Chapter 769: Obedient Disciple Enters the Embrace 03

For a moment, the whole Golden Hall was utterly silent.

Luo Yi Ping also hadn't expected his junior brother to be so rash, but if the elder is angry now…

He glanced at his kneeling father, suddenly gathered courage and stood up, explaining to Xie Xi, 'Reporting to the elder, this junior brother has just joined the Xuanzong Sect; I hope you will not blame him.'

Heh.

Jin Chen smiled faintly, leisurely looking at the equally nervous Luo Yi Ping, 'You are the Sect Leader's son? Yet you think of your junior brother.'

Luo Yi Ping couldn't tell whether this was praise or reproach, but either way he had to accept it.

Since that's the case, as a junior brother like Fei Mian, when he is bullied, why do you not intervene?

Jin Chen lowered his gaze coldly, his eyes light and indifferent.

'This… Fei Mian… is not very obedient; I, as a junior, don't know how to discipline him.'

Luo Yi Ping regretted standing up, his answer halting, his back soaked in cold sweat.

'Quite the disobedient one.'

Jin Chen didn't even glance at Xie Xi, merely lowering his eyes to the dazed little one in his arms, and asked softly.

'In this hall, has anyone ever bullied you?'

Fei Mian slowly looked at Xie Xi, whose glare met his; perhaps because the embrace now held a bit more warmth, giving him courage, he slowly nodded, his voice childish.

'Yes, him.'

A dirty, slender finger pointed at Xie Xi from afar; though the voice was soft, it was enough for everyone to hear.

'I didn't! You're talking nonsense!'

Xie Xi immediately retorted, spoiled as he was, he had no regard for the fact that the occasion was unsuitable for rebuttal, especially with his master still kneeling.

Luorongchang felt his heart might give out.

He hastily turned and glared at Xie Xi, hoping he would restrain himself, but the latter's eyes were already red with anger, unable to notice these.

'Very good.'

Jin Chen flicked his sleeve, eyes like cold light, 'Bullying fellow disciples, defying an immortal master—punish under Article 10 of Discipline.'

'Hope the Sect Leader oversees it.'

'Yes, yes, I will certainly supervise it properly.'

Luorongchang breathed a sigh of relief; good thing the uncle-master didn't directly say to expel him.

Although Xie Xi is a bit wayward, his talent is exceptional; he is truly much stronger than Fei Mian.

Who knows what the uncle-master is thinking.

Article 10 of Discipline!

All the new disciples were startled, and Xie Xi's legs went weak, nearly unable to stand.

The fourth level of the Discipline Hall's punishment chamber houses evil spirits, cruel and bloodthirsty; the punished must bear no weapons and fight the evil spirits for the time of three incense sticks.

But he is only at the Qi Refining stage!

He still wanted to speak, but Luo Yi Ping forcibly pulled his hand and made him kneel, eyes warning.

Luorongchang cautiously probed, 'Uncle-master, shall we leave it at that?'

Jin Chen gave no answer, but stared at Fei Mian's childish cheeks for a few seconds, as if thinking about something.

Since he remained silent, no one dared to speak.

The vast Golden Hall returned to silence.

'Three months from now, at the next sect minor trial, let Fei Mian compete again with… him.'

Jin Chen's gaze fell on Xie Xi, seemingly not even remembering this disciple's name.

Xie Xi's eyes lit up, and he immediately replied, 'Disciple will obey the elder's order.'

Just three months—trash is trash, especially with a variant dark spirit root; cultivation speed is naturally slower than ordinary people's, how could he possibly surpass him!

Fei Mian's eyes flickered slightly; he felt a bit dejected and lowered his head, but dared not say more.

Jin Chen noticed his emotional shift, the corner of his mouth twitching almost imperceptibly upward, then vanishing in an instant, as he scanned the crowd.

'Where is the Dean of the Seven Star Institute?'

'I am here, Elder; do you have any orders?'

