Dispute

"Don't run!" Jiang Jingwei let out a low growl and moved to barrel into the hospital room, aiming to jump out the window in pursuit of the culprit. As she brushed past Zhang Yuanqing, he grabbed hold of her. "You can't even fly, so what the hell are you chasing?" Zhang Yuanqing snapped. The red-haired girl, whose tilted eyes gave her a naturally proud, spirited air, cocked her head in thought. Finding that reasonable, she dropped the idea of chasing after them and fumed indignantly, "Despicable bastard, they can actually fly! Didn't we station snipers nearby?" Wei Yuanzhou emerged from the lounge, his steps slightly unsteady. "At that speed, even a Scout couldn't hit the target," he said helplessly. "Sigh, that was my miscalculation. I didn't expect him to have an accomplice. Must be a Spirit Medium too—looked like a bee, a speed-type Gu beast." "It wasn't your miscalculation; it was ours. Guan Ya was too certain. Now it seems the attacker has an organization behind him," Zhang Yuanqing brushed off casually, then added, "Captain Wei, please check on our colleagues down the hall. Let's not delay their emergency treatment." Having sent Wei Yuanzhou away, Zhang Yuanqing pulled out a wet wipe, cleaned up the blood on the floor, and clutched it in his hand. Turning to Jiang Jingwei, he said, "Tell Guan Ya that I have something to handle, and that I won't be in any danger. Stay at the hospital and wait for word from me." "Oh!" Jiang Jingwei replied without asking why. She probably hadn't thought to ask, or simply didn't care. At times like this, the benefits of dealing with a Fire Master shone through. Anyone else would have at least asked a follow-up question even if they didn't pry into every detail, wasting effort on excuses. Zhang Yuanqing's body dissolved into a dreamy shower of starlight, vanishing from outside the intensive care room. A second later, he materialized in the shadowed planter behind the inpatient building and summoned the Red Dancing Shoes. *Tap, tap...* The Red Dancing Shoes circled their master cheerfully, the soles clicking crisply against the ground. They seemed delighted; they hadn't been let out in quite some time. Zhang Yuanqing stuffed the wet wipe inside one of the shoes and whispered, "Lead me to him!" This was to guard against the possibility that Xiao Yuan was deliberately avoiding him and hadn't taken the man back to Wuhen Hotel. Amid a flurry of tapping sounds, the Red Dancing Shoes darted forward like an arrow, disappearing into the dark night. Zhang Yuanqing walked unhurriedly toward the hospital entrance, where quite a few taxis were idling. Picking one at random, he got in and said, "Driver, just follow my directions." The driver had never heard such a request and was reluctant at first, but the young man in the back seat added, "Guaranteed five hundred yuan minimum." The driver hit the gas, and the cab shot forward like an arrow leaving the string. "You got it!" Zhang Yuanqing pointed out a direction, then leaned back against the seat, gazing out at the dazzling nightscape as his brow gradually furrowed. That Spirit Medium had tried repeatedly to kill Long Live the White Tiger. Unless there was a special reason, Zhang Yuanqing wouldn't let him off, even if he was Xiao Yuan's companion. By "special reason," he meant something like Kou Beiyue assassinating Chi Yue'an back then. However, Long Live the White Tiger was clearly different from Chi Yue'an. Leaving aside the camaraderie of fighting side by side, Long Live the White Tiger had no major moral issues. Making money on the side wasn't a fatal offense as long as he wasn't deeply corrupt. After all, one couldn't expect everyone to be a saint. In that case, the reason Xiao Yuan's companion wanted to kill Long Live the White Tiger had to come down to a personal vendetta, a misunderstanding, or some petty conflict. Regardless of which it was, the situation would be thorny. If Long Live the White Tiger was completely in the clear and it was merely a personal grudge, then according to the rules, an evil-class cultivator who assassinated an official walker had to be eliminated; it would be very difficult for Zhang Yuanqing to show leniency. If it was a misunderstanding, it would be easiest to handle: he could mediate, have Xiao Yuan pay Long Live the White Tiger compensation, and settle it privately. Yet if it was just because of some petty friction that the man harbored a grudge and waited for a chance to take revenge, that would be the worst case. It would mean Xiao Yuan's companion would inevitably harm innocent people in the future. *I hope this doesn't put me in an impossible spot...