Vindicated After a Wrongful Death - Chapter 12

The group had been teleported to the heart of the spiritual beasts’ nest, a considerable distance from the Linglong Tower. It took quite a while of trekking through the forest before they could finally see the dilapidated structure looming in the distance.

The Linglong Tower was clearly in a state of disrepair. Its walls were strangled by creeping vines, and several vital talismans had fallen away, leaving gaps where spiritual energy was visibly leaking out.

It was no wonder the teleportation had gone so far off course with the tower in such a shambles.

Yi Junting looked a bit embarrassed. “The tower was perfectly fine the last time I came here,” he muttered.

Xiang Zhongjing’s keen ears caught the younger disciples whispering among themselves further back.

“Senior brother was definitely trying to save money. The jade plaques for this Linglong Tower cost thirty fewer stones than the ones in Wujin City.”

“Exactly, there’s always a catch when it’s that cheap.”

Xiang Zhongjing said nothing. He didn’t know much about the mechanics of Linglong Towers, but even if the teleportation missed the mark by ten miles, it was still much faster than traveling by a slow-moving carriage.

Yi Junting had also overheard his juniors. His ears turned bright red, and he was just about to make an excuse when a voice called out from nearby.

“Junting.”

Yi Junting turned around. A young man dressed in black stood by the crumbling tower, gripping a sword and frowning at him.

“Brother Chihan!”

Yi Junting’s eyes lit up. He ran over happily and crashed into the man’s chest. “Why are you the one who came?!”

Yi Chihan knit his brows and pulled the clingy Yi Junting off him. “The Sect Master was furious when he found out you snuck into the Three Poisons Secret Realm,” he said coldly, “He ordered me to bring you back.”

Hearing this, Yi Junting immediately looked apprehensive. “Is my father… going to hit me?”

A “what do you think” expression appeared on Yi Chihan’s ice-cold face.

Yi Junting nearly burst into tears.

The other disciples, who had been trailing behind because of Xiang Zhongjing, saw Yi Chihan and immediately rushed toward him like birds returning to their nest, wailing as they went.

“Eldest Senior Brother!”

Several of them threw themselves at Yi Chihan in a line, crying and venting their grievances as if they were filing a formal complaint to the emperor.

“Eldest Senior Brother! We almost died in the Three Poisons Secret Realm!”

“A beast nearly swallowed us whole just now, skin, bones, and all!”

“Save us, Eldest Senior Brother!”

Yi Chihan remained silent, his face full of impatience. However, he still gave each of his useless juniors a brief pat to calm them down. Once they had settled, he said indifferently, “You deserved it.”

The group fell silent.

After “comforting” his juniors, Yi Chihan turned his gaze toward Xiang Zhongjing.

“And he is?”

Yi Junting whispered, “He’s a… senior. He saved my life.”

The other disciples didn’t dare say much. They huddled behind Yi Chihan like frightened chicks, casting fearful glances at Xiang Zhongjing.

Yi Chihan was not an ungrateful man, but he couldn’t help noticing the stranger’s disheveled appearance. He suspected the man might be a malicious sort intentionally getting close to Yi Junting—after all, a little fool like Junting was the easiest target for a con artist.

Yi Chihan gave a slight, perfunctory nod. “May I ask for the senior’s name?”

Xiang Zhongjing, leaning on his small wooden stick, wasn’t offended. “Xiang Lian,” he replied good-naturedly.

That was the name the Sect Master of the Qiyi Sect had given him long ago. Very few people still knew it.

“Senior Xiang,” Yi Chihan said, “thank you for saving his life. Once we reach Wujin City and I report to the City Lord, Linjiang Peak will surely reward you handsomely.”

As he spoke, his cold eyes stared at Xiang Zhongjing, searching for any flicker of greed or calculation on his face.

Given Yi Junting’s expensive attire, anyone with eyes could see he came from a prominent family. A small act of salvation followed by a few sweet words would be enough to wrap the boy around one’s finger. If this man knew the name of Linjiang Peak, he would likely do whatever it took to cling to the Young Master’s favor.

Xiang Zhongjing tilted his head. “Linjiang Peak?”

Yi Chihan sneered inwardly. Just as I thought, a social climber. The first thing he notices is the sect name.

Xiang Zhongjing toyed with his wooden stick and shook his head. “No need for a great reward. Just lead me to Wujin City.”

He had forgotten the way.

Yi Chihan’s face froze.

Xiang Zhongjing’s memory was erratic at best, and with his soul currently unstable, his mind was even more muddled. He only vaguely remembered that sixty years ago, the three Great Sects were the Qiyi Sect, Shangyao Peak, and Huazhe Valley. He had never heard of Linjiang Peak, nor did he understand why Yi Chihan was looking at him as if waiting for him to embarrass himself.

Is it considered shameful nowadays not to know about Linjiang Peak? Xiang Zhongjing wondered.

