Chapter 3: Exactly who got the punishment?
---
The morning sun rose, bright and full of promise.
Qi Feng rolled over, buried his head under a pillow, and muttered, "I hope the heavens explode."
Li Bao peeked into the room. "Young Master, bad news!"
"If it's about breakfast, make it worse news."
"No! Elder Sun has summoned you to the Hall of Discipline!"
Qi Feng froze.
He sat up slowly. "For…?"
Li Bao fidgeted. "For the incident. The garden. The explosion. And the… flying disciple with no pants."
"Oh," Qi Feng said. "That."
A pause.
Li Bao cleared his throat. "Apparently, you violated seven sect rules, offended a spiritual beast, insulted a stone statue, and desecrated three sacred herb plots."
"I only meant to burn one herb plot," Qi Feng said, offended. "The other two caught fire on their own. Tell them not to plant flammables."
Li Bao gave him a look.
Qi Feng sighed and flopped back on the bed. "Fine. Let's go see what the angry grandpa wants."
---
The Hall of Discipline was shaped like a massive gavel, because of course it was.
Qi Feng stepped inside to the echoing sound of gongs, stone-faced elders, and a crowd of disciples eager for drama.
At the head of the chamber stood Elder Sun Zhen—white-bearded, red-faced, and vibrating with indignation. He wore ceremonial robes embroidered with flaming lotuses and a spiritual pressure that said, I take myself way too seriously.
"Qi Feng!" Elder Sun barked, slamming his staff on the floor. "You stand accused of grievous misconduct! What do you have to say for yourself?"
Qi Feng strolled forward, hands clasped behind his back, and said, "I was provoked."
"You destroyed my entire herb garden!"
"Your garden attacked my peace of mind."
"You used demonic flame!"
"Allegedly."
"You burned a disciple's pants off!"
"To be fair, he insulted my entire existence."
"You buried my prized lingzhi mushrooms under a crater!"
"Those mushrooms were looking at me funny."
The crowd broke into hushed laughter. Elder Sun's eye twitched so violently Qi Feng wondered if he should fetch a physician.
"I will not tolerate this insolence!" Sun Zhen roared. "As per sect law, you are to be disciplined!"
"Wait," came a calm voice from the back.
All heads turned.
Jin Xian had arrived.
Dressed in silver and white, with his hair pinned in a jade clasp and sword sheathed at his hip, he looked like a painting brought to life—until you noticed the faint edge of frost trailing behind him.
"This disciple requests to speak on Qi Feng's behalf," Jin Xian said smoothly.
Elder Sun's brows furrowed. "You, of all people, support this miscreant?"
"I do," Jin Xian said. "Because I believe Qi Feng's actions were… justified."
Qi Feng blinked.
Wait. What?
"He was harassed. Provoked. Humiliated. A man can only take so much before retaliation becomes inevitable. I believe Elder Sun should examine the culture of mockery within the sect, rather than punish its victims."
Qi Feng blinked again.
Wait. WHAT?
Jin Xian continued. "Furthermore, I will personally supervise his punishment and ensure he contributes positively to the sect."
There was murmuring across the hall.
Elder Sun narrowed his eyes. "You're… taking responsibility for him?"
"I am."
Qi Feng raised a hand. "Can I object to this arrangement?"
"No," Jin Xian and Elder Sun said in unison.
---
Half an hour later, Qi Feng stood in the Training Field of Enlightened Redemption, otherwise known as The Yard of Public Humiliation.
He was surrounded by a hundred disciples, many of whom were placing bets.
Qi Feng could hear them whispering.
"Qi Feng? Isn't he the one who once fell into a koi pond trying to catch a leaf?"
"I heard he mistook a flying sword for a fancy fish."
"Wait, is he fighting today?"
"Apparently it's his 'disciplinary trial.'"
Qi Feng exhaled slowly and looked to the left.
There, like an overprotective frost demon, stood Jin Xian, arms folded, overseeing the process like a grim guardian angel.
"I don't need a babysitter," Qi Feng called.
