The Disciplinary Court

I flew out on my sword to patrol the mountains for a week, unlocked maps of four Daoist temples, obtained Immortal Spirit Jade Marrow and Scarlet Fruit from two fish, killed a fox and a weasel, and learned a bit about raising Kun. That concludes this round of quests. Sigh, what a waste; I had so few opportunities.

Upon returning to Lou Guan Tower, I handed in the mission and received five hundred strings of cash. Well, only five hundred strings. The steward said that the patrol had encountered something unusual, and reporting it to the sect was simply part of the job, not an extra reward. So there was no extra compensation...

Incidentally, if you defeat a monster and hand over its core, you can receive a reward of one hundred strings of cash.

Go to hell! You think I can buy as many demon cores as you have, even if they cost 100 strings of cash each? Are you trying to fob me off like Delia?

Li Fan turned to leave, but was stopped by two Golden Core cultivators in black robes with 'Unknown Face' as soon as he stepped out the door.

"Qingyue, a disciple of Wangshu, is summoned for questioning by Dean Wei of the Discipline Institute."

"... Is there pork chop for lunch? Ahem, excuse me, please lead the way."

Seeing such a ruthless character in charge of enforcing the list, Li Fan felt a little uneasy. Moreover, the leader of the Discipline Institute, Master Real Person Wei, had eaten over a thousand people in his first appearance, which was incredibly shocking and left him with at least fifty acres of psychological trauma.

Because of his lingering fear, Li Fan was also somewhat wary of the two Golden Core in front of him, whom he could have easily killed with a single sword strike. He was worried that they would yell, "Loyalty is not absolute, it is absolutely not loyal!" and drag him out to be served as a snack. So he didn't resist and obediently followed them.

However, the Discipline Institute was not some gloomy dungeon or dark room. It was just an ordinary courtyard under the Dao Tower, and it was well-lit from the outside, not blocked by the shadow of the Dao Tower. There were even three cats and a dog sunbathing on the eaves and by the threshold.

By the way, the cats are either black and white, tabby, or calico, while the dogs are just mixed breeds.

Hmm... it seems we really overestimated the Discipline Institute and were biased. Look at this Real Person Wei, he looks like a ghost, but he's actually so gentle and delicate inside, keeping so many small animals. The image of this peerless demon and man-eating monster has completely collapsed...

Perhaps Li Fan smelled fishy; as he followed two disciples from the Discipline Institute through the door, the three cats on the eaves all turned their heads to stare at him. The dog at the door lay on its back, its eyes rolled back, practically fast asleep.

"Dean, Qingyue has arrived."

After the two Discipline Institute finished speaking, they left the courtyard and closed the door behind them.

Real Person Wei didn't put on airs. Hearing the noise, he Door Opening and came out. His tall, thin, dark face was missing half a cheek compared to the last time I saw him. It seemed he had recently been in a fierce battle and had been chopped off. Now, he was covered with a large amount of bone-regenerating and muscle-regenerating medicine, and his face was smeared with mud, from which a lot of new, tender buds of flesh were sprouting...

Li Fan had experienced this feeling before, and knew how unbearably itchy it was, to the point where one wanted to scratch it raw. Yet this Real Person Wei was enduring it with a completely calm expression; he was truly a ruthless person...

A layer of cold sweat immediately broke out on Li Fan's forehead. He cautiously said, "Disciple Qingyue greets Real Person Wei."

Real Person Wei waved his hand, "I summoned you here today to inquire about the mountain patrol. Tell me everything you've seen."

Li Fan, of course, wouldn't mince words and explained everything in detail. However, he wondered if it was just his imagination, but as he spoke, Real Person Wei kept turning his head to look at the three cats... Was he really that clingy...?

After he finished recounting his itinerary over the past few days, the black one yawned.

Real Person Wei nodded. "It seems you are telling the truth."

Li Fan squinted, completely bewildered.

Real Person Wei, with his hands behind his back, said, "Qingyue, have you ever heard our disciples discussing in private the plans for the future development of Ink Bamboo Mountain?"

"This disciple did not..." Li Fan answered subconsciously, but was suddenly interrupted by the three cats meowing three times.

Real Person Wei's face darkened. "Lying. Feigning ignorance, knowing but not speaking, speaking but not telling the truth—why are you lying?"

