After Faking Her Death and Escaping, the Junior Sister Fell to the Demonic Path - Chapter 27

“I lost…”

Bai Qiyue’s voice trembled, and she gasped for air.

As if unable to accept the reality of her defeat, Bai Qiyue kept repeating two phrases:

“How is this possible!”

“How could I lose!”

But whether she believed it or not, she had lost.

The surrounding disciples saw clearly that the victor had been decided in just a few exchanges, yet the principal was unwilling to admit it.

“She lost, so she lost. There’s nothing to be ashamed of.”

“Say less. It’s not the loss of the match that’s bothering her; it’s fulfilling the agreement.”

“Never use a sword in this life? Hiss—that’s truly a death sentence for a Sword Cultivator.”

The disciple who spoke last couldn’t help but lovingly stroke his own sword a couple of times.

A Sword Cultivator’s sword was more important than their Taoist companion.

What difference was there between a Sword Cultivator without a sword walking around outside and running around naked?

Qin Qingyi also put away her sword, descended from the platform, and returned to the side of Venerable Wenqing.

Venerable Wenqing looked at her senior disciple who had returned to her side, then turned to look at Shangguan Yu: “Senior Sister, the victor is decided.”

She wanted them to hurry up and deal with these messy affairs so she could return to her peak and rest.

Shangguan Yu nodded, “Then—”

She stood up.

“We will first deal with these people.”

Shangguan Yu turned to look at the disciples who had been forgotten for quite a while, those who had participated in spreading the rumors, and raised an eyebrow.

Hearing that they were about to be dealt with, the hearts of many people rose, and for a moment, the front of the Hall of Enforcement was completely silent.

You could hear a pin drop.

“You have violated the sect rules, severely injured fellow disciples, and tarnished the Sword Sect’s reputation. Do you acknowledge your mistakes?”

Shangguan Yu questioned them. These erring disciples naturally assented, each one bowing their head in admission.

“Since you admit your mistakes, you will be dealt with according to the sect rules. Those who gathered to spread rumors are accessories, and the offense is not excessively severe. You will be punished with fifty strikes of the whip and ten years of solitude and cultivation on the Cliff of Contemplation, during which time your disciple supplies will be cut off. Do you accept the punishment?”

The whip strikes were used by the Sword Sect specifically to punish disciples who violated the rules. However, this whip strike was not the kind that lacerated the skin, but a special “whipping” that left the skin unharmed, only damaging the meridians.

This whipping was administered by an elder of the Hall of Enforcement wielding a whip made of special material. Every strike would make the punished disciple’s meridians feel a burning pain. After ten strikes, all the meridians in the body would feel fiery and agonizing, making life unbearable.

When Qin Qingyi heard “fifty strikes,” her body couldn’t help but tremble. Out of curiosity, she had once specially begged a certain elder to give her one strike, which resulted in her rolling on the floor in agony, almost unable to maintain her original form.

If the power of one strike was already so terrifying, fifty strikes would likely require half a year of bed rest to recover.

The Cliff of Contemplation was even more self-evident. It was the place where the Sword Sect specifically dealt with erring disciples. It was a deep ravine beneath a sheer cliff, perpetually shrouded in dense fog, where no sunlight could be seen, and spiritual energy was very scarce.

Upon hearing such a resolution, many disciples secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Thank goodness, it was only a few strikes of the whip, followed by contemplation and cultivation, and not expulsion from the sect.

Ten years was but a fleeting moment for a cultivator. As long as they could endure the solitude, cultivate peacefully, and temper their state of mind, their strength might even improve after emerging in ten years.

Consequently, many disciples accepted the punishment, allowing several elders to lead them away to receive their due.

With this group of disciples gone, the area suddenly became much emptier.

“Now, we will deal with the principal offenders.”

Shangguan Yu nodded, looking at Guan JingTong and the others.

Guan JingTong looked up upon hearing this, just meeting the Sect Master’s gaze. His heart jumped, and he quickly turned his head, not daring to meet her eyes again.

“You few extorted others’ property and took the opportunity to incite violence and injury. Although you were misled, since the deed has been done, there is no turning back.”

