Chapter 44
Indeed, even the agony of having one’s eyes gouged out and molten iron poured into one’s ears pales in comparison to the suffering she has endured.
Without any seniors present, Wu Duantian would likely only give Yun Zimo a light punishment, considering the face of Qingxuan Daoist.
She should have been relentless, but the thought of the senior standing behind her brought her a sense of relief.
“Master Wu is truly wise and just; I naturally hold great respect,” Li Qingran said, bowing deeply. The meaning behind her words was clear: she was satisfied.
【Stop!】
A detached voice echoed through the void.
【Qingran is satisfied, but I am not!】
The smile that had just blossomed on Wu Duantian's face froze. His hand, which had been stroking his beard, found itself in a dilemma—he could neither let go nor raise it. He had no choice but to cautiously address the void, “Uh, what do you think should be done?”
“Of course, we should punish him on the spot!” Chen Huai'an sat cross-legged on the sofa, vigorously petting a cat with his left hand while pressing a communication talisman with his right, rattling off, “Who knows if you guys are really going to punish him at the Law Enforcement Hall or just pretending? I can’t see it. Seeing is believing, hearing is deceiving.”
After a moment of silence in the void, a faint voice emerged:
【Punishment must not shield kin, and the law must not spare affection. If the punishment is not visible to the public, it fails to serve as a warning.】
【Thus, it must be decided!】
Li Qingran was momentarily taken aback, her heart warming slightly. A senior as pure as that would surely not wish to witness such a gruesome scene of gouging eyes and pulling tongues.
He feared that everything he had painstakingly fought for would be deceived away, and that those who had humiliated her would not receive their due punishment.
Wu Duantian let out a sigh of relief.
He had thought this mysterious cultivator would demand that Yun Zimo be expelled from Qingyun Sect or even executed outright.
That was beyond his authority. Although he was the sect leader, expelling a direct disciple required consultation with the elders, especially since one of them was Qingxuan Daoist.
“No problem, let’s carry out the punishment right here,” Wu Duantian signaled to the two disciples from the Law Enforcement Hall who were holding Yun Zimo.
In fact, after the punishment, he would take all the disciples to the Reflection Cliff to ‘visit’ those who had been punished, which would serve as a warning to others. But since the mysterious cultivator had requested it, he kept his mouth shut, even if it meant losing a bit of face for Qingxuan Daoist.
He didn’t care about that.
The disciples from the Law Enforcement Hall dragged Yun Zimo back to the center of the square. One of them restrained Yun Zimo’s body while the other took out a hook he always carried. Given the cultivator’s strong recovery abilities, there was no need to heat the hook.
With a piercing scream, many disciples of Qingyun Sect turned their faces away.
In the center of the square, Yun Zimo, now tongue-less, stared up at the sky with bloodshot eyes, howling in a voice that had long since lost its clarity.
“The molten iron needs to be prepared on-site, so we’ll have to wait a bit.”
Wu Duantian looked at Li Qingran, and it was clear to everyone that this was directed at the mysterious cultivator behind her.
All eyes were fixed on Li Qingran, as if she had become the spokesperson for the mysterious cultivator.
Zhang Hanxiao was still pretending to be dazed, while Lu Changtian and Xiao Yifeng wore pale expressions, not daring to plead for Yun Zimo.
They stood on either side of Mu Baishuang, seemingly unwilling to let her see Yun Zimo’s pitiful state.
Under the gaze of so many, Li Qingran felt somewhat at a loss. The senior hadn’t spoken, and she couldn’t speak on their behalf, so she could only hold her Su Xuan sword and lower her head to count the ants on the ground.
【What does Qingran think?】
A gentle voice suddenly rang out, causing Li Qingran to blush deeply. After a moment of surprise, she forced herself to appear calm and said, “I think it’s enough.”
Qingxuan Daoist grunted with a dark expression.
Wu Duantian straightened his beard, wearing a conciliatory smile.
He squinted, sensing the timing was right, and turned to Li Qingran’s back, cupping his hands, “I am shameless to ask for a favor. Since you have a way to restore this child’s dantian, could you also help my direct disciple?”
He stepped aside to reveal Zhao Lingtian, wearing a pained expression, “This child is talented and kind-hearted, a rare gem, but unfortunately, his dantian has been ruined by a demonic cultivator. I cannot bear to see him languish in despair, stuck at this point…”
Li Qingran raised her head, the blush fading from her face, her autumn eyes turning as cold as ice.
