Chapter 6: Trusting Is Not a Mistake

Fenglin City belongs to Qinghe Prefecture. In terms of scale, it ranks at the bottom of the thirteen cities in the prefecture, only ahead of Mao City.

The Dean of such a city’s Dao Academy is generally a mid-tier Sixth-Rank Daoist. That Dong A, with his Fifth-Rank cultivation, sits in charge of the Fenglin Dao Academy inevitably leads to rumors that he offended someone in Zhuangdu.

But for the disciples of the Fenglin Dao Academy, this is undoubtedly a good thing.

"So, aside from Fang Decai’s testimony, you cannot produce any conclusive evidence that can be made public regarding Fang Pengju personally arranging an ambush before this duel with the intent to kill you and seize your pill?" Dong A, dressed in a black Daoist robe, sat upright on a meditation cushion in the quiet room.

On the wall behind him hung a portrait of a Daoist wearing a noble purple robe. The brushwork was delicate, and the image was lifelike, yet the Daoist’s face seemed hidden in clouds and mist, making it impossible to see clearly.

Jiang Wang stood respectfully before the Dean with his head bowed. Upon hearing the question, he stated in as calm a tone as possible: "I know clearly that it was him, and that is enough. As for ironclad proof, he would naturally give it to everyone before he died. And he truly did not disappoint me."

Dong A knew he was referring to the Pulse-Opening Pill that Fang Pengju had consumed.

"Was it too rash and impulsive?"

"I should have proceeded slowly, gathering evidence to await the Academy's judgment. But the selection for the Inner Academy is in two days. Since Fang Pengju had already manifested his Dao Pulse, he would certainly have become the Dean's disciple. Time was tight; I had no choice but to take the risk. Jiang Wang dares to kill an Outer Academy disciple, but he does not dare to kill the Dean's disciple."

The Outer Academy is merely preparation; only the Inner Academy disciples are the true disciples of the Dao Academy!

Throughout his speech, Jiang Wang kept his head bowed, displaying the humility and propriety expected of a disciple.

But what flashed through his mind at that moment was the sound of a sword whistling from the west, outside the Huanzhen Temple!

That man named Li Yi had beheaded a genius as strong as Zuo Guanglie with a single sword. Where was the need for such twists and turns?

Compared to the battle that took place outside the Huanzhen Temple, how weak he was! And how feeble the swordsmanship he took such pride in was!

How could there be time to dawdle, to slowly maneuver against Fang Pengju within the Dao Academy in search of a foolproof method?

Furthermore, if he hadn't walked in with sword in hand today and brazenly initiated a Dao-Proof Duel, how could he have had any advantage over Fang Pengju, who had the backing of the Fenglin Fang family, if they had clashed in any other way?

"If the Pulse-Opening Pill used by Fang Pengju was taken from you, then where did your Pulse-Opening Pill come from?"

It was coming.

Jiang Wang felt a slight tightening in his heart, but his face remained expressionless. Even though no one dared to approach the battle outside the Huanzhen Temple due to the might of the experts involved, it would inevitably be investigated afterward. Moreover, Gongyang Bai and the others had set up an array within the borders of the Zhuang Kingdom; it was impossible for them not to have communicated with the experts of the Zhuang Kingdom beforehand. No matter how small the Zhuang Kingdom is, it still has the dignity of a nation!

As the most powerful person on the surface in the entire Fenglin City region, it was impossible for Dong A to have no knowledge of that battle.

Fortunately, there were no secrets to speak of in the whole affair for Jiang Wang. In this world of extraordinary power, the traces he left behind could not be hidden.

He immediately described everything he had heard at the time, using the most objective perspective possible and without mixing in any subjective attitudes. This included his physical state, his thoughts and decisions, how he fished the Pulse-Opening Pill out of the mangled flesh, and finally, how he buried those corpses.

He only omitted the matter of the Void Key.

During the narration, apart from the fleeting, erupting anger in his eyes, Dong A remained silent throughout.

Jiang Wang naturally knew where this anger came from.

The outskirts of Fenglin City, outside the Huanzhen Temple—this was the territory of the Zhuang Kingdom! Yet powerful cultivators from Qin and Chu had fought here brazenly, without any scruples. No one in the entire Fenglin City, or even Qinghe Prefecture, dared to interfere in this battle. For the cultivators of the Zhuang Kingdom, this in itself was a great humiliation.

The reason Dong A suppressed this anger was simply because he did not want to expose the fact that the Zhuang Kingdom was weak, so as not to affect the confidence of his disciples in their cultivation.

