185: Chapter 185 Six Months of Confinement

Early morning.

Li Changsheng was watering tea trees by the spiritual field when two Hall of Law Enforcement Disciples suddenly appeared, standing before him expressionlessly.

"Li Changsheng, the Sect Master summons you. Proceed to the Council Hall immediately."

Li Changsheng's hand paused slightly, then he put down the watering can and wiped his hands.

"Let's go."

He didn't ask why.

He knew that what was meant to come, would always come.

Inside the Council Hall, the atmosphere was so heavy it could be wrung out.

Ling Cang sat in the main seat, his face grim, his gaze like daggers.

Behind him stood two Golden Core Elders, both from the Hall of Law Enforcement.

Below, Zhao Kun stood with his hands at his sides, a hint of undetectable smugness on his face.

Li Changsheng entered the hall, stopped in the center, and bowed respectfully.

"Disciple Li Changsheng greets the Sect Master."

Ling Cang did not tell him to rise, merely looking at him coldly.

"Li Changsheng,"

he spoke, his voice icy.

"Someone reported that during the encirclement and suppression of the Jinyang Sect, you defied military orders and let Jinyang Sect Disciples escape."

"Do you admit your guilt?"

Li Changsheng raised his head and looked at him.

"This Disciple admits it."

Inside the hall, there was dead silence.

Ling Cang's brows furrowed slightly; he hadn't expected Li Changsheng to admit it so readily.

Zhao Kun was also stunned, the smugness on his face frozen.

Ling Cang was silent for a moment, then said.

"Do you know what crime it is to defy military orders?"

Li Changsheng said.

"This Disciple knows."

Ling Cang said.

"Then why did you still do it?"

Li Changsheng looked at him and said each word distinctly:

"Because the righteous path should not slaughter the innocent. Because Jinyang Sect Disciples should not die by fratricide."

Inside the hall, the atmosphere suddenly became tense.

Ling Cang's expression became extremely unpleasant.

Zhao Kun seized the opportunity to step forward and said.

"Sect Master, Li Changsheng is stubborn, defied military orders, and even dared to question the Sect Master's decisions. According to sect rules, he should be executed!"

Ling Cang did not speak, only stared at Li Changsheng.

Li Changsheng also did not speak, merely met his gaze calmly.

Time seemed to freeze.

After a long while, Ling Cang slowly spoke.

"Li Changsheng, do you have anything else to say?"

Li Changsheng said.

"This Disciple has nothing to say."

Ling Cang's gaze became dangerous.

"Good. Since that is the case..."

"Wait."

Just then, an aged voice came from outside the hall.

The hall doors were pushed open, and a white-haired figure walked in.

True Lord Three Swords.

He walked to the center of the hall, stood beside Li Changsheng, and nodded slightly to Ling Cang.

"Sect Master, this old man has something to say."

Ling Cang looked at him, his brows slightly furrowed.

"True Lord, please speak."

True Lord Three Swords said.

"Although Li Changsheng defied military orders, he has performed outstanding military service, having slain Golden Core Stage evil cultivators on the Jinyang Sect battlefield and fought desperately to kill enemies on the Qingxin Pavilion defense line."

"Does the Sect Master still remember these merits?"

Ling Cang was silent.

True Lord Three Swords continued.

"He was young and ignorant, pure of Heart-Nature, and momentarily confused, making a mistake. But his crime is not punishable by death."

He looked at Ling Cang, his gaze profound.

"If the Sect Master kills him, wouldn't it dampen the hearts of all Disciples?"

Ling Cang was silent for a long time.

Inside the hall, there was dead silence.

Finally, he slowly spoke.

"Li Changsheng defied military orders, which according to sect rules should be punishable by death. However, considering his outstanding military service and his youth and ignorance, he will be given a lighter sentence."

He paused, then said coldly:

"Effective immediately, he is confined for half a year and punished to guard the mine in the back mountain. He is not to step out of the mining area by even one step."

Li Changsheng bowed respectfully.

"This Disciple accepts the punishment."

Zhao Kun's expression changed, wanting to say something, but was stopped by a glance from Ling Cang.

True Lord Three Swords glanced at Li Changsheng, then turned and left.

Li Changsheng also turned and walked out of the Council Hall.

Behind him, Ling Cang's gaze was like a knife, piercing his back.

But he did not look back.

The back mountain mining area is located in the deepest part of the Qinglan Mountains.

The Spiritual Qi here is sparse, the environment harsh, and ordinarily, only Disciples who have made mistakes are punished here.

The mine shafts are bottomless, never seeing sunlight throughout the year, with only the clanging sounds of excavation and occasional screams.

Li Changsheng was assigned to a secluded mine shaft.

It was called a mine shaft, but it was actually just a crude stone chamber.

A stone bed, an oil lamp, and a pot of clear water were all there was.

The Disciple responsible for guarding him escorted him to the entrance and said coldly.

"Stay here honestly for half a year. Dare to run, and you will be killed without mercy."

Li Changsheng did not speak, merely walked into the stone chamber and sat on the stone bed.

The Disciple glanced at him, then turned and left.

The stone door slammed shut.

In the darkness, Li Changsheng lit the oil lamp.

The dim yellow light illuminated the small space.

He sat cross-legged, closed his eyes, and took a deep breath.

Half a year of confinement.

Perfect.

He had too many things to do.

