Chapter 36

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Chapter 36: Title

Young love burned fiercely—intoxicating in its sweetness, overwhelming in its passion. Yet twists of fate could distort even the truest heart, burying it where none might find it.

Ye Qingshang belonged to the latter.

Unconscious, she’d heard nothing of the cave conversation known only to Mu Huaiyun and Qiao Zhu. She comprehended Mu Huaiyun’s feelings no better than her own turbulent emotions.

Having lived two lives, clarity eluded her still.

Like the abyss surrounding her—hazy, shrouded in gloom.

Her eyelids felt leaden, refusing to open. Faint, distant whispers drifted through her haze:

"A’shang, when will you wake? Ten days have passed…"

"A’shang, so many died in Quan Village. Disciples from every sect remained seven full days to contain it."

"Yunshan Sect disciples say the disaster worsened because Young Master Mu freed the demon. Why would someone so steady act so recklessly?"

"A’shang, can you hear me? I failed you—I should’ve come sooner. Had I known… I’d have journeyed with Elder Ning to Yunshan Sect and brought you home. Better than you lying here so gravely wounded."

"A’shang… Young Master Mu faces punishment today. Why won’t you wake…?"

"A’shang, I miss you terribly…"

The voice teased her memory. Who…?

"A’shang! A’shang, can you hear me? Wake up!"

Urgent calls pierced her skull. Pain throbbed behind her eyes, shattering uneasy sleep. With immense effort, she opened them to a face alight with joy.

Qiu Huayi clutched her hand. "Thank heavens! You’re awake at last, A’shang."

"Have I… slept long? Where is this?"

"Yunshan Sect. Your injuries were too severe for travel. Elder Ning brought you here. Fifteen days unconscious—are you in pain?"

Ye Qingshang pressed her hand to her forehead and asked, "Was the situation in Quan Village resolved?"

"It had been handled, but those villagers were truly pitiful; many had died or been injured."

Qiu Huayi helped Ye Qingshang to her feet and added, "I heard it was because Young Master Mu released the ancient fierce beast. Were you there, A’shang? Do you know why he did it? It not only caused the monster poison to spread in Quan Village, but he would also face punishment under sect rules. That punishment is the divine whip…"

"What did you say?!" Ye Qingshang suddenly grabbed Qiu Huayi. "The divine whip? How could he receive the divine whip?! Where is Mu Huaiyun? Tell me!"

"He is at the punishment platform; the punishment should have started by now… Ah, A’shang, your body hasn’t fully recovered, don’t run so fast!"

Meanwhile, at the punishment platform, the atmosphere was tense. Elder Feng looked at Mu Huaiyun, who was half-kneeling on the ground, and asked, "A few days ago outside Quan Village, you insisted on releasing Yin Huai despite everyone opposing you. Was that true?"

"Yes."

Elder Feng said, "The sect rules stated that releasing monsters was forbidden for cultivators. As the young master, you knew this, yet you still did it. Do you acknowledge the punishment?"

"I do."

"Then…" Mu Huaiyun’s admission made Elder Feng hesitate. He glanced at Mu Shezhi, who frowned and nodded unhappily, saying, "Proceed with the divine whip."

"Understood." Elder Feng sighed and shook his head. Since it was the command of the sect leader, he could only proceed as instructed, hoping the young master could withstand the punishment.

"Disciple Mu Huaiyun of the Yunshan Sect, you released the ancient fierce beast Yin Huai. This is a serious offense that cannot be forgiven. I hereby administer the divine whip punishment. First strike, repent!"

As Elder Feng’s strong voice echoed, the first strike of the divine whip fell. This whip was no ordinary item; it was originally a weapon of an immortal from the upper realm. For unknown reasons, it had been thrown into the mortal world. In the mortal realm, cultivators could not wield such divine artifacts due to limited spiritual power, so the divine whip became a punishment tool for the Yunshan Sect.

Whenever a disciple committed a serious offense, the divine whip was summoned. The divine whip carried divine power, not mortal energy, which could ignore a cultivator’s defenses and harm their inner core. For cultivators with a strong inner core, even one strike cost years of cultivation and was very painful. How much worse for Mu Huaiyun, whose inner core was naturally weak…

When the first whip struck, he felt a powerful force crash into his body, nearly shattering his inner core. Pain surged through him as if cut by a thousand swords; he could not bear it, and his back bent. Blood seeped from his back, staining his robes red in an instant.

Ye Qingshang rushed over and saw this scene.

One glance made her heart ache; her breathing grew ragged. She ignored where she was or who was around and went straight to Mu Huaiyun’s side.

Gasps came from the crowd.

"Is that Ye Qingshang from the Frostbite Sect?"

"I thought she was unconscious. How is she here? Is she trying to stop the punishment?"

"Does she dare to interfere with the Yunshan Sect’s punishment? Is she crazy?"

"You can’t punish him!" Ye Qingshang stood in front of Mu Huaiyun. "He did nothing wrong; he released a clone of Yin Huai. Even if that clone dies, it won’t hurt the main body at all."

Elder Feng replied, "You say it’s a clone? Was everyone blind that day? Even if it was a clone, it caused the villagers of Quan Village to suffer from monster poison, and that is a fact!"

"You…"

"Qingshang, come back!" Ning Jiwei shouted.

Because of the incident in Quan Village, many injured people were recovering at the Yunshan Sect. So, besides Yunshan Sect disciples, others from various sects were watching. Ye Qingshang’s words seemed to ignore her sect’s honor.

"Yes, A’shang, come back," Qiu Huayi urged.

But Ye Qingshang did not listen and looked at Mu Shezhi, saying, "Sect Leader Mu, Mu Huaiyun is your son; you know his inner core is weak. After three strikes of the divine whip, his inner core will shatter, ending his cultivation path. He is so proud—how can you let him become a cripple?"

"That’s his own fault!" Mu Shezhi clenched his fists, his knuckles cracking. He cared for his son, but as sect leader, he could not show favoritism in public.

"You mean the divine whip punishment must happen today?" Ye Qingshang asked slowly, meeting Mu Shezhi’s gaze.

Mu Shezhi said, "Yes."

“Okay!” She lifted the hem of her robe and knelt before Mu Huaiyun, declaring with absolute resolve, “Mu Huaiyun released the demon for my sake. If punishment must be meted today, punish me instead.”