CH 8

Shen Xingcong certainly understood that his request was extremely presumptuous. After all, he was only an outer sect disciple, an insignificant ninth stage of Qi training, so why should he participate in the supervision together?

But this was the only way he could think of in a hurry. At least he would especially keep an eye on Xiao Lin the whole time, and once he found something wrong, he could warn others to pay attention in time. 

So that he wouldn’t lose Xiao Lin’s trail during the chaotic final selection time.

After he braced himself and made this request, Lan Jin didn’t respond immediately. He only said it was getting late and told him to leave first.

He didn’t agree, but he didn’t refuse on the spot, either. Perhaps there was still hope.

As matters stand, Shen Xingcong could only comfort himself in this way. 

Moonlight draped over his shoulders. When he returned to the house and pushed open the door, he saw that there wasn’t a single soul inside. Xiao Lin hasn’t returned yet.

The thin quilt on the bed was neatly folded into a small square. There was a bowl of tea in the middle of the table, which Shen Xingcong had drunk this morning, and it was already cold.

There were many shadows of trees outside the house, and the branches and leaves were rustling.

Was that person still in the study room? Or was he cultivating in the quiet room?

Thanks to the habit he had formed before, Shen Xingcong subconsciously wanted to find someone. He had just taken half a step but stopped.

What was done couldn’t be undone, and it didn’t have much significance whether he went to prevent Xiao Lin from getting in touch with Lan Jin again at this moment.

So he turned back again, wanting to light the spiritual candle to tidy up.

At this moment, footsteps came from behind. 

“You’re finally back.”

Shen Xingcong turned his head and saw that familiar figure enter the house.

He didn’t know whether it was an illusion or because the light was too dark. He surely sensed that the clothes were slightly messy.

“You will never guess why Teacher Lan Jin was looking for me…” 

Shen Xingcong wanted to try persuading Xiao Lin to give up the selection. Before he had time to whet his appetite, he heard the other person ask: “The selection’s matter?”

Shen Xingcong was taken aback: “How do you know?”

Xiao Lin: “Guess.”

He paused, “…or as they said so, it was because of fancy to senior brother’s face, so please go for a tea?” 

Shen Xingcong was furious: “Who said that! I know I am a celestial beauty, but I will never accept such slander!”

He casually lit the spiritual candle, and the shadows of the two were reflected on the wall.

Perhaps the sudden light was a bit dazzling. He saw Xiao Lin raise his hand to block the light.

And with this look, he finally found out what was wrong. 

Xiao Lin was injured.

Most of his face was red, the corners of his eyes were swollen, and he was almost unable to open them. He couldn’t see the usual beauty anymore. The cotton cloth was mostly damaged, and the bluish-purple bruises were clearly seen on his bare arms.

But the calm look on the person’s face made Shen Xingcong almost wonder if he had misinterpreted it.

He rubbed his eyes. 

Xiao Lin has already turned around and went to roll out the bedding.

“Wait,”

He held onto the person and forced the person to face him head-on. The candlelight reflected it, and he once again confirmed that he hadn’t misinterpreted it.

Those injuries that should have disappeared a long time ago have somehow reappeared again on this person’s body.

The swelling face. This appearance was really a bit funny.

But Shen Xingcong really couldn’t laugh.

“Why are you swollen like a pig?” 

Perhaps thinking these words were somewhat laughable, Xiao Lin pulled the corner of his mouth. But he immediately tore the wound. He also seemed to feel the pain, so he stopped smiling immediately.

Shen Xingcong: “Who did it?”

Xiao Lin: “En?”

Shen Xingcong: “I ask you, who did it?” 

Xiao Lin: “I fell.”

Shen Xingcong: “How is it possible? Did you fall into a well!”

Xiao Lin thought for a while: “Let’s just think of it like this.”

Vtfc Wlcumbcu’r tjcv agfwyifv. Lf vlvc’a xcbk ktfatfg tf kjr jcugs bg jccbsfv. 

