Chapter 69: Caning
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
“Who is this? How does he have the right to expel an elder from the school?”
“Never heard of him!”
“Could he be a grand supreme elder?!”
The disciples started a lively discussion, extremely surprised by the sudden events.
“Elder Mo!”
Suddenly, a voice came from the sky. A middle-aged man in a white robe came in a hurry, transported by a flying sword.
He was Ding Bai, the leader of the Hall of Penal Law.
The disciples were excited to see him. They’d seen many great men that day.
They were surprised to see Ding Bai treating Mo Xu with great respect as well.
“Elder Mo, what has happened? Even you have taken the trouble to come down,” Ding Bai said.
“Your disciples will tell you.” Mo Xu pointed at Liu Song. He couldn’t even be bothered to speak.
Liu Song told the whole story without quibbling. According to him, Zheng Ping and he were friends. Zheng Ping asked him a favor to take advantage of the Hall of Penal Law to deal with Jiang Chen, sending him to the Lost Soul.
“Then Jiang Chen won the fair trial, but your elder didn’t do anything to help him. Instead, he evicted Jiang Chen. Everyone here was a witness,” Mo Xu said calmly.
Ding Bai pulled a long face, staring at Elder Li seriously. He said, “From now on, you are not the elder of the Hall of Penal Law anymore.”
“I’ve already expelled him from the Natural Law School, since he likes to expel people,” Mo Xu said.
Ding Bai was dumbfounded, but he didn’t have the nerve to oppose Mo Xu.
“Elder Mo, the Hall of Penal Law will punish Liu Song and the other five severely and compensate this disciple. Does this solution sound good enough to you?” Ding Ping wanted to settle the tumult as soon as possible. It wouldn’t do him any good if it raised more attention.
“No. Jiang Chen bet his life on proving his innocence. So the lives of Liu Song and the other five aren’t at your disposal,” Mo Xu said.
Liu Song and the others started to beg for mercy again.
“It was Zheng Ping’s instructions?” Jiang Chen asked.
“Exactly.”
So Jiang Chen looked over to Ding Bai and asked, “I want to ask the leader of the Hall of Penal Law, if disciples of the Hall of Penal Law try to frame sibling disciples, how are they punished?”
Ding Bai took a deep breath and said helplessly, “Bring Zheng Ping here!”
Zheng Ping arrived soon. He had heard what was happening there.
He said before anyone asked him anything, “Elder, I admit I asked Liu Song to help me deal with Jiang Chen and I’m willing to accept whatever punishment you give me. But Jiang Chen’s fair trial had nothing to do with me.”
“Zheng Ping, you b.a.s.t.a.r.d!”
Hardly had his voice faded away, Liu Song started to scold him.
If it were not due to him, why would Jiang Chen have bet his life on his innocence?
Zheng Ping ignored him. As long as he was alive, with the support of Ning Haotian, he could accept any punishment.
“Zheng Ping, you gave my friend Meng Hao a vicious beating. He is still in a coma. What do you have to say about this?!” This was the main source of Jiang Chen’s anger.
“Oh? He isn’t even a disciple here,” Zheng Ping said indifferently.
“Is that the equivalent of admitting that you beat him because you falsely accused him of theft?” Jiang Chen shouted.
I’ve been tricked.
Zheng Ping realized he had misspoken. He glanced at Ding Bai and Mo Xu worriedly.
“I want a dual with you, Zheng Ping!” Jiang Chen said.
“I don’t accept.” Zheng Ping kept shaking his head, since he knew he was no match for Jiang Chen.
“Jiang Chen, you bet your life on proving your innocence, but only Liu Song and the other five are at your disposal. As to Zheng Ping, we’ll punish him by the rules of the school. Believe me, the punishment won’t be light. How is your friend now?” Mo Xu said.
Ding Bai and Zheng Ping had a strange feeling when they heard Mo Xu’s caring tone.
They had no idea how Jiang Chen knew the tough grand supreme elder.
“I don’t believe the Hall of Penal Law will punish Zheng Ping severely enough.” Jiang Chen felt extremely dissatisfied. He wished he could kill Zheng Ping immediately.
“Don’t worry about it. If Zheng Ping isn’t punished in the proper manner, I’ll fire the leader of the Hall of Penal Law,” Mo Xu guaranteed him.
Ding Bai was given a good scare. He said immediately, “Zheng Ping, you framed your sibling disciples and did great harm to others. What you did tarnished the school’s reputation. It’s a severe crime. Since you are a senior disciple, I won’t expel you from the school.
“But you’ll serve solitary confinement at the Lost Soul for one year. You’ll be deprived of all of your benefits. And you’ll be caned one hundred times.”
One year’s solitary confinement at the Lost Soul was already a severe punishment, but the caning was ever more dreadful.
Even Jiang Chen wasn’t tortured when he was brought to the Hall of Penal Law, because people could be killed by torture there.
Being caned one hundred times could shatter all of one’s bones.
The cane of the Natural Law School was specially made. No matter what state the torturer was in, he could beat the prisoner almost to death.
“I don’t accept the verdict!” Zheng Ping turned pale and yelled.
“You have to accept it. Otherwise, are you willing to do a fair trial with me?” Ding Bai said angrily.
A fair trial with the leader of the Hall of Penal Law?
Zheng Ping was certainly not a fool, so he could do nothing but stand there with a distorted face.
“I want to do it personally!” Jiang Chen said.
“This is against the rules…” Jiang Chen’s request put Ding Bai in an awkward situation.
“No problem.” Mo Xu waved his arm and agreed without any hesitation.
“Fine,” Ding Bai said helplessly.
I’m screwed… Zheng Ping felt hopeless. He might have been able to survive if other people caned him.
Torturers in sects and schools had a unique martial arts technique.
They gained these skills through many years’ practice. They would be qualified if they could cane a brick wrapped with paper without damaging the paper.
Vice versa, they could also manage to damage the paper without harming the brick.
So people who got caned could end up differently.
Some were badly lacerated, but within a few days they were full of vim and vigour again; others were only black and blue, but in the end, they died.
Jiang Chen certainly didn’t have that kind of skill. So after one hundred strikes…
Zheng Ping couldn’t even begin to think about the consequences.
“As for you…”
Jiang Chen finally laid his eyes on Liu Song and the others. He looked at Liu Song in a taunting manner and said to the other five, “If you five kill Liu Song, I’ll let you go.”
“Gos.h.!.+”
Many people changed their views on Jiang Chen. This guy was definitely tough!
Liu Song was despaired to see his obedient subordinates had been persuaded by Jiang Chen. They looked at each other and stood up one by one, after they had made sure the elder wasn’t trying to stop them.
“Liu Song, it’s your fault. If you didn’t give such an order, we wouldn’t have ended up like this.”
“Yep. You’ve taken all the mileage given by Zheng Ping. We’ve gained nothing.”
Liu Song was in a higher state, but they were too many people. So he had to step back and say, “What… what do you want to do?”
Ding Bai hurried to say, “Elder Mo, isn’t this inappropriate? It’s too b.l.o.o.d.y! And so many disciples are watching…”
“Your Elder Li intended to kill Jiang Chen with this many people watching. Jiang Chen would have died if I didn’t show up in time,” Mo Xu said.
Ding Bai was speechless. He stared viciously at Elder Li, who was already desperate.
Soon, people saw Liu Song’s five subordinates jump on him like five ferocious wolves.