I Accidentally Triggered the Restricted Punishment Protocol - Chapter 25

The sudden rain had just ceased. In its wake, the ruins of the Fragrance Pavilion appeared even more faded, a landscape of broken bricks, tiles, and scorched earth. Fortunately, when the fire first broke out, most people in the building had managed to escape, resulting in few casualties.

Lin Wujiu walked a circle around the site but found no trace of the Lord of Wuxiang mentioned by Yi Hanxing. Just as he intended to return and question her further, he heard Wu Yingzi’s voice from behind. “Senior Uncle Lin!”

Previously, Wu Yingzi, Jiang Yinghui, and their group had been locked in a stalemate with the Ghost Market’s subordinates. However, half an incense stick ago, the Ghost Market’s men seemed to receive an order from the Lord of Wuxiang. They abruptly ceased fighting and vanished in the blink of an eye. Within moments, the entire Ghost Market was empty, as if it had evaporated from the world.

Wu Yingzi, still catching her breath, began to report her findings. “We discovered a secret passage beneath the Linlang Mansion. Inside, we found the missing Yuxu Mountain disciples. We also rescued the slaves intended for auction at the Wanbao Assembly.”

“Three of our disciples are injured, but everyone has returned to the Yule Inn to await orders. Miss Wei is with us as well. She is incredible; she rescued more than half of the slaves single handedly!”

Her excitement faded slightly, and after a moment of hesitation, she whispered, “However, midway through, Senior Uncle Jiang said he saw a suspicious figure and gave chase. We have lost contact with him.”

She had not spent much time with Jiang Yinghui. She had only heard that he had suffered a facial injury years ago that left him with a nasal affliction, causing his mental state to be somewhat unstable. The juniors were all quite afraid of him, so they had not dared to stop him.

Lin Wujiu stepped aside, revealing a corpse covered in a white cloth. “I just found the remains of your Senior Uncle Jiang.”

Wu Yingzi’s face turned pale. She lifted the white cloth and stared in stunned silence for a long time. “Was he killed by the Ghost Market Master?”

Lin Wujiu nodded. “Regrettably, I arrived too late to save Junior Brother Jiang.”

As a fellow sect member, Wu Yingzi felt a deep sorrow. “The Ghost Market Master is truly cruel and savage. Senior Uncle Jiang’s neck was even…”

Suddenly, her expression sharpened. “The demonic energy on the wound is so dense! The Ghost Market Master has indeed fallen into the demonic path!”

She then added in surprise, “Demonic cultivators have been extinct among the immortal sects for years. The remaining natural demons are mindless beasts. Where did this Ghost Market Master come from?”

Lin Wujiu did not answer, sighing inwardly. It has been so many years, Junior Brother Ye. The young generation of the immortal sects has not even heard your name anymore.

Wu Yingzi continued, “By the way, Senior Uncle, you sent a message asking us to help Miss Yi leave, but we went to the place you specified and did not see anyone.”

“Is that so?” Lin Wujiu, preoccupied with his thoughts, nodded. “I will go search for her again. Now that the Lord of Wuxiang has disappeared, she should be safe.”

He paused, lowering his gaze. “If the Ghost Market Master intends to hide, it will be impossible for us to find him. Pass on my orders; tell everyone to prepare to return to Yuxu Mountain.”

Wu Yingzi was still indignant, but her words were interrupted by the communication jade slip at Lin Wujiu’s waist.

“Master?” Lin Wujiu answered the transmission.

Hearing it was the Sect Master of Yuxu Mountain, Wu Yingzi immediately held her breath and respectfully withdrew. If anyone else had been present, they would have been shocked to hear that the world’s foremost sword cultivator, rumored to be able to split mountains and seas, was actually a woman with a remarkably young voice.

Inside the jade slip, her voice was muffled, as if she were chewing something. “Wujiu, I just heard from Ling Xiaozi that his disciple Jiang Yinghui’s life lamp has gone out.”

After Lin Wujiu finished explaining the events at the Ghost Market, Han Shengyue, the Sect Master, gave a thoughtful hum. “The Lord of Wuxiang sounds a bit like Mitian.”

She thought for a moment and added, “Even so, bring everyone back first. That person’s cultivation is above yours. Even if you find him, you have no chance of winning.”

Lin Wujiu showed no sign of being offended by the dismissal of his strength. He remained respectful. “I agree with your assessment. I will return immediately.”

