"No, we are all his family!"
"He is our husband!"
Xiong Ji turned around and saw a group of women being led in by Enforcement Hall disciples.
"Hall Master Xiong, do you mean to execute our entire household?"
"Not at all, but how do you count as his family? What nonsense!"
"Hall Master Xiong, allow this old woman a word." First Madam of the Qing Mao Residence tottered forward. "Elder Mu was appointed by the sect master himself and inherited Qing Mao's Elder Token. We were originally Qing Mao's wives and concubines, so naturally, the sect master bestowed us upon Elder Mu as well. How are we not his family?"
"Well..."
Xiong Ji naturally knew why Mu Bai had entered the sect. He had indeed been appointed by the sect master.
Mu Bai raised his head and smiled at the seven or eight women before him. First Madam's hair had already turned completely silver, and Third Madam was still holding her grandson Qing Ping. Although they were not his kin, at this moment, they truly seemed like family who had come to see him off.
Just as well. At least I lived a lifetime. At least, though I came alone, in the end, I wouldn't leave alone.
Just then, shouts came from outside the prison again, and soon a jailer came to report.
"Reporting to the hall master, two disciples of the sect request an audience. They say they were involved in Elder Lin Chuan's murder!"
"Oh, those two? Bring them in under guard!"
Xiong Ji understood the entire case extremely well. When the jailer reported that two disciples of the sect had come, he naturally guessed that they were Xi Bazì and Sweet Potato Boy.
Xi Bazì and Sweet Potato Boy were hurriedly escorted inside. Upon seeing Xiong Ji, they knelt and kowtowed.
"Please judge clearly, Hall Master Xiong! I was the one who truly caused Elder Lin and the others to die!"
"And me!"
Xi Bazì and Sweet Potato Boy vied to step forward and take the blame upon themselves.
"How so?"
Seeing that Xiong Ji was interested enough to ask, Xi Bazì spoke first. "If we two brothers hadn't provoked Mo Dekun, Elder Mu would never have made enemies of those two brothers to save us. Naturally, they would never have later tried to ambush and kill Elder Mu, only to be killed by him instead. We two brothers are willing to suffer punishment and die in Elder Mu's place!"
"That's right! Release Elder Mu and let us die!"
Sweet Potato Boy also raised his head, his eyes resolute, and bowed his head to the ground as he spoke solemnly.
"You two certainly have loyalty and affection..."
"Heh, we two brothers grew up in the Spirit Taming Sect, but how many people in the entire sect ever treated us as human beings? Elder Mu stood up for us. If we still drew in our heads and cowered, we truly wouldn't be human."
"That's right! We're not afraid of death, and we don't care to cling shamelessly to life!"
"Very well! Since you've turned yourselves in, you'll be punished along with him!"
Xiong Ji swept his broad sleeve and shouted authoritatively.
"You mustn't, Hall Master Xiong! This has nothing to do with them. They were merely being bullied!" Mu Bai steadied his breathing and spoke through gritted teeth. "Must people be punished for being bullied? What kind of bullshit law is that?"
Since he was already going to die, Mu Bai absolutely did not want to drag Xi Bazì and Sweet Potato Boy down to their deaths with him. A wretched life was better than a good death, and besides, they were both disciples of the Spirit Taming Sect. Even outside the sect, they would be people of considerable standing.
"Hmph! You say it has nothing to do with them, and they say it has nothing to do with you. Does that mean it has something to do with me?"
"I ask only that Hall Master Xiong enforce the law fairly!"
"Hahaha! Enforce the law fairly, indeed! If there truly were fairness in this world, would I not wish to enforce the law fairly?"
Xiong Ji threw back his head and laughed. Anyone could hear the helplessness and powerlessness in that laughter.
"Very well, I'll leave you to say your final farewells." Xiong Ji let out a soft breath. "The execution will be carried out on a date to be chosen!"
With that, Xiong Ji swept his robe aside and walked out of the prison. The Enforcement Hall disciples followed him out, leaving only Mu Bai, the women and child, Xi Bazì, and Sweet Potato Boy.