“Thus, this Venerable cannot protect you either. You have violated the sect rules and harmed the innocent. Effective immediately, your status as Sword Sect disciples is stripped. Pack your belongings and descend the mountain.”

This was to maintain Qin Qingyi’s previous decision regarding the punishment.

Hearing that they were to be expelled from the sect, Guan JingTong and the others turned utterly pale, pleading for mercy in turn, with continuous wailing and sobbing.

Unfortunately, Shangguan Yu and the elders showed no trace of compassion.

Elder Guan had the intention to plead again, but having been in the Sword Sect for many years, he was not someone who couldn’t read the room. Without even needing to open his mouth, he knew it would be futile even if he did.

In the end, he could only dejectedly lead Guan JingTong away, his formerly straight back slumped, looking as if he had aged many years overnight.

Next was Bai Qiyue.

At this moment, she was still slumped where the two had fought, as if she hadn’t recovered her senses.

The surroundings were silent, all waiting for the Sect Master’s decision.

Not to mention the disciples watching the excitement, they were now wide-eyed, afraid of missing any little detail.

Shangguan Yu walked step by step to Bai Qiyue, looked down at the crown of Bai Qiyue’s head, and said softly:

“Bai Qiyue.”

“You made a bet, so you must honor it. Make the vow.”

The Heavenly Vow was witnessed by the Heavenly Dao. As long as Bai Qiyue made the Heavenly Vow, it would be irreversible, and she would have no chance to use a sword in this life.

Bai Qiyue naturally knew this. She had never expected to lose, so she rashly agreed to the fight. Now that she had truly lost, she found it difficult to accept reality.

She lifted her head, looking at Shangguan Yu with teary eyes, her voice choked: “Sect Master…”

Shangguan Yu’s heart was as hard as iron: “Make the vow.”

There was no turning back now.

So Bai Qiyue’s tears streamed down, her eyes were red and wet, and her nose was also red from crying.

Seeing Bai Qiyue truly slowly raise her arm, making the posture for taking a vow.

“Disciple Bai Qiyue hereby vows…”

Following Bai Qiyue’s choked voice, a circle of light gradually floated up beneath her.

That was the proof that the Heavenly Vow was being recorded by the Heavenly Dao.

Once established, it would truly be irreversible.

The disciples watching the spectacle held their breath, and their hearts were also raised.

It was their first time seeing a scene like this.

“Wait—”

But before the vow could be completed, a voice came quickly from far to near.

Everyone was startled, and quickly looked toward the source of the sound.

They saw a glowing white figure drifting down from the juncture of the sky, proclaiming loudly:

“You must not take the vow!”

In the blink of an eye, the humanoid ball of light had arrived before everyone.

The newcomer grabbed Bai Qiyue, who was raising her hand and taking the vow, and having just settled, repeated: “You must not take the vow!”

Immediately, the white light of the Heavenly Vow dissipated, and the uncompleted oath was broken.

Seeing her, the grievance in Bai Qiyue’s heart instantly found an outlet for release. She threw herself into the person’s arms, sobbing: “Mother…”

This time, they saw clearly.

Qin Qingyi squinted, looking at the “ball of light” standing in front of Shangguan Yu and shielding Bai Qiyue in her arms, recognizing her as someone from the Medicine King Valley.

It wasn’t that she had seen her before; it was mainly because the attire of the Medicine King Valley was too easy to identify—

Although dressed in white, whether in sunlight or in the dark, it always emitted an ethereal, glossy light. It was just brighter in the daytime with the sun’s enhancement, and weaker at night, but it could still illuminate about ten feet around.

Qin Qingyi squinted because the light on the person was truly too bright.

The sun was strong today, and with it shining on this person, it made her face even harder to discern, making it impossible to tell what she looked like.

It was truly an oddity in the Xuan Tian Realm.

And because they were too conspicuous, they could be recognized at a glance wherever they went, and the disciples of the Medicine King Valley were once pursued and killed by the Demon Race as targets.

When everyone else wasn’t conspicuous, and only you were sparkling and being unconventional, who else would they target but you?

