I Ran Away with the Scumbag's White Moonlight Chapter 45

The moment the man in the snow-white robe appeared, he drew countless gazes. His voice wasn't particularly loud, yet it reached everyone's ears clearly.

Bai Ling of the Xuanyun Sect—this was clearly the name of the Xuanyun Sect's leader. The righteous path's people all turned to look at this legendary Bai Sect Leader, many with shock written all over their faces. Not far away, Xuanyuan Nan, who was pale-faced on a high ground, also stared intently at this ethereal man.

His gaze was extremely complex. A month ago, when they parted, he was still in a sorry state, being punished in the Martial Arts Arena under the other's eyes. And now, during this encirclement battle, which should have been the best opportunity for both of them to make a name for themselves, it was all because...

Thinking of this, Xuanyuan Nan's heart skipped a beat, and he hurriedly withdrew his gaze, looking nonchalantly at the young man beside him.

The young man was dressed in a thick cotton robe, a stark contrast to the luxurious clothes he wore before. His face, which still had a hint of baby fat, had noticeably thinned. Thinking of the hardships and actions the young man had endured these days, Xuanyuan Nan couldn't help but suppress his regret and carefully observe the young man's expression.

Fortunately, the young man's attention was entirely on the Demon Sect's leader at the moment, not noticing Xuanyuan Nan's earlier glance at Bai Qinglian.

Xuanyuan Nan couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief. Yet, even as he exhaled, he wasn't sure if he felt relieved or disappointed.

Caught in a swirl of complex emotions, Xuanyuan Nan found himself, almost involuntarily, observing Bai Qinglian's reaction. The man standing on the cherry blossom tree had a stern face, his gaze fixed on the righteous path's leaders, not sparing a glance towards the young man.

This time, Xuanyuan Nan truly felt a sense of relief. Although he couldn't quite discern whether he wanted Bai Qinglian to ignore Ling Yao or for Ling Yao not to be coveted, the fact that Bai Qinglian and Ling Yao had no interaction was the best outcome.

While the righteous path's people were surprised by Bai Qinglian's appearance, the Demon Sect's followers, though more composed, remained in a tense state of readiness. Few had the leisure to notice Xuanyuan Nan, except for one idle person not far away who witnessed Xuanyuan Nan's ever-changing expressions throughout.

He couldn't help but roll his eyes in secret. This scoundrel sure knows how to add drama for himself.

The focus of everyone present remained on Bai Qinglian. His appearance made several leaders, who were already tense, even more nervous. The leader of the Tian'er Sect managed to stay calm, but the other leaders were already in disarray.

An elderly man with gray hair, veins bulging from the loss of his beloved disciple, angrily rebuked, "The Xuanyun Sect is far away in the Snow Ridge, with only a few disciples descending the mountain each year. This matter was just brought up, and someone claims to be from the Xuanyun Sect seeking justice. I didn't know such coincidences existed in the world!"

His skepticism seemed somewhat reasonable, yet when he voiced it, it received little support. Instead, many people looked at the gray-haired elder with strange eyes.

The Xuanyun Sect rarely involved itself in worldly affairs, and its leader seldom appeared. But not appearing didn't mean they had a low presence. The Xuanyun Sect's strength was still recognized as the top in the righteous path. If they weren't uninterested in vying for the position of Martial Arts Alliance Leader, the righteous path wouldn't have been fighting so fiercely for years without a clear leader.

Bai Sect Leader of the Xuanyun Sect also gained fame at a young age. Five years ago, he was already known as the Silver Ling Sword Master, making a name for himself in the martial arts world. Even if few had seen his true face, they had heard of the name of the snow-clad silver sword.

Moreover, with his lightness skill that allowed him to tread on flowers without leaving a trace, there were indeed few who would question his identity.

The gray-haired elder also sensed something was amiss. None of the leaders beside him voiced support. Instead, it was the man in the snow-white robe who gave him an answer.

"If Sect Leader Hui has doubts, you can ask the sword in Ling's hand."

With a crisp sound, the chilling silver sword was already unsheathed.

The gray-haired elder's face turned ashen, and the leaders who had just thought he was out of line couldn't help but frown. Qi Ming, the leader of the Tian'er Sect, raised his voice, "We welcome Bai Sect Leader's presence. However, Bai Sect Leader should remember his stance and not do anything that would please the enemy and hurt our own at such a critical moment."

Yet Bai Qinglian did not sheathe his sword. He coldly said, "My sect is my stance."

Seeing his stubbornness, the leader of the Di Yi Sect couldn't hold back. His chief disciple was the first to be killed by the Demon Sect's leader.

The leader of the Di Yi Sect shouted sternly, "Bai Qinglian! Are you going to collude with the Demon Sect and join forces with them?!"

Bai Qinglian slightly narrowed his icy eyes, which were almost snow-colored.

"Leader Ling is my master's close friend. The nine leaders joined forces to blow up the mine. Who am I colluding with?"