Yo mbegrf, tf jirb ecvfgrabbv atja jmmbgvlcu ab Wljb Olc’r mtjgjmafg, tf qgbyjyis gfjiis vlvc’a atlcx atja atfgf kjr jcsatlcu kgbcu klat yflcu yfjafc. Yatfgklrf, tf kbeivc’a ifa atf bglulcji bkcfg gec gjwqjca obg rb ibcu. Ufgtjqr tf mbeiv fnfc offi mbcoerfv ja atlr wbwfca. Qts vlv tf jrx atfrf defralbcr? Yynlberis, tf erfv ab yfja qfbqif jii atf alwf jr kfii.

But he was different from the original owner.

Even if he hated Xiao Lin and granted that, he knew that this boy had nothing to do with human affairs in the future. Yet seeing a half-grown child beaten up into this appearance, he just felt that he couldn’t watch it anymore.

Shen Xingcong: “Yu Mi did it, right?”

When it came to having an enmity, he could only think about this person at the moment.

“Isn’t it?” 

Xiao Lin stood still and looked at him. After a long time, he finally said: “Why should senior brother care about this?”

Shen Xingcong: “Why?”

Xiao Lin: “Why do you want to ask in detail? Why don’t you treat it as if you didn’t see it?”

Shen Xingcong: “…” 

If he was the original owner, he probably would really turn a blind eye, as Xiao Lin said.

No, he would go so far as to mock because he was forced to see this disgusting appearance and then gave a few more punches.

Were these “normal” for Xiao Lin?

Apparently, Xiao Lin would become so twisted in the future. Besides his innate cold-blooded and cheerless disposition, the original owner’s wrong demonstration also has a very great influence.

Xiao Lin asked the question himself, but he didn’t seem to care much about the answer.

After Shen Xingcong asked again in detail, he looked away: “…it was indeed Senior Brother Yu Mi who looked for me.” 

Sure enough.

Regarding the reason for Yu Mi’s attack, Shen Xingcong had already guessed seven or eight points. His expression darkened, and he pointed to the bedside.

“You, go and sit over there.”

Xiao Lin glanced at the bed and didn’t move.

Shen Xingcong: “Go sit down!”

He held on to the senior brother’s dignity. 

Xiao Lin finally went to sit down. Shen Xingcong turned around and went out to fetch a basin of water. He also rummaged through the cabinets to search for the ointment he had previously given to Xiao Lin.

“Why didn’t you use it?”

Xiao Lin wondered: “Do I have to use it?”

This actually made Shen Xingcong didn’t know how he should continue the conversation. When he handed over the medicine bottle, he didn’t say anything. He originally thought Xiao Lin knew the function, but as a result, this boy didn’t understand at all.

Or so to say, he just thought it wasn’t necessary. 

Because the injuries were already covered by clothing, they didn’t affect daily activities. So there was no need to apply for medicine.

Shen Xingcong didn’t say much more. After the towel was drenched in water and wrung dry, he handed it to Xiao Lin: “Wipe it. Your body is all dust.”

Xiao Lin took it in silence.

Shen Xingcong then poured the ointment into his hand.

This was medicated plaster made by Xiaoyao Sect’s medicine cultivator, which improves blood circulation and reduces blood stasis, and has a miraculous effect on recovering injuries. 

He turned his head to look at Xiao Lin again. The other person still held the towel in his hand and didn’t move, just watching his actions from the side.

Shen Xingcong approached and held up the other person’s chin: “Close your eyes.”

Xiao Lin: “……”

He closed his eyes slightly.

In the next second, he felt a coldness covering the side of his face. After wiping it away, the temperature of the palm was transmitted, and it felt slightly comfortable, as if the swelling had been relieved. 

However, this moment of happiness was fleeting. Xiao Lin only felt he was being kneaded left and right like a piece of dough by the person in front of him. But he didn’t complain about it at all and sat silently as before.

“Take off your clothes, too.”

Shen Xingcong saw that his outer robe was badly damaged.

As things were, Xiao Lin has probably too lazy to resist. Just as he silently accepted when he was beaten up in the past, he also listened to take off his clothes at this moment. 

His body was frail, and his complexion was as pale as paper. If Shen Xingcong hadn’t seen him having three meals a day, he would almost suspect that he was malnourished.

Could the disorderly spiritual roots lead to the deficiency of the body?

“…”

But even so, he could never let Xiao Lin restore his spiritual roots.

His body was covered with blue marks. Shen Xingcong applied for the medicine on his back and plugged the medicine bottle: “You can reach the other places, right? Do the rest yourself.”

