I Accidentally Triggered the Restricted Punishment Protocol - Chapter 27

Nan Xun continued relentlessly. “Before Madam Qin passed away, she entrusted me to take good care of the Lord. Good medicine tastes bitter, yet it is beneficial for the illness. Honest advice may grate on the ears, but it is necessary for the journey. The Lord should listen to my words.”

Qin Wuzhou, finally at the end of his patience, snapped. “Fine, fine! If you want to look after this brat, then go ahead. I will not say another word, alright?”

Nan Xun wore an expression that suggested he had not finished his lecture, while Yi Hanxing was already doubled over with laughter. She had not expected Qin Wuzhou and her First Senior Brother to interact in such a way. It was rare to see him so utterly defeated in an argument.

After her laughter subsided, she thought about the Madam Qin they had mentioned. This was another character who never appeared in the original book. Judging by the surname, she clearly had a profound connection to Qin Wuzhou. He had changed his name from Ye Mitian to his current one. Wuzhou, meaning No Day, represented the night, and Qin likely came from this Madam Qin.

On the other side, Nan Xun had finished questioning Number Sixty Seven about her origins. He learned she had been a lonely wanderer since childhood. At the age of five, she was picked up by the Ghost Market guards on the banks of the Dark River. She had nothing with her except a brocade handkerchief embroidered with the character Yi.

The Wuxiang Ghost Market was a lawless zone where murder and body dumping were common occurrences. An abandoned child was nothing unusual. She had been too young to know anything about her parents or where she came from. Growing up as a slave in the Ghost Market, her childhood belongings had long been stolen. At her age, she did not even have a proper name.

Nan Xun sighed and rubbed her head. “Now that the Wuxiang Ghost Market has fallen, you are no longer a slave. To mark your new life, how about I give you a new name?”

“Since you were born with it, let Yi be your surname. You and I also share a common spirit.” He looked up at the ceiling of the underground cavern where countless night luminescent pearls mimicked the sun, moon, and stars. After pondering for a moment, he said, “Precious as a pearl, then let us call you Yi Touzhu.”

Number Sixty Seven and Yi Hanxing were both horrified.

You are the pig! Your whole family are pigs!

Number Sixty Seven’s eyes welled with tears. She clearly disliked the name but did not dare speak up. She could only look longingly at the other person present for help.

Qin Wuzhou had been standing there with his arms crossed, looking indifferent. However, when the child stared at him so expectantly, his brow twitched. The man and the child stared at each other for a moment before he burst out laughing. “Nan Xun, what kind of rubbish name is that? Change it.”

Although Nan Xun was full of philosophical advice, he was not overbearing. He nodded and said, “I am a man of shallow learning. It is better if the Lord chooses the name.”

“I see.” Qin Wuzhou walked over and squatted in front of Number Sixty Seven, propping up his chin. “So, you are an orphan abandoned by your biological parents. How pitiful.”

Yi Hanxing thought to herself that his tone made it sound like he was intentionally poking at her scars.

Having suffered through the coldness of the Ghost Market, the young Yi Hanxing did not have a strong reaction to the sarcasm. Her voice was as soft as a mosquito’s hum. “I ask the Immortal to bestow a name.”

Qin Wuzhou propped his chin, looking as if he were deep in thought. Even though she already knew her name, Yi Hanxing felt a genuine surge of worry because Qin Wuzhou was truly unreliable. Just as names like Italy Cannon or Yi Little Bit flashed through her mind, Qin Wuzhou finally ended his contemplation and snapped his fingers. He seemed quite proud of the name he had come up with. “Yi Hanxing. How about that?”

Beneath the underground mountains, the starlight was bright, illuminating the cavern like a white night. Nan Xun nodded seriously at his side. “The night light sinks into a thousand ridges, and the cold stars move along a single river. A fine name chosen by the Lord!”

No, he definitely did not think that much into it, Yi Hanxing thought. He probably just thought it sounded catchy.

