Loyal to the Core? Then Why Leave Yourself Two Escape Routes!

Loyal to the Core? Then Why Leave Yourself Two Escape Routes!

Chapter Thirty-Seven: Came Too Late, Greed.

Evil deeds.

Seizing spirit springs.

Oppressing independent cultivators.

Chang'er Dingguang Xian admitted to all these crimes.

Yet the expressions of the many Jie Sect disciples before the hall remained complicated.

Especially those of the Outer Sect.

Over the years, Chang'er had indeed done quite a few things.

He had passed along words for the Outer Sect.

He had connected scattered disciples.

For many fellow disciples of low cultivation, he had put in a good word before the direct disciples.

What had been done had been done.

No one could erase it.

What was more, Chang'er Dingguang Xian had always enjoyed a good reputation on Golden Turtle Island.

Their master had praised him.

The direct disciples had trusted him.

The Outer Sect had respected him.

Many important matters had once been entrusted to him as well.

So now that these crimes had been laid bare, many people before the hall still had one sentence weighing on their hearts.

He had committed crimes.

But he had merits too.

If Chang'er were simply cut down with one stroke, the Outer Sect might not accept it.

Among the Seven Attendant Immortals, some slowly drew a breath.

They said nothing.

But their hesitation was already written across their faces.

The Jade Slip in Qiong Xiao's hand paused.

She looked at Zhao Xuan.

The evidence had already been presented.

Chang'er had admitted it too.

But this net had yet to be completely torn apart.

Zhao Xuan was waiting.

She did not know what else Zhao Xuan was waiting for.

"Finished?"

Zhao Xuan finally spoke.

His voice was not loud.

Yet the hall abruptly fell silent.

His gaze settled on Chang'er Dingguang Xian.

"Are you truly loyal to the Jie Sect?"

Chang'er Dingguang Xian's expression tightened.

He quickly returned to normal.

He raised his head.

"Heavenly Dao bears witness."

Zhao Xuan smiled.

With a sweep of his sleeve—

Two streaks of light fell.

A Yuqing token.

A Western Sect golden invitation.

They landed just like that before the hall.

Every sound came to an abrupt halt.

Daoist Duobao sharply raised his head.

Holy Mother Wudang's gaze changed.

The sword in Holy Mother Jinling's hand gave a soft ring.

Holy Mother Guiling stepped forward.

"What are these?"

Zhao Xuan said, "His escape routes."

The four words fell.

All color drained from Chang'er Dingguang Xian's face.

His lips parted.

But no sound came out.

Zhao Xuan looked at the two items on the ground.

"A Jade Emptiness token."

"A Western Sect golden invitation."

He paused for a breath.

His voice remained soft.

"The Jie Sect has not yet fallen."

"And you were already looking for a way out."

"Chang'er."

"Is this your loyalty?"

Deathly silence filled the hall.

Daoist Duobao looked at that Yuqing token, then at the Western Sect golden invitation.

The words he had spoken moments ago still rang in his ears.

If the evidence was insufficient—

They could not act rashly.

When he had said that, he had thought he was considering the bigger picture.

Only now did he realize—

The bigger picture he had been protecting was someone else's retreat route.

He had thought he was protecting a fellow disciple.

What he had protected was a man who had turned his back on the Jie Sect, with two paths of escape in hand.

Daoist Duobao lowered his head.

His hand rested on the roster, utterly still.

He had grown accustomed to considering the bigger picture over the years.

So accustomed that he had failed to see even the people by his side clearly.

Holy Mother Wudang lowered her eyes and said nothing.

She had said it too.

Chang'er had served their master for many years; this matter had to be handled cautiously.

That sentence now pierced her heart like a thorn.

So her caution had nearly become an opening for Chang'er to escape punishment.

The Outer Sect disciple who had spoken up for Chang'er earlier stood amid the crowd.

His head was lowered.

Just now, he had said that Senior Brother Chang'er had once passed along words for him to the direct disciples.

He had said that when his cave abode lacked spirit materials, Chang'er had also helped connect him with someone.

He had thought that was goodwill.

Only now did he understand.

Chang'er had woven a net with goodwill.

He had woven the mouths of the Outer Sect into it.

He had woven the direct disciples' concern for the bigger picture into it.

