The guards knelt outside the Elder Hall, hands raised to the sky like bamboo poles.Sun high and merciless.Arms shaking.Faces dark and sweaty.
Disciples walked by pretending not to laugh.
Some hid behind their sleeves.Some pointed openly.Some even sat nearby to drink wine with intentionally exaggerated slurps.
Loudly.
"SLLLUUURRP."
"Ahhh~ so refreshing in this HEAT…Too bad some people can't use their hands right now~"
"Hot day, huh?""Thirsty?"
A disciple poured wine onto the ground slowly, dramatically.
"PLOP… splash…"
The guards nearly cried.
From inside the hall—a roar shook the beams.
"DO YOU WANT TO JOIN THEM?!"
The disciples scattered instantly like terrified dogs.One tripped, fell face-first, bounced, and ran away without looking back.
The guards' shoulders trembled—a few giggles escaped.
Big mistake.
The elder's head appeared at the doorway—sharp, lethal, spirit-breaking stare.
They snapped their heads forward so fast their necks popped.
Silence.Sweat.Not a single eye dared shift.
The elder grunted,"You're being punished. Reflect on your mistakes instead of wasting time on useless thoughts."
He withdrew.
SLAM.
Xiaolin whispered, "Brothers… I think we—"
A teacup flew out of the hall.
Clonk.
Direct hit.Xiaolin fainted with a peaceful smile.
"XIAOLIN'S DEAD!" a guard screamed.
"HE'S GONE—HE'S GONE I SAY—"
Another teacup shattered inches away.
Every guard shut their mouths.
Not a breath.Not a twitch.Statues sweating under the sun.
Cicadas buzzed in the blistering heat.
Inside the Elder Hall—
Elder Mingxu:Punishment ElderWhite hair tied with scarlet cord, eyes like winter storms.Crimson robe embroidered with chains.Realm: Nascent Soul 9th Stage.
His palm struck the table.A crack spread across it like lightning.
"What do we do with that BRAT?!""He ruined the sect's reputation!""Friendly sects avoided us the entire year—now we know why!""One more scandal and our banner will SHRINK from shame!"
Elder Yuanhai:Discipline ElderTall, beard nearly touching the floor.Purple robe with bamboo motifs.Realm: Nascent Soul 7th Stage.
He shook with such outrage that a jade bead fell out of his beard.
He slammed his cane.
"No matter! CASTRATION!""CAS—TRATE—HIM!"
Elder Suixin coughed politely.
"Let's not act rashly… He has never forced anyone."
Elder Suixin:Scripture Hall ElderSlim, gentle-faced, ink-stained sleeves.Realm: Transcendent Core 7th Stage.
He sighed heavily.
"But we cannot behead him…He is, after all, talented."
"Mingxu—"
"Talent cannot impregnate other people's daughters!" Mingxu snapped.
Suixin quietly closed his mouth.Breathing was safer.
"But that makes it WORSE!"
Elder Weng Tai:Outer Peaks ElderBald, fierce eyebrows.Orange robe.Realm: Nascent Soul 5th Stage.
He slapped his shiny head.
"Noble families are avoiding us! The Neighbor Sects and the mortals stopped donating!"
The women of the noble families who came in contact with Ye Beixin—"They ALL went willingly! Even your granddaughter, Elder Mingxu!"
The room froze.
"…Weng Tai," someone whispered,"That wasn't public information."
Weng Tai gasped."Oh no."
Slaps on tables.Trembling beards.Veins pulsing like angry earthworms.
Elder Suixin started laughing—too loud, too helpless.
Elder Mingxu narrowed his eyes.
Elder Su.
"I believe YOU have a granddaughter. Fifteen? Sixteen? Marriageable age, yes?"
Suixin stiffened.
"Yes."
"I saw her visiting the beast pen often."
"So what? She's gifted and free-spirited, curious about spirit beasts—or are you implying certain elders' granddaughters cannot visit the beast pen under your son-in-law's care?"
"No, no—"
It's just
" Ye Beixin visited the beast pen often too…At the exact same time as your granddaughter often."
Suixin froze.
"And that short sword you gifted her… for her 15th birthday," Mingxu grinned,"…I saw a similar sword in Ye Beixin's hand."
So he didn't say another word
The hall went silent.Heavy.Oppressive.
Sandalwood smoke curled slowly around the pillars.
"This kid is a plague."
"His evil weapon must be removed—for the good of the sect!"
"We must CUT it off! As a warning to all!"
Weng Tai slapped his bald head again.
"If we don't act now, he'll seduce—"
A shadow raced through the courtyard.
A guard slid to his knees.
"Reporting—!"
The doors opened on their own.
The Grand Elder stood there.
"Enter."
The guard rushed inside.
"Great elders… a princess… and an official Saintess from the capital…They have arrived and await you in the guest pavilion."
…
The Elder Hall froze.
Silence.
Then—
"WHAT?!""A PRINCESS?!""A SAINTESS?!"
"No, no—NOT THEM TOO! The Patriarch isn't here today!""WHY TODAY—AHEM—READY THE HALL! INCENSE! BISCUITS! TEA—BRING THEM EVERYTHING!""FIX YOUR BEARDS!""WHERE'S MY ROBE?!"
"MOVE, YOU FOOLS!"
They stormed out like panicked chickens in white ceremonial robes.
A teacup rolled gently beside the stunned guard.
At the Guest Pavilion—
Princess Xiang'er and Saintess Qingyin walked lightly, sleeves drifting like butterfly wings.
Qingyin looked around calmly.
Princess Xiang'er leaned close, whispering mischievously:
"Hidden Immortal Peak… ah.They open their mountain gate only once every hundred years.Even emperors must wait."
Her smile was radiant—and wicked.
"But… with a certain contribution…they offer temporary passes."
She tapped her fan.Elegant.Smug.
"I tell you this so that, in the future…"Her eyes gleamed."…you may repay me with GREAT sincerity."
Saintess Qingyin froze mid-step.Her gaze was pure moonlight, pure snow.
"…Shameless."
Xiang'er waved her fan lightly.
"As if shame ever built a kingdom. Anyway—"
Qingyin asked softly,"Will they help us?"
Princess Xiang'er snapped her fan shut.
"Of course! Old fogeys crumble when royalty visits."
Her tone sparkled with cheerful malice.
"Come, Qingyin.Today—we charm heaven, deceive earth,and borrow the power of Hidden Immortal Peak."
The two beauties glided like drifting lotus blossoms—elegant, scheming, dazzling.
BANG!!!
The guest hall doors burst open.
Three elders tumbled inside like falling boulders.
THUD — Elder Ming slipped.CRASH — Elder Yuan tripped over Wan.BOOM — Elder Tai tried to help and instead slammed face-first into the floor.
A flawless chain reaction.
Princess Xiang'er blinked.Saintess Qingyin blinked.
The elders scrambled upright, robes crooked, dignity in shreds.
All three cupped fists stiffly.
"G-greetings, Princess Xiang'er!""Greetings, Saintess Qingyin!""Welcome to Hidden Immortal Peak—AH—careful—!"
Elder Wan nearly fell again.
Qingyin whispered:
"…This is your reliable sect?"
Xiang'er coughed softly.
"W-well… their hearts and methods are reliable."
The elders, hearing nothing but understanding everything, bowed harder.
Princess Xiang'er and Saintess Qingyin exchanged glances.
Maybe…this was a mistake after all.