Huh? What the heck?

"This... this disciple truly doesn't understand what the 'Expansion Regulations' mean..." Li Fan couldn't help but turn his head to look at the three cats along with Real Person Wei.

The three cats looked over, but didn't meow.

Wait, are these three cats being used to detect lies?!?

Real Person Wei actually nodded. "I see. Let me clarify further. It refers to whether Ink Bamboo Mountain should use the Li Country as its base to contend for the Twelve Countries to the north, or expand southwards into the Ten-thousand-mountains. In short, regarding the future development of the sect, should it be heading south or north? Have you heard your fellow disciples discuss this? And who has discussed it with you?"

"This... if that's the case, back when I was Mu Long, and later when I was drinking with my senior brothers, it seems like..." Li Fan recalled, his brows furrowing. "Talking about this isn't illegal, is it? Does it violate any sect rules?"

Real Person Wei looked at the cat and said, "Just talking won't violate the sect rules, but some people actually do things that violate the rules in order to force the sect to make a decision, so we have to deal with them."

Li Fan was taken aback. Connecting what he had seen along the way, he understood what the master meant. "Are you saying that some disciples in the sect no longer want to protect the fate of the Li Country, so they are secretly cooperating to sow discord between Bamboo Mountain and the Li Country, cutting off the opportunity for Ink Bamboo Mountain to expand northward?"

Real Person Wei sneered, "Isn't it obvious? Do you really think that without the help of our core disciples, a mere spy from the Li Country could have plotted against my Bamboo Mountain so many times without anyone noticing?"

He then turned to look at Li Fan, "Qingyue, you are involved in many things recently, and you are highly suspicious. This time, at the very moment of breaking with Li Country, you came out to report that the fate of the magic array has been ruined."

"If I didn't know how much you've done for the sect, I would definitely think you harbored ill intentions and plotted to get rid of you first to prevent future trouble. Even the abbot couldn't protect you."

Li Fan swallowed.

"However, the Discipline Institute's principle is to reward and punish fairly, judging by actions rather than intentions. Even if you harbor ulterior motives and have made great contributions to Bamboo Mountain several times, it's impossible to really punish you like that. On the contrary, considering that you only recently joined the sect, you don't know many inside stories, and your background is the cleanest. There's no evidence to prove it." Real Person Wei narrowed his eyes and stared at Li Fan. "So I summoned you here to ask you whether you think Ink Bamboo Mountain should be moved south or north. Just say it, and I won't pursue it."

Li Fan swallowed hard, glanced at the three cats beside him, hesitated for a moment, and said, "This disciple thinks we should head south."

Real Person Wei wasn't angry. "Is that so? Why?"

Li Fan then confessed, "I can't bring myself to kill him."

"..." Real Person Wei froze for a long time, then turned his head to look at the three cats.

The cats stared at him, not uttering a single meow.

"Qingyue," Real Person Wei frowned, "Don't tell me you've never killed anyone. Besides, killing demons is acceptable, but killing people is not. Don't be so hypocritical; it's annoying."

Li Fan sighed, "What I mean is, eliminating demons and protecting the righteous path is easy; it's just killing one or two people you don't like. But when it comes to disputes involving the sect's Daoist Tradition, how can it be resolved by killing one or two people?"

If Ink Bamboo Mountain wants to expand northward, it will face not only the Li Country and the Nangong Family, but also the Immortal Palace, the Xuanmen, and the Three Great Sects. Based on my understanding of this world, and the cultivation world, in just the past six months, and my firsthand experience of local customs and traditions, I know that if things escalate to the point of armed conflict, it will inevitably lead to rivers of blood and the annihilation of entire sects.

Moreover, I truly believe that once the killing begins, there is no such thing as a benevolent army; we must wage a total war, that is... completely defeat the opponent and determine a winner. Therefore, once the war starts, regardless of whether either side is good or evil, right or wrong, we absolutely cannot stop out of sentimentality until the other side is completely wiped out.

Therefore, if things really escalate to the point of mutual destruction, it would be extremely tragic. If there are truly other ways to survive, then we should try our best to avoid starting unnecessary conflicts.

"At least there are still plenty of monsters to hunt in the south, right? I don't care much about environmental protection, and those monsters eat humans anyway, so I have no mental qualms about killing them. Let's go south then. If they're endangered, so be it; if they're extinct, so be it. It's better than wiping out an entire family, isn't it?"