He had woven the dignity of the Seven Attendant Immortals into it.

And in the end, Chang'er himself stood in the center of that net.

Two escape routes in hand.

His back turned to the Jie Sect.

The disciple's throat went dry.

He suddenly did not know what to hate.

Should he hate Chang'er for deceiving him?

But Chang'er had truly spoken up for him back then.

Should he hate himself for speaking up for Chang'er?

But in that moment, he had truly wanted to repay a favor.

That was the most painful part.

That goodwill had been real.

But what did real matter?

Once Chang'er had left himself escape routes—

All that goodwill became bargaining chips in his hand.

The disciple slowly lowered his head.

He no longer dared to look at Chang'er.

He was not the only one in the Outer Sect to lower his head.

Those who had wanted to speak just moments ago now swallowed their words.

No one spoke a single word for Chang'er again.

The silence before the hall finally pressed down upon Chang'er.

It was amid that silence that Holy Mother Guiling looked at him.

She did not curse him.

Nor did she strike at once.

She merely stared.

Yet that was even more unbearable than being cursed.

Chang'er Dingguang Xian stood where he was.

He did not kneel.

The composure on his face cracked apart inch by inch.

Zhao Xuan looked at him.

"Anything else to say?"

Chang'er was silent for a long time.

Then he spoke.

"This disciple fears death."

The hall became even quieter.

"The Investiture Great Calamity, ten thousand immortals entering the tribulation, the Jie Sect withering away."

"This disciple has served Master for many years, yet I am only Outer Sect."

"This disciple does not wish to die on that list."

He did not cry.

He did not beg.

He merely stated it.

So calmly, as though he were speaking of something that had nothing to do with himself.

After hearing this, Daoist Duobao's knuckles turned even whiter.

He suddenly recalled what Zhao Xuan had said three hundred years ago.

Your greatest problem is that you always think there is still room to turn things around.

He had thought Zhao Xuan had been too harsh.

Only now did he realize—

Zhao Xuan had put it far more lightly than he had thought.

Daoist Duobao had watched Chang'er Dingguang Xian for all these years.

Yet he had not seen through him.

He had not even seen through this.

Zhao Xuan did not look at Duobao.

He merely looked at Chang'er.

"You said you were afraid of death."

"I believe you."

Chang'er raised his eyes slightly.

Zhao Xuan said, "You said this path was not meant to harm the Jie Sect."

"I believe that too."

He paused for a breath.

"But on the Jie Sect's darkest day."

"You held Yuqing's token, held the Western Sect's golden invitation, and turned to leave."

"All the sincerity you've had these years."

"What is it worth?"

Not a sound stirred before the hall.

Chang'er Dingguang Xian closed his eyes.

He did not answer.

Because he knew.

It was worth nothing.

That Outer Sect disciple stood among the crowd, his shoulders sagging an inch.

At last, he understood completely.

Chang'er's loyalty and affection had not all been false.

But that escape route had wiped away every last trace of it.

Holy Mother Jinling looked at Zhao Xuan.

"Before the Jie Sect was defeated, he had already prepared an escape route."

"This crime runs deeper than Ma Yuan's."

Holy Mother Guiling said only one word.

"Kill."

Daoist Duobao did not speak.

This time, he did not speak of considering the greater good.

Nor did he say the consequences would be too far-reaching.

He merely lowered his head and remained silent.

His silence was his answer.

Chang'er Dingguang Xian suddenly raised his head.

"Senior Disciple Brother."

"I'm afraid of death."

"Does being afraid of death mean I deserve to be killed?"

Zhao Xuan looked at him.

Chang'er's voice was hoarse.

"Does wanting to leave myself a way out mean I deserve to be killed?"

"If I die today because I fear death."

"Then on Golden Turtle Island, who would dare say they had not the slightest selfish thought?"

"Who would dare say that, with the Investiture Great Calamity bearing down upon them, they did not feel a flicker of fear in their hearts?"

Among the Outer Sect crowd, someone's breath caught.

Chang'er had seized it.

Once again, he had seized those people's fear.

He dropped to his knees.

He knelt very steadily.

"Senior Disciple Brother wishes to purge the sect."

"I accept it."

"But if, in the end, this purge makes even fearing death a crime."

"Then I die today."

"Who will die tomorrow?"