"Junior Sister, all of these magic treasures belong to me. How dare you enter my cave dwelling without permission and take them!" Fei Qingsu flicked his sleeve, making a swift motion to snatch all the magic treasures back into his own hands.
Gu Tiantian felt a pang of panic in her heart and hurriedly spoke up, "Eldest Senior Brother, I didn't mean to, they—"
Before she could finish, however, Fei Qingsu had already reported the matter in advance to the Law Enforcement Elder.
The Law Enforcement Elder quickly rushed to the scene, dressed in a fiery red long dress with a stern expression.
"Elder Xu, inner sect disciple Gu Tiantian stole my magic treasures. These are the proofs."
"I—"
"What explanation do you have?!" The sect calls upon fellow disciples to help and love one another, but look at you—you became a cultivator yet failed to shake off the petty thieving habits of the mortal world." Elder Xu looked at Gu Tiantian with a trace of disgust.
Fei Qingsu had specifically notified this particular Elder Xu, who knew all about Gu Tiantian's past.
In the original plot, this Elder Xu was considered cannon fodder among the female supporting characters. She hailed from the same hometown as the female protagonist and knew her true character inside out. After the female protagonist arrived at the sect, Elder Xu tried several times to warn others about the female protagonist's poor character, only to be targeted by the female protagonist's admirers, ultimately meeting a grim end.
Gu Tiantian had entered the sect more than a decade later than Elder Xu. Yet Elder Xu was naturally gifted with exceptional bone structure, and having encountered several fortuitous opportunities, she had become the youngest Law Enforcement Elder in the Xuantian Sect.
"You bitch—" Gu Tiantian widened her eyes in shock as she caught sight of someone from her hometown.
No, her past could not be exposed.
Fei Qingsu cut her off, frowning, "Junior Sister, show some respect. How can you be so disrespectful in the presence of the Law Enforcement Elder? You have already violated the sect rules."
Elder Xu flicked the crimson long whip in her hand and exchanged a swift glance with Fei Qingsu, a sudden realization dawning upon her.
As the sect leader's disciple and the future successor of the sect, Fei Qingsu's words had secretly signaled to Elder Xu that this Gu Tiantian was free to be punished.
To think that this disciple had finally come to his senses; Elder Xu knew better than anyone what kind of person Gu Tiantian truly was.
Gu Tiantian was utterly selfish. Before she ever entered the sect to cultivate immortality, she had deliberately pushed a young girl off a cliff just to secure a spot for further education, replacing the victim to achieve her own goals.
At that time, Elder Xu had been not far away and had witnessed the entire incident, but by the time she rushed to the scene, it was already too late to save anyone.
A person like Gu Tiantian was just like a lump of excrement—whoever touched her would stink of her.
It seemed that Jiang Wu, who used to be so infatuated with Gu Tiantian, had finally woken up.
"Snap!"
A crisp and resounding whip crack echoed through the air as a dark shadow flashed across the sky.
The whip struck Gu Tiantian viciously across her body. Instantly, a bloody welt marred her fair skin, fresh blood oozing from the wound to form a stark contrast against her pale complexion.
Fei Qingsu watched all of this quietly.
"Sect Rule Article 124: Insulting and talking back to the Law Enforcement Elder, 1 lash."
Following the blow, Gu Tiantian let out a muffled groan and a violent shudder, her face twisting in pain. Yet she gritted her teeth tightly, enduring the agony without uttering a single sound, projecting a pitiable and delicate image.
She understood that crying would mix tears with blood and ruin her appearance; at a time like this, portraying a stubborn, pure, and innocent white lotus was the most effective strategy.
Her Eldest Senior Brother would surely feel pity for her.
He definitely would...
"Sect Rule Article 135: Stealing magic treasures from fellow disciples. Minor offenses, 3 lashes; severe offenses, 10 lashes." Elder Xu observed Fei Qingsu's reaction out of the corner of her eye.
If the boy felt any heartache, she would hold back a few lashes.
Inside, Fei Qingsu was blooming with joy, but his face betrayed not a shred of happiness. Instead, he maintained a grave expression and said, "Elder Xu, a grand sect like ours must uphold a good example. As the Eldest Senior Brother to our junior brothers and sisters, I should lead by example even more, and I cannot allow personal feelings to sway my judgment toward anyone.
Gu Tiantian stole my magic treasures—this is a most grave offense. I must ask Elder Xu to punish her severely without mercy, and absolutely no leniency should be shown."