Seeing Yi Chihan’s incredulous look, as if he were staring at a country bumpkin, Xiang Zhongjing felt his suspicion was confirmed. He felt a sudden surge of respect for the modern world, realizing he had much to learn.

Yi Chihan’s expression was complicated. “Senior is too kind,” he said, his tone unreadable.

The heavy rain continued to fall. Xiang Zhongjing couldn’t even muster enough spiritual energy to ward off the water, so he simply pulled his wide hood low to block the downpour and followed the group toward Wujin City.

Yi Junting wanted to walk beside him, but Yi Chihan kept a firm grip on his hand, refusing to let him wander.

“What are you doing?” Yi Junting glared at him, “The senior isn’t a bad person.”

Yi Chihan frowned. “Have you already forgotten how many times you’ve been scammed over the years?”

Yi Junting’s face turned red instantly. “But the senior is… he’s completely different from those petty crooks! He didn’t even know what Linjiang Peak was. He doesn’t want anything from me.”

“Linjiang Peak only rose to the rank of the three Great Sects in recent years,” Yi Chihan said coldly, “It’s normal for a rogue cultivator who has been in seclusion for a long time not to know.”

Yi Junting was furious, but since he couldn’t reveal Xiang Zhongjing’s true identity, he could only puff out his cheeks and glare at his senior brother.

Sensing its master’s mood, the spiritual beast curled up in his sleeve poked its head out and bared its teeth at Yi Chihan.

Yi Chihan caught sight of it by chance, and his expression turned icy. “Where did this spiritual beast come from?!”

Yi Junting pushed the little head back down. “I’m not telling you!” he said defiantly.

Yi Chihan didn’t wait for an answer. He reached out with a cold face, grabbed the beast by the scruff of its neck, and dragged it out. Ignoring its struggling and snarling, he sent a thread of spiritual energy into its brow.

Very quickly, Yi Chihan’s expression turned to one of shock. “A Heaven-grade beast? It has acknowledged you as its master?!”

Yi Junting huffed. “Of course. Son, bite him!”

The spiritual beast opened its mouth and clamped down on Yi Chihan’s wrist, leaving two small punctures. This is exactly how the Great True Dragon bites people!

Yi Chihan remained motionless. Despite his high cultivation, he expressionlessly shook the beast off. Yi Junting hurried to catch his “son” in his arms, shooting another angry look at his senior brother.

Yi Chihan’s thoughts were in turmoil. He had watched Yi Junting grow up and knew that with the boy’s meager cultivation, there was no way he could have tamed a beast that was on the verge of taking human form.

The only possibility…

Yi Chihan looked back at Xiang Zhongjing, who was slowly following behind. His face flushed with a mix of shame and confusion. Recalling his dismissive attitude earlier, his face began to burn.

How could someone capable of casually domesticating a Heaven-grade beast and letting a low-level child sign the contract be a petty social climber?

Yi Chihan let go of Yi Junting’s hand. The boy immediately hopped away like a rabbit. “I’m never talking to you again!” Yi Junting cried, running through the puddles to catch up with Xiang Zhongjing.

“Senior!”

Yi Chihan looked over and met Xiang Zhongjing’s eyes, which seemed to hold a faint, knowing smile. The usually stoic Yi Chihan felt an inexplicable wave of embarrassment.

Yi Junting, terrified that Xiang Zhongjing might be angry, whispered, “Senior, my brother didn’t mean any harm.”

Xiang Zhongjing remained calm. He had faced far worse malice than a bit of suspicion from Yi Chihan. “It’s fine.”

Only then did Yi Junting relax.

The group walked in silence for half an hour until they reached Wujin City. With the Great Spirit Beast Ceremony beginning in a few days, the city was swarming with cultivators. The defensive barriers at the gates had been lowered to accommodate the crowd, with city guards standing by to handle any troublemakers.

Walking beside Xiang Zhongjing, Yi Junting whispered, “Senior, I just heard that First Sovereign Su has already returned from the Three Poisons Secret Realm.”

Xiang Zhongjing frowned. “So soon?”

Jin Chuling’s men were everywhere outside the realm looking for him, yet Su Cansheng seemed to have truly accepted his death, showing no movement at all. Xiang Zhongjing had been puzzled at first, but he now realized that only Man Qiuxia could treat the sword intent in his wound. Su Cansheng knew this too.

Su Cansheng wasn’t idle; he was just smarter than that little snake Jin Chuling. He was simply waiting at Man Qiuxia’s place in Wujin City for the prey to walk into the trap.

Xiang Zhongjing began to doubt whether he would make it to Man Qiuxia alive.

At the city gates, a group of Shangyao Peak disciples were gathered. Following Su Cansheng’s orders, they sat in a tea shop, scanning every passerby.

Yi Junting noticed them and huffed, secretly thrusting an umbrella into Xiang Zhongjing’s hand.

Xiang Zhongjing raised an eyebrow.

“This was a birthday gift from my father,” Yi Junting whispered, “It’s said to hide one from prying eyes. Use it, Sword… Senior.”

