"Soul-searching?"
Yunfei was startled.
Su Luo Wei, who appeared so cool and aloof on the outside, had suggested such a harsh measure right from the start.
Moreover, the soul-searching technique was a sect secret, known to very few. How did Su Luo Wei know she could perform it?
Considering the potential side effects that soul-searching might have on the disciples, Yunfei hesitated. "Using this technique could damage their souls, making them unable to cultivate in the future."
Su Luo Wei turned to Meng Shuying and asked, "This is the only way to clear your name. Meng Shuying, are you willing?"
"I am," Meng Shuying replied without hesitation, her expression unwavering.
Su Luo Wei seemed satisfied with her response and nodded slightly before turning her gaze to Ning Yutao.
Upon hearing about the soul-searching, Ning Yutao's face turned ashen, and she began trembling uncontrollably.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk. Just the mention of soul-searching has her scared like this. She clearly doesn't have the mindset to be a proper villain," Xiao Ba commented, having watched the drama unfold for a while and finally unable to resist making a sarcastic remark.
But unfortunately, only Su Luo Wei could hear Xiao Ba, and she was too busy dealing with the situation to respond.
Ignoring Ning Yutao's terrified expression, Su Luo Wei calmly said, "To ensure fairness, Uncle Yunfei, please perform the soul-searching on Meng Shuying first."
She gestured politely to Yunfei and signaled Meng Shuying with her eyes.
Meng Shuying immediately lifted the hem of her robe, sat cross-legged on the ground, and prepared herself.
Jiang Ye hadn't expected things to escalate beyond her control so quickly and in such an unfavorable direction.
Seeing Ning Yutao's panicked gaze pleading for help, Jiang Ye realized that the missing pill was almost certainly taken by her!
Remembering her earlier confident statements, Jiang Ye's face darkened with anger. She wished she could step down from the dais and slap Ning Yutao for bringing disgrace to both Qionghua Peak and herself.
But Yunfei seemed unaware of the situation, slowly rolling up her sleeves as she approached Meng Shuying to begin the soul-searching.
If she performed the soul-searching, Qionghua Peak and Jiang Ye would suffer great humiliation.
Jiang Ye's face turned red, then white. Seeing that Yunfei was about to begin, with spiritual energy gathering in her palm, she finally couldn't hold back. She struck Ning Yutao, knocking her to the ground, and shouted, "How dare you not tell the truth at this point! If you confess now, we might consider leniency since it's your first offense."
Such an obvious hint was impossible for Ning Yutao to miss. She crawled up, smearing blood from her mouth across her face, and cried out as she threw herself at Yunfei's feet, "Uncle Yunfei, that pill… I hid it."
Yunfei was startled by her sudden move and instinctively stepped back, causing Ning Yutao to miss her target.
Jiang Ye furiously flicked her sleeve, growling, "You've already reached Foundation Establishment. Why would you steal a Qi-Gathering Pill?"
Ning Yutao lifted her tear-streaked face, the tears leaving clear trails down her cheeks.
"Senior Sister, you don't understand. My brother has been on the mountain for many years and still hasn't reached Foundation Establishment. If he doesn't soon, his time may run out…"
She covered her face and sobbed bitterly.
Seeing her so distraught, Jiang Ye's expression softened slightly. She turned to Yunfei and suggested, "There's a reason behind her theft. I think we should consider leniency…"
"No." Su Luo Wei suddenly interjected. "If we start ignoring sect rules just because someone has a reason, then everyone in the sect will have an excuse tomorrow."
Su Luo Wei discreetly gestured for Meng Shuying to stand up. Meng Shuying immediately rose, brushing the dust from her robe, and stood tall.
Yunfei, who usually immersed herself in alchemy and artifact crafting without much concern for sect politics, felt a headache coming on as she watched the disagreement between Su Luo Wei and Jiang Ye.
She waved her hand impatiently and said to everyone in the hall, "I don't care about the rest. You handle it however you see fit. Just make sure that pill is returned to me. I've got a batch of pills brewing and can't be away for too long."
With that, she turned and left.
For Jiang Ye, Yunfei's decision not to pursue the matter further was a relief. Now, all she had to do was convince Su Luo Wei.
Forcing a smile, she said to Su Luo Wei, "Since Uncle Yunfei doesn't want to pursue this, why don't we just let it go?"
She paused, then added, "After all, both of them are disciples of Qionghua Peak…"
Her implication was clear—this matter had nothing to do with Yanmo Peak.
Su Luo Wei's anger grew, a hint of mockery creeping into her eyes. "So, stealing a pill and framing a fellow disciple can just be brushed aside? The atmosphere at Qionghua Peak is truly…"
She covered her mouth and let out a derisive laugh.
"…impressive."
Jiang Ye felt humiliated by her words but couldn't argue back. She could see that Su Luo Wei wouldn't let this go and, feeling frustrated, asked, "What exactly do you want to do?"
"It's not about what I want," Su Luo Wei replied coldly. "It's about what the sect rules demand."
"According to the rules… Do you really think Meng Shuying will benefit from following them?" Jiang Ye pointed at Meng Shuying, her tone scornful. "Do you know what these two said before you arrived? Uncle Yunfei asked them both, and they each swore they hadn't taken the pill and vouched for each other's innocence. That's why Uncle Yunfei sent them to the Disciplinary Hall in the first place."
"So what?" Su Luo Wei retorted. "Why don't you ask Meng Shuying who broke her hairpin?"
She stepped to Meng Shuying's side and gently pulled the broken peachwood hairpin from her hair.
