When Ruthless Men Made a Mistake, They Spoke Few Words, So an Extra Chapter

This was the first truly good person Qin Haoxuan had encountered since entering the Taichu Sect, and it made him feel deeply warmed. Most people in the cultivation world were cold-hearted and faithless, disregarding others' lives and deaths for their own benefit. Gu Yunzi was a typical example. Yet there were still a few good people. If what Pu Hanzhong said was true, then his master counted as one of the rare good people in the cultivation world.

"Senior Brother Pu, you seem exceptionally honest and kind, and you believe in treating others well. How did you end up confined?"

Pu Hanzhong gave a bitter smile. "Our Natural Hall is the weakest among the Taichu Sect's five halls. For certain special reasons, my master's cultivation is not very strong either, so people from the other halls look down on us. Last time, an Immortal Seedling Realm Thirtieth Leaf expert from Gu Yun Hall insulted my master. I beat him severely, so I was sentenced to confinement here. I've already been locked up for half a year. In a few more days, my sentence will end, and I'll be able to see my master again!"

"Immortal Seedling Realm Thirtieth Leaf?" Qin Haoxuan froze. No matter how he looked at Pu Hanzhong, he seemed to be only around the Immortal Seedling Realm Tenth Leaf. How could he possibly have injured an Immortal Seedling Realm Thirtieth Leaf expert?

Seeing the question in Qin Haoxuan's eyes, Pu Hanzhong smiled. "Of course, I didn't injure him bare-handed. My master once spent spiritual power to refine a tremendously powerful talisman for me. I used it to severely injure that man!"

"So that was it. Senior Brother Pu respects his master and honors the Way. Haoxuan admires you." Qin Haoxuan smiled warmly, and Pu Hanzhong's image in his heart rose several notches. To fight someone at the Immortal Seedling Realm Thirtieth Leaf with only Immortal Seedling Realm Tenth Leaf cultivation in order to defend his master's reputation—how deeply must he respect and love his master to make such a mad move? And to protect his master's good name, he had even been willing to use up a talisman powerful enough to severely wound an Immortal Seedling Realm Thirtieth Leaf expert. In the eyes of those Menial Disciples in Spirit Field Valley, a talisman equal to the full-force strike of an Immortal Seedling Realm Sixth or Seventh Leaf expert would already sell for an astronomical price among Taichu's new disciples. Let alone a talisman with strength equivalent to at least thirty leaves—it was surely no cheap item even in Taichu.

With that thought, Qin Haoxuan became even more interested in Natural Hall and Xuanjizi. Given the chance, he definitely wanted to see what kind of person the master Pu Hanzhong so revered and defended was.

Over the next dozen or so days, four more groups of Immortal Seedling Realm Sixth Leaf disciples entered the Nine Yin Ice Cave to assassinate Qin Haoxuan. Yet without exception, they were all stopped with Pu Hanzhong's help. Protected by Pu Hanzhong, Qin Haoxuan seized all of their food for himself. He could sleep soundly at night as well. With an Immortal Seedling Realm Tenth Leaf "expert" watching over him, he had no need to worry about his safety at all.

Those who had entered to assassinate Qin Haoxuan were left dumbfounded. With Immortal Seedling Realm Tenth Leaf Pu Hanzhong protecting him, they had no chance whatsoever to get close to Qin Haoxuan. During those dozen-plus days, their lives became utterly miserable. Not only did they go hungry, but they could not sleep peacefully either. Every night, they had to remain on edge and keep one eye open. Several times, Qin Haoxuan had suddenly risen in the middle of the night and launched surprise attacks, severely injuring four of the six of them.

Qin Haoxuan had been called a man of few words but ruthless deeds in Spirit Field Valley. Many disciples had only heard of it before, never seen it for themselves. Now... these Sixth Leaf disciples personally experienced what it meant to be a man of few words but ruthless deeds. Of course... they paid for that lesson with grievous injuries.

They also learned just how grudging Qin Haoxuan could be. Whenever he felt like it, he would suddenly launch a sneak attack. Even if they were already seriously injured, as long as he believed they posed a threat, he would come torment them again. If they were lucky, they merely broke a bone. If they were unlucky... well...

