The Cold, Aloof Senior Sister Deserves To Be Paired With A Peerless Beauty - Chapter 39

Inside the main hall, a clear, cold voice pierced the silence. The weight of judgment in her tone caused a wave of panic to spread.

“Fifty-eight years ago…”

Before Chi Li could finish, she was interrupted by a sharp, piercing cry. Frowning, she ceased speaking and looked down from her high position, her scrutinizing gaze landing on Pang Fei.

Pang Fei’s lips trembled and moved, but the words of denial felt like countless needles pricking his throat. He could only let out a ragged, hoarse “hehe” sound, like a lowly beast under public trial. The hall fell silent, save for the sound of his voice, which, while no longer as strained as before, remained completely beyond his control.

His body lay low on the ground, his back hunched as if in eternal penance. Disheveled strands of hair hid his bloodshot, crimson eyes, which were filled with resentment, making his already hideous face even more distorted. No matter how hard he bit his lip to stay silent, as the taste of copper filled his mouth, he could no longer stop the truth from pouring out.

“I admit it… the wounds on my face weren’t from last night. Fifty-eight years ago, someone tore the skin right off my face. This has nothing to do with the Cangqing Sect, it stems from my haunting junior sister!”

Hearing this, the younger cultivators from various immortal sects felt a chill of disgust. They then heard his raspy voice continue:

“I took a liking to her, it was her honor! Why did she refuse me?! Because she fought back against me, she ruined my face!”

His tone shifted from confession to malice. It was the truth, but he clearly felt no remorse for his actions. Pang Fei continued his delusional rant, recounting how “pitiful” he became after being disfigured, attempting to shift the blame onto a dead woman.

Chi Li listened to his distortions, her icy gaze sweeping over the gathered cultivators. She saw the same look of sympathy on their faces as in her past life. Because Pang Fei would eventually become a friend of Mo Fan, they, like Mo Fan, sympathized with a murderer. No one truly sought to defend the innocent soul who had died.

In her previous life, Chi Li hadn’t heard these details. She had only heard vague, baseless rumors when visiting the Jijian Sect. She felt something was wrong back then, but caught up in other troubles, she had pushed it to the back of her mind, as if a voice were telling her… it’s not important.

In the eyes of the Heavenly Dao, the entity that watched and controlled everything, the only thing that mattered was that Mo Fan gained Pang Fei’s trust and support through this event. The death of another woman was irrelevant.

A Vision of the Past

Through a haze of blood, Pang Fei saw something blurry. The pain in his face became unbearable, as if thousands of ants were devouring him. In a trance, the faceless figure from the previous night stood before him, and a face gradually materialized.

It was a face he dared not remember.

That pretty face was filled with hatred. Curses erupted in his ears as her pale fingers clawed at him. In the struggle, she had literally torn the skin from his face. The agony returned, transporting him back to that moment. His trembling hands covered his face, feeling as though warm blood were gushing through his fingers.

The lifeless woman lying on the ground slowly turned her head toward him. Deep within her hollow eyes lingered an inextinguishable hatred and resentment.

Then, the elders arrived. They sighed and shook their heads, and he put on a show of terror. Pointing at his horrific face, he shrieked his defense: “It was her! She wanted to drag me to death with her!”

He kept his head down, missing the knowing looks on the elders’ faces, yet he knew that they would rather protect him than seek justice for a dead woman. Eventually, he was sent for healing. Many versions of the story circulated, but his malice was masked by her “indiscretion.” That was enough to flip black and white.

Defiance and Justice

Pang Fei was snapped back to reality when someone helped him up. He looked at the youthful, thin face of Mo Fan. For some reason, his terror vanished, he looked at this person he had only met twice as if he were his savior.

Chi Li did not stop Mo Fan from helping Pang Fei. She stepped forward, cupped her hands in a formal salute, and spoke coldly.

“Sect Leader, Master, Elders, this man is of foul character. Keeping him here insults the Cangqing Sect.”

Immortal Lord Shangling pondered for a moment, her eyes filled with unconcealed praise for Chi Li. “In that case, his qualification to enter the secret realm is revoked…”

“Sect Leader, you can’t!” Mo Fan interrupted urgently.

Shangling’s brow furrowed, a slight headache blooming. She forgot what she was about to say, a flash of confusion crossing her eyes. The crowd began to murmur, not about Pang Fei’s crimes, but expressing pity for him.

A look of irony flashed deep in Chi Li’s eyes. Her gaze toward Mo Fan was so cold it made his spine shiver, as if she saw right through him. He instinctively looked away.