This resulted in the once populous Medicine King Valley being slaughtered until only a few disciples remained, and even after a hundred years of recovery, they could not return to their former prosperity.

But that was a long time ago. Now… Qin Qingyi thought for a moment. Her fox clan grandmothers told her this story, saying it was a piece of interesting news from hundreds of years ago, when the Demon Race was the nightmare of the entire Xuan Tian Realm.

But now, Qin Qingyi remembered that the Demon Race had been very low-profile since she was conscious.

No wonder the Medicine King Valley dared to wear white again now; turns out their natural enemy was gone.

But now didn’t seem to be the time to think about this sort of thing.

“Why go to such lengths?” the ball of light advised.

“It was just a child’s momentary mischief. Why must it reach the point of demanding a Heavenly Vow?”

Although the words were humble, they were fiercely protective.

But Shangguan Yu did not humor her.

“As a disciple of the Sword Sect, violating the sect rules must be punished according to the Sword Sect’s laws. She actively provoked others, and now that she has lost, she doesn’t keep her promise. Arrogant, presumptuous, and goes back on her word, utterly witless—”

Shangguan Yu looked directly at the person in front of her, the words she spoke devoid of emotional fluctuation.

“Bai Lan, is this how you taught her?”

The words were quite severe.

The woman named Bai Lan did not speak, but the atmosphere between the two gradually dropped to freezing point.

Seeing that the situation was taking a bad turn, Venerable Wenqing quickly stepped forward and played the peacemaker again: “Hey, hey, hey, alright, alright, let’s talk things out properly.”

First, she said to Shangguan Yu: “Senior Sister, don’t get angry yet. She just arrived and doesn’t know what happened.”

Then she said to Bai Lan: “You don’t know anything, so what are you fussing about?”

Then she noticed Bai Lan’s still-glowing clothes, frowned, and said: “First, take off that ridiculous thing on your body! Everyone else is normal, and you’re all sparkly and shimmering. How does that look!”

Bai Lan twitched her mouth. Her temper, which was ready to erupt, also vanished. She insisted: “What do you know? This is the unique characteristic of my Medicine King Valley!”

Though she said that, she obediently put away the glowing outer robe into her storage bracelet.

The ball of light dissipated, and Qin Qingyi and the others finally saw her face clearly.

It was indeed an extremely beautiful face.

Ink-black hair, red lips, and a white dress like a celestial being.

Zhou Zhixue next to her couldn’t help but whisper a compliment: “She’s so beautiful.”

The few people nearby nodded.

She was indeed beautiful.

“Bai Qiyue, as a Sword Sect disciple, violated the sect rules. What’s wrong with me punishing her according to the sect laws?” Shangguan Yu lightly reprimanded with a frown.

These words made Bai Qiyue’s face, who was hiding in Bai Lan’s arms, even paler. The tears that had stopped began to fall again.

Bai Lan lovingly comforted her in a low voice. Hearing Shangguan Yu’s words, she opened her mouth to retort: “She is my child, the successor of my Medicine King Valley, not a person of your Sword Sect.”

These words were a refusal to acknowledge Shangguan Yu’s punishment of Bai Qiyue.

Consequently, Shangguan Yu’s expression grew colder.

The two were at loggerheads, looking as if they would start fighting at any moment.

“Let’s go back and discuss whatever needs to be discussed. There are too many disciples here, and it’s generally not a good look.”

Venerable Wenqing persuaded them, half-pulling and half-coaxing the two away.

The remaining elders realized that the next matters did not require them and left on their swords one after another.

The surrounding disciples also gradually dispersed when they saw there was no more excitement to watch.

In the end, only the four “left-behind children” of Hidden Snow Peak remained.

Venerable Wenqing only managed to pull Shangguan Yu and Bai Lan away but forgot that her four disciples were still there.

Of course, perhaps she remembered but simply didn’t have the time to deal with them.

“What about us?”

Hu Yu asked doubtfully.

Their master was gone, so what about them?

Qin Qingyi rolled her eyes at him, “Let’s go, to the Sword Wielding Peak.”

“This matter isn’t over yet.”

With that, she took the lead and left on her sword with Zhou Zhixue.