Chapter 33

Chapter 33: The Whipping

Pang Zhi Xue answered and said calmly: “Sect Rule Article Twenty: Sword Sect disciples must be united and help each other. If one plots against a fellow disciple and harms them, depending on the severity, the minimum is ten lashes, the maximum is thunder punishment that destroys body and soul.” He added: “Ye Zhao Zhao clearly intended harm, but no serious result occurred. The sentence is ten lashes.”

Ten lashes… Ye Zhao Zhao turned pale. This was the lightest punishment for framing a fellow disciple, but the Disciplinary Hall’s lashes were not easy to bear. After ten, she would have to lie in bed for quite a while.

Ye Zhao Zhao looked at Immortal Ling Xu with a pleading gaze and whispered: “Master.”

Immortal Ling Xu’s face turned cold. This verdict did not just strike Ye Zhao Zhao; it slapped Immortal Ling Xu’s face. He had driven Li Shuang away. He had protected Ye Zhao Zhao. Did this not mean he had misjudged people?

At this point, more than defending Ye Zhao Zhao, he had to defend his own face. Immortal Ling Xu said coldly: “Zhao Zhao can accept the lashes. But what about Li Shuang? She abandoned a fellow disciple on the snow mountain. Should she not be punished too?”

Before Li Shuang could answer, Pang Zhi Xue said: “If there is solid evidence about the snow mountain, we will enforce the law of course.” This meant there was no evidence.

Sheng Yuan and the others were biased toward Ye Zhao Zhao, but not enough to lie openly. Besides Ye Zhao Zhao, no one saw the alleged abandonment. Li Shuang also had another account. Neither side had proof. So it was a hanging case. How could they pass judgment on that?

Immortal Ling Xu clenched his teeth, his face cold: “One day the snow mountain truth will come to light. Then we will see how you face yourself.”

Li Shuang stayed calm: “I will wait for that day.”

Immortal Ling Xu snorted. He was angry inside, but had nothing more to say.

Pang Zhi Xue gave the order: “Then enforce the law. Ye Zhao Zhao is a Nascent Soul Stage disciple, so a Nascent Soul Stage disciple will carry it out. Yun Ge, you do it.”

Jiang Yun Ge from the Disciplinary Hall answered. A whip appeared in her hand, black at the top and red at the bottom.

Water is Black Tortoise, in the north, ruling black. Fire is Vermilion Bird, in the south, ruling red. Water and fire are merciless, and so are the rules. As the Sword Sect’s law arm, the Disciplinary Hall used this Disciplinary Whip, a symbol of fairness and justice, to warn all disciples.

Ye Zhao Zhao’s body shook. She wanted to say more, but Disciplinary Hall disciples had already taken away her Dragon Roar Sword and pressed her to the ground.

Chang Le An panicked and shouted: “Junior Sister!”

Immortal Ling Xu raised a hand and blocked him with a blank face: “A sect disciple who interferes with law enforcement also commits a crime.”

[Are they really going to make him just watch?] Chang Le An’s eyes turned blood red.

Sheng Yuan pressed his lips tight. Earlier he felt Ye Zhao Zhao was wrong, but now he thought Li Shuang was too harsh. [First Senior Sister… when did you become so unforgiving?]

Under everyone’s gaze, the first lash fell.

Ye Zhao Zhao knew she could not escape this punishment. She had planned to grit her teeth and show some backbone. But when the first lash landed, a bone deep pain spread. She had never suffered like this and cried out on the spot.

Then the second lash came right after. She screamed louder as tears and snot ran together.

Watching, Sheng Yuan’s heart jolted. Since joining Ling Xu Peak, Ye Zhao Zhao had never endured such pain. After ten lashes, how much would she suffer?

Flames seemed to burn in Chang Le An’s eyes as he looked at Li Shuang. [It is all Li Shuang’s fault. Otherwise Junior Sister would not suffer like this.]

The third lash, the fourth… Hearing Ye Zhao Zhao’s wails, Jiang Yun Ge was speechless. This was not her first time enforcing the law, but only Ye Zhao Zhao had acted this dramatic.

No matter how much Ye Zhao Zhao wept, Jiang Yun Ge delivered all ten lashes without missing one, then stepped back into the crowd.

Ye Zhao Zhao lay on the ground, unable to make a sound.

Chang Le An rushed over first and picked her up, heart aching. He glared at Li Shuang and said angrily: “Are you satisfied with this outcome?”

Li Shuang stayed calm: “All I wanted was fairness. Now that it is done, of course I am satisfied.”

Chang Le An ground his teeth, faint hatred in his eyes. He was truly angry. This time, Li Shuang had gone too far. He would never forgive this First Senior Sister again.

Sheng Yuan gave Li Shuang a complicated look, then said: “Third Junior Brother, enough. Take Junior Sister back to heal.”

Holding down his anger, Chang Le An nodded and was about to leave with Ye Zhao Zhao.

Then Hong Sheng’s lazy voice sounded: “Your Sword Sect’s internal punishment is over, but the Artifact Pavilion’s part is not.”

Ye Zhao Zhao had looked unconscious, but her eyelashes twitched. [How is this stupid matter still not over?]

Immortal Ling Xu snapped: “Hong, Zhao Zhao has been punished. What more do you want? Business is done by mutual consent. How can you put it all on Zhao Zhao?”

Hong Sheng nodded and said: “Of course not. Steward Qiu is also greatly at fault. When the Artifact Pavilion headquarters sends people, he will be stripped of his Steward position and fined heavily.”

Immortal Ling Xu looked at him coldly and asked: “And then?”

Hong Sheng smiled: “Over the years of working together, Steward Qiu made quite a profit. Because Ye Zhao Zhao is a Sword Sect disciple, he valued the sect and paid her a full share. Over the years, her dividends add up to several thousand high grade spirit stones. Steward Qiu has prepared the detailed ledger. Steward Qiu, hand it to Hall Master Pang.”

Steward Qiu shot a venomous look at Ye Zhao Zhao, then handed the ledger to Pang Zhi Xue.

When today’s blind box matter blew up, he knew his Steward seat would not hold. He acted fast, gave his savings to Guest Elder Hong, and asked him to come.

His goals were simple. First, since he was in ruin, he would not let Ye Zhao Zhao have it easy. Second, the Artifact Pavilion would surely fine him, and Ye Zhao Zhao would have to pay part of it.

Pang Zhi Xue skimmed it, and his eyes changed. A Nascent Soul Stage disciple had saved several thousand high grade spirit stones over the years. That wealth was astonishing. The booklet also recorded the money making methods Ye Zhao Zhao had suggested. They were profitable, but far too greedy. Only the Artifact Pavilion’s century old reputation had kept things from blowing up so far. Otherwise, even without Li Shuang’s report, the scheme between Ye Zhao Zhao and Steward Qiu would have exploded sooner or later.

Several thousand high grade spirit stones. Even Immortal Ling Xu looked at Ye Zhao Zhao. He had a small greedy habit, and one reason he favored her was that she often brought him spirit stones. Every time, she said with feeling that it was all she had. Seeing her filial attitude, he liked her even more. But now… she secretly had wealth in the thousands. Then those offerings she called her entire savings… Immortal Ling Xu’s expression shifted.