* Zhang Yuanqing muttered to himself. This matter was best handled in secret, and best handled personally by him, which was why he hadn't even brought Guan Ya along. *Right, once I find the target, I'll dance with the Red Dancing Shoes first, then find a secluded spot to resolve the Mountain God Scepter's side effect. Going into official business pitching a tent would look ridiculous.* *** Wuhen Hotel. Xiao Yuan kicked open the standard room where Kou Beiyue and Little Fatty were staying. The door slammed against the wall with a deafening bang, startling the two awake. One instinctively summoned a dagger, while the other summoned a human-skin mask. Seeing that the one who had burst in was Xiao Yuan in her Gu-morphed form, Kou Beiyue put away his dagger in astonishment. "Xiao Yuan, you scared the hell out of me..." The next instant, he was truly frightened, his expression turning pale and frantic. "What happened to Uncle Zhang?!" In Xiao Yuan's arms lay an elderly man wearing an overcoat. He appeared gravely injured and unconscious. The heavy black overcoat reeked of blood, thoroughly soaked through. Xiao Yuan hurried toward the single bed and barked, "Don't just stand there like an idiot! Go to my room and get the Gu-raising jar and the first-aid kit!" Her pupils were dark and glossy like black gems, antennae sprouted from her forehead, two tiny fangs showed past her lips, and yellow-and-black patterns covered her cheeks like queen bee makeup, rendering her both uncanny and breathtakingly gorgeous. Yet when fury took hold of her, her aura was as chilling as that of a true queen bee, causing Kou Beiyue and Little Fatty to shrink back instinctively. Without time to ask anything, Kou Beiyue bolted out of the room clad only in boxers. Xiao Yuan carefully laid the old man on the bed and tore open his clothes. Only then did Little Fatty clearly see the extent of his injuries. A large swath of skin on his chest was charred black, the flesh sunken inward; the fire had likely damaged his internal organs as well. Furthermore, a blade wound pierced straight through his heart, heavy surges of blood welling up from the deep, narrow cut. *Inflicted by a Mist Lord and a Fire Demon? Er, probably a Mist Lord using a Fire Demon item, or a Fire Demon using a Mist Lord item...* Little Fatty hastily fetched an emerald bead and offered, "Have him hold this bead in his mouth. It can suppress the injuries." Xiao Yuan snatched the green bead, pried open Uncle Zhang's mouth, and stuffed it inside. A flush of color swiftly returned to Uncle Zhang's withered face. This couldn't cure the injury—blood still seeped from the stab wound, and the charred skin showed no signs of recovery. Yet it was enough to keep a thread of life clinging to him. Just then, hurried footsteps sounded outside, and Kou Beiyue returned carrying the first-aid kit in one hand and clutching a dusty earthenware jar in the other. Ignoring the first-aid kit, Xiao Yuan took the half-meter-tall jar, sat by the edge of the bed, and reached her right hand inside. After rummaging for a few seconds, she pulled out a plump, rounded silkworm. The silkworm was fat and well-nourished, snow-white all over except for a pitch-black head, squirming frantically between Xiao Yuan's fingertips. She first removed the green bead, then brought the silkworm to Uncle Zhang's mouth and pinched it until it burst. Thick green fluid squirted into Uncle Zhang's mouth. His throat bobbed instinctively, swallowing greedily. Xiao Yuan popped six silkworms in succession before stopping. Setting the clay jar on the nightstand, she flipped open the first-aid kit and took out bandages, antiseptic, a scalpel, needle, and thread. Using the razor-sharp scalpel, she scraped away the charred skin until tender red flesh was exposed, then stitched closed the bleeding wound over his