The few of them were filled with stifled rage and wanted to join forces for a sneak attack on Qin Haoxuan. Yet what could they do about Pu Hanzhong standing in front of him?

Of course! By now, even if they wanted to do anything to Qin Haoxuan, they could not. They could only burn incense and pray that this little monster would stop wandering over for a stroll whenever he pleased! That was... truly terrifying!

Time passed swiftly. In the Nine Yin Ice Cave's harsh environment, Qin Haoxuan was like a fish in water. With Pu Hanzhong protecting him, he did not need to worry about being ambushed or plotted against. He threw himself wholeheartedly into cultivation. As spiritual power accumulated within him, his immortal seed grew larger and larger, yet there was never any sign of sprouting. Qin Haoxuan found this deeply puzzling, but he did not dare ask aloud. Even if he asked, Pu Hanzhong would certainly be unable to resolve his doubts.

During those days and nights of cultivation, Pu Hanzhong came to admire Qin Haoxuan greatly. Qin Haoxuan rested at most one or two hours a day. Other than eating and using the latrine, he devoted all his time to cultivation. Such high-intensity training was enormously damaging to the body. What was more, he was merely a weak seed that had just Rooted. In a hellish place like the Nine Yin Ice Cave, he should have been suffering terribly. Yet after half a month together, not only had he not collapsed, he had actually grown stronger than when he first entered.

What Pu Hanzhong admired most about Qin Haoxuan was that this new disciple, who had only entered the sect a month ago, had been assassinated four or five times in little more than ten days. Yet he seemed to have already adapted to such a life. He remained calm and composed without the slightest panic, and he displayed extraordinary decisiveness in killing, seeking every opportunity to retaliate against those who had tried to assassinate him. He likely knew that Pu Hanzhong would leave four days before him, so he had begun preparing early.

After dinner, Pu Hanzhong watched Qin Haoxuan still shoveling down mouthful after mouthful of rice. "Junior Brother Qin, my sentence ends tomorrow. Over the next few days, you must be extra careful!"

"Congratulations, Senior Brother Pu..." Qin Haoxuan said indistinctly through a mouthful of rice. His starving-ghost-reborn appearance made Pu Hanzhong both annoyed and amused. Meanwhile, the assassins hiding in the corner, who had not eaten for nearly ten days, were starving on the verge of death.

Pu Hanzhong glanced at Qin Haoxuan with some concern. "All three meals of their daily rations have gone into your stomach. You only give them less than half a bowl of rice each day. They could barely endure that outside, let alone in an environment as harsh as Solitary Confinement Mountain. How about giving them a little more?"

"If not for your kind heart, Senior Brother, I would rather starve people who want my life to death. Giving them half a bowl of rice is already leaving them a path to live. If you had not been here, when they came to assassinate me, would they have wanted to leave me a path to live?"

Pu Hanzhong nodded inwardly. Over the past half month, he had deliberately learned about Qin Haoxuan from every angle, and Qin Haoxuan had also revealed his true nature. The two appreciated each other deeply. Pu Hanzhong had even thought that, given the opportunity, he had to introduce Qin Haoxuan to his master. It would be best if his master accepted him as a disciple. First, Natural Hall could protect Qin Haoxuan. Second, Natural Hall also needed talented people like Qin Haoxuan, who acted decisively and without hesitation. From what he had observed during the past half month, Pu Hanzhong had a premonition: this Qin Haoxuan would certainly not remain a thing trapped in a shallow pond!

The next day, the iron door opened, and an old Daoist entered. He wore a purple Daoist robe and had a thin goatee. His hair and beard were both white, and his face was covered in fine wrinkles. He looked as though his lifespan was nearly exhausted.

The moment Pu Hanzhong saw the old Daoist enter, tears streamed down his aged face. He hurried to the old man's side, dropped to his knees with a thud, and prostrated himself on the ground. "This unworthy disciple, Pu Hanzhong, greets Master!"

The old Daoist was none other than Xuanjizi, the Hall Master of Natural Hall. He immediately helped Pu Hanzhong up, his voice gentle and kind. "Rise. Quickly, rise."