Real Person Wei's eyelids twitched. "You're too bloodthirsty. It's just a sword duel, why wipe out an entire sect... ('Meow!') Cough cough! Okay, actually you see things very clearly. Once a conflict breaks out with the Three Great Sects, regardless of victory or defeat, one side will eventually be destroyed, and only then can the cause and effect be truly settled. In fact, most of our disciples think like you, although not necessarily because they think 'I can't bring myself to kill too many people,' but rather, 'There's no chance of winning against the Three Great Sects.'"

Li Fan glanced at the three cats. Fortunately, they didn't seem to care about Li Fan discriminatory remarks against Demon Race. He couldn't help but ask, "Since you seem to see things so clearly, may I ask you, Master, why do some of the elders in charge of Ink Bamboo Mountain advocate heading north and spending so many resources to maintain the magic array? Is binding our fate with the Li Country really so beneficial? Is it worth challenging the authority of the Three Great Sects for this?"

Real Person Wei shook his head with a wry smile, "What benefits! Who wants to go north and meddle in all that nonsense in Li Country! Only the Abbot of our sect insists on this. If you want to know why, it's simple."

The abbot was originally a citizen of the Li Country, having cultivated in the Human Dao. He felt that the Nangong Family and the officials of the Li Country were indulging in pleasure and neglecting the affairs of the state, which had led to the suffering and misery of the people of the Li Country. The Twelve Countries, whether under the rule of the Immortal Palace or the territories of other sects, were mostly like this. Cultivators did not care about the livelihood of mortals; they only took resources from the rulers and nobles of the mortal realm.

Thus, the abbot, harboring the ideal of saving the world and its people, and desiring to create a new world, schemed and plotted to obtain the position of acting national advisor in the Li Country, hoping to educate the people and safeguard the peace of the region."

Li Fan was filled with awe. "The abbot has the ambition to save the world and its people. He is truly a role model for us all, and we aspire to be like him."

"Meow--" the calico hawksbill turtle meowed.

Real Person Wei glanced at him sideways.

Li Fan broke out in a cold sweat. "It's not that I don't want to imitate, but I truly know that my cultivation is lacking, my strength is insufficient, my morality is flawed, and double standards are commonplace. I'm not some born saint..."

The three cats actually nodded in agreement! Damn!

Real Person Wei glanced at him sideways, "There's no need for pretense. Not to mention the entire Ink Bamboo Mountain, even the Lou Guan lineage thinks that the abbot is indeed a bit too idealistic and too stubborn. I know that there are quite a few people in the sect who are dissatisfied, like Zhang Jiugao. They feel that rather than using such a treasure as the Immortal Spirit Jade Marrow to suppress the fate of the Li Country, it would be better to use it for their own disciples."

However, the abbot always insisted on the ancient method, requiring his disciples to overcome the tribulations themselves. He believed that elixirs and Cultivation Method were ultimately external aids and should not be relied upon too much. Only by overcoming the initial difficulties in the pursuit of the Dao could one have a smooth path ahead and achieve the Great Dao. Moreover, the Immortal Spirit Jade Marrow could only be refined by a grandmaster of alchemy like the abbot. If he was unwilling to casually use his own magic treasure to cleanse the marrow of ordinary disciples, then naturally no one could say anything.

So you probably guessed it, it's not impossible that some disciples of our sect would harbor resentment because of this, or even violate the sect rules and deliberately help the spies from Li Country to ruin our destiny and foundation."

Li Fan hesitated, as if he wanted to say something but then stopped.

Real Person Wei spoke his mind directly, "That's right, the abbot's system for selecting talent isn't wrong. There are actually quite a few True Cultivator in Lou Guan. It's just that Ink Bamboo Mountain isn't limited to their lineage, and some of their fellow Daoists, disciples, and relatives are just a little lacking in aptitude, resulting in them failing to survive the tribulation. What do you think some people will think? Besides, the improvement from Immortal Spirit Jade Marrow is more than just a little."

Li Fan nodded silently.