Regardless of Yi Hanxing’s internal complaints, Number Sixty Seven herself loved it. A child raised as a slave in the Ghost Market was unlikely to be literate. She did not understand the two lines of poetry Nan Xun recited, but she keenly sensed the beautiful meaning from his tone. Her eyes lit up, and she suddenly fell to her knees, earnestly kowtowing twice to Qin Wuzhou and Nan Xun.

Nan Xun hurriedly tried to pull her up. “No, you must not do this.”

Qin Wuzhou, however, kept his arms crossed and remained unmoved. He simply said, “Brat, even if you kowtow a hundred more times, I will not take you with me.”

Young Yi Hanxing’s face went pale. Nan Xun, confused, asked, “Why does the Lord say this?”

Qin Wuzhou sneered and pointed toward the Dark River. “The city is in chaos and the gates are sealed. The people are either looting or crying while waiting for death. Yet this brat appeared here, heading in the opposite direction of the city gates. If you were not trying to escape, you could only be coming to find us.”

Realizing her thoughts had been exposed so quickly, young Yi Hanxing stammered. “I, I.”

Nan Xun took a sharp step back, putting distance between them with a wary expression. “Were you sent by the Lord of Wuxiang?”

She was only a child. Facing such a sudden change, young Yi Hanxing could not form a valid defense. Qin Wuzhou gave an understanding smile, stood up, and turned to leave, seemingly intending to ignore her.

Young Yi Hanxing stood dazed for a moment before asking stupidly, “You, are you not going to kill me?”

Qin Wuzhou did not look back. “You are too weak. There is no fun in killing you.”

The girl mumbled the word weak several times. Suddenly, she scrambled up and chased after him.

“What are you doing!” His leg was suddenly seized. Qin Wuzhou instinctively raised a palm to strike her head but forced himself to stop. However, his tone turned freezing. “Do you want to die?”

Young Yi Hanxing was indeed a crybaby, just as he would later describe her. She wailed loudly while refusing to let go. “I am not a spy! I saw you fighting the Master and followed you secretly. You are so strong! I want to follow you! I am too weak. If I escape alone, I will die quickly anyway. I do not want to die!”

“Shut up!” Qin Wuzhou lost all patience. He kicked her away and continued forward for a few steps before his leg felt heavy again. He looked back to see the dirty child clinging to him once more. Young Yi Hanxing was shaking like a leaf, yet she gritted her teeth and stared him down.

Qin Wuzhou was so angry he laughed. “You want to die? Fine. I will grant your wish.”

A chilling palm wind swept toward her. Young Yi Hanxing squeezed her eyes shut. The expected pain never came. She opened her eyes tremblingly to see Nan Xun’s hand blocking Qin Wuzhou. “Lord, please stay your anger!”

Being interrupted by his subordinate repeatedly finally sparked Qin Wuzhou’s temper. “Nan Xun, open your eyes! This brat is full of schemes. Even if you have a habit of wanting to be everyone’s older brother, pick the right occasion!”

Nan Xun’s face paled, but he still bowed deeply. Qin Wuzhou laughed in fury, flicked his sleeves, and strode away. Nan Xun looked at the still crying young Yi Hanxing with a complex gaze before quickly chasing after Qin Wuzhou.

Because this was the original body’s memory, Yi Hanxing could not hear things the girl had not heard. She only saw the two men, one furious and the other guilt ridden, appearing to argue intensely about something. After a while, Qin Wuzhou left with a cold expression, leaving Nan Xun alone.

Nan Xun hesitated for a moment before turning back to Yi Hanxing and saying softly, “I will take you back.”

Young Yi Hanxing shuddered. “But I finally escaped! If I go back, the Master will beat me to death!”

Nan Xun shook his head. “No one can defy the Lord’s orders.”

With a pale face, she was led back by him. They had only walked a few steps when a sudden, violent astral wind swept toward them. Nan Xun gasped in shock. “Lord of Wuxiang!”

Before his voice faded, he pushed the child away. However, because he was a step too late, he could not dodge the attacker’s strike. He spat out a mouthful of bright red blood. Nan Xun had to protect the child with his hands, so he could only deliver a flying kick. Two crisp snaps echoed from his ankles. The legs that had just touched the Lord of Wuxiang’s chest were broken clean through.

