Translator – Misty

Chapter 37: Who Punishes Whom

If Gu Qingfeng previously reclining on the Grandmaster’s chair with Elder Huo De attending to him was a scene that induced surprise and mystery, then what unfolded at this moment transcended mere oddity and ventured into the realm of incomprehensibility.

Simply because Li Sen had insulted him as a ‘trash’, Elder Huo De had slapped him into unconsciousness. The Elder had even berated Li Ziheng, an Elder of the Outer Sect of the Cloudy Rosy Heaven Sect, until he was metaphorically soaked in blood.

Did they say Li Ziheng was courting death?

If this were in the past, the entire Li clan would have long been sent to the underworld.

Was it all because of Gu Qingfeng?

Wasn’t he just a cultivator who failed at Foundation Establishment, a trash in their eyes?

How powerful could he have been in the past? Even if he was a dragon among men, he was, at best, a genius. Such talents, while not abundant, were certainly not rare either. How formidable could he have been?

Could it be that Gu Qingfeng’s family background was so formidable that it could easily annihilate the Li Clan?

No one had a clear idea.

Li Ziheng stood there, his face flushed with anger. Despite being a member of the Li Clan and an Elder of the Outer Sect of the Cloudy Rosy Heaven Sect, he dared not confront Elder Huo De, who was known for his fiery temper and eight hundred years of cultivation.

“Elder Huo De, Li Sen and the others are, after all, Inner Sect disciples. If we ignore this incident where an outsider has gravely injured them, I fear it might tarnish the reputation of our Cloudy Rosy Heaven Sect,” Guang Yuan, the haughty and indifferent Grand Enforcer, said while his eyes, sharp as a serpent’s, glanced at Gu Qingfeng reclining on the chair.

“Guang Yuan, impressive! You’ve grown bold,” Elder Huo De scoffed coldly. “Daring to lecture me now. Truly a disciple worthy of Jin De!”

“You misunderstand, Elder,” Guang Yuan replied indifferently. “I understand this person is of great importance to you, but since he has harmed others, he must face the corresponding punishment. I hope for the sake of our sect’s reputation, you won’t shield him.”

“You little rascal, enough is enough!”

Elder Huo De, already on edge from trying to appease Gu Qingfeng, was infuriated by these insistent provocations. He grabbed Guang Yuan by the collar. Guang Yuan, startled and unable to maintain his composure, exclaimed in horror, “Elder Huo De, what are you doing?”

“What am I doing?” Elder Huo De asked darkly. “Ungrateful brat! You spoke of punishment, didn’t you? I’ll give you a chance now! Go on, punish him! Let’s see if you have the guts! Go!”

With a forceful tug, Elder Huo De threw Guang Yuan forward.

Guang Yuan’s face turned ashen, his lips twitching unnaturally. Being a disciple of Elder Jin De and a Grand Enforcer of the Cloudy Rosy Heaven Sect, he had never faced such humiliation. But confronted with the furious Elder Huo De, he was too scared to retort.

“Scared now, are you? Don’t have the nerve?” Elder Huo De bellowed, glaring fiercely.

Opposite them, the young man in white, Gu Qingfeng, remained reclined on the chair, legs crossed, head slightly drooping, his handsome face devoid of any emotion. His dark, profound eyes were inscrutable.

Perhaps Guang Yuan was intimidated by Elder Huo De’s words.

Or maybe it was Gu Qingfeng’s mysterious aura and his otherworldly calm that rendered him immobile. The more Guang Yuan stared at Gu Qingfeng, the more frightened he became, especially under the influence of that deep, gloomy aura, feeling as if his life was slipping away. It was an actual sensation – like watching his soul tremble.

When Guang Yuan’s eyes met Gu Qingfeng’s, he felt as if he was plunging into the deepest hell. At that moment, he felt like mere dust, and not just any dust, but the kind found in a desolate hell. As Gu Qingfeng looked at him, it was like a violent storm sweeping through that silent hell, devouring his very life.

Why was this happening?

No clue.

Guang Yuan couldn’t comprehend or make sense of it.

Gu Qingfeng, meanwhile, lifted his cup to his lips, eyes slightly narrowed, glancing at Guang Yuan and asked lightly, “You are Guang Yuan?”

“You!” Guang Yuan started, his voice hoarse. He paused, took a deep breath, and asked in a steady voice, “And who might you be?”

Gu Qingfeng, with a smile that didn’t reach his eyes, gazed at Guang Yuan across from him, his thoughts drifting back to his youthful days.

Back then, he was a menial worker in the Cloudy Rosy Heaven Sect.

And Guang Yuan was an Inner Sect disciple of the same sect.

Guang Yuan had humiliated him back then.

In retaliation, Gu Qingfeng had beaten him nearly to death.

Of course, Gu Qingfeng paid a heavy price for this, nearly losing his life to the hands of Guang Yuan’s master, the daoist master Jin De.

Lost in these memories, he couldn’t help but sigh at how swiftly time had passed…

Five hundred years in the blink of an eye…

Shaking his head with a smile, Gu Qingfeng pulled out a fist-sized magic treasure from his storage bag, saying, “This belongs to you, right? Take it back.”

The Golden Seven-Star Pagoda!

Guang Yuan recognized it immediately as the magic treasure he had given to his disciple, Li Sen. He was also aware that this treasure had been snatched by Gu Qingfeng in the Red Leaf Forest.

“Don’t you want it?” Gu Qingfeng asked with a faint smile, tossing the Golden Seven-Star Pagoda towards Guang Yuan and pouring himself another cup of wine. “That’s enough, take your disciple and go back.”

Just like that? Go back?

Gu Qingfeng’s casual tone, as if he was bestowing forgiveness upon Guang Yuan, was out of place.

Wasn’t it Guang Yuan who had come looking for trouble?

Why did it sound like Gu Qingfeng was the one forgiving Guang Yuan?

What exactly was going on?

No one knew. Everyone found it incomprehensible, especially Ouyang Ye, who had been confused ever since she saw Elder Huo De attending to Gu Qingfeng. Now, witnessing Gu Qingfeng forgiving Guang Yuan with such ease and superiority, her confusion intensified.

Why was Gu Qingfeng so composed?

No idea.

She didn’t know, nor did Li Ziheng, Tan Siru, Yun Hong, or Ye Hui.

Nor did Guang Yuan.

Under normal circumstances, anyone who dared to speak to him like that would have paid a hefty price. But now, he didn’t dare.

The words of Elder Huo De, coupled with the young man’s unnatural calmness, had completely frightened him.

“Little rascal, didn’t you hear? You’re being told to go… hurry up.”

Elder Huo De urged, the only one who understood why Gu Qingfeng could be so calm.

Actually, he didn’t know either.

He had expected Gu Qingfeng to kill Guang Yuan on the spot or at least cripple him, but Gu Qingfeng surprisingly let him go.

This was so unlike Gu Qingfeng’s character.

Gu Qingfeng was known to be ruthless, especially towards his enemies. Elder Huo De had witnessed Gu Qingfeng’s methods more than once. They were cruel, often involving soul extraction and eternal torment.

No doubt, Gu Qingfeng had once treated his enemies this way.

Others might not know, but Elder Huo De was well aware of Guang Yuan’s past humiliation of Gu Qingfeng, which had nearly cost him his life.

Why was Gu Qingfeng so lenient today?

Who knows.

Elder Huo De didn’t bother to ponder further. Seeing Guang Yuan still standing there, he grew furious.

“Rascal, if you don’t know what’s good for you, just scram. Waiting for death, are you?”

With those words, Elder Huo De grabbed Guang Yuan and threw him out.

(End of Chapter)