Chapter 81: Revelation
This was no laughing matter. Qing Mei and Qing Ju both had cultivations at White Lotus Seventh Grade. With the two of them working together and with his mere White Lotus Second Grade cultivation, Dan Biaoyi was not given any opportunity to resist. He was apprehended just like that - resistance was futile.
Qin Weiwei remained silent as she casted a glance at Dan Biaoyi being dragged away. As Miao Yi was favored by Yang Qing, even if she held no regard for Miao Yi, she still had to give face to Yang Qing. She could not just execute Miao Yi’s subordinate without any proof, but Yang Qing could, and no one would object.
Dan Biaoyi began to panic. After he had regained a measure of calm, he realised that he was already being forcefully dragged out of the pavilion, and was immediately scared out of his wits.
He knew Yang Qing could just be trying to scare him. Yang Qing’s main objective was to discover the truth of the matter, but Dan Biaoyi also knew that since Yang Qing had already spoken, if he were to give an unsatisfactory answer, Yang Qing would not likely change his mind for a measly pawn like himself. Even if he were to be killed, Yang Qing would not be affected in the least.
“Manor Head, it’s my fault! I will speak, so please give me another chance! Manor Head, I’ll speak! I’ll speak....”
Dan Biaoyi, being dragged out of the pavilion, struggled as he begged for mercy; even his face had gone pale with fear.
Yang Qing hadn’t even turned his head around and just looked over the mountains in melancholy. He slowly relaxed his hand from his back, and lifted it up casually.
Qing Mei and Qing Ju gave each other a look, before releasing Dan Biaoyi together.
Dan Biaoyi still found it difficult to calm himself. He stumbled his way uneasily back into the pavilion, dropping to his knees before kneeling behind Yang Qing. His face deathly pale as he said, “Manor Head, I will speak!”
Still with his back towards Dan Biaoyi, Yang Qing said in an indifferent tone, “Why did the disciples from the School of Blue Jade collude together and rebuke Song Fu in their reports?”
“It was all because Cave Master Miao.... because Cave Master Miao forced them to!”
With a pained expression on his face, Dan Biaoyi said these words with great difficulty. If Miao Yi was still the East Arrival Cave Master after this matter, it would be difficult for him to continue staying at East Arrival Cave.
Qing Mei and Qing Ju paid full attention to his words.
Qin Weiwei’s eyes brightened - ‘Will the mystery finally be unveiled?’
Anyone could tell the disciples from the School of Blue Jade were under some enormous pressure, but they didn’t know what methods Miao Yi had used to pressure them so.
“Explain everything clearly from start to finish!” Yang Qing said calmly.
Even though only Yang Qing’s back was facing Dan Biaoyi and his tone had been calm, Dan Biaoyi still felt an immense pressure because he knew, if the other party could discern something was amiss in what he said, his fate would be decided with but a single thought. There was no room for resistance.
“For your information, Manor Head, this incident truly originated as a result of the impudence of the School of Blue Jade’s people. Before Cave Master Miao arrived, the School of Blue Jade’s disciples did not heed the deputy’s orders at all. Instead they always just obeyed overtly, but secretly opposed us and went against us at every turn. Since they had the advantage in numbers, we couldn’t really do anything to them. That day when Cave Master Miao took up his post, he arrived at East Arrival Cave’s mountain gates and saw that it had been left unguarded, so he bellowed in fury...,” Dan Biaoyi obediently recounted every single detail of the entire incident.
Starting from when he, Yan Xiu, and Qiu Shaoqun had rushed to the mountain gates upon hearing Miao Yi’s voice; followed by Miao Yi’s angry reprimand as to why there was no one guarding the mountain gate of the prestigious East Arrival Cave, and Yan Xiu’s complaint about the School of Blue Jade in response.
Then he spoke about Song Fu and those from the School of Blue Jade arriving later at their own leisurely pace, and even taunting Miao Yi.
Yang Qing, with his back facing everyone, slowly narrowed his eyes as he heard up to this point. A cold glint flashed within them; Miao Yi was sent out on his order, and everyone knew that Miao Yi was his trusted aide. The School of Blue Jade had dared to act with such impudence knowing full well his trusted aide was the one taking up the post. Thus, it was evident how the state of affairs would be for the other territories.
“How did your Cave Master handle the situation then?” Yang Qing asked seemingly unperturbed.