chest. Finally, she spread the remains of the silkworms evenly across the surface of the raw flesh. Having done all this, she exhaled slowly, the tension leaving her expression. Rising, she instructed, "Bandage him up." She was still in her beast-morphed state and needed to change her clothes. By the time Xiao Yuan returned to the room in fresh clothes, the old man had already awakened. He stared blankly at the ceiling in silence, his face etched with bitter sorrow. Kou Beiyue stood beside the bed, ignoring the younger subordinate who was frantically throwing him hints, and pressed anxiously, "Uncle Zhang, who injured you? Just tell me, and I'll go avenge you right now!" Yet the old man ignored him, remaining completely silent. Xiao Yuan glanced at Uncle Zhang on the bed and said calmly, "You two step outside. Beiyue, go keep watch at the front desk." Little Fatty quietly departed. Kou Beiyue hesitated, wanting to speak, but under Xiao Yuan's chilly glare, he had no choice but to hang his head, walk out, and pull the door shut behind him. Out in the hallway, Little Fatty whispered, "Boss, should we press our ears against the door to listen?" Kou Beiyue lectured his junior, "Do you want to get beaten by Xiao Yuan? Don't let her cool, detached demeanor fool you—she has a terrible temper! If you want to get by in this hotel from now on, you'd better listen to her and not try to get clever." *A terrible temper...* Little Fatty noted it mentally. Free-class cultivators generally suffered from significant personality flaws, which made them prone to extremes. His boss's flaws were plain to see, but he couldn't see through Xiao Yuan at all. That showed the temperament training of a Level 5 Witch Doctor far surpassed his boss's. "Understood!" Little Fatty earnestly took his boss's advice. "Boss, then let's head down to the lobby. Who knows, a guest might show up." Even though this rundown hotel practically never saw guests. Kou Beiyue coughed and said with righteous solemnity, "You go keep watch at the front desk. I'll stay here. If they need anything inside, I can help out." Little Fatty: "..." Inside the room, Xiao Yuan, now wearing her front desk uniform, pulled out the high-backed chair next to the desk. "Until the Gu's potency fades, you'll feel numb and your limbs will be weak. You'll be fine by morning." She sat down, retrieved a pack of slim women's cigarettes from her suit jacket pocket, drew out a long, slender cigarette, and lit it. Her bright red lips parted slightly, exhaling a plume of white smoke. "The last time you were injured by an official walker was in Jinghai City as well. Although you were hurt badly then, your spirits were high, and you said the knot you'd carried for years could finally be untied." Xiao Yuan flicked the ash, her voice even. "Yet tonight when you arrived at the hotel, you were weighed down with worry, your expression gloomy. In less than half a month, your mood has shifted so drastically. Uncle Zhang, what happened to you?" Uncle Zhang shook his head slightly and said in a raspy voice, "Do not ask of the past; do not pry into private affairs; speak only of one's own free will. Those are the rules Master Wuhen established." Xiao Yuan held the cigarette between her slender, jade-like fingers, her red lips lightly pursing around the filter. Her manner of smoking was exceedingly graceful, like a wealthy lady from the Republican era. Once the cigarette was finished, she ground it out gently in the ashtray and said flatly, "You still remember Master Wuhen's rules? Wasn't what you did tonight a betrayal of him? "According to the rules, the moment you decided to assassinate an official Saint, you ceased to be part of this hotel. I shouldn't even have saved you." A look of shame crossed the old man's face on the bed. "I am sorry. I truly did violate the rules Master Wuhen laid down. Once my injuries heal, I will leave." Xiao Yuan's face betrayed frustrated indignation at his failure to live up to expectations, yet deep in her eyes lingered a trace of sorrow. Over the years, new faces had continuously joined, while others, unable to resolve their inner knots and violating the rules of self-redemption, were expelled from the group or ended up dead like Ashamed to Be a