Chapter 14: The Price of Recklessness

Ji Wushuang gently patted his beloved disciple’s back, waiting for her to regain her breath and for her complexion to return to normal. His fingers then traced the purplish-red marks on her neck, his gaze fixed on Shui Jingxuan.

“A spar should always know its limits,” he stated, his voice frigid.

“Your actions were utterly reckless!” Having witnessed his beloved disciple almost killed right before his eyes, he was left with a lingering fear that fueled his indignant rage.

Shui Jingxuan offered a sarcastic smile, cradling his right arm, which hung limply, numb with pain. “Sect Master, with your exceptional martial arts and keen eyesight, you should be well aware of who truly lacked restraint.”

“Master, it was my fault!” Wolf Girl, now fully conscious, recalled how her anger had clouded her judgment, potentially crippling her opponent’s right hand. She immediately confessed, her expression a mix of shame and profound unease.

Ji Wushuang’s thin lips pressed into a tight line, leaving him speechless. Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, anyone could discern the victor and the wrongdoer in this day’s duel. Wolf Girl’s performance had profoundly disappointed him.

He knew the ten elders and inner disciples would likely view her much less favorably. If he were to continue to blindly favor her, it would not only be detrimental to her but also further inflame the dissatisfaction among the sect members.

Considering this, Ji Wushuang softened his expression, about to intervene, when his twin sister preempted him.

“While Wolf Girl is indeed responsible for these consequences, this is not the time to assign blame. Young man, allow me to examine your arm first. Your injuries are critical.”

This was the first time Ji Wushuang’s twin sister had spoken with such warmth.

Regardless of the boy’s fierce courage, his ability to utterly dominate the proud and arrogant Wolf Girl was enough for her to completely change her opinion of him.

“Thank you for your concern, Sect Master.” Shui Jingxuan pressed his lips together, a fleeting flicker of sarcasm in his eyes.

He thought, ‘Not pursuing the matter now is merely an excuse. How could that damned pedophile Ji Wushuang bear to punish his beloved woman?’

Ji Wushuang’s twin sister took two steps forward, lifted his injured arm, and used her internal energy to assess the extent of the damage.

Ji Wushuang gazed at the boy’s charred and bloody wound, his brows furrowed deeply.

He held great admiration for the boy; even though the boy had nearly killed his beloved disciple, he couldn’t bring himself to harm him despite his surging anger. If it had been anyone else, they would have long since become a cold corpse.

“The meridians have been severed; this hand is crippled,” Ji Wushuang’s twin sister slowly announced after withdrawing her internal energy. Her expression was highly complex, with a subtle hint of guilt and regret visible in her eyes.

“Let me see.” Ji Wushuang frowned intensely, reaching out for the boy’s right arm, wanting to examine it himself.

Shui Jingxuan took two steps back, evading Ji Wushuang’s touch. “There’s no need for the Sect Master to trouble himself. Even without his right arm, Axi still has his left. He won’t be a cripple; it’s nothing.”

He looked up at Ji Wushuang, his eyes, dark as night, brimming with a mix of mockery and rejection. He disdained the man’s pretense and hypocrisy.

With his formidable physical prowess, this minor injury was nothing to him. Furthermore, having already crossed paths with Wolf Girl, he would never join Ji Wushuang’s sect.

It was better for his right hand to be crippled; Ji Wushuang would surely no longer be interested in him.

He decided it was better to give the master and disciple a way out, to settle the matter quickly and avoid future repercussions.

The stark shift in the boy’s attitude, from initial openness to his current cold rejection, left Ji Wushuang stunned and somewhat unable to adapt.

His heart churned with irritation, and his thick brows knitted together. He wanted to vent his frustration at the boy, but upon glimpsing the boy’s bloody right arm, all his anger vanished into thin air.

Facing the boy’s adorable, jade-like face and his clear, ink-dark eyes, even a ruthless and cruel man like him felt a stirring of pity.

“You are right,” he sighed, nodding. “Even with a crippled right arm, you still have your left. I happen to possess a left-handed sword and a corresponding sword manual. I shall bestow them upon you.

“If you cultivate diligently, you can still ascend to the ranks of masters in the future. Do not lose heart.”

He practiced the Demonic Poison Arts, which primarily focused on palm techniques. Since the boy had lost his right hand, he likely couldn’t learn it.

