Villainous Junior Chapter 10
Translated by Sylver (ko-fi)
Chapter 10: Punishment
The disciples burst into an uproar.
"Senior Brother Meng? No way!"
"How could Senior Brother Meng possibly violate sect rules? Besides, he just killed this blood demon!"
"Junior Brother Xue, you shouldn't speak carelessly." Yin Chi's eyes flashed with anger as he coldly looked at Xue Lang and said, "Senior Brother is the most law-abiding person and would never trespass into forbidden areas. Your words sound rather strange - if you say you saw Senior Brother enter the eighth floor, doesn't that mean you also went to the eighth floor?"
Hearing this, the disciples all turned their questioning gazes towards Xue Lang. However, Xue Lang remained composed and, without even looking at Yin Chi, continued. "It happened like this. The night before last, I was reviewing my lessons in the Library Pavilion when I saw Senior Brother Meng. I had a few questions I didn't understand, so I chased after him to ask for his guidance. Unexpectedly, I saw with my own eyes that he went all the way up to the eighth floor, exchanged a few words with the guard, and then entered. I am not lying. If the elders don't believe me, you can confront Senior Brother Meng about it."
The elders were skeptical. Fu Yan turned his gaze to Meng Chen and asked sternly. "Meng Chen, is what he said true?"
Meng Chen was silent for a moment, then said. "Yes."
Yin Chi was stunned and abruptly turned to look at Meng Chen. Pei Yuze also furrowed his brow slightly. The other disciples were even more shocked, their eyes widening in disbelief. The elders exchanged glances, and Fu Yan's brow furrowed into a deep "川" shape as he asked coldly. "What were you doing there?"
Before Meng Chen could answer, someone couldn't hold back anymore. Zhao Jingchen, the senior disciple of Yuhua Peak, hurriedly stepped out from the crowd. After bowing to Fu Yan, he explained. "Elder, there's another reason for this. The night before last, I was on duty on the eighth floor. Senior Brother Meng Chen came with a letter from Immortal Lord Zhongli. The Immortal Lord had asked him to borrow 'The Seven Star Poison Manual'!"
Zhao Jingchen had always admired Meng Chen and couldn't bear to see him being interrogated so harshly like a criminal. He thought that explaining the reason would quell Elder Fu Yan's anger. However, unexpectedly, after hearing this, Fu Yan's expression became even more furious. He stared at Meng Chen and asked, enunciating each word. "As far as I know, Immortal Lord Zhongli entered a secret realm a month ago and completely cut off contact with the outside world. How did you receive a letter from your master?"
Zhao Jingchen hadn't expected this turn of events. He stood there dumbfounded, slowly turning his head to look at Meng Chen.
Meng Chen sighed lightly in his heart and said. "The Elder is correct. My master's letter...I forged it."
Upon hearing this, the disciples and elders present all showed even more incredulous expressions. Yu Nian couldn't hold back anymore. "Meng Chen, you say you...what exactly were you trying to do!?"
"I've been researching alchemy recently and wanted to take a look at 'The Seven Star Poison Manual', but I couldn't contact my master, so I had no choice but to resort to this method," Meng Chen said, lowering his eyes. "After entering the eighth floor of the Library Pavilion, I remembered that a blood demon was sealed there, which would be perfect for extracting blood for alchemy, so I opened the sealing bottle. However, I didn't expect the blood demon to be so fast. After breaking the seal, it vanished without a trace..."
The moment he heard Xue Lang accuse him, Meng Chen knew that the little evil dog was stirring up trouble again, preparing to "poison" him.
He had indeed entered the eighth floor, but he had never touched that sealing bottle, and the blood demon wouldn't have escaped on its own for no reason. It must have been Xue Lang who used some method to not only sneak into the eighth floor of the Library Pavilion but also break the seal and release the blood demon, deliberately framing him.
He did have a way to prove his innocence, but if he did so, Xue Lang would be completely finished - trespassing into forbidden areas, releasing demons, harming fellow disciples, framing a senior brother... any one of these was a serious crime. Put together, it would be enough for him to receive several hundred lashes and be expelled from Taixuan Sect.
Meng Chen lifted the hem of his robe and knelt down, saying in a low voice. "Today's incident was caused entirely by my reckless actions. I request punishment from the elders."
Xue Lang stood behind him, listening to his words, filled with astonishment. The follow-up speech he had prepared suddenly vanished from his mind.
He confessed?
He... actually confessed!?
The other disciples and elders were even more stunned as they listened.
This...was this really something done by Meng Chen, the ever-flawless model disciple of Taixuan Sect???
It sounded too surreal!!!
"This is absolutely outrageous!" Fu Yan looked at the young man kneeling before him, his eyes filled with anger at the wasted potential. "As a disciple of Immortal Lord Zhongli, you should be setting an example for all disciples in the sect. Now you've shown complete disregard for the rules and acted recklessly. What, do you think that because you're from Tianji Peak, the Disciplinary Hall can't touch you!?"
