C19 Saving People

In the confines of a grand palace, Lee Qing cast a dark glare at the trembling Chen Yong. "You're useless, incapable of managing even the simplest task. Did you grow up on garbage? Can't you dispose of a body properly, you imbecile?" Lee Qing's voice, though not loud, was heavy with fury, sending shivers down Chen Yong's spine.

"Senior Brother, rest assured, I will take care of that kid and make things right for you!" Chen Yong groveled on the ground like a submissive dog. "You think you can handle it with just a bunch of incompetents like yourselves? Enough, go ask Cao Dahai who instructed him to do that. And as for Chen Lin, I better not catch sight of him in the Inner Sect again!" Lee Qing sneered at Chen Yong dismissively.

"Yes, right away!" Chen Yong, who was usually boastful, responded with a tinge of jealousy and scurried away from Lee Qing's palace. "You're nothing but trash. If it weren't for your cousin's sake, you'd be lucky to even be assigned to clean toilets!" Lee Qing watched Chen Yong crawl away and spat in disdain.

On the mountain's backside, Cao Dahai's face was ashen as he faced Chen Yong and his group, clueless about what had provoked them to drag him out of the bathhouse. "Cao Dahai, who incited you to demand an autopsy, huh?" Chen Yong's voice was cold as he stared down the frightened Cao Dahai, his earlier sycophancy in Lee Qing's presence now well concealed.

"No one, no one stirred me up. That would be defaming Senior Brother Lee. An autopsy would only exonerate him of any suspicion!" Cao Dahai's response was surprisingly calm, believing himself to be among Lee Qing's loyal supporters, and by extension, one of Chen Yong's own.

"You won't shed a tear until you see the coffin, then. Hit him!" Chen Yong interpreted Cao Dahai's calm as a challenge. Thud, thud, thud! The group encircling Cao Dahai swung their fists, each blow landing with a sickening thud. "Ah, stop, please stop!" Cao Dahai's screams filled the air as the assailants, clearly skilled in the art of inflicting pain, targeted his joints. The pain might have been bearable for now, but joint damage could lead to chronic issues, curable only with top-tier medicinal herbs—luxuries far beyond the reach of an Outer Sect disciple.

After the time it took for an incense stick to burn, Cao Dahai was barely clinging to life, his face swollen and bruised, lying on the ground like a dead dog. His limbs trembled uncontrollably, indicating severe damage to his joints. "Cao Dahai, I'm giving you one more chance. Who put you up to this commotion?" Chen Yong pressed his foot onto Cao Dahai's palm and ground it in, eliciting another agonized scream from Cao Dahai, reminiscent of a pig being slaughtered.

"I'll tell you, it was Zhao Lin. He told me that Senior Brother Li had been framed. He said if I suggested an autopsy to clear Senior Brother Li's name, Senior Brother Li would hold me in high regard. Senior Brother Chen, I swear I had no intention of harming Senior Brother Li!" Cao Dahai's words came out in gasps, and after he spoke, he passed out cold.

"Damn it, that scoundrel Zhao Lin, always up to no good. This fool fell for his lies so easily. You lot, bury him alive!" Chen Yong spat on Cao Dahai's face. "Ah, bury him alive? Senior Brother Chen, isn't that a bit much?" The disciples' complexions paled at the thought of burying one of their own alive; it was a terrifying prospect.

"What's the matter? If we don't bury him, do you want him to go back and spill everything about you beating him? Are you trying to get yourselves killed?" Chen Yong berated them, projecting the frustration he felt from Lee Qing onto the others. "Yes, we'll do it now!" The disciples responded in terror, quickly finding a spot to start digging.

"Useless!" Chen Yong sneered at them, having forgotten that he too had been on the receiving end of Lee Qing's scorn. It was a sad truth that small fish are eaten by bigger fish, and the smallest, like shrimp, can only wait for their inevitable fate. After a while, the unconscious Cao Dahai was indeed buried alive by the group. To prevent any chance of his escape, they even placed heavy stones over the burial site.

Once the group had left, Zhao Lin dropped down from a large tree, watching their retreating figures and murmuring to himself, "That's downright vicious." He then moved to the other side of the stone and began to dig. In no time, he had unearthed Cao Dahai. Checking his breath, Zhao Lin was relieved to find him still alive. He carefully replaced the soil and left the stones undisturbed. Now, even if Chen Yong and the others returned, they would have no idea that Cao Dahai had already been saved.

"Where should I place him? He definitely can't stay in the Outer Sect!" Zhao Lin pondered for a moment. His decision to save Cao Dahai wasn't out of pure kindness, but because he saw future value in him. He didn't want the man he had painstakingly rescued to fall victim to Chen Yong and the others. "The only option is the service area." Having made up his mind, Zhao Lin hoisted Cao Dahai onto his back and headed for the service area.

Upon reaching the service area, Zhao Lin, with Cao Dahai on his back, made a beeline for the cave where he had previously confronted Chen Xu. After settling Cao Dahai in the cave, he hurried off to the thatched huts. Outside one of the huts, Wang Yu was busily laundering clothes. These garments, delivered by the Outer Sect, were a reminder of the service disciples' humble status; they were responsible for cleaning the robes of all the sect's disciples.

Seeing Wang Yu drenched in sweat, Zhao Lin was struck by a pang of guilt. He remembered a time when he had no food, and Wang Yu had shared his meal with him, yet he had neglected to visit him for so long. "Wang Yu, let me give you a hand!" Zhao Lin approached and plunged his hands into the wash bucket, starting to scrub the clothes. "Zhao Lin, no, Senior Brother Zhao, you're an Outer Sect disciple now. How can you still do such menial work?" Wang Yu exclaimed, surprised, yet his eyes conveyed a touch of warmth.

"What does being an Outer Sect disciple have to do with it? Are you saying you don't need my friendship anymore just because you've joined the Outer Sect?" Zhao Lin said with a gentle smile, continuing his task. "Of course not, we're friends," Wang Yu responded, his smile radiating warmth. The two shared laughs and conversation as they finished washing the robes and then chatted for a while longer. "Wang Yu, come on, I want to show you something!" Zhao Lin took Wang Yu's hand and led him toward the back mountain.

As they entered the cave, Wang Yu hadn't asked Zhao Lin for any explanation, trusting him implicitly. However, he couldn't help but startle at the sight of the barely alive Cao Dahai. "Wang Yu, I need to ask you a favor. Please look after this man, but you must keep it a secret. If word gets out, it's not just his life that will be in danger, but yours as well."

"Okay, I promise to take good care of him!" Wang Yu didn't even hesitate before agreeing to Zhao Lin, completely disregarding the second part of Zhao Lin's statement. "Wang Yu!" Zhao Lin showed a look of remorse. He hadn't expected such kindness from Wang Yu.

"Wang Yu, here are the cultivation technique and Foundation Building Pill I acquired from him. Start your training with these, but do not take the Foundation Building Pill yet. Once you've joined the Inner Sect, I'll be there to support you, and then you can safely use the pill," Zhao Lin instructed, handing over all the items he had gathered from Cao Dahai to Wang Yu.