After saying this sentence, he left outwards from the house. 

Xiao Lin didn’t ask where the person was going at all. He just gazed at that person’s departing back. Until it disappeared into the middle of the night.

The candlelight flickered, and the shadow reflected on the wall was huge and vague.

He lowered his eyes and looked at the medicine bottle stuffed in his hand. He could almost feel the remaining body temperature.

.

Xiao Lin could perceive the changes that had happened to Shen Xingcong. 

Such as he no longer pushing his work to him; such as he won’t just beat people if he doesn’t feel happy; and such as…he has been pestering in all matters recently.

It wasn’t that he hadn’t heard the rumors of the great ability to seize oneself. But for Xiao Lin, he didn’t care at all about who exactly the person in the core was.

Only one thing.

That person knew about his disorderly spiritual roots.

It would be very troublesome if this thing were exposed. So he watched quietly from the side, wanting to see what exactly this person’s plans were. Who would have thought this matter hadn’t been mentioned again since that day. On the contrary, he began to get entangled in some senseless details. 

Such as just now. The person who was beaten was obviously him, so why was that person so angry that he even gave him the medicine himself.

Although he originally would bully and scold for unknown reasons, the current senior brother seemed more incomprehensible.

Xiao Lin shook his head, throwing away the miscellaneous thoughts in his mind.

He now had a piece of information that could be used against him in the hands of his senior brother.

If the other person intended to threaten him with this in the future, then even if there was a gap in the cultivation base…

“Bang.” 

Xiao Lin put down the medicine bottle.

He also had the means to take people’s lives.

.

Shen Xingcong didn’t know what Xiao Lin was thinking in his mind at all.

But even if he knew it, he wouldn’t be surprised.

Xiao Lin was this kind of person by nature.

He had mentally prepared well for it. After he had revealed the secret of the disorderly spiritual roots, Xiao Lin probably became defensive against him and even planned to kill him after leaving Xiaoyao Sect. 

Nevertheless, his cultivation base was there. If he didn’t relax his vigilance, he would definitely be able to kill Xiao Lin one step ahead of time.

But something went wrong later. Shen Xingcong only forgot that he was a corporate slave who had never even killed a chicken, let alone killed a person.

No matter how great his malice toward the villain was, when a real living person stood in front of him, he still couldn’t do it. 

Of course, he didn’t intend to coexist in harmony with Xiao Lin either. After avoiding this selection plot section, he will definitely duck out as far as possible.

But Yu Mi suddenly came to deliberately raise new obstacles.

Just because he couldn’t drive him away, Xiao Lin was beaten up into that appearance.

Shen Xingcong didn’t have that much tolerance. Since the root cause of Xiao Lin’s beating was him, then he must seek justice for this.

Moreover, he loathed this kind of purely malicious venting the most. 

Regardless of whether the original owner or Yu Mi, they were simply the same rotten people from the start!

“Bang!”

He kicked open the house’s door.

The Fourth Group’s disciples all lived in a side peak, not far apart. At this time, many people were crowded in the room, talking and laughing about something. Suddenly hearing someone barging in, all of them raised their eyes and looked.

Shen Xingcong took a quick look and saw Yu Mi, who was sitting among the crowd, and walked over to him. 

“Shen Xingcong?” Yu Mi looked unhappy, “Why are you coming here?”

Shen Xingcong: “Come out. I have something to ask you.”

Yu Mi frowned: “Is there anything that can’t be asked tomorrow? It’s already very late.”

Shen Xingcong: “Aren’t you not sleeping yet?” 

“Do you not understand human language or why.” Yu Mi slapped the table and stood up quickly, “I don’t want to chat with you, and you are not welcome here.”

“Since you want to chat in front of everyone, then that’s fine.” Shen Xingcong got straight to the point, “Xiao Lin was beaten by you, right?”

Hearing this, Yu Mi seemed to hear something unbelievable. Then the corner of his mouth hooked up, pulling out a rather sarcastic smile.

“Haha, are you here to question me about this thing? I didn’t mishear, right?” He exaggeratedly turned around, “This person is the only one who beats people publicly and secretly all day long to vent. Now he actually comes to question me? Is he worthy!” 

