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"Commander, how can we allow someone with the power of Evil Thought to remain here, especially when they use that power to harm our own? This is extremely rare in the history of the Trial Ground, Commander! I demand an explanation!"
Perhaps this was a situation that Qianwen had rarely encountered over the years: because of his daughter's injury, Luo Yue's father, Xing Han, who already had a grudge against Ran Xing, was now venting his emotions to Qianwen.
"There's no need to rush, Xing Han. This is something your father taught you often when you were young. Luo Yue was injured, and everyone involved in the mission shares responsibility. To simply shift the blame onto someone who is executing their first mission is not something someone like you, who is already part of the Liangyi Hero sequence, should say." Qianwen calmly sipped his tea as usual, offering Xing Han a cup as well.
You Long and Ziyuan stood on either side of Qianwen, each taking a deep breath of the rather strange atmosphere, as if all of Xing Han's anger was directed solely at Ran Xing.
Speaking of Xing Han, his father Xiao Jiang and You Long and Ziyuan's teacher Shen Ju were key figures from when Qianwen first took charge of the Trial Ground. They were well-known for educating family members within the Trial Ground. As one of the heirs of one of the two prominent metal families in the Trial Ground, Xing Han took up the family banner after Xiao Jiang's death. He also brought the young Luo Yue into the training at the Trial Ground, and she had not left its high walls for over a decade.
"But Commander, he is someone with Evil Thought power; he could erupt with uncontrollable instincts at any moment. Not sealing him away and allowing him to stay is akin to inviting a wolf into our home. If Luo Yue was injured this time, who will it be next?" Xing Han continued to express his opinion. In his view, Qianwen seemed to have lost his senses in his old age by allowing such a dangerous individual to join them based on mere words. It would have been one thing if he had only come; but now he had actually harmed his daughter. If it weren't for You Long and Ziyuan taking turns watching over Luo Yue and her signs of awakening, he would have demanded to know Ran Xing's whereabouts today and would have torn him apart.
Qianwen smiled coldly but quickly returned to a more amiable demeanor as he raised his right hand to stop You Long and Ziyuan.
"As a father, it's natural to be concerned for your daughter; there is nothing wrong with that. However, as a commander, having power does not mean you can act on impulse. Even if some people are truly irredeemable, you shouldn't make decisions based on momentary anger. Heroes and the Trial Ground do not exist for such purposes; I believe you understand this, Xing Han." Qianwen spoke without holding back, not allowing Ziyuan or You Long to utter a single word in agreement before taking another sip of tea.
"However, Xing Han, while an explanation may be delayed, it will not be absent. What I am saying is something every hero should know. Given the current situation, everyone feels as you do; I hope you can give them some time. Regarding Ran Xing's matter, there will be a specific plan in due course; you need not worry about that. As I just mentioned, it will not be absent." Qianwen set down his teacup and slowly stood up. With a glance, You Long and Ziyuan understood his intention and stepped forward to stand before Xing Han.
"Lord Xing Han, the Commander is about to rest. If you have anything to say, please tell us first; rest assured that what needs to come will come," Ziyuan said politely while bowing slightly before gesturing towards the exit. "Lord Xing Han, please."
Xing Han looked embarrassed and stood up while suppressing his frustration. Reluctantly bowing to the two younger individuals—though it was merely a simple fist salute—he still appeared as if he were a merchant close to achieving his goal but held back by some invisible struggle. With great reluctance, he spoke: "Then I shall take my leave; thank you both."
Under You Long's guidance, Xing Han was escorted out. Only then did Qianwen sit back down and pour himself another cup of tea while calling Ziyuan over to discuss some matters.
"Commander, Ran Xing has been placed under separate watch in Jiangshan Hall. Meals are being delivered according to past standards and are overseen by Meng Jiang's student An Qi. Luo Yue is receiving specialized treatment in Jiangshan Hall and will be returned under Lord Xing Han's care afterward; their meals and living arrangements are being handled separately. Their locations have been specially arranged for separation; access is restricted only to those with designated seals; all other information is completely sealed off."
Qianwen's brows relaxed slightly as he nodded in satisfaction. "That's good; remember that this incident was caused by an accident and not something Ran Xing intended. Therefore, be cautious with your wording when questioning him. All records should be organized separately by you and You Long before being compiled here for our review; we will make decisions afterward."
Ziyuan nodded slightly, just as You Long returned. Qianwen continued to advise, "With the Convention approaching, safety is our top priority. Meng Jiang has taken charge of this matter. During this time, Ziyuan and You Long's training plans are on hold, awaiting the completion of Luo Yue's treatment and Ran Xing's arrangements before gradually resuming training. Everything else revolves around the Convention; we must make some concessions and avoid unnecessary issues."