Dan Biaoyi hastily replied, “At the time, Cave Master didn’t say anything else and ordered me to journey to Mount Calming Sea immediately and report to the Mountain Chieftain, stating that the School of Blue Jade had rebelled. The School of Blue Jade’s disciples were alarmed by this, and only then did they reluctantly pay their respects to Cave Master Miao.
“Consequently, Cave Master Miao did not back down and ordered Song Fu, the White Lotus Third Grade cultivator, to guard the gate on the spot. He didn’t even bother if Song Fu had agreed to it or not, and immediately charged past them on his dragon steed!”
Standing with his hands behind his back, a smile crept up on Yang Qing’s face. He could imagine how imposing Miao Yi must have been at the time; tyrannical and unrelenting, as though he held the people from the School of Blue Jade with complete disregard. Miao Yi was truly worthy of being a trusted aide personally sent by him, and had brought him, Yang Qing, glory.
“What happened afterwards? How did he manage to kill Song Fu?” Yang Qing asked.
“Actually Song Fu was not killed by the Cave Master, but through a joint effort by Yan Xiu Qiu Shaoqun, and I....”
Since he had already revealed so much, Dan Biaoyi would naturally no longer keep anything under wraps, and continued to divulge everything.
He spoke of how Miao Yi had called the three of them over for a discussion, and how they had accurately predicted that Song Fu was just being condescending to Miao Yi, with no intention of guarding the gate. So in response, Miao Yi had ordered Qiu Shaoqun to go and destroy their own mountain gate in secret, and prepared to make things difficult for Song Fu. At the time, everyone had felt that the matter at hand was of grave importance and they were afraid that mishaps might occur, but Miao Yi had insisted on making an example out of Song Fu.
After Qiu Shaoqun had destroyed the mountain gates, and stirred up a commotion. Miao Yi had used the opportunity to throw a tantrum, and separated the School of Blue Jade’s disciples on the pretense of searching for the enemy. He then called Song Fu over to the East Arrival Grand Hall to ask if he would admit to his wrongdoings, to which Song Fu denied having ever made any. Following the plan, Yan Xiu, Dan Biaoyi and Qiu Shaoqun had already secretly come back. Upon Miao Yi’s orders, the three of them had joined forces and beheaded Song Fu inside the Grand Hall.
Afterwards Miao Yi had coerced the School of Blue Jade’s disciples, and forced them to write down their reports. He had even forced them to reconstruct the mountain gates overnight. Dan Biaoyi reiterated every single detail of the incident, including how everyone was scared after the incident and had banded together to patronize Qin Weiwei.
Finally, Dan Biaoyi lowered his head as he finished speaking, “This was how everything had occurred.”
Throwing a glance at each other, Qing Mei and Qing Ju realized that they had truly underestimated that Cave Master Miao. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that he had both wit and valor. He had only arrived at East Arrival Cave for a few hours, yet he had managed to subdue the entire East Arrival Cave with his decisive methods; he was a truly capable man.
Qin Weiwei softly bit her lips. The mystery was solved, but now she felt as though it was better not to have known, had she realised it was going to turn out like this. Listening to nothing but stories of that brat’s imposing manner, she was feeling maligned as it seemed as though that bastard was the only one who was capable in the entire Mount Calming Sea.
Yang Qing closed his eyes and pondered for a while; then slowly turned around, looked at the kneeling Dan Biaoyi, and said to him, “Rise!”
“Thank you Manor Head!” Dan Biaoyi stood up with a pained expression; he didn’t know what was going to happen to him next.
Unexpectedly, Yang Qing did not make things difficult for him. Instead he said, “Don’t let anyone else know about what you have said today. Just act as if nothing has happened, and no one should question you. In the future, if anything were to happen in East Arrival Cave, I grant you the authority to report to the Mountain Chieftain of Mount Calming Sea in secret. Do you understand what I’m saying?”
Dan Biaoyi was initially taken aback, but then his expression was full of joy. He had understood what Yang Qing meant; Yang Qing was telling him that he would not reveal this incident, and had even personally appointed him to be his inside man in East Arrival Cave. This clearly meant that he had already been taken notice of by Yang Qing. He had not expected that something good actually came out of this terrible situation.
“Your subordinate understands, I shall follow your orders!” said Dan Biaoyi excitedly as he cupped his fists.
From shock to fear, and ultimately to joy, there was too much of a difference; he found it almost impossible to react to.