In the following days, Li Changsheng began a disciplined life.

During the day, he would Cultivate in the mine shaft, using the faint Spiritual Qi in the mineral veins to gradually improve his cultivation.

Although the Spiritual Qi here was sparse, it had the advantage of being quiet, with no one to disturb him.

At night, he would take out the Blood Fiend Sect Jade Slip and continue trying to decipher it.

The Restriction on the Jade Slip was still powerful, but he found that as time passed, the Restriction seemed to be slowly weakening.

Perhaps it was a certain aura from the mineral veins, or perhaps his spiritual power gradually resonated with the Restriction through repeated attempts.

He didn't know.

But he knew that as long as he persevered, one day he would be able to open this Jade Slip.

Besides Cultivating and deciphering the Jade Slip, he was also doing another thing.

Recalling.

Recalling Elder Li Ran's dying words, True Lord Three Swords' expression when he saw the Jade Slip fragment, and Zhao Kun's strange behavior of collecting Blood Fiend Sect relics on the battlefield.

These clues, like threads, wove together into a huge net in his mind.

He vaguely felt that behind this net lay a shocking secret.

And this secret likely concerned the future of the Qinglan Sword Sect, the Blood Fiend Sect, and even the entire Cloud Province.

He had to find out.

One night a month later, Li Changsheng was Cultivating when he suddenly heard a slight sound from outside the mine shaft.

He abruptly opened his eyes, his hand on his sword hilt.

The sound was very soft, not like the footsteps of a guarding Disciple, but rather... someone deliberately suppressing their movements.

A moment later, a small stone was thrown in from the ventilation opening, landing at his feet.

A note was tied to the stone. Li Changsheng picked up the note, unfolded it, and his pupils contracted slightly.

The note contained only one line of small characters:

"Tomorrow at midnight, at the abandoned mine shaft on the east side of the mining area, an old acquaintance awaits. Do not spread the word."

At the bottom, a delicate orchid was drawn.

The mark of Qingxin Pavilion.

Li Changsheng's heart pounded.

Su Qianxue?

He remembered the female cultivator he had fought alongside on the Jinyang Sect battlefield, her

“Thank you” as she left, and the communication talisman she had given him.

Was it her?

He gripped the note, silent for a long time.

Then, he placed the note over the lamp flame, watching it turn to ashes.

Whether it was her or not, he had to go and see.

The next day at midnight, Li Changsheng quietly left his mine shaft and made his way in the dark towards the east side of the mining area.

The abandoned mine shaft was not far from his own, only about the time it takes an incense stick to burn.

He walked carefully, stopping every few steps to observe his surroundings and ensure no one was following him.

Finally, he saw the entrance to the abandoned mine shaft.

The entrance was mostly blocked by rubble, leaving only a narrow slit.

He squeezed in sideways; it was pitch black inside.

"Li Changsheng."

A familiar voice came from the darkness.

He looked up and saw a white-robed figure standing not far away.

Su Qianxue.

She still had that cold demeanor, but there was a hint of fatigue and vigilance in her brows.

Her cultivation was already at Foundation Establishment Late-Stage.

Li Changsheng walked over and looked at her.

"Why are you here?"

Su Qianxue was silent for a moment, then said.

"The Pavilion Master sent me."

Li Changsheng was stunned.

"Pavilion Master?"

Su Qianxue nodded.

"Pavilion Master Su Qinghan."

"She knows about your confinement and heard about what you did at the Jinyang Sect."

"She... she wants me to bring you a message."

Li Changsheng did not speak, only looked at her.

Su Qianxue took a deep breath and said.

"The Pavilion Master said that if you are willing, you can join Qingxin Pavilion."

"Qingxin Pavilion is willing to shelter you, provide you with Cultivation resources, and help you improve your cultivation."

"You only need to do one thing."

"What thing?"

She paused, then said each word distinctly.

"Jointly resist the Qinglan Sword Sect."

Li Changsheng fell silent.

He remembered Ling Cang's gentle face, his cold indifference when he ordered

“no survivors”, and the Jinyang Sect Disciples who lay dead in pools of blood.

He also remembered True Lord Three Swords' words, Elder Li Ran's dying wish, and the Blood Fiend Sect Jade Slip that held a secret.

After a long while, he slowly spoke.

"Please thank the Pavilion Master for her kind intentions on my behalf."

Su Qianxue looked at him, a complex emotion flashing in her eyes.

"You are unwilling?"

Li Changsheng shook his head and said.

"It's not that I'm unwilling. It's just that now is not the time."

He looked at Su Qianxue and said seriously.

"I need time, I need to become stronger."

"Once I have enough strength, I will come find you."

Su Qianxue was silent for a moment, then nodded.

"Alright. I'll wait for you."

She took out a Jade Slip from her embrace and handed it to Li Changsheng.

"This is Qingxin Pavilion's new communication talisman."

"If you change your mind, or encounter danger, you can contact us anytime."

Li Changsheng took the Jade Slip and put it away.

The two looked at each other, neither speaking again.

Then, Su Qianxue turned and disappeared into the darkness.

Li Changsheng stood rooted to the spot, gazing in the direction she had vanished, for a long time.

After a long while, he turned and walked towards his own mine shaft.

Under the moonlight, his silhouette was stretched long.

Ahead lay a long confinement, endless Cultivation, and an unknown truth.

But he was not afraid.