Taking the boy as a disciple would only hinder him; it would be better for him to continue following Elder Mu, whose sword techniques were exceptional. The Sect Master made no mention of taking the boy as a disciple.

Elder Mu immediately grasped his meaning and stepped forward, cupping his hands in a respectful bow. “This subordinate thanks the Sect Master for his generous gift on behalf of my disciple.”

“Very well, take him to get his injuries treated. Do not be stingy with the medicine,” Ji Wushuang said magnanimously.

“Thank you, Sect Master!” Shui Jingxuan and Elder Mu exclaimed in unison. Though only just becoming master and disciple, they already displayed a remarkable synergy.

“In that case, this subordinate shall take my disciple and depart first.” Anxious about the boy’s injuries, the straightforward Elder Mu immediately bid farewell.

Elder Mu’s unreserved care greatly uplifted Shui Jingxuan’s gloomy mood.

He couldn’t help but smile, a faint yet enchanting smile, like spring rain transforming the landscape, instantly dispelling the coldness and rejection in his eyes.

Elder Mu patted his small head and, embracing his slender shoulders, led him away.

Ji Wushuang caught sight of the boy’s smile directed at Elder Mu, and an inexplicable agitation stirred within his heart. If not for today’s unexpected turn, the boy would have been his disciple, and that smile should have been his own!

He frowned, striving to suppress the strange thoughts in his mind and the persistent guilt rising within him. He cast a cold glance at the pale Wolf Girl and said in a deep voice, “Follow me.”

Wolf Girl, her mind unsettled, hesitated for a long moment before speaking. “Please wait a moment, Master.” With that, she walked towards Shui Jingxuan, who was not far away.

She reached out to block his path, then cupped her hands and bowed deeply, performing a grand salutation. “I was reckless today. I apologize.”

“If you truly feel sorry for me, how about letting me cripple your right hand?” Shui Jingxuan squinted at Wolf Girl, his tone laced with a smile, yet his words were like daggers.

“…” Wolf Girl’s already pale face grew even more unsightly. She was momentarily speechless, left only with silence.

“Forget it. What’s done is done; dwelling on right and wrong now is truly pointless. I’ll only offer you one piece of advice, which I hope you remember: Passion must not be extreme, for the rigid are easily broken.”

After all, the other party was merely a young girl, barely ten years old. Harassing her was truly meaningless, and besides, he didn’t care about the injury to his arm. Shui Jingxuan withdrew his sharp gaze, brushed away the hand blocking his path, and walked away.

Wolf Girl’s nature was too unyielding; as the saying goes, the rigid are easily broken. Her greatest tragedy in life would likely stem from this, and even at such a young age, the signs were already appearing. No wonder people say, ‘Character determines destiny.’

Wolf Girl watched Shui Jingxuan walk away, her hands clenched into fists. She finally couldn’t help but voice the question that had been weighing on her heart. “In your eyes, am I truly like an ant?”

At this moment, she only wanted to know this. She had heard Shui Jingxuan’s earlier advice but had not understood or remembered it. When future heartbreaks came, recalling it would only elicit a long sigh.

Shui Jingxuan paused his steps, quickly realizing that his muttered words when he choked her had been misunderstood. He extended his left hand and waved it, saying without turning his head, “I was talking about myself, not you.”

Wolf Girl stood stunned, somewhat disbelieving, and remained utterly distracted even after returning to Ji Wushuang’s side.

Ji Wushuang, with his profound internal energy, had clearly overheard their entire conversation. He regarded the boy with even greater admiration.

Not only was the boy astonishingly talented and fiercely courageous, but he also possessed the rare ability to discern people and things, and to know and reflect upon himself.

Such a child, with diligent cultivation, had limitless potential.

With each new facet he discovered about the boy, his guilt and regret deepened, causing him a certain restlessness.

***

Upon returning to his courtyard, Ji Wushuang ordered Wolf Girl to kneel, meticulously pointing out her transgressions. “Your actions today were gravely improper. Setting aside minor errors, you committed three major mistakes:

“Firstly, you lacked self-awareness, stubbornly proceeding despite knowing your swordplay was inferior. Secondly, you lacked emotional control, allowing yourself to be swayed by impulse.

Thirdly, you lacked the magnanimity to admit defeat, losing all sense of propriety. Do you acknowledge your mistakes?”

“This disciple acknowledges her mistakes. I ask Master for punishment.” Wolf Girl’s acceptance of her faults was remarkably straightforward.