Immortal Lord Yilin, perhaps troubled by the noise or something deeper, massaged her temples. Two voices reached her ears simultaneously:

“Master.” “Master.”

One from Chi Li, one from Mo Fan. Mo Fan’s voice was desperate, while Chi Li’s was exceptionally calm, the voice of someone who already knew the answer and expected nothing, yet chose to try anyway. Seeing this, Yilin’s heart ached for Chi Li. She looked past Mo Fan and fixed her eyes on her disciple.

“Chi Li,” Yilin asked softly, “is there anything else you wish to say?”

Chi Li was surprised by the question but quickly recovered. She glanced at Mo Fan and said flatly, “A life for a life. Master, I believe Pang Fei deserves to die.”

Yilin was about to nod when she felt an invisible force stopping her. A phrase echoed in her mind: [Pang Fei cannot die.]

“Master,” Mo Fan stepped forward, “since we are cultivators, we cannot use the rules of the mortal world to judge matters.”

Chi Li’s throat suddenly felt dry, as if she were being silenced. Just as she thought history was repeating itself, a figure brushed past her. It was Mu Zhi.

Mu Zhi saluted, her eyes as sharp as Chi Li’s as she looked at Mo Fan. “You’ve become a cultivator, not a monster. Even in cultivation, there must be rules. One cannot stand above morality.”

Her words were powerful and clear. She turned to the crowd. “Mo Fan, if you want to stop being human, must you drag all the immortal sects down with you?”

The crowd erupted in hushed discussion. Mu Zhi continued undeterred, her voice ringing out: “I trust most of you weren’t born as cultivators. What my Senior Sister said is a truth even mortals understand. Have you cultivated so much that you can ignore a living breath? If he hadn’t spoken today, you wouldn’t even know he’s a murderer. Letting him live and walk among you… who’s to say he won’t kill again?”

Chi Li looked at Mu Zhi with newfound admiration. Noticing the gaze, the coldness in Mu Zhi’s eyes instantly melted into a smile. Chi Li stepped in front of Mu Zhi, shielding her from the probing stares of the other sects.

The Final Judgment

Mo Fan tried to use his “logic” again. “Even if Brother Pang Fei made a mistake, how can we be sure it was entirely his fault? And can’t a man simply like someone?”

He framed a murder as a mere “misunderstanding of love.” Some in the crowd actually nodded.

“I have reason to suspect,” Mo Fan added, feeling emboldened, “that Senior Sister and Mu Zhi are targeting an entire sect because of a dead person. You clearly have a personal grudge against Brother Pang Fei.”

In unison, two voices replied: “Yes.”

Chi Li and Mu Zhi looked at Mo Fan with innate arrogance. “We do have an objection. Should we not? Even after all these years, should his victim be denied justice? As the number one sect, anyone entering Cangqing territory must follow our rules. Since he is of foul character and his sect protects him, Cangqing will act on their behalf. Evil must be punished.”

Mo Fan tried to speak, but an immense pressure weighed him down, sealing his lips. He looked toward the two Immortal Lords, but they didn’t even glance at him.

A flash of cold light caught his eye. Chi Li moved with her sword. Before anyone could react, her blade pierced Pang Fei’s chest.

When she withdrew the sword, blood splattered, yet not a single drop touched her robes. She remained pristine and proud. As Pang Fei’s body hit the floor, the crowd gasped. Mo Fan tried to rush over, but the pressure held him frozen.

Chi Li ignored him. She looked down at an object that had fallen from Pang Fei, a piece of Bone Jade.

Without a word, she stepped on it, crushing it into dust. If it’s something Mo Fan is destined to have, there’s no point in letting it exist, she thought.

As the jade shattered, a violent gust of wind, filled with an unknown rage blew toward Chi Li. She didn’t flinch.

“Since he is dead,” Immortal Lord Shangling said calmly, “let his fellow disciples take him back.”

The message was clear, the Cangqing Sect would not punish Chi Li. Just as Pang Fei had been shielded years ago, Chi Li was shielded now, but this time, for an act of justice.

“Everyone,” Immortal Lord Yilin announced, “the secret realm will open at noon.”

The crowd quickly shifted their focus. The death of one man was nothing compared to the treasures of the secret realm. As they followed the Immortal Lords out, Mu Zhi took Chi Li’s hand and smiled. “Sister, you did nothing wrong. Let’s go.”

Mo Fan, left behind, heard a disciple from another sect grumble, “Your Senior Sister is too heartless. After all, Brother Pang Fei once liked her…”

Chi Li glanced back, her eyes narrowing at the disciple from the Yueming Sect. She mouthed something silently, her gaze brimming with intent.