Chapter 155: Sect Master Kidnapped?
"Lin Binghe? Hey, are you awake?" A voice pierced through Binghe’s consciousness, cutting through the haze of pain that enveloped her mind.
She attempted to open her eyes but a sharp, stabbing sensation forced them shut again. Her fingers tentatively explored her forehead, encountering warm wetness. Blood? The thought drifted hazily through her mind.
"Hey, don’t move yet. You’re still hurt," the voice commanded, gruff yet tinged with unmistakable concern.
That voice... Binghe’s thoughts struggled to align themselves. "Zhao Disheng? Why am I hearing that brute’s voice?" The question echoed in her mind as she fought against disorientation. "Where am I?"
Fragments of memory began to surface, piecing themselves together like a shattered mirror slowly reforming. Suddenly, everything snapped into place.
Her eyes flew open, ignoring the pain that lanced through her skull. With desperate urgency, she propelled herself upward. "Oh no, I have to save the Sect Master!" The words tore from her throat, raw with panic.
A wave of intense, numbing pain shot through her legs, buckling them beneath her. She toppled backward, but before she could hit the ground, strong arms caught her.
"Didn’t I tell you not to move?" Disheng’s voice was exasperated, his grip firm yet careful.
"Let go of me! I have to save the Sect Master!" Binghe thrashed wildly against his restraining arms, her usual composure completely shattered. Despite her struggles, his hold remained unyielding.
"Calm down. You can’t save anyone like this," he insisted, his tone softening slightly.
His words cut through her frenzy. "I can’t save the Sect Master..." she whispered, her voice suddenly small and hollow. In the next heartbeat, tears welled up and spilled down her cheeks. "I can’t save the Sect Master!" The admission broke something inside her, and she dissolved into uncontrolled, wrenching sobs.
"Hey, calm down. I didn’t mean it like that," Disheng attempted to console her, clearly uncomfortable with her emotional outburst. "Stop crying first and explain the situation." But his words had no effect as she continued to weep, her carefully maintained facade crumbling completely.
Minutes later, a remarkable transformation had occurred. Binghe sat upright in a chair, her usual cool expression firmly back in place as she calmly sipped tea. Only the slight redness around her eyes and the faint tracks on her cheeks betrayed her earlier breakdown.
"Thank you," she said with perfect composure, placing the cup down.
"Have you calmed down now?" Disheng asked cautiously.
"Yes. I’m sorry for my earlier outburst. I couldn’t control my emotions. I apologize." She bowed formally.
Disheng marveled silently at the dramatic shift. If he hadn’t witnessed her sobbing with his own eyes, he would never believe this collected woman could shatter so completely.
"I would really appreciate it if you forgot about what happened earlier," she suggested, her hand moving subtly to her hip where her sword would normally rest.
Disheng raised his hands in mock surrender. "Before? Did something happen?"
A small smile curved her lips as she withdrew her hand. "No, I misspoke."
Disheng reflected on the strange methods of the Lotus Jade Palace. Though publicly known for their ice techniques that supposedly froze all emotions, the reality was far more complex.
Only the Sect Master and the next candidate for the position actually practiced the complete Frozen Heart Scripture. The other disciples didn’t truly abandon their emotions—they embraced them, channeling selected feelings into obsessions that fueled their power while extinguishing all others.
From Binghe’s reaction, he surmised her obsession was likely the Sect Master. He silently acknowledged her dedication. Though for him, he didn’t need such a technique to serve his boss.
He sighed, returning to the matter at hand. "Since you’ve calmed down now, can you explain what exactly happened?"
Binghe’s expression darkened. "That’s right, I came here to request reinforcements. The sect was attacked, and the Sect Master was taken away."
...
The door to the room burst open with a force that made the hinges rattle.
"What did you just say?" Zhao Tiangang demanded, his massive frame filling the doorway as he entered, eyes burning with intensity.
"Sect Master?" Disheng straightened immediately, surprise evident on his face. He hadn’t expected his leader to appear so suddenly.
Tiangang ignored his subordinate’s reaction, his attention laser-focused on Binghe. "Is it true? Was Xuelian really taken away?"
"No, Boss, you’ve misheard," Disheng quickly interjected, positioning himself between the two as he shot Binghe a desperate wink. His eyes silently pleaded with her to understand his unspoken message.
Binghe, however, missed the signal entirely. "That’s right, she was taken away," she confirmed. "I only managed to escape thanks to the Sect Master’s help."
Disheng could only sigh in resignation, his shoulders slumping slightly at the failed intervention.
"I see," Tiangang responded, his voice unnaturally quiet. The energy seemed to drain from his massive frame as he turned to leave. Unlike his forceful entrance, his departure was marked by slow, measured steps that echoed hollowly through the chamber.
After Tiangang disappeared from view, Disheng exhaled heavily. "Get ready. We’re going to the Lotus Jade Palace," he declared.
"Aren’t we going to ask for help from the Azure Cloud Sect?" Binghe questioned, her brows furrowing in confusion.
"Well, that’s what we would’ve done, but now..." His words trailed off...
Meanwhile, Tiangang stood behind his Sect Master throne, his gaze fixed on the enormous battle axe mounted on the wall above. The weapon hung there more as a symbol than a tool.
He raised his hand toward it, fingers hesitating mere inches from the handle. For a brief moment, doubt flickered across his features. Then, resolution hardened his expression, and he seized the axe with determination.
With the formidable weapon in hand, he turned and strode from the hall, his countenance somber yet resolute. As he emerged outside, an unexpected sight stopped him in his tracks.
Hundreds of warriors stood waiting, each with their own axe balanced confidently across their shoulders. Their ranks stretched far beyond the courtyard, a sea of loyal followers ready for battle.
"What are you guys doing?" Tiangang asked, genuine surprise breaking through his stern facade.
A warrior near the front stepped forward with a grin. "Boss, you want to hog all the action to yourself?" This triggered laughter from the assembled fighters.
"Don’t worry, Boss. We’ll definitely save your crush," another called out boldly.
At this, a faint blush colored Tiangang’s cheeks. "What crush?" he protested, though the redness spreading across his face betrayed him.
The gathering erupted in good-natured laughter. "Hahaha, no need to pretend anymore. Everyone already knows that the Boss likes Sect Master Yan!" The revelation sparked another wave of boisterous amusement.
Standing beside Disheng at the edges of the gathering, Binghe’s eyes widened. "Huh! He likes the Sect Master?" Confusion painted her features.
"Well, it’s been like that for a while now," Disheng confirmed with a casual shrug.
"Since when?" she pressed, genuinely curious.
Disheng stroked his chin thoughtfully. "Hmm, since back when we were still the Tian Gang," he answered after a moment’s reflection.
"Huh?" Shock rendered her momentarily speechless. That was over a hundred years ago.
In the past, this region had been dominated by just two sects: the Lotus Jade Palace and the Azure Cloud Sword Sect. The Tian Gang had been nothing more than local thugs who terrorized the populace. Then one day, they suddenly ceased their criminal activities and registered themselves as a legitimate sect. Thus, the three-sect balance of power was established...
...
Author’s Corner
The kanji for Tian can mean heaven or sky. The kanji for gang used here is hard to translate but it has the feeling of strength. But in the instance of Tiang Gang. It’s a play of words on the boss’s name. Meaning heavenly gang. Gang here not meaning strength but rather the foreign word gang.
What am I even doing smh