NOVEL NEXT Chapter 4:
Chapter 4:
In front of the Reflection Cave at the back mountain of the Azure Sun Sword Sect.
“I’ve been wanting to hit you for a long time,” Xiao Yang said coldly.
Seeing that Qin Fei dared to push him, Xiao Yang wasted no time. He kicked Qin Fei hard, sending him flying, and immediately followed up with punches and kicks as Qin Fei rolled on the ground.
“Senior Brother, stop hitting me…”
“Senior Brother, please have mercy…”
“Senior Brother, I was wrong… I beg you, stop hitting me!”
Qin Fei covered his face and rolled on the ground, crying for mercy. He made no attempt to fight back as Xiao Yang’s blows landed on him.
Seeing this, Xiao Yang felt even more inclined to continue. He knew exactly why Qin Fei wasn’t retaliating.
Playing the victim, acting pitiful, and garnering sympathy—wasn’t this Qin Fei’s trademark?
And it worked especially well in front of Junior Sister Jiang Ting.
In his previous life, Xiao Yang had battled Qin Fei for centuries. He knew Qin Fei’s tricks inside out.
Sure enough, the moment Jiang Ting saw Qin Fei being beaten, she rushed over and forcefully pulled Xiao Yang away.
“Senior Brother, are you insane?!” she yelled, shoving him while glaring furiously.
“What? Does it hurt your heart to see me hit him?” Xiao Yang sneered, pushing her aside before stomping on Qin Fei’s face and head several times.
Qin Fei, whose cultivation was already weaker than Xiao Yang’s, had deliberately played the victim. As a result, he could only endure the brutal kicks, his face quickly covered in blood.
A few bloody teeth fell from Qin Fei’s mouth.
At that moment, Xiao Yang noticed blood seeping through the fabric on Qin Fei’s left shoulder. He grabbed the cloth and tore it open, revealing a blood-soaked bandage wrapped around the wound.
“So, it was you last night?” Xiao Yang asked coldly, staring down at Qin Fei.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Senior Brother. Please, stop hitting me… I was wrong. I really was wrong…” Qin Fei whimpered, trembling on the ground.
Xiao Yang knew it was all an act.
The worse Qin Fei looked, the better for him.
After all, attacking a fellow disciple was a grave violation of sect rules. Xiao Yang was blatantly trampling on those rules, and Qin Fei was counting on it to ruin him.
“Senior Brother… Stop it!” Jiang Ting cried out in desperation.
Slap!
In a moment of panic, she slapped Xiao Yang across the face.
Xiao Yang froze, staring at her in shock.
She had slapped him—for Qin Fei?
“I… I didn’t mean to…” Jiang Ting stammered, equally stunned as she stared at her hand.
A heavy weight pressed on Xiao Yang’s heart. That slap had extinguished the last bit of affection he held for her.
At that moment, he realized there was nothing left in the Azure Sun Sword Sect worth his attachment.
He suddenly didn’t want to stay anymore.
Without a word, he turned and walked back into the cave.
“Senior Brother… I didn’t mean it!” Jiang Ting called out anxiously, wanting to follow him inside to explain.
“Ah, Junior Sister, I think my ribs are broken… It hurts so much…” Qin Fei groaned in pain.
Jiang Ting hesitated, torn for a moment, but in the end, she turned back to Qin Fei and rushed to his side.
This time, Qin Fei truly looked pitiful, lying on the ground and groaning in agony.
Inside the cave, Xiao Yang listened to their retreating voices.
In Jiang Ting’s eyes, there was only Qin Fei.
A calmness settled over Xiao Yang’s heart.
In his previous life, Jiang Ting had also brought Qin Fei to see him, asking him to apologize to Qin Fei.
He had beaten Qin Fei then too.
Now, the real show was about to begin.
As expected, it wasn’t long before two disciples from the Law Enforcement Hall arrived to summon him to the Azure Sun Grand Hall.
