Chapter 14: Gamble

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

Upon hearing Dongfang Lie’s words, the other First Seats and Elders looked over immediately.

Dongfang Lie kept his eyes on Yue Cheng as he continued to say, “Nine months ago, your disciple, Linghu Yin, went to Chuyang Peak and provoked Old Geezer Gu, I mean, Senior Brother Gu’s disciples. He insulted the two disciples but ended up getting beat up so he had to flee with his tails between his legs. Why did Linghu Yin suddenly provoke Chuyang Peak’s disciples?”

Dongfang Lie paused briefly before he said, “Linghu Yin came to Lieyang Peak to look for my disciple, Jia Guang, previously. Then, the two of them and a few other disciples came to provoke Chuyang Peak again. Coincidentally, Senior Brother Gu wasn’t around. In the end, Jia Guang and Linghu Yin’s cultivation bases were destroyed. I sent my first disciple, Huo Yun, to Chuyang Peak to apologize for the matter and to send a middle-grade spiritual crystal as a token of apology. Although the matter was Lieyang Peak’s fault, it’s still a humiliation to the peak that Jia Guang’s cultivation base was destroyed. Hence, I told Huo Yun to challenge Chu Yang Peak’s first disciple after apologizing to vent my anger. This is also in line with the sect rules. However, before Huo Yun even arrived back at Lieyang Peak, Zuo Han was killed here. This place is only 7 kilometers away from Chuyang Peak, and it’s under Chuyang Peak’s jurisdiction. Zuo Han had no business being here at all.”

“Yue Cheng, did you plan to have Zuo Han silently kill Senior Brother Gu’s disciples after Huo Yun left? If you succeeded, the blame would fall perfectly on me. Were you planning to say that I tried to seek revenge by sending Huo Yun to kill Senior Brother Gu’s disciples because they destroyed Jia Guang’s cultivation base? Or were you going to say Huo Yun accidentally kill Senior Brother Gu’s two disciples? Whichever one it is, Senior Brother Gu would’ve gone crazy and retaliated against me. With that, Chu Yang Peak will no longer have a First Seat, making way for a new First Seat, right? On top of that, Lieyang Sect would also be humiliated. Am I right, Yue Cheng?”

When Dongfang Lie spoke, he was almost shouting. It had taken all of his self-control to stop himself from hitting Yue Cheng. Nevertheless, he was rather pleased with himself inwardly, ‘Fortunately, I’m smart and thought about this. Otherwise, this rat would’ve gotten away with this. No, actually, I would’ve been blamed for this even if I’m aware of it. I only managed to escape blame because Zuo Han was killed by a mysterious expert…’

“Dongfang Lie!” Gu Hai, who had just arrived and heard Dongfang Lie’s words, roared. He was so furious that his eyes turned bloodshot. He pointed at Dongfang Lie and cursed, “You son of a b*tch! How dare you vent your anger on the disciples when you’re a First Seat?! Those two are the only disciples I have left. One of them is 18, and the other is only 10, but you actually sent Huo Yun to vent your anger? If anything happens to my disciples, I swear I’ll avenge them if it’s the last thing I do!”

Dongfang Lie’s eyelids twitched. He really wanted to retort, but he knew he was in the wrong. In the end, he merely grunted in response.

At this time, Jiaoyang Peak’s First Seat placed a firm hand on Gu Hai’s shoulder and said, “Calm down. Although Dongfang Lie has a quick temper, he won’t harm the disciples. You don’t have to worry about that. There’s no doubt First Seat Yue’s disciple, Linghu Yun, is in the wrong. He got himself beaten up, and instead of looking for his fellow disciples from Zhiyang Peak for help, he went to seek assistance at Lieyang Peak.”

