Chapter 2713 Domineering

Chao Zonglin's voice trembled slightly. “Elder Tao Leng, I never meant to make things difficult for you. It’s really...”

Tao Leng cut him off coldly, “If explanations were of any use, what need would there be for the Origin Sky Pavilion?”

He turned his palm, and a jade slip flew out, releasing a cascade of scenes. It displayed everything that had happened since Lin Xun entered the Heavenly Treasure Hall, even the voices and sounds.

𝕗𝗿𝕖𝐞𝐰𝗲𝕓𝐧𝕠𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝐨𝚖

“This jade slip was given to me by Wei Fang, disciple of your Origin Emptiness Pavilion Elder Jiang Ye. Now, do you still wish to refute it?” Tao Leng’s voice was ice-cold.

Chao Zonglin’s face was drained of color. He stammered, “Elder Tao Leng, you were right. I was used as a pawn. The true blame does not lie with me.”

Tao Leng’s gaze sharpened. “Even a pawn must have the awareness of a pawn. If you were to reveal those behind you, I’ll be frank...I do not have the authority to touch them. But then tell me, how would you ever gain a foothold in this sect again?”

Chao Zonglin froze, as though plunged into an icy abyss. His face turned grim. “Elder Tao Leng, I accept the punishment.”

Expressionless, Tao Leng said, “Just wait. You are, after all, a successor of the Origin Emptiness Pavilion, with the potential to step into immortality. Your standing is higher than that of core disciples of the nine peaks. In my view, someone will surely come to plead on your behalf before long.”

In Tao Leng’s view, despite being a supreme Emperor Ancestor, Chao Zonglin was far too naive in the ways of human schemes and struggles. After all, the ones who had pushed him from behind were all lofty figures. So what if he was a disciple of the Origin Emptiness Pavilion?

In their eyes, he was nothing more than a disposable pawn. Too disinterested to press or intimidate Chao Zonglin further, Tao Leng simply waited, curious to see who would step forward to defend Chao Zonglin.

Time trickled by. After a long while, a mellow voice sounded from outside the hall. “Brother Tao Leng, are you still here?”

“Come in.” Tao Leng said lightly, though a gleam flickered in his eyes.

The hall door swung open, and a slender young man with skin as fair and lustrous as a beautiful woman’s walked in. He was dressed in crimson robes, his eyes were long and narrow, and the faint creases at the corners carried the weight of years.

He was Cao Beidou, an elder of the Origin Sky Pavilion.

“Did Deputy Pavilion Master Fu Wenli send you here?” Tao Leng asked indifferently, cupping his hands.

Cao Beidou was a loyal follower of Deputy Pavilion Master Fu Wenli, who hailed from the Fu Clan, one of the Ten Immortal Giants.

Cao Beidou narrowed his eyes slightly and smiled. “Deacon Tao Leng, I just came to take a look. What does this have to do with the deputy pavilion master?”

Tao Leng hummed in acknowledgement, then asked. “Then how does Elder Cao view this matter?”

“Chao Zonglin should indeed be punished, but not too harshly. After all, he is a disciple of the Origin Emptiness Pavilion. Also he was personally chosen by Deputy Pavilion Master Fei Peng. What happened this time is hardly a grave offense. In my opinion, a deduction of three months’ allowance will suffice,” Cao Beidou said casually.

Chao Zonglin’s face lit up. “Many thanks for your magnanimity, Elder Cao!”

Tao Leng had already anticipated this and showed no surprise. He was about to speak when...

A figure suddenly stormed in from outside, voice booming, “What do you mean by only deduct three months’ allowance? Isn’t that nothing but brushing things under the rug? As long as I’m here, I won’t let this matter be swept aside!”

The man wore plain hemp robes and his handsome face was twisted with brazen arrogance.

“Who are you? How dare you storm into here? Do you not know the rules?” Cao Beidou’s face darkened in anger.

“I am upholding the rules,” the youth in hemp robes gave a cold snort. “That’s exactly why I can’t let the likes of you to trample on them!”

He jabbed a finger at Chao Zonglin. “Trash like him must be punished harshly, otherwise how can the entire Origin Sect be convinced?”

“Insolence!”

A cold light flashed in Cao Beidou’s eyes as fury welled up.

This youth clearly has the cultivation of a supreme Emperor Ancestor, but his face is unfamiliar. Clearly, he’s not from the Origin Sky Pavilion.

And yet he had the audacity to barge in and spew such presumptuous nonsense? He’s utterly arrogant and domineering!

Beside him, Tao Leng wore a strange expression and reminded, “Elder Cao, this is Xuan Jiuyin, the great grandson of Deputy Pavilion Master Xuan Feiling. He was brought into the sect just a month ago and now serves as Deputy Pavilion Master Xuan’s dao attendant.”

Xuan Feiling’s great grandson!

Cao Beidou’s expression stiffened. “Just a dao attendant who snuck into the Origin Sect through the backdoor. Even if he’s the great grandson of Deputy Pavilion Master Xuan, he has no right to behave so unruly.”

Xuan Jiuyin rolled his eyes. “Old man, you go on about rules with every breath, so let’s talk about rules! Why did you let this person off so easily? Give me a good reason, or I’ll go ask my great grandfather how the Origin Sect’s rules are actually enforced!”

Cao Beidou was an Immortal who had long since stepped into the Nirvana Spirit Stage. In recent years, rumors said he was preparing to break through to the Transcendence Realm. As an elder of the Origin Sky Pavilion, he wielded great authority. When had he ever been threatened like this by a mere supreme Emperor Ancestor?

His handsome face sank into shadow as he snapped, “Aren’t you ashamed of flaunting your great grandfather’s name to act arrogantly?”

“I have my great-grandfather’s support, why should I be ashamed?” Xuan Jiuyin replied with utter confidence.

