Shi Jingxian had no objections to the double punishment, but others in the sect thought he would. So, he was the last to know about it. Even the Sect Leader only came to find Ling Yao after issuing the order.

Shi Jingxian had seen the Sect Leader’s appearance in the task storyline, and when he saw him in person, he was still taken aback by his beauty. The Sect Leader looked very much like Ling Yao. Thanks to his profound inner strength and exquisite mental techniques, even though he had a sixteen-year-old son, the Sect Leader still appeared to be in his twenties, with strikingly beautiful features.

However, his imposing aura was far beyond what a young man in his twenties could possess. The noble aura from his long-standing high position even overshadowed his overly striking appearance, making people fear him, not daring to have any disrespectful thoughts, only wanting to submit and pledge their loyalty.

Shi Jingxian had just experienced the pressure of an Esper in the previous task. Now, even though this planet only had inner strength and martial arts, the Sect Leader’s pressure was almost tangible. Achieving this was even more difficult than the ninth-level Esper in the previous task.

Yet, such a powerful figure, when he approached Ling Yao, restrained all his aura, almost like an ordinary person. He looked at Ling Yao with a stern face, appearing extremely serious, but he didn’t use his power to pressure Ling Yao.

The Sect Leader didn’t expect that even so, Ling Yao would start crying the moment he saw him. The child’s expression was still very serious, with a wet little face, not saying a word, just looking up at the Sect Leader, tears falling one after another.

Those tears fell from his soft cheeks, rolling into a huge snowball in people’s hearts, making them feel cold and pained. The Sect Leader kept a stern face, forcibly restraining his actions by reactivating his already restrained inner strength.

He had just given the order, thinking Ling Yao was crying for Nan Ren. The Right Guardian, who came along with the Sect Leader, felt that the Young Master’s current appearance was too similar to the one in the council hall the other day.

The Right Guardian immediately stepped forward and held Ling Yao’s wrist. “Young Master, are you having trouble breathing and sore eyes?”

Ling Yao took small breaths and nodded seriously, trying to maintain a serious demeanor, but his shoulders occasionally trembled slightly.

The Sect Leader’s beautiful long eyebrows furrowed. The Right Guardian didn’t say much, directly taking out a set of plum blossom needles from his portable medicine box. After quickly sanitizing his hands, he invited Ling Yao to a carved wooden chair.

The acupoints weren’t in hidden places, so the needle insertion wasn’t troublesome. However, Ling Yao’s constitution was special, being overly sensitive to pain. Even though it was just a silver needle inserted into an acupoint, it was enough for him to suffer.

The Young Master’s fear of the silver needles was too obvious. His tears hadn’t stopped, and he looked at the needles with tearful eyes, appearing even more pitiful. Although he was scared, he refused to make a sound, biting his lower lip until it was red. Each needle the Right Guardian inserted made the Young Master tremble, shedding two tears, and with each subsequent needle, he trembled again, almost as if he was being tortured.

The two medicine boys watching almost didn’t dare to continue handing needles to the Right Guardian, only the Right Guardian’s hand remained steady. By the fourth needle, the Sect Leader couldn’t hold back anymore.

He couldn’t help but ask the Right Guardian, “Does it hurt a lot?”

The Right Guardian sighed, “The Young Master has sensitive senses, even a scratch would hurt. This is a necessary method, I’ll try to be gentle.”

The Right Guardian’s medical skills were the best in the sect, and the Sect Leader wouldn’t easily question him. But seeing the Young Master like this, the Sect Leader couldn’t hold back for long.

He took a deep breath and said in a deep voice, “The Left Guardian has already reported to me. Recently, many people have been looking for him. My child, Nan Ren’s identity is not as simple as you think.”

The Sect Leader finally compromised, “If you really don’t want it, I’ll have someone reduce his doubled punishment, but you can’t interfere with the investigation of Nan Ren’s identity.”

Ling Yao released his bitten, swollen lower lip and shook his head vigorously, “No, don’t reduce it.”

He tried to suppress the thick sobs in his voice, “Dad, your word is your bond, it can’t be changed. I’m just feeling unwell because of the cold wind, causing my nasal congestion, there’s no other reason.”

The Right Guardian shook his head, “I sent someone to call the Young Master for acupuncture yesterday, but he didn’t respond. This can’t be avoided or delayed.”

Shi Jingxian, almost numb to the tears, thought: I thought it was just an excuse to keep the Young Master and Nan Ren apart, who knew it was for real acupuncture?

Shi Jingxian didn’t expect Ling Yao to be so sensitive. Although the task storyline was an immersive first-person experience, the sensory realism wasn’t 100%. It wasn’t until he took over Ling Yao’s body that Shi Jingxian discovered the Young Master’s uniqueness.