"Understood, Commander," the two replied in unison before leaving his side to attend to their respective tasks.
According to Qianwen's arrangements, Meng Jiang's student An Qi happened to be delivering meals to various halls and arrived at You Long's Refined Hall. Seeing You Long was like encountering a noble; he rushed over.
"Teacher You Long, how are Ran Xing and Luo Yue doing?" he asked, along with many recent arrangements. Perhaps he had not received notification from Meng Jiang, but upon seeing You Long's forbidding gaze, he dared not press further. He placed the food he was supposed to deliver at the entrance of You Long's hall and quickly prepared to leave.
After a brief moment of thought, You Long called An Qi back and lightly informed him of the upcoming tasks.
"An Qi, regarding Ran Xing's situation, I cannot share too much with you; there is currently no room for further discussion on this matter. However, your tasks remain unchanged. Some places will require more deliveries while others will need less; I will leave you a separate note with specifics. For anything else, let Ran Xing and Luo Yue inform you."
An Qi listened, somewhat confused, and was about to ask more questions when You Long showed no inclination to entertain him further. She lowered her head and quickly departed.
Ziyuan returned to the hall and swiftly made her way to the treatment room. Under Shu Yuen's care, Luo Yue's leg wound from the Evil Thought had visibly improved, and her complexion was recovering well.
The residual poison from the wound was gradually seeping out; Ziyuan observed it all with a frown as she calculated the time. It was almost time for meals—An Qi should have arrived by now.
"Shu Yuen, about Luo Yue's injury..." Before Ziyuan could finish her sentence, Shu Yuen nodded slightly. "There's no need to worry; the Evil Thought has been completely dispelled. Although she hasn't yet awakened from her coma, her condition has improved significantly. We can likely prepare some medicinal soup next; it's crucial that no outsiders interfere."
Having said this with a relaxed demeanor, Shu Yuen slowly gathered her Vitality, took a deep breath, turned towards the guest table, sipped some tea, and then left.
"Teacher Ziyuan!"
Suddenly, a child's clear voice rang out. Ziyuan immediately activated her Vitality and flashed over to the source of the voice.
"An Qi!"
Ziyuan immediately instructed the servants to bring tea for the young man. After hearing what An Qi had said, he realized that the meals had already been delivered to each hall on time, and they were now receiving a second serving.
"Teacher Ziyuan, is Ran Xing... is he okay?" An Qi was unaware of the current situation. All she remembered was that the moment she entered the river of time, Ran Xing had already been hung by Meng Jiang's Vitality rope and handed over to You Long. After that, she had merely blinked and found herself back in the hall.
At the same time, Luo Yue had also disappeared from her sight, but You Long's reticence had not provided Ziyuan with an opportunity to break through An Qi's concerns.
Ziyuan cleared his throat slightly, ordered the doors of the grand hall to be closed, and then slowly spoke: "It is commendable to worry about a friend. However, you must consider whether your concern is timely, especially at this moment. Asking questions without understanding may not yield the answers you seek."
This response, combined with Ziyuan's thunderous gaze, caused An Qi to drop her teacup, which shattered into pieces with a loud crash.
"Teacher Ziyuan, I didn't mean to! I just... wanted to see him," An Qi stammered, beads of cold sweat forming on her forehead. Yet she could not extract any information from Teacher Ziyuan. In her panic, she broke the teacup. But it was just a minor incident involving Ran Xing losing control and injuring Luo Yue; why did it suddenly escalate?
"Calm down. A person's true nature—good or bad, righteous or deceitful—is weighed in each heart. Since you have spent considerable time with Ran Xing, you naturally know his character. This matter is known to heaven and earth, you and I alike. If he truly has committed a wrongdoing, fate will deliver him; if you let go of your obsession, you may soon find your answers."
Ziyuan smiled slightly and did not dwell on the broken teacup. However, at this moment, until Xing Han's issue was resolved, Ran Xing—a controversial figure—could not interact with anyone. As Ziyuan said, asking unclear questions might not lead to desired results.
An Qi wiped away her cold sweat and felt a moment of disorientation; it turned out there were no hidden weapons or outsiders around. Teacher Ziyuan even kindly brought her another cup of tea.
"Have some tea, An Qi. Focus on your tasks here; we need two extra dinners every day now. Catering to our guests' tastes is your responsibility. As for other matters, they will be addressed in due time."
An Qi instantly understood Ziyuan's meaning and quickly stood up to pour tea for him. "I understand now, Teacher Ziyuan. Once this situation passes, I should be able to learn more about it?"
