According to Liu Qingmei, Lu Chen was the nephew of an elder on the Fifth Peak and would certainly enjoy the sect's protection. Xu Taiping would not be foolish enough to hand over the Dust-Seeking Incense and Liu Qingmei's body directly.
If everything Qingmei told me is true, someone as vicious and insidious as Lu Chen might try every means to track down whoever reported him, then kill me to silence me.
Xu Taiping pondered this as he dragged Liu Qingmei's body back into the courtyard.
Bang!
That night, a tremendous crash suddenly rang out from Xu Taiping's bedroom in Green Bamboo Abode, followed by his furious cry in a voice that still sounded slightly boyish:
"You beast!"
After laying Liu Qingmei's body to rest, he had lit a stick of Dust-Seeking Incense. In the images formed by its gathering smoke, he had witnessed scene after scene of Lu Chen tormenting her.
What he saw was far beyond anything a few simple words could describe. He called Lu Chen a beast only because he knew so few curses. What Lu Chen had done was beneath even a beast.
"Qingmei, I'll make sure Zi Jin gets this Dust-Seeking Incense. I'll expose the injustice you suffered and all of Lu Chen's crimes to everyone."
Xu Taiping put away the last two sticks of Dust-Seeking Incense. With both fists clenched, he stared blankly at the table he had smashed to pieces on the floor.
He did not consider himself a chivalrous man. He even believed it was acceptable to be a little selfish to survive. But if an evildoer like Lu Chen could escape retribution, it would make him question the meaning of being born human.
"Grandpa always said, 'What the eye doesn't see, the heart doesn't grieve over.' But even when I close my eyes now, I can't forget Qingmei begging that beast for mercy."
Xu Taiping gazed at the broken remains of the table, his voice turning cold in a way it rarely did.
At noon the following day.
"Were you the one who filed the report?"
Two men wearing the robes of Azure Profound Sect disciples arrived at the entrance to Xu Taiping's courtyard.
"Yes, senior brothers. I filed the report."
Xu Taiping answered politely.
"You're just an Outer Sect Disciple. What makes you think you're worthy of calling us senior brothers?"
The hook-nosed man standing on the left shot Xu Taiping a vicious look.
These two disciples belonged to West Wind Pavilion's Raging Wind Hall, which specifically handled attacks by demonic creatures on disciples below the mountain. Though they too were stationed below the mountain, they were full-fledged Inner Sect Disciples, ranked only slightly below the disciples of the Seven Peaks.
"Just tell us what happened. Don't try to act familiar."
The other disciple, whose face was covered in pockmarks, waved impatiently.
Xu Taiping wasted no more words. He recounted to the two Raging Wind Hall disciples how he had encountered a Tiger Wraith and been attacked by a demonic creature under its command.
Naturally, he left out everything concerning Liu Qingmei.
"This is a troublesome case. I'll have to report it to our Hall Master first. Then he'll report it to the Pavilion Master of West Wind Pavilion, who will notify Elder Black Dragon so he can deal with it."
The pockmarked disciple rubbed his chin, looking deeply troubled.
"About how long will that take?"
Xu Taiping hurriedly asked.
"Three months at the earliest. Half a year or a year if things move slowly."
The hook-nosed man folded his arms, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly as he gave Xu Taiping a sly look.
"That long? Can't you do it sooner? That Tiger Wraith already has its sights on me."
Xu Taiping immediately frowned.
"Do you think Raging Wind Hall exists just for you? That we'll handle things whenever you please?"
The hook-nosed man glared viciously at Xu Taiping.
"Come on, Zuo, talk civilly. Why be so harsh with the young fellow?"
The pockmarked disciple stepped in to smooth things over.
"Actually, it's not as though there's no way to drive that Tiger Wraith off sooner."
He grinned at Xu Taiping, revealing a mouthful of yellow teeth.
"What way?"
Xu Taiping was somewhat curious now.
"That depends on how many Merit Coins you can offer."
The pockmarked man extended a hand toward Xu Taiping and rubbed his thumb against his forefinger.
So you're using demon hunting as an excuse to extort Outer Sect Disciples like us. With shameless scoundrels like you around, no wonder Qingmei didn't trust you.
He thought this to himself, finally understanding why Liu Qingmei had put off reporting the matter for so long.
"Brothers of Raging Wind Hall, I haven't been at Green Bamboo Abode for very long. I really don't have many Merit Coins."
Though Xu Taiping had seen their true colors, he did not expose them on the spot. He wanted to see just how shameless they could be.
"No Merit Coins? That's no problem. Just put on this bracelet and sign a Contract Deed with us, promising to hand over seventy percent of this year's harvest to the two of us. Then we can guarantee you'll have nothing to worry about."
The hook-nosed man took a Bronze Bracelet from inside his robes.
"Seventy percent?"
Xu Taiping inwardly sucked in a breath of shock.
He had expected them to open their mouths like lions demanding a huge share, but never imagined they would ask for seventy percent right away. If he gave that much away, he would likely be expelled the following year for failing to pay his dues to the Azure Profound Sect.
"Seventy percent isn't much. You need to understand that a Tiger Wraith has its sights on you. If anything goes wrong, you won't even keep your life!"
The pockmarked man threatened Xu Taiping.
The sight of these two men disgusted Xu Taiping more and more. Linglong was right. Down here below the mountain, I can only rely on myself.
The last flicker of hope he had of relying on the sect to deal with the Tiger Wraith died out.
Still, to avoid a confrontation, he did not refuse outright. Instead, he put on a troubled expression and said:
"Seventy percent really is too much. Please let me think it over."
"You-"
"Fine, think it over. Consider this Message Talisman a gift from me. The next time you encounter the Tiger Wraith, just tear it up, and we'll be here in no time."
The hook-nosed man was about to lose his temper, but the pockmarked man stopped him and handed Xu Taiping a talisman.
"But we have to take this Demon Wolf. It's evidence, so it needs to go back to Raging Wind Hall."
The hook-nosed man grabbed one of the Demon Wolf's legs and shot Xu Taiping another vicious glare.
If people like this are in charge of the outer sect, no wonder they say hardly any Outer Sect Disciples last three years.
Watching the two men drag the Demon Wolf's corpse away, Xu Taiping murmured inwardly.
"Senior brother, why are we leaving just like that? That kid has a Medicine Garden behind his courtyard. He can earn plenty of Merit Coins in a year. Once he signs the Contract Deed and puts on the bracelet, he'll have to slave away for us, day after day, year after year."
"What's the hurry? Tiger Wraiths hold grudges more than anything. Give it a little time, and he'll come crawling to us."
"Brilliant, senior brother!"
"Keep your voice down!"
"Don't worry. That kid hasn't even reached the Gate Opening Realm. He can't hear us."
Xu Taiping was just about to enter his room when the whispered conversation between the pockmarked man and the hook-nosed man suddenly reached his ears.
He had not expected the pair to be so malicious. He immediately glanced at the Message Talisman the pockmarked man had given him and snorted inwardly.
Rest assured. That day will never come.
Before you continue