Vindicated After a Wrongful Death - Chapter 9

Ten miles from the Spiritual Tree Ladder sat a small town, a common resting stop for cultivators traveling to the Three Poisons Secret Realm.

Yi Junting led his junior brothers toward the town, his mind weighed down by heavy thoughts. Not a single person spoke along the way.

In the distance, a tall white stone pagoda stood prominently. As the sun reached its zenith at noon, the tower began to emit a slow, piercing beam of light that seemed to crack the sky.

Yi Junting looked up. Instinctively, he reached for the hourglass pendant at his waist to check the time, only for his hand to brush against empty air. He then remembered he had given it away.

“What time is it?”

“Just past noon. Our slot for the Exquisite Pagoda is at 12:45, we still have plenty of time.”

Yi Junting nodded.

One of the juniors closest to him noticed his distracted state and asked worriedly, “Senior Brother, back when we were knocked out, what kind of unspeakable things did Sword Master Xiang do to you? You look like you’ve lost your soul.”

Yi Junting replied irritably, “You call that ‘sleeping’? You fainted from pure terror, don’t try to make it sound nice.”

The group of teenagers suddenly broke into a chorus of awkward coughing.

After a moment of thought, Yi Junting added, “Sword Master Xiang isn’t as cruel as the rumors suggest. In the future, don’t believe everything you hear or jump to conclusions.”

The moment he said this, everyone stared at him in shock.

Yi Junting glared back. “What are you looking at? Do you not trust your own Senior Brother?”

The juniors remained silent. They were convinced their Senior Brother’s soul had been snatched away by Xiang Zhongjing, given how he was now defending such a villain.

Seeing their reaction, Yi Junting knew they didn’t believe him. He wasn’t the type to force his views on others, so he dropped the subject. Right or wrong, he knew the truth in his own heart.

Just then, a giant python lunged out from the grass, hissing as it slithered away in a flash, seemingly searching for someone.

The group was unfazed by the sight and even moved aside to let it pass.

Once the snake was gone, a junior sidled up to Yi Junting and whispered, “Senior Brother, those messenger snakes from the Demon Clan have been searching everywhere since last night. Sect Leader Jin Chu has also summoned every demon cultivator in the realm. Does this have something to do with Sword Master Xiang?”

Yi Junting frowned. “But Sword Master Xiang doesn’t have the Xizhao Fire, so he can’t leave the secret realm. Why would they be looking for someone down here?”

“Maybe he stole one from someone else.”

“Impossible!” Yi Junting retorted immediately. “He’s not that kind of person.”

Xiang Zhongjing had even returned the Xizhao Ghost Fire that was already in his hand, he certainly wouldn’t resort to mugging others for theirs.

The juniors shook their heads and sighed, watching him defend the man yet again.

Before Yi Junting could argue further, the rhythmic “thump, thump” of a wooden staff hitting the ground reached their ears.

The group turned toward the sound. Not far away, a man in a black robe was slowly prodding his way forward with a long wooden stick. A strip of black cloth, seemingly torn from somewhere, was tied over his eyes. His dark hair was messy, tucked into his collar, and a hood shielded his face, leaving only a glimpse of a smooth, clean jawline.

Yi Junting caught a glimpse and felt the man’s profile was strangely familiar.

The man appeared to be blind, moving at a snail’s pace. The youths quickly caught up to him.

Yi Junting noted the black cloth over the man’s eyes, deep in thought. As they were about to pass him, a corner of an exquisite spiritual tool peeked out from beneath the tattered black robe.

Yi Junting froze.

That was… his hourglass.

The boy’s footsteps faltered for a second before he looked at the blind man in sheer shock.

“Xiang Zhongjing!”

Yi Junting gasped, “You…”

Hearing the familiar voice, Xiang Zhongjing tilted his head slightly, a stray curl of hair falling against his cheek.

The other disciples turned back. “Senior Brother, you know him?”

Xiang Zhongjing looked so disheveled and destitute that he had already drawn everyone’s attention. Seeing that the two might be acquainted, their expressions became quite strange.

Yi Junting gave a vague excuse. He didn’t want to reveal the man’s identity, fearing his juniors would all faint from terror again.

“Senior, why are you here?” Yi Junting whispered. “And your eyes”

“Oh,” Xiang Zhongjing replied casually, “It’s nothing. I went blind from staring at the sun.”

Yi Junting: “…”

The juniors: “…”

Having been kept away from the light for over sixty years, Xiang Zhongjing found everything fascinating. He was particularly captivated by the midday sun and insisted on staring at it.

Gu Congxu had tried to warn him at first, and while Xiang Zhongjing would nod seriously in agreement, his gaze would inevitably drift back to the sun moments later.

He had spent far too long in the darkness of the secret realm to adapt to such intense light. It didn’t take long for him to become blind enough that he couldn’t see the road.

Yi Junting asked again, “Where are you heading?”

Knowing the boy meant no harm, Xiang Zhongjing answered truthfully, “To the Path of Infinity.”

“You’re also taking the Exquisite Pagoda to the Path of Infinity?”

Xiang Zhongjing paused. In his mind, he asked Gu Congxu, “What is the Exquisite Pagoda?”

He had simply planned to find a populated area to see if he could rent a carriage to slowly make his way there. From the Spiritual Tree Ladder, traveling by wind would take half a day, but Xiang Zhongjing was currently no different from an ordinary mortal. He could only travel by the slowest means, and he had no idea how many days it would take.

Gu Congxu replied coldly, “I haven’t left that secret realm in a thousand years, why are you asking me?”

Xiang Zhongjing didn’t miss a beat. He said with a straight face, “Yes, I was just about to head to the Exquisite Pagoda. Are we going the same way?”