He grew more and more furious as he spoke. According to the rules, these offenses were enough to be expelled from Taixuan Sect. But as Fu Yan looked at the young man kneeling upright on the ground, he really couldn't bear to throw away such a promising talent. So finally, he waved his sleeve and pronounced the judgment. "Meng Chen, disciple of Tianji Peak, for trespassing into forbidden areas, releasing demons, and causing great disaster, you shall be severely punished! Report to the Disciplinary Hall to receive fifty lashes!"
As soon as these words were spoken, countless faces changed color.
The whips in the Disciplinary Hall were no ordinary whips. Made from tiger tendons, they were incredibly hard, and the punisher would infuse spiritual power when lashing. Often, one lash would leave a red mark, ten lashes would break the skin, thirty lashes would cause internal injuries, and if fifty lashes were given...wouldn't that take half a life?!
Even if Meng Chen was at the Nascent Soul Stage and could withstand this torture, the suffering during the punishment would be very real!
Yin Chi was so anxious that he was about to step forward immediately. Pei Yuze also lowered his face, preparing to plead for mercy. But they saw someone move faster than them, taking a few steps to kneel heavily behind Meng Chen. "Elder, please wait! It was actually I who released that blood demon!"
Meng Chen's heart seized, and he almost couldn't catch his breath. He turned his head and gritted out in a low voice. "Shut up!"
Not only did Xue Lang not shut up, but his voice grew even louder, loud enough for everyone to hear clearly. "Those words earlier were actually me framing Senior Brother Meng!"
Everyone: "????"
What's going on??
Everyone was stunned by this shocking turn of events, looking at Xue Lang with bewildered expressions. Fu Yan's face darkened even more. "What did you say?"
"I framed Senior Brother Meng earlier." Xue Lang kowtowed heavily to Fu Yan and said, "I...dislike Senior Brother Meng. Since entering the sect, I've always been jealous of him. So when I saw him violate the rules and enter the eighth floor of the library, I took the opportunity to sneak in and release the blood demon, intending to frame him."
Fu Yan was dumbfounded by this series of actions, his face cycling through various colors. "Then why are you confessing now!?"
"..." Xue Lang didn't answer, only kowtowing heavily again. "In any case, I did it, I made the mistake, and I'm willing to go to the Disciplinary Hall to receive punishment!"
"Well...committing such a grave error less than a month after joining the sect, I've never seen a disciple like you before!" Fu Yan was so angry he could barely speak. He pointed at Xue Lang fiercely, "Taixuan Sect does not accept those with improper intentions. Pack your things and leave the mountain immediately!"
Xue Lang clenched his fist, but before he could speak, Meng Chen had already called out. "Elder Fu!"
Fu Yan: "What!"
"I, Meng Chen, dare to say, although this may be inappropriate, but—" Meng Chen said in a deep voice, "Xue Lang is from my Tianji Peak, a disciple acknowledged by Immortal Lord Zhongli. Even if he has made a grave mistake, only Immortal Lord Zhongli has the right to decide whether he stays or goes."
"You—" Fu Yan's face was almost contorted with anger, but he realized there was truth in those words. Zhongli Jing held an extraordinary position in Taixuan Sect, and indeed, others couldn't easily dispose of his disciples.
He glared fiercely at the two, but ultimately made a concession. "Fine... We'll set aside expulsion for now, but punishment must be given!" He waved his sleeve heavily, "Go to the Disciplinary Hall and receive fifty lashes!"
Meng Chen: "Wait!"
Fu Yan glared angrily. "What now!?"
"Elder Fu, Xue Lang is only at the Foundation Establishment realm, he really can't withstand fifty lashes from the Disciplinary Hall," Meng Chen said urgently. "Moreover, he's young, still childish, and has only been in the sect for a short time, not yet fully familiar with Taixuan Sect's rules. As his senior brother, I failed to strictly supervise and guide him, bearing an inescapable responsibility—I'm willing to take the punishment in his place!"
Hearing this, Xue Lang immediately raised his head and shouted angrily at him. "I don't need your fake kindness!! A real man takes responsibility for his own actions. Elder Fu, I'm willing to bear all the punishment!!"
Meng Chen's head was pounding from this troublemaking wolf-dog. "You—"
"Elder Fu, I'm ready!!" Xue Lang's loud voice completely drowned out Meng Chen's, "You can whip me now!!!"
Elder Yu Nian of Yuhua Peak watched from the side, sighing deeply. "I've been in Taixuan Sect for so many years, but this is the first time I've seen disciples fighting to go to the Disciplinary Hall for a whipping. As expected of people from Tianji Peak, they're truly different..."
Elder Bu Yunjian of Wuzhao Peak remained silent for a while, before finally asking a soul-searching question. "Are they... really on bad terms?"
