Chapter 13: Killing the Chicken to Warn the Monkey

“Do you think you decide who is present and who is not?” Elder Zhou laughed instead of getting angry. “We won’t do anything to your father. There are so many people watching. All you need to do is open the door.”

“No,” Liu Xiaoxi shook her head, staring at Elder Zhou.

“Old Zhou,” Elder Qi spoke up at that moment, “let’s just forget it. There’s no need to go to so much trouble for this brat. Even if we catch him, what then?”

Elder Zhou’s expression darkened, and he said coldly, “If we catch him, he must pay a price.”

He then cast his gaze nonchalantly over the assembled cultivators behind him. “It will serve as a warning to others. Let’s see who dares to practice such vicious techniques in the future.”

Turning his head, he fixed his eyes on Liu Xiaoxi. “So, will you open the door or not?”

Liu Xiaoxi raised her hand and set a faint green protective shield over the door, watching Elder Zhou warily. “No.”

Seeing the thin, fragile shield, Elder Zhou could easily tell Liu Xiaoxi’s strength was lacking, and his tone became increasingly brusque.

“Pretty girl, you'd better think carefully. Lin Hao is no good, and if you don’t move aside, your father might suffer inside,” Zhou Yichen said with feigned concern.

Zhou Yichen had been staring at Liu Xiaoxi without blinking while Elder Zhou spoke to her. He noticed her beauty surpassed all the painted women he’d seen before, and her delicate yet resolute temperament was unmatched. Though her power was greater than his, he’d found her spiritual force was weak, indicating she was naturally of pure yin constitution, unsuitable for cultivation.

But, if they were to cultivate together...

He imagined both their strengths would improve. Zhou Yichen considered himself not of pure yang, but his spiritual roots were excellent, and his body was abundant in fire element, perfectly suited for dual cultivation.

Just by glimpsing Liu Xiaoxi, Zhou Yichen began to fantasize about their future together.

But Liu Xiaoxi’s next words shattered his illusions: “You? There’s no place for your words here. Go play elsewhere.”

She glanced again at Elder Zhou. “As for whether Lin Hao is a good man, I’ll judge for myself. Now my father is healing inside. If you have any business, wait until he recovers.”

“How long will your father need to heal?” Elder Zhou asked.

Liu Xiaoxi truly didn’t know how long Liu Baxian would take to treat Lin Hao. He hadn’t told her when he entered, so she replied cautiously, “I don’t know. My father was badly hurt this time. He’s already been here for two days.”

Elder Zhou’s face fell at this. Two days already? Who knew how much longer they’d stay?

“How about this, Old Zhou?” Elder Qi smiled. “We’ll stay here. If Lin Hao is inside, he won’t be able to leave, and we’ll wait until Miss Liu’s father comes out. Then the truth will be clear.”

“No,” Elder Zhou didn’t fall for Elder Qi’s words. “Lin Hao is injured. If he’s inside, he might recover and escape. If he’s not, we’re wasting time searching for him.”

He wanted to seize Lin Hao precisely during his weakness, while Elder Qi was also debilitated. If Lin Hao recovered, and Elder Qi did as well, Elder Qi would have no reason to intervene, and Elder Zhou would lose his chance.

Liu Xiaoxi laughed without restraint. “Who exactly is Lin Hao, that even the elder must try to take advantage of his weakness?”

Elder Zhou’s anger surged at being exposed again. “Impudent child! I’ve spared you only because you’re not a disciple of the Clearwind Sect. You dare speak to me like this? Outrageous!”

“Oh? But am I wrong?” Liu Xiaoxi smiled sweetly. “You needn’t wait any longer. Lin Hao truly isn’t inside. You’d better spend your time searching elsewhere.”

Elder Qi was calm, but Elder Zhou, repeatedly provoked, was furious. He raised a hand, and a rain of fire descended from the sky. “Today, whether you open this door or not, I will enter! If you refuse, I’ll force my way in!”

The fire rain was cast by a cultivator at the Golden Core stage; Liu Xiaoxi stood no chance. Her wooden shield shattered quickly, but she continued to guard Lin Hao’s door.

Just as the fire rain was about to strike her, a water-blue protective shield appeared above her head.

