Chapter 478 – My Master Is Not Human – Turning the Tables (25)
If that hammer actually came down, Pei Boyi wasn’t sure whether his chest would end up flatter, but there was a ninety percent chance that Tang Tang would become a widow.
“But your body’s become way too stiff~” Bai Tang sighed. “Since you’re with me now, I can’t just ignore you.”
His dissatisfied expression clearly carried the message: You can’t avoid treatment just because you’re afraid of the illness.
“Be good, I have a very steady hand. It’ll be over in no time.”
Pei Boyi said, “I’m fine. It doesn’t hurt at all anymore.”
Bai Tang poked him with a finger. “But it’s still very—”
Pei Boyi immediately interrupted, “I said it doesn’t hurt, so it doesn’t hurt. Oh right, when I came back, I asked my senior brothers. They picked fresh tea leaves this morning, so I’ll make you some fried tea pine nuts.”
“But—”
Before Bai Tang could finish his protest, Pei Boyi had already put on his clothes and swiftly headed toward the side room on the right.
“Tang Tang, if you’re sleepy, get some rest first. I’ll call you when it’s ready.”
By the time those words reached Bai Tang’s ears, Pei Boyi had already disappeared from sight.
Bai Tang pouted. “He just doesn’t trust my medical skills. Back in the Daji Secret Realm, I was the one who treated all your injuries…”
He sighed gloomily on the surface, but his mood had already lightened considerably. Getting hit in the chest with a hammer could actually kill someone. Did they really think he was some ignorant child who knew nothing and couldn’t tell that A-Yi was scared?
He had only wanted to imitate the version of himself from the illusion he had seen and play around with A-Yi a little. Though things had escalated more than expected, the results weren’t bad.
Hehe. Look at that—A-Yi had gone to make him delicious food again.
After the fried tea pine nuts were ready, Bai Tang didn’t bring up the hammer incident again. However, after Pei Boyi carried out the pine nuts, Bai Tang handed him a pill.
“Hurry and eat this. It’s good for strengthening the body.”
Pei Boyi’s heart grew warm, and he swallowed the pill.
A familiar place could make people let down their guard, and the two of them spent a warm and pleasant night together.
As early as when the two had returned, the First Elder of Dianxing Sect had wanted to meet Bai Tang. However, the Sect Master, who felt sorry that his junior brother had just returned from a long journey, forcibly put the matter on hold. Even a powerful outsider couldn’t suppress the local host, so the First Elder could only wait patiently.
He could wait, but Ling Zhiye—the eldest senior brother, whose heart was set on avenging Zhenzhen—couldn’t.
Early in the morning, before most people had even gotten out of bed, he secretly slipped away from the First Elder and stood guard outside the Sect Master’s residence, determined to make the head of Le’an Immortal Sect invite Daoist He Yi.
Since the two sects were on good terms, no matter how unwilling the Sect Master was, he couldn’t simply disregard Dianxing Sect.
When the sun had fully risen, he estimated that Bai Tang should be awake by now and finally sent a disciple to Medicine Peak to invite Daoist He Yi over.
Medicine Peak was the farthest of the five peaks from the main hall. To get there, the messenger disciple had to pass through the other four peaks first.
Seeing a messenger disciple passing by, each of the four peaks sent someone to ask about it. The disciple didn’t hide anything and directly said that at daybreak, the Dianxing Sect had already gone to the Sect Master to request a meeting with Daoist He Yi.
They had only returned yesterday, and none of them had the heart to disturb Bai Tang’s rest. The people from Dianxing Sect sure had some nerve.
A fire rose in the hearts of the peak masters, who were all hopelessly protective of Bai Tang. Just because Xiao Tang was gentle, they thought he was easy to bully? Did they think his senior brothers were dead?
Bai Tang’s senior brothers stormed into the main hall in a rage and sat down imposingly in the seats above. Low pressure seemed to radiate from around them, making others afraid to move carelessly.
The Dianxing Sect disciples who had followed behind were indeed intimidated. Standing behind the First Elder, they didn’t dare move an inch. Cold sweat rolled down their backs as they secretly complained inwardly that Le’an Immortal Sect’s rules were terrifyingly strict.
Only the First Elder calmly drank his tea as if nothing were happening. Even Ling Zhiye, who had come early in the morning to pressure them, felt uncomfortable, though he could still endure it.
Three of the five peak masters had arrived. Greetings suddenly sounded from outside the hall, and just as everyone thought Bai Tang had arrived and eagerly looked toward the entrance, the Sword Peak Master, Wen Leng, entered with her direct disciple Yin Chun.
