Chapter 1072: Chapter 408: Xia Baishi
However, the Divine Sect has its own sect rules.
Practicing Demon Path cultivation is one sin, slaughtering the innocent is another.
The Formless Divine Sect should not only fail to save him but must expel him from the sect and capture him for questioning.
Moreover, at that time, Emperor Jianyuan had ascended the throne for ten years, with politics clear and the country prosperous, and the people’s hearts aligned.
Within the sect, led by the Disciplinary Hall’s Great Elder Lu Shouyang, a group insisted on convicting Xia Baishi. They were unwilling to go against the court and oppose the world for a sect sinner.
The entire Jianghu was shaken, and the disturbances persisted for several months.
The Formless Divine Sect was nearly split internally, and to this day it remains a scar within the sect.
In the end, Grandmaster Dugu Shou promised to ensure Xia Baishi’s safety by isolating him in the Heavenly Prison, with ample food and clothing, persuading the Formless Divine Sect to make concessions.
The Formless Divine Sect also promised to relocate the local populace, generously compensating and consoling the families of the innocent martial cultivators who died tragically.
Chu Xisheng looked puzzled: "I don’t understand, how did Master Xia’s sword heart shatter, and why did he fall into madness?"
Out of curiosity, he investigated the details of that time.
Chu Xisheng found nothing conclusive, only knowing the incident happened suddenly, with no warning, and no one could say why.
The sect also tried to investigate afterward but found no result.
"I’m not sure."
Chu Yunyun shook her head: "When I entered the sect, Master Xia was already a past affair. But I asked my master, and she said it was related to a woman; someone likely set a deliberate trap that broke his Supreme Sword Heart.
She once went to the Heavenly Prison to personally ask Master Xia, but at that time Master Xia was already half-mad, and she couldn’t glean anything."
She sighed regretfully: "In the past, when Master Xia reached First Grade, he was two years younger than Canghai Stone. His talent for the Divine Intent Heart Sword was even stronger—We’ve arrived!"
Chu Yunyun lifted her brows and looked ahead.
It was a delicate pavilion, about two stories high, with a circumference of just under seven feet.
Four Inner Disciples stood guard at the pavilion’s entrance.
They showed a hint of surprise upon seeing Chu Xisheng but didn’t intend to stop him.
Messages had already circulated; the Blood Vengeance Holy Transmission might visit the pavilion’s Master Xia soon.
At that moment, a faint medicinal fragrance was wafting from inside the door and windows.
When Chu Xisheng first smelled the fragrance, it refreshed his lungs.
But he soon frowned, detecting a hint of rotten stench in it.
As Chu Xisheng pushed the door open, he saw that the room was extremely spacious. Apart from a few chairs and a wooden bucket, there was only a large medicine vat in the center that ten people could encircle.
In the medicine vat lay a person, floating half-submerged in the medicine liquid in a large character shape.
It was a tall middle-aged man in his forties.
He wore a silk white robe that never got wet, had a refined and fair face, sported a neatly trimmed short beard, with a gentle demeanor, yet his eyes were dim and vacant as he stared at the ceiling.
This was completely unlike the disheveled, haggard, mad, and frenzied image Chu Xisheng had imagined.
But it made sense; Li Changsheng was deeply bonded with Xia Baishi as brothers; upon bringing him back, how could he not take meticulous care?
The rotten stench in the medicinal fragrance also stemmed from Xia Baishi.
Chu Xisheng guessed it was due to Xia Baishi’s wounds, merely hidden by the silk white robe.
He heard that when Master Xia was taken back, he had seven wounds piercing through, which was unbearable to look at.
Chu Yunyun’s face turned solemn and nodded towards Xia Baishi: "Direct disciple of Su Fengdao, Chu Yunyun, has seen Master Xia!"
Chu Xisheng also saluted: "Disciple Chu Xisheng, has seen Master Xia!"
Xia Baishi, however, remained wooden, moving only when he first heard the words ’Su Fengdao.’
But that’s all his eyes moved; he didn’t even have the slightest interest in getting up to look at the others.
Chu Yunyun was not taken aback; she walked up to Xia Baishi’s side and concentrated, staring at this former Heavenly List figure.
Her visit was not to admire the fallen demeanour of this master but was entrusted by Sect Master Li Changsheng.
Li Changsheng wanted her to evaluate whether Xia Baishi’s cultivation had any chance of recovery.
Though Chu Yunyun’s achievements in medicine were limited, she was well-read and versed in many advanced martial arts, possibly able to think of a way to restore Xia Baishi’s cultivation.
This was akin to treating a dead horse as a living one.
Even the numerous divine doctors and pill masters of the Divine Pill Institute had been powerless, so Chu Yunyun was likely without a solution.
Nonetheless, she wished to do her part for the sect and agreed to observe.
Chu Yunyun concentrated for a moment but found nothing.
Then she reached out and touched several acupoints on Xia Baishi’s body.
Chu Yunyun’s brows furrowed deeper.
This person’s condition was extremely dire; the breath within was like stagnant water, with vitality scarce.
Remarkably, Xia Baishi still lived.
The medicine within the vat was of superior quality, capable of extending an ordinary person’s life by several years, yet Xia Baishi’s body rejected the intake of this medicine’s power.
Chu Yunyun then extended a finger towards Xia Baishi’s brow, intending to probe Xia Baishi’s divine soul.
Xia Baishi suddenly laughed, slapping Chu Yunyun’s hand away.
"Why are you tickling me? Stop it!"
Chu Yunyun paused, glancing at the back of her hand.
A hint of doubt flickered in her eyes.
While she hadn’t used much force, it wasn’t something others could easily slap away at will.