Real Person Wei sighed, "Human nature... Real Person Huang's disciple, Xu Liang, is probably implicated. Even if he was initially unaware of 'Chen Jinu's' plot, the subsequent months of investigations revealed that this regular patrolman never reported it. Even if it wasn't intentional, it was at least a case of negligence. How could our Discipline Institute not investigate?"

Li Fan remained silent.

The tabby cat suddenly meowed at him.

Li Fan was speechless. Couldn't he just stay silent? Seeing Real Person Wei glaring at him, he was at a loss and could only say, "This disciple actually feels that Xu Liang is probably not the problem; the real issue is with those in charge of issuing the missions within the sect."

"The manager?" Real Person Wei curiously, glancing at the three cats who weren't meowing. He nodded, "Tell me."

So Li Fan didn't mince words and said, "Real Person Huang is impartial in his dealings. His disciples have served the sect in Zhonggu for many years, working hard without a single complaint. The masters of the four mountains are discerning; how could they be easily deceived? Therefore, Senior Brother Xu is definitely not a villain. At most, he was just confused for a moment."

The sect's steward deliberately set the reward for the important patrol post so low. A mere 500 strings of cash for a 4,000-mile round trip patrol—isn't that absurd? This is clearly a deliberate attempt to prevent ordinary cultivators from going south to investigate the sealing opportunity! They must be waiting for the sealing to fail! And they're deliberately lining their own pockets! This disciple requests that the True Person investigate these parasites!"

Real Person Wei was embarrassed. "Uh... actually, the five hundred strings of cash for patrolling the mountain was set by the abbot when the magic array was first completed. Five hundred strings of cash wasn't a small amount back then. Look at how much my monthly salary is... oh... speaking of which, the monthly salary hasn't been changed in a long time, and it seems a bit too little now..."

Li Fan, "... With your level of economics and organizational skills, you think you can go north and compete with the Three Great Sects for supremacy? Stop kidding, solve the inflation problem first, okay...?"

Real Person Wei glared at him, Li Fan quickly shut up.

"Alright, you are now aware of the struggles within the Ink Bamboo Mountain. The sect leader and lord both value your talent. This reminder is to advise you to focus on your cultivation and not get too involved, lest you waste your potential and disappoint the sect's expectations!"

Therefore, if anyone tries to incite you to do something that violates the rules of the sect, report it to the Discipline Institute immediately!

This has nothing to do with friendship or loyalty; everyone is doing this for the sect! But nobody wants Ink Bamboo Mountain to end up like the Beichen Sword Sect did back then, with infighting, internal strife, and ultimately, the sect being wiped out!

Alright, standard ending. They even brought up the Beichen Sword Sect again to rub salt in the wound...

"Your disciple will remember this."

Li Fan nodded in agreement, and Real Person Wei, regardless of how much he took in, nodded and let him leave...

"Meow!" "Meow!" "Meow!" As soon as the door opened, the three cats started meowing again.

"What is it now!" Li Fan exclaimed in surprise.

Real Person Wei walked to the door, glanced around, and said with a stern face, "Qingyue, take that dog away."

"... Huh? But this dog... Inu no Shin-kun..."

"What kind of True Lord Dog is this? This mongrel came out of nowhere early this morning and is getting in the way of the three sisters. Take it away, take it away. I'll consider this a merit for the sect, but if it comes back, it'll be a demerit!" Real Person Wei slammed the door shut.

You, the person in charge of the Discipline Institute, are abusing your power for personal gain! And you're even dealing with the Cat's Eye sisters, oh my god...

The dog was startled awake, rolled over, got up, and stuck its tongue out at Li Fan.

Li Fan: "... Whatever, it doesn't matter what kind of animal we raise..."

"No raising them!" But Fuling firmly objected.

Li Fan, tucking the dog under his arm, was also puzzled. "Let it eat and drink with Kun..."

"Kun is your spirit pet Dao Companion! This is just a mongrel! Look at its silly appearance, it hasn't even developed any intelligence yet! What if it poops and poops everywhere! What if it destroys the house! And it sheds fur!" Fuling was acting like a nagging old woman.

Kun nodded repeatedly, "Why are you nodding? It's not going to take advantage of you!"

The Profound Heaven Sword Intent says, "Host, you must be extremely careful! One of my disciples was assassinated because he liked to tease dogs! Haven't I told you? To actually smear poison on a dog's teeth is utterly depraved!"

Li Fan, "..."