JSCMU-Chapter 87: Public Trial

Yun Jin?

Zhao Wuji’s expression turned cold as he shouted, “Yun Jin, ever since you entered the sect, you’ve been arrogant and unruly, showing no regard for rules! But out of care for my disciples, I protected you again and again! And this is how you repay me?! It’s true that Jinghong signed a master-servant contract with you and agreed to be dealt with at your discretion. But that doesn’t mean you can hurt others as you pleased!”

“Today, you ordered Jinghong to injure Danxia like this. If I hadn’t arrived in time, Danxia might have lost her life! What do you have to say for yourself?”

Zhao Wuji spoke in a voice filled with fury.

Yun Jin glanced at Ye Danxia.

Ye Danxia clutched her abdomen, her face pale. “Xiao Jin, I thought since we grew up together, even if we’ve had some disagreements, there was still some bond between us. Do you… do you hate me so much that you had to go this far?”

As she spoke, she began coughing violently.

More blood oozed from her wound.

Zhao Wuji looked heartbroken. He rushed forward and, without hesitation, fed Ye Danxia a healing pill.

“Master…” Ye Danxia swallowed the pill and tightly grasped Zhao Wuji’s sleeve. “Xiao Jin is still someone I grew up with. No matter what… I don’t really want her life. Please, Master… show mercy.”

“You really are…” Zhao Wuji looked at his little disciple with a gaze full of admiration for her kindness.

Yun Jin finished watching the little show and turned expressionlessly to Gu Jinghong, who was still lying on the ground.

Gu Jinghong remained in the same position, looking up at the sky, unmoving.

Yun Jin walked over.

Gu Jinghong looked at her, his lips trembling. “Sorry, I…”

“Idiot,” Yun Jin snorted coldly and kicked him. “Just a little blood and you went mad? After all these years of living, what have you even accomplished?”

“Gu Jinghong: Early Nascent Soul stage. Blood Qi Art, Level 4 (currently in a weakened state after frenzy).”

Gu Jinghong felt numb. He only softly repeated, “…I’m sorry.”

It wasn’t for tonight, but for what had happened before.

Now, he truly regretted it.

Deeply, bitterly regretted it.

How could that Ye Danxia be worth him ending up like this?

If Yun Jin didn’t dodge the trap that day, he would have been thoroughly played by that little junior sister.

Ye Danxia seemed to have some kind of charm, an allure that made it hard to look away.

If Gu Jinghong hadn’t personally experienced her hypocritical nature several times, he wouldn’t have been able to truly wake up.

Yun Jin coldly snorted and stuffed two Rejuvenation Pills into his mouth. As she did, her heart ached.

These Rejuvenation Pills were painstakingly refined by her. Using them on Gu Jinghong felt like a huge waste.

But there was no helping it, she still needed him later.

The pills Yun Jin refined were second-grade Rejuvenation Pills, typically used by Foundation Establishment Stage cultivators.

However, hers were perfect quality, strong enough to be effective even for Golden Core cultivators.

Gu Jinghong is at the Nascent Soul Stage, but his dantian and vital organs weren’t damaged. Using the pills to repair his meridians and bones was still possible.

Normally, Rejuvenation Pills were extremely valuable. Unless the dantian was harmed, people wouldn’t use them lightly. In most cases, a cheaper Dew Pill would suffice.

So when the pill entered his stomach, Gu Jinghong was stunned.

This…

This feeling was definitely a Rejuvenation Pill.

And judging by the medicinal strength, it might even be a third-grade Rejuvenation Pill! A third-grade Rejuvenation Pill could restore the dantian of a Golden Core cultivator. In the right situation, it was worth a fortune.

And now, Yun Jin had just casually given him one to heal some broken bones and torn meridians?

His injuries would have recovered on their own with time.

Gu Jinghong’s lips trembled.

She was actually willing to use something so precious on someone like him?

“What’s with that look?!” Yun Jin slapped his face with annoyance. “Hurry up and absorb the medicinal power!”

Gu Jinghong fell silent for a moment, then nodded firmly and began to absorb the energy.

“Why are you so slow?” Yun Jin grew impatient. She pulled out another Rejuvenation Pill and shoved it into his mouth.

Since she had refined them herself, she had a large stock on hand.