No wonder Ling Yao’s martial arts progress was so fast—such sensitive senses were a rare advantage for practicing inner strength or body techniques. But correspondingly, Ling Yao would suffer more due to his sensitivity. Thinking of the hardships he endured after being captured by Xuanyuan Nan…

Shi Jingxian was pricked by another needle, momentarily dazed, before hearing the Sect Leader’s voice.

“I know you’re having a nasal congestion attack, but you can’t stop worrying. My child, regarding Nan Ren, you never want to think deeply, but if he were just a blacksmith, how could so many people go to such lengths to find him?” the Sect Leader said.

“Just last night, he stirred up quite a commotion.”

Shi Jingxian thought: I know, I deliberately had the dark guards create that commotion to expose it to people.

But he honestly said, “Yes, I understand, I’ll listen to you, Dad.”

The Sect Leader was surprised to see him agree so quickly regarding Nan Ren, and couldn’t help but ask, “You’ll listen to me?”

Ling Yao nodded earnestly, “Nan Ren is just a shadow guard, but you’re the one who loves me the most, of course, I’ll listen to you… Ugh!”

He was pricked by another needle as he spoke, his voice turning into a whimper, tears falling.

The Sect Leader, seeing this, felt even more heartbroken, unable to keep a stern face, and directly used his hand to wipe his face.

Ling Yao had only one father since childhood. The Sect Leader claimed to be a strict father and loving mother, but in practice, it was entirely different. When it came to spoiling Ling Yao, the Sect Leader was second to none, and everyone else had to step aside.

He always put on a stern front in front of others, but in reality, he would soften at the Young Master’s call of “Dad.” Hearing the Young Master say such things now, the Sect Leader couldn’t hide his joy.

If it weren’t for Ling Yao’s tears still falling, he might have even smiled, a rare sight.

[Ding—Task repair progress, 16%]

Shi Jingxian sighed inwardly.

Ling Yao’s thoughts weren’t hard to guess, and the repair direction was clear, mainly compensating those around him and seeking revenge on Xuanyuan Nan. Just meeting the overly guilty Sect Leader once brought back 10% progress.

However, Ling Yao’s tears were somewhat uncontrollable, and it was uncertain if this long-standing nasal issue would cause any harm to his body.

Finally, after the acupuncture was done, the Sect Leader had just tidied the Young Master’s sleeves when a guard came in to report that someone was waiting at the foot of the Demon Sect Mountain, presenting a token to request a meeting.

This sudden visitor left people puzzled, even the usually calm Right Guardian glanced at the token.

It was a snow-white jade, of excellent quality and exquisite craftsmanship, but nothing special could be discerned from it.

The Sect Leader, seeing the token, frowned slightly.

He pondered for a moment and suddenly asked the Right Guardian, “Is Nan Ren being punished at the Martial Arts Arena?”

Though the question was abrupt, the Right Guardian answered seriously, “Yes, at the Martial Arts Arena at the foot of the mountain.”

This was to prevent the Young Master from running over, so they specifically chose the farthest Martial Arts Arena for the punishment.

The Sect Leader turned to the guard and said, “Bring that person to wait near the Martial Arts Arena.”

The guard left, and the other attendants were dismissed by the Right Guardian. Once only the three of them remained, the Right Guardian asked, “Why does the Sect Leader still want to go to the foot of the mountain to meet someone?”

The Sect Leader was holding a cold, wet cloth to help the Young Master with his eyes. Hearing this, he said calmly, “Do you recognize that white jade?”

The Right Guardian pondered for a moment, “‘Smooth as fat, firm without fluff,’ is it Xuanyun Jade from Snow Ridge?”

Receiving the Sect Leader’s confirmation, the Right Guardian was surprised, “…Is it someone from Xuanyun Sect?”

Hearing this sect’s name, Shi Jingxian couldn’t help but pay attention.

Bai Qinglian, who colluded with Xuanyuan Nan, was the leader of Xuanyun Sect.

“Does the Sect Leader know who the visitor is?”

The Sect Leader didn’t answer directly but said, “On my way back, I encountered those people Li Yan was investigating. They secretly contacted someone with Xuanyun Jade.”

The people Li Yan was investigating… Nan Ren?

The Right Guardian glanced at the Young Master.

The Young Master was obediently letting the Sect Leader tend to him, his eyes covered by a damp cloth, unable to see anything.

The Sect Leader didn’t hide it from him, “Since they want to make contact, let’s create the opportunity for them.”

The Right Guardian: “…”

That’s easy to say, but one of them is still being punished. If they suddenly run into each other, it would be quite a scene.

After tending to Ling Yao’s eyes, the three of them set off down the mountain. The Right Guardian initially wanted the Young Master to rest, worried that seeing Nan Ren injured would soften his heart. But the Sect Leader seemed convinced by the Young Master’s earlier promise, agreeing immediately when Ling Yao wanted to go along.

Shi Jingxian planned to follow, not because of the Xuanyun Sect visitor. He knew all about what the Sect Leader mentioned. Nan Ren’s excuse of being sick for three days was to secretly leave the Demon Sect and meet with his people and Bai Qinglian.