“Good. Dispel your internal energy and go receive ten lashes.” Ji Wushuang waved his hand, dismissing Wolf Girl, his expression somewhat weary.

“How strange! You actually found it in you to punish her?” Ji Wushuang’s twin sister found her younger brother’s attitude quite novel.

In her memory, her brother doted on Wolf Girl, treating her as if she might melt if held in his mouth or shatter if held in his hand—she was incredibly precious. Could the sun have risen from the west today?

“If I didn’t punish her today, allowing her to remember this lesson, she would still be controlled by her emotions in future confrontations.

Once her mind is lost and her judgment impaired, encountering a master would lead to certain death or severe injury.

“Furthermore, the brave are invincible. If she doesn’t even have the courage to admit defeat, how can she ever reach the pinnacle of martial arts? How can she fulfill the role of Chief Protector? Her performance today has already failed to impress the masses and will likely cause much criticism within the sect. I cannot allow her to continue like this any longer,” Ji Wushuang explained with a cold frown.

“Hmph! It all boils down to considering your precious darling!” Ji Wushuang’s twin sister retorted indignantly. “Poor boy, a natural martial arts genius, yet his right hand was crippled for nothing. His life is ruined.”

Hearing his twin sister mention the boy, an inexplicable melancholy welled up in Ji Wushuang’s heart. He immediately called out loudly to the guards outside the door,

“Someone! Send the High Priest to treat Axi, Elder Mu’s disciple. Tell him to spare no effort and not to be stingy with the medicinal ingredients.”

The guard immediately acknowledged the order and hurried to the infirmary to find the High Priest.

Ji Wushuang sat in a daze for a long time, unable to quell the agitation in his heart. He told his twin sister, “Come, let’s go see the boy.” He immediately stood up and walked towards the courtyard where the inner disciples resided.

Meanwhile, Shui Jingxuan had been taken by Elder Mu to his new living quarters for inner disciples. Fortunately, he was once again roommates with Azhuang, which pleased him greatly.

After briefly cleaning his wound, Elder Mu rushed to the infirmary to find the High Priest, the most skilled physician in the sect, to treat him.

Not long after Elder Mu left, his eight disciples arrived upon hearing the news. Though they claimed to be visiting, the atmosphere was somewhat tense.

“Is there something you need?” Shui Jingxuan rested his injured right arm on the armrest of a chair, looking at the eight individuals standing at the doorway.

“We came to see if your right hand was crippled,” the senior disciple, with a wound on his neck, stepped forward, his words ill-intentioned.

When Shui Jingxuan’s right hand was intact, he was content to be inferior. But now that Shui Jingxuan was a cripple, unable even to hold a sword, what did he have to fear? His purpose in coming was to suppress Shui Jingxuan’s arrogance and solidify his own status and authority as the senior disciple.

“What kind of talk is that?” Azhuang stepped forward, angrily questioning him.

“Indeed, my right hand is crippled,” Shui Jingxuan stood up, pulled Azhuang aside, and smiled rather eerily. His left hand suddenly darted towards the senior disciple’s waist, lightning-fast, drawing out his sword. In the blink of an eye, he performed dozens of sword moves, cold light swirling around him. The senior disciple’s face turned deathly pale, and he stood frozen in place, daring not to move a muscle.

Once Shui Jingxuan ceased his swordplay and deftly reinserted the sword into its sheath at the senior disciple’s waist, the latter immediately stumbled back, his eyes wide with horror.

Not moving would have been better, for his movement revealed a shocking sight: the senior disciple’s previously pristine white robes were now shredded into countless small pieces, fluttering down, leaving him with only his sword belt and half a tattered pair of underpants.

Shui Jingxuan scanned him from head to toe, his smile chilling, and slowly began, “However, I forgot to tell you, my left hand is even more skilled than my right!”

Unfortunately, he was left-handed, and having slaughtered countless zombies in his previous life, his technique couldn’t be anything but exquisite.

His clothes completely ruined, yet his body utterly unharmed, Shui Jingxuan’s control over sword techniques with his left hand was no less impressive than with his right.

This made the other children who had come to provoke him, following the senior disciple, regret their actions so much their intestines turned green. They quickly came forward to apologize, showering him with concern and deference.

Only the senior disciple, after a shriek, fled like a violated maiden, clutching his chest with both hands.

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