At a disciple’s residence in the Medicine Hall.
Bedding was strewn across the floor, along with numerous books and herbs.
Dai Yuling lay on the ground, gasping weakly.
Her martial soul had been destroyed, and she no longer had the right to stay here—a possibility she had once considered.
But she hadn’t expected these people to come so quickly, dragging her from her sickbed and throwing her out along with her bedding.
It had just rained, and puddles remained on the ground.
Mud mixed with tears as Dai Yuling felt utterly wronged.
“What are you crying for, you useless thing! Who told you to offend Senior Brother Hei Suo and Demon Flame Heavenly Sovereign? You deserve this!”
Though the girl on the ground was already frail, the outer disciple who came to expel Dai Yuling still kicked her viciously.
She spat out a mouthful of blood, her body growing even weaker.
“Hey, don’t do this. She’s pitiful enough.”
Someone nearby tried to intervene.
“Anyone who dares to speak up will end up like her!”
The one kicking Dai Yuling glared coldly.
“She’s Senior Sister Lan’s disciple. If you do this, Senior Sister Lan will kill you.”
Another voice spoke up.
“Hmph, so what if she’s Lan Yuer? We’re Demon Flame Heavenly Sovereign’s people! Inner disciples can’t directly interfere with outer sect matters. What can Lan Yuer do to us?”
The arrogant figure snorted and burst into laughter.
But his laughter stopped abruptly.
His head had separated from his neck, and he could no longer speak.
The one who acted was Lan Yuer.
Her speed was a step faster than Ling Xiao’s, so she struck first.
“You! You killed him?”
The other outer disciples expelling Dai Yuling trembled as they shouted.
“That’s right, I killed him, and I’ll kill you too! Inner disciples may not interfere with outer sect matters, but don’t forget, Dai Yuling is my disciple! If you’re brave enough, go tell Demon Flame and see if he’ll protect you.”
When Lan Yuer acted, Hei Suo was nearby, but Demon Flame Heavenly Sovereign was not.
Demon Flame might protect Jin Ming, Tuoba Shan, and Gongyang Nu because they had decent talent.
But for these people today, their deaths meant nothing. Demon Flame wouldn’t intervene personally.
Nor did Hei Suo dare.
He was no match for Lan Yuer.
“Ah~~”
“No!”
…
After a few screams, five corpses lay on the ground.
Lan Yuer didn’t spare them a glance and went to check Dai Yuling’s injuries.
“She’s badly hurt.”
Ling Xiao had already lifted Dai Yuling and said, “Not only was her martial soul destroyed, but she was beaten.”
As he spoke, Ling Xiao’s heart bled.
Dai Yuling showed a weary smile, lying in Ling Xiao’s arms, looking at her master.
That radiant smile seemed to say that there were still people in this world who cared for her, that she hadn’t been abandoned.
Ling Xiao glanced at the scattered bedding and books, waved his hand, and pulled them into his Mountains and Rivers World.
Then, carrying Dai Yuling, he headed to the medical room.
Lan Yuer followed, anxiously watching the critically injured Dai Yuling.
She hated herself for not paying more attention to her disciple.
She hated that she wasn’t a Heaven-Human Realm expert, or she wouldn’t need to beg her master to intervene—she could handle it herself.
In the medical room, Dai Yuling received emergency treatment.
With Lan Yuer and Ling Xiao present, no one dared to slack off.
“The patient’s condition has stabilized, but she should avoid speaking too much.”
The physician reminded Lan Yuer and Ling Xiao before leaving.
The two entered the ward.
Looking at Dai Yuling on the bed, they felt a pang of sorrow.
“Why didn’t you tell me about this sooner?”
Ling Xiao said with a bitter smile.
Dai Yuling’s smile was bright despite her haggard face. Facing Ling Xiao and Lan Yuer, she felt she was still fortunate.
“Don’t blame her.”
Lan Yuer sighed, “She’s stubborn. She can’t always run to you with every problem, can she? Besides, you’ve already made enough enemies in the Moonlight Sect. She was thinking of you.”
“I know, but this happened because of me. If it weren’t for me, Senior Sister Yuling wouldn’t have been bullied.”
Ling Xiao gritted his teeth and said, “Senior Sister Lan, does the Moonlight Sect have a place for death challenges?”
“What are you planning? With your strength, you can’t possibly defeat any of those three,” Lan Yuer said urgently.
Ling Xiao didn’t respond, slowly releasing his true aura.
In that moment, Lan Yuer’s face filled with shock and disbelief.
When Ling Xiao retracted his aura, he asked again, “Am I qualified now?”
“You are!”
Lan Yuer nodded, “The Moonlight Sect does have such a place, called the ‘Death Tower.’”
“Death Tower?”
“Yes. Sometimes, irreconcilable conflicts arise within the sect. When that happens, martial strength is the only solution. Ordinary sparring won’t do, as it can’t unleash true power.”
Lan Yuer explained, “The Death Tower is for battles to the death. The sect doesn’t care who lives or dies. The victor receives no rewards but also faces no punishment.”
“What are the challenge rules?”
Ling Xiao asked.
“There’s only one rule: the opponent must accept your death challenge.”
Lan Yuer replied.
“That’s enough.”
Ling Xiao took a deep breath and said, “Senior Sister Yuling, I’ll avenge you! This started because of me, so I must resolve it! As for your martial soul, I learned too late to restore it, but I can give you my Cherry Tree Martial Soul.”
In this sect, perhaps only Ling Xiao could give away a martial soul.
He had never liked the Cherry Tree Martial Soul, finding it too feminine. Now that Dai Yuling’s martial soul was destroyed, he could give it to her.
As a plant-based martial soul, his Cherry Tree Martial Soul, infused with a trace of the Mountains and Rivers Martial Soul’s energy, should be stronger than Dai Yuling’s original one.
As for the martial soul Ling Xiao would lose, he planned to take them from Jin Ming, Tuoba Shan, and Gongyang Nu!
Even useless martial souls could be collected as nourishment to feed his own.
“No! I can’t take it!”
Dai Yuling said urgently.
Ling Xiao ignored her refusal, pressing a hand to her head and forcibly implanting the Cherry Tree Martial Soul.
What seemed impossible to others was effortless for him.
“Don’t refuse. I don’t need this martial soul, but you do. If you consider me a friend, accept it.”
Seeing Dai Yuling about to protest, Ling Xiao said sternly.
“I can’t win against you.”
Dai Yuling gave a bitter smile.
She probably knew Ling Xiao better than anyone in the Moonlight Sect, having come up together from the Hidden Dragon Camp.
Sometimes, Ling Xiao could be truly domineering.