His gaze swept over them, and many felt as if they were frozen by his stare. Those with weaker strength even began to shiver uncontrollably.

Even the most oblivious person could see Bai Qinglian's anger at this moment.

"The flowing gold stone is hard, and the flowing gold mine is difficult to mine. It cannot be destroyed without the Thunder Sect's Sky-shattering Cannon. Sixteen years ago, the Thunder Sect was exterminated, and the stock in the sect disappeared. Half a month ago, I received news from the Linmen Escort Agency that a batch of Sky-shattering Cannons was secretly escorted back then, and the destination was the Tian'er Sect, closest to the flowing gold mine."

As this voice, cold enough to almost form ice shards, spoke, the leader of the Tian'er Sect's face grew increasingly grim.

As soon as the words "Tian'er Sect" fell, Bai Qinglian's figure was no longer visible on the cherry blossom tree.

The leaders instantly heightened their vigilance. However, even so, they couldn't see how Bai Qinglian had arrived in front of them.

"Bai Qinglian! You—"

The man had no intention of delaying.

"Harming my master, plotting against my sect—if I don't avenge this, how can Bai Ling face being the sect leader?"

The Silver Ling Sword rang out. Bai Qinglian raised his sword, looking at them as if they were already dead.

"Today, I will settle the matter from sixteen years ago for the Xuanyun Sect."

He said it and did it, not even wasting time waiting for the leaders to come at him one by one.

Among the righteous path's five sects and four factions, excluding the two who died in the melee at the hands of the Demon Sect's hall master, Bai Qinglian single-handedly challenged seven leaders.

The time spent totaled no more than fifteen breaths.

Not only the many righteous path disciples who hadn't had time to react, but even someone not far away who had just heard the system prompt raised an eyebrow in secret.

[Ding—Task repair progress, 60%]

This should be the repair progress after the Demon Sect received compensation.

However, although the Xuanyun Sect's strength is indeed indisputable...

Bai Sect Leader's overwhelming force was a bit too obvious. These top martial arts leaders couldn't withstand even ten moves under his sword, not even when joining forces.

This couldn't help but remind people of the last task, where the same extraordinary martial prowess was displayed by that white moonlight.

But there wasn't much time for someone to think deeply. Soon, the many righteous path disciples who had lost their leaders and the senior brothers of their sects were subdued by the Demon Sect. Strangely, the Demon Sect didn't immediately start a massacre but instead handed this group over to the three thousand elite soldiers who had arrived.

The soldiers used prepared shackles to detain the people, and the scene was somewhat noisy for a while.

Seeing everything nearing its end, Xuanyuan Nan on the high platform couldn't help but turn his head and say to the young man beside him, "Ah Yao, thanks to your care these days, I was able to escape that purgatory. Now that the leaders of the nine major sects have paid the price, I will also have these disciples detained. You no longer need to worry about the Demon Sect's affairs."

The young man lowered his gaze, but contrary to his usual gentle tone, he replied indifferently, "Thank you, Your Highness, for uncovering the events of sixteen years ago and clearing my sect's name."

His words were indeed distant, but Xuanyuan Nan, who had been trying to please him for two years, didn't mind at all. Instead, he smiled and said, "Ah Yao, why be so polite with me? We are people who have lived and died together..."

The young man ignored him, not responding to Xuanyuan Nan's smile, and instead jumped off the high platform, heading straight towards the leader.

Xuanyuan Nan was taken aback and hurriedly called out to him a few times, but received no response.

The young man was completely different from when he used to circle around him every day. But Xuanyuan Nan didn't mind. He knew that Ling Yao's heart was still with him. Otherwise, the other wouldn't have risked his life and the pressure of being reprimanded by his father to save him.

However, this cold and distant Ling Yao was indeed much more interesting than before. Although Xuanyuan Nan still had his own plans, he also devoted much more thought to Ling Yao.

Every time he intentionally teased the other, Ling Yao's expression, desperately trying to suppress but unable to hide his unusual reaction, greatly amused Xuanyuan Nan.

He wanted to see how long Ling Yao could maintain this facade of indifference.

The young man Xuanyuan Nan failed to stop walked towards the leader. The distance wasn't far, but there were still many people busy in between. Halfway there, the young man was accidentally surrounded by a group of Demon Sect followers escorting prisoners from the right side, and it took him a while to find a way out of the crowd.

But before he could reach the leader, he heard an angry roar.

"You demons! You all deserve to die—!"

A righteous path disciple, who had been subdued by soldiers, suddenly broke free, drew his sword, and charged viciously at the young man. His attack was so sudden that the soldiers and Demon Sect followers nearby couldn't react in time.

"Young Master, watch out!"

The young master paused slightly, narrowly avoiding the blade that came at him, the whistling blade almost striking the back of his head.

There was no time to draw a weapon; the fierce disciple with bloodshot eyes swung his sword at him again with all his might!

