?

In the end, they were the ones who bullied Qin Du first, so they brought this on themselves.

After all, as the biggest villain, having some crazy abilities was only natural—otherwise, how could he go up against the protagonist?

"I believe you. Go on back and recover from your injuries."

Qin Du slowly rose and bowed to Lin Huaiqing, saying, "This disciple takes his leave."

Although he had deceived his master, it was unavoidable.

If his master knew he was a demon, would he still keep one by his side?

If that day truly came, he would surely go mad. He would do things beyond his control.

The technique of Dual Cultivation could rapidly boost his cultivation in a short time, but at the same time, it gradually awakened his demonic bloodline.

The demon race's inherent flaws—possessiveness, bloodlust—began to surface once he unsealed his demonic energy.

He could only hope... that he could hide it a little longer, and stay by his master's side for just a while more.