Watching the Mountain

Chapter 27: Chapter 22: Qing Xuan

Inside the Instructor Hall, everyone was listening to Qing Xuan Master’s lecture. Faced with the sudden arrival of members from the Law Enforcement Hall, the crowd was utterly dumbfounded.

Five members of the Law Enforcement Hall had arrived—a full squad. After entering, the captain leading them politely bowed to Qing Xuan Master on the platform.

”Greetings, Elder Qing Xuan. Please forgive this sudden intrusion.”

Qing Xuan Master glanced at them and asked coolly, ”What is it?”

The captain scanned the room, his gaze pausing on Little Xiyue for a moment. He then cupped his fist and replied:

”It’s like this. We at the Law Enforcement Hall received a report that someone is attending your class with a family member.”

As he spoke, his expression turned stern. ”Elder Qing Xuan, you should be aware that the Sect strictly forbids its members from bringing family into the Sect. All family members must pass the entrance examination according to the Sect’s disciple recruitment regulations before they can be admitted.”

”Now that such a thing has occurred in your classroom, it is only natural for the Law Enforcement Hall to investigate. We hope you will cooperate.”

Hearing this, Qing Xuan Master didn’t even lift an eyelid. He simply waved his hand in a dismissive gesture and said coolly:

”The situation you describe doesn’t exist here. Go look elsewhere.”

The captain’s lips twitched. He knew this would happen, which was why he had specifically brought a whole squad with him.

Qing Xuan Master’s reputation was known throughout the entire Sect. He was famous for being fiercely protective of his own and had a particularly stubborn personality. As long as he believed he was in the right, he would not back down an inch, even in the face of the Sect Leader and the Supreme Elders, and would argue with them until he was red in the face.

He then turned, pointed to Little Xiyue hiding in the corner, and said, ”Then may I ask, Elder, how do you explain this person? One look at her and you can tell she hasn’t reached the age to join the Sect.”

As the captain pointed at her, Little Xiyue’s face turned deathly pale. Of all the things the captain had said, only one thought registered in her mind:

She was causing trouble for her master, Xu Ran. And she had sworn, she had promised, that she would never cause him any trouble.

This thought flashed through her little head, and she suddenly stood up, ran out, and shouted at the law enforcement officer:

”I snuck here by myself! I’m... I’m a wild child from down the mountain that nobody wants! I’m not a family member, I have no relationship with anyone here! I snuck up here all on my own.”

Her supposedly perfect excuse, however, was met with no response from the Law Enforcement Hall disciples. No one would believe a little girl could run up the mountain from the base on her own. If that were true, wouldn’t their Profound Pure Sect become a laughingstock?

The Law Enforcement Hall members showed no reaction, but others were different. Xu Ran stepped forward, his face dark and menacing. It was the first time he had been this angry since coming to this world.

But before he could make a move, Qing Xuan Master stood up and waved a hand at Xu Ran, signaling for him to stay quiet.

Everyone present could feel the suppressed fury in Qing Xuan Master’s eyes. Xu Ran had already told him about Little Xiyue’s origins.

And it was precisely because he knew her history that when he heard Little Xiyue utter the words ”a wild child that nobody wants,” his mind went blank with a ROAR, as if he’d been struck by heavenly lightning, and he nearly lost all reason.

’For a child to be forced to say such a thing about herself—this is a disgrace to me as a Cultivator!’

He said with a cold expression, ”Her situation is special and has already been reported to the Sect. Do you have any more questions? If not, please leave. Do not disturb my lecture.”

The Law Enforcement Hall captain could feel Qing Xuan Master’s wrath, but duty was duty, so he could only brace himself and say:

”Still, Elder Qing Xuan, please wait a moment while I run a check.”

After speaking, he quickly took out a Communication Jade Talisman. A moment later, his face stiff, he cupped his fist at Qing Xuan Master and said:

”Elder Qing Xuan, the Sect has no record of any such report. You...”

Before he could finish, Qing Xuan Master cut him off with a wave of his hand.

”Oh, I remember now. A few days ago, Xu Ran came to me and asked me to help him file a report with the Sect. It’s just that I drank too much that day and forgot about it.”

”Since it was my mistake, I will go to the Law Enforcement Hall to receive my punishment later. Now you may leave. Do not disturb my lecture.”

The captain hesitated. If any ordinary Elder had said this, he would have refused without a second thought; the Law Enforcement Hall had plenty of Golden Core Elders.

But Qing Xuan Master was different. He was powerful, difficult to deal with, and a headache even for the Sect Leader and the Supreme Elders.

So, after a moment of thought, he silently withdrew. He didn’t leave, however, merely retreating to a corner to quietly wait for Qing Xuan Master to finish his lecture.

Qing Xuan Master shot them a glance, then coolly looked away, paying no mind to their actions.

Then, his gaze swept across the room, his face an icy mask. ”Who made the report? Step forward.”

The Law Enforcement Hall captain, standing in the corner, raised an eyebrow at this but ultimately chose to remain silent.

