WBICDPH Chapter 106

Chapter 106: A Complete Mess

Inside the protective barrier of Misty Pavilion

Xiao Yunkong formed a hand seal and sent several streams of spiritual energy into the barrier, reinforcing it once more before lowering his hand.

A Misty Pavilion disciple stepped forward and bowed.
“Senior Brother, the barrier has been fully reinforced as you instructed. What should we do next?”

“…” Xiao Yunkong blinked slowly. Looking down at the jade token Jiang Zhenfeng had given him, he seemed slightly at a loss.

Early that morning, he had received news about Qi Xiaolang’s accident and was just about to head over when he ran into Jiang Zhenfeng outside his room.

Without explanation, she shoved a jade token into his hand and told him to use it to mobilize the pavilion’s disciples to reinforce the protective barrier.

Xiao Yunkong found it baffling. The task wasn’t difficult—he didn’t understand why she didn’t handle it herself and instead handed over a token representing her authority as senior disciple to an outsider like him.

But Jiang Zhenfeng clearly seemed pressed for time and didn’t bother explaining. After giving brief instructions and tossing out a casual “I owe you one,” she turned and left.

Since she had said she owed him a favor, Xiao Yunkong naturally had to do the job properly. And given that it involved the protective barrier, it clearly wasn’t trivial. So he carried out her instructions carefully, gathering disciples and reinforcing the barrier step by step.

Though it sounded simple, the process was tedious and time-consuming. Only now had he finally finished.

He put the jade token away and said to the disciples before him,
“Until your senior sister returns, stay here and continue guarding the barrier. Wait for her instructions before taking further action.”

After giving his orders, Xiao Yunkong nodded and turned to leave—only to suddenly feel a powerful, invisible wave of energy surge toward him.

It came from far away, yet its force was undiminished by distance. Instead, it carried a pressure that inspired both fear and awe.

He didn’t know where it came from, only that it was anything but ordinary.

Suspecting it might be related to Jiang Zhenfeng, he wasted no time and headed straight for the council hall.

By the time he arrived, the hall was packed with visiting cultivators from various sects. They were crowded together, talking over one another, loudly discussing what had just happened.

Xiao Yunkong quickly found his companions from Misty Rain Mountain. He saw Qi Xiaolang’s body laid inside an ice coffin and learned the full, convoluted story of the morning from San Zongyu.

They said Jiang Zhenfeng had openly admitted to colluding with the demon race, declared she would slaughter Misty Pavilion, and had left for the Dengwen Sword Pavilion with someone suspected to be Xiao Lancheng, taking Lin Jin with her.

But Liu Xun insisted Lin Jin must have his own plan, and that he and Jiang Zhenfeng were probably staging something—but no one knew exactly what they were up to.

The hall buzzed with arguments. Many people surrounded Mu Shan and the other elders, demanding an explanation.

Mu Shan wiped sweat from his brow, struggling to respond to the barrage of accusations. Just as he was reaching his limit, the noise in the hall suddenly quieted.

All eyes turned in one direction. Slowly, the crowd parted to make way.

Xiao Yunkong followed their gaze and saw a woman entering through the main doors.

She wore a sky-blue Daoist robe embroidered with subtle cloud patterns. She looked to be in her thirties or forties, with a composed expression and a commanding presence.

Everyone froze.

Mu Shan’s eyes widened. “Pavilion… Pavilion Master? You’ve come out of seclusion?”

“Mm.” Fang Yunzi ignored everyone else and walked straight to the main seat, pushing Mu Shan aside before sitting down.

“Someone opened the Dengwen Sword Pavilion. Explain.”

“You want me to explain? Why don’t you ask your precious disciple?!”

Finally finding an outlet for his frustration, Mu Shan launched into an exaggerated account of the morning’s events, painting Jiang Zhenfeng as utterly villainous.

When he finished, panting with anger, Fang Yunzi simply tapped the armrest lightly and asked, almost casually:

“So what?”

“…What?”

Mu Shan was stunned.

“She is the direct disciple of the 58th Pavilion Master—me. What’s wrong with her entering the Dengwen Sword Pavilion? Just because I didn’t go in before, does that mean she can’t?”

“But… she colluded with demons!”

“Whether she did or not, I know. And so do you. So what’s the point of pretending otherwise?”

Fang Yunzi frowned slightly.
“Under your watch, Misty Pavilion has fallen into chaos again and again. At this point, neither you nor I need to hold the Pavilion Master’s token.”

“Everyone stays here. Whatever happens next will wait until Zhenfeng returns from the Sword Pavilion.”

“The rules cannot be changed. Since the Dengwen Sword Pavilion has been opened, once she comes out, she will be the rightful 59th Pavilion Master.”

She glanced around the room.

“Let’s see who dares object then.”

Inside the Dengwen Sword Pavilion

“Trial of the Dengwen Sword Pavilion, First Trial: Witness your past. Whether smooth or difficult, all lives hold secrets. If I lay bare your past—will you accept?”

When the voice spoke, Lin Jin was still crouched near the barrier, studying the intricate array beneath his feet.

He figured since he was stuck here, he might as well learn something from it.

Hearing the announcement, he froze—then lit up with excitement.

Wait… he could choose whether to accept the trial?

Without thinking, he blurted out, “I refuse!”

“….”

The voice fell silent for a moment, then repeated the question.

“Will you accept?”

This time, Lin Jin hesitated.

The emphasis was obvious—there was only one acceptable answer.

He sighed. “Then… I accept.”

At once, darkness split apart, revealing a beam of light. The barrier around him dissipated.

Unsure what to do, he cautiously stepped into the light.

A surge of pure spiritual energy washed over him, cleansing body and soul.

But when he opened his eyes…

He was still standing in the same place.

“…Huh?”

Even the voice sounded confused.

Another light appeared.

“Try again.”

Lin Jin did. Same result.

Moments later, a figure appeared before him—a translucent young man in Daoist robes.

“Don’t be afraid,” the man said casually. “Something’s off about you, so I had to take a look.”

He gestured. “Roll up your sleeve.”

Confused, Lin Jin obeyed.

The man formed a seal, and a glowing rune appeared on Lin Jin’s arm.

“Ah… no wonder!”

“Who gave you this?”

“A… senior I met before.”

“That’s no ‘senior.’ This is a divine-level rune.”

Lin Jin fell silent.

“That rune blocked me from seeing your past,” the man explained. “It’s protecting your soul.”

Lin Jin blinked. “So… what does it do?”

“No idea.”

“…Huh?”

“But it means you can’t undergo the trial,” the man said bluntly. “You refuse the trial and still enter—are you trying to wreck my place?”

Lin Jin tried very hard not to smile.

“Senior, I truly regret it…”

“Don’t pretend. I remember you refused the first time.”

Then the man sighed dramatically.
“I’ve been here for thousands of years. First time I’ve seen troublemakers like you three.”

He waved his hand.

The scene shifted.

Now Lin Jin saw Xiao Lanqi lying on the ground, arms behind his head, stubbornly refusing:

“Will you accept?”
“No.”
“Will you accept?”
“No!!”

By the ninth time—

“NO MEANS NO!”

He jumped up and started punching the barrier.

“See?!” the man said helplessly. “At this rate, he’ll break my barrier!”

He turned to Lin Jin.

“You can’t do the trial anyway… so help me push him into it?”

He held his head dramatically.

“My head hurts…”