Chapter 111: Utterly Ignorant of Favor

More and more people gathered in the valley. Yan Shu handed each newcomer a stalk of Spirit Gathering Grass, exuding an air of lavish generosity. Those who received the grass were initially delighted; after all, not only was there excitement to witness, but they were also gifted a spiritual herb—an unexpected windfall.

Why refuse something free? Who wouldn’t want it?

Yet when they approached the senior brothers or sisters who had notified them and learned the true reason for the gathering, their smiles faded at once.

The commotion was so great that even those who hadn’t been directly notified but heard the news arrived, including some elders from the sects overseeing this Brahma Heaven secret realm. Yan Shu paid no mind to who came; as long as they were human, she would hand them a stalk of Spirit Gathering Grass.

The elders who received the grass looked baffled. Only after joining their disciples did they piece together what had happened.

Then they erupted.

“Are you out of your mind? That’s Yan Shu! Never mind her cultivation, her status as the Peak Master of Xuantian Sect alone makes her someone you cannot insult!”

“But, but Master, I just followed everyone else. They were all cursing, so I joined in.”

“There are people eating filth, too! Why don’t you join them?”

The disciple fell silent.

“You’d better pray Yan Shu doesn’t hold this against you. Xuantian Sect is fiercely protective of their own. When Sect Leader Xing was still alive, he treated Yan Shu as dearly as his own eyes. There was a small sect leader with no sense who tried to flatter him, saying that a genius like Yan Shu shouldn’t fall prematurely. Just for that comment, he was ‘taught a lesson’ by Yan Shu’s four senior brothers in turn. What resources could a small sect have? Even its leader was only at the early-stage Spirit Transformation realm. ‘Taught a lesson’ was more like a one-sided beating!”

“But Xuantian’s Sect Leader Xing feigned ignorance. Only when his disciples had beaten the man so badly he couldn’t stand did he finally say, ‘Don’t be excessive.’ The beating was done; what’s the point in not being excessive now?”

The disciple grew even more fearful, stammering, “But… but Uncle Yan said she’d let bygones be bygones.”

“She might, but that doesn’t mean her senior brothers will! Just wait—soon, her brothers will surely arrive. Even if the Sect Leader of Taichu Sect, the most prestigious sect, insulted Yan Shu, he’d be forced to apologize. You have no idea what true favoritism looks like!”

The disciples were bewildered. “Is it really that terrifying?”

“It’s exactly that terrifying! Pray for yourself!”

They truly didn’t understand what real favoritism meant; even Yan Shu herself knew only a fraction.

Very soon, the Xuantian Sect members arrived, led by Liu Zhiqing. His face dark, he swept his gaze coolly over the crowd before approaching Yan Shu. His first words were, “Which people insulted you?”

Yan Shu pouted and replied honestly, “Too many—I didn’t remember.”

“Then forget it.” Liu Zhiqing snorted. “In the end, every debt has its debtor.”

Sun Changfeng and Qiu Shuoran, standing nearby, felt a chill run through their feet. They were already uneasy, but now their anxiety grew.

Liu Zhiqing didn’t even look at them. He reproached Yan Shu, “Little sister, you exited the secret realm without notifying your brothers? If it weren’t for First Brother messaging me and scolding me, I wouldn’t have known you’d returned, let alone suffered such injustice.”

Yan Shu was surprised. “First Brother already knows?”

“With something this big, how could he not?” Liu Zhiqing replied. “Fourth Brother is at the sect as well—they’ll arrive soon.”

As he spoke, several flashes of teleportation talisman light appeared, and more Xuantian Sect members arrived.

But it wasn’t as Sun Changfeng expected. It wasn’t just Bing Shien and a few stewards from the Disciplinary Hall; the new Xuantian Sect Leader, Wen Youhe, the Wu Xu Peak Master, and the legendary Fourth Brother, Shi Wanqing, had all come.

The group wore cold expressions, especially Shi Wanqing, who held his ancient treasure, Ten-Thousand-Jin, in his hand. His murderous aura silenced the valley.

After a while, hushed murmurs resumed.

“Heavens, even the Xuantian Sect Leader is here!”

“Not only the leader, but with Yan Shu, all four former Xuantian Peak Masters have gathered!”

“If I… if I run now, is it too late?”

This was Yan Shu’s first time meeting First Brother Wen Youhe and Fourth Brother Shi Wanqing.

In her memory, Wen Youhe was the most mature and steady, always calm no matter the situation. Fourth Brother Shi Wanqing was less clear; he was often away, but whenever he returned, he brought gifts for the original Yan Shu.

Half the contents of the original Yan Shu’s storage pouch had been given by Shi Wanqing.

As soon as they arrived, Sun Changfeng and the others clasped their fists in salute, “Sect Leader, Uncles, Masters.”

Yet Wen Youhe and his group merely nodded lightly and passed them by.

Wen Youhe approached Yan Shu and looked her over carefully. Seeing she was uninjured and in good spirits, he finally nodded in satisfaction.

Shi Wanqing asked, echoing Liu Zhiqing, “Little sister, who insulted you?”

Yan Shu answered truthfully that she couldn’t recall. Shi Wanqing and Liu Zhiqing, true brothers in spirit, swept their gaze over the crowd and snorted, “No matter—it all comes down to the original offender!”

At this, Yan Shu regretted having Second Brother bring the Disciplinary Hall stewards.

She… seemed to have caused too much trouble.

Bing Shien knew more than most. He glanced at Sun Changfeng and Qiu Shuoran, and said coldly, “What happened exactly? Speak!”

Sun Changfeng now regretted deeply, but there was no turning back. He could only steel himself and recount the events.

This time, he’d learned his lesson. After explaining everything, he quickly separated Yan Shu from the matter, saying, “I only wanted justice and planned to bring it up back at the sect. I never expected Yan Shu to become involved.”

After saying this, he felt several icy gazes upon him. Without looking, he knew they belonged to his master and the uncles.

Even if Sun Changfeng claimed ignorance of how Yan Shu got entangled, Wen Youhe and the others understood the truth perfectly.

Wen Youhe withdrew his gaze from Sun Changfeng and turned to Bing Shien, “Since that’s the case, let’s settle the matter here and now before everyone, so as not to tarnish our little sister’s reputation.”

Bing Shien bowed, “Yes, Sect Leader.”

He straightened, looking at Sun Changfeng and Qiu Shuoran, and declared, “Ten years ago, you claimed to have been framed. With Xiao Jihan absent, the Disciplinary Hall couldn’t investigate. Now everyone is here—speak openly before all. What justice are you seeking?”

As Bing Shien spoke, he infused his words with spiritual power so every syllable rang clearly in the ears of all present.

The valley fell silent, every eye fixed on Sun Changfeng and Bing Shien.