Jarl Drainwood stepped forward with a warm chuckle, clasping Pay Ling's arm firmly. "Young friend, your words are far too generous! We are both comrades of the Holy Sect—lifting each other up is only natural. Ah, speaking of which, have you met my son, Drainwood Morbid? He's also studying in the outer sect, on a mountain known as Murder Pine Peak. When you return, do pay him a visit in your spare time. I'm sure he'd enjoy your company."
The two exchanged pleasantries like old friends reunited over tea, but soon enough, Jarl Drainwood steered the conversation back to the matter at hand. His tone grew earnest, though his smile remained gentle. "Young friend, I must urge you to return to the sect without delay. It's not that I wish to cut our time short—believe me, I'd gladly enjoy a longer conversation. But this is for your own good. You and your squad ventured out together on a mission, yet you alone return unscathed. In the eyes of others, wouldn't that raise questions? Suspicion, even? Some might whisper that you had a vicious hand in your comrades' fate."
"Jarl, I would never—" Pay Ling began, his voice barely above a whisper, but Drainwood raised a hand, his expression calm and reassuring. "Peace, young friend. I know you're not capable of such treachery. But gossip spreads like wildfire, and suspicion is a venomous beast. If too many voices rise against you, the Punishment Crypt will drag you in for questioning. They'll strip you bare, grind you down until your spirit falters. Your time will be wasted, your cultivation stalled—such a senseless ordeal, don't you think?"
He leaned in slightly, his voice lowering as if sharing a secret. "So, my advice is this: return to the sect at once and report the matter to the Punishment Crypt. Let their enforcers come to Lothgar and uncover the truth. When the time comes, I'll vouch for you personally. Together, we'll clear your name of any shadow of doubt."
His gaze sharpened, though his smile never wavered. "But if you let this matter linger? Someone, somewhere, will surely use it against you. A hidden thorn, waiting to pierce you when you least expect it. Neither of us wants that, do we?"
Pay Ling's protests died on his lips. Stay longer? If this cunning old fox grew suspicious or, worse, connected him to the Sagwon trio's family or clan, he'd be as good as dead. The thought sent a chill down his spine.
"Jarl, your honor, is absolutely right," Pay Ling said, nodding with exaggerated gratitude, his voice thick with sincerity. "I'll gather my things and depart at once."
Jarl Drainwood's smile widened. "Excellent. I'll escort you to the cloud platform."
"The cloud platform?" Pay Ling's mind flashed to the towering structure they'd arrived at earlier. He shook his head quickly. "No, Jarl, I couldn't possibly! Corpse Clouds are far too costly—I can't afford such luxury. I'll make my way back on foot."
"On foot?" Jarl Drainwood let out a soft laugh, his tone tinged with amusement. "Young friend, you jest! That would take an eternity. And worry not—the Corpse Cloud's fee covers a round trip. When you arrived, the mist settled into the platform, waiting for your return. Simply call it forth, and you'll be on your way. It's as simple as that."
Oh Fuck!
My damn chance to slip out of the city has vanished!
Pay Ling's expression flickered, a storm of panic, dread brewing beneath the surface. But he forced it all down, masking his turmoil with a tight grin and another show of gratitude toward Jarl Drainwood.
As they stepped out of the mansion, a thought struck him. "Jarl," he began cautiously, "I heard there was a maid here who served me earlier—apparently, she was punished because of me?"
Drainwood caught the implication at once. "Ah, I hadn't heard of this," he said smoothly. "But since you, young friend, are showing such mercy, I'll see to it that she's released and even rewarded for her troubles."
"Thank you, Jarl Drainwood," Pay Ling said, exhaling softly in relief. The poor mortal girl had suffered needlessly because of him, and though he couldn't undo what had been done, he could at least ensure her freedom. Given the circumstances, he had upheld his unspoken pledge to the maid's sister.
With that settled, Jarl Drainwood personally escorted Pay Ling to the towering platform. With a wave of his hand, he summoned the Corpse Cloud for the return journey, its misty form swirling into existence. Pay Ling stepped onto the cloud, the two task beasts loaded securely behind him. Drainwood gave a final, flourishing smile and a wave as the cloud began to rise.
"Mi-lord," the steward began, stepping beside Jarl Drainwood once the Corpse Cloud had ascended high into the sky, well out of earshot. His tone was respectful but laced with curiosity. "That boy is merely a fourth-layer Qi Refinement cultivator. Why did you treat him with such high regard? Given the Man-Faced Spider's rampage and the death of the squad, why not let him fall victim to the demon spider as well? It would have cleansed Lothgar of any lingering suspicion."
Jarl Drainwood glanced at him, his expression impassive. "And then what?" he replied coolly. "Chen Haunt's squad held some renown on Ghost Shade Peak in the outer sect. Everyone knew their intention they dragged a newbie here to Lothgar. Yet now, both the newbie and the veterans have vanished, and the Summon Soul Banner ends up in my possession. If word spreads, how do you think the Punishment Crypt of the Outer Sect will interpret this?"
He paused, letting the weight of his words sink in. "They'll inevitably conclude that I murdered the entire squad to seize the banner for my son, Morbid."
"Killing Qi Refinement beginners as a Foundation Stage cultivator—relying on sheer strength to bully the weak—would incur fines so severe that the enforcers from the Punishment Crypt would dig for proof until they taste marrow."
