CHAPTER 246: CHAPTER 0246: PUNISHMENT FROM THE DAOYI SECT_1

Zhang Bin was just as furious, angered by this woman’s overbearing nature and her willingness to break her word, and he tried to explain with great patience. However, Hanbing Yun was completely unreasonable. She said coldly, "When personal interests are weighed against national interests, which is more important? You’ve committed a serious crime and you must be punished."

Then, her tone shifted. "However, the suggestion you gave me last time was correct, as my verification proved, and it has aided my research to some extent. Therefore, I am giving you an opportunity to redeem yourself. Come to the Capital City and be my assistant. Pack your things; report to me tomorrow!"

"You’re dreaming!" Zhang Bin said coldly, a surge of anger welling up inside him.

"You..." Hanbing Yun was furious, her voice laced with ice. "You’d better think this through!"

"I have thought it through, crystal clear. I am not going to the Capital City," Zhang Bin said decisively.

"Then you just wait! If you’re so capable, don’t you ever come to me for help in the future!" Hanbing Yun threatened.

Zhang Bin didn’t even want to speak with her anymore and hung up the phone. A dark look settled on his face. If Hanbing Yun decided to cause trouble for him, he might not be able to withstand it. For now, all he could do was hope that this woman would act on principle and that her threat was merely verbal.

"Brother-in-law, is something wrong?" Liu Ruomei asked worriedly.

She was no fool and knew her resignation could cause a great deal of trouble. It was crucial that her supervisor accept and understand her decision. Otherwise, Zhang Bin might be implicated. In this day and age, although Cultivators could hide and practice in the deep mountains and forests, they could not be unruly and offend powerful figures. If they did, a catastrophe would await them. After all, nearly all Cultivators from the various sects were under national surveillance and management. If any sect showed signs of misconduct, the state would dispatch the Daoyi Sect to issue warnings and punishments. Therefore, even though Zhang Bin seemed to have the powerful Taiqing Sect behind him, he still had to conduct himself properly. It wouldn’t be easy for Zhang Bin to protect Liu Ruomei, given her connection to Hacker Rabbit King Chen Junheng. That was why she was so worried.

"Your matter is truly settled. Starting today, you are genuinely free, even freer than a small farmer like me." Zhang Bin spread his arms. "Let’s hug and celebrate."

He was telling the truth. Liu Ruomei’s resignation was no longer an issue; Hanbing Yun had just been using it as an excuse to intimidate him into submission.

Unfortunately, Zhang Bin’s assessment was wrong. The next morning, Zhao Dawei made a baffling phone call, saying only one sentence, "Bro, someone’s going to give you trouble today. You must endure it, no matter what."

Someone’s giving me trouble? And telling me to endure? Who could it be? Don’t tell me it’s Hanbing Yun?

The first person who came to his mind was that icy tech fanatic, Hanbing Yun, who possessed an ice-controlling Special Ability. After all, her threat from last night was still ringing in his ears.

Hanbing Yun, don’t think you can make me submit!

Zhang Bin roared internally, but he knew this trouble would likely be significant. After pondering for a moment, he went to the medicine garden and dug up two Ginseng plants that had just reached five hundred years of medicinal power. He stored them in his Space Ring, planning to refine a furnace of True Essence Pills in a few days when the other ingredients were ready. These were, of course, two of the spiritual medicines over four hundred years old that he had obtained from the Iron Sword Sect. After several months of being nurtured with Spiritual Water, they had undergone a tremendous transformation, their medicinal power greatly enhanced.

「In the afternoon」

The trouble Zhao Dawei had mentioned arrived.

A streak of black light flashed across the sky as an old man in black robes flew toward them on a sword. He exuded an immense aura as he landed directly in front of the villa on Mantou Ridge, shouting coldly, "Zhang Bin, I am Elder Fei Yiming of the Daoyi Sect. Come out and receive your punishment."

Damn, a Golden Core Realm master? Zhang Bin’s heart went cold. He immediately had Tutu look up the man’s information.

The results came quickly. Fei Yiming, 189 years old, was a Golden Core Early Stage Cultivator. He was originally an elder of the Taishan Sect but became one of the elders of the state-established Daoyi Sect. The man was ruthless and brutally decisive, feared by countless cultivators. His appearance here today was obviously to deal with Zhang Bin.

What was terrifying was that this man represented the Daoyi Sect, which was incredibly powerful and boasted many Golden Core Realm masters. The Sect Leader, Si Yangze, was even more frighteningly strong, having cultivated to the peak of the Golden Core Realm, just a hair’s breadth away from Great Perfection. He had a good chance of reaching the Nascent Soul Realm within his lifetime. Moreover, Sect Leader Si Yangze hailed from the Kunlun Sect, China’s number one sect, whose lineage traced back to ancient times. It was a mysterious and unfathomable sect teeming with experts. The Daoyi Sect didn’t just represent many powerful Cultivation Sects; the mere fact that it represented the nation was enough to intimidate any cultivator. Therefore, for any cultivator, no matter how powerful, being sought out by the Daoyi Sect was an utterly terrifying affair.

"What crime have I committed?" Zhang Bin asked coldly, his expression like ice as he walked out the door.

"Three months ago, you killed Zhu Yuanwu, the Qingyun Sect Leader. His crimes did not merit death. You also seized numerous Spiritual Medicines from the Qingyun Sect. Your sins are grave," Fei Yiming said, his voice thick with killing intent.

"Zhu Yuanwu wanted to kill me. Was I supposed to just stand there and let him?" Zhang Bin retorted angrily.

"You could have injured him, but you could not kill him," Fei Yiming said coldly. "Zhu Yuanwu was a master of our country, a valuable asset. Regardless of his crimes, it was not your place, Zhang Bin, to kill him."

Before Zhang Bin could say more, Fei Yiming cut him off. "I am not here to reason with you today, but to announce the Daoyi Sect’s punishment. First, hand over your Flying Sword. Second, hand over the Spiritual Medicines you plundered from the Qingyun Sect. This punishment is already light. If you object, have your sect’s elders come to the Daoyi Sect to demand an explanation."

So they’re after my Flying Sword and Spiritual Medicines. It turns out the Daoyi Sect is just another band of thieves that plunders and pillages. What justice is there to speak of? Perhaps this is also a test to probe the strength and reaction of my Taiqing Sect? If my sect doesn’t react, they’ll likely continue to plunder my wealth and treasures. Rage blazed in Zhang Bin’s heart, pushing him to his absolute limit.

"Rise!"

Fei Yiming ignored Zhang Bin completely and suddenly shouted.

A strange force locked onto all the spiritual medicines over four hundred years old—both those Zhang Bin had brought back from the Qingyun Sect and those he had obtained from the Iron Sword Sect. WHOOSH! They were all yanked from the soil and flew toward the elder. With a wave of his right hand, Fei Yiming collected them all into his Space Ring.

Yes, he too wore a Space Ring on his finger.