Xiao Yang chuckled, stepped out of the Reflection Cave, and followed them up the mountain.
As he ascended, he saw many outer disciples clearing broken stones and fallen trees from the mountain paths.
The demonic invasion the night before hadn’t harmed the sect’s core, but it had left parts of the mountain in disarray.
The person who had ambushed him last night had to be Qin Fei.
Soon, they reached the entrance to the Azure Sun Grand Hall.
“Outrageous…”
“Utterly outrageous…”
Jiang Qitian’s furious voice boomed from within.
Xiao Yang walked into the hall with a calm expression.
“Rebellious disciple! Look at what you’ve done!” Jiang Qitian roared, pointing at a figure lying on a stretcher, wrapped tightly in bandages like a mummy.
“Master… Please don’t blame Senior Brother. I’m sure he didn’t mean it,” the “mummy” said weakly, trembling as he spoke.
“Oh my, so pitiful. I’m sorry…” Xiao Yang said mockingly, almost laughing out loud at Qin Fei’s theatrics.
“Senior Brother, there’s no need to apologize…” Qin Fei started his pitiful act again.
“I did it on purpose,” Xiao Yang interrupted, his lips curling into a smirk. His words were deliberate and clear.
In his previous life, he had tried to defend himself hysterically—what had it achieved?
No matter how hard he tried to explain, all he got in return were accusations and blame.
This time, he wouldn’t bother holding back.
“…”
Qin Fei was momentarily stunned, his expression as if he had swallowed a fly.
“Rebellious disciple! Do you still have any respect for me as your Master?”
“Do you even care about the sect’s rules anymore?!”
“Attacking a fellow disciple is a grave offense! On the very day you entered this sect, I told you this. Have you forgotten?!” Jiang Qitian’s veins bulged in anger.
“Senior Brother, apologize to Father and to Junior Brother. This matter can either be big or small—it’s up to you,” Jiang Ting said, her tone filled with frustration.
“I beat him up. I won’t admit any wrongdoing, nor will I apologize. I’ll accept whatever punishment the sect gives me!” Xiao Yang declared loudly, ignoring everyone’s scolding.
“Rebellious disciple! Do you think I can’t discipline you?!” Jiang Qitian’s fury erupted.
“Do you believe that just because you’re the Holy Son and the most talented of your generation, I won’t punish you?” Jiang Qitian said bitterly, his disappointment in Xiao Yang evident.
“Senior Brother, you’ve changed. You weren’t like this before. You used to care for your fellow disciples and help them with everything. What happened to the warm, kind, and gentle Senior Brother I once knew?” Jiang Ting asked, her voice filled with anguish.
Xiao Yang silently looked at her. The Xiao Yang she once knew, who had her in his heart, no longer existed. That Xiao Yang was long dead.
At that moment, two figures strode into the hall.
The first was Elder Lei Lie, the head of the Law Enforcement Hall. Behind him was Elder Cang Xiao, head of the Transmission Hall.
Seeing the two elders arrive together, Xiao Yang immediately knew this matter wasn’t simple.
Qin Fei, lying on the stretcher, glanced at Xiao Yang with a hint of malice in his eyes.
Even Jiang Qitian seemed surprised to see the two elders.
“Xiao Yang, you injured a fellow disciple. What do you have to say for yourself?” Lei Lie asked sternly.
“Disciple admits to all my crimes. I spied on the sect’s secret manual, framed a fellow disciple, and now I’ve injured one. My sins are grave and unforgivable. I request the Master to expel me from the sect to uphold the rules,” Xiao Yang said, kneeling before Jiang Qitian.
“What…”
Everyone in the hall was stunned by Xiao Yang’s words.
Even Lei Lie was momentarily at a loss for words.
All eyes were on Xiao Yang in disbelief.
Within himself, Xiao Yang felt utterly at peace.
Although he had been reluctant to leave the sect after his rebirth, he now realized there was nothing worth holding onto.
Since that was the case, in this life, he would stay far, far away from them.