After a moment, a boy who looked to be only twelve or thirteen years old timidly stood up.

”Why did you report her?”

”I wanted to play with her, but she kept ignoring me. I got a little angry, so...”

Qing Xuan Master said expressionlessly, ”Your punishment is one year of labor in the Chores Courtyard.”

The boy’s face paled. He then shouted emotionally, ”Why? I didn’t do anything wrong!”

Qing Xuan Master stared at him and said in a deep voice, ”You believe your actions were in line with the sect’s rules, and therefore not wrong. But here, with me, you are wrong.”

”If you had seen someone doing something that went against kindness and justice, even if they didn’t break any sect rules, I would have rewarded you. If that person was powerful and sought to harm you, then I would have protected you. Until I fall, no one would be able to punish you.”

As his words fell, the others in the room didn’t feel much, but the words deeply resonated with the few members of the Law Enforcement Hall in the corner.

Qing Xuan Master had done this sort of thing countless times. Many second and third-generation disciples who relied on their family’s power within the Sect had acted wantonly, trying to persecute other disciples, but he had protected them all in the end. And those who tried to harm them were all punished.

A saying had long circulated among the ordinary disciples of the Sect: If you are ever treated unjustly and don’t know what to do, go find Qing Xuan Master.

Because he treated everyone equally, caring only for the justice in his own heart.

”But this time, the matter is the exact opposite. All of you here should have heard about this child Xiyue’s situation from your Senior Brother Xu. Her presence here was a last resort.”

”Letting her stay here is an act of kindness and justice. Your actions, however, are destroying the kindness and justice of others. That is why I say you are wrong.”

”I am punishing you with labor in the Chores Courtyard so you can see for yourself how the Servant Disciples at the very bottom of the Sect live. In one year, tell me what you have learned. At that time, I will decide how to truly deal with you.”

Although Qing Xuan Master was furious inside, he was a man of principle. The boy’s actions were not a grave offense, and he couldn’t punish him too severely for it. As a teacher, what he needed to do was guide and educate.

He finished speaking and looked at the still-dazed boy. After a moment of silence, he added, ”Of course, you can also refuse. I will not do anything to you. However, you may never appear before me again. Your other benefits from the Sect will remain unchanged.”

The boy’s expression shifted at his words. After a moment of internal conflict, he bowed deeply to Qing Xuan Master. ”This disciple is willing to accept the punishment.”

With that, he silently turned and walked out.

Seeing this, Qing Xuan Master nodded slightly. Then, with a wave of his hand, he said to everyone present, ”That’s all for today. You are dismissed.”

Only after all the disciples had left did he nod to the Law Enforcement Hall members in the corner and say, ”Let’s go. I will go to the Law Enforcement Hall to receive my punishment.”

At that moment, Xu Ran hurried out to stop him.

Qing Xuan Master’s face darkened, and he was about to reprimand him when he heard Xu Ran say, ”Teacher, have you forgotten my status?”

He was slightly taken aback. Then he saw Xu Ran take out his Identity Jade Talisman and say to the members of the Law Enforcement Hall:

”Everyone, I am an Honorary Elder of the Sect. Xiyue is my disciple, and she has no blood relation to any of the Sect’s administrators. Therefore, her presence here does not violate any of the Sect’s rules.”

The Law Enforcement Hall members were stunned for a moment. Then, they raised their cupped fists to Xu Ran and said, ”Please wait a moment, Elder Xu.”

After that, the men from the Law Enforcement Hall left. The whole affair was just a minor incident and didn’t cause any major waves.

After they returned, however, Xu Ran gave Little Xiyue a stern lecture. After all, for her to say that nobody wanted her—wasn’t that the same as saying he wasn’t a person?

That night, Little Xiyue was very quiet. She silently listened to Xu Ran’s criticism, then tilted her head back to watch the moon all night, her thoughts a mystery.

After that, everything went back to normal. Xu Ran continued to bring Little Xiyue to Qing Xuan Master’s classes, attending them without a shred of guilt.

However, after that day, Xu Ran felt that the way Qing Xuan Master looked at Little Xiyue was a little strange. He would often stare at her in a daze.

If he didn’t know the man’s character, he would have gotten angry long ago.

This continued until two years later, when Qing Xuan Master suddenly hit him with some shocking news.

Qing Xuan Master told him that he had gotten married, and his Dao Companion was already pregnant. He would be spending time with his Dao Companion from now on. As for his duties at the Dao Transmission Hall, he had already arranged for someone to take his place for the foreseeable future.

Xu Ran was utterly shocked by the news. It was mainly because it was so sudden. There had been no signs, not a single rumor.

But he also finally understood the meaning behind those looks Qing Xuan Master had been giving Little Xiyue. It turned out that seeing the little girl made him want a child of his own, and so he actually went and did something about it.

Xu Ran couldn’t help but marvel inwardly, ’As expected of Qing Xuan Master, a man of decisive action. That efficiency is truly admirable.’

His only curiosity was who the man had found to replace him. He hoped it was someone easy to get along with.