Chapter 29: I Beg You, Please Beg Me
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
"Hahahaha, my young friend, you're being modest," Mingri laughed heartily.
Facing Xu Lingjun, he seemed to have become especially fond of laughing. It was not strange, he had seen many young talents.
When someone young achieved success, even though the person spoke modestly, there would still be a hint of arrogance in the depths of the person's eyes.
However, something like this couldn't be considered a fault since it was only natural that the young person would be in high spirits. Unfortunately, in Mingri's view, it was proof that the young person couldn't maintain one's modesty with just a small achievement, which meant it would most probably be difficult for the young person to become a great figure in the future.
Xu Lingjun was different. He was not the slightest bit proud.
Mingri laughed for a while before sighing, then turned to Guo Xu, "Principal Guo, the Riyueming Sect can't interfere too much in the matters of Qingzhou City, but Liu Yun is, after all, someone who almost became a disciple of our sect. I would like to ask what is the punishment for her?"
Guo Xu thought for a moment before replying, "She can raise the defense that she did not know the truth in terms of Wei Hua's death, so she'll probably only be sentenced to one crime of smuggling plus monetary compensation. However, she still concealed the truth and did not report it even after a murder case had happened, which had caused Wang Jian's death, her actions are already at the level of murder. The two crimes will be punished together. She will be imprisoned in the Black Prison for twenty years without reprieve, and she will also have to pay financial compensation of five million to each of the two families. Because the two victims had died due to an activity organized by the school, the school is also unable to shirk its responsibility and will also give some compensation..."
He paused and looked at Mingri, who had specially asked about this matter, and asked, "What does the sect master think of this punishment?"
Mingri said, "After all, it is a matter of Qingzhou City, and the Riyueming Sect can't interfere. I am asking about this matter because I want to inform Principal Guo that even though Liu Yun almost became a disciple of our sect, the fault she has committed is something that even the sect can not tolerate. You must handle it impartially with no considerations for the Riyueming Sect. Unfortunately..."
He glanced at Xu Lingjun and sighed. "It's a pity that one of the five disciples that we originally agreed on is suddenly gone. Sigh... but the number of disciples we would take in has already been reported. If the number doesn't match up, it'll be a little troublesome."
Guo Xu's eyes lit up. He already understood what the sect master was trying to say.
He understood the intentions of these upper-class people too well.
He smiled and said, "Sect Master Mingri, Lingjun is just right for the spot. We might as well let him replace Liu Yun."
"About that, I'm afraid it doesn't fit with the rules," Mingri sighed and said, "You should know that little friend Xu didn't participate in the sect assessment. Even if he's strong enough... If he joins our sect without participating in the assessment, it is against the rules. I'm afraid that it will cause others to criticize him."
Ji Roufeng became anxious upon hearing this, thus she interrupted and said, "But Xu Lingjun killed that bone-splitting lizard and saved countless lives. If it wasn't for him, I'm afraid that a river of blood would have appeared in Qingyang High School that day. At that time, the blame would probably be placed on the Riyueming Sect. From this point of view, wasn't he helping us? We should thus return the favor."
"About that..." Mingri looked at Xu Lingjun with a troubled expression.
Xu Lingjun looked at him and blinked, then said seriously, "Sect Master Mingri, there's no need to be troubled. Previously, sixteen people had participated in the assessment. Just choose another suitable person from the remaining ten people. This way, it's in accordance with the rules. I don't think anyone would criticize it."
"... ..." Mingri looked at Xu Lingjun in shock, thinking that the way things were unfolding was not right.
Did he not understand the hidden meaning in his words?
Mingri thought to himself, "Please beg me. I'm the sect master. I can't take the initiative to beg you to join, right? But if you begged me, wouldn't I agree?"
Why was this child so honest?
Mingri was momentarily stuck and didn't know what to say.