As the words fell, mocking laughter rang out continuously from the side.

This was indeed a fact, and what the original owner had done before couldn’t be erased.

“Okay.” Shen Xingcong said, “Then report to Steward Hu tomorrow and let Steward Hu figure out the ins and outs.”

“Report?”

Hearing these words, Yu Mi looked over.

“What evidence do you have to prove that Xiao Lin was injured by me? I will as well expose you as a thief shouting to catch a thief and pushing the blame on me!” 

“That’s right.” Someone from the side responded, “We didn’t see Senior Brother Yu Mi hit him. But we often heard that you, Senior Brother Shen, bully Junior Brother Xiao Lin. We also don’t know whether you want to shirk responsibility now.”

“Listen, everyone says so.” Yu Mi looked triumphant, “In that case, then I’ll report to the steward tomorrow and let Steward Hu decide on justice.”

Everyone present was standing on Yu Mi’s side, Shen Xingcong’s single power was weak, and he couldn’t match the volume at all.

He wasn’t in a hurry and waited until those noises were over before saying: “You beat Xiao Lin because you failed to cooperate with him the last time you looked for him? So you flew into a rage from shame and beat him up. It quite makes sense to push the blame on me.” 

“Don’t you splash black water!” Yu Mi said, “I didn’t do anything.”

Shen Xingcong: “Are you not afraid that Xiao Lin will tell the truth?”

Yu Mi snorted coldly: “You bully and humiliate Xiao Lin all day long. I guess you have prepared your excuses. Since he is afraid of you, he naturally has to cover you up.”

He understood.

Yu Mi intended to lie to the end. Just to be able to take advantage of the last chance before the announcement of the inner sect selection list to drive him out of Xiaoyao Sect. 

Shen Xingcong glanced at the group of disciples who guarded Yu Mi’s side and straightened out his cuffs: “It seems that there are so many of you, but none of you have a good memory.”

Yu Mi: “What?”

Shen Xingcong: “You should have seen Teacher Lan Jin looking for me today, right?”

This is what Yu Mi cared about the most. He didn’t immediately get angry and said: “What’s this about?” 

Shen Xingcong: “At that time, under the watchful eyes of everyone, Teacher Lan Jin was also present. Xiao Lin followed my side and was still fine from beginning to end. After that, I left with Teacher Lan Jin, and Xiao Lin suffered serious injuries when I returned today. The time interval is so short. How could I be the one who did it.”

“Now I’m going to find Steward Hu and have Teacher Lan Jin testify. Who do you think the steward will believe?”

Yu Mi didn’t think about this point, and his face suddenly turned pale.

“Rest assured.” Shen Xingcong turned around, “I’ll go right away.” 

Yu Mi shouted: “Stop him!”

Several disciples set off immediately and closed the door before Shen Xingcong left.

“You must think about it!” Yu Mi gnashed his teeth, “If you really make this matter a big deal, it also can’t do you good. What you did before, I will tell everything to Steward Hu.”

Shen Xingcong: “You don’t have evidence, do you?” 

Yu Mi: “You—!”

He couldn’t say anything to refute, so he instructed his left and right side: “Lock him up, don’t let him go out!”

As long as the time was delayed until tomorrow, there would be no conclusive evidence to prove when Xiao Lin was injured.

Shen Xingcong wanted to break through the door forcefully but was blocked back by everyone.

Yu Mi approached: “Stay quietly for one night, and I’ll let you out tomorrow.” 

Shen Xingcong: “This is illegal imprisonment.”

Yu Mi didn’t understand what he meant.

Shen Xingcong: “So, I should legitimately defend myself.”

Before Yu Mi could react, he felt a fist flash before his eyes. 

He was hit right in the center of his nose. He staggered a few steps back and covered his face with his hands, only to feel a hot stream gushing down his nose. At a glance, it was a touch of red.

For the first time in his life, Yu Mi was beaten up like this, and he flew into a rage from shame.

“You, how dare you hit me! Wait for me to report to the steward—”

“Stop being long-winded!” 

Shen Xingcong knew that there were patrol disciples outside. If they continue to be noisy like this, they will attract people sooner or later. And this was exactly his purpose.

The most important thing was…

“It doesn’t matter whether you have evidence or not. I fucking want to beat you up right now!”