Chapter 88.2
Editor: Casey
The Punishment Hall has always been a solemn place. Due to how severe their methods were, Chi Yun Sect disciples tried their best to avoid being sent here. As a result, this was usually a spa.r.s.ely populated location.
However, the building was unusually bustling today.
Some disciples quietly snuck to the door, peering inside to watch the unfolding events.
“What’s going on? Why are there so many people here today?”
“Apparently Zhang-shixiong from Chi Xia Peak took a group of people to Qing Jian Peak to beat up their eldest disciple, and they got caught red-handed by Supreme Elder Shi Qing! Then they were all sent here.”
“What?!!”
The information overload only made the disciples more confused.
They all knew what kind of person Zhang Paohui was. He has always relied on his grandfather’s position as the supreme elder of Chi Xia Peak to act out.
But barging straight into Qing Jian Peak to beat up someone’s eldest disciple was too much, even for him.
As soon as someone brought up that point, a well-informed disciple replied, “That’s not all. Supreme Elder Shi Qing didn’t seem to like that Rong-shixiong all that much. Before, when he got hurt, the supreme elder didn’t even let him receive medical treatment!”
“Zhang-shixiong probably had the guts to go to Qing Jian Peak because of that.” He said, lamenting, “But Zhang-shixiong made too many a.s.sumptions. Supreme Elder Shi Qing practically raised Rong-shixiong, so him being harsh was just to make Rong-shixiong mature faster.”
“How can the relationship between master and disciple crumble overnight? Besides, I saw the look on Supreme Elder Shi Qing’s face earlier… Things aren’t going to end well this time.”
Almost everyone who was in the know agreed. They believed that Zhang Paohui was trying to kick Rong Jue while he was down, only for his foot to hit an iron plate instead.
And now here he was, brought straight to the Punishment Hall.
It would take a long time to recover from taking fifty cane strokes without using any spiritual energy for protection.
Zhang Paohui was kneeling in the Punishment Hall. The various instruments of torture strewn across the walls made him cry harder.
He could admit that he’s done a lot of bad things in the past, and that he really had ill intentions for Rong Jue…
But he really didn’t do anything this time, ah!
The lackeys that were kneeling behind him were already sobbing loudly.
“Zhang-shixiong, what should we do now? Someone as weak as me can’t take fifty cane strokes…”
Zhang Paohui didn’t care about his lackeys. He just wanted to save his own cheeks right now.
Would his b.u.t.t ever be the same again after fifty strokes…?
But even though he was scared to death, he managed to hide any of it from his face. “What are you panicking for? I’ve already crushed my jade slip, so my grandfather is coming to save me. What are you afraid of when we really didn’t do it?”
“Don’t worry, grandfather will be here in a few moments. We’ll just kneel here for now. It’s not like we’re going to be beaten right away.”
Right after he finished his sentence, Shi Qing, who was sitting on the elevated platform, placed his teacup down. He quietly said, “Now that the investigation has concluded, start the punishment.”
Zhang Paohui: “……”
His lackeys: “……”
Seeing that the Punishment Hall disciples were really approaching them with their big a.s.s sticks, Zhang Paohui broke down.
Kneeling on the ground, he wailed, “Supreme Elder, Supreme Elder please have mercyk2026; We really didn’t do itk2026;”
Behind Shi Qing, Rong Jue looked on indifferently as Zhang Paohui bawled beneath him.
The demon lord seemed to see his past self there. Bruised, battered, and accused of making false statements about his fellow disciples, he was dragged to the Punishment Hall and given 20 cane strokes. Afterwards, he could only lie there on the brink of death.
At that time, he still had a trace of hope in his heart.
He hoped that his Shizun would come and save him.
But in the end, all he received was a bag of money, which nearly killed him later on.
The blue-robed supreme elder who was seated above seemed to sense Rong Jue’s peculiar mood. He knitted his eyebrows slightly and turned to face his eldest disciple.
“Is the Punishment Hall’s spiritual pressure making you feel unwell?”
The spiritual pressure of the Punishment Hall was indeed beyond what a mortal could withstand.
But Rong Jue wasn’t a mortal.
He lowered his eyes and revealed a gentle, warm smile. “Not at all. This disciple was just somewhat saddened to see Zhang-shixiong in this state.”
Shi Qing’s eyebrows rose slightly.
“Why? He brought this on himself by trying to take advantage when he should not. In this master’s opinion, his punishment isn’t severe enough.”
Rong Jue smiled.
Yes, no punishment was too severe for a person who took advantage when he should not.
But what about the person who created the opportunity in the first place? How should they be punished?
As they conversed, the punishment below commenced.
These young adults who have always been coddled immediately started to howl and scream.
The blue-robed supreme elder who was beautiful enough to launch a thousand ships watched this scene coldly.
Behind him was his seemingly loyal disciple, whose hand landed on his Shizun’s shoulder with overwhelming possessiveness.
Beneath them, Zhang Paohui yelled, “Aoaoaoao it hurts! Spare me, Supreme Elder, please spare me!! Grandpa, Grandpa save me, ah!!!”
After almost a dozen strokes, a middle-aged man suddenly strode in from outside. “Stop at once!!”
The disciples of the Punishment Hall paid their respects to him.
“Disciples greet the supreme elder.”
Zhang Cheng of Chi Xia Peak finally arrived.
He immediately saw his beaten grandson. Heartache and hatred filled his heart as his fierce gaze fell on Shi Qing, who was indifferently looking down at him from above.
“Supreme Elder Shi Qing is so impressive. You can still remain seated when a fellow supreme elder has arrived.” He said, his gaze shifting to Rong Jue, who was behind Shi Qing.
Zhang Cheng’s mood became even worse. “The apple really doesn’t fall far from the tree. Even your disciple is so unruly.”
