27: Chapter 27 The Tragic Little Prince's Nobleman 9

He no longer wanted to act obedient and pitiful, act spoiled to seek favor, or be sensible and humble before his master as he had in the past, as if that would only make him feel even more humiliated.

"Master, isn't this much more interesting than that pile of yours on the Dao?"

"However, if this Disciple remembers correctly, just a moment ago you were still saying that you strictly uphold the Sacred Sect rules, are devoted to the Dao, and have no room for anything else."

"And now, how can you so brazenly break the Sacred Sect rules you have upheld within the land of the Sacred Sect…?"

A hint of malicious and disdainful sarcasm rang out in the silent room.

Especially that deliberately drawn-out ending, the two words "Sacred Sect rules," were like a large stone thrown into calm water, stirring up waves.

The absent-minded eyes instantly cleared, and when reason returned.

The holy place he was in, the stacks of scriptures he had browsed through, the sandalwood prayer beads clutched in his hand.

The uncontrollable, unsightly behavior, the glaring stains on his robes, and finally, the young emperor's disdainful and malicious sarcasm.

When all of this intertwined, it undoubtedly completely destroyed Daoist Xuanchen, the National Preceptor who had always been aloof and proud, strictly upheld the Sacred Sect rules, and was devoted to the Dao.

Lu Zhan's face was filled with unbearable shame and disbelief; his bloodless, thin lips trembled, and his reddened eyes revealed a sense of self-loathing.

Everything that had just happened was unbearable, unacceptable, and even more unwilling to be acknowledged; the taut string known as sanity seemed to have snapped completely at this very moment.

"You're talking nonsense… I did not break the Sacred Sect rules… I did not profane… That is all fake… Nothing happened… You are lying to me…"

It was an abnormal hysteria that didn't even require any response.

Fifth Prince Qi Yuxuan had already keenly sensed that his master's emotions were clearly wrong, and he wanted to move his feet slightly, turn around, and step forward to stand opposite him.

But Lu Zhan was faster, quickly turning his head and looking at Fifth Prince Qi Yuxuan with lifeless eyes.

Before Fifth Prince Qi Yuxuan could react, he had already raised his hand high, and his cool palm landed extremely quickly on the young man's face.

A crisp slapping sound rang out instantly in the room.

Fifth Prince Qi Yuxuan's face instantly turned red over a large area; the distinct finger marks were visible to the naked eye and already slightly swollen, showing how much force had been used.

His master had never raised a hand against him; even during his most rebellious times, he hadn't been treated like this in many years.

For a moment, Fifth Prince Qi Yuxuan seemed stunned in place, and even his tightly held hands loosened slightly.

The person in his arms, as if avoiding something terrifying, used all his remaining strength to break free rapidly.

Lu Zhan stumbled and fell onto the arhat bed a few steps away, as if that place where he used to rest subconsciously made the young man feel more secure.

Fifth Prince Qi Yuxuan was still standing in place, not yet having recovered his senses, when intermittent, near-collapsing whispers reached his ears.

"Nickname, my only Disciple…"

"How could you treat me like this in this place…"

"And how could you be so demeaning to me, bully me…"

"No… it's not… He is not Nickname… Nickname is the most gentle and kind… the most sensible and obedient… he would absolutely never treat me like this…"

"Nickname has always respected me and loved me… How could he be so disdainful toward me… so dismissive and sarcastic toward me…"

"I also did not profane… did not break the Sacred Sect rules…"

"That is not me… How could I be like that… It must be him lying to me…"

Fifth Prince Qi Yuxuan looked at his master on the bed; everything before his eyes both shocked him and left him in disbelief.

He saw the young man curled up on the arhat bed like an infant.

His opened right hand was clearly shaking violently, yet it still rested on the stains on his white robe, trying his best to cover them, as if afraid of being seen by others.

His whole body was trembling uncontrollably, his face was deathly pale without a trace of blood, and crystal-clear cold sweat covered his snow-white skin.

His thin lips were slightly parted, murmuring endlessly, and tears slid intermittently from his clouded eyes; the whole person appeared insane, as if he had lost his mind.

It was as if he was immersed in his own world, only unconsciously repeating those few phrases.

And his left hand, placed in front of his chest, was tightly clutching the sandalwood prayer beads in his palm, as if he were holding onto the last bit of hope.

If he hadn't seen this scene with his own eyes, Fifth Prince Qi Yuxuan wouldn't even have dared to believe it.

That the mad, demented person on the bed could be his own master, the highly respected National Preceptor of the Jing Kingdom, the renowned and most holy Daoist Xuanchen.

He didn't even dare to get any closer to the young man curled up on the bed, instead staggering back two steps.

No, his master was not like this, nor should he be like this. What was he like, then? He seemed to remember his master when they first met.

His figure was slender, his appearance was like jade, most of his black hair was scattered behind his head, fluttering with the wind, his expression was indifferent, yet it carried a touch of compassion from years of cultivating the Dao.

His pupils were like frost and snow, his whole body exuded aloofness, his nobility and coldness were natural, like a pine or cypress after snow.

When walking, the long string of prayer beads on his wrist swayed slightly, his white robe rippled, and although he was filled with an aloof and ascetic air, he could still make people unable to help but fall for him.

Yet such a master had taken a liking at first sight to him, the inconspicuous one who was frozen purple in the pool water.

He didn't even mind the cold, wet filth all over him, embracing him into his warm arms and protecting him under his wings from then on.

Comparing the master from that time to the young man on the bed now, Fifth Prince Qi Yuxuan felt he was about to be drowned by the regret and self-reproach in his heart.

His chest hurt so much he couldn't bear it, as if a knife had been stabbed in and was being fiercely twisted.

He was wrong.

He shouldn't have forced and troubled his master like this, nor should he have coaxed and seduced his master into falling.

But what he shouldn't have done most of all was say those things to his master afterward; looking at it now, that was tantamount to the last straw that broke the camel's back.

Having raised dirty desires in this holy place of the Dao, having done such unbearable things, he had not only profaned his inner faith and broken the Sacred Sect rules he had upheld for years, but he also had to be so dismissive and mocked by the only Disciple he had raised with his own hands.

Fifth Prince Qi Yuxuan didn't even dare to think about how devastated his master must have been at that time, but the result had already been caused, and it was too late for regrets.