“Good. By my count, the Ascension Ceremony is in ten days. We agreed to take that opportunity to have you succeed me as Sect Master. You should return early to prepare,” Han Shengyue said between chews.

Lin Wujiu looked helpless. “Master, are you ignoring the doctor’s orders and sneaking food again?”

Han Shengyue muttered something to the effect of children not meddling in adult business. Lin Wujiu sighed and returned to the matter at hand, offering his usual refusal. “While Master is still here, how could I dare to take the title of Sect Master?”

“Enough of that. You know that the strike Mitian gave me years ago damaged my heart meridians. I have spent these years in seclusion just to survive.” There was a rustling sound from the jade slip, likely Han Shengyue peeling melon seeds. “Every generation brings forth new talents. We old waves will eventually be pushed aside by the new.”

“Besides, we need to form the Immortal Alliance later. If you do not become Sect Master first, those old fogies in high positions will never agree to give you the title of Immortal Venerable.”

Lin Wujiu’s expression darkened. “The Phoenix Platform incident years ago was a bloodbath that cost us many elites. Because of that, rumors spread that forming an alliance and the title of Immortal Venerable are unlucky. That is why the sects have remained independent for so long. Reforming the alliance now will be difficult.”

Han Shengyue scoffed. “They are all old men with one foot in the grave. Only a fool would believe them! When I first proposed the alliance, they made excuses because they knew their own contributions in the Great Demon War were pathetic compared to Yuxu Mountain. They simply do not want others to have what they lack. They stall and ignore orders. Otherwise, the title of Immortal Venerable would have been yours long ago.”

Lin Wujiu was silent for a moment before whispering, “If we are talking about military merit, how could I possibly compare to Junior Brother Ye?”

“I say you compare, so you do,” Han Shengyue muttered. “Besides, you two are different. A general is brave, but he cannot be the Crown Prince. In my heart, the position of Sword Sect Master was always meant for you.”

Lin Wujiu finally smiled slightly. “I will not fail your expectations, Master.”

He fell silent for a moment then asked, “According to tradition, the winner of the annual Ascension Ceremony receives a prize?”

Han Shengyue replied, “Yes, usually just a spiritual pill or an artifact from the sect treasury. Why do you ask?”

“After Qin Shiyue died, her natal sword, Autumn Water, sealed itself. It is currently at the Myriad Sword Cliff.” Lin Wujiu rubbed the worn prayer beads on his wrist and said calmly, “I want to offer the Autumn Water Sword as the prize for the top disciple in this year’s assembly.”

The chewing sound from the jade slip stopped. Han Shengyue’s voice sounded again, filled with emotion. “Wow, my eldest disciple is quite devious. If Mitian knew you were giving away Qin Shiyue’s things, he would crawl out of his coffin to fight you one more time.”

Lin Wujiu smiled, thinking, Then let him come.

Rain pitter pattered against the eaves. Amidst the sound of flowing water, Yi Hanxing opened her eyes. She woke up with her body aching all over, especially her lower half, which felt as if it had been run over by a wheel.

Back at the Golden Scale Palace, although it was her first time, she had treated Qin Wuzhou as a tool and managed the pace herself to avoid injury. But the battle between them last night was as if they would not stop until one of them died in bed. She was surprised she was still breathing.

She forced herself up on her elbows. As expected, that heartless demon had simply put on his pants and left. There was no post coital tenderness, nor had he helped her clean up. She wondered how long she had been asleep. Given her furnace constitution designed for dual cultivation, she hoped it would not be easy to conceive.

The burning sensation in her abdomen was gone, leaving only the vibrant spider lily tattoo quietly waiting to bloom. Yi Hanxing carefully recalled the events of last night, trying to find peace in the chaos. The room had been dimly lit, and she had covered his eyes for most of the time, so he likely had not noticed the mark on her abdomen.

A stack of clean clothes sat by the bed, but Qin Wuzhou was nowhere to be found. Shivering, Yi Hanxing dressed herself and stepped out of bed with worry. She walked like a toddler taking first steps, holding her waist like an elderly woman.

As she stumbled along, she occasionally felt a warm trickle down her leg. Her face flushed red and white, thankful that Qin Wuzhou could not see her in this state. The two of them were clearly incompatible. Including the incident at the Golden Scale Palace, there had been two encounters, both of which only happened because their minds were clouded. Otherwise, she would never be able to have such intimate contact while conscious.