The corner of Shi Qing’s lips twitched up into a sneer. He waved his sleeve and continued to sit serenely without any intention of getting up.
“Supreme Elder Zhang Cheng must be joking. You and I are both elders of our peaks. Are you asking me to greet you as a disciple?”
“My disciple has been severely injured by your grandson. He can only enter this place with my spiritual energy protecting him, but Supreme Elder Zhang Cheng actually wants him to exert himself to greet you? Aren’t the injuries inflicted by your grandson enough?”
While he and Zhang Cheng traded barbs, Rong Jue’s thoughts grew more complicated.
His impression was that Shi Qing avoided offending the other supreme elders of Chi Yun Sect because he knew his cultivation was inferior to theirs.
It was precisely because of this that Rong Jue despised him so much. He pretended to be a gentle and kind supreme elder to everyone else, but abused his disciple in secret. This kind of person would’ve never gotten his position if it wasn’t for his father.
But now, Shi Qing, who had always been careful with his words and actions, was confronting Zhang Cheng, who was also a supreme ruler.
Just because Rong Jue had been injured.
Rong Jue was shaken, but he still tried to control his burgeoning expectations.
Heh.
How could Shi Qing be doing this for him?
If this guy really valued him so highly, then where was he in his last life?
Where was he when the newly mortal and injured Rong Jue was detained at the Punishment Hall, framed and punished?
The only reason Shi Qing was here was because his previous provocation worked. This supreme elder was just trying to save face.
Rong Jue wasn’t the only one surprised. Zhang Cheng was also in disbelief that Shi Qing would dare to speak to him like this.
His disbelief was followed by anger.
Would he, Zhang Cheng, be afraid of someone who only became a supreme elder due to nepotism?
If Shi Qing didn’t have such a powerful father, how could it be his turn to become Qing Jian Peak’s supreme elder?
Zhang Cheng sneered, “Is Supreme Elder Shi Qing planning to sever relations with my Chi Xia Peak?”
Shi Qing waved his sleeve dismissively. “What is Supreme Elder Zhang Cheng saying? Your grandson intruded into my Qing Jian Peak and plotted to harm my disciple. If we were not both supreme elders, I would have taken care of the problem myself.”
“I would not have been so kind as to send him to the Punishment Hall like this.”
Zhang Cheng was livid as he looked at his grandson, who was sprawled across the bench. “Paohui, is this true?”
Zhang Paohui: “I…”
Rong Jue suddenly spoke up, “This disciple is willing to swear an oath of internal demons that my words are the truth! Zhang-shidi can do the same. Are you willing to stand behind your statements to my Shizun, that you came to Qing Jian Peak purely to visit me?”
Zhang Paohui: “……”
He really didn’t dare to.
As he watched his grandson stutter and mumble, Zhang Cheng, who knew his temperament well, flew into a rage.
“Why would you do such a thoughtless thing?! You’re harming others while also harming yourself!!”
Zhang Paohui: “…I didn’t do it.”
The blue-robed supreme elder sitting above rose. “Then swear an oath of internal demons.”
Zhang Paohui: “……”
Zhang Cheng: “Did you do it or not?!”
Zhang Paohui: “……”
Zhang Paohui: “I did…”
Zhang Cheng: “……”
He came all the way here only for his grandson to pull the rug from underneath him.
But Zhang Cheng has always been protective of his own. Even though he knew his grandson was in the wrong, he didn’t want Zhang Paohui to take all fifty cane strokes.
He grit his teeth and straightened, looking up at the blue-robed supreme elder. “Shi Qing, they are just children, and children are p.r.o.ne to fooling around. They meant no real harm. How about this, you know that my Chi Xia Peak specializes in pill refinement. If you let my grandson off, your Qing Jian Peak can have unlimited access to my peak’s pills for the next ten years. So what do you say?”
Despite his anger, Zhang Cheng had a clear grasp of the situation.
Although he was taking a step back now, he could make Shi Qing pay in the future. After all, Qing Jiang Peak’s future talent prospects were bleak, and Shi Qing himself was only at the Amalgamation stage. What could he possibly do in retaliation?
The most important thing now was to save his grandson.
He wasn’t wrong to think this way, but the blue-robed supreme elder above didn’t even twitch. His red lips parted slightly, uttering a single word:
“No.”
“He bullied my disciple today. I will let the entire Chi Yun Sect know who they can and cannot afford to provoke.”
Then Shi Qing turned to the disciples of the Punishment Hall. “What are you waiting for? Continue the punishment.”
Howls resounded through the Punishment Hall once again.
Zhang Cheng’s expression could not be more twisted. He glared at Shi Qing like the blue-robed supreme elder had murdered his father.
When the punishment was over, Zhang Cheng used his spiritual energy to lift his grandson.
“Fine!! What a fine mess you made, Supreme Elder Shi Qing!! If this is how you want to act, then don’t blame me for taking action! From now on, my Chi Xia Peak will not supply even a single pill to your Qing Jian Peak!!”
As he watched the other party walk away, Rong Jue’s feelings became more and more complicated. He carefully pulled on Shi Qing’s sleeve. “Shizun, it’s not worth it to offend Chi Xia Peak for this disciple’s sake.”
Shi Qing was still as cold and aloof as ever. “It has nothing to do with you.”
The more he acted like this, the more puzzled Rong Jue’s thoughts became.
The demon lord lowered his head to look at the blue sleeve in his hand. He slowly tightened his grip.
Shizun……
Just what are you thinking?
Meanwhile, Shi Qing was secretly scheming.
In less than three days, he wanted the entire Chi Yun Sect to know that the reason he, Supreme Elder Shi Qing, used pills to raise his cultivation was because he was on the wrong peak.
His real talent…
Rested in pill refinement.