"You need an exorcist," Jin Xian replied.
Qi Feng stepped forward.
Elder Sun raised his voice. "For your punishment, you shall engage in three rounds of public sparring. You must show restraint, discipline, and improvement. If you fail, further sanctions will follow."
Qi Feng smirked. "What if I win?"
"...Then we'll consider the punishment complete."
"Excellent."
A moment later, his first opponent stepped into the ring—a broad-shouldered senior disciple with glowing bracers and a deep tan.
"I'm Liu Shan," the man said, flexing. "And I don't believe in mercy."
"I'm Qi Feng," he replied sweetly. "And I don't believe in foreplay."
Laughter erupted from the crowd.
Liu Shan scowled and charged.
Qi Feng dodged left, narrowly avoiding a punch that cracked the ground.
He retaliated with a burst of flame from his palm—more show than substance.
Liu Shan absorbed it with spiritual armor and surged forward again.
Qi Feng grinned.
Then he whispered a word in an ancient tongue.
Dark energy shimmered around his hand. A flicker of demonic Qi.
The ground beneath Liu Shan crumbled.
A column of black fire erupted, sending him flying out of the ring like a squawking chicken.
Silence.
Then an explosion of cheers.
Jin Xian's eyes narrowed.
Qi Feng dusted his hands.
"One down."
---
Second opponent: a twin-blade prodigy named Mei Yuan.
She was fast. Agile. Elegant.
And completely unprepared for the crimson illusion fog Qi Feng summoned from his sleeves.
"Are you using demonic illusions?" Jin Xian called out sharply.
"I'm using creative problem-solving!" Qi Feng yelled back.
Mei Yuan sliced through the fog—only to hit a fake Qi Feng made of heat and Qi compression. The real one tapped her on the shoulder, then used a puff of wind to launch her out of the ring like a startled cat.
"Two down."
The crowd was roaring now. Some started chanting his name.
Elder Sun looked like he needed blood pressure medicine.
---
Final round.
Qi Feng's third opponent stepped into the ring—and Qi Feng froze.
It was Jin Xian.
"What—No," Qi Feng said immediately. "No. Absolutely not."
"This is part of the disciplinary test," Elder Sun declared. "Since he volunteered to be responsible for you, he will also serve as your final test."
Qi Feng turned to Jin Xian, horror blooming. "You planned this."
"I merely anticipated it," Jin Xian said serenely, stepping into the ring.
Qi Feng stared. "You want to spar me?"
"I want to see what you can really do."
"…You do realize you have a frost blade of heaven's law and I have barely functioning chi and spite?"
"Use what you have."
Qi Feng exhaled.
The crowd went silent.
Jin Xian raised a single hand.
Qi Feng summoned fire to both palms, eyes gleaming.
They moved.
Jin Xian's first strike was a blur of silver.
Qi Feng blocked with crossed arms—barely.
He ducked the follow-up kick, rolled backward, and unleashed a stream of demonic fire that sizzled across the field.
Jin Xian waved a hand—ice surged forth, clashing with fire in a hiss of steam.
Qi Feng gritted his teeth.
His heart pounded.
There was no more humor. No more pretense.
He opened the seal deep in his soul.
Just a crack.
Demonic Qi roared to life.
Black tendrils of energy coiled around his limbs.
He shot forward with explosive speed, surprising even Jin Xian, and drove a palm into his opponent's chest.
The impact sent a shockwave through the arena.
Jin Xian slid backward, sword slicing through the demonic aura—but his robe was scorched.
A murmur rippled through the spectators.
"Did… Qi Feng just hit Jin Xian?"
"Wait. Did he just win?"
Jin Xian held up a hand, signaling the end.
Qi Feng panted, chest heaving. The demonic energy faded.
Jin Xian nodded once. "Victory acknowledged."
The arena exploded with cheers.
Elder Sun dropped his staff in disbelief.
Qi Feng turned to the crowd, tossed his burnt sleeve back dramatically, and said, "That's right. I'm back, baby."
Then promptly collapsed face-first into the dirt.