As they passed by the Dianxing Sect disciples, an icy chill like a glacier’s freezing wind swept toward them. It felt as though the air itself had frozen and thinned, making it difficult to breathe.
“Frost Immortal.”
“Sect Master.” Wen Leng nodded at the Sect Master and the others in greeting.
With Wen Leng now inside, the oppressive atmosphere in the hall grew even stronger. The disciples with lower cultivation levels began turning pale, and even Ling Zhiye could no longer maintain his composure; his expression darkened.
Just as the First Elder was on the verge of losing his temper, Bai Tang finally arrived with Pei Boyi.
“Senior Brother Sect Master, Senior Brothers, Senior Sister—you’re all here?” The moment Bai Tang stepped in and saw the setup that looked like a full-scale interrogation, he felt a little guilty. Why was everyone gathered so neatly today? He was only together with A-Yi—was the consequence really this serious?
“Xiao Tang is here! Come, sit quickly.” The Sect Master smiled broadly and invited Bai Tang to sit beside him.
Bai Tang sat with the Sect Master on his left and Wen Leng on his right. As he passed Wen Leng, she gave him a slight nod.
“Yin Chun greets Martial Uncle. Martial Uncle He Yi, you’ve finally returned.”
The little girl Bai Tang had once met in the library had now grown into a young woman. Perhaps because Bai Tang had chosen a cultivation method for her, Yin Chun had practiced an additional wood-element cultivation art compared to the original storyline. It balanced out the killing aura brought by her sword path, so unlike Wen Leng, she didn’t appear cold and emotionless. Around people she knew, she still showed some warmth.
“Long time no see,” Bai Tang said with a smile.
He had no idea who Yin Chun actually was, but anyone present in the main hall today likely held some status.
Yin Chun revealed an innocent, harmless smile before stepping back beside Wen Leng, though her right hand remained on the hilt of her sword, ready to deal with any unexpected situation.
In front of all the sect leaders and peak masters, Pei Boyi wasn’t qualified to sit down. The Sect Master gave him a cold glance, suppressing the urge to kill him that rose from the bottom of his heart.
The Sect Master said, “Now that everyone is here and He Yi has arrived as well, let’s get straight to the point. First Elder, if you have something to say, speak plainly.”
The First Elder laughed loudly.
“Then perhaps I should first ask all of you fellow Daoists to withdraw your pressure. My disappointing disciples can’t withstand it.”
The Sect Master shot several people a look, and Fu Maiwen and the others reluctantly withdrew their spiritual pressure.
The First Elder nodded toward Ling Zhiye behind him. Receiving the signal, Ling Zhiye stepped forward two paces and said loudly:
“A few days ago, Fellow Daoist Pei Boyi, disciple of Daoist He Yi, came to Dianxing Sect to borrow the Radiant Light Pearl. When they were preparing to leave, the beloved daughter of Sect Master Jiayi of Dianxing Sect, Zhenzhen, was harmed by a villain and fell from a cliff at the back mountain, dying there.”
“Before leaving, Fellow Daoist Pei stayed at the back mountain for quite some time. Not long after he departed, Junior Sister Zhenzhen died. The timing and the people involved all match. Furthermore, when Fellow Daoist Pei left, he did not even bid farewell to Sect Master Jiayi and departed in great haste…”
“And the day before yesterday, disciples sent word by flying message that traces of demonic energy had been discovered on the mountain where several outer disciples, who had previously been injured after conflicts with Fellow Daoist Pei, were staying.”
Ling Zhiye spoke with resentment and anger, his eyes locked onto Pei Boyi. He was practically one step away from pointing at him and shouting, “You’re the murderer who killed Zhenzhen!”
After hearing this, the Sect Master and the others frowned and turned toward Pei Boyi.
“Pei Boyi, what explanation do you have?”
Bai Tang nervously gripped Pei Boyi’s hand, but Pei Boyi remained calm and unhurried.
“This disciple indeed went to Dianxing Sect and borrowed the Radiant Light Pearl in exchange for fifty Soul-Returning Jade Pills.”
“At the time, my master had already been missing for three months. The Daji Secret Realm had been destroyed by demonic cultivators, and I was anxious, so I intended to use the Radiant Light Pearl to conceal my aura and infiltrate the Demon Realm to search for my master and determine whether he was there.”
“As for why demonic energy appeared within Dianxing Sect, this disciple truly does not know. I ask Sect Master to judge fairly.”