He must be a good Dean.

Jiang Wang silently observed this mid-tier expert who would dominate his path of cultivation for a long time to come—he had never had such an opportunity before today.

He finished narrating the experience he had already prepared while observing and summarizing.

"The origin of your Pulse-Opening Pill is clear. I have reviewed your task records from your time in the Outer Academy. You have a sense of proportion and decisiveness; it is quite rare."

Dong A swept a faint glance at Jiang Wang before saying, "From now on, you may refer to yourself as my disciple in my presence."

Jiang Wang’s heartstrings relaxed instantly; he knew this hurdle had been cleared. Furthermore, he had already gained the recognition of the Dean of the Fenglin Dao Academy and would be selected directly into the Inner Academy.

He crossed his thumbs, left hand on the outside and right hand on the inside, forming a fist with the yin and yang held within, and raised it to his chest. Bowing his head slightly, he performed the rite: "Thank you, Master."

Confucianism emphasizes Heaven, Earth, Sovereign, Kin, and Teacher, but for the Daoist school, the Teacher is placed even before the Sovereign and Kin, because the Teacher imparts the Dao and is the one who expounds the Great Dao.

For all the Inner Academy disciples of the Fenglin Dao Academy, Dong A is their mentor.

Dong A closed his eyes slightly and said no more, "Go."

...

Coming out of the Dean's meditation room, he walked side by side with Ling He and Zhao Rucheng, who had been waiting outside.

The three of them did not speak for a while, and the atmosphere was heavy.

Jiang Wang had returned, but Fang Pengju was dead; the so-called "Five Heroes of Fenglin" existed in name only.

Since Du Yehu did not appear here, he must be hiding somewhere drinking. Among these people, he seemed the most carefree, but when encountering such a matter, he was likely the one least able to face it. No matter how harshly he cursed or how much he hated in his heart, he could not erase the fact that he had once regarded Fang Pengju as a brother.

As the eldest brother, Ling He was the first to break the silence: "You two go back to the dormitory first. I still have to send Pengju's body back to the Fang residence."

The Outer Academy disciples of the Fenglin Dao Academy lived six to a dormitory. Because the Five Heroes of Fenglin were of like mind, they had simply moved into the same dormitory. Others could not enter this circle, so they had always lived five to a room.

Jiang Wang did not speak.

Ling He was just that kind of person. No matter how many faults Fang Pengju had, he could not just ignore his body.

"Are you still hating the Fourth?" Ling He asked.

"Don't call him the Fourth anymore." A trace of disgust appeared on Zhao Rucheng's handsome face. "I am ashamed to even discuss such a despicable and vicious person who would plot against his own brother."

Compared to his age, Ling He's face was a bit too mature, which was probably why he was more easily trusted. Among the five, he had always played the role of the eldest brother, taking good care of his younger brothers.

It was also because of his steady and mature side that people often overlooked the fact that he was actually only nineteen years old—only two years older than Jiang Wang and three years older than Zhao Rucheng.

It was just that the children of the poor take on responsibilities early.

Looking at Ling He, Jiang Wang shook his head and said, "Hating him isn't worth it. I only hate myself for being stupid, for trusting the wrong person."

Even though he appeared so calm, Ling He still heard that trace of lingering resentment. He could fully understand it.

"Trust is one of the brightest things in this world. Trust is not a mistake, Jiang Wang," Ling He said. "The mistake lies with the person who betrayed your trust."

He did not continue, but his earnest gaze told Jiang Wang

The brotherhood between us was not a mistake, nor was it fake. What was wrong, what was fake, was only the person who abandoned all of this. It was only Fang Pengju.

That was why he had to send Fang Pengju's body back, so that he would not be left without a resting place after death. This was not out of approval or sympathy for Fang Pengju, but merely out of respect for and maintenance of the brotherhood that they had once possessed and that should not change in the future.

This was Ling He.

Whether it was someone as hot-tempered as Du Yehu or as arrogant as Fang Pengju, they were all willing to call him "Eldest Brother"—and was it only because of his age?

"Go ahead. When a person dies, it's like a lamp going out; all grudges are extinguished." Jiang Wang stopped in his tracks. "But I can't bring myself to accompany you."

"I can't do it either," Zhao Rucheng added abruptly.

Ling He patted Zhao Rucheng on the shoulder, gave Jiang Wang one last deep look, and turned to leave.

(End of chapter)