"Husband, look how they've beaten you. My heart aches so..."
Seeing Mu Bai's skin split and flesh torn all over, several women immediately began wiping away tears. Mu Bai had seen them wipe away tears several times before, but this time, it truly felt different to him.
"Enough! What use is all this weeping? Do you truly think we came here to see our husband off?"
First Madam called out to stop the women, then tottered over to Mu Bai.
"Husband, is there anyone among the higher-ups in the Spirit Taming Sect whom you are on good terms with?"
"No, no one I'm particularly close to..." Mu Bai smiled bleakly. "I'm truly sorry to you all. I cannot fulfill my promise to Elder Qing Mao. Thank you for giving me so much familial care all this time, and thank you for coming at a time like this to see me off!"
"Husband, don't say such dispirited things. As I see it, someone must be taking advantage of this opportunity to do you harm and put you to death. Hall Master Xiong Ji has always been fair and strict. Only the sect's Direct Lineage could force him into such a difficult position!"
As the saying went, an old tree grew hollow at its heart, while an old person understood a hundred affairs. Having spent many years in the Spirit Taming Sect, First Madam did indeed have some judgment of the situation within it.
"First Madam is right!" Xi Bazì jolted and sprang to his feet, slapping his thigh. "That old scoundrel Lin Chuan was extremely close to the First Sect Heir, Zhou Detai!"
"This young brother is right. If the First Sect Heir is putting pressure on Hall Master Xiong, then Hall Master Xiong would indeed be in a difficult position..."
Hearing First Madam and Xi Bazì's analysis, Mu Bai finally understood that his imprisonment had not come about without reason. He had kept reminding himself not to get entangled with these Sect Heirs, yet in the end, he had still failed. Who else could he blame? But I've lived this life as a man with my head held high. I can't simply let you knead me in your hands and decide whether I live or die! If you think you can put me to death just like this, you can forget it!
A fierce desire to survive surged within Mu Bai. Since someone was plotting against him, he naturally could not simply fold his hands and wait for death.
"Brother Bazì, Brother Sweet Potato, the Thirteenth Sect Heir is in Flower Ravine Creek Valley. Sorry for the trouble, but please go there and ask him to help!"
Speaking of the sect's Direct Lineage Sect Heirs naturally made Mu Bai think of Zhou Dekai, as well as Su He and her father. He knew that the chance to turn his situation around lay with Zhou Dekai.
"If he refuses to help, tell him that whether I live or die also concerns whether he lives or dies, and whether Su He and her father live or die!"
"All right, Brother Xiao Bai. Set your mind at ease and wait for us to return!"
Xi Bazì's two tufts of mustache twitched, and he immediately set off with Sweet Potato Boy, leaving the prison and hurrying toward Flower Ravine Creek Valley.
"First Madam, is there any way to get Hall Master Xiong to grant us a little more time?"
"Rest assured, husband. Don't look down on us women. Even if we can't bring the Thirteenth Sect Heir here, at worst, what's to stop us from taking our protest to the Spirit Command Hall?"
"That's right! We'll take our protest to the Spirit Command Hall!"
First Madam's suggestion won the women's support. It was indeed a good solution when they had reached the end of the road. If they went to the Spirit Command Hall and raised a commotion, making the matter bigger, even Zhou Qichang, the sect master of the Spirit Taming Sect, would have to consider his reputation and that of the sect's Direct Lineage.
The worst outcome was merely death. Since they were already facing a death sentence, why fear dying one more time?
Everyone saw hope, and smiles appeared on their faces. Even little Qing Ping began laughing with a "ya, ya." A ray of sunlight shone through the prison's narrow window and fell on Mu Bai's face, giving him a deeper understanding of this world.
The world had always been one where the strong devoured the weak, and merely retreating and yielding would not win him the peace he wanted. Whatever it was, he should boldly fight for it-fight for power, fight for his life! Fight to carve out a place in the world for those around him, and fight to make himself fearless!
Before you continue