I looked up at Bai Ye, hoping that no one could see the overwhelming emotions in my eyes.
The Gatekeeper was the founder and sole leader of Mount Hua. In a way, even though there were written disciplines for us to follow, his words still ant the rule, and very few dared challenge him. I heard that only Bai Ye and Xie Lun's master, who had cultivated together with the Gatekeeper before they beca immortals, had ever said no to him.
Fortunately for us, the Gatekeeper wasn't a tyrant. He was reasonable and impartial most of the ti, and he had kept Mount Hua in good order for almost five hundred years. But when things ca to his only daughter Chu Xi, he was no saint. His overindulgence probably played a big part in Chu Xi's haughty, unscrupulous personality.
The Gatekeeper might've known Chu Xi's true nature all along, but that didn't an he would admit it to others. Besides, what would he do even if he believed Chu Xi had tried to kill ? The worst punishnt Chu Xi could get was probably a restraint to stay in her room and repent.
Bai Ye knew all of this, and he knew I couldn't stand up to the Gatekeeper myself. So he did it for .
Was it worth it? Justice for a re disciple, in exchange for the Gatekeeper's rage? What repercussions would it bring to Bai Ye's standing at Mount Hua in the future?
Bai Ye stood tall, his cold gaze fixed on the Gatekeeper, unwavering. The whole world looked small before his grand, steady figure.
"You know it, Chu Yang," he said sharply. "It was Chu Xi's idea to send away to East Village, wasn't it? So no one would find Yun Qing-er after her 'accident' until it's too late?"
"Xi-er would never do that!" the Gatekeeper snarled, though his tone wasn't as confident as before. "Stop making baseless accusations, Bai Ye. Have I been too easy on you that you've beco so reckless?"
"It is not that's reckless or that you've been too easy on," Bai Ye shook his head. "How about this: we'll ask Chu Xi to co here. I won't say anything, and we'll only hear her words."
I darted a glance at the still pale Lin Weiwei next to . What was Bai Ye planning? There was no way either she or Chu Xi would acknowledge their doings.
The sa thought must've lessened the Gatekeeper's worries. "Find Chu Xi then," he ordered the disciple at his side again.
I waited for Chu Xi's appearance uneasily, turning over in my head the different possibilities of how she would argue her way out. When I got too anxious, I thought of Bai Ye's reassuring look that I knew he would give if I looked at him right now. It cald and burned at the sa ti.
Finally, Chu Xi arrived. "Xi-er—" the Gatekeeper began. But Chu Xi saw Lin Weiwei kneeling next to the spiritual pet's body and knew imdiately what was going on.
"Father!" she exclaid, cutting off the Gatekeeper's words. To my surprise, she glared at Lin Weiwei first instead of . "This has nothing to do with ! Lin Weiwei stole Chopper from last week. I know she holds grudges against Yun Qing-er over their dicine training …"
Lin Weiwei's eyes widened. "Senior Chu—"
"Don't believe anything she tells you, father!" Chu Xi ignored her and continued. "Do you know how Lin Weiwei advanced so quickly as a new disciple? She stole her master's herbal journal and has been practicing in secret. Don't trust any words from an amoral person like her!"
"Chu Xi!" Lin Weiwei cried. "You promised not to … I haven't told them anything about your spiritual pet!"
Chu Xi was suddenly quiet. Her mouth still hung open, but she was out of words. It finally dawned on : Bai Ye had intentionally asked for Lin Weiwei to be brought in first, knowing that the scene at the hall would prompt the short-tempered Chu Xi to defend herself eagerly and slip out the truth.
"Gatekeeper …" Lin Weiwei wept. "I'll admit it all … Chu Xi told last week to lure Yun Qing-er into the back mountains and let Chopper lose to attack her. I didn't want to do it, but Chu Xi caught stealing my master's journal, and she threatened to tell everyone about it unless I helped her …" She touched her forehead to the ground. "I have wronged, Gatekeeper, but I didn't have any intention of hurting Yun Qing-er. It was Chu Xi who wanted her dead—"
"Yun Qing-er wanted dead first!" Chu Xi scread. "She gave poisonous dicine!"
"So you acknowledge that is your incentive for killing Yun Qing-er?" Bai Ye asked.
"I …" Chu Xi stumbled, realizing that she had unintentionally admitted the whole truth herself. She looked helplessly at the Gatekeeper.
"Xi-er," the Gatekeeper hesitated, "did you really …"
"I didn't!" Chu Xi scread again. "It's all empty claims!"
"Empty claims or not, why don't we check them one by one?" Bai Ye said. His voice was calm but firm. "Spiritual power marks the wounds and the venom; other disciples have seen Yun Qing-er's swords; Lin Weiwei's master can attest to the journal. None of this is hard to prove, Chu Yang—unless you want to cover it up for your daughter."
"And I kept the dregs of the dicine that Yun Qing-er gave Chu Xi," Lin Weiwei added. "It was only a strong dose of dicine that triggered an upset stomach, yet Chu Xi assud the worst intentions from Yun Qing-er. I repent for my wrongdoings, Gatekeeper, but I beg you not to show bias when it cos to punishnt for Chu Xi."
The turn of events was beyond my imagination. I hadn't thought that Lin Weiwei would beco a witness on my side, though it made sense. Stealing was a big cri, and cultivating behind the back of one's master was strictly forbidden. Chu Xi's revelation about the journal was likely going to end Lin Weiwei's days at Mount Hua, and it was only natural that Lin Weiwei wanted to take Chu Xi down along with her.
"Father …" Chu Xi looked at the Gatekeeper hopefully. "It … It's not that big of a deal, isn't it? Isn't Yun Qing-er alright?"
The Gatekeeper stared back at her, disbelief in his eyes. Even now, Chu Xi didn't show the slightest penance for what she had done.
"Chu Yang," Bai Ye sighed, "a piece of advice from an old friend, if you still care: let your daughter learn a lesson from this, before she loses her conscience completely."
The Gatekeeper did not reply, but his gaze on Chu Xi slowly grew heavy.
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