Chapter Fifteen: Rooting Out Evil

Ma Zhong stared at the murderous Qi Fei, unable to suppress a flicker of fear in his heart. He wondered to himself, did this youngster not know how formidable Elder Huo was? Fearing Qi Fei might act rashly, Ma Zhong decided it would be best to consult with Jiang Yifan, with whom he was on more familiar terms, to see if they could somehow turn this grave matter into a lesser one.

Casting a glance at Qi Fei, Ma Zhong turned to Jiang Yifan and said, “Infighting among fellow disciples is a grave taboo in our sect. Ma Deyuan may have committed countless wrongs, but your junior’s actions were excessively ruthless. In my opinion, let us put an end to this matter here. When Elder Huo inquires about it later, I will at least be able to give an account.”

Jiang Yifan sighed quietly to himself and replied slowly, “Steward Ma, the disciples of the outer court are all stirred up. The vile deeds Ma Deyuan committed, which have tarnished the sect’s reputation, are no inventions of my junior brother. I say, let’s hand Ma Deyuan over to the Sect Master and the elders for judgment.”

Ma Zhong’s face turned ashen, but there was nothing more he could do. He was about to utter some perfunctory words when suddenly, his unfortunate kinsman let out another wretched howl.

A chorus of astonished gasps rose from the crowd of outer court disciples. Ma Zhong and Jiang Yifan turned to look, their faces changing dramatically. No one had expected that Qi Fei—a new disciple of the sect—would disregard the sect’s strict taboos and, without hesitation, cripple Ma Deyuan’s left arm.

Qi Fei’s expression was cold as he leaned down, seized Ma Deyuan by the throat, and lifted the wailing “King Yan” high into the air.

The courtyard fell utterly silent, no one daring to believe what they saw. Today, Qi Fei had not only stormed back into the outer court but had also utterly ignored the rules and Elder Huo’s fearsome reputation. From the looks of it, he intended to send Ma Deyuan to his death. Had Qi Fei gone mad?

“Junior Brother Qi, restrain yourself! You must not take Ma Deyuan’s life!” cried Jiang Yifan, seeing the murderous intent on Qi Fei’s face and hastening to stop him.

Ma Zhong’s eyes bulged with terror, his aged face twisted in fear as he muttered, “Has this boy lost his mind?”

Qi Fei gazed calmly at the struggling Ma Deyuan and said slowly, “Ma Deyuan, did you ever imagine, when you were hurting others all these years, that you would one day meet such a fate?”

Ma Deyuan could not speak, but his eyes pleaded desperately. He had always relied on his cousin and Elder Huo as his shields, running rampant in the outer court without consequence. Who could have foreseen that he would provoke such a harbinger of doom today?

Fearing Qi Fei might make a fatal mistake in a moment of impulse, Jiang Yifan gathered his true energy and struck at Qi Fei’s upraised right arm. Qi Fei moved in a flash, turning and meeting Jiang Yifan’s palm with his left hand.

The two exchanged blows, their martial energies roaring through the air. In an instant, the outcome was clear: Qi Fei stood unmoved, while Jiang Yifan was shaken by the formidable force within Qi Fei and staggered backward.

Jiang Yifan’s arm tingled numbly as he barely managed to steady himself, his heart filled with shock. He had heard rumors of his junior’s profound martial energy, but experiencing it firsthand, he realized it was far beyond what he’d imagined.

Ma Zhong snapped out of his daze, pointing at Qi Fei and shouting in rage, “Stop! Do you really intend to kill Deyuan? Aren’t you afraid Elder Huo will hold you to account?”

“Silence!” Qi Fei roared, fixing Ma Zhong with a fierce glare. “Elder Huo is a man of great integrity—he would never collude with scoundrels like you. Ma Deyuan’s crimes are heinous. For years he has preyed upon outer court disciples, and you not only indulged him but slander Elder Huo’s name at every turn. Today, I, Qi Fei, will cleanse the sect of this filth!”

Ma Zhong was left speechless, his face ashen with terror and shock.

“Eliminate evil to its roots. Ma Deyuan, no one can save you today. Remember this: a year from now, this date shall be the anniversary of your death.” With that, Qi Fei tightened his grip, and Ma Deyuan felt a wave of suffocation wash over him.

Staring coldly at the man who had caused his friend’s tragic death, Qi Fei no longer hesitated. His true energy surged violently within.

“No!” came the desperate cries of Jiang Yifan and Ma Zhong, but they were too late. Qi Fei’s hand pierced Ma Deyuan’s throat. Ma Deyuan’s eyes went wide, a trickle of black blood sliding from the corner of his mouth as his body convulsed uncontrollably.

To avenge his friend and bring justice to all those who had suffered under Ma Deyuan’s tyranny, Qi Fei unleashed his true energy, rupturing every meridian in Ma Deyuan’s body, inflicting agony until, at last, Ma Deyuan’s convulsions ceased and his head slumped.