The Fragrance Pavilion was eerily quiet after the fire. She had no idea what the situation was outside. Just as she was debating whether to find a way to message Lin Wujiu, a white pigeon flew from the sky and landed before her, a note tied to its leg.

In this world’s chaotic mix of technologies, communication could happen via phone like jade slips, traditional mail, or carrier pigeons. Because things had happened so fast, Yi Hanxing had not exchanged jade slip frequencies with Lin Wujiu, so he had to use a pigeon.

The note was indeed from Lin Wujiu. He asked about her well being and mentioned that he had to return to Yuxu Mountain following orders from his sect. He told her she could contact him anytime if she needed help.

Relieved that he had not been killed by Qin Wuzhou, Yi Hanxing found a charcoal pencil and paper in the pigeon’s small bag. She scribbled a quick reply saying she was safe and tied it to the pigeon’s leg along with the Shura Sword. The pigeon let out a pained cry at the weight and hobbled away into the air.

Yi Hanxing remembered seeing an outdoor hot spring nearby when she was being chased by Jiang Yinghui. She found it and entered. Inside was a large bath divided by rockeries for men and women, and surprisingly, the water was still hot and clean.

She was delighted and stepped into the water, but the heat immediately caused the small scratches, bites, and tears on her skin to sting. Her delight turned to anger.

“Damn you, Qin Wuzhou! You scum! You piece of trash! The absolute worst of the worst!”

She grumbled while washing herself carefully, her face scrunched in pain. Fortunately, her furnace body recovered quickly. By the time she finished soaking, most of her wounds were nearly healed.

However, her anger remained. She cursed Qin Wuzhou and eighteen generations of his ancestors, splashing the water in frustration. “You better not let me catch you again. If you fall into my hands, I will!”

“You will what?” a voice said suddenly from behind the rockery.

A tall figure leaned against the craggy rocks, his presence reflected in the water. He had his arms folded, his face partially obscured by the rising steam. He wore a faint smile, and droplets of water dripped from his black hair.

Recognizing his face, Yi Hanxing immediately became as quiet as a cornered quail. “Master.”

Qin Wuzhou raised an eyebrow. “I am no longer scum or trash?”

Yi Hanxing was too embarrassed to argue over the names and quickly changed the subject. “What are you doing here?”

“Am I not allowed to use this hot spring too?” Qin Wuzhou asked.

Yi Hanxing thought, His tone is so aggressive.

Fortunately, while his words were sharp, his behavior was respectful. He remained on the men’s side of the pool and did not approach. Yi Hanxing swam toward the edge. He watched her silently, and she felt his gaze like a thorn in her back. Knowing she was in the wrong, she did not dare speak. She dressed quickly and turned around to find Qin Wuzhou had also stepped out of the water. He was facing away as he dressed. He had indeed been shirtless while soaking, and the scratch marks on his well defined back were startling.

However, what shocked her most was the dark red scar running down his entire spine. She stared too long, and Qin Wuzhou seemed to sense it. He paused while dressing and met her gaze. Yi Hanxing immediately looked down to hide her curiosity.

The backlash from the Glass Sun had ended, but Qin Wuzhou felt a throbbing headache once again. He restrained himself, deciding to show mercy to his bold disciple. Controlling his emotions, he said blankly, “Who were you messaging with that pigeon?”

“You even saw that, Master?” How long has he been watching me from the shadows!

Qin Wuzhou seemed to read her mind and let out a frustrated laugh. “I simply sensed a ripple of spiritual energy.”

That’s good then; he isn’t so vulgar as to watch someone bathe. Seeing his displeasure, Yi Hanxing confessed honestly, “I was just telling Immortal Lin that I am safe.”

Qin Wuzhou tied his belt tightly. “You remembered to find him as soon as you woke up. Should I praise you for being so diligent with your mission?”

Yi Hanxing smiled awkwardly. “Thank you for the praise, Master. It is just my duty as your disciple.”

Qin Wuzhou gave a hollow laugh and walked past her. As he did, he flicked his fingers and rapped her hard on the head. “Insulting your master, how disrespectful.”

“Ouch!” Yi Hanxing clutched her head. As he walked a few steps away, his lazy voice drifted back. “Stop standing there and follow me. We are leaving!”

Yi Hanxing jogged to catch up. She suddenly remembered something. “Master, I have one more thing I want to do.”

Flames licked the wood as a fire roared, quickly consuming Ding Wa’s body.

