I Truly Am The Villian

Hearing Xu Zimei’s words, Zhang Qian beside him turned pale and red in anger, yet he couldn’t utter a single word.

Elder He Qing frowned slightly, directing his gaze toward the Long Yidao brothers.

He slammed the table in fury, his aura dominating as he suppressed the two with his presence and demanded sharply, "You two still refuse to admit your guilt? Explain the details of your crime—confess at once."

"Elder, we are being wronged," the Long Yidao brothers quickly knelt down, crying out in grievance.

"That Zhang Qian came to our Young Master’s courtyard, strutting around and claiming that Shen Lang senior brother snatched away our Young Master’s maidservant.

Our Young Master, magnanimous as he is, did not take offense but treated him to good food and drink instead.

When it was time to leave, we even escorted him away from Great Skies Peak.

’Is it not a joy to have friends come from afar?’

You cannot wrong us like this."

Hearing their words, Shen Lang next to them turned bright red with anger.

"Is there truth to this?" Lin Beisheng asked, squinting his eyes at the gold-robed elder.

"He Qing, do you really think our Great Skies Peak is so easily bullied?"

He Qing’s frown deepened slightly as he turned his gaze toward Shen Lang; he had not been informed of this matter.

"Peak Leader Lin, please understand, Qing’er and I have a mutual affection—there is absolutely no coercion involved," Shen Lang quickly explained.

"Whether there’s coercion or not I do not know, but she is certainly Qiu’er’s maidservant, and I fear it is not Great Skies Peak’s place to interfere," Lin Beisheng said.

Elder He Qing thought for a moment before suggesting, "Peak Leader Lin, regarding Zhang Qian’s issue, although we cannot fully trust what he says,

the words of Young Master Lin also cannot be entirely believed.

How about this—we dismiss the issue of the maidservant, and we’ll consider that the matter with Zhang Qian never happened.

How does that sound?"

Hearing He Qing’s proposal, Lin Beisheng turned his head to look at Xu Zimei and said, "It all depends on Qiu’er’s wishes."

While Xu Zimei remained silent, Shen Lang who was beside him stood up and said indifferently,

"If Junior Brother Lin is unwilling to reconcile, then since the matter involves us too, let us resolve it on our own."

"How do you propose we resolve this?" Xu Zimei asked.

"I, Shen Lang, seek a battle to decide the victor and determine life and death," Shen Lang declared solemnly, his Blade Qi fierce and penetrating.

"How can you be so shameless?

Having opened five Vein Gates and stepped into the Venerable realm, you know full well that our Senior Brother Lin can’t cultivate, yet you still make such a proposal.

If you don’t need your face, throw it on the ground for Great Skies Peak’s disciples to step on every day."

Before Xu Zimei could speak, Jiang Changsheng had already started shouting.

"Being a distinguished disciple of Green Skies Peak, I originally thought you held some weight in the discussions between the two peaks.

Never have I encountered someone of such impudent and shameless behavior."

Upon hearing Jiang Changsheng’s words, Shen Lang’s eyes turned blood-red with rage as he yelled, "You’re courting death."

"Irked by embarrassment? What, did I strike a nerve, exposing your true thoughts?" Jiang Changsheng shook his head slightly.

"Enough already. Do what you want, kill or mutilate as you please.

Today, by revealing your ugly true colors, I, Jiang Changsheng, will have died a worthy death."

"Enough, this is the Council Hall. We are here to solve problems, not to quarrel,"

Elder He Qing glared at them and then addressed Xu Zimei, "Young Master Lin, the decision is yours.

If you wish for peace, let things be.

But if you insist on provoking a fight between the two peaks, we will see it through to the end."

Xu Zimei glanced at Lin Beisheng beside her and then shook her head, "Let’s listen to father on this matter."

"Let it end here," Lin Beisheng said after a moment of silence, sounding somewhat weary.

"In that case, we will take our leave," Elder He Qing replied coldly, standing up and leaving at once.

It was evident that he was in a foul mood, having come here to accuse others only to nearly be turned against himself.

Watching them leave, Lin Beisheng waved his hand, "Everyone else may leave. Qiu’er, stay."

Once everyone had left, Lin Beisheng looked at Xu Zimei and asked, "Qiu’er, won’t you blame your father for not getting justice for you?"

"Father must have his reasons," Xu Zimei said with a smile.

"It was probably several thousand years ago that this place was called Nine Skies Sacred Sect and hadn’t fallen into being an Imperial Sect.

The Nine Veins helped and supported each other, growing stronger together, and commanded respect throughout the Northern Domain," Lin Beisheng spoke with a touch of emotion.

"Later, the Sect was split, and the Main Clan left. Now, those of us from the branch clans are left to nothing but scheming against each other.

Everyone wants to unify the Nine Veins and become the true Sect Master of the Nine Heavens Imperial Sect, but sadly, after tens of thousands of years of conflict, the current Nine Heavens Imperial Sect still consists of the Nine Veins governing themselves."

"I’m aware of this," Xu Zimei nodded.

"In these tens of thousands of years of strife, our Great Skies Peak has slowly declined and now lingers at the bottom.

Whether it’s the number of powerful fighters or the strength of the Talented Disciples, we are far behind," Lin Beisheng said, shaking his head with a sigh.

"Especially a hundred years ago, someone from Green Skies Peak shone brightly in the Main Clan, which significantly boosted their power.

There were faint signs of them becoming dominant.

That’s also why I’d rather keep the peace than engage in a real struggle," Lin Beisheng explained.

After finishing, Lin Beisheng looked seriously at Xu Zimei, "Qiu’er, weakness is the original sin. The weak have no freedom, no dignity, no right to speak.

Not even their life and death can they control."

"I understand all this," Xu Zimei nodded with a smile.

"I tell you this because I hope you will diligently practice the Extraordinary Meridian Manual.

Even if you lose me someday, you’ll be able to survive better on your own," Lin Beisheng said with a smile.

"I understand," Xu Zimei nodded and said with a smile, "Father, there’s something I want to discuss with you."

"Go ahead," Lin Beisheng responded.

"I’ve been thinking of leaving the Sect Gate for a short while, to visit the city at the foot of the mountain," Xu Zimei said.

"No, have you forgotten the assassination attempt from before?

The perpetrator hasn’t been found yet," Lin Beisheng’s expression changed, promptly declining the request.

"If the perpetrator can never be found, does that mean I’ll never go out?" Xu Zimei asked.

Lin Beisheng pondered for a moment, and then said, "Wait a few more days, then. When Feng’er descends the mountain, you can go with him."

"That works," Xu Zimei nodded.

Lin Feng was his nominal elder brother and also the Imperial Heir of Great Skies Peak.

Each Peak in the Nine Veins had an Imperial Heir.

The Imperial Heirs are generally outstanding among their peers and are eventually destined to become Peak Masters or sent to the Main Clan.

Unlike his predecessor Lin Qiu, his brother Lin Feng had been endowed with exceptional talents from a young age, making him stand out among his contemporaries.

Especially under Lin Beisheng’s covert guidance, he had now become the leader among the younger generation of Great Skies Peak.

However, based on the memories of his predecessor, his relationship with his brother Lin Feng was very lukewarm.

The two hardly had any interaction.