Chapter 261: Stealing the Sword Manual?

Lin Jiang Ge

The first floor was cleared out.

The diners who came to eat were turned away at the door, all puzzled and confused.

"What happened?" someone asked.

"It seems that Miss Ling of the Xuan Yuan Sword Sect booked the whole place, saying she's waiting for Ye Qingran to come and atone!"

"What did Ye Qingran do?"

"The details are unclear, but it sounds like she stole the Xuan Yuan Sword Sect's sword manual…"

……

The rumor spread quickly, and soon many heard that Ye Qingran had stolen the Xuan Yuan Sword Sect's sword manual, was discovered by Ling Qingwu, and was forced to publicly apologize.

The already bustling Lin Jiang Ge became a sea of black‑clad crowds, a mountain of people, truly spectacular!

Before long, someone shouted "Ye Qingran is here," and the crowd instinctively cleared a path.

Amid the varied gazes of the crowd, Ye Qingran walked slowly toward Lin Jiang Ge.

"Ye Qingran, you stole our Xuan Yuan Sword Sect's exclusive sword manual; do you know your crime?" a male disciple of the Xuan Yuan shouted in a loud voice.

Ye Qingran lifted her eyelids.

She stole the Xuan Yuan Sword Sect's manual?

How could she not know herself?

Yet she didn't want to argue anything.

At that moment Ling Qingwu's voice entered her ear, "Ye Qingran, you'd better think carefully how to answer. I said, as long as you satisfy us, I will naturally release your son!"

Only Ye Qingran could hear that voice.

Ye Qingran retorted, "Xiao Hu? I need to confirm he's alright now."

Ling Qingwu tossed a jade token to her, streaked with blood.

"This is a Soul Jade Token, soaked with your son's blood; you should be able to sense whether he's dead or alive!"

Ye Qingran, holding the jade token, felt her fingertips turn pale.

She eagerly closed her eyes, felt a faint living tug, and finally let out a sigh of relief.

Xiao Hu is still alive.

As long as he's alive, everything still has hope!

Xia Zhimeng pushed her way out of the crowd, furious, "What nonsense are you spouting?! How could my sister Ye possibly steal your sword manual? Ling Qingwu, after all those years of cultivating that manual, you still lost to my sister; such a trashy manual my sister doesn't even look at!"

Ling Qingwu's expression darkened.

"Ye Qingran, control your people!"

Ye Qingran measured herself, shook her head at Xia Zhimeng, "Xia Zhimeng, I'm fine."

"But…"

Ye Qingran said nothing, but a single glance made Xia Zhimeng obediently shut her mouth.

The Ling Family patriarch's grandson also learned the news and rushed over.

Elder Ling, who knew Ye Qingran's identity, felt his heart skip a beat at her disheveled yet submissive posture.

As the Valley Master of Medicine King Valley, Ye Qingran naturally had no need to take Ling Qingwu seriously.

"It's ruined; Ling Qingwu must have hit her soft spot!" As for what that soft spot was, Elder Ling quickly thought of those two children.

"Grandpa, what are you saying?"

"Shaoyang, hurry, mobilize every force you can and go find Han Xing Leng Yue or Zhuang Xian!" Elder Ling ordered gravely.

Ling Shaoyang's whole body tensed, sensing something wrong.

"Don't ask about the others first; they will give you the answer!"

Ling Shaoyang didn't ask further, glanced at Ye Qingran, nodded, and strode away.

Elder Ling silently prayed the child was safe; otherwise, he couldn't tell what calamities might befall Xiliang City or even the Xuan Yuan Sword Sect.

"Ye Qingran, you stole our Xuan Yuan Sword Sect's exclusive sword manual; do you know your crime?" the male disciple shouted again.

Countless gazes fell on her, awaiting her answer.

Ye Qingran curved an inexplicable smile, "I admit!"

The words caused the whole room to erupt in murmurs.

Ye Qingran admitted it?!

Did she really steal the Xuan Yuan Sword Sect's manual?