Ziyuan immediately gestured for her to sit down again.
"You haven't had dinner yet? Go ahead; tonight's meal will be here. I've already spoken with your father about it; you'll learn more while eating."
Upon hearing this arrangement, An Qi was filled with confusion; Teacher You Long hadn't mentioned anything about this—what was going on? But since Teacher Ziyuan had informed her father that she wouldn't be returning for dinner, she felt unable to refuse his invitation and could only show reluctance while expressing her gratitude.
"Teacher Ziyuan, I'm truly grateful for this arrangement, but isn't it inappropriate for someone from the outer hall to eat meals meant for Hall Master’s guests? Wouldn't that be a bit improper?" An Qi asked with a forced smile, but Ziyuan's gaze was clear: there was no choice.
An Qi was taken aback by that look and dared not speak further. By then, the food had already been served on the table; leaving was no longer an option. If Teacher Ziyuan merely wanted dinner, he wouldn't have gone through such lengths—there must be something else he wanted to arrange for her.
So it seemed as if An Qi had suddenly grasped something important; she put down her chopsticks just as she was about to pick up some food and looked at Ziyuan as if waiting for him to speak.
Seeing that the child had realized something was amiss, Ziyuan took up his chopsticks first and grabbed some apple slices from the table.
"At that moment, Shan Qing appeared before us with a girl after breaking through the barrier. Ran Xing insisted that she was his sister. Later I noticed that Ran Xing's bracelet matched the colors and patterns of the one worn by Shan Qing's girl companion; I think that might be part of the reason," An Qi continued explaining while Ziyuan quickly jotted down her words and pressed for more details.
Meanwhile, You Long walked into the grand hall slowly. Aside from Shaomeng standing alone in the training area waiting for You Long’s instructions, only leaves fell gently at his feet in the wind.
"Teacher You Long, Luo Yue..."
Shaomeng was the first to inquire about the matter, but upon seeing You Long's expression, he dared not press further.
"Listen, be ready for arrangements at any time, and don't overthink it. What is meant for you will naturally be delivered to you; as for matters that are not yours, I believe you understand. Recently, we should avoid discussing these issues. Once the results are announced, I will inform you of the latest news," You Long conveyed his orders in a low voice.
Shaomeng immediately frowned, lowering his head slightly in reluctance.
"Ran Xing, you'd better wake up before unnecessary things come your way and apologize in person for what you've done. Otherwise, I won't let you off easily!"
He cursed inwardly, not expecting that he would suddenly exert force and break the broom in the grand hall.
You Long paid no attention to him; instead, he stood on the stairs of the grand hall, a worried expression on his face as he gazed at the sunset behind the dark clouds. He reminisced about the events concerning Shan Qing, Ran Xing's outburst, and Xing Han's nearly threatening remarks. If it weren't for the impending Trial of the Land Conference, whatever happened might feel like trying to predict both sides of a coin—impossible to grasp or judge accurately. Even if it was a clear-cut situation, making guesses seemed far from easy.
Meanwhile, Ziyuan listened intently while taking notes and learned that Ran Xing had been drained of Vitality during the reversal of the Five Elements (Shan Qing's seal) yet could still fight...
As more details were revealed by An Qi, Ziyuan's tense expression gradually relaxed.
"Alright, An Qi, we've recorded what you've said. I don't think I need to remind you of the consequences of fabricating testimony. Once you've thought it through, use your Vitality to sign off on it. If it benefits our work later on, you'll earn credit for it. The outcome for Ran Xing will also align more with your expectations. You have one incense stick's worth of time to consider," Ziyuan said as he set down his chopsticks and took out a scroll made from his own Vitality, each word inscribed was what An Qi had previously stated.
An Qi was stunned and dropped his chopsticks. "Teacher Ziyuan, is this how you operate? Did you mean everything you told me was in vain?"
If I sign off on this, wouldn't I be trading my life? No way!
An Qi wiped the beads of sweat from his forehead. "Ran Xing, you've put me in a tough spot! I hope you wake up and tell the truth for my sake. Don't let me down after I've gone through so much trouble to back you up!"
Swallowing hard against a throat that felt frozen, he jumped off his stool. "Teacher Ziyuan, you said that since we're friends who are in this together, we understand each other well enough. Since we're friends, I have nothing to worry about."
An Qi did not hesitate and signed with Vitality. Ziyuan admired the child's courage. A smile finally appeared on Ziyuan's face. "Alright, let's eat."
An Qi then regained control of the chopsticks in hand. Facing the table full of rewards, she could briefly feel grateful that her head was still on her shoulders.
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