Not just this one disciple, but many others who pretended to comply broke free from their restraints and charged at the lone young master. Although the soldiers and Demon Sect followers were on guard, the force of human desperation was not to be underestimated. In the blink of an eye, the scene became chaotic again, and those who reached the young master's side were enough to surround him.

"Young Master!!"

Amidst the chaotic crowd, blood was already splattering.

The blood was pervasive and glaringly bright.

The leader and Bai Qinglian, who rushed over immediately, were blocked by the righteous path disciples who fought desperately, arriving a step too late and unable to squeeze into the dense crowd.

But no one expected that this group of rioters would ultimately be defeated from within.

The long knife was already dull, struggling to cut through flesh, yet the wielder showed no sign of weakness, using the dull blade to knock away a long sword and piercing two people's chests with one strike.

"Yao'er!"

The young master's face and clothes were stained with blood. Hearing the shout, he didn't even turn his head, discarding the dull, broken knife in his hand and raising his hand to catch a curved blade thrown to him.

This was the leader's right-hand blade, forbidden for outsiders to touch, except for the leader himself, and the young master had handled it the most.

He wielded it with ease.

Those who thought they could restrain the Demon Sect's young master and turn the tide didn't even have time to be taken back by the soldiers who followed, as their lives were directly taken by the seemingly tender young master.

When the turmoil subsided, the scene was already a mess. The young master sheathed his blade and looked around, somewhat puzzled.

Did he really take down that many people just now?

When he returned to the leader with the blade, he discovered the reason.

Nearly forty or fifty people had come to attack him. He had killed a dozen from within, and the rest were dealt with by the leader and Bai Qinglian from the outside.

Seeing Bai Qinglian's disapproving frown, the young master couldn't help but rub his nose and turn his head guiltily.

After returning the curved blade to the leader, the young master was thoroughly checked from head to toe by the leader. He wasn't actually injured, but compared to that, Bai Sect Leader's unblinking gaze was slightly more concerning.

When Nian Er and Xuanyuan Nan were standing together earlier, Bai Sect Leader didn't even glance at them. Now that he had just switched back, Bai Yueguang almost joined the leader in checking him.

The difference in treatment was just too obvious...

But fortunately, the only one who needed to be deceived, Xuanyuan Nan, had his view blocked by the crowd earlier. By the time he hurried over, the young master had already gently stopped the leader from wiping the bloodstains for him.

"Father..."

The voice, slightly nasal and trembling, the young master knelt straight down in front of the leader.

The leader looked down at him, and even though the mask covered his expression, others could sense the tension in his aura.

"Yao'er?"

"Your child is unfilial, ashamed of your teachings, and has brought about such a disaster today, truly unworthy of returning to the sect."

The slender, straight back bent down, like a bowstring pulled to its limit.

"Your child must atone for his mistakes and will come to see you again when the atonement is complete."

The leader's fists clenched, his back straight, as if he was trying hard to suppress something.

The young master knelt before him, kowtowing three times in a row.

"Father, take care."

His voice was weak, as if he had exhausted all his strength.

Xuanyuan Nan, who had just arrived, paused upon hearing this conversation.

What does Ling Yao mean by this? Is he planning to leave the Demon Sect?

Xuanyuan Nan knew that the Demon Sect's people didn't have a good impression of him, but he was still being hunted by his three royal brothers and Cui Hua's people. The three thousand elite soldiers were borrowed from the provincial government under the pretext of suppressing the riot. Now that the riot was over, due to the rules of the Crown Prince Trial, these people would no longer follow his orders, let alone protect his safety.

He originally planned to stay in the Demon Sect to avoid being hunted. After all, the great merit of resolving the righteous path's encirclement crisis was enough to regain the Demon Sect's trust. Even his previous contact with the righteous path could be explained as a premeditated plan for the Demon Sect's benefit.

But Xuanyuan Nan didn't expect that Ling Yao, who had the most reason to take him in, was planning to leave the Demon Sect. Wouldn't that mean he would be back in danger of being hunted?

However, on second thought, it was another idea.

Actually, Ling Yao's actions were also for his sake.

Ling Yao said he was ashamed of the Demon Sect because he made a mistake by risking his life to save him. Now that he's not returning to the Demon Sect, it's actually beneficial for him—since the young master is outside, the Demon Sect will surely send people to protect him. With Ling Yao's feelings for him, he definitely wouldn't let him be exposed to danger.

This more than half a month of time spent together allowed Xuanyuan Nan to discover more interesting aspects of Ling Yao.

Without having to serve the other's young master temper, Xuanyuan Nan was instead intrigued by the rather cold Ling Yao. For the first time, he found this young master, who used to be so obedient to him, to be so adorable, even the other's awkward attempts to distance himself were endearing.

Xuanyuan Nan thought, watching Ling Yao slowly stand up.

His body was thin, and due to extreme suppression, he looked very weak.

So very pitiful.