Father. She was like a true hotel receptionist, welcoming arrivals and seeing off departures, watching them come and go one after another. And now, Uncle Zhang, who had been here even longer than she had, had embarked on this same path. Right then, a dazzling beam of starlight poured into the room through the window like flowing water, congealing into a tall, handsome young man. He fixed his eyes on the old man in the bed and said coldly, "You'd better explain yourself clearly. That will determine whether I arrest you or help you." To be honest, the perpetrator's appearance took him by surprise: aged, weathered, his sun-baked skin dark, rough, and etched with deep wrinkles, his lips a dark shade. His hair was cut short, a faint layer of gray-white with no black left in sight. This was an old man in his sixties—no, an old farmer. Though he had become a Spirit Realm walker, the first half of his life had branded an indelible mark upon him. A bit blunt, a bit simple and honest, he shared the exact demeanor of the elderly farmers Zhang Yuanqing had seen working along the ridges of fields in his childhood. Those who spent their days bent over their crops, losing the ability to socialize, naturally came across as blunt. How had an old man like this become a Spirit Realm walker, and an evil-class one at that? Seeing Zhang Yuanqing appear in the room, the old man's face drained of color. His body convulsed violently as if trying to rise and face an enemy, yet with his limbs limp and numb, he could do nothing except twitch and spasm. "You actually tracked me all the way here..." Uncle Zhang shouted hoarsely. "Xiao Yuan, run! Take Beiyue and get out of here! Don't worry about me!" Xiao Yuan sighed softly. "No need to be nervous. He's my friend." Uncle Zhang, still convulsing, froze, dumbfounded. "A friend?" The official Saint who had been fighting him to the death at Jinghai People's Hospital barely an hour ago was Xiao Yuan's friend? When had she made such a friend? Xiao Yuan said evenly, "He is Yuanshi Tianzun!" *Yuanshi Tianzun...* Uncle Zhang was stunned at first, then his expression shifted, his eyes flickering with an intricate, unreadable swirl of emotions. Xiao Yuan did not notice the change in the old man's expression. She was looking at Zhang Yuanqing as she introduced in a low voice, "This is Uncle Zhang." "Uncle Zhang, is it..." Zhang Yuanqing nearly blurted out *we share a surname*, but stopped himself in time. He first gave Xiao Yuan a brief account of what had transpired, then turned to Uncle Zhang, his face cold and his voice grave. "Since you're Xiao Yuan's companion, you've likely heard of me. Uncle Zhang, I need to know your reason for assassinating Long Live the White Tiger. If there's a misunderstanding, I'll help resolve it. If you have been wronged, I can seek justice for you." To lend his words more weight, he brought up a past event. "Kou Beiyue is the best example." Xiao Yuan looked toward Uncle Zhang on the bed as well. To their surprise, the weathered old man spoke in a raspy, desperate voice, "Xiao Yuan, don't let him take me away! I will pay the price for everything I've done, but please, don't let him take me away. In all these years, this is my only request!" Hearing the old man's plea, a vein throbbed on Zhang Yuanqing's forehead. What he feared most had come to pass. Uncle Zhang's reaction was no different from a confession, which meant Zhang Yuanqing had to choose between duty and personal ties. Should he turn a blind eye, or handle it by the book? Zhang Yuanqing chose the latter. Walking toward the bed with a cold expression, he said, "Pleased to meet you, Uncle Zhang, but I have to take you in." Uncle Zhang looked toward Xiao Yuan. A look of conflict appeared on Xiao Yuan's face. Yet looking at that weathered visage and that pleading expression, her heart softened after all. She stepped forward to block Zhang Yuanqing's path, shaking her head. "You can't take him away. If Uncle Zhang is arrested, it's certain death for him. Once it reaches official ears, you won't be able to protect him." Zhang Yuanqing paused, staring at Xiao Yuan's exquisite, beautiful face, his brow furrowing. "Xiao Yuan... you shouldn't get in my way. He broke Master Wuhen's rules and