“You have turned demonic!” Nan Xun’s pupils contracted. In the next instant, he released a spiritual flare to signal Qin Wuzhou.

Everything happened in the blink of an eye. A deep purple figure flashed through the air. Driven by instinct, the Lord of Wuxiang thrust his sword upward. Somehow, the blade wreathed in black energy shattered into several pieces with a resounding clack.

“Qin Wuzhou!” The Lord of Wuxiang was covered in blood, screaming like a demon crawling out of hell. “You stole my spirit medicine and destroyed my city! Today, I shall not rest until you are dead!”

He could not finish. Accompanied by a shriek of intense pain, Qin Wuzhou lightning fast ripped off the man’s entire right arm. Blood sprayed like a fountain. With several more sickening sounds, Qin Wuzhou actually pulled off all of the man’s limbs. The Lord of Wuxiang was reduced to a bloody human torso. He opened his mouth to curse, but his neck was crushed with a final crack.

Qin Wuzhou tossed the corpse aside and turned toward Nan Xun and the child. Even though he had no expression, Yi Hanxing, who was not even there, felt her skin crawl.

Ever since the fight between the Lord of Wuxiang and Nan Xun began, Yi Hanxing’s heart had been pounding with terror at the sight of the blood. Since meeting Qin Wuzhou, her frequency of fainting at the sight of blood had increased so much she had seemingly built up a resistance. Now, she only felt nauseous without losing consciousness.

Young Yi Hanxing was too terrified to speak clearly. “Immortal, I am sorry. I did not know the Lord of Wuxiang would follow me.”

Qin Wuzhou’s face was grim. He only replied with one word. “Scram!”

He funneled spiritual power into Nan Xun’s broken legs, trying to reconnect them. However, his internal energy was different from ordinary people. He was built for killing, but saving lives was a struggle. After a few moments, Nan Xun’s face only grew paler.

Nan Xun gripped Qin Wuzhou’s wrist with difficulty. “Lord, leave me be.” Beads of sweat rolled down his forehead, his face twisted in pain. “It is my fault for not sweeping the surroundings properly. I knew I had lost the Lord of Wuxiang’s trail, but I did not expect him to be lying in wait.”

Qin Wuzhou said in a heavy voice, “After I wounded him, he used a strand of the aura I left in his wound to enter the demonic path. That is why his strength increased. Otherwise, he would not have been able to hurt you.”

Nan Xun gave a strained smile. “I know the Lord is apologizing to me, but there is no need. If the Lord still feels a shred of sentiment, please grant me one request.”

Since the beginning, young Yi Hanxing had been kneeling nearby. Qin Wuzhou had told her to scram, but she refused to leave. Nan Xun took her hand and pressed it into Qin Wuzhou’s palm. “I share a bond with this child. The Lord is currently lacking a disciple, is he not? Why not take her in and bring her back to Qingtang Valley?”

Qin Wuzhou sneered. “That is absolutely impossible.”

Before he could finish, Nan Xun coughed violently, staining his collar with blood. Young Yi Hanxing wiped her tears while reaching for a broken sword on the ground. “It is my fault the Immortal was hurt. I will pay with my life!”

“Enough!” Qin Wuzhou bellowed. He snatched up the child. She continued to struggle and wail, so he simply delivered a chop to her neck, knocking her unconscious.

Nan Xun, with his broken legs, could only crawl on the ground, his voice weak and anxious. “Lord, you must not.”

“I get it!” Qin Wuzhou roared. “It is just one more disciple!”

“I already have a spineless waste of a disciple like you. What is one more?” With an expression of disgust, he carried the unconscious child in one hand and lifted Nan Xun in the other. “And you, it is just a broken leg, not your life! Stop crying and acting like you are leaving a deathbed request!”

As he spoke, Qin Wuzhou struck Nan Xun’s chest with a palm. His own body swayed slightly, but a hint of color returned to Nan Xun’s pale face. Feeling the surging spiritual energy healing his internal injuries, Nan Xun gasped. “How can the Lord sacrifice a hundred years of cultivation to save me?”

