Chapter 87: Stealing Away
Qu Yiqiu’s gaze was cool and unhurried as she looked at Hong Bingyin. She spoke in a calm, measured tone, “This trouble was stirred up by Chen Chuangfu and Wu Zhongdao of Ten-Thousand Acre Peak. So if Master Hong wishes to vent his anger, he should seek out his own disciples, Chen Chuangfu and Wu Zhongdao, instead!”
The teacup at Hong Bingyin’s side shattered into powder at his touch.
Veins bulged on his forehead as he gave a cruel smile. “So the people of Little Flat Peak show no respect for their elders, devoured my spirit bird—the white-tailed brocade crane—and three ironwater oxen, leaving only bones, and now wish to pin the blame on Chen Chuangfu and Wu Zhongdao? Was it Mo Qingli who taught you this trick?”
By the end, his voice had swelled to an ear-splitting roar that left everyone nearly deaf.
“Aiya!” Mu Yunjin, startled, covered his ears, looking innocently from Hong Bingyin to Luo Tangyu.
“This child is…” Luo Tangyu suddenly stood up.
His gaze fixed on Mu Yunjin, scrutinizing him as if to see through all his secrets.
“Who are you? Barely twelve years old, and already at the twelfth level of Qi Refinement?” Hong Bingyin blurted out, beating Luo Tangyu to the question.
All eyes in the hall instantly turned to Mu Yunjin.
Qu Yiqiu shot him a subtle look, signaling him to remain calm.
Mu Yunjin took a quiet breath and replied obediently, “I am a disciple taken in not long ago by Master Mo. She saw I had some talent and gave me the blood of the Nine-Colored Stag to help me break through to the twelfth level of Qi Refinement.”
“Nine-Colored Stag blood?” Luo Tangyu exclaimed in spite of himself.
The blood of the Nine-Colored Stag was extraordinarily precious, yet few cultivators could truly refine and absorb it. Just how rare was this child’s talent?
A dangerous light flashed in Hong Bingyin’s eyes. In a blink, he was before Mu Yunjin and seized his wrist.
“A body perfectly suited for the Myriad Beasts Domain, and a pure fire spiritual root at that!”
Amazement filled Hong Bingyin’s expression, and desire to claim this talent began to rise.
Luo Tangyu hurried over, interrupting his thoughts. “So you are Mu Yunjin? As head of the sect, I’ve heard Master Mo speak of you—but I never imagined your talent would be so extraordinary!”
Mu Yunjin blinked in confusion, as if he didn’t quite understand what they were saying.
Qu Yiqiu herself couldn’t help but be surprised. After drinking the Nine-Colored Stag’s blood, Mu Yunjin’s fire spiritual root had suddenly manifested—something she hadn’t foreseen. And now, with a single examination, Hong Bingyin had even discovered the unique Myriad Beasts Domain constitution.
Today, her young junior brother was making an even greater impression than she had planned!
Seeing such talent, Hong Bingyin’s greed grew. He declared imperiously, “Mu Yunjin? You are truly muddle-headed! Taking Mo Qingli as your teacher is to ruin your own future. I am willing to accept you as my own disciple and personally teach you the true arts. Don’t waste your genius lingering on Little Flat Peak!”
Qu Yiqiu’s face went cold as she swept a frosty glance at Hong Bingyin.
Sensing her displeasure, Mu Yunjin stepped back and moved to Qu Yiqiu’s side, answering firmly, “Without Master Mo’s guidance, I wouldn’t have reached my current level. The strength of Little Flat Peak is not as it appears to outsiders—my teacher is formidable!”
Hong Bingyin scoffed, as if he hadn’t heard a word. “You’re still young. It’s only natural you’d be misled for a time by Mo Qingli and this pretty senior sister. But once you follow me to Ten-Thousand Acre Peak, you’ll see how dull Little Flat Peak truly is, and how unworthy these two are of you!”
