Chapter 45: Chapter 42: The 17th Son’s Violent Outburst, Wu Tan’s Attendant Monk
Xu Lei just watched from the side.
He said nothing.
Although this Young Master Shiqi did seem to be hopelessly in love.
In a novel or TV drama for a female audience back on Earth, he would probably be the kind of deeply devoted character who’d gain a massive following!
If the story of Young Master Shiqi and Miss Xiaoyin were adapted into a TV series or movie,
whoever played Young Master Shiqi would attract a huge fanbase and become famous!
After all, TV and movie audiences love this type of devoted persona—one who disregards everything for the sake of love!
So devoted to Miss Xiaoyin that he abandons all principles!
Falling from the light into darkness, descending from reason into madness!
But unfortunately, this wasn’t a TV series, nor was it a movie.
Young Master Shiqi was widely despised.
Especially by Elder General Qin.
A man like him, who had spent his life on the battlefield, would never let a woman get in his way.
In his heart, there was no such thing as love.
There were only women and ambition.
After all, in this world, every household had numerous children.
Many families, in particular, favored sons over daughters, which often meant they ended up having more girls.
And once there were too many girls, they weren’t considered very valuable.
A man of Elder General Qin’s stature could naturally marry many wives and concubines with ease.
With so many wives and concubines, he couldn’t be expected to place much value on any single woman.
He certainly wouldn’t waste time thinking about things like love.
He had power, status, and wealth.
Women were married into his mansion.
He provided the women with status, a life of luxury, and the respect befitting their position.
In return, he took their beauty and their ability to bear children. It was just that simple.
Young Master Shiqi, however, hadn’t risen through his own arduous struggle.
Though he had been tempered in the army from a young age, he was, at the end of the day, a child of privilege.
Especially since he was the seventeenth son.
He had sixteen older brothers looking out for him.
His life was, naturally, a comfortable one.
When one’s life is too comfortable, one begins to seek more ethereal pursuits.
And so, one can throw everything away for the sake of love.
As for the family’s honor and glory, the wealth and splendor, the power and status?
He was born with all of that, so of course he didn’t treasure it.
"Divine Monk, tell me, how should this wretched son of mine be handled?"
Catching his breath and composing himself, Elder General Qin turned to Xu Lei and asked, "I leave his fate in your hands, Divine Monk. I will not object to whatever you decide!"
"Amitabha Buddha."
Upon hearing this, Xu Lei simply replied, "Young Master Shiqi is your son, after all, Elder General. It is not my place to comment.
I only observed today because I wished to better understand the circumstances of this matter.
The decision is yours to make, Elder General.
I am a man of the cloth; it is not my place to interfere in the family affairs of a patron.
My purpose on this journey is only to subdue demons and monsters, to deliver Heaven’s justice!
Now that the demon has been captured, whether your son is guilty or deserving of punishment is of no concern to me.
After all, these are worldly affairs.
Men of the cloth do not meddle in the affairs of the secular world!"
Elder General Qin was at a loss.
He had said before that he would cut down his own son for colluding with a Demon Spirit.
But now that the time had come, he found he couldn’t bring himself to do it.
"Divine Monk, what will happen to Xiaoyin? What will happen to her?"
But just then, Young Master Shiqi, who had been struck by Elder General Qin so hard a tooth had been knocked loose, spoke up.
He paid no mind to his own injuries.
Hearing that the Demon Spirit had been captured, he let blood trickle from the corner of his mouth and looked at Xu Lei, asking urgently, "You’ve captured her. What are you going to do to her?
Can you let her go?
I’m begging you. I’m begging all of you!
Spare her!
Spare Xiaoyin!
She’s done nothing wrong!
I’m the one who’s to blame!
I’m the one who coveted her beauty and brought her, in all her innocence, from the mountains into this Mortal World!
I failed to take care of her!
She only did those things for my sake!
She just wanted to stay by my side!
She only did evil because she loves me!
If I die, she won’t harm anyone ever again!
Please, let her return to the mountains!
Divine Monk, I know you are an Enlightened Monk!
Doesn’t the Buddha teach compassion for all living beings?
Since you are a Divine Monk, you should uphold the Buddha’s will, shouldn’t you?
Your heart is filled with compassion. I’m begging you, give Xiaoyin another chance!
She’s a simple, kind-hearted girl!