Qin Wuzhou did not bother responding. Nan Xun’s eyes turned red as he choked out, “I would not be a gentleman if I did not repay this debt! Your subordinate is incompetent and cannot repay the Lord’s great kindness, except to offer my life in service. From now on, I shall treat you as my own flesh and blood. If the Lord does not mind, please allow me to take the Lord as my foster father. Henceforth, I shall never forget to tell your late father during family sacrifices.”

“Stop wishing for my death!” Qin Wuzhou stepped into a rift in space. “And another thing, I have wanted to say this for a long time. You do not use a single one of those messy poems correctly!”

Yi Hanxing’s vision suddenly went black. When she opened her eyes, she was back in the Pavilion of a Thousand Scrolls. In the incense burner, the calming incense had nearly burnt out, leaving only a faint blue smoke lingering. Also lingering in her heart were the surging emotions from witnessing the original body’s past.

So that was how the original body had entered the sect, and how the First Senior Brother’s legs had been broken. She sat for a while before taking out her jade slip to send a transmission request to Nan Xun. Once it connected, she suddenly did not know what to say. She whispered, “Senior Brother, are you alright?”

Nan Xun replied, “Whether I am alright is not important. Whether you are learning is what matters. Have you rested enough? At your age, how can you sleep? The internal sect assessment is in a few days. How will you pass then?”

“I am learning, I am learning!” Yi Hanxing cried out.

Nan Xun was finally satisfied. “The clumsy bird flies first. Delays bring trouble. Hanxing, your talent is inferior to others, so you must work harder to live up to the expectations Master and I have for you.”

Mentioning Qin Wuzhou, Yi Hanxing fell silent, her heart feeling complex. “Today, I suddenly remembered the time I first joined the sect.”

Nan Xun was surprised. “That is not a pleasant memory. It is best not to mention it.”

“But since you mention it, I remember your apprenticeship ceremony was not done properly either,” Nan Xun said with some displeasure. “A person having manners is like a fish having water. For such a major life event, Master did not even drink the apprenticeship tea! Other masters give return gifts like legendary swords or rare treasures, yet Master only gave you a hair flower? Such small mindedness, how can he lead the people of the world? How will he conduct himself in the future!”

Yi Hanxing answered, “No, it does not really escalate to that level.”

Nan Xun suddenly changed his tone, his voice softening. “You have learned to speak up for Master and consider his feelings. Ah, good. This fellow disciple atmosphere is excellent! Kind brothers, respectful juniors, virtuous wives, and loving husbands. Only by managing the family can one pacify the world.”

Yi Hanxing wondered if the Lord of Wuxiang’s strike had actually damaged his brain.

After hanging up the transmission, Yi Hanxing exhaled a long breath. She instinctively touched the white velvet flower in her hair. The good news was that she knew much more about the original body’s origins. The bad news was that she suddenly did not know how to face Qin Wuzhou.

Back at the river in the Ghost Market, he had repeatedly refused to help the original body, which fit his arrogant and self serving personality. But she had not expected that he would actually agree to take her as a disciple in the end. At that time, he definitely had no other intentions toward young Yi Hanxing. Yet because of that, for a strange orphan, a waste who did not even have utility in his eyes, he was willing to name her and take her as a disciple, even if he was largely forced by circumstances.

Yi Hanxing judged people by their actions rather than their intentions. The Qin Wuzhou in the original body’s memory was completely different from her previous impression. Was this still the heartless villain and demon from the book?

She could not figure it out. As she walked absentmindedly past the bookshelves, her thoughts kept drifting back to the two nights she had spent with him. Actually, she had not taken them to heart before. When those two instances occurred, she had either been possessed or in a heat cycle, in a state of extreme chaos. The memories she recalled afterward were just fragmented messes.

Secondly, Qin Wuzhou had always been a fictional character to her. Before seeing the memories, that was exactly how she viewed Qin Wuzhou. She did not see him as a good person, nor did she see him as a real person. However, after seeing the memories, her view of him became much more complex. She had to admit that Qin Wuzhou had transformed from a flat character into a reality.

“How troublesome,” she muttered, rubbing her temples. This meant she could not act as freely around him as before.

