JSCMU-Chapter 23: What’s Wrong with Admitting It Directly?

Ruan Jun let out a cold laugh. “We’ll see how arrogant you still are once we reach the Discipline Hall!”

He turned a sharp, expressionless gaze on the disciples of Heavenly Sword Peak, trying to sniff out any trace of panic.

But to his dismay.

Not only was Yun Jin perfectly calm,

Even Yue Zhao and Si Wanning wore relaxed expressions. As for Yu Songnian, he wears the same expression year around to begin with.

Ruan Jun narrowed his eyes.

What was going on?

Why did they look so utterly unbothered?

Could it be that Yun Jin had actually learned those sword techniques on her own?

No.

Impossible.

He knew Yue Zhao was cunning. This was likely just an intimidation tactic to make him back down.

But is he, Ruan Jun, so easily fooled?

They were definitely going to the Discipline Hall!

Meanwhile, Ye Danxia, in a panic, had finally recovered her wig from where the bird had tossed it into the bushes. Her hands trembled as she repositioned it onto her head.

Only after confirming that her bald patch was once again covered did she calm down slightly.

She stepped up to Ruan Jun again, ready to speak.

But Ruan Jun, apparently haunted by the memory of her gleaming scalp, instinctively averted his eyes, despite the wig being back in place.

Ye Danxia: “…”

A flicker of hurt crossed her face, followed by a wave of irritation. She was too frustrated to even speak.

Seeing her fall silent, Ruan Jun felt a twinge of guilt. He softened his tone, “Don’t worry, Junior Sister. Once we’ve dealt with Yun Jin, I’ll have someone refine a hair-growth pill for you. This small matter can be easily handled.”

Ye Danxia’s eyes lit up, her expression finally improving. She sweetly said, “Thank you, Senior Brother.”

Ruan Jun tried his best to shift his eyes away from her wig and nodded with a slight smile. He even took the opportunity to mock. “Some people, lacking talent, can only resort to underhanded tricks. But no matter how deep your scheming runs, a Five Element Root is still a Five Element Root. No matter how deep their schemes are, it still won’t help ascending to heaven.”

As he spoke, he intentionally glanced at Yun Jin.

To his surprise, Yun Jin nodded earnestly. “Exactly, you’re absolutely right. Only people like Senior Brother Ruan, who need three whole days to learn Xuan Jue, are true geniuses. I, who learned it in a single glance, am nothing than a clown.”

She said it so sincerely, it sounded like she wholeheartedly believed it.

Yue Zhao and Si Wanning couldn’t help themselves and bursted into laughter.

Yue Zhao even fanned the flames with a grin, “Ah, my junior sister’s talent is terrible. And yet, some people can’t even measure up to her. What does that say?”

Si Wanning thought for a moment, “It probably means they’re actual trash.”

Ruan Jun’s face instantly turned dark. He snapped, “So what if you’re good at talking? Let’s see if your tongues are still that sharp once we’re in the Discipline Hall!”

Yun Jin smiled sweetly, “Looking forward to it~”

Ye Danxia, meanwhile, was unusually quiet.

Mostly because,

Half her attention was focused on her hair, terrified she’d once again become a bald little baby.

Heavenly Sword Peak.

Discipline Hall.

In this cultivation world, the cultivation stages were: Qi Refining, Foundation Establishment, Golden Core, Nascent Soul, Soul Transformation, Fusion, Tribulation Crossing, and finally, the supreme Mahayana stage.

Tianxing Sect was a mid-tier sect. The highest cultivation here was only at the Fusion stage. Cultivators who reached the Soul Transformation stage can become elders. Those who advanced to Fusion gained eligibility to oversee individual peaks and contend for Peak Master titles.

Currently, the Sect Leader Zhao Wuji was at mid-Fusion stage, slightly stronger than the other Peak Masters.

Yue Lin, the current Head of the Discipline Hall, had slightly lower cultivation, the late stage of Soul Transformation. 

He had been personally appointed by Sect Master Zhao Wuji to lead the Discipline Hall, and was known to be one of Zhao Wuji’s close confidants.

That’s why, when Ruan Jun marched Yun Jin to Yue Lin, his face bore a smug grin.

Yue Lin would of course side with him!

