As he flew toward Sun and Moon Mountain, Moqi Baihui tenderly wrapped his outer robes around the dazed boy in his arms and comforted him. "Shizhi, does it still hurt? Are you tired? Just hold on for a little bit, we'll solve everything soon, all right?"
Chen Yu cleverly nodded, his formerly arrogant demeanor seemingly worn away by exhaustion. In reality, of course, he was completely fine.
The black twin's medical treatment had been very skilled, leaving his whole torso pleasantly numbed, and his fatigue from dealing with Wenren ShiShi had also been washed away by his enjoyment of Zhuo Biming's misery. The only noticeable remnant of his fight was his messy clothing.
It was just that if his guess about his lovers' identity was right, he wouldn't have to do much more, so he'd decided to just lazily watch the play.
Believing that they would solve everything to his satisfaction, Chen Yu easily ignored his human-shaped armchair's mutters about how ineffective Moqi Lirong's herbs were compared to his. Instead, he cozily adjusted his position to check his task completion rate.
En, this had been quite a worthwhile venture.
From 19% to a neat 40%, and a whole 11% of that jump had been produced by Zhuo Biming! It appeared that even the unyielding protagonist had been shaken by his experience this time.
Further scanning along the data, Chen Yu hummed in anticipation when he saw that 3% originated from Duangan Pang. The puppet master had become so emotional merely out of shock at his masterpiece's defeat, how would he react to what was coming next?
As Chen Yu was musing, the group landed in front of the main hall. For the sake of seeing the next act of the play faster, he didn't waste time trying to use his own perfectly healthy legs, which the twins would no doubt veto.
Anyway, pretending to be severely injured would be more conducive to the show they'd be putting on, so he cooperatively nestled against Moqi Baihui's chest like an obedient kitten, causing the man to happily hug him more tightly.
Behind the couple, however, Moqi Lirong wrinkled his brows irritably.
Although it was naturally good that Ning He could relax, he was sure that his chest was sturdier and wider than his brother's. If only these burdensome idiots hadn't dragged him down, his hands would have been free. Then he would have been the one holding his shizhi, and he would have been better at it than Moqi Baihui, too!
Indignant at the thought, he carelessly flung the inert bodies he'd been towing along at two of his peak's disciples, curtly ordering, "Guard them."
These words alerted the hall full of quietly speculating people that these godly masters had arrived, immediately silencing them. Despite everyone's burning curiosity about the identity of the people being guarded as well as that of the person the Ten Stems Hall leader was carrying, no one dared to outright express their interest, making the air grow thick with unspoken questions.
Less obvious but no less intent were most of the other peak leaders already waiting in their seats. What could have possibly coaxed out these notoriously detached fellows? They hadn't expected the next spotting to take place for at least a few more decades.
Duangan Pang, in contrast, dully kept his eyes down to hide the gloomy haze in their depths.
Physically, he had suffered extreme internal injuries when Ning He had destroyed his puppet and forcibly ejected his spirit from the body, and mentally, he still couldn't understand how his perfect creation had failed. This cast an unprecedented doubt on his abilities, so that he could hardly pay attention to what the Moqi brothers' purpose was.
Still, he stifled the discomfort to halfheartedly listen, in case the proceedings incriminated him.
Equally as distracted as the puppet master was Ning Taio. For some reason, he kept feeling that what he'd done would come out soon.
If that happened, he would lose everything. His reputation, his status, his son…Frightened by his own thoughts, Ning Taio tensed the instant Moqi Baihui opened his mouth.
"The Twelve Branches Valley Master and I have summoned the Heavenly Saber Sect here to announce the punishment for someone who attempted to kill a fellow same-sect disciple."
The twins shared a glance, after which Moqi Lirong signaled his apprentices to drop You Daolin in front of the crowd while Moqi Baihui pulled out Wenren ShiShi's corpse from his space.
Gesturing to each body in turn, the white twin continued, "Several people were present when this Puppet Warrior Peak disciple assaulted my shizhi Ning He, and the other person was also seen stabbing him twice. Interestingly, that body belongs to someone who died some time ago from receiving discipline."
The moment his peak was mentioned, Duangan Pang returned from his musings. A vague sense that he would be linked to those failures made him frown, yet he couldn't speak out at this time without drawing undue attention to himself.