Pei Boyi cupped his hands toward the Sect Master and handed the initiative back to him.
Even though the Sect Master disliked Pei Boyi for harboring feelings toward Bai Tang, he was still one of their own, and also his junior brother’s prized disciple. Internal conflicts were one thing, but they could not allow outsiders to make a mockery of them.
The Sect Master pondered for a moment before saying:
“When we were in the Daji Secret Realm, we already learned that the Demon Realm intended to wage war against the righteous path. Therefore, it is not impossible that spies had infiltrated various sects.”
“As for Fellow Daoist Zhenzhen’s matter, Le’an Immortal Sect expresses its deepest condolences. Please restrain your grief.”
Trying to dump dirty water on Le’an Immortal Sect? Not a chance.
“You—”
Ling Zhiye froze for a moment and looked at Pei Boyi with eyes filled with venom.
Xiao Qiu had secretly told him that Pei Boyi was the culprit who had harmed Zhenzhen. Was he really supposed to just stand by and watch him escape punishment?!
“First Elder, this disciple has a different opinion.”
People naturally favored their own side. Ling Zhiye no longer expected the Sect Master of Le’an Immortal Sect to take the initiative and punish Pei Boyi, so he turned to his own sect’s First Elder for help.
The First Elder was also displeased by the implied message hidden in the Sect Master’s argument: your sect was simply too weak and incompetent.
Stroking his beard, he said,
“Speak.”
Ling Zhiye stepped forward again and said:
“After Junior Sister Zhenzhen was harmed, Dianxing Sect conducted an investigation of all disciples within the sect, and no traces of demonic energy were detected. So why is it that demonic energy appeared in the wounds of the outer disciples—and specifically those who had previously clashed with Pei Boyi? Moreover, this happened before he obtained the Radiant Light Pearl.”
“Now that Pei Boyi has the Radiant Light Pearl, any demonic energy on him naturally cannot be detected. If you truly want to prove that you have nothing to do with demonic cultivators, then return the Radiant Light Pearl. If no demonic energy is found afterward, Dianxing Sect will believe you are innocent.”
Hearing this, Bai Tang tightened his grip on Pei Boyi’s hand.
“A-Yi~”
“Daoist He Yi need not worry. If he is truly innocent, then even after returning the Radiant Light Pearl, no demonic energy will be detected. I, Ling Zhiye, will personally apologize to him.”
The Radiant Light Pearl had already fused with Bai Tang’s body after entering him. Where could they possibly find a second Radiant Light Pearl?
Pei Boyi’s continued silence only made Ling Zhiye more convinced of his suspicion.
It’s him. He’s the one who harmed Zhenzhen—ruined her reputation and caused her to die tragically after falling from the cliff.
“A-Yi~”
Bai Tang hesitated, silently calculating the difference in strength between himself and everyone else present. If he stepped forward to admit everything and then escaped while catching everyone off guard, his senior brothers from Le’an Immortal Sect probably wouldn’t have time to stop him, and the people from Dianxing Sect likely wouldn’t be able to stop him either.
“Return the Radiant Light Pearl?” Pei Boyi suddenly let out a cold laugh. “Then would my fifty Soul-Returning Jade Pills have been given away for nothing? What a clever scheme.”
“First, you smear us with accusations, then take back the Radiant Light Pearl. Once everyone’s attention has been diverted, no one will care about those fifty Soul-Returning Jade Pills. And if it later turns out to be a mistake, at worst you’ll just apologize while still getting my things for free.”
“What an excellent plan indeed.”
Pei Boyi smiled as he slowly applauded.
“They say Dianxing Sect was once a great sect, with profound foundations and immense strength. It seems your talent for plotting is no less impressive. This junior truly admits defeat.”
“Exactly!” Fu Maiwen immediately chimed in.
“You say there’s demonic energy, so suddenly there is demonic energy? Everything is coming solely from your side of the story. Neither our Le’an Immortal Sect nor the other righteous sects have personally witnessed any of this.”
“Do you really think that just because our master passed away and Le’an Immortal Sect has rarely appeared in public, our strength has weakened and we’re easy to bully? So you’ve decided to make us your target?”
In an instant, Fu Maiwen elevated the matter to the level of conflict between sects and even hinted at a larger conspiracy.
The First Elder had allowed his eldest disciple, Ling Zhiye, to pressure Pei Boyi, but he never expected them to turn the situation around on him instead, leaving him trapped in an awkward position with no easy way forward or back.