Chapter 31: Taking Charge for Everyone!
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"This disciple knows his fault."
When his master asked, Ye Qinghan answered.
But whether she truly understood her mistake or not didn't really matter. After all, whether she knew it or not, she was still kneeling here!
Whatever the Master says goes!
Elder Shi chimed in from the side: "Master Su, why get so worked up? Qinghan is young and hot-headed. Besides, in the secret realm, cultivators fighting each other over heavenly treasures is only natural."
【Damn it, what's wrong with you? How dare you speak up for Ye Qinghan?】
"Exactly! Master Su, Elder Shi is right! Sister Qinghan just acted on impulse!" Li Shiyao chimed in, clapping her hands.
【Huh? How did it turn into me being the one in the wrong?】
【Though I never intended to blame her from the start, with you two like this, how am I supposed to play my part?】
【If you're playing the good cop, doesn't that make me the bad cop?】
"Qinghan wasn't acting on impulse. She intended this from the moment she entered! The treasures within the secret realm belong to the strongest, don't they?"
Ye Qinghan knew her master wouldn't blame her, and now she was utterly unrestrained!
Ah!
I'll be damned if I didn't steal it!
What are you gonna do about it?
Now it's only because my master commands me to kneel that you're allowed to speak!
If I stand up, you'd all be too scared to speak, let alone stand!
"Qinghan, are you implying you're quite formidable?"
"Exactly! Master, Qinghan believes she deserves all this!"
【Huh? How come you're more arrogant kneeling than I am standing?】
【Who's the Master here, anyway?】
"Then I'll kneel and listen to you. How about that?"
With those words, even the living demon king Ye Qinghan could only back down.
"Qinghan dares not. Qinghan merely hopes to earn the Master's praise, that's all…"
Hmph!
"Master Su, you see, Qinghan was just eager to prove himself. He was merely trying to take a shortcut—no harm intended."
"Indeed, Master Su, Elder Shi speaks wisely!"
Shi Mingyi and Shi Yao traded lines like a comedy duo—whatever Shi Mingyi said, Shi Yao cheered it on!
All the family heads, including Cheng Liang, remained silent, their eyes fixed on Su Cheng and Ye Qinghan.
The sayings about not disciplining children in public or keeping family shame private? Total bullshit.
With so many elders and family heads present, so many prodigies gathered, how could this simply be swept under the rug?
They demanded an explanation!
"Miss Shi Yao, how do you think I should punish her?"
Shi Yao froze. Was this something she could decide?
Shi Yao looked at Ye Qinghan, who was dumbfounded. Why did the Master ask her of all people? Why her?
Seeing the little fool's expression, Ye Qinghan guessed the reason!
Damn it!
Shi Yao thought for a moment. Punishment? Staying in the Lingfrost Hall to be tormented by you—isn't that punishment enough?
"Shiyao says, 'Why not expel me from the sect?'"
【Huh? Wasn't this girl acting like besties just a moment ago? Wasn't she defending Ye Qinghan a second ago?】
【Plastic sisters?】
Ye Qinghan, however, remained unflustered. She still held a measure of trust in her master.
"But that would be playing right into her hands! Without anyone to restrain her, wouldn't she just cause even more trouble everywhere?"
Shiyao looked utterly disappointed. She’d thought she’d finally found a way to rescue Sister Qinghan from her misery, but it was all for naught.
"I beg only for the Master's punishment. This disciple shall bear it without complaint!"
Ye Qinghan remained utterly unfazed. Would her master really punish her?
As if! It was all just a show for you lot!
Not only would she not be punished, but she’d be feasting on stir-fried pork slices and chunks when she got back!
"Tell me, how did I teach you?"
"This disciple knows her mistake. Next time, she will leave no survivors! She has caused trouble for her master!"
The elders' pupils contracted in shock. This Ye Qinghan was utterly unrepentant!
Even Cheng Liang was stunned—Ye Qinghan seemed to have truly transformed into a living demon king…
All eyes now turned to Su Cheng, as if awaiting his punishment for this unrepentant disciple.
To everyone's surprise, Su Cheng showed no intention of punishing Ye Qinghan. Instead, he gently ruffled her hair, his expression filled with satisfaction…
"This time, your master will handle the aftermath. Next time, remember my teachings: when you cut the grass, you must uproot it completely!"
"Especially those who say things like 'Never underestimate a poor youth'! Kill them immediately! Chop them into eight pieces!"
"I'll remember that!"
"Qinghan will remember the Master's teachings." Ye Qinghan finished speaking, slowly rising to her feet as her sword case dropped to the ground in an instant. "There's no need for the Master to clean up after me. The mess I've made, I'll handle it myself."
Huh? Shi Yao was stunned too. Somehow, Sister Qinghan and Sect Leader Su… seemed strangely well-matched…
In the blink of an eye, as the unfurled sword case slowly closed, the so-called prodigies became corpses—each with a single sword thrust through the throat.
"Master Su, how dare you shield your disciple from such heinous crimes?"
"Killing within the secret realm might be tolerated, but now, before our very eyes, you permit your disciple to slaughter the innocent!"
The disciples trembled in fear, while the clan chiefs, family heads, and sect masters all wore expressions of utter shock!
Cheng Liang was utterly baffled. His Qinghan seemed dead, and this living demon was nothing like the Ye Chenmeng he once knew.
"She is my disciple. If I don't protect her, who else would I protect?"
[Is this guy brain-dead? If I don't protect my own disciple, am I supposed to protect your wife instead?]
Su Cheng found it laughable. What kind of stupid question was that?
"Qinghan is Lingxian Hall's First Disciple! As Lingxian Hall's master and her teacher, I came here to back her up!"
"Why else would I be here? To watch you bully her?"
【Qinghan, thanks to you, your master intends to stand tall today.】
Ye Qinghan froze as Ling Frost, the three-foot blade at her waist, was swiftly drawn by her master.
"I had intended to interact with you all as an ordinary person."
Su Cheng shielded Ye Qinghan beside him, the snow-white blade reflecting a cold gleam as the temperature plummeted!
"But what I got in return was only distance."
Su Cheng stood tall, sword raised before a dozen sect leaders and clan heads, as if that spirited youth of years past had returned!
"No more pretending~"
"I am unrivaled under heaven~"
"Time to show my hand~"
The dozen or so figures exchanged glances as they watched Su Cheng wielding the Frostshatter Sword. Could it be?
Could it be that Su Cheng had been feigning madness all along?
That can't be!
"Master Su, could it be that—!" The Holy Mountain elder looked utterly astonished. The fact that Su Cheng possessed no cultivation wasn't something that had just come to light. Could he truly have been deliberately concealing his strength?
Su Cheng smiled faintly, saying nothing.
The moment Dongfang Jue opened his eyes, he heard Su Cheng declare his hand!
She thought to herself: So it was true! I was right all along! The reason Ye Qinghan had grown so powerful in such a short time was undoubtedly because of this master!
Li Shiyao reached the same conclusion as Dongfang Jue. She had been puzzled why Sister Qinghan would be controlled by a powerless, useless master, but now it all made sense!
So Su Cheng wasn't a powerless废物 at all! Sister Qinghan had no chance of escape! She was completely at his mercy!
"Senior Brother Su, are you prepared to fight us, the heads of several sects, for the sake of this disciple?"
Cheng Liang stood with his hands behind his back, convinced Su Cheng was merely putting on a brave face. As long as he remained unfazed, Su Cheng's act would be utterly useless!
"How could that be? Senior Brother has no such intention. But if anyone dares to lay a finger on my Qinghan, according to Lingxian Hall's rules, it means annihilation of their entire clan!"
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