Hunyuan Butian Dan (混元补天丹) — a miraculous elixir.
Now she finally understood the precious opportunity the senior had given her.
Such a divine pill must be hard to come by for the senior as well, right?
Wu Duantian opened his mouth to demand it, thinking, “Why should I? Are you trying to use her to threaten the senior?”
At the same time, Chen Huai'an, sitting in front of his phone, received a notification.
【Qingyun Sect Leader Wu Duantian requests a chance from you—Hunyuan Butian Dan. Please make your choice. (Different choices may lead to different consequences, so choose wisely.)】
＜Direct refusal: You think you’re worthy? Get lost!＞
＜Temporary measure: Let’s put this aside for now and discuss it later.＞
＜Grant the opportunity: Fine, a mere Hunyuan Butian Dan is nothing to me; I’ll give you one. (Lose one Hunyuan Butian Dan. If you don’t have one in your bag, you will be charged 1,000,000¥ or 100 spirit crystals to purchase one.)＞
＜Use a communication talisman for free dialogue.＞
…
Chen Huai'an was about to select one of the options in an instant.
But his finger suddenly froze, narrowing his eyes as he realized this matter was not simple.
…
…
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Chapter 45: A Debate (ERR.OR Special Update)
He had initially wanted to choose the first option.
Not to mention that a Hunyuan Butian Dan costs a hundred thousand, but the fact that there were none left in the Koi Pond was a clear indication that the game developers had provided that as a benefit. The hint in option three also suggested that the price of a Hunyuan Butian Dan was definitely not just at the hundred-thousand level.
Moreover, this was just a Hunyuan Butian Dan, not a celestial-grade item!
What if he chose the first option and the entire Qingyun Sect went into a frenzy?
While a fully realized God Transformation could easily handle those in the late stages of God Transformation, it wouldn’t protect Li Qingran!
And the visible strength of such a cultivation sect is only part of their true power; who knows if there are mysterious sacred places harboring ancient, reclusive monsters? If the younger ones come, the older ones might follow, and he wouldn’t be able to withstand that…
Chen Huai'an rubbed the cat’s head with his left hand, his thoughts racing.
He didn’t think his concerns were unfounded.
In general, once a nurturing-type game involves plot choices, it can significantly affect the game’s direction. A moment’s inattention could lead to a Bad End.
What good would it do him if the game restarted and he got a new electronic girlfriend?
That wouldn’t be his Li Qingran.
After a moment’s hesitation, he pressed down on option two.
【Let’s put this aside for now; once Qingran’s matter is resolved, we can find a place to discuss it in detail.】
The ethereal voice was steady and convincing.
Wu Duantian cursed himself for being a bit hasty and quickly cupped his hands in apology, “You’re right, you’re right; Qingran’s matter is more important… I lost sight of the main point.”
He didn’t expect an immediate answer.
In his view, a great cultivator capable of refining Hunyuan Butian Dan wouldn’t bother with convoluted negotiations; they would just discuss compensation later. But as long as Zhao Lingtian’s dantian could be restored, what if he had to empty his entire fortune?
Everything would be worth it.
Li Qingran wanted to remind the senior but found no opportunity to speak.
Yet a voice rang in her ears:
【Do not be anxious; I have my arrangements.】
So the senior had always been aware; she had worried for nothing.
Li Qingran took a deep breath, feeling her heart settle, and realized how foolish she had been.
Someone like the senior, who only appeared young, had lived for who knows how long, traversing paths far more than she had grains of rice. Did she really need to worry so much? Instead, it was the senior who should be comforting her.
It truly shouldn’t be like this…
Lost in thought, her ears grew warm again, and she quickly pushed those chaotic thoughts aside. Raising her gaze, it fell upon Xiao Yifeng, the second disciple of Chixiao Peak.
Xiao Yifeng had been comforting Mu Baishuang when he suddenly felt a chill down his back.
Turning around, he met Li Qingran’s indifferent gaze.
His scalp tingled, and memories began to surface in his mind.
In his memories, Li Qingran had always been the type to endure hardships quietly; when had she ever shown such a gaze? Even during the painful trials of testing medicines, she would feign indifference, and even when protecting the spirit fields and tending to the spirit herbs, getting beaten up by those thieving bird demons, she would always laugh it off.
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