A middle-aged man in blue robes rose to reply, already guessing in his heart what was to be done.

The Seven Star Institute manages the disciples' affiliation plaques, recording clearly which peak and which immortal master they belong to; the elder likely intends to take Fei Mian's plaque.

'Transfer the plaque, repair the Jade Book.'

'Yes, I will prepare shortly; after fixing the Jade Book, I will personally deliver it to Misty Cloud Peak.'

Jin Chen waited for him to finish, then embraced him, turned, and vanished instantly within the hall.

Luorongchang hurriedly patted his knees to stand, glaring angrily at Xie Xi.

'Yi Ping! Take him to be punished!'

'Yes, Father.'

Luo Yi Ping knew his father was surely furious now; pleading would only backfire, so he took the resentful Xie Xi out of the hall.

The disciples exchanged glances, none daring to ask whether this final match would still take place.

'Alright, you may all leave; the match is postponed.'

The Master of Clear Spirit Peak waved her hand, letting the disciples exit; her lovely face now furrowed with worry, she approached and asked several fellow martial brothers.

'What do you think the elder's intention is in accepting this disciple? Fei Mian… when I examined him that day, he truly had no extraordinary bone structure.'

'Just that his basics are solid, he indeed has some potential, but he also has a variant dark spirit root… could it be that my vision is poor?'

Not just him—everyone present was puzzled, all looking toward Luorongchang.

Luorongchang folded his hands and snorted, 'Why are you all looking at me? I rarely see the uncle-master anyway; I can't necessarily guess his thoughts.'

I kept muttering to myself, what the heck is all this?!

A disciple I looked down on actually became my peer in the blink of an eye!

Everyone here felt that Jin Chen surely had his own ideas, but nobody dared to make random guesses.

From now on, I can only warn the disciples of my peak institute: if I ever see Fei Mian in the sect later, I must certainly treat him with courtesy.

——

Dusk Cloud Peak.

Fei Mian, from the moment he entered, kept curiously looking around, even wondering if he had entered some sort of mortal fairyland.

Clouds and mist entwined, mountains layered, paths winding and twisting, distant dwellings resembling immortals' abodes.

Pavilions and towers reflected among the blue pines; the clear spring stood alone, accompanied by verdant bamboo and strange flowers and exotic grasses.

Drawing near, a faint mysterious floral fragrance lingered, its source unknown; but beside the clear spring, the crabapple trees were in full bloom, filling the courtyard with flower shadows, graceful and delicate.

Fei Mian obediently stayed in Jin Chen's embrace, his thin arms around the shoulders; looking back, he even saw a strange bird fly past, its crimson feathers slender and long, like a phoenix in the clouds.

Holding Fei Mian, he entered the courtyard and sat down at the jade stone table under the crabapple tree.

Letting the little brat sit on his lap, Jin Chen smiled at the corners of his mouth, his long fingertips brushed away the dust on his face, and said softly: "The wound needs treatment; close your eyes."

Fei Mian moved his shoulder; the pain indeed hadn't lessened in the slightest, so he obediently closed his eyes, yet nervously grabbed Jin Chen's cuff, not daring to use force, afraid of wrinkling it.

His long eyelashes kept trembling, awaiting an even more painful sensation.

But just a wave of coolness swept over, and the shoulder pain vanished completely; then came a coolness on the facial wound, as if a finger brushed over, feeling warm and smooth like jade, making one reluctant to let go.

"Just now in the Golden Hall, do you feel that my arrangements were mistaken, that I didn't help you vent your anger, and shouldn't have let you compete with that child?"

A clear, cold questioning voice came from beside his ear; Fei Mian, not having received a command, dared not open his eyes, merely shook his head and replied, "Immortal Master, being able to bring me back is already the utmost gratitude; I dare not question the Immortal Master's decision."

Suddenly he heard a soft laugh; Fei Mian felt his nose tip as if being tapped, and then came a scolding full of affection.

"You're saying one thing but meaning another."