“Elder Qi, what are you doing?” Zhou Yichen protested. He’d just wanted to teach Liu Xiaoxi a lesson for her previous words, but saw Elder Qi in action—a water-blue shield formed above her. It was clear who had cast it.

“Treating a young lady like this isn’t right,” Elder Qi said, sweating. He had originally possessed the strength of the third layer of the Golden Core, but now, due to his condition, only the first layer remained. Still, he kept smiling.

“A young lady?” Zhou Yichen laughed. “Didn’t you hear how she spoke about me and my father? Such venomous words—can she be called a young lady?”

“She was just anxious. Perhaps Lin Hao really isn’t inside.” Seeing her father struggling, Qi Ting quickly stepped forward.

Zhou Yichen, previously harsh, softened as he saw Qi Ting’s delicate features. He could only persuade, “You’re too naive. She’s clearly trying to hide Lin Hao’s whereabouts. I think they’re in league together!”

“What has Lin Hao done wrong, that you’d rather harm an innocent girl, dig up every inch of earth to find him? What are you planning to do to him?” The blue shield grew thinner, and Qi Ting became more anxious. She believed Liu Xiaoxi because, if her own father were injured, she’d guard the door as well.

“Don’t you see, Sister Qi?” One of Bai Shili’s lackeys stepped out, hoping to win Qi Ting’s favor. “Lin Hao murdered fellow disciples. Such a person deserves no mercy! And this girl allied with him is no good either.”

“That’s right! Elder Zhou is purging evil for the people!” With one person leading, more supported Bai Shili. Qi Ting couldn’t retort, and others supporting Lin Hao dared not speak up with the elders present.

Elder Zhou, hearing the chorus of support, smiled knowingly and turned to Elder Qi. “Elder Qi, your strength is greatly diminished now and can’t match mine. Are you sure you want to fight me over an unknown junior?”

Elder Qi hesitated, and in that moment, Elder Zhou launched a fireball. The blue shield vanished instantly.

“If you insist on protecting that brat inside, then all of you will die today!” Elder Zhou laughed maniacally, as if he already saw Lin Hao’s corpse. He unleashed countless fireballs, but they were blocked.

A wall of ice rose in front of Liu Xiaoxi, stopping the fireballs.

“Who’s there?” Elder Zhou roared. Few cultivators specialized in ice, and his successive failures infuriated him.

“Me.” From the crowd, a woman in green walked out gracefully, smiling at everyone. “What are you all doing here? Why does Elder Zhou seem intent on harming this young lady?”

Half the cultivators present were unsettled upon seeing her.

“My goodness, is that Sister Qingyun?” someone exclaimed, and the words stirred the crowd.

“Sister Qingyun? That name sounds familiar...” someone murmured.

He was quickly enlightened by those nearby: “You don’t know Sister Qingyun? She was the champion of the internal selection tournament a few years ago!”

“That was years ago—why is she still so admired?”

“You don’t understand. When Sister Qingyun entered the inner sect, she was already at the seventh layer of Foundation Establishment. She’s legendary! No one knows her true power now, only that she’s been chosen as the next sect leader candidate!”

“Wow—”

At the mention of “next sect leader candidate,” the crowd grew even more excited. Many had never even seen the sect leader, and those who had knew how rare and precious such a meeting was. Now, they stood before a living candidate for the next sect leader. If Qingyun was truly chosen, they would have glimpsed the future leader’s face.

Qingyun merely smiled at the commotion, saying nothing more.

“Sister Qingyun smiled! Amazing—”

Zhou Yichen’s gaze, upon seeing the woman in green, lit up instantly like a lamp.

Qingyun drew attention not only for her strength, but also her beauty.

If Qi Ting’s pure, unaffected charm was like a star, and Liu Xiaoxi’s bold, fiery beauty was like the sun, then Qingyun’s elegant, poised beauty was the moon in the night.

How could the light of myriad stars ever compete with the moon?

Qi Ting, usually outstanding among the crowd, faded beside Qingyun.

Even Liu Xiaoxi’s dazzling looks were overshadowed by Qingyun’s combination of strength and beauty.

“Qingyun...” Zhou Yichen’s eyes shone with fervor.