Chapter Two: Dismissed from the Sect’s Model Class

Zhou Qi’s words rang out with conviction, leaving no room for doubt.

“Tell me then, where did you acquire it?” Elder Wu Xingwen asked.

“Reporting to the Fifth Elder,” Zhou Qi replied, “the Deep Mountain Ganoderma was found on Jade Dragon Mountain, about three li southeast of the summit. There, five towering trees form a circle, with a tree stump at the center. The Ganoderma grew right upon that stump. I was gathering herbs when I noticed something unusual, and to my surprise, I discovered the Ganoderma. If Elder does not believe me, you may send someone to verify my claim.”

“I’ll go myself,” Wu Xingwen declared. In the next moment, his nascent soul, the size of a fist, separated from his body and sped off toward Jade Dragon Mountain.

Zhou Qi watched in awe. A Nascent Soul—so immortals truly existed after all. Yet, judging from Zhou Qi’s memories, rising to prominence would not be easy.

“My junior brother, I must admit, your lie is masterfully crafted. Even if such a place exists, how will you prove you harvested the Ganoderma from that very stump?” Li Gang sneered. He had made up his mind—even if the Fifth Elder confirmed the site, it could not prove that his own Ganoderma wasn’t harvested elsewhere. He would simply deny everything to the end.

Zhou Qi ignored him. Li Gang was ruthless enough, but his grasp of common sense was lacking.

Moments later, Wu Xingwen’s nascent soul returned to his body.

All eyes turned to the Fifth Elder, sensing that the truth would soon come to light.

“Seize Li Gang,” Wu Xingwen ordered.

A flash of light appeared by Li Gang’s side, instantly sealing his cultivation and removing the storage pouch from his hands. Only then did Li Gang realize what was happening.

“Zhou Qi spoke the truth. The stump exists as described, and traces of Deep Mountain Ganoderma remain upon it,” Wu Xingwen announced.

“Elder, with all due respect, even if Junior Brother Zhou Qi found Ganoderma on Jade Dragon Mountain, that does not mean I could not have harvested it on Ten-Thousand-Fathom Mountain. Perhaps Zhou Qi, desiring both the Ganoderma and the sect’s reward, set out to frame me. Zhou Qi, how malicious your heart must be!” Li Gang wailed, tears and snot streaming down his face.

Liu Chengfeng could not help but feel a headache coming on. This was supposed to be a commendation ceremony, and yet the person being honored turned out to be so devious. Competing for resources was common enough on the Mystic Heaven Continent, but to openly frame a fellow disciple—how could such a person have any future? He hadn’t even managed to kill his rival, yet here he was, shamelessly seeking credit. As sect master, Liu Chengfeng felt humiliated—his speech had barely ended before he was dealt a harsh blow.

The more Liu Chengfeng thought about it, the angrier he grew. He cursed, “You fool! Do you think Deep Mountain Ganoderma grows like cabbages? If Zhou Qi could find it on Jade Dragon Mountain, you could claim to have found it on Ten-Thousand-Fathom Mountain as well? Let me tell you, only one such Ganoderma will appear in a single region at any given time!”

The color drained from Li Gang’s face. He dropped to his knees, kowtowing and begging the sect master and the Fifth Elder for mercy, pleading to be spared in light of his offering the Ganoderma to the sect, and promising never to make such a mistake again.

“To openly poison a fellow disciple—what punishment does that deserve?” Liu Chengfeng asked the disciplinary elder, ignoring Li Gang’s pleas.

“For such a crime, both soul and body should be destroyed, never to be reborn,” the disciplinary elder replied.

“What is the Fifth Elder’s opinion?” Liu Chengfeng asked Wu Xingwen.

“The Deep Mountain Ganoderma was harvested by Zhou Qi; it is only right that we follow his wishes. The reward should also go to Zhou Qi,” Wu Xingwen replied.

By Zhou Qi’s former temperament, he would have ground Li Gang’s bones to dust. But now, he took a different view. Killing Li Gang was easy—but establishing his own reputation was far more important.

“Li Gang tried to poison me—if left unpunished, it would undermine the sect’s rules. Yet Heaven cherishes life. Since I was not killed, and as Li Gang still presented the Ganoderma to the sect, accomplishing what I had intended, I humbly request the sect to spare him from death,” Zhou Qi said after a moment’s thought.

Li Gang was overjoyed, deeply moved—despite his attempt to murder Zhou Qi, he was being forgiven. What magnanimity this was!

The elders and disciples alike were shaken. Such forgiveness—this was the true model of the sect! Even Liu Chengfeng, unable to restrain himself, said, “This is a most heinous criminal—are you certain?”

“Indeed. His life may be spared, but punishment cannot be avoided. I request the sect abolish Li Gang’s cultivation, remove his hands and feet, and expel him from the True Unity Sect,” Zhou Qi continued, having delivered a wave of shock and awe.

The crowd was stunned—this seemed more severe than outright execution. With hands and feet gone and no cultivation, wouldn’t he be torn apart by wild dogs outside? Still, at least he had another life ahead—better than eternal damnation.

“Carry out his sentence,” Liu Chengfeng said, casting Zhou Qi a long, thoughtful look. This disciple had some substance, after all.

The disciplinary elder’s fingers, sharp as swords, crippled Li Gang’s dantian and severed his hands and feet. The scene was gruesome, and Li Gang, now a human stick, was carried away through the air.

Many female disciples looked ready to vomit. While duels between disciples sometimes ended in death or injury, they were rarely so ruthless. Now, witnessing the disciplinary elder’s mercilessness, everyone fell silent, not daring to utter a sound.

“To openly harm a fellow disciple should have meant destruction of both body and soul. Yet Zhou Qi’s magnanimity has given him a chance to live. Let this serve as a lesson: disciples may compete, but may not plot to harm each other’s lives. Should another like Li Gang arise, there will be no place for them in the True Unity Sect,” Liu Chengfeng declared, seizing the moment while the disciples were still in shock.

“Our outer disciple Zhou Qi discovered Deep Mountain Ganoderma for the Fifth Elder—a spirit and dedication worth emulating. Fortunately, he was not poisoned by Li Gang, or we would have lost an outstanding disciple. This proves: as long as your heart is with the sect, no demon or evil can approach…” Liu Chengfeng’s grand speech was as polished and flawless as a perfect circle, making Zhou Qi secretly admire him. Several elder cultivators bowed their heads so low they nearly touched their waists, clearly benefiting greatly from the message—though the occasional snore did disrupt the atmosphere.

An hour later, Liu Chengfeng finally finished his speech. Looking at Zhou Qi, he asked, “You were framed by a villain, so the sect will compensate you with two hundred lower-grade spirit stones and a flying sword of the same tier. For discovering the Deep Mountain Ganoderma and relieving the Fifth Elder’s urgent need—truly, the sect’s urgent need—the sect wishes to promote you to inner disciple. Are you willing?”

“Thank you for the sect’s generosity. It is my duty to help relieve the sect’s burdens. However, I am only at the third level of Qi Refining. To promote me to the inner sect would take a place from my senior brothers and sisters—a waste on my part. I will accept only the spirit stones and the flying sword. As for promotion to the inner sect, I wish to focus on cultivation and earn my place through strength,” Zhou Qi replied.

The elders looked at Zhou Qi with admiration in their hearts. Such sincerity in a young man was rare. Several outer disciples eligible for inner sect advancement also cast grateful glances his way.

After all, if things were this brutal among the outer disciples, entering the inner sect at only the third level of Qi Refining would be asking to be toyed with by the more powerful seniors. Their methods would surely surpass Li Gang’s, and next time, there might not be a chance for rebirth.