Indeed, the next second, Moqi Baihui turned towards him, his sharp anger concealed by his usual indifferent tone.
"Master Duangan, the only way a corpse could move so realistically is if it had been refined into a puppet, right? What great hatred do you have against my shizhi that both of his attackers were controlled by you?"
Unlike the frozen Duangan Pang, Chen Yu laughingly glanced at the brothers. It appeared they weren't really as foolish as they generally behaved in front of him.
Taking into account the fact that they had managed to figure out how Wenren ShiShi had been reanimated, he decided to reward them this time. Also…perhaps if he drowned them in lust, they would forget that he'd been injured, and he could escape their smothering.
The more important problem was that since the results of this show had become too predictable, he was somewhat bored. To help move things along, he casually rubbed his lips against Moqi Baihui's throat, as if he was just adjusting his posture.
Moqi Baihui didn't disappoint, his eyes darkened briefly before he subtly sped up the process.
Without giving Duangan Pang a chance to refute, he shifted his stare back toward You Daolin and declared, "For his repeated aggression against a fellow disciple, You Daolin's meridians will be broken, and he will no longer be allowed to step foot into the sect."
Even in the depths of depression he'd been stuck in, You Daolin startled. He had never considered the possibility of losing his ability to cultivate. The most he thought could happen was expulsion from the sect. Considering his talent, he had been confident that he would still be able to join another one.
Struck by the fear of becoming a mundane person, the kind of existence he had always held the most contempt for, he suddenly scrambled. Duangan Pang wouldn't defend him, nor would any of the other disciples.
His sole possible savior then was his former master, to whom he reached out, pathetically shouting, "Shizun, shizun, save me! This disciple will never disobey you again, shizun, please, shizun!"
The Golden Lion Valley's leader briefly pursed his lips, but he soon removed his gaze. Such a disciple wasn't his responsibility. Since he'd chosen to leave, the boy would have to bear the consequences.
Duangan Pang next to him cared even less. On top of his innate callousness, the idea that he could shift focus from his involvement by sacrificing You Daolin fortified his decision not to interfere.
The punishment went on unimpeded in this way, and in order to better imprint on everyone present what they would suffer if they hurt Ning He, the brothers didn't carry out the punishment privately.
Instead, Moqi Baihui grudgingly passed Ning He to his twin, then displayed the results of his research on human bodies by personally destroying You Daolin's last hope of recovery.
Losing his power was every cultivator's worst nightmare.
Combined with You Daolin's screams of pain, the audience hurried to bury the disdain they'd held towards Ning He.
They were all clear that this wasn't just a punishment for attacking a fellow disciple. Rather, it was a demonstration that the bully they'd always mocked wasn't someone they could offend any longer. Any contempt would have to be covered for their own safety.
Nonetheless, the Moqi brothers understood that such hidden dissatisfaction could prove a greater threat.
It was exactly to guard against such future dangers that Zhuo Biming had been left alive, so he was duly dragged forward.
The battered, pale-faced figure knelt weakly on the floor, apparently shocked by his accomplice's end. It took only a few beats, however, for the youth to collect his senses.
During the trip to Sun and Moon Mountain, he had grasped what the Moqi leaders wanted to do. If their only goal had been killing chickens to warn monkeys, the rumors would have eventually done the job regardless of where they had crushed You Daolin.
No, this group had been gathered to enlighten everyone on how misunderstood Ning He had been. The torture Zhuo Biming had suffered had also been a hint that he had better cooperate.
No matter how unwilling he was to cater to their wishes, You Daolin's fate constantly pressured him. This was his opportunity to save himself. Otherwise, he might also become a waste. If he lost here, everything he'd endured would come to nothing.
With that determination, Zhuo Biming clenched his fists. "This disciple…this disciple confesses his sins! Although this disciple was not aware of what You Daolin was planning, it is true that this disciple was tricked into letting him into Jade Sword Mountain. But this disciple swears that he made no attempt on the life of his shizun's son, he has no reason to do so. Masters, please judge this disciple!"
Chen Yu inwardly smiled in amused admiration. Such rational protagonists were quite rare! Well, as they say, a great man can both bend and extend.
Still, on the surface he panicked, crying out, "What do you mean, no reason? Everyone knows that this young master has bullied you for years."
