Chapter Forty-Six: An Interrogation

“Where are the members of the Seventy-Three Sect now?”
Hai Yuanyi strode to the side of Di Yuan, who lay unconscious on the ground, hands clasped behind his back, and posed the question to Li Ju.
“Hai Alliance Leader, I am guilty. I acted with too much force earlier and accidentally killed Yuan Hao, the Vice Leader of the Seventy-Three Sect.”
Upon hearing this, Li Ju did not immediately answer Hai Yuanyi’s question, but bowed his head to admit his fault.
“Yuan Hao is dead?”
Hai Yuanyi frowned at Li Ju’s words, casting a glance at him, but he did not pursue the matter further.
“Yes, he tried to kill me before. In my resistance, I inadvertently killed him.”
Observing Hai Yuanyi’s reaction upon learning of Yuan Hao’s death, Li Ju relaxed inwardly.
It seemed the relationship between Hai Yuanyi, the leader of the righteous martial alliance, and the Seventy-Three Sect, the greatest sect of the righteous path, was not as close as he had imagined.
At least Hai Yuanyi would not attack him merely because someone from the Seventy-Three Sect had died.
“To die by sword and blade is the fate of those who walk the martial path. The conflict between you and the Seventy-Three Sect—I have already heard about it from Wang Lu. The initial fault did not lie with you, so I will not intervene in the feud between you and the Seventy-Three Sect.”
Hai Yuanyi’s words calmed Li Ju’s heart completely. The Seventy-Three Sect was indeed powerful, but as long as Hai Yuanyi did not help them, Li Ju had no reason to fear them.
“However, there is one thing…”
Hai Yuanyi paused.
“The matter between you and the Seventy-Three Sect must not escalate too much. After all, the Seventy-Three Sect is the foremost sect of the righteous path, and the struggle against the demonic cult still requires their leadership. You must exercise discretion.”
“As for the Seventy-Three Sect, I will notify them myself.”
“I understand,” Li Ju replied, nodding.
Yet Li Ju was well aware that, though Hai Yuanyi was willing to mediate, from the moment he killed Yuan Hao with a single blow, his relationship with the Seventy-Three Sect had irreversibly become one of life and death.
No sect could tolerate the humiliation of having its Vice Leader beaten to death in public.
“Enough. Take me to the other members of the Seventy-Three Sect.”

Hai Yuanyi reached down and hauled Di Yuan up from the ground, then tossed him toward Wang Lu, who was flirting with Hai Yuan’er nearby.
With a thud, Wang Lu was struck head-on by Di Yuan.
“Though Di Yuan was sheltered by the Seventy-Three Sect, he is ultimately a disciple of your Flying Sword Sect. Regarding his betrayal—selling the sect’s Flying Sword Technique—I will leave it to your sect to deal with him internally.”
Having been knocked to the ground by Di Yuan, Wang Lu stood up, rubbing his head, then turned solemnly to Li Ju. “Junior Brother Li, you defeated this traitor, so it is only right that you decide how to handle him.”
“Senior Brother Wang, you are mistaken. I was merely a cook, uninitiated in the sect’s martial arts, while you are an inner disciple.”
“Now that Flying Sword Sect has only three disciples left, and Di Yuan—supposedly our senior brother—has betrayed us for protection, you are the leader of our sect.”
“Thus, it is only proper that you decide how to deal with Di Yuan.”
Li Ju shook his head.
“Junior Brother Li…”
Wang Lu was moved by Li Ju’s words, looking at him with emotion, as if words were on his lips but he could not speak.
“By the way, Senior Brother Wang, don’t forget—the Flying Sword Technique is still in Di Yuan’s hands. If we want to rebuild our sect, it must be founded on that technique. So, until we obtain the complete Flying Sword Technique from him, do not kill him outright.”
“Even if he deserves death.”
Li Ju added, as if remembering something.
“Don’t worry, Junior Brother. I will definitely retrieve the complete technique.”
Wang Lu nodded with determination, as if entrusted with a sacred mission.
Under Hai Yuanyi’s approving gaze, Li Ju patted Wang Lu’s shoulder.
Di Yuan was of little use in his own hands; it was better to give him to Wang Lu, the protagonist, for interrogation. Under a protagonist’s fortune, perhaps something valuable could be extracted from Di Yuan.
Besides, with their close relationship, Wang Lu would never forget his junior brother if he obtained the inheritance. It saved Li Ju trouble and earned him Hai Yuanyi’s favor.
Why not?
“Enough. Take me to the members of the Seventy-Three Sect.”

Hai Yuanyi interrupted the heartfelt exchange between Li Ju and Wang Lu.
“Very well.”
Li Ju nodded, then led them toward the lodging of the Pine Forest Sect.
After his fight with Di Yuan, they had already left the Pine Forest Sect’s encampment.
“Greetings, Alliance Leader Hai!”
Upon arriving, the members of the Pine Forest Sect immediately recognized Hai Yuanyi and bowed to him.
“Rise.”
Hai Yuanyi nodded coolly, then his gaze fell upon the corpse of Yuan Hao, lying in a deep pit nearby.
“Alliance Leader Hai, that demon cult fiend ‘Poison Vajra’ cruelly murdered our Vice Leader Yuan Hao. Please, act at once and slay the evil!”
Liu Wu and Bai Jiu, upon seeing Li Ju, became red-eyed with fury.
“There’s no need to mention this again. Li Ju is not a member of the demonic cult. His battle with Yuan Hao was a vendetta of the martial world, not a conflict of righteousness and evil. Therefore, I shall not intervene.”
Hai Yuanyi remained standing, his expression unchanged, as he replied to Liu Wu and Bai Jiu.
“But Alliance Leader, Poison Vajra openly practices the demonic cult’s techniques. Even if he is not of the cult, his actions are no different from theirs!”
“Will you simply stand by while a demonic cult fiend kills our Vice Leader and still walks freely in the world? Where is our sect’s honor, the honor of the righteous path, and your own honor, Alliance Leader?”
“When you said those words, did you ever consider the feelings of our Seventy-Three Sect?”
Liu Wu, enraged by Hai Yuanyi’s response, ignored the disparity in strength and status, loudly questioning him.
Li Ju raised his brows.
For a member of the righteous path to show such disrespect to the Alliance Leader, and to speak so irreverently—even with the death of their Vice Leader, it was excessive.