“This is the thing you wanted to do?” Qin Wuzhou asked, his voice calm as he watched with his arms folded. “Why not bury him properly?”

Yi Hanxing stood quietly to the side. “He was bound by this Ghost Market his whole life. I do not think he would want to be buried beneath it after death. I want to scatter his ashes in the water, hoping he will be free in his next life and no longer a furnace.”

Qin Wuzhou glanced at her. “You used to faint at the sight of blood. Why were you fine while handling the corpse just now?”

Yi Hanxing shook her head. “Have you heard the saying? People are not afraid of the ghosts of those they were close to.”

She gathered Ding Wa’s ashes into a pile. Qin Wuzhou disappeared for a moment and returned with an exquisite ceramic jar painted with fish. Yi Hanxing took it and noticed an inscription on the bottom: Wishing the Lord of Wuxiang eternal life.

Qin Wuzhou guessed her thoughts and said lazily, “It is not mine; it belonged to the previous Lord.”

Since that was the case, Yi Hanxing had no qualms. She carefully collected the ashes but realized she did not know where to find flowing water. At that moment, Qin Wuzhou spoke again. “Follow me.”

Is this man a psychic?

Yi Hanxing muttered to herself as she followed him. Soon, a gurgling stream appeared. Though it was an underground river, the water was crystal clear with small fish swimming about. The surface shimmered under the light of the night pearls on the ceiling.

As she watched Ding Wa’s ashes drift away with the current, Yi Hanxing felt the silence was too heavy. She glanced at the expressionless Qin Wuzhou beside her. Unused to being so peaceful with him, she made small talk. “By the way, Master, why did you become the Lord of Wuxiang?”

Qin Wuzhou curled his lips. “What, finally interested in my affairs?”

Yi Hanxing remained silent.

Having successfully rendered his disciple speechless, he looked satisfied. Seeing her regretful expression, he felt like talking. “About a hundred years ago, I woke up in the Skeleton Ruins and needed a specific spiritual medicine to heal. The herbs were rare, but I heard someone was auctioning them at the Wanbao Assembly, so I came to take them.”

Yi Hanxing mentally replaced “take” with “rob.” “And then? You met the previous Lord, he refused to give them up, and you killed him?”

Qin Wuzhou snapped his fingers. “Not stupid after all.”

She had been praised, but she wasn’t particularly happy about it. “Then how did you become the new Lord?”

Qin Wuzhou gave a disdainful smile. “The Ghost Market has an unwritten rule: whoever kills the previous Lord becomes the new master of the market.”

Did he kill the previous Lord on purpose just to take over? Knowing his ambition in the original book, Yi Hanxing figured she was right.

“I had already become the Sect Master of the Hehuan Sect and occasionally had no time for affairs here, so I found a proxy. Who knew that coward would dare to use my name to act like a tyrant? He built the Fragrance Pavilion to sell furnaces and even colluded with the immortal sects.”

He rubbed his forehead in annoyance. “That fool saw I was injured in the Skeleton Ruins and assumed I had no time for the market. He cut off contact with me. I only learned what was happening after I entered with you.”

Yi Hanxing blurted out, “So the missing Yuxu Mountain disciples were not captured by you?”

Qin Wuzhou sneered. “I settle my debts directly. If I wanted to kill, I would kill Lin Wujiu or Jiang Yinghui. Why would I bother with weak disciples? That fool had a disagreement over spoils with the sects and captured their people out of spite, causing this mess!”

Yi Hanxing realized the truth behind the plot. There were indeed two Lords of Wuxiang. It made sense why Qin Wuzhou, despite being injured, had forced himself to move against Lin Wujiu; he was trying to fix a situation that had spiraled out of his control. She found it slightly funny that the all powerful villain of the original book had such useless subordinates. Evil truly could not triumph over good.

However, she grew worried again. The Ghost Market and the immortal sects were working together, and she wondered how many innocent lives had been ruined.

The underground river flowed past a gentle slope. From where they stood, they could see most of the Ghost Market. After the chaos of yesterday, the fires were out, but the damage remained. Most of the buildings had collapsed, and residents as small as ants were moving through the ruins. Some areas already had scaffolding for repairs.

Yi Hanxing looked out for a while. “Will the Fragrance Pavilion be rebuilt?”

Qin Wuzhou looked at the ruined building beside her. “It is not a place of good memories. Let it stay destroyed.”