Xiang Zhongjing chuckled. He finally understood why Yi Chihan guarded the boy like a hawk. With such a naive junior, one had to be wary of strangers, or the boy would be swindled out of everything he owned for the sake of a minor favor.

Xiang Zhongjing didn’t refuse. He opened the umbrella over his head.

Yi Chihan glanced back once, then looked away. The spiritual tool was effective; Xiang Zhongjing walked through the gates quite openly, and not a single Shangyao Peak disciple looked his way.

Once inside, Xiang Zhongjing tilted the umbrella back and looked up at the massive tower that seemed to pierce the clouds. That was the Wujin Tower, the residence of Man Qiuxia.

He was about to return the umbrella, but Yi Junting waved his hands frantically. “Keep it, Senior. You need it more than I do.”

Xiang Zhongjing smiled. “If I take this, your brother will definitely think I’m a swindler again.”

Yi Junting looked sheepish. Nearby, Yi Chihan cleared his throat, feeling the sting of the remark.

Yi Chihan sent the other weeping disciples off to find the rest of the sect. He approached awkwardly and performed a formal bow with his sword in hand. “I was disrespectful earlier. I hope Senior will not take it to heart.”

Xiang Zhongjing waved it off. “It’s nothing. Now that we’re in the city, let’s part ways.”

With that, he tied a black cloth over his eyes, let his dark hair hang loose, and began to tap his way forward with his wooden stick, pretending to be a blind man.

Yi Junting wanted to follow, but Yi Chihan stopped him.

“You’re stopping me again?!” Yi Junting snapped, “He’ll get into trouble trying to find Man Qiuxia on his own!”

“Is he Xiang Zhongjing?” Yi Chihan asked, his words dropping like a bombshell.

An observant person could see the clues. Yi Junting froze, staring at him in shock. Seeing that expression, Yi Chihan had his answer. “You wouldn’t be able to help him even if you went,” he said flatly.

“But…”

“Let’s go find the Sect Master first,” Yi Chihan directed.

Yi Junting looked dejectedly toward the direction where Xiang Zhongjing had vanished. Knowing his own cultivation would only make him a liability, he followed Yi Chihan. Halfway there, however, he suddenly looked up, his eyes sparkling.

“I know how to help him!”

Yi Chihan felt a sudden, ominous premonition.

Inside the Wujin Tower.

A veiled attendant carried freshly brewed tea up the stairs. Passing a carved screen, they moved quietly, kneeling to place the tea on a small table.

The aroma of tea filled the room. The interior was exquisitely decorated. Behind a screen painted with beauties, a man sat cross-legged with his hair loose. He had a brush clamped between his teeth and several more in his hands, each dipped in different pigments. He was currently scowling at a piece of paper, painting intently.

Once the tea arrived, he finally put down his brushes and took a distracted sip while staring at the “beauty” on his paper. Apparently dissatisfied, he crumbled the paper into a ball and tossed it aside.

The floor-to-ceiling windows were wide open, offering a sheer drop from the high tower. A breeze drifted in, swaying the steam from the tea.

Man Qiuxia picked up his brush again and began on a new sheet. “Aren’t you going to drink?” he asked casually.

The attendant finished cleaning the floor and bowed out. A man stepped out from behind the screen—it was Su Cansheng.

Just as Su Cansheng was about to speak, Man Qiuxia looked away in disgust. “A veil. Put on a veil before you speak to me. You’re hurting my eyes.”

Su Cansheng didn’t take offense, knowing Man Qiuxia’s eccentricities. He cast a quick spell to obscure his features.

Only then did Man Qiuxia look comfortable. In his eyes, everyone in the world was hideously ugly, so much so that looking at them would make his eyes ache for days. All attendants in the Wujin Tower were required to wear veils year-round. It was a massive hassle, but because his medical skills were unparalleled, there was never a shortage of people willing to serve him—nor was there a shortage of jade stones.

Had he not been such a genius, his habit of insulting everyone would have gotten him killed long ago.

“Aren’t you supposed to be preparing for the Great Spirit Beast Ceremony?” Man Qiuxia asked while painting. “What are you doing staying here? Are you just here for the free food?”

Su Cansheng said nothing, merely sipping his tea.

Man Qiuxia flicked his brush. “That tea costs one hundred jade stones. Pay at the first floor before you leave.”

Su Cansheng remained silent. Had he not been waiting for Xiang Zhongjing, he would have left long ago.

Finding Su Cansheng too dull to talk to, Man Qiuxia returned to his painting. Before long, he tossed another ruined draft out the window.

Half an hour later, an attendant approached and knelt outside the screen. “Master, a messenger from the Sect Master of Linjiang Peak has arrived with a word for First Sovereign Su.”

Man Qiuxia ignored them and kept painting.

Su Cansheng frowned. “What word?”

The attendant replied, “‘The person you are looking for is currently a guest at our residence.’”

Su Cansheng stood up abruptly.

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