Yi Junting hurried to say, “Yes, exactly! Our slot is at 12:45. It only takes half an hour to reach the Path of Infinity. If you don’t mind, Senior, you can travel with us.”

As he spoke, he caught another glimpse of Xiang Zhongjing’s face and lowered his head, his cheeks flushing slightly.

Xiang Zhongjing thought for a moment. “Traveling together is fine, but I think the timing for my Exquisite Pagoda ticket might be different from yours…”

Yi Junting, forgetting his shyness, interjected, “One of our companions was a demon cultivator who just left to follow the Sect Leader’s orders. We happen to have a spare jade plaque.”

Xiang Zhongjing acted as though he were being forced. “Well, all right then.”

Yi Junting beamed like a fool.

The others saw that although the man looked like a beggar, their Senior Brother, a pampered young master, was treating him with immense respect. They followed suit, offering the man the polite greetings due to a senior.

Gu Congxu: “…”

Gu Congxu stared in disbelief at how Xiang Zhongjing had managed to blend in with the group after just a few sentences. He wondered if he had accidentally napped and missed something.

What did he mean, “the timing might be different”? He didn’t even know what the pagoda was!

At that moment, Gu Congxu realized Xiang Zhongjing was far more thick-skinned than he had imagined.

Relying on a skin thicker than a city wall and a string of nonsense even he didn’t understand, Xiang Zhongjing successfully followed the boys into the small town.

Since there was still time before their 12:45 slot, Yi Junting led Xiang Zhongjing to a small pavilion outside the pagoda to wait.

Xiang Zhongjing’s eyes had recovered slightly. Through the black cloth, he could vaguely make out the tall jade structure and the bright, delicate lanterns hanging from its eaves.

The other boys had wandered off somewhere. Seeing that no one was around, Yi Junting leaned in and whispered, “Sword Master, Sect Leader Jin Chu and Chief Su are both searching for you everywhere.”

Xiang Zhongjing reluctantly pulled his gaze away from the lanterns. “Oh, they’re probably planning to silence me.”

He hugged his wooden stick, looking completely preoccupied, as if he were talking about someone else’s problems.

Yi Junting asked cautiously, “Then why are you still going to the Path of Infinity?”

Xiang Zhongjing was puzzled. “Is something happening there?”

“I told you last night,” Yi Junting said with a complicated expression. “In seven days, there will be a Beast Taming Ceremony at the Path of Infinity. Chief Su and Sect Leader Jin Chu will both be there.”

Xiang Zhongjing: “…”

It really was a small world.

Gu Congxu frowned. “Do you know any other medical cultivators?”

“No,” Xiang Zhongjing replied. “Besides, this hand was injured by Su Cansheng’s sword intent. In all of the Nine Provinces, only Man Qiuxia can treat it.”

Gu Congxu fell silent.

Xiang Zhongjing absentmindedly toyed with his earring before suddenly asking Yi Junting, “Are you participating in the ceremony too?”

Xiang Zhongjing’s voice was like a pool of still water. He seemed tired, and his soft, murmuring tone made Yi Junting’s ears turn red, nearly making him miss the question.

“I… I am,” Yi Junting whispered. “I don’t have much talent for beast taming. My cultivation isn’t even high enough to tame or sign a contract with a Mysterious-rank beast. My father always calls me useless.”

Xiang Zhongjing raised an eyebrow. “Then why go?”

“Because the Quyì Sect is sending people…” Yi Junting grumbled unhappily. “My father insists on competing with them. He refuses to lose, so he’s forcing me to go. But I haven’t even found a suitable beast yet. I’m going to make a fool of myself.”

He stopped abruptly, realizing Xiang Zhongjing used to belong to the Quyì Sect. He looked at him timidly.

Xiang Zhongjing let out a long, lazy “Oh”

Hearing that annoying tone, Gu Congxu suddenly had a very bad feeling.

Sure enough, Xiang Zhongjing’s next words were: “How about I help you tame a beast once we get to the Path of Infinity?”

Yi Junting froze, looking at him in astonishment.

Gu Congxu was equally shocked. “You? Tame a beast? You don’t have a lick of spiritual power, how are you going to tame anything?”

Xiang Zhongjing replied cryptically, “I don’t have spiritual power, but I have a dragon.”

Gu Congxu: “???”

Xiang Zhongjing praised him with total sincerity. “Sangen, your pressure was enough to make even Jin Chuling kneel. A mere beast should submit with just a single look from you.”

Gu Congxu: “…”

Gu Congxu said darkly, “I am a majestic True Dragon, and you dare suggest I tame insects?”

“The boy’s father dares to challenge the Quyì Sect, so his family status must be high. Taming a beast for him secures their protection and annoys the Quyì Sect at the same time. It kills two birds with one stone.” Xiang Zhongjing thought for a moment and added, “And it’s all to heal your hand, Sangen.”

Gu Congxu: “…”

This was an absolute humiliation for a wicked dragon!

Fuming, Gu Congxu began racking his brain for insults, but his vocabulary remained limited to “filthy,” “despicable,” and “insect.” He repeated them so much that Xiang Zhongjing started to yawn.

Ignoring the dragon, Xiang Zhongjing asked Yi Junting, “What is the grand prize for the winner of the ceremony?”

In his memory, the prize was usually a manual for beast taming or sealing spiritual beasts. If he could find an array that could peel this dragon off his Nascent Soul, that would be ideal.

Yi Junting was still staring at him in disbelief, unable to process what he had just heard. At the question, he answered somewhat dazed.

“A dragon bone.”

Xiang Zhongjing froze.

Gu Congxu, who had been cycling through his insults, went dead silent.

A dragon bone?

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