After a while, he said ambiguously, "Well, the rules are dead, and the people are alive. The rules naturally have to be followed, but if one insists on sticking to them, one is simply ignorant and inflexible. The most important thing in a sect's inheritance is that one can not be stubborn and inflexible, so I'm actually quite an open-minded sect master..."
Xu Lingjun said seriously, "Sect master, there's no need to comfort me. I know myself the best. Even if I participate in the assessment, I'm afraid I won't be able to even get into the top five, so for me to join the sect is very much unjustified. I know that the sect master is grateful to me for helping the Riyueming Sect a little, even so, the rules can not be abandoned. Sect master, you must not force yourself, or the disciples below you will be disappointed."
"To be honest... I'm not forcing myself..." Mingri replied in a daze before Xu Lingjun's words registered. His brows were slightly furrowed as he asked, "You don't seem to want to join the Riyueming Sect?"
Xu Lingjun sighed, "My aptitude isn't good. Back then, more than 20 people had participated in the assessment together, but I didn't even have the qualifications to be selected. Even if I joined the sect through connections and your gratitude, I would still be at the bottom and be bullied by others. I'd rather be the head of an ox than the tail of a phoenix. The blazing sun should be hanging high in the sky, and the orioles should be singing in the shade of the willows. I know myself the best. I don't deserve to join the sect."
Xu Lingjun said it so sincerely that Mingri almost believed him.
Liu Peiyun looked at Ji Roufeng with a strange gaze, asking her if she had told him what she had said back then.
Ji Roufeng replied with a look that said, "I didn't. I only said it when I was talking about my worries with Li Lei. I didn't expect the brat to tell Xu Lingjun the exact same thing."
Liu Peiyun thought to herself, I'm done for.
"Alright, there's no rush. We'll be leaving Qingzhou City only after three days. We can talk about this later," Mingri's gaze swept across his junior sister's face. He had already vaguely sensed that there was something hidden in this matter that he didn't know.
He immediately exchanged a few more pleasantries and bade farewell.
After leaving the Xu residence, they returned to the hotel that Guo Xu had booked in advance.
When only the sect disciples were left, Mingri looked at Ji Roufeng and then at Liu Peiyun as he said, "Tell me, what are you guys hiding from me? This matter hasn't been right from the start. With such combat strength at this age, he can even be ranked high in the Riyueming Sect. How can Qingyang High School have so many experts that out of the more than twenty spots, Xu Lingjun is not even listed?"
Ji Roufeng said softly, "Because he was only at stage 8 of the Body-tempering Tier before and was not qualified to join the sect assessment."
Liu Peiyun sighed and said, "This is my fault. Xiao Feng'er once privately asked me if I could make an exception for this young man to join the sect, but I rejected her."
"No, it's my fault for being rash. Before I obtained Master's approval, I had anxiously asked junior brother Li Lei to ask Xu Lingjun if he was willing to join the sect. Before he gave me his answer, I suddenly went back on my words," Ji Roufeng said, "Originally, I was thinking that it didn't matter if his tier wasn't high enough. At worst, I could just use the rewards given to me from this assessment to help him break through to stage 9... But Master was right. If his aptitude wasn't high enough, forcing him to go to a place that didn't fit his position would only be self-deception. I couldn't bear for him to be bullied by others, so I went back on my words."
"So that the blazing sun and the oriole, they were all metaphors the two of you made? And now, this has become the excuse he is using to reject us?" Mingri was speechless.
After a long time, he said, "And in fact, if junior sister Liu had been willing to think more of the kid back then, perhaps he would already be a member of our sect now?"
"This..." Thinking of Xu Lingjun's face, Liu Peiyun sighed softly, "If I had only seen his face once... Perhaps I would have agreed to Feng'er's suggestion."
If such a person were to join Mount Yunxia, it was uncountable the number of female disciples who would fight over him. By then, the disciples would be fighting each other, and wouldn't their cultivation thus advance by leaps and bounds?
As for herself... She was, after all, old and a whole generation above him, but it would've been nice to have some eye candy.
-- Gift
received