After Being Forced Into This Obsessive Love, the Master Is Starting to Get a Little Hooked - Chapter 4

He turned to look at the three youths, his expression cold and stern, as if he could freeze them solid the next second. “Speak. What exactly happened?”

As the author, he knew exactly what had happened.

Ever since Shi Changting had a falling out with his senior brother regarding his suspicions about Bian Menghan’s identity, the senior brother had followed his instructions and devised a series of test plans.

However, neither of them expected that although Bian Menghan was young, he was deep and reserved, never showing his joy or anger on his face.

Though only nineteen, he seemed even more unfathomable than the ancient monsters who had lived for hundreds of years.

Nineteen was no different from a mere toddler to a demonic cultivator who could live for thousands of years.

No matter how they tested him, Bian Menghan remained as steady as a rock, without revealing a single flaw.

Impatient, Lan Qiao decided to make a big move.

Just then, the “Trial of Ten Thousand Beasts,” which only opened once every fifty years, began.

As the master’s first disciple, it was only natural for Bian Menghan to be sent out to lead the sect’s disciples to the Youfang Valley.

According to the pre-set plot, the group encountered a powerful ancient divine beast upon entering the depths of the valley.

The three youths, having received their orders in advance, worked together to stab Bian Menghan in the back, sending him straight to the beast’s jaws.

In that life-or-death moment, Bian Menghan had no choice but to reveal his identity as a demonic cultivator.

In that instant, Bian Menghan was surrounded by thick, demonic energy that rushed to the heavens. His eyes were blood-red, and a strange purple light flickered between his brows. Even just getting close to him would cause one to be torn to pieces by that overwhelming power.

Although the ancient divine beast was eventually successfully destroyed, several innocent fellow disciples were injured in the process.

It was a simple matter, but in the mouths of those few youths, the story took a completely different turn.

It was clearly they who had set the trap, while Bian Menghan had turned the tide and saved everyone’s lives. But as they told it, it became that Bian Menghan had provoked the beast to go mad and harm people, while the three of them had saved everyone from danger.

Shi Changting felt alarm bells ringing in his heart. Cold sweat broke out all over his body.

He hurriedly stopped them, saying through gritted teeth, “Silence! What kind of nonsense are you spouting!”

Shi Changting’s chest heaved violently as he gasped for air, cutting off the suicidal behavior of these youths.

Darn it! Are you aware of what you are saying? You are slandering the future leader of the demon race! If you want to die, that is fine, but I have not lived enough yet!

However, to the onlookers who did not know the truth, Shi Changting’s expression merely looked like he was angry because his disciple was being slandered. Nothing more.

Only the semi-conscious little disciple, in a moment no one paid attention to, kept his face expressionless. However, deep in his eyes, a storm was brewing, dark and oppressive, as if he were preparing for an even larger catastrophe.

The youths looked at each other, confused by the situation. They could not help but grumble internally.

It was the Sect Leader who told us to do this! But in front of everyone, we cannot name him directly, and the words already spoken cannot be taken back. We are caught in a dilemma and have to steel ourselves to repeat:

“We are not lying. We truly are not lying.”

Several sect elders had long been dissatisfied with Shi Changting. He relied on his outstanding looks and strength to be arrogant and aloof, always looking down on everyone. It was truly detestable. Now that they had caught him in a trap, how could they not attack?

“Immortal Venerable Changting, what do you mean by this? Are you saying these disciples are lying, slandering your disciple for hiding as a demonic cultivator within our immortal sect and harming fellow disciples with ulterior motives?”

“Exactly! Immortal Venerable Changting, the facts are right in front of us. Your favoritism is way too obvious.”

“It is not just favoritism! It is a total lack of judgment! So many disciples saw it with their own eyes. Are you saying they are all liars?”

“So! Is your disciple so noble? Everyone is targeting him? If so, he should reflect on whether he has acted poorly in the past. Now that he has committed a crime, he is facing the consequences of everyone turning against him. It is purely his own fault.”

Damn you all! Shi Changting screamed in his heart. You are all too ruthless! Menghan is still a child! How can you be so heartless? What am I supposed to do now? You get to punish him and feel good for a moment, but in the future, he is going to make me pay! I do not want that!

Although he was howling inside, Shi Changting did not show a hint of it on his face. He knew there was no defending this, and his knuckles turned white from the tension. His mind was in turmoil.

Shi Changting decided that this matter could not be investigated further, and he certainly could not let these disciples reveal that he had ordered it and his senior brother had carried it out. Otherwise, all his hard acting work would be in vain.

Fortunately, he had only told Lan Qiao about this, and the other elders did not know. The disciples were only doing as they were told and would not dare to talk more. There was still room to remedy the situation.

But the fact that so many disciples were injured was undeniable, and the other elders and disciples were looking on, waiting for an explanation.

Shi Changting gritted his teeth and thought for a moment. Suddenly, it was as if he had made a firm decision.

The truth did not matter. But someone had to take the blame for this. If that was the case, he might as well be the one to take it! Let the storm rage on!

Shi Changting sighed in his heart, not expecting that the bitter meat strategy would arrive so soon.

Forget it, Shi Changting comforted himself, if you cannot risk the child, you cannot trap the wolf. If you cannot risk your body, you cannot trap the scoundrel! It is just a body full of scars, which is still better than having my rear end torn apart.

He took a deep breath, his expression determined as if facing certain death. “Menghan is young. Even if he did something wrong, he should be punished, but he cannot withstand this kind of punishment. I am his master. If he committed a mistake, it is also because of my poor guidance. Since that is the case, I will bear all his punishments today.”

Lan Qiao was shocked!

“Junior Brother! What are you doing? Do you know what you are saying?”

Shi Changting did not reply. He looked at the crowd with a heroic, tragic expression that brooked no argument. “Harm to fellow disciples, while understandable, is a crime that must be punished. According to sect rules, he deserves 33 disciplinary lashes. I will bear them in his stead!”

He paused, took a deep breath, and looked into Lan Qiao’s eyes. “Sect Leader Senior Brother, please administer the punishment.”

His gaze seemed to say, Yes, Senior Brother, you heard me right. Do not doubt it; hurry up and hit me!

Lan Qiao was stunned.

Shi Changting was usually cold, arrogant, and seemingly laid-back with no temper. But having been his senior brother for hundreds of years, Lan Qiao knew clearly how cold and stubborn he was deep down.

He could not change his mind once he decided something.

Although Lan Qiao did not know what medicine the other was selling in his gourd, he knew by Shi Changting’s stance that this had to be done.

He cleared his throat in a performative manner and said, “Immortal Venerable Changting makes a valid point. Since he has requested it, let it be done.”

With a few words, Shi Changting defined the incident as Bian Menghan accidentally harming fellow disciples, rather than doing it on purpose, which saved face for both sides.

An elder who was dissatisfied with the punishment wanted to argue, but upon seeing the expressions of the two brothers, he swallowed his words.

These 33 lashes would be a severe enough punishment.

There was no rush.