Qi Fei, in a sudden outburst, had executed Ma Deyuan. The entire courtyard was plunged once again into a strange, deathly silence.

“Well done!” cried a former victim among the outer court disciples, tears of excitement streaming down his face. Soon, shouts of approval echoed throughout the courtyard.

These outer court disciples had long hated Ma Deyuan to the bone, though in the past they had always submitted to his tyranny. Now Qi Fei had taken a stand for them, ridding the world of this villain, and they could not contain their elation.

That Qi Fei had truly slain Ma Deyuan left Jiang Yifan both horrified and with a bitter smile on his lips.

Ma Zhong, petrified by Qi Fei’s thunderous methods, scrambled and crawled out of the courtyard, terrified that the harbinger of doom would turn on him next, as the outer court disciples jeered behind him.

It was the first time in Qi Fei’s life he had taken a life. Perhaps because Ma Deyuan’s crimes were so grave, Qi Fei felt no fear, only a deep calm.

Qi Fei had no intention of sparing Ma Zhong, the accomplice who abetted evil. Tossing Ma Deyuan’s corpse aside, he strode forward, seizing the scrawny Ma Zhong and hoisting him into the air.

Though not an inner disciple of Danxia Sect, Ma Zhong had learned a few moves. Now, desperate to survive, he spun around and kicked at Qi Fei.

But even after concealing sixty percent of his true energy with the Lingxi Technique before entering the mountains, Qi Fei remained far superior to this bungling practitioner. Anticipating Ma Zhong’s desperate strike, Qi Fei’s left palm blurred into a shadow and crippled Ma Zhong’s right leg in a single blow.

Ma Zhong nearly fainted from the pain, howling in agony. His face livid, he roared, “Elder Huo will never forgive you! Your master can’t protect you—you are finished!”

“Still so stubborn at death’s door? It seems the older you get, the more muddled you become.” Qi Fei’s left hand became a flurry of afterimages as he struck Ma Zhong, knocking out every last one of his teeth. The once-dominant steward of the outer court was now a bloody, unrecognizable wreck.

Seeing the situation spiraling further out of control, Jiang Yifan rushed forward, grabbing Qi Fei’s sleeve and urging, “Brother Qi, calm yourself. Ma Deyuan deserved to die, but he should have been handed over to the sect for judgment. As for Ma Zhong, though he condoned Ma Deyuan’s crimes, he does not deserve death. Don’t make another mistake.”

Qi Fei paused, then threw the unconscious Ma Zhong to the ground. Seeing Jiang Yifan’s genuine concern for his safety, Qi Fei felt a pang of shame.

Qi Fei’s decision to slay Ma Deyuan was not a reckless impulse, but a carefully considered choice.

Ma Deyuan had earned the wrath of all; the outer court disciples hated him to the core. By disregarding the rules and killing this villain, Qi Fei knew the sect leader and elders would be furious, and the years of corruption within the outer court would finally be exposed. Ma Deyuan’s crimes were unforgivable, and to quell public outrage, the sect would not likely take Qi Fei’s life for breaking the rules.

In Danxia Sect, whether for inner or outer disciples, the rules were strict. If a disciple broke the rules and committed a grave offense, but not one punishable by death, the only fate was to face the “Meditation of Death.”

This Meditation of Death meant that, based on the gravity of the offense, the elders would set up arcane restrictions outside the Penitence Cliff. The disciple would be confined there to meditate and train, supplied with food and water, and only allowed to leave when the elders lectured in the great hall. If, during this period, the disciple’s cultivation advanced enough to break the restrictions, the punishment would be waived; otherwise, the disciple would remain there for life.

To ordinary disciples, the Meditation of Death was a fate worse than death. But to Qi Fei—who possessed techniques both righteous and demonic and feared exposing the treasures he carried—it was an ideal haven for secluded cultivation.

Qi Fei had once considered seeking out a remote forest to train in secret. Yet, fearing a repeat of the strange encounter with the Bloodshadow Lord, and hoping to resolve his inner turmoil, he had followed the dying advice of the Bloodshadow Lord and returned to Danxia Sect on Mount Cangyun.

Thus, in killing Ma Deyuan, Qi Fei both settled an old score and also sought to allay the suspicions of the sect leader, hoping to attain Martial Soul as soon as possible.

As for Ma Zhong, Qi Fei would have preferred not to let this accomplice go. When his friend had reported Ma Deyuan to the sect, Ma Deyuan soon learned of it—indirectly leading to his friend’s death. Naturally, Qi Fei would not forgive the traitor within Danxia Sect.

But for now, though Qi Fei possessed formidable martial energy, there were still many constraints acting within the sect, so he spared Ma Zhong’s life. He resolved that, once his cultivation had advanced at the Penitence Cliff, he would extract the traitor’s name from Ma Zhong’s lips and kill that villain as well.