"Tsk, I never expected Ye Qingran would do such a thing; I thought the Xuan Yuan Sword Sect members were slandering her!"

"Exactly, it's truly knowing someone's face but not their heart; Ye Qingran never expected to be such a person!"

"Before, when she beat Ling Qingwu in a duel, could those sword techniques she used also have been stolen?"

……

Various unpleasant voices rose and fell, and Xia Zhimeng, watching the calm figure standing there, furrowed her brows.

Why?

"Sister Ye, you clearly didn't do this, why admit it?"

Xia Zhimeng was full of confusion.

"Boss Ye, were they threatening you?" Gu Dongliu stepped forward, his usually flamboyant face now solemn.

"Ye Qingran, answer him: did we threaten you?"

Ling Qingwu smiled confidently.

She clenched Ye Qingran's soft spot, making it impossible for her to flip her palm!

Ye Huanhuan and several Profound Origin disciples stood together, looking at Ye Qingran, revealing a hint of mad laughter.

Ye Qingran, even if you're not trash, what does it matter? Even if your strength is greater, what does it matter? Your child has fallen into our hands, so you must obediently let us manipulate you!

Ye Qingran gave Gu Dongliu a faint smile, shook her head, and said, "No one threatens me."

Gu Dongliu gritted his teeth, his whole person emanating a cold solemnity.

He couldn't believe Ye Qingran was that kind of person!

Surely someone is framing her!

"Everyone heard that, right? We never threatened Ye Qingran; it was her own choice."

Ling Qingwu stood up, smiling at Ye Qingran, "According to our sect's rules, stealing the sword manual is punishable by death. However, considering it's your first offense and the manual wasn't lost, I'll let you off this once."

In a tone as if bestowing charity.

"However, the death penalty can be avoided, but the punishment for living cannot be escaped. The punishment we ought to give, we will still give!" Ling Qingwu flicked her long sleeve, reenacting yesterday's scene.

However, today there's an extra Ye Huanhuan.

These four people, each holding a weapon, stared tigerishly.

In Ye Huanhuan's hand was a Lang Wolf Tooth Club, covered in spikes, gleaming with a cold silver light.

Ye Huanhuan lowered her head to look at those spikes, her eyes filled with bloodlust.

She could hardly wait to use those spikes to pierce Ye Qingran's flesh, to see her skin split and flesh gore, a bloody mess!

……

Lin Jiang Ge's first floor was empty of anyone.

Ling Qingwu moved a chair to sit at the main gate; with a command, four Profound Origin disciples swarmed forward, launching a fierce attack on Ye Qingran.

Various sounds came forth, making the listeners' scalps tingle.

Ye Qingran soon spat out a mouthful of blood!

Everyone secretly felt shocked; such a punishment seems too harsh, doesn't it?

"Stop!" Gu Dongliu roared, about to rush forward, but Ye Qingran loudly shouted him down.

He was caught between a rock and a hard place.

Ye Qingran stared straight at him, her gaze resolute.

……

After an unknown amount of time, Ye Qingran was covered in fresh blood, a shocking sight.

Xia Zhimeng's lips were bitten through by her, and Gu Dongliu's hands both bled fresh blood.

When the abuse had nearly ended, Ling Qingwu checked the time and called a halt.

Ye Qingran bathed in fresh blood, swaying on the verge of collapse.

Last night, she had already suffered severe injuries; today's repeat nearly took her life.

She fixed her gaze on Ling Qingwu, "Ling Qingwu, can you release the person?"

Ling Qingwu looked at Ye Qingran amusingly, pretending to ask, "Person, what person?"

In Ye Qingran's gradually sinking complexion, she suddenly realized, "You mean your... Wild Offspring, right?" Her voice was loud, reaching everyone's ears.

Wild Offspring?

Ye Qingran's Wild Offspring?

"Ye Qingran, I've heard that the two children by your side aren't both the National Master's, is that true?"

Ling Qingwu's words were like a boulder thrown into a calm lake.