With her hair no longer secured, it fell like a waterfall, brushing softly and coolly against Su Luo Wei's fingers.
Holding the half hairpin, Su Luo Wei stood before Meng Shuying, shielding her from the storm brewing at Qionghua Peak.
"I heard at Yanmo Peak that the two of them had fought. Ning Yutao has been in Foundation Establishment for a while, while Meng Shuying has not even reached it. Their strength is worlds apart. Why don't you ask why they fought?"
Su Luo Wei gazed at the broken hairpin in her hand, her expression as calm as a still lake, though her words carried an undertone of anger. "Uncle Yunfei might be too absorbed in her alchemy and artifact crafting to notice these details, but you, Jiang Ye, surely noticed, didn't you?"
Jiang Ye was speechless, her eyes darting around to avoid Su Luo Wei's gaze.
After questioning Jiang Ye, Su Luo Wei turned to Ning Yutao, who was still kneeling on the ground, and asked, "After stealing the pill, you used force to coerce Meng Shuying into lying for you, didn't you?"
Ning Yutao opened her mouth to protest, but when she met Su Luo Wei's cold gaze, she lost her nerve.
How could a person's eyes be so cold?
Ning Yutao wondered in a daze.
When Su Luo Wei looked at her, it was as if she wasn't seeing a person, but an insignificant object or a passage in a book.
Suddenly, all thoughts of resistance left her. She bowed her head to the ground and spoke in a defeated tone, "Yes, I threatened Meng Shuying to lie for me. I accept any punishment according to the rules."
"Then let's proceed according to the rules," Su Luo Wei said, casting a brief glance at Jiang Ye. "As per the rules, Ning Yutao will be expelled from the sect. Please inform Qionghua Peak, and I'll speak to the Sect Master."
Jiang Ye was displeased with Su Luo Wei's rigid adherence to the rules, but since Ning Yutao had confessed, there was nothing more she could do. She reluctantly agreed, "Fine, I'll report this to my master."
"As for Meng Shuying—"
Su Luo Wei turned to face the familiar face before her.
Meng Shuying lowered her head, anxiously waiting for her judgment.
After a moment of thought, Su Luo Wei said to Jiang Ye, "This situation only escalated because Meng Shuying chose to hide Ning Yutao's theft. Let's punish her with a month of confinement. Does that sound fair?"
"Do whatever you want," Jiang Ye muttered, rolling her eyes.
She had already decided but still made a show of asking for her opinion—how hypocritical.
And on top of that, Jiang Ye was still fuming about how to deal with the aftermath.
Expelling a Foundation Establishment disciple from the sect wasn't a big deal in itself.
But this time, the Disciplinary Hall was involved, and the reason was a Qionghua Peak disciple stealing a pill.
It was a huge embarrassment for Qionghua Peak.
Jiang Ye could already imagine how furious her master would be when he heard about this.
The mere thought of her master's wrath made Jiang Ye's eyelids twitch.
She kicked Ning Yutao and ordered her to stand up, her tone sharp. "Where did you hide the pill? Take me to it."
Having her fate decided in just a few words, Ning Yutao felt dizzy, but she knew it was all her own doing.
It was her mistake, and she had no one else to blame.
Luckily, they hadn't decided to strip her of her cultivation. Once she left the mountain, she could still find a place rich in spiritual energy to continue cultivating.
But…
After she left, her brother at Baizhan Peak would likely lose any hope of reaching Foundation Establishment.
The thought made Ning Yutao's heart ache.
Jiang Ye, walking ahead, grew increasingly irritated as Ning Yutao lagged behind. Anticipating the wrath she would soon face from her master, Jiang Ye shouted, "Hurry up! Hmph, do you really think stealing a pill will help your brother reach Foundation Establishment? Stop dreaming—he's just useless."
Already feeling terrible, Ning Yutao stopped in her tracks and sneered. "Stealing the pill was wrong, but my brother isn't someone you can insult! Besides, others might not know why he can't reach Foundation Establishment, but you should!"
"Don't pretend with me, Jiang Ye. If it weren't for my brother, you'd be dead by now. But what did you do after becoming an official in the Disciplinary Hall? Did you ever consider asking Uncle Yunfei for a Qi-Gathering Pill for him?"
Jiang Ye refused to back down, "That's easy for you to say. As an official, I only get one mid-grade pill a year. I don't even have enough for myself, let alone to give away."
Jiang Ye looked Ning Yutao up and down, realizing something. "So you're here to collect on that debt? Fine, I don't like owing people."
She pulled a mid-grade spirit stone from her sleeve and tossed it at Ning Yutao, saying, "This stone more than pays back the energy your brother gave me. We're even now, so don't try to use that old favor against me."
Jiang Ye's arrogance infuriated Ning Yutao, making her eyes burn with tears. She picked up the spirit stone and threw it at Jiang Ye, shouting, "I don't want your spirit stone! Get lost! Leave me alone!"
Jiang Ye caught the stone with a flick of her fingers.
No matter what, she was still a Golden Core cultivator. Ning Yutao's feeble attack couldn't hurt her.
She gestured with her hand, and spiritual energy formed ropes around Ning Yutao.
Then she summoned her sword, muttered a spell, and flew off with Ning Yutao in tow, heading for Qionghua Peak.
The sooner this matter was reported to her master, the better.
Jiang Ye's mouth tasted bitter.
If she was late and her master heard about it from someone else, his anger would only be worse.
All she could hope for now was that this wouldn't get her into trouble too.