Yue Cheng smiled bitterly. “I was only aware of this when my disciple, Linghu Yin, told me about it after his cultivation base was destroyed. In fact, he had only told me about what happened after I pressed him for answers. My disciple is rather talented so he’s quite proud. Nine months ago, he visited Chuyang Peak. When he was there, he noticed Chuyang Peak’s first disciple was only a Qi Cultivation cultivator. He felt contemptuous and envious at the same time. After all, he is talented, but he’s just an ordinary disciple. However, Senior Brother Gu’s disciple is a first disciple despite having a low cultivation base. After that, he was beaten by a ten-year-old girl. He could not accept being defeated by a little girl and was filled with resentment and jealousy. These negative feelings grew as time passed, but he did not dare to cause trouble under my watchful eyes. Hence, he went to Lieyang Peak to look for his friend, Jia Guang. When they found Senior Brother Gu was away, they went to seek revenge for past insults. They naturally did not expect that their cultivation bases would be destroyed as a result.”

Yue Cheng paused briefly before he continued to say, “When I found out about this, I was furious. Zhiyang Peak rarely gets in trouble, but he went and provoked another Peak. His actions are a violation of the sect rules so I sent him to the Restraining Tower to punish him. Following that, I sent Zuo Han to Chuyang Peak to apologize. He must have waited here when he saw Huo Yun was at Chuyang Peak. Who knew he would die instead? Dongfang Lie, you accuse me of so many things, but from whom should I demand justice for my junior brother’s death?”

Yue Cheng grew more and more agitated as he spoke.

The corner of Dongfang Lie’s lips twitched when he heard Yue Cheng’s words. He cursed inwardly, ‘This good-for-nothing Yue Cheng! He’s trying to wash his hands off this matter! He even sent Linghu Yin to the Restraining Tower. He’s really ruthless. Even those with intact cultivation bases can hardly last a day there, let alone someone whose cultivation base has been destroyed. F*ck him! He avoided this crisis beautifully!’

Yue Cheng took a deep breath. Then, he bowed at Yan Yan, the Sect Master of Jiuyang Sect and also the First Seat of Taiyang Peak, before he said solemnly, “Our priority now is to find Junior Brother Zuo’s murderer! Although his cultivation base is average, he’s still a Purple Mansion cultivator. Isn’t it like a slap to our faces that he was killed in the sect? I’m certain his murderer is still here! Sect Master, I ask that you lock down the sect. We have to search the sect thoroughly and apprehend the murderer. Otherwise, how can we feel at ease? If First Seat Dongfang still suspects I harbor ill intentions after we deal with this matter, I’ll gladly be investigated by our fellow First Seats…”

“You’re right,” Sect Master Yan Yan nodded and swept his gaze across the people gathered there before saying, “Seal the entrance for now and search for the culprit. The other matters can wait.”

The others bowed. However, they all had their own plans.

Based on Yue Cheng’s words, Linghu Yin’s cultivation base was destroyed by Chuyang Peak’s ten-year-old disciple. With that, they could assume he had died after being thrown to the Restraining Tower. If Linghu Yin was dead, it meant that they would not be able to verify the truth.

However, since Yue Cheng’s punishment of Linghu Yin was rather reasonable, no one could find fault with him.

With that, everyone returned to their respective Peaks.

…

Gu Hai rushed back to Chuyang Peak. Before he even landed, he could smell the aroma of food in the air. He sighed in relief immediately.

‘If he’s cooking, it means nothing serious has happened…’

At this time…

“Master, you’re just in time. Dinner is ready!” Jiang Ming emerged from the kitchen with plates in his hands. He placed them on the stone table in the courtyard and smiled at Gu Hai who was still hovering in the air.

“What can I say? My timing has always been perfect!” Gu Hai said as he flew over to his seat. Then, he quickly picked up a piece of meat with his chopstick and began to eat. After swallowing the meat, he sighed in contentment and rested his chopstick on the table. He looked at Jiang Ming, who had just finished serving the dishes, and Zi Linglong, who was rushing over, before he said, “Tell me what happened. Don’t miss out on any detail.”

Gu Hai had never been so serious before.

After Jiang Ming recounted what had happened, Gu Hai narrowed his eyes as he said, “Linghu Yin…” Then, he shook his head and said, “Linglong, you can’t hide your strength anymore. Come with me to the Tower of Trials tomorrow..”