Cultivation Begins From The Desert-Chapter 119 - 117: Punishment (Requesting Subscription)

I don’t know why, but when I found out that Yan Yunfei and Yue Mountain, who fought alongside me that day, were also summoned to Red Tiger Mountain by Xiao Bufan, a great weight was lifted from my heart, and the pressure in my heart suddenly eased a lot.

Given that it wasn’t just me who was called to Red Tiger Mountain, the worst scenario I was worried about shouldn’t occur.

"Let’s go, Elder Xiao is already waiting for Fellow Daoist Zhou on the mountain. It’s not good to keep him waiting."

After chatting with Yan Yunfei for a bit, he decisively halted the conversation and urged me to head up the mountain quickly.

Seeing this, Zhouyang could only follow him nervously as they flew toward the Spirit Mountain, shrouded by an array.

Upon arriving at the mountain, Zhouyang was directly led by Yan Yunfei to the front of Xiao Bufan’s abode, and under Yan Yunfei’s hopeful gaze, Zhouyang was called into the abode alone by Xiao Bufan.

"Junior Zhouyang greets Elder Xiao."

Zhouyang entered the abode and arrived in the guest hall, immediately seeing Xiao Bufan sitting on a grand armchair sipping tea.

Faced with his greeting, Xiao Bufan merely raised his eyes slightly to glance at him, continued sipping tea quietly without speaking, and didn’t indicate for him to rise, obviously intending to give him a taste of inferiority.

Zhouyang didn’t feel much about this. In his previous life as an office employee, he had suffered plenty from bosses and supervisors, and he endured it then. Now, facing this Purple Mansion Stage Cultivator who had the power to kill him, what was a bit of suffering?

For nearly half an hour, he was left standing before Xiao Bufan set down the steaming tea and glanced at him with indifference asking, "Explain now, why did my Flying Eagle Puppet end up in your hands?"

Upon hearing this, Zhouyang immediately straightened his stance, then reached down to unfasten the storage bag containing the Flying Eagle Puppet from his waist and handed it over, loudly proclaiming his innocence:

"Elder, I implore you to see the truth clearly. This matter is a grievance to me. That night, after ambushing two chasing Demon Cultivators, while recuperating under a dune to restore my magical power, I suddenly encountered your Flying Eagle Puppet pursuing the Demon Cultivators. How could I ignore it? I immediately suppressed my injuries and joined the pursuit."

"Later, the Demon Cultivators split up and fled. I, along with your Flying Eagle Puppet, managed to kill one of them, and then the puppet, due to depleted spiritual power, fell to the ground. At that time, I picked it up, intending to return it to you upon reaching the oasis, only to find you had already left when I arrived."

"Afterward, when I returned to Baisha River Oasis and heard from Elder Chen about your strategy, I was frightened to death, as my impulsiveness nearly caused a grave mistake that could have ruined your plan to eradicate demons!"

Saying this, fill Zhouyang’s face with fear and regret.

This was not something he put on, but a genuine sentiment upon learning of Xiao Bufan’s plan to lure and kill at Blood Demon Cliff.

He was simultaneously relieved and terrified, relieved that he only killed one fleeing Demon Cultivator and picked up a Flying Eagle Puppet. Had he been greedier, going after another fleeing demon after killing one, the outcome could have been disastrous!

Of course, he also had to thank the Wang Family he plundered. If he hadn’t been thinking of hitting them again and looting their Spirit Mountain, he might have truly pursued the other fleeing demon.

After listening to his explanation and observing the genuine expression on his face, Xiao Bufan’s previously cold demeanor warmed slightly, looking at him with a half-smiling expression and saying, "So, you admit to plundering the Wang Family’s Spirit Mountain?"

"Plundering the Spirit Mountain? Elder, what do you mean!"

Zhouyang appeared "astonished" looking at Xiao Bufan, as if completely unaware of the plunder of the Wang Family’s Spirit Mountain.

"What? Still playing dumb? You think your actions were seamless? Not to mention, those three [Golden Rock Sheep] in your home, Senior Brother Zhang mentioned them specifically to me when he returned!"

Xiao Bufan’s eyes sharpened, his gaze icy as he looked at Zhouyang, highly displeased with Zhouyang’s pretense of ignorance.

It’s not that he particularly cared about what Zhouyang plundered from the Wang Family, but Zhouyang’s opportunistic behavior irked him greatly. Seeing Zhouyang trying to deny it in the face of evidence made him even more uncomfortable.

"Junior dares not!"

Zhouyang slightly lowered his head, decisively conceding.

A hero doesn’t suffer immediate losses; a true man can yield and stretch. Arguing stubbornly now would only allow Xiao Bufan to escalate the matter. He would have to be foolhardy to do so!

Sure enough, seeing him softening, Xiao Bufan’s expression eased slightly yet still displeasedly looked at him, giving a heavy, cold snort, "Hmph, originally according to the sect’s rules, your opportunistic actions would not only have all stolen goods reclaimed but also have your cultivation abolished as punishment!"

Upon hearing the words "cultivation abolished," Zhouyang, even knowing Xiao Bufan was merely trying to scare him, couldn’t help his heart jumping, feeling a chill and palpitations.

These reactions certainly didn’t escape Xiao Bufan’s observation, improving his mood considerably, then changing his tone to continue, "However, considering your achievements in rescue and demon eradication, I won’t pursue the matter further. Those stolen goods will count as the sect’s and my reward for your efforts in demon eradication. But remember, only this once, never again, do you understand?"