The Jarl's voice grew sharper. "Hiding or selling the banner might erase the evidence, but that would cripple Morbid's cultivation progress. The Summon Soul Banner's features align perfectly with his ascension path. I cannot afford to discard it."
He turned his gaze back to the horizon, where the Corpse Cloud had disappeared. "Keeping Pay Ling alive, however, changes the narrative. The entire squad was wiped out, yet he returned alone—a mere fourth-layer Qi Refinement cultivator who even completed the impossible Purple-Eyed Mink task. No manipulation is needed. Let the Outer Sect's rumor mill churn. They'll say: Chen Haunt's gang hunted geese for too long, and this particular goose pecked back viciously."
A faint smirk played on his lips. "Yes, they'll believe that whelp Pay Ling not only outplayed Chen Haunt's venomous scheme, murdered them all, but also bribed me with the banner to turn a blind eye. We claim the lion's share of the gains, while Pay Ling shoulders the blame. What's tossing him a few spirit stones and beasts compared to that?"
The steward straightened, his expression awestruck. "My Lord, your foresight is unparalleled. Such wisdom humbles this servant. I am ashamed of my petty schemes."
"For now, we wait," Drainwood said, stroking his beard thoughtfully. "Let the boy return and report to the Punishment Crypt. When the Holy Sect sends enforcers to Lothgar to sniff out the truth, only then can I legitimately transfer the Summon Soul Banner to Morbid's hands."
He quirked a brow, his smirk deepening. "Pay Ling is young but sharp-witted. Investigate his background. If he's decent, have Morbid cultivate ties with him. There's no harm in nurturing a useful pawn."
The steward bowed deeply. "A lucky boy indeed! To earn your lordship's regard is a blessing of three lifetimes." He nodded briskly. "This servant will dispatch investigators at once."
——
As the Corpse Cloud soared through the sky, Pay Ling remained oblivious to the fact that he had been earmarked as a potential sidekick for Lothgar's young master. Instead, his mind churned with anxiety, fixated on a far more immediate threat: What if the families of the Sagwon trio spot me when I return to the sect?
There was no "what if" about it—all three had powerful backers from their families and clans. Sure, he had fled the scene quickly, but now? Returning to the sect would be like walking straight into a lion's den. They would hunt him down without a second thought.
"At least I destroyed the evidence—the bodies," he muttered to himself, clutching at the faintest sliver of hope. "The outer sect is vast. Maybe they're still searching for the missing trio. If I play it right, I might just bluff my way through this…"
-----
Meanwhile, far away in the Abyss Pit Sect, Outer Sect, Ghost Shade Peak.
In the grand mansion of Outer Sect Elder Lee Bane, a tense atmosphere hung heavy in the air.
A middle-aged woman, still strikingly beautiful despite her years, knelt at the Elder's feet. Dressed in luxurious skirts, her face was streaked with tears as she sobbed uncontrollably. "Mi-lord!" she cried, her voice trembling with grief and desperation. "Sagwon was your grandson, your own blood! Our son is already gone—Sagwon was the last thread of our lineage! You cannot ignore this crime! You must avenge him!"
Her wails echoed through the chamber, raw and piercing. "My poor Sagwon, so young, cut down so cruelly! You are the Elder of Ghost Shade Peak—how dare that little bastard Pay Ling do this? Not only is he mad and brainless, but he's also spitting in your face, mi-lord! Boohoo hoo hoo!"
Lee Bane's brow furrowed slightly as he regarded his concubine. He had poured resources into her cultivation, yet her talent and determination had capped her at the second layer of Qi Refinement. His voice was calm but carried an edge as he asked, "Are you certain it was this Pay Ling who did this?"
"Dead sure!" she snapped, her delicate makeup ruined as she wiped at her tear-streaked face. Her sobs choked her words, but she forced herself to continue. "That bastard just joined the sect, and the housing arrangement disciple—angry over a failed shakedown—stuck him into Sagwon's courtyard on purpose. The very next day, Affairs Peak sent word: all three kids' Soul Lamps had been snuffed out, and the traces led back to their dorm on Ghost Shade Peak! The Punishment Crypt's enforcers investigated and confirmed it—our Sagwon and the others were… were murdered and ground to ash!"
Her voice broke as the image of her grandson's gruesome fate overwhelmed her. But seeing Lee Bane's calm, unmoved expression, she swallowed her grief and pressed on. "That brat, new to the sect, didn't know the sect's methods. His attempts to cover his tracks were crude, typical of a mortal's thinking. But the Punishment Crypt uncovered the truth with their investigative techniques. They found that the brat has mastered a deadly blade art and a lightning-fast footwork technique. At first, he played weak, fleeing into the quiet mountain woods during the initial clash with the trio."
Her voice grew more frantic as she recounted the details. "But when the kids dropped their guard, that bastard Pay Ling circled back—ambushed and killed our grandson Sagwon first, then turned his blade on the children of the Miu family and the Chou Clan! He's a fucking bastard! Bastard!"
Her sobs turned into heaving cries as she clutched at Lee Bane's robes. "A simple squabble—why couldn't he settle it through fair communication? How could he be so vicious, so calculating, as to slaughter three sect comrades his own age? He's only eighteen, mi-lord! If he's this ruthless now, what will he become in the future?!"
Lee Bane's expression remained stoic, but his eyes narrowed slightly. He cut in sharply, his voice cold and commanding. "Where's about the housing disciple who arranged for this Pay Ling to be placed in Sagwon's courtyard?"