violated his vows; he's no longer your companion. Even if this were brought before Master Wuhen, he would support me." With that, he stepped around Xiao Yuan and moved toward the bed. However, the moment he took a step, a heavy weight bore down on his shoulder. The next instant, Zhang Yuanqing found himself hurled through the air like a soaring cloud, crashing violently beside the window with an impact that shook the entire wall. He stared in utter shock at Xiao Yuan, who had just flung him away, as if unable to believe it. "You put your hands on me?" A flicker of guilt crossed Xiao Yuan's face, but she quickly turned frosty. "I will give you an explanation regarding Uncle Zhang. Go back for now." Zhang Yuanqing stared blankly at her for several seconds, veins bulging one after another on his forehead. He had never anticipated this outcome—never imagined that Xiao Yuan would lay a hand on him to harbor Uncle Zhang. That throw hadn't broken any bones, but it had wounded their bond. Zhang Yuanqing suddenly realized that he was, in the end, merely an outsider. In Xiao Yuan's heart, the companions of Master Wuhen's group were her true people. The moment a conflict arose between the two sides, she would unconditionally choose her companion. Anger surged within his chest, and he let out a cold laugh. "I can give you time—as many days as you want, because you're the one asking. But Xiao Yuan, what then? Are you going to kill him and hand him over to me, or escort him to the authorities yourself? You won't even let me arrest him! "Or is your so-called explanation just waiting until I leave so you can sneakily set him free? I finally see it clearly today: you never considered me one of your own at all." "Don't let your imagination run wild," Xiao Yuan said with a taut face. Just then, the door was pushed open, and Kou Beiyue poked his head in, grumbling, "What are you two arguing about?!" He had actually heard the conversation inside loud and clear, and he knew what Uncle Zhang had done. His feelings were torn down the middle: on one side was Xiao Yuan, on the other was Yuanshi Tianzun. On one side was Uncle Zhang, on the other was the justice he believed in. Torn between them, he could only burst in playing the fool, hoping the two inside would call a truce for his sake. Zhang Yuanqing whipped his head around and snarled, "Fuck off and fight over your own custody! Get the hell out!" *You son of a...* Kou Beiyue had never seen Yuanshi Tianzun this furious, and he shrank his head back in silence. Once the door clicked shut, Zhang Yuanqing demanded angrily, "I helped Kou Beiyue because of the justice in my heart! Chi Yue'an deserved to die, even if he was a deacon of the Five Elements Alliance! I can't stand seeing evil men walk free! I recognize the importance of procedural justice, but I care even more about substantive justice! "If this time I turn a blind eye, if I harbor him... Xiao Yuan, I won't ever be able to hold my head high when I act again. The next time I run into another Chi Yue'an, my conscience will question me: *What right do you have to punish wickedness and protect the innocent? What right do you have to call yourself just? You're nothing more than an accomplice who shields criminals!* "If this time I let him escape just because you asked, and he goes on to harm innocent people in the future, my conscience will never be at peace! Did you ever stop to think about any of that? No, you didn't! "You only have eyes for your companions. There was never any room for me!" Xiao Yuan's pale cheek twitched slightly, a strange ache gripping her chest. She took a deep breath and said coldly, "You cannot take Uncle Zhang." "I am taking him today, and nobody can stop me!" Zhang Yuanqing ground out through clenched teeth. "You want to fight me? Throw me again and see what happens!" Xiao Yuan's brow twitched violently. Watching the two stubbornly squaring off like spiteful children, Uncle Zhang, lying on the bed, fell silent for several seconds before speaking in a low voice: "Young man, I will not harm anyone again, I give you my word. But I truly cannot go with you. Or please, give me a few days—please don't take me away right now. "Whatever you want to know, I can tell you everything."