The distance between Bai Zihan’s courtyard and the Punishment Hall was quite far, and even with their carriages, it took a while for the group to arrive.
On the way, no one spoke. Each person was lost in their own thoughts.
Finally, they disembarked when they reached Bai Zihan’s courtyard.
Lin Xuan immediately slipped into servant mode and began preparing tea for the guests.
In Bai Zihan’s small room, the Grand Elder, Bai Zihan, Bai Xueqing, and Chu Ziyan sat together, waiting for the right moment to speak.
“Ahem! Zihan’er, you did well handling this matter. I’ll speak to your father and arrange a suitable reward for you,” Bai Ren said.
He didn’t want to start the conversation with something unpleasant and decided to lead with praise.
“Grand Elder, there’s no need to be polite. Ask what you need to and clear your worries,” Bai Zihan replied.
Grand Elder Bai Ren had helped him greatly, and Bai Zihan appreciated it. But this was as far as his courtesy went.
Bai Xueqing shot Bai Zihan a glare but kept quiet. She’d already been silenced once and didn’t want to push her luck.
She thought it was rude for Bai Zihan to act this way toward the Grand Elder, especially when he’d clearly helped him.
“Then let’s get straight to the point,” Bai Ren said.
“Did you really teach our clan’s cultivation technique to an outsider?”
This time, his tone was much more serious. After all, this was a grave matter for the clan.
“Not really,” Bai Zihan answered nonchalantly.
He wasn’t worried—after all, he hadn’t done anything worthy of punishment.
“Really?”
Bai Ren clearly wasn’t convinced.
“Then why did that brat from the Shen Clan say you did? And why did so many others seem to believe it?”
“Haha… It’s because when I was recruiting a servant, I guaranteed him an Earth-Grade cultivation technique and a bunch of benefits,” Bai Zihan replied.
“And they just believed it?”
Bai Ren was starting to question the intelligence of Heaven Sword Sect disciples if they were that gullible.
He was certain it was a lie—no one would make such a promise, especially for a servant. Maybe for a genius, but even giving a Profound-Grade Cultivation Technique would be going too far without knowing their loyalty.
“You didn’t really teach him an Earth-Grade technique, did you?”
“I’m a man of my word. Of course I taught him.”
“Of course you didn’t… Wait, what?”
Bai Ren blinked. He’d expected Bai Zihan to say it was just an empty promise to lure the servant in.
Instead, Bai Zihan openly admitted it.
“Zihan, do you have any idea what you’ve done?”
Bai Ren frowned. If it were anyone else, he’d have already crippled their cultivation.
The only reason he hadn’t was because this was Bai Zihan—the clan heir—and he still valued him.
“Bai Zihan, did you really?”
Chu Ziyan asked, eyes wide in disbelief. She’d heard the rumors but dismissed them.
Rumors had been flying around for a while, especially after the Assessment Test.
Not to mention, with Shen Liang actively spreading them, there was always someone talking about Bai Zihan.
But she thought that even Bai Zihan wouldn’t go that far, right?
She hadn’t even been taught an Earth-Grade cultivation technique—only a high-level Profound-Grade one from the Chu Clan.
But now Bai Zihan was saying he gave one to a servant?
And he admitted it, leaving no room for doubt.
Bai Xueqing, who would normally be the first to punch Bai Zihan in the face, just sat there quietly.
It seemed his earlier actions had really shaken her. She wasn’t treating him like before.
“Zihan, who is this person? Is he the only one you taught?”
Bai Ren asked but his eyes were on Lin Xuan.
There is only one person acting like a servant here and there was no need to contemplate on who that person who learned the Cultivation Technique was.
He still didn’t want to punish Bai Zihan. He’d rather just eliminate the one who received the technique and pretend it never happened.
“Relax,” Bai Zihan said, “I know what you’re worried about. But I didn’t teach our Bai Clan’s cultivation technique to anyone.”
“But you just said—”
“I said I taught him an Earth-Grade technique. I never said it was the Bai Clan’s technique.”
Everyone—including Lin Xuan—paused, confused.
What did he mean?
No one had even considered that Bai Zihan might have access to an Earth-Grade technique that didn’t come from the Bai Clan.
After all, even powerful clans didn’t always have one.
Seeing their dumbfounded expressions, Bai Zihan sighed. They still didn’t get it.
“Sheesh! Don’t act like there is only one Earth-Grade Cultivation Technique in the world. Lin Xuan, show them how you cultivate,” Bai Zihan said.
Better to show than explain.
Lin Xuan hesitated. Showing a cultivation technique in front of them? That was practically asking to get killed.
But he didn’t question Bai Zihan. He was probably the only person Lin Xuan trusted, and he wasn’t about to doubt him now.
He activated the Star Breathing Technique under their watchful eyes.
The Qi in the atmosphere surged toward Lin Xuan like a tide, and anyone could tell—it was powerful. Probably even stronger than the Bai Clan’s Azure Dragon Breathing Technique.
“This…”
Bai Ren muttered. He could tell it was an Earth-Grade cultivation technique, just not the Azure Dragon Breathing Technique.
But that didn’t make it any less shocking.
“You gave him this technique?”
Bai Ren asked, still in disbelief.
Bai Zihan just casually nodded, like it was no big deal.
The three of them—Bai Ren, Chu Ziyan, and Bai Xueqing—stared at him like he was insane.
Where the hell had he gotten such a powerful technique?
And more importantly, why the hell would he give it to a servant?
People wouldn’t even give something like that to their best friend, let alone some random guy.
“So now that you’ve confirmed I didn’t teach our clan’s technique to anyone… Are we done here?”
Bai Zihan asked, already sounding impatient.
Truth was, he’d been getting a flood of System notifications and was expecting some juicy rewards.
All he had to do now… was get rid of these unwanted guests.