On the shelf before her sat a book titled Correct Cultivation: A Hundred Dangers of Demonic Arts. Yi Hanxing wanted to distract herself from her thoughts of Qin Wuzhou, so she began to read it with interest. She flipped through it randomly and actually found something useful. The book recorded the horrific consequences of misusing demonic arts. According to the book, those who suffered backlash might have their flesh peel off, their features melt, or their limbs fall off. One type could even trigger a temporal turbulence where the caster’s soul would be swept away, making it easy for souls from other timelines to seize the body.

Yi Hanxing thought about it and realized this was essentially like being possessed. She immediately thought of herself. If she was the uninvited ghost who entered the body, then the original soul she displaced was likely doomed. Reading further, the book mentioned that some strong willed original souls might not completely dissipate when a foreign soul enters, resulting in a coexistence. Over time, or through external attack, the original soul would dissipate, allowing the transmigrated soul to move freely.

Involuntary movements, external attack, and soul dissipation. The night at the Golden Scale Palace, she had mistaken it for a dream, but now the symptoms matched the book. Before she could move on her own, she had made eye contact with Qin Wuzhou.

That is it! she realized. It must have been Qin Wuzhou’s Illusion Flower Pupil technique in that glance that delivered the final blow to the original soul, causing it to dissipate and allowing her to fully take over.

Despite finally understanding the mechanics, she could not feel happy. Thinking of the original body’s end made her feel terrible. She also felt guilty, knowing she had not come here by choice and that the original body had effectively taken the hit for her. Since transmigrating, she had always held a faint hope that one day, the original body would return and she could escape the demon’s clutches and return to her own reality.

But now it seemed that was likely just wishful thinking. She realized she understood nothing: not this world, not the original body, and certainly not Qin Wuzhou. She had always viewed him through the lens of the book, assuming he was a cold blooded villain. She had been guarded and hostile from the start, assuming everything he did had an ulterior motive. But was that just a preconceived prejudice?

Because she thought he was just a character, she ignored his feelings. Perhaps he was a normal person who felt joy, sorrow, anger, and even soft heartedness? He valued Nan Xun and did not vent his anger on the innocent. He was not particularly attentive to the original body as a disciple, yet he had spared her repeatedly after she caused trouble. In the Ghost Market, even when she failed her mission and repeatedly provoked him, he had only given her minor punishments instead of actually killing her.

Tch, have I been manipulated by him? Or have I found a hidden side of his? Qin Wuzhou seems a bit protective of his own.

She had told herself not to think about him, yet her thoughts always circled back. Unable to untangle her feelings, she decided to play the ostrich. If she did not know how to face him, she just would not. She put the book back on the shelf. She had scanned most of the books on this floor without finding what she needed. Knowing the truth about how the original body died trying to remove the cauldron status, she did not dare use spells recklessly. However, she could not ignore her condition. She continued upstairs.

Unexpectedly, she was stopped halfway up the stairs. “Books on the second floor and above cannot be read by disciples below the Golden Core stage.”

The cultivator blocking her was strictly professional and looked formidable. She bowed and pleaded. “I really want to improve. I love learning so much that I get an itch if I do not read for a day. Please, Senior Brother, let me go up and borrow one book.”

The cultivator’s expression did not change a bit. “The sect rules are absolute. No exceptions.”

Yi Hanxing fell silent, then suddenly pointed behind him. “Look! A UFO!”

“A what?” The guard instinctively turned around.

Yi Hanxing struck the back of his neck with the edge of her hand. The guard blinked and turned back. They stared at each other in silence. A moment later, Yi Hanxing sat on the steps, looking dejected like a child punished after class.

Damn it, Qin Wuzhou misled me! Did he not say hitting the back of the neck makes people pass out? Why does it work for me at all!

The stern guard stood beside her, upright and unyielding. Yi Hanxing could not help but ask with a forced smile, “Brother, what is the punishment for this?”

The guard did not even look at her. “Normally, it would be three days in the Thorn Cave. But since you are Sect Master Qin’s disciple, we will hand you over to him for personal punishment.”

What! Handing her over to Qin Wuzhou?!