With that, Fei Qingsu even put on a heartbroken expression, making it clear that he felt deeply disappointed and enraged by such thievery.
Gu Tiantian's heart turned as cold as ice.
"Eldest... Senior Brother, do you... want me to die?"
She hurt so much.
Fei Qingsu pointed into the distance: "Junior Sister, do not panic. I know that the residence of the Second Elder, who excels most at healing in our entire sect, is not far away. Her medical skills are exceptionally profound, capable of bringing even someone at death's door back to life."
Gu Tiantian was so furious she spat a mouthful of blood.
Immediately afterward: "Snap! Snap! Snap!"
Elder Xu did not hold back her strength at all; she held a deep grudge against Gu Tiantian.
The girl who had been pushed off the cliff by Gu Tiantian was none other than her own younger sister!
Back then, they were both mere mortals. It was only after Elder Xu arrived at the Xuantian Sect that she discovered the newly entered Junior Sister was none other than Gu Tiantian, the target of her lifelong hatred!
The whip lashed against Gu Tiantian's body time and time again, each strike causing her body to convulse.
As time passed, Gu Tiantian's body was covered in wounds, her blood staining both her clothes and the ground below.
Three lashes remaining.
Elder Xu continued to wield the whip.
Gu Tiantian's face was as pale as paper, and her lips had lost all trace of color.
Hmph, you bitch, let's see how much longer you can hold out! Elder Xu thought to herself.
Gu Tiantian remained silent, fixing her icy gaze solely on Elder Xu.
If you have the guts, beat me to death. Otherwise, once I recover, it will be your time to die.
The final three lashes came to an end.
Elder Xu stopped her hand. Looking at Gu Tiantian's horrifying, battered state, a surge of fierce satisfaction welled up in her heart.
"Punishment is over. Let this be a lesson to you not to repeat it, and keep the sect rules firmly in mind."
Gu Tiantian lifted her head to look at the cold, unfeeling Fei Qingsu.
Why?
Eldest Senior Brother, do you no longer love me?
Aren't you supposed to remain my loyal dog?
She lost consciousness and fainted.
...
The sect's palaces, wreathed in clouds and mist, possessed a poetic and picturesque beauty akin to a celestial realm.
"Master, you summoned me? What is your command?" Fei Qingsu arrived at the grand hall.
"Xiao Wu, you were originally fated to face a severe tribulation, but for some reason, that tribulation now shows signs of quietly dissipating." The sect leader pinched his fingers in calculation, his tone tinged with a hint of joy.
"Master, does that mean my trial has already passed?"
The sect leader smiled slightly and shook his head, "Not quite. It's simply that there appears to be a turning point for this tribulation at present, though we must still observe how things unfold."
"Master, can you discern what exactly this tribulation was?" Fei Qingsu asked, feigning ignorance.
In the original plot, the sect leader had pinched his fingers for a long time to no avail, but now things had changed.
The plot had been disrupted by Fei Qingsu once again.
The sect leader furrowed his brow, pondered for a moment, and said, "This master can only calculate a rough outline; the exact details remain obscured. However, judging by your recent actions, this tribulation is likely tied to Gu Tiantian—most likely a tribulation of the heart and romantic entanglements."
The sect leader continued, "If it truly is a tribulation of the heart, this master hopes you will remain calm and not let emotions cloud your judgment. No matter the outcome, remember to protect yourself well. Safety and peace above all else."
Fei Qingsu nodded heavily to indicate his understanding.
"This disciple will engrave Master's teachings on his heart."
"I have calculated Gu Tiantian's destiny. Her fate is so bizarre that I cannot fathom it, but judging by her actions, this female is no benevolent soul. To ensure your safety, this master can expel her from the sect."
The sect leader, who originally held a favorable impression of the female protagonist in the original plot, now actually wanted to expel her from the sect.
[Female protagonist halo effect decreased by five percent. Current female protagonist halo effect is seventy-five percent.]
The result of the diminishing female protagonist halo effect was plain to see.
"Master, there is no need. Keeping her under our watchful eyes is far better than losing sight of her."
The sect leader slowly replied, "Very well. I only hope you remain safe and sound."
Jiang Wu, do you see?
Your world contains far more than just Gu Tiantian.
In the original plot, the sect leader had ultimately tried to avenge the original owner, but failed.
He had cried out: "Return my disciple to me!"
While the male and female protagonists looked on with cold indifference.
In the end, the sect leader died.