Yi Hanxing thought that even if the building was gone, the furnaces inside would be displaced. Qin Wuzhou did not like forced labor and might provide for them, but could he save them forever? She thought of the furnaces who returned even after being rescued, of A Yu who took a sword to seek revenge, and of the slain guards and cultivators. She remembered his words: The fool who thought he could save the world alone is dead.

She couldn’t help but look at him. The light of the pearls reflected in his golden eyes, making them glow like a sunset. He stood with his hands behind his back, watching the view. “Speaking of which, our fate as master and disciple began here as well.”

Yi Hanxing was confused. “What?”

Qin Wuzhou assumed she knew the original body’s origin and did not elaborate. He gestured at his waist with a slight smile. “When I first saw you, you were only this high. You couldn’t even reach the top of my head if you jumped.”

This sudden show of warmth left Yi Hanxing speechless. She wondered why the disciple would want to jump up and hit her master’s head in the first place. Fortunately, Qin Wuzhou was used to her silence and continued his reminiscing. “You were quite a brat back then. It was fun. I tricked you into believing that watermelon seeds would sprout in your stomach if you swallowed them. You believed it and refused to leave the house for ten days because you were afraid of the sun. When your Senior Brother tried to drag you out, you cried and hugged the doorpost. Haha!”

Yi Hanxing thought, I was a fool to think for a moment that this was a touching moment.

The scum master continued to laugh, mimicking a young girl’s voice perfectly. “You cried and screamed, ‘Master, save me! I think green leaves are growing in my stomach! I don’t want to die!’ Haha, so stupid.”

Her fists clenched. “Master, have you ever been hit with an ash jar?” She held up the ceramic bottle.

Qin Wuzhou dodged nimbly and continued laughing without regret. “You were so ugly when you cried. Tears and snot were running together, and you even got some in your mouth. So dirty.”

He stopped laughing and looked at her with feigned disgust. Yi Hanxing snapped, “I stopped eating snot a long time ago!”

After finishing his mockery, he turned to leave. “Come on, Snot Bug.”

Yi Hanxing was furious. “Do not call me that!”

“Fine,” Qin Wuzhou said without looking back. “Come on, Crybaby.”

“That isn’t any better!” Yi Hanxing grumbled. She followed him anyway. “Where are we going now?”

“Back to Qingtang Valley.”

With a Spirit Severing cultivator leading the way, they returned to the Hehuan Sect in an instant. Seeing the familiar Golden Scale Palace again, Yi Hanxing felt like an eternity had passed. Her gaze immediately fell on the large bed with the curtains. It was so massive that anyone entering would notice it first.

“You go back first,” Qin Wuzhou started to say, then followed her gaze and stopped mid sentence.

Being caught staring twice in one day made Yi Hanxing awkward. She tried to make small talk. “Master, your bed is quite large and very soft. It’s more comfortable than the ones at the Fragrance Pavilion.”

Qin Wuzhou closed his eyes tightly. When he spoke, he was brief. “Get out.”

So Yi Hanxing left quickly. Left alone in the empty hall, Qin Wuzhou took several deep breaths and messaged Nan Xun. “Come here.”

Soon, Nan Xun appeared in his wheelchair at the door with a serious expression. “Master summoned me?”

“Come in.” Qin Wuzhou started to sit on the bed to talk, but as soon as he touched it, he remembered his disciple’s words. The bed suddenly felt like a bed of nails, and he stood back up.

“Master?” Nan Xun noticed his strange behavior. “Is Master unwell? I heard of a mortal ailment called hemorrhoids that makes it painful to sit or stand. Shall I find a skilled doctor to perform a permanent cure?”

“Shut up.”

Nan Xun shook his head. “Ignoring an illness is not wise. A ruler should listen to all advice. Master will lead thousands in the future; how can you be afraid of a minor ailment?”

“Stop caring about my backside!”

Qin Wuzhou rubbed his temples and sat down in a chair instead, looking disgusted. “I am not sick. I am fine! I called you here to tell you to throw away this bed. Replace it with a single couch; something with a hard board and no thick quilts.”

“A single couch, as narrow as possible. The kind that absolutely cannot fit two people,” he emphasized.

Nan Xun was shocked. He had never heard such a strange request. His master came from a prestigious sect and grew up pampered. Even during his hundred years in the Skeleton Ruins, he had never lived a frugal life. He wouldn’t even eat a meal with fewer than ten dishes. What had happened?

He couldn’t figure it out, but he was used to obeying. He put his confusion aside and agreed.