This time, Yun Jin is finished!

“Hall Master Yue,” Ruan Jun said loudly, “Upon investigation, Yun Jin, a new disciple, used refined sword techniques during a duel. Clearly this was taught to her in violation of sect rules by the Heavenly Sword Peak disciples. This constitutes a serious breach of regulations. By rule, Yun Jin should be immediately expelled, and the Heavenly Sword Peak disciples punished accordingly. I request your official ruling.”

As the Sect Leader’s eldest disciple, Ruan Jun’s cultivation was nearly equal to Yue Zhao’s, just a step shy of Soul Transformation.

Given Zhao Wuji’s partiality toward him, Ruan Jun was even seen as a potential future Sect Leader.

Naturally, Yue Lin was quite courteous to him. He nodded slightly and replied without hesitation, “If it’s been investigated, then it shall be so. Yun Jin will be expelled. Yue Zhao, Si Wanning, and Yu Songnian will each forfeit one year’s resource quota.”

Everything went smoother than Ruan Jun had imagined.

A smile tugged at his lips.

Ye Danxia’s gaze flickered, already plotting her next move.

Once Yun Jin was cast out, she’d be nothing more than a stray dog! At that point, if Ye Danxia ordered her to become a servant, would she even dare refuse?

That ring would then be hers.

As Ye Danxia pondered how to bring the subject up again.

Yun Jin suddenly chuckled and spoke, “Hall Master Yue, making a judgment based on one side of the story. Is this how the Discipline Hall operates? If rulings are handed down so casually, then what’s the point of you even being here? Why not just hang a banner outside that reads: ‘The Discipline Hall is a Sham—Whatever Ruan Jun Says Goes’?”

Her tone was icy with disdain.

Ruan Jun’s expression darkened. “Yun Jin! What’s that supposed to mean?!”

Yun Jin sneered, “Exactly what it sounds like.”

Yue Zhao added calmly, “If word gets out that Hall Master Yue makes rulings without hearing both sides, I’m sure everyone will praise your sharp judgment and wisdom.”

His voice was dripping with sarcasm, and Yue Lin’s face turned green.

He wasn’t worried about Yun Jin, a mere new disciple.

But this Yue Zhao was a bit of a problem.

It’s no secret that the Sect Master had been hinting, both openly and implicitly, that everyone should suppress Heavenly Sword Peak. Logically speaking, anyone with a bit of common sense would know to stay far away from its people.

And yet, this Yue Zhao!

No matter how hard they tried to marginalize him, low-ranking disciples still rallied to him in droves. His prestige was alarmingly high.

If he started spreading nonsensical rumors, it could actually stir up trouble.

Yue Lin’s face grew colder. “Since you’re so insistent about hearing both sides, let’s hear yours. What’s your explanation?”

Yun Jin had just opened her mouth to reply when Ruan Jun cut in with a sinister smirk, “That day in the sparring arena, dozens of disciples saw you use an advanced sword technique. I can find plenty of witnesses to confirm it. I advise you not to get clever.”

Ye Danxia also chimed in softly, “Xiao Jin, what’s done is done. We’re still sisters. Even if you can’t stay as a disciple, I’ll keep you close. It’s only in name, but you’ll bear the title of a servant.”

Yun Jin didn’t even look at this lunatic. She simply said, “I’ve never denied that I used sword techniques.”

Yue Lin blinked.

She admitted it just like that?

Then why the whole fuss earlier?

“Which Huang level sword technique did you learn?” he asked coldly. 

There was no way someone could master anything better in just a few days. It could only be the lowest-level type of Huang manual.

Yun Jin smiled. “The sword technique I used is the Lotus Sword Technique.”

Huh?

Yue Lin frowned. Was there such a Huang level sword technique?

Something’s not right!

His eyes suddenly widened.

That was not a Huang level sword technique at all.

The Lotus Sword Technique is a mid-tier Xuan level sword technique! In the entire Tianxing Sect, barely more than a handful of disciples had ever managed to learn it.

And now a disciple who had only joined three days ago claimed she had already mastered it?

Yue Lin immediately laughed.

He was just about to mock her.

When Yun Jin casually drew a sword, gave it a gentle swing, and a lotus petal quietly bloomed in the air.