Chapter 270: How Do You Intend to Thank Me?

His figure burst forth, his face twisted with ferocity, his five fingers curled into claws—clearly he had exerted all his strength.

"Courting death!" Xiao Er snorted coldly, his body shifted like an iron tower, moving first despite moving later, his fan‑like large hand precisely seized Xuan Xu's wrist.

"Crack!"

A sound of breaking bones rang out.

"Ah——!" Xuan Xu screamed miserably, his right hand drooping, yet he ignored the pain and swiftly reached out with his left hand again.

Lu Qi clamped his left arm and twisted hard.

"Crack!"

This time Xuan Xu couldn't even utter a miserable cry; he gave a muffled groan, and both arms went limp and drooped.

Xiao Er showed no mercy, kicking him in the chest.

Xuan Xu's whole body flew sideways, landing with a "Bang!" on the street.

"Good!"

"Well hit!"

"Such a wicked person deserves to be hacked to pieces!"

The townsfolk were filled with indignant fury; not knowing who first threw a rotten vegetable leaf, soon after, stones and clods of earth rained down on Xuan Xu like hail.

Had someone not reported to the office and the constables arrived promptly, he would likely have been beaten to death on the spot by the angry crowd.

Qingzhou Prefecture Office, in the court hall.

Xiao Ningxun presented the deposition and clearly recounted the events once again.

The Prefect looked at the deposition bearing a handprint, especially the shocking "thirty‑six lives lost," his face turned ashen, and he struck the gavel so hard it thundered.

"Xuan Xu! Do you have anything to say?"

Xuan Xu collapsed to his knees, arms hanging limp, his face ashen like death.

He lifted his head, glaring angrily at Tuan Tuan: "Sir! Poor Daoist I am wronged!"

"It's this girl! It's her! She used sorcery to control me, that's why I spoke nonsense! Those depositions are false, they count for nothing!"

Lu Qi and Xiao Er's eyes turned fierce; they ought to have beaten him into silence just now!

"Sorcery?" Xiao Ningxun pulled his sister behind him, "How my sister questioned you, how you, guilty as a thief, confessed on your own—everyone here saw it clearly!"

The onlookers outside the hall echoed in agreement:

"Right! We all saw it!"

"It was you who kowtowed and confessed your guilt!"

"And you dare to frame an innocent young lady!"

Xiao Ningxun faced the Prefect: "Sir, since he now denies it, please immediately send people to find the families of those thirty‑six victims and confront him face to face."

"Thirty‑six lives—he could never have covered his tracks perfectly; confronting the evidence from both sides will surely reveal the truth!"

The Prefect snorted coldly: "Obstinate and dull! The sorcery you speak of, I have never heard of!"

"But regarding these thirty‑six murder cases, each and every one, I will have people examine them thoroughly! When the human and material evidence are all present, how could I allow you to deny it!"

Xuan Xu was instantly speechless.

Having killed so many people, at first he was nervous, but later killing became as casual as slaughtering a chicken; even disposing of corpses and erasing traces was done hastily, unable to withstand any careful investigation.

The situation was lost; he burst into tears and collapsed limp on the ground.

Just then, a clear, peaceful voice came from outside the court hall:

"Infinite Heavenly Venerable!"

Everyone followed the sound and saw a middle‑aged Taoist priest in yellow robes, bearing an otherworldly demeanor, appear at the court hall's entrance.

Upon seeing him, the townsfolk immediately shouted:

"Qixiazi Taoist Priest!"

"Taoist Priest! How could you accept someone like Xuan Xu as your disciple?"

"Right! Taoist Priest, how many more wicked people like him are there in Qingyunguan?"

Qixiazi turned a deaf ear, walking slowly into the main hall.

"Master! Master, save me!" Xuan Xu, as if clutching his last straw, struggled to crawl and kneel at his feet, "Your virtue and prestige are great—please say a word for your disciple!"

Everyone's gaze focused on Qixiazi.

Qixiazi didn't even glance at Xuan Xu, first bowing to the Prefect: "I am the humble Taoist Qixiazi; I have the honor to meet you, Lord Prefect."

Then, his gaze heavy with sorrow, he looked at Xuan Xu: "Xuan Xu, when you were gravely wounded and wandering the streets, I could not bear to leave you, so I brought you back to the temple and taught you the Dao."

"Seeing your aptitude was decent, I recently took you as my disciple; I never expected you to betray your master, committing such heinous deeds and deceiving me thus!"

His voice suddenly turned stern: "Now that the truth has come to light, the evidence is solid, your sins are grave, the law cannot tolerate them! Not to speak of me as your master, even if the Three Pure Ones were present, they would certainly not shield you!"

He turned to the Prefect, offering a solemn salute: "Lord Prefect, this rebellious disciple's actions are solely his personal guilt and have nothing to do with my Qingyunguan. Please punish him according to law to uphold justice!"

"All those he harmed, if they have surviving families, my Qingyunguan is willing to bear the expense—providing funds and effort to support and comfort them, to atone for my lax supervision!"

The townsfolk outside the hall heard this and began to chatter.

"Qixiazi Taoist Priest is truly a person of high virtue!"

"Indeed! With clear distinctions between right and wrong, and a heart full of compassion!"

"Alas, the Taoist Priest has been deceived by this wicked disciple!"

"Indeed! Who would have thought the person he rescued would turn out to be a demon!"

"The Taoist Priest's lofty righteousness! Though it's not his fault, he's still willing to spend money to provide relief!"

Tuan Tuan tilted her little head, eyes unblinking, fixed on Qixiazi.

"What a strange Taoist Priest!"

"How is his aura gray?"

It's neither black nor red—what is gray? Alas, a pity the National Preceptor isn't here.

Qixiazi seemed to notice Tuan Tuan only then, his gaze gentle, the corners of his mouth slightly curling: "This young lady, I suppose you are the little honest one who exposed this evil disciple; I ought to thank you properly."

Tuan Tuan blinked her big eyes at him: "Thank me?"

"Not bad." Qixiazi nodded, "If you hadn't exposed him, this evil-doer would continue to wreak havoc under the name of my Qingyunguan, defiling the sanctity of the Three Pure Ones and harming more innocents."

"Your deed today is a great merit. Both publicly and privately, I, your humble Daoist, ought to thank you more."

Oh, Tuan Tuan looked at him and said, "Then how do you plan to thank me?"

""

Qixiazi startled.

He then burst out laughing: "Truly the words of a child, completely unguarded! Good! Good! No wonder Xuan Xu lost to you!"

"If you want me, your humble Daoist, to thank you, just speak plainly."

Tuan Tuan kept in mind her promise to Miss Ding: "This Xuan Xu is a scoundrel; his disciple Qingwei is no good either—it was he who bullied Elder Sister Ding!"

"I want you to send Qingwei here as well, so he can no longer bully anyone."

"Besides! Xuan Xu doesn't have only Qingwei as a disciple, does he? They're surely all no good— they should all be sent here!"

Qixiazi startled again.

The townspeople then realized, "Right, today's affair originally arose because of Miss Ding!"

"Young lady, well done!"

"Exactly, that Qingwei bullied Miss Ding—he's a scoundrel too!"

"Exactly! He should also be handed over to the authorities!"

"What the young lady said is right; those associated with Xuan Xu are surely all of the same ilk!"

"Right! Send them all to the authorities! Please, Prefect, investigate them thoroughly!"