The Time Had Come; Retribution Never Missed

Qin Feng walked along the mountain path leading to the outer peak of Molten Fire Peak, his mind filled with many thoughts along the way.

At eighteen, he was still carefully turning over Han Yuan's words in his mind. The deeper meanings within them sent his emotions churning.

Some of the things his parents had told him before they parted two years ago gradually resurfaced as well. Only then did he understand, in part, the complex look in their eyes back then—both gratified and worried.

Qin Feng could not help but let out a quiet sigh, but his expression soon brightened again.

"Perhaps the choice I made in a moment of impulsiveness was the most correct decision of my life."

When he had heard that Han Yuan had become a True Disciple, he had rushed over on impulse. Everyone said it was merely a rumor—how could Han Yuan possibly become a True Disciple? Yet he had not thought much about it, only deciding to come and see for himself first.

Then, he had successfully become Han Yuan's subordinate.

In just over three months, his cultivation had risen from having only just entered the Qi Refining Third Layer to the late stage of the Qi Refining Third Layer!

He could use the Yellow-grade High-rank Cultivation Room without limit. He had even received Qi Condensing Pills from Chang Chun, and Chang Chun would occasionally offer him a word or two of guidance in cultivation. How could his cultivation speed not be fast?

These were all benefits he had gained from joining Han Yuan.

Yet he often worried as well. He feared that his cultivation was too low, that as more and more people entered the cave mansion, he would eventually become nothing more than a menial worker. He feared becoming useless, feared that the friendship they had shared as fellow Outer Sect disciples for two years would slowly wear away. He did not have Chang Chun's late-stage Qi Refining cultivation or his efficiency in handling affairs. Nor did he have Liu Sisi's beauty or the clan backing behind her.

He was only a small fry at the Qi Refining Third Layer. Back when he had been in the outer courtyard, he had been quite proud of himself. Only after arriving at Cangming Cave Mansion did he realize that the Qi Refining Third Layer was simply not worth looking at.

So what use was he?

But today, he seemed to have found somewhere he could be useful!

Take today's matter, for example. It was a rather dirty job, and spreading rumors afterward was not something that could be brought into the light. It was somewhat beneath the table. Chang Chun had no time to handle such matters, and Liu Sisi could not possibly do them. That gave him room to show what he could do.

Gradually, Qin Feng's eyes brightened. "I must handle this matter beautifully. This is a chance to prove my worth! If I can leave even a small impression in the Estate Master's mind, how could there be any shortage of benefits for me in the future? The Estate Master can give an outsider a chance at Foundation Establishment—would he fail to prepare something for his own people?"

The faint childishness on Qin Feng's face seemed to fade somewhat, and his aura turned a little colder.

"Has Wu Chao broken through yet? If he has, this will be somewhat troublesome..." Qin Feng narrowed his eyes.

He pondered whether he should secretly recruit some manpower. This task had fallen to him only because he had happened to discover the matter. Otherwise, why would it have come to him? Besides, doing things without any people under him was difficult.

With that thought, he changed direction instead of continuing toward the outer peak of Molten Fire Peak. He still knew quite a few Outer Sect and Menial Disciples. He had not paid them much attention before, but now it seemed he could make contact with them. Do not be fooled by the fact that he was merely a menial worker in Cangming Cave Mansion—outside, having reached the late stage of the Qi Refining Third Layer in just over two years after entering the sect, his astonishing progress made him someone noteworthy, an object of many people's fawning. Not to mention that Cangming Cave Mansion and Han Yuan stood behind him.

The change in his mindset changed the way Qin Feng handled matters as well.

Half a day later.

In a Small Courtyard, Wu Chao and Hu Yifan arranged a friendly spar. After a round of friendly combat, Wu Chao accidentally destroyed Hu Yifan's Dantian.

Hu Yifan coughed up a mouthful of blood and collapsed onto the ground. Pale-faced, he clutched his abdomen, his expression twisted with pain. "Brother Chao, Wu Chao! You... why did you destroy my Dantian and sever my Dao Path? Don't you know the sect will punish you too? I'm finished! You're finished too!"

Wu Chao wore a remorseful expression. "Junior Brother Hu, I... I was distracted for a moment just now and made a mistake!"

"A mistake... haha, a mistake..." Hu Yifan gave a bitter laugh. Destroying someone's Dantian without taking their life required Spiritual Sense to strike with precision. How could a mistake possibly be so precise?

Feeling the spiritual power within him gradually dispersing, he looked at Wu Chao with eyes full of hatred. "You... just because I caused you to offend Han Yuan before, you struck at me so ruthlessly? No, no—you got in contact with him. It was his order, wasn't it? You offended him too. How could he let you off? Yet you're still doing things for him, hahaha, are you an idiot? Look, isn't he taking revenge on me now? Just because I made a few sarcastic remarks before, hahaha, petty man, he's nothing but a petty man! You're too stupid! Truly!"

Hu Yifan spoke with half anger and half mockery.

