Chapter 425: Chapter 425 : The Little Devil

At the peak of Mount Wu, the seat of the Wushan Temple Sect, ten disciples were lined up in front of the temple gate, waiting for a certain sect member to return home.

Two figures stood some distance away from the several people. They were none other than Bai Siyang, the Wushan Temple Sect Leader and his only daughter, Bai Ling.

"Little Ling, remember what I have told you these past few days," Bai Siyang told Bai Ling in a low voice.

Bai Ling furrowed her brows in displeasure.

"Father, I am not that weak," she scoffed. "Sure, he broke my heart, but so what? We still have to live as Shixiong and Shimei. I do not want to recount past grievances."

A relieved smile spread on Bai Siyang’s weathered face.

"That’s good," he said while patting his daughter on the back. "That is very good. Truly, you two grew up together like siblings. There is no need to let this single disagreement shatter the good relationship between the two of you."

Bai Ling inhaled and exhaled several times before she schooled her facial expression to a neutral one. In order to not appear too stiff, she forced a smile upon her face.

"Goodness," she thought to herself with a tinge of desperation. "Hopefully Wei Wei won’t see through me. It is degrading enough to be rejected. I don’t want to be that woman who is so hung up on a man that she ruins her entire life for him."

After some time, the man they were all waiting for came into sight.

Curiously, he was not alone. He was holding a toddler’s hand in his, and helping him ascend the many steps leading to Wushan Temple.

Bai Siyang couldn’t help but gape.

Bai Ling’s smile vanished from her face, replaced by a furious glare.

"Welcome back, Shixiong!!!"

The ten disciples bowed in unison in front of Qiao Wei, who gave them a warm smile in return.

"Thank you, Shidis. Have you all been well?"

"We have!"

"Shixiong, Wushan Temple is not the same without you around."

"We really missed you, Shixiong!"

After the short exchange of greetings with the other disciples, Qiao Wei walked further up the steps and stopped before Bai Siyang and Bai Ling.

"Shizun, Little Ling, I have returned from the Discussion Conference at Jiangnan."

Bai Siyang rolled his beard between two fingers and hummed, "Welcome back, Qiao Wei. Have you had a pleasant journey?"

Before Qiao Wei had the chance to answer, Bai Ling spat out the question that was lodged in her throat like a thorny berry, "What is that

?"

Bai Siyang quickly pulled at Bai Ling’s sleeve, but the young woman did not budge. Instead, she stared deep into Qiao Wei’s eyes, demanding an answer.

"This boy, uhh..."

Little Zhang Fengxi, still grumpy from his unwelcome transformation, grabbed Qiao Wei’s robe and whimpered, "Daddy, this lady is so scary. Does she hate me?"

Qiao Wei was on the verge of vomiting blood.

Bai Siyang’s mouth gaped open like a fish out of water, his eyes wide with disbelief and horror.

All colors drained from Bai Ling’s face. Her eyes rolled backward, and she fainted on the spot.

"LITTLE LING!!!"

"SHIJIE!!!"

Bai Ling, no different from a particularly delicate porcelain doll, was whisked away to her bedroom to recover from the emotional earthquake.

Zhang Fengxi, the little devil, was left in the kitchen to be thoroughly kneaded and fluffed by the delighted kitchen ladies.

Qiao Wei and Bai Siyang, meanwhile, were huddled in a cozy chamber to dissect the issues of the Discussion Conference and recount the events that transpired in the past several days.

"I see."

Bai Siyang nodded in apprehension at the end of Qiao Wei’s explanation regarding Huang Taichen.

"Even the number one sect like Tian’an Shang Sect has to deal with this kind of problem, truly unfortunate."

"Shizun, I am thinking of giving Huang Taichen a chance," Qiao Wei said. "I am willing to take him under my wings. I will be responsible for him during his stay at Wushan Temple."

Bai Siyang’s reply was a curt, definitive ’No,’ leaving no room for further discussion.

Undeterred, Qiao Wei’s voice remained steady, "Shizun, why not?"

A sigh escaped Bai Siyang, an admission of the battle raging within him. Finally, he broke the silence, grudgingly elaborating on his refusal.

"Qiao Wei, you have a noble heart, but you are still so young. Ties among the cultivation sects are both strong and brittle. We help and tolerate each other. An unspoken rule prevents sects from interfering with each other’s internal matters. Huang Taichen is Tian’an Shang Sect’s problem to solve. If they required any kind of support, they would have spoken up during the Discussion Conference."

"Shizun, Tian’an Shang Sect does not want Huang Taichen. Sect Leader Shang personally told me that he did not want to allocate resources to nurture those without talents, including Huang Taichen. How is it wrong if we want to accept Huang Taichen into our sect?"

"Qiao Wei..."

Bai Siyang pinned his favorite disciple with a glare.

"What, do you think, will Shang Daoming say when he finds out?"

"... Does it matter?"

"Of course it does! I am not above offending Shang Daoming for the sake of accepting a single young man into my sect, with or without your recommendation!"

"Then let me personally go and beg Sect Leader Shang for an exception," Qiao Wei was quick to offer. "I am going to explain to him the situation. He will not think that we are trying to offend him..."

"Qiao Wei, you already offended him," Bai Siyang said in a sharp voice. "Your mind is clouded by your wish to do right by everyone. You keep forgetting that you cannot please everyone at the same time. Know your place, do not presume to defy my order ever again!"

Qiao Wei clamped his jaw tight, the muscles clenching and unclenching as he swallowed back a wave of frustration.

"Disciple has overstepped his authority. I beg Shizun for forgiveness."

Bai Siyang took a deep breath.

"It’s alright. Let’s not speak about it again. I would rather like to talk about the little boy who returned with you this morning."

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by Aunomay