Luo Tangyu suppressed his own interest, and spoke sternly, “Master Hong, since Mu Yunjin has already acknowledged Master Mo as his teacher, how can he change masters at a whim?”
Hong Bingyin swept his gaze over him with contempt. “So, Sect Master Luo, you truly intend to shield Mo Qingli today?”
He wasn’t fooled; he knew that, years ago, Mo Qingli had done Luo Tangyu a great favor.
Luo Tangyu’s heart quailed—now, he had well and truly offended Hong Bingyin. Truly, he had been a useless sect master...
“Master Hong,” Luo Tangyu forced himself to reply, “I’m merely following the sect’s rules.”
Hong Bingyin patted his shoulder with a sneering smile. “Good, good, good! Sect Master Luo, you are indeed an upright man!”
Luo Tangyu coughed lightly, ignoring the pain in his shoulder, and said calmly, “Qu Yiqiu, you mentioned that Chen Chuangfu and Wu Zhongdao were also involved in this matter?”
Qu Yiqiu glanced at Hong Bingyin’s hand. “Yes. This entire matter arose because Chen Chuangfu and Wu Zhongdao of Ten-Thousand Acre Peak trespassed into our territory with your spirit beasts, leading to a misunderstanding.”
“A misunderstanding? What kind of misunderstanding?” Luo Tangyu asked, his face unreadable.
Hong Bingyin returned to his wooden seat, eyeing her with disdain.
Qu Yiqiu’s expression was serene. “Master Hong claims his spirit beasts were eaten, but this is all a misunderstanding.”
Luo Tangyu looked in surprise from one to the other. “Are Master Hong’s spirit beasts still alive?”
“Nonsense!” Hong Bingyin couldn’t help but curse.
Everyone in the hall jumped in fright.
Zhao Wen and Huang Lan looked at Qu Yiqiu in disbelief—had she really eaten Master Hong’s spirit beasts?
Zhou Chen, never good at lying, had kept his head bowed since entering the hall, not daring to meet anyone’s eyes.
Luo Tangyu rubbed his nose, awkwardly. “Qu Yiqiu, do go on. What exactly happened to Master Hong’s spirit beasts?”
Qu Yiqiu replied blandly, “They died. But it was because of Chen Chuangfu and Wu Zhongdao.”
“Nonsense and sophistry! Sect Master Luo, how much longer will you indulge her?” Hong Bingyin’s eyes burned with impatience.
Before Luo Tangyu could reply, Qu Yiqiu continued sternly, “These are the facts. When Chen Chuangfu and Wu Zhongdao brought the spirit beasts onto our land, we had no idea they belonged to Master Hong. When I discovered them, they fled in panic, abandoning the spirit beasts for fear I’d report them to the sect and they’d be punished. So, these strange beasts, arriving without explanation, were judged as hostile invaders and dispatched on the spot!”
“My actions were entirely in accordance with sect rules. Any foreign creatures trespassing on sect grounds are to be executed without mercy!”
Her righteous words left everyone in the hall dumbstruck.
Was such an explanation even possible?
Looking at the fury twisting Hong Bingyin’s face, Zhao Wen and Huang Lan suddenly felt they hadn’t been tricked by her without reason. This woman dared to deceive even a Nascent Soul master from Ten-Thousand Acre Peak!
“Utter nonsense! Absurd! Not a word of sense!” Hong Bingyin, never a man of words, found himself completely confounded by Qu Yiqiu’s counter. He could only curse repeatedly to vent his pent-up anger.
Luo Tangyu made no attempt to hide his admiration. Though this girl was lacking in talent, her temperament was exceptional—perhaps, one day, she’d carve out her own place in the world.
But praise aside, there was still duty to uphold; he couldn’t allow himself to be caught off guard and leave others with leverage.
Luo Tangyu spoke with authority. “Master Hong, if you find her explanation lacking, then let us summon Chen Chuangfu and Wu Zhongdao to confront the matter directly.”