Chapter Forty-Two: Broken Things

With a loud bang, a figure was hurled out of the door, flew past the railing, and plummeted from the pavilion. Wang Peike glanced at the figure—it was one of the men he had left behind to guard Shen Qingyun. Alarmed, he quickened his pace toward his own chamber.

Inside the room, all appeared as usual. Shen Qingyun still stood there, but at his feet lay a man, already unconscious. Wang Peike stepped closer for a better look.

"What are you doing!" Wang Peike roared at Shen Qingyun.

"Teaching a lesson to two fools," Shen Qingyun replied, his expression unchanged, as though he were recounting something utterly ordinary.

As it turned out, after Wang Peike had left, the two disciples began to taunt Shen Qingyun. Initially, Shen Qingyun planned to ignore them, but their behavior soon became intolerable, so he took action.

"You call this teaching a lesson?" Wang Peike was beside himself with rage. One was now hanging from a pine tree outside, his fate uncertain; the other lay unconscious within. Yet Shen Qingyun spoke of it so lightly, as if it were nothing.

However, upon further thought, Wang Peike realized this incident would provide the Disciplinary Hall ample reason to punish Shen Qingyun severely—unrepentant, assaulting his fellow disciples.

Shen Qingyun, unaware that Wang Peike had already ascribed another crime to him, could tell from his expression that he was certainly not thinking kindly.

"Because you are incorrigible, I, as an elder, will now send you to the Disciplinary Hall, so they may determine your punishment!" Wang Peike declared solemnly.

Shen Qingyun raised an eyebrow. Did Wang Peike's reach extend even to the Disciplinary Hall? He reconsidered—it seemed impossible. The Disciplinary Hall was a pivotal institution of the sect; if a mere steward elder could sway it, then the sect's discipline was truly lacking.

Such a thing was clearly impossible.

Thinking further, it must be related to Wang Peike's earlier hurried departure. The Peak Master—Xu Lingfeng, perhaps?

Since that was the case, a trip to the Disciplinary Hall would do no harm.

With this thought, Shen Qingyun obediently allowed himself to be taken onto Wang Peike’s flying artifact. After roughly the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, he saw a grand hall standing solitary atop a mountain peak, exuding utter desolation.

Above the hall hung three crimson characters, so deeply red they seemed stained with blood: "Disciplinary Hall," instilling fear in all who beheld them.

Entering the hall, a road stretched straight ahead. On either side, braziers crackled fiercely, and the chains hanging from the walls—thick as barrels—glinted with a chilling light.

At first glance, it was as if he had entered the very hell of the Shura.

"Oh, a remarkable arrangement!" Shen Qingyun, visiting for the first time, did not react as ordinary disciples might, with trembling legs; instead, he voiced admiration.

However, in Wang Peike’s ears, it sounded like Shen Qingyun was merely feigning composure.

“Hmph, keep pretending. Let’s see if you can keep it up!” Wang Peike thought to himself.

“One, two, three…” After his exclamation, Shen Qingyun’s lips curled into a smile and he began counting numbers Wang Peike could not comprehend.

“Nine—quite the grand occasion.” Shen Qingyun smiled subtly, as if hinting at something.

Wang Peike strode to the center of the hall, cupped his hands, and addressed the front: “Peike greets Elder Hong of the Disciplinary Hall! I have brought the disciple Shen Qingyun.”

Hong Feng nodded impassively. “I understand. You may leave.”

“Yes!” Wang Peike cupped his hands again. “Elder Hong, I must report this disciple once more. While I was meeting the Peak Master, he assaulted the disciples I assigned to guard him, leaving them unconscious!”

Hong Feng’s voice was low, tinged with anger. “I have heard. Step back and wait!”

Wang Peike was secretly delighted. He could discern the fury in Hong Feng’s tone, and was certain Shen Qingyun’s fate was sealed—without him needing to lift a hand.

Once Wang Peike departed, Hong Feng spoke coolly, “Do you see the meditation mat before you?”

Shen Qingyun nodded.

“Sit upon it.”

Shen Qingyun glanced at the pitch-black mat, then sat cross-legged as instructed. The moment he settled, a current swept through his body—pleasurable, yet tinged with pain.

He immediately understood its purpose, and a faint smile appeared on his lips as he quietly channeled spiritual energy into it. At the sound of a faint crack, he ceased the flow, and the current vanished.

Hong Feng then spoke, with cold hostility, “Do you know where you are?”

Shen Qingyun replied casually, “It’s written in the Bamboo Peak disciple handbook. The Disciplinary Hall—any disciple guilty of grave offenses is sent here.”

Hong Feng nodded and asked again, “Do you know why you have been brought here?”

Shen Qingyun scoffed, “Are your ears faulty? I just told you: disciples guilty of grave offenses are sent here. Didn't you hear me?”

“Insolence!”

Hong Feng erupted in fury, his anger nearly palpable. Half rising from his seat, he abruptly paused and sat back down.

Shen Qingyun’s lips curled again—he had provoked him on purpose.

“Disrespect toward an elder—your crimes are doubled!” Hong Feng barked, his anger undiminished.

With a hint of mockery in his gaze, Shen Qingyun smiled lightly. “That’s already listed among my charges, so your addition is pointless.”

Hong Feng’s face clouded instantly, on the verge of erupting. Those concealed in the shadows realized they could no longer remain hidden; Shen Qingyun had noticed them from the start.

Xu Lingfeng and the others emerged, stepping to Hong Feng’s side, each seeking to soothe him, fearful he might act rashly.

Xu Lingfeng glanced at Shen Qingyun and sighed inwardly. Hong Feng’s efforts to extract useful information from Shen Qingyun were coming at such a cost—he even had to restrain his own temperament.

After the meeting that day, Hong Feng had indeed begun investigating Shen Qingyun. Yet even with all his resources, he could not uncover anything useful; what he found matched the records exactly. He had flown into a rage over it.

Later, he went to see the sect master, claiming it was for the sake of the sect’s security and insisting Shen Qingyun must visit the Disciplinary Hall. He had not given up these past days, searching for ways to persuade the sect master. Now, the opportunity had presented itself.

Hong Feng would not miss this chance. If Shen Qingyun harbored no grudges, he would be another Feng Chuxun…

Xu Lingfeng addressed Shen Qingyun sternly, “How can you treat Elder Hong this way? Do you even respect us elders?”

Shen Qingyun replied, “Do I? I’m not sure—perhaps I do.” He narrowed his eyes and gazed at Elder Fu, his tone chilling. “I recall saying, as long as you harbor no ill intentions, I will be a disciple of Cangyun Sect.”

“We have no designs against you!” Elder Fu retorted immediately.

“Yet you are still scheming about me!”

Shen Qingyun rose, meeting Elder Fu’s gaze, then turned to Xu Lingfeng. “Do you truly wish to test my limits?”

The nine elders present were stunned to see Shen Qingyun stand up. Hong Feng’s emotions surged. “How can you stand up?”

Shen Qingyun glanced down at the black mat and scoffed, “Do you really think this worthless thing could restrain me?”