Tao Leng’s lips twitched.

This kid’s brazenness is truly something else.

Those words finally made Cao Beidou lose control. His voice was ice-cold, “Your great grandfather’s reputation will one day be ruined by an unfilial descendant like you!”

“You don’t need to worry about that,” Xuan Jiuyin said lightly.

Cao Beidou’s fury spiked. In the entire Origin Sect Ancestral Court, who else dared to be this arrogant, this shameless? In the end, he suppressed his wrath.

“Deacon Tao Leng, you will handle this matter!” He declared coldly, then turned and strode out. He knew if he stayed any longer, he might not be able to stop himself from striking Xuan Jiuyin.

Meanwhile, Xuan Jiuyin clapped Tao Leng’s shoulder with a carefree smile. “Deacon Tao Leng, just handle things as you see fit. Don’t feel pressured. If anything happens, I’ll cover for you.”

It was laughable. Tao Leng might be a deacon, but he was a veteran of the Nirvana Spirit Realm known for his cold-temper and iron-blooded means. His fearsome reputation made people tremble at the mere mention of his name.

Tao Leng could only stare in bemused disbelief.

How could such a domineering boy exist in this world? Well...with such a powerful great grandfather backing him, perhaps it shouldn’t be surprising...

Witnessing all this, Chao Zonglin, standing not far away, went deathly pale. His heart plummeted.

It’s over!

......

Profound Sky Mountain.

Wild Cloud Abode.

This was the cultivation abode of Deputy Pavilion Master Xuan Feiling. Upon returning, the previously arrogant and overbearing Xuan Jiuyin sneaked toward his quarters like a thief.

PA!

A sharp slap landed the back of his head, sending him staggering forward, nearly face-planting on the ground. Gritting his teeth against the pain, he hissed, “Great Grandfather, could you maybe hit a little gentler next time?”

“How does it feel to be so arrogant?” A light, airy voice drifted through the void.

“Feels great.” Xuan Jiuyin chuckled with a shameless grin.

“Good-for-nothing! If you could be like Lin Xun, and enter the Origin Sect on your own strength, I’d gladly call you Great Grandfather!”

“Don’t. If you really called me that, I’d lose years off my life.”

PA!

Xuan Jiuyin received another slap to the back of his head. He sighed and muttered, “Great Grandfather, was I wrong before? It’s obvious they’re targeting Lin Xun because he has no one to back him up.”

“As long as Lin Xun abides by the rules, no one in the Origin Sect Ancestral Court can touch him. But you...from this day on, you are not allowed to take a single step outside Wild Cloud Abode!”

Xuan Jiuyin froze, then wailed, “Great Grandfather, how long are you planning to keep me locked up?”

“That depends on my mood.”

“...” Xuan Jiuyin was dumbfounded.

Depends on the mood? Is that even allowed?!

“Brother Xuan, how is my young master?” From the distance came a graceful figure, her robes whiter than snow and a golden belt cinching at her slender waist. She looked like a moon palace fairy gracing the mortal world. It was none other than Jintian Xuanyue.

“Far better than me.” Xuan Jiuyin said with a long sigh, already despairing at the thought of his future confinement.

“That’s good.”

A radiant smile blossomed on Jintian Xuanyue’s beautiful face, brimming with heartfelt relief.

“Silly girl, are you not going to let him know that you’re here?” Xuan Jiuyin asked.

Jintian Xuanyue shook her head, her expression serene. “As long as I know the young master is safe, that’s enough. I dare not ask for more.”

Xuan Jiuyin’s heart surged with a mix of pity and anger. “Don’t worry, sooner or later, I’ll make Lin Xun beg to have you by his side!”

Jintian Xuanyue smiled, unbothered. Over the years, Xuan Jiuyin had made such declarations more than once, and she truly no longer gave them any thought.

......

On the way back to the Ninth Peak, Lin Xun’s thoughts lingered on what had just happened. He was certain this was an attack from the enemy. Even if he managed to withstand it this time, there would undoubtedly be more and more such troubles and provocations in the future.

In other words, they would stop at nothing to ‘find fault’ with him, using it as an excuse to attack and retaliate. Even if he endured it once, there would be a second time, a third time...until they finally found a weakness and crushed him completely!

Therefore, Lin Xun did not hold back. He recalled Xiao Wenyuan’s words:

Follow the rules!

Even if others tried to ‘find faults’ with him in the future, he would never tolerate it. Of course, he would not act recklessly or do anything foolish that broke the rules and gave them an excuse to punish him.

Lin Xun knew full well that rules were ultimately meaningless. If Jiang Ye hadn’t intervened this time, even if he had gone to the Origin Sky Pavilion, he certainly would not have received fair treatment. Unfortunately, given his current identity and circumstances, he had no choice but to rely on those same rules, because for him now, they were an invisible talisman of protection!

I only went to collect my monthly allowance, and they still tried to make things difficult for me. Those enemies are insane...

When he returned to the Ninth Peak and entered his own abode, Lin Xun drew a long breath, forcing away all distracting thoughts. At present, he lacked the strength to retaliate. His top priority was to firmly establish himself in the Origin Sect as quickly as possible and steadily transform both his cultivation and his status.

That very day, news came from the Origin Sky Pavilion. Chao Zonglin, a disciple of the Origin Emptiness Pavilion, had been found guilty of abusing his position by unlawfully withholding the monthly allowance of Lin Xun, a true disciple of the Ninth Peak.

Chao Zonglin was fined three years’ worth of allowance, given thirty strikes with the Divine Staff of Law and Punishment, and imprisoned in the Prison of Repentance for one year! As the news spread like wildfire, the three pavilions and nine peaks were shaken, sparking countless exclamations and heated discussions.