Wu Chao looked at him pityingly. "I merely made a mistake myself. I will bear all the consequences alone. As for offending True Disciple Han? I already offered an apology. Why would he make trouble for a small fry like me?"

Hu Yifan stared at him in astonishment. "Offered an apology... you would offer an apology?"

His expression became dazed. Suddenly, he recalled that morning when he had seen Wu Chao carrying a wooden box past his door toward Han Yuan's house. He had guessed that Wu Chao was going to apologize. After hesitating for a long time, he too had brought a wooden box over in the evening, but by then Han Yuan had already vanished without a trace.

He had thought Wu Chao, like himself, had failed to meet anyone. But clearly, the result was not what he had imagined.

At that moment, Hu Yifan began to feel some regret as well.

Wu Chao did not wish to waste more words on a cripple. Taking out his Identity Token, he directly sent a message to the Law Enforcement Hall.

"Law Enforcement Hall? I am Wu Chao, an Outer Sect disciple of Molten Fire Peak. I accidentally destroyed the Dantian of a fellow Outer Sect disciple. I feel deeply guilty, and I wish to turn myself in and confess my crime."

A few minutes later.

A team of late-stage Qi Refining disciples arrived swiftly while riding Magic Tools.

The captain of the law enforcement team glanced at Hu Yifan, who looked dispirited but was otherwise physically unharmed, then at Wu Chao, who appeared terrified and sincerely repentant. He nodded in understanding. "You are the one turning yourself in?"

Wu Chao said bitterly, "It was me. I didn't do it on purpose."

The captain looked at him indifferently. "Mm. By precedent, given that you turned yourself in and injured someone by mistake, take a trip to Confinement Cliff and remain there for twenty years."

Wu Chao's face was filled with remorse, but inwardly he let out a sigh of relief. Twenty years was even a little shorter than he had expected. He could afford to wait twenty years!

"No! He did it deliberately! Someone ordered him to do it—I know who that person is, I want to..." Hu Yifan cried sharply.

"Do you have evidence?" the captain asked, looking at him.

Hu Yifan's words came to an abrupt halt.

But he quickly thought of something and immediately said, "No, I said some bad things about that Han Yuan these past few days, so he deliberately harmed me! It must be that! I... I can have those people testify."

"You mean the newly promoted True Disciple of Spirit Script Peak?" the captain asked in surprise.

"That's right," Hu Yifan said with certainty.

One law enforcement disciple transmitted his voice to Hu Yifan. "You, an Outer Sect disciple, went and provoked a True Disciple? Do you have any backing?"

"Backing? What backing?" Hu Yifan asked blankly.

The law enforcement disciple shook his head, inwardly ridiculing him. No backing, no strength, yet an Outer Sect disciple had bypassed Inner Sect Disciples and Core Disciples to provoke a True Disciple. What had he been thinking?

Wu Chao said, "It was all my fault. I truly made a mistake. Sigh, I am in such pain. Hu Yifan is my closest friend. If it had not been an accident, how could I possibly have hurt him?"

The captain waved a hand, telling Wu Chao to quiet down. "Enough with the act." Then he turned back to Hu Yifan. "Do you have any other concrete evidence? What you have said is completely useless. Other than getting you confined, it serves no other purpose. Are you sure you want to bring those people here?"

Hu Yifan lowered his head. "Evidence... there is none."

The captain shook his head. "If you had evidence, I might be able to request a meeting with True Disciple Han. If you do not, stop thinking of falsely accusing others. Take them both away and close the case when we return."

Both men were taken away together, drawing the attention of many disciples along the way as they asked one another what had happened.

Hu Yifan was carried through the air at low altitude by a Magic Tool, his face filled with utter desolation.

At this point, he was already thinking about his future. Though he could receive compensation, what use would it be to someone without a Dantian?

It might even draw the covetous eyes of others.

He could no longer remain in the sect and could only return to the mortal dynasty. But that was not a place where he could live out the rest of his life carefree either. Cultivators could be found there too, and there were no shortage of martial artists. Now, he could not even defeat a martial artist!

He glanced toward Wu Chao. Wu Chao was to be punished with confinement at Confinement Cliff, yet he did not appear overly troubled. Those law enforcement disciples did not treat Wu Chao as though they were escorting a criminal. They even occasionally exchanged a few words with him. Hu Yifan could even see envy in the eyes of some law enforcement disciples.

They were envious of someone being confined?

Did they really believe that Han Yuan would help Wu Chao after he came out?

Twenty years! By then, Han Yuan would have long forgotten him!

Clearly, Hu Yifan still did not understand. This was not a matter of Han Yuan's personal reputation, but the status, rights, and credibility of True Disciples that all True Disciples of the Earth God Sect had jointly upheld for thousands of years.

What was a True Disciple?

Wasn't Liu Xinghe, a high-rank genius disciple from a Golden Core Clan, deliberately coming to the weakest Spirit Script Peak, refusing to rush into Foundation Establishment despite having long been able to do so, and painstakingly pursuing precisely this thing?