She never intended to do anything evil!
She is not the guilty one, I am!
I will take responsibility for everything!
I will compensate the families of those who died!
I will beg for their forgiveness!
I am willing to die!
I will atone with my life!
I only ask that you give Xiaoyin a chance!
Just one more chance!
Just one!"
As he finished speaking, Young Master Shiqi knelt before Xu Lei, repeatedly slamming his forehead against the ground. THUD! THUD! THUD!
He was a mess of tears and snot, his plea so emotional it could move heaven and earth.
"Amitabha Buddha." Xu Lei sighed, simply pressing his palms together and chanting the Buddha’s name.
After all, Xu Lei had no way of answering Young Master Shiqi at that moment.
The Painted Skin Spirit, Miss Xiaoyin, wasn’t in his custody at all.
She was likely in the hands of Hui Ming and the others.
But Xu Lei didn’t know how Hui Ming and his companions planned to deal with Miss Xiaoyin.
Therefore, after chanting the Buddha’s name, Xu Lei could only lower his gaze and remain silent.
"You wretched creature! Still so hopelessly deluded!"
But Young Master Shiqi’s words sent Elder General Qin into another towering rage. "A proud son of the Qin Family, bewitched by a woman—and a Demoness at that!
Fine! Then I’ll just have to act as if I never had you for a son!
I’ll send you to join that Demoness!"
He snatched a longsword from a nearby guard and gripped it tightly!
But in the end, he couldn’t find the heart to truly strike.
"I’m sorry, I’m sorry. Father, I’m sorry!"
But at that moment, Young Master Shiqi murmured, "But one never knows from where love springs..."
As he spoke.
WHOOSH!
Just then, having found an opening, Young Master Shiqi suddenly burst up from the ground and attacked!
He had been held down by blades and axes just moments before!
But Elder General Qin’s slap had just struck him!
Knocking him out of position.
Furthermore, Young Master Shiqi was a master of the Qin Mansion!
The surrounding Government Soldiers weren’t on high alert around him.
Seeing Elder Qin disciplining Young Master Shiqi, they had simply stood by and watched.
And now, Young Master Shiqi lunged forward with the ferocity of a wild beast!
His attack stunned everyone present!
Of course, Young Master Shiqi didn’t charge toward Xu Lei.
After all, Xu Lei had the reputation of being a Divine Monk.
His fame was too great!
And with his performance today, scaring the Painted Skin Spirit into a panicked retreat with just a few words,
Young Master Shiqi naturally believed that Xu Lei was a Divine Monk who truly possessed Magical Power and Divine Power.
He naturally didn’t dare to attack Xu Lei.
Nor did he dare attack Elder Qin.
After all, his father’s years of imposing authority were enough to keep him from daring to make a move.
Therefore, the person Young Master Shiqi attacked was Hui Ming!
He thought Hui Ming was just Xu Lei’s little follower.
The weakest of the bunch!
He planned to take Hui Ming hostage and use him to force Xu Lei’s hand.
He would use him to escape!
And to go find Miss Xiaoyin!
"Hm?"
Hui Ming’s brow furrowed.
Of course, Hui Ming was the one who truly possessed Magical Power and Divine Power.
There was no way he would let Young Master Shiqi get the better of him.
However, he didn’t reveal his Extraordinary Power in front of Elder Qin and the others.
He simply took a quick, large step backward.
Then, reaching out, he perfectly caught the forearm of Young Master Shiqi’s grasping hand.
"What?"
Seeing this, Young Master Shiqi’s expression changed drastically. "Impossible..."
After all, he had grown up in the army!
He had been doing Martial Arts Training since he was a child!
Although these Martial Arts didn’t involve Inner Strength or any kind of Extraordinary Power,
he was still a formidable warrior on the battlefield!
He was confident that the number of men in the entire army who could have blocked that lunge could be counted on one hand.
After all, he had professionally trained in both armed and unarmed combat!
He was an expert, at that!
In past combat competitions within the army,
he had repeatedly taken first place!
Yet now, an utterly unremarkable little monk at Xu Lei’s side had easily dodged and even blocked his attack.
’So strong!’
At that moment, Elder General Qin, along with all his trusted men present,
were all thinking the same shocked thought: ’As expected of a Divine Monk! Even the young monk traveling with him is this powerful!’