"This disciple is unworthy. I was confined in the Nine Yin Ice Cave for half a year and could not serve at Master's side or attend to Master. Yet Master still remembered this unworthy disciple and personally came to Solitary Confinement Mountain to receive me, lowering yourself for my sake. This disciple... this disciple is grateful from the bottom of his heart. This disciple is ashamed..."

As he spoke, Pu Hanzhong, a man over fifty years old, actually burst into tears like a child.

"Hanzhong, you have suffered. You have grown so much thinner. Yet after only half a year apart, you still cultivated diligently, and your cultivation has not fallen behind. That is truly commendable!" Xuanjizi smiled kindly as he forcibly pulled Pu Hanzhong up from the ground. After examining him from top to bottom and discovering that Pu Hanzhong's cultivation had not declined during his half year in the Nine Yin Ice Cave, he felt greatly comforted.

Praised by Xuanjizi, Pu Hanzhong, his face still wet with tears, became embarrassed instead. He said to Xuanjizi, "If we are speaking of diligent cultivation, this disciple is far inferior to this Junior Brother Qin Haoxuan. He has been confined here for half a month. Aside from eating and the little over an hour he sleeps, he spends all his remaining time cultivating. And in an environment like the Nine Yin Ice Cave, he cultivates with such obsession, yet his body remains so strong. This disciple admires him immensely."

Wanting to introduce Qin Haoxuan to his master, Pu Hanzhong seized the opening and brought Qin Haoxuan into the conversation. Hearing Pu Hanzhong praise him before his master the moment they met, Qin Haoxuan quickly stepped forward and respectfully performed the salute of a junior. "This disciple is Qin Haoxuan. Greetings, Senior Xuanji."

Xuanjizi's eyes, which seemed capable of seeing into people's hearts, swept over Qin Haoxuan. Then he nodded with satisfaction. "No need for such ceremony. Hanzhong rarely praises anyone like this. You must be quite outstanding."

"This disciple would not dare. Senior Brother Pu has overpraised me." Qin Haoxuan bowed once more and smiled faintly.

Pu Hanzhong suddenly dropped to his knees again and said to Xuanjizi, "Master, this disciple has a request. Junior Brother Qin is broad-minded and modest, treats others harmoniously, and possesses a steadfast Dao heart. Unfortunately, he is only a weak seed. Because of his outstanding performance, he has suffered the jealousy of Purple Seed disciples of his own generation, who have repeatedly sent people to the Nine Yin Ice Cave to assassinate him. If not for this disciple's protection, Junior Brother Qin might not have survived. This disciple humbly asks Master to accept Junior Brother Qin. First, he could be protected under Master's name. Second, Junior Brother Qin himself is exceptionally talented and will certainly bring glory to Natural Hall in the future. I hope Master will grant this request."

Hearing that Pu Hanzhong was actually pleading on his behalf, Qin Haoxuan felt grateful beyond measure and also fell to his knees in full prostration. From what he had observed of Xuanjizi, Xuanjizi truly was as Pu Hanzhong had described—kind-hearted, one of the rare good people in the cultivation world. Although Natural Hall struggled to survive in the cracks between the other four great halls, living an extremely difficult existence, as long as Xuanjizi agreed, Qin Haoxuan would willingly join Natural Hall without hesitation for the sake of its principle of treating others well, promoted by Xuanjizi, and the wonderful atmosphere of several hundred people united as one and living together in harmony.

Although Xuanjizi, who had lived for more than a hundred years, did not possess cultivation equal to the other four great hall masters, he had a good eye for judging people. Combined with Pu Hanzhong's high evaluation—Pu Hanzhong, who had never lied to him—Xuanjizi was also very satisfied with Qin Haoxuan. If he could accept such a disciple, perhaps Natural Hall's reputation might one day flourish in Qin Haoxuan's hands.

Because my mind was a little muddled in the previous chapter, I repeated five hundred characters. That was my mistake, so what should I do? Very simple! I revised the repeated part in the previous chapter, and at the same time! I added an extra chapter as an apology. I hope I will not make the same kind of mistake again... Recommendation votes, favorites, come on! There will be another update before six this afternoon...