Gu Jinghong’s neck was still too stiff to turn, he hadn’t seen that the pill was transparent. But based on the medicinal strength, he could tell it was probably another third-grade Rejuvenation Pill. His face changed color.

As the Sect Master’s second disciple, no one knew better than him how the Sect Master privately suppressed Heavenly Sword Peak. With Huo Lie from Divine Pill Peak cooperating, Heavenly Sword Peak could barely obtain any quality pills.

So how difficult must it have been for Yun Jin to save up these few third-grade Rejuvenation Pills?

And yet, she gave them to him without hesitation!

Gu Jinghong pressed his lips tightly together, feeling a strange bitterness.

The master and junior sister he had done everything to protect had tried to drive him to death.

And Yun Jin who he once schemed against had taken out precious pills to heal his injuries.

This world… is truly absurd.

By the time Gu Jinghong could barely stand, Ye Danxia, thanks to Zhao Wuji personally helping circulate the medicine’s effects, had regained some color in her face.

But on her abdomen, the horrifying wound still remained, as if deliberately left behind.

Zhao Wuji was busy healing Ye Danxia earlier and didn’t pay much attention to Yun Jin and Gu Jinghong. In his view, those two were already doomed and not worth the effort to worry about.

But seeing that Gu Jinghong managed to stand so soon after had surprised Zhao Wuji a little.

He noticed Yun Jin feeding him something earlier, but hadn’t seen what it was exactly. Judging from the result, it seemed to be quite effective. The people of Heavenly Sword Peak really did favor Yun Jin, giving her pills potent enough to work on a Nascent Soul cultivator, yet allowing a Foundation Establishment disciple to carry them around so casually.

Zhao Wuji couldn’t be bothered to look into it further. He said coldly, “Yun Jin, Gu Jinghong, you two have harmed a fellow disciple. That is a capital offense. I have decided—”

“Whether it’s a capital offense or not, the Sect Master alone may not be qualified to make that decision so lightly.” Lin Ya’s voice came from a distance.

Zhao Wuji frowned.

When he turned around, he saw that Lin Ya and several people from Heavenly Sword Peak had arrived without his noticing.

“What, are you planning to protect these two murderers?” Zhao Wuji said coldly.

Lin Ya had already been informed by Yun Jin in advance, so now he remained composed. “Protect? Back then, didn’t Ruan Jun try to kill Xiao Jin? And yet, isn’t he still alive and well?”

Zhao Wuji replied coldly, “How is that the same? If I hadn’t arrived in time today, Danxia would be dead! Even so, she was gravely injured and nearly lost her life. If I didn’t have pills on hand, she would’ve already lost her life.”

Lin Ya glanced at Ye Danxia, pale and pitiful in Zhao Wuji’s arms, and gave a slight smile.

He said calmly, “As for how Ye Danxia was injured, I have my doubts. If the Sect Master insists on passing judgment, then according to sect rules, the case must be submitted to the Discipline Hall for public trial. Given the severity of the matter, at least five peak master–level elders must be present to observe.”

Lin Ya fixed his gaze on Zhao Wuji. “A public trial is proper procedure. What does the Sect Master think?”

Zhao Wuji frowned again. He looked down at the pitiful Ye Danxia in his arms and thought, since this matter was clearly Yun Jin’s doing, carried out by Gu Jinghong, and he hadn’t interfered in any way.

Even if the matter were publicly judged, it would only serve to expose Yun Jin’s true face to everyone.

Since that was the case…

Why not have a public trial?

Zhao Wuji did not notice the flicker of unease on Ye Danxia’s face. He replied coolly, “Then as you wish. Tomorrow at the Discipline Hall, we’ll judge the case publicly. It’s nothing more than letting your little disciple live one more night.”

Zhao Wuji cast a cold glance at Yun Jin.

Yun Jin rolled her eyes at him.

Her eye-rolling skill was maxed out and is guaranteed to deliver a perfect sense of sarcasm.

Zhao Wuji’s face turned slightly grim. He picked up Ye Danxia and turned to leave.

Throughout the entire process, he didn’t spare even a single glance for Gu Jinghong.

Gu Jinghong leaned against a tree, the corners of his lips curling into a faint, unreadable smile.

Now that he was so thoroughly discarded, he no longer needed to hold back in anything he did.

A trace of utter madness flickered in Gu Jinghong’s eyes.