At the sight of his tormentor's eagerness to hide his secret, most of Zhuo Biming's reluctance to cooperate with the Moqi brothers subsided. After all, revealing this truth could not only appease the Moqi leaders, it would also implicate Ning Taio and upset Ning He.
Thus, he didn't hesitate to explain, "That, ah, shixiong, this shidi actually discovered the truth some time ago. The real reason you've been suppressing other members of the peak is because you found out that the tonic that Master Ning designates to the best disciple contains Golden Honey Flower extract, isn't it?"
Chen Yu hurried to shake his head, his expression appropriately distraught, and hastily opened his mouth to fix the situation.
But how could Zhuo Biming give his enemy a chance to turn over? The youth immediately pointed out, "If not, why is your blood golden?"
Just in time, Moqi Lirong slightly shifted his grip to allow the outer robe wrapped around Ning He to gape a palm's width apart, enough to expose the telltale blood stains.
Seeing that the color really was golden, even the self-controlled teenagers below the stage couldn't restrain their exclamations of surprise. They had never imagined that there was such a dramatic story behind Ning He's actions! Instantly, the boy who'd been a tyrant in their minds became a misconstrued fairy.
Whispered praise sounded one by one, all of which Chen Yu pretended not to notice as he put on a perturbed face.
Meanwhile, discarded in a corner of the stage, You Daolin alone hatefully glared at Zhuo Biming. Was that really the case? How could Zhuo Biming have kept this from him? Had the bastard always planned to throw all the dirty water on him?
You Daolin burned to interrogate the traitor, but he could hardly breathe from the pain wracking his body, let alone spit out any questions.
Gradually, the spirit to fight also flickered out. It had, in the end, been his own stupidity to approach someone who had betrayed him once.
Moreover, arguing would be worse than useless. He had become so weak that if he offended Zhuo Biming, the bastard could crush him with a single finger. The best he could hope for now was to survive.
Back on the stage, Moqi Baihui didn't miss this chance to corner Zhuo Biming. This trash had no use anymore, and there was no need to let a white-eyed wolf continue to live. He demanded, "You heard such news yet did nothing and also managed to further endanger your savior? Tell me, what do you think a person like that deserves?"
This obviously lethal tone made Chen Yu look up.
The Moqi brothers seemed to be embarking on a trend of "Touched Ning He? Die!," a spirit which Chen Yu felt he had to nip in the bud. Otherwise, it would probably turn into something along the lines of "Breathed the same air as Ning He? Die!" If he let these silly men get that extreme, he would, God forbid, be left with no toys except his lovers.
Since that wasn't acceptable, he quickly intervened. "Let's just demote him from an inner disciple to an outer one, okay shishu?"
Although the twins were loath to let this ungrateful bastard go so easily, the public's numerous murmurs of how generous Ning He was convinced them. In any case, it was more urgent that they pull in the bigger fish.
Moqi Baihui therefore nodded, waved his hand to knock Zhuo Biming to the floor, then paced back toward the seated peak leaders. The two prey there had been their highest priorities all along, and now it was time to catch them.
"As for what role Masters Ning and Duangan played in this incident, my brother and I will be investigating. Please cooperate fully for everyone's sake."
Ning Taio could only nod helplessly, his strength already sapped by the sight of his son's blood. The guilt and fear welling up inside nearly caused him to collapse, leaving him too drained to protect himself.
But for the clear-headed Duangan Pang, this was something he knew he had to prevent at all costs. For this purpose, he even put aside his image to blurt out, "Using what authority?"
Moqi Lirong had long been tired of these existences that prevented him from being alone with his shizhi.
Unable to wait anymore, he yanked the silk cover off of the center chair, pulled off the jade pin from his hair, and shoved it into a recess hidden below the armrest. When Moqi Baihui did the same on the other side, the sound of gears echoed in the hall as parts of the seat moved around.
A few beats later, in front of the spellbound crowd, a lacquered box emerged, inside of which were two jade crowns.
As soon as the pure gold dragon decoration on these ornaments was recognized, the people both above and below the stage knelt down.
Those crowns had always served as the mark of the Heavenly Saber Sect's head, and whatever the reason, the Moqi leaders had unmistakably been given the succession rights.
Of course, in the face of such overwhelming authority, Duangan Pang's objection wasn't worth addressing.
Indeed, as the twins swept out with Ning He without another word, no one dared to speak.