Of course, Zhouyang understood that it must be due to Elder Chen’s influence after accepting his two Tier Three Pill Formulas, which led the Yellow Sand Sect and Xiao Bufan to accept such a distribution method, exchanging plundered goods as reward.

Of course, this understanding remains unspoken, as opening such a topic would encourage others to follow suit and diminish Yellow Sand Sect’s authority. Would sect rules still matter then?

Therefore, he understood deeply. After a breath, his head lowered even more, and he bowed deeply, saying, "Junior understands, thank you for your mercy, Senior. Your great kindness and virtue, junior is endlessly grateful!"

"Don’t rush to thank me yet. Although Fellow Daoist Chen pleaded on your behalf, and I will not pursue the matter of you plundering the Wang Family’s Spirit Mountain, the matter of you three abandoning me to flee that day won’t be so easily resolved. I’ve already applied to the Sect to have the three of you deployed to guard Red Tiger Mountain for ten years. Do you have anything to say?"

Xiao Bufan stared at Zhouyang and finally revealed his true intention for having Zhouyang come to Red Tiger Mountain to meet him.

It turned out that although he didn’t want to delve deeply into the matter of Zhouyang and the others abandoning him that day, the incident clearly made him feel embarrassed, hence he used his power to summon the three to Red Tiger Mountain to serve, as a slight punishment.

"Junior will obey the Sect’s arrangements!" Zhouyang sighed inwardly, nodded with resignation, and did not say more.

Rank is everything!

This principle was deep-rooted in his understanding during his previous life, and even more so in this extraordinary world.

Weakness is the original sin, a truth that couldn’t be more real in such an extraordinary world.

For the matters of that day, who was right and who was wrong, both Xiao Bufan and he were clear, but Xiao Bufan had high cultivation and a strong fist, making reason lie in his hands.

It was like how in his previous life, when a leader asked him to do something, he knew he’d get criticized or fined, yet he still had to brace himself and do it, because if he didn’t, the leader would deal with him!

The current situation was ten, even a hundred times worse than back then. In his previous life, if he couldn’t cope, he could resign and leave, but in this lifetime, he simply didn’t have a second option!

Seeing Zhouyang’s decent attitude, Xiao Bufan finally showed a satisfied expression, waving lightly and saying, "Alright, now go out and communicate with the other two. From now on, you three will form a team and act together!"

"Junior takes his leave."

Zhouyang bowed and exited the cave; indeed, Yan Yunfei and Yue Mountain awaited him after having received the news.

"Haha, we meet again, Fellow Daoist Zhou."

Upon seeing Zhouyang, Yue Mountain subtly winked at him, then smiled with the warmth of an old friend reuniting.

"Hello, Fellow Daoist Yue."

Suppressing his unrest, Zhouyang nodded slightly in response.

"Come on, let’s first go and sit at Yue’s temporary residence. For the next ten years, we’ll be cultivating in the same place and will have to fight alongside each other."

As he spoke, Yue Mountain led the way, flying to his temporary cave on Red Tiger Mountain.

Once inside the cave with Zhouyang and Yan Yunfei, and after activating the isolation array, the smile on Yue Mountain’s face vanished, and he looked at Zhouyang with a somber expression, nodding and saying, "Junior Martial Uncle Xiao must have explained the situation to Fellow Daoist Zhou. Being deployed to guard Red Tiger Mountain and participate in routine patrols at such a time, there’s no need for Yue to elaborate on the dangers, you must know them, right?"

Upon hearing this, Zhouyang couldn’t help but smile bitterly, "Can’t Fellow Daoist Yue reveal some insider information? It’s strange that the Purple Mansion cultivator stationed at Red Tiger Mountain suddenly changed from Elder Luo to Elder Xiao. You can’t just say it’s a routine change of guard!"

"About this, Yue truly isn’t informed. Yue holds a mediocre position within the Sect; otherwise, I wouldn’t have been easily summoned here by Junior Martial Uncle Xiao!"

Yue Mountain shook his head in frustration, his expression genuine, not seeming fake.

Witnessing this, Zhouyang couldn’t help but turn his gaze to Yan Yunfei beside him.

"Don’t look at Yan, Fellow Daoist Zhou, Yan is just as clueless. When Elder Xiao’s order came down to the Yan Family, dare Yan disobey?"

Yan Yunfei shook his head repeatedly, indicating his own ignorance.

"Honestly, Junior Martial Uncle Xiao’s actions were quite improper this time. We nearly lost our lives rescuing him last time, and not only did he not reward us, but he repaid us by summoning us to guard a place like Red Tiger Mountain, feeling quite displeasing!"

Yue Mountain spoke with utter resentment, suddenly starting to complain about Xiao Bufan.

Seeing this, Zhouyang and Yan Yunfei exchanged glances and then fell silent.

This was indeed what they thought, but they didn’t dare say it, fearing they’d bring trouble to their clans.

Especially Zhouyang, as the Clan Leader of the Zhou Family, matters involving High-Tier cultivators required him to be cautious; not only did he avoid complaints, it was best not to even listen.

Thus, despite his overflowing frustration, he wisely changed the topic soon, saying, "Enough of this, since none of us knows any inside information, we can only proceed cautiously. Please, Fellow Daoist Yue, inform Zhou about the tasks we’ll be undertaking."

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