With two months left before the righteous path’s extermination of the Demon Sect, Bai Qinglian happened to be near the Demon Sect. Nan Ren deliberately leaked the Sect Leader’s whereabouts to Bai Qinglian, allowing Bai Qinglian to hide in the shadows and probe the Sect Leader’s inner strength.

But now, due to Ling Yao’s “nasal congestion,” the Sect Leader returned early, and it was uncertain how Bai Qinglian would react.

As the direct killer of the Sect Leader, Bai Qinglian was also one of Shi Jingxian’s targets for revenge.

However, no matter how profound Bai Qinglian’s martial arts were, he couldn’t possibly break into the Demon Sect alone. This Xuanyun Sect visitor was likely someone else. This matter wasn’t Shi Jingxian’s main focus for now; he was mainly interested in Xuanyuan Nan.

Having just received eighty strokes, plus the forty specifically ordered by the Sect Leader, it would be a shame not to see Xuanyuan Nan’s current miserable state.

Besides watching the spectacle to cheer Ling Yao up a bit, Shi Jingxian also wanted to avoid arousing Xuanyuan Nan’s suspicion, as Ling Yao was still genuinely fond of him.

However, Shi Jingxian didn’t plan to keep up this act for long. The little one’s eyes were already sensitive, better to spare him from Xuanyuan Nan’s eyesore. This time, Shi Jingxian also thought about finding an excuse to make them fall out directly.

The sect’s punishments were divided into three types: the first was punishment by the branch hall, with no one watching, ending after the punishment. The second was execution at the Martial Arts Arena, where non-duty sect members would attend. The third was entering the Punishment Hall, a major offense where the punished would either die or be crippled. Xuanyuan Nan’s current punishment belonged to the second type.

When the three arrived at the foot of the mountain at the Martial Arts Arena, it was surrounded by layers of sect members. Shi Jingxian had just reached the high platform with the best view when he heard a notification sound.

[Ding—Task repair progress, 20%]

It seemed the punishment was almost over.

From the high platform, Shi Jingxian could clearly see the situation in the Martial Arts Arena. Scattered on the ground in the circular area surrounded by people were several broken sticks, seemingly just broken. In the center knelt a person in black, though no other colors were visible, the bloodstains on the broken sticks made it easy to guess his current state.

However, what surprised Shi Jingxian the most was that the crowd had left a space in front of Xuanyuan Nan, and in that space stood a man in snow-white clothes.

[Ding—Task repair progress, 25%]

Shi Jingxian: “…?”

Hearing this sound, he confirmed the identity of the person who absolutely shouldn’t be here—

The person “invited” to watch the punishment from less than two meters in front of Xuanyuan Nan was Bai Qinglian.

…No wonder the progress bar continued to rise by 5%, Shi Jingxian thought. If he remembered correctly, didn’t Xuanyuan Nan have a fondness for Bai Qinglian? To be humiliated like this in front of Bai Qinglian…

Shi Jingxian even felt like bringing a lounge chair to the high platform, eating osmanthus cake while watching.

However, Shi Jingxian hadn’t forgotten the question: why would Bai Qinglian, the leader of Xuanyun Sect, come to the Demon Sect alone?

He originally wanted to see Xuanyuan Nan, but his attention was entirely drawn to Bai Qinglian. When the crowd dispersed and the Sect Leader was about to take him down from the high platform, Shi Jingxian remembered the forgotten Xuanyuan Nan.

He had already been dragged away by people instructed by the Right Guardian. Those two people were dragging the unresponsive Xuanyuan Nan up the mountain path at a brisk pace, disappearing quickly, as if afraid the Young Master would call them back.

Shi Jingxian: …

These two guardians, their real job seems to be protecting the young.

With Xuanyuan Nan dragged away, Shi Jingxian stayed to meet Bai Qinglian. Honestly, despite the sect leader’s flawless appearance and aura, Shi Jingxian found it hard to like him.

This feeling intensified when Bai Qinglian, after greeting the Sect Leader, turned his gaze to Ling Yao.

Shi Jingxian recalled the look Bai Qinglian gave Ling Yao when he watched his father’s body being taken away.

Not only him, but the Sect Leader also showed slight displeasure upon noticing Bai Qinglian’s gaze.

He had no intention of speaking much with Bai Qinglian and directly asked, “Do you have business here?”

Bai Qinglian, looking at Ling Yao with slightly red eyes and nose, finally reflected a hint of color in his almost silver eyes amidst the cold wind and snow.

He finally spoke, his voice cold and low, like a melodious silver string, making it hard to dislike.

“Does the Young Master of your sect have a nasal congestion issue?”

After arousing the vigilance of those present, Bai Qinglian finally withdrew his gaze from Ling Yao and looked calmly at the frowning Sect Leader.

He slowly said, “Xuanyun Sect has an ancient method that can cure it.”