The Science of Cultivation - Chapter 46: Punishment (Patreon)

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Li Lang watched as his fellow disciple in the neighboring cell tried to break open his cell in a panic upon hearing about demonic cultivators attacking the sect.

It lasted a total of two minutes before Long Yi slumped back down in his cell after exhausting himself. Li Lang shook his head as he slowly approached his fellow disciple, who was struggling to catch his breath.

“I don’t think they would make it that easy for us and put us in a flimsy jail cell. You should give it up and save your energy.” Li Lang advised once he saw his neighbor had calmed down.

“How are you so calm?! There are demonic cultivators we’re dealing with here! They’ll definitely capture us and suck our cultivation dry to enhance themselves! I heard it’s unbearably painful too…”

“There’s no sense in worrying about what you can’t control.”

“...Why do you sound like an old man? You’re around my age, right?”

“...Yes, I’m…around twelve.”

“Around? Oh, you’re a senior. I’m ten, by the way. Just joined the sect not long ago. Was an orphan before that. How about you? You should’ve been in the sect for about two years now?”

Li Lang found it somewhat hard to believe the boy before him was only ten, and yet the size of an adult. He was thankful Long Yi at least continued to speak casually with him, or else it would make it awkward when an adult-looking man respectfully called him a senior when he had the appearance of a child.

“I…came into the sect for about a year. I joined late…” He gave Long Yi another look over and then sighed. “I joined late because I only have grade one aptitude, and they only accepted me for my alchemy talent.”

“Oh, you’re an alchemist already? I heard you needed years of training, but you’re already one before joining the sect. You must be a genius!”

Li Lang had braced himself for the reaction to come, but contrary to his belief, Long Yi’s attitude toward him did not change upon hearing his aptitude.

“I’m not that big of a deal. Having grade one aptitude will close a lot of doors for me in the future.”

“Huh? Who cares? You’re already in the fourth stage of Energy Gathering, right? I can tell. That’s impressive enough for only being a disciple for a year. What’d you do to get sent down here…in the middle of an attack, too?”

“I’m suspected of aiding a traitor…I got forced into it, but it doesn’t seem likely they’d forgive me for it regardless.”

“That…” Long Yi shook his head before he too sighed. “That does sound like how a righteous sect would react. They only know how to follow the rules without any flexibility and are always so uptight. Just because I wanted to go out for a stroll instead of participating in the competition, they put me in here. In the first place, I only wanted to become a cultivator so I could travel the world and explore all the sights yet to be seen! I didn’t expect joining the sect would mean being cooped up to cultivate all day… I wonder if they’ll let me quit the sect.”

How did the conversation somehow end up going back to be about him?

“Well, at least you’re not in danger of being executed for aiding a traitor.”

“They wouldn’t do that…! I think…”

The two boys continued to chat for hours while they had nothing else to do in their cells. For some reason, whether it be the boredom or the frankness of his fellow prisoner, Li Lang spilled all about what he had encountered that day. The two quickly bonded, and Li Lang even revealed the experiments he was performing.

That was because he knew it wouldn’t stay hidden for much longer once the sect had a reason to look into him. He could only vent and hope they wouldn’t punish him too harshly.

“Are you sure you should tell me this…I don’t think the sect elders of a righteous organization would like what you’re doing.”

“Forget it. Now that they suspect me of being a traitor, they’ll thoroughly investigate me anyway. They’ll inevitably find out.”

In the background of their conversation, explosions occasionally rang out as the battle raged on. It only quieted down when night fell, and several members of the guardians returned to their post in the dungeons where the boys were held.

However, they completely ignored the two young disciples until the next morning.

A woman in light brown robes descended the stairs, followed by two other guards as she approached the jail cells.

“Long Yi, as we previously said, now that the sect competitions are over, we will let you go. However, you’ll be going to remedial class for the next year.” 

“What? That’s unfair!”

“Silence, unless you want to continue staying here.”

The woman glanced at one of the guards beside her, who quickly went to unlock the cell. She then turned her attention to the remaining disciple.

“As for you, Li Lang. You’re coming with me to tell me every single detail about what happened yesterday. Don’t think about lying to me. You wouldn’t enjoy the consequences.”

After that, Li Lang was brought to one of the interrogation rooms where he was grilled all day. They kept asking him the same questions over and over again, and he was only let go when night fell once more.

The next day, he was interrogated again but was let go in the afternoon.

“You can return for now, but you’re restricted from leaving the sect while we investigate. I’d be on my best behavior if I were you.” The same woman warned as she saw Li Lang out.

Li Lang returned to his dorm after overcoming the ordeal, but when he entered his dorm, everyone inside immediately glanced over at him with wary eyes. He noticed Yang Quan in particular, who was glaring a hole at him. He was too tired to care and went straight to his room.

As he passed by, Yang Quan didn’t bother waiting for him to get out of sight before muttering hatefully.

“Cowardly trash.”

After a good night’s rest, Li Lang quickly settled back into his routine. He was getting a lot of looks from everyone he encountered, but it wasn’t that different from before.

He continued to diligently cultivate, practice his techniques, and try out combinations between materials inside Ruby’s artifact space.

Three days after his release from the dungeon, Elder Cao had come to visit him once more, but this time, her neutral expression was replaced with a frown.

“Li Lang, I heard about what happened. I’m sorry you had to experience that… but many of my fellow elders have begun to question your place in the sect. Your quick breakthrough, despite your aptitude, has even got some elders questioning if you’re practicing demonic cultivation or have a connection to them.”

“Demonic cultivation? How in the world did they arrive at that?”

“They had investigated both you and Ling Xue’s activity in Xiang Yang after the event…And we have discovered some troubling information. Li Lang, is it true you’ve been getting others to test dangerous cultivation techniques?”

“...That isn’t demonic cultivation! I’m… creating new techniques.”

“Regardless, many of the more conservative elders see that as an evil act. It is hard to argue against them when such actions could easily damage our reputation if word got out that our disciples performed such dangerous acts that resulted in civilian casualties. It’ll be hard to avoid punishment.”

“...How will I be punished?”

“That isn’t decided yet. The Vice Sect Leader has only just returned from the front lines, and this matter is too small to bother him. While the elders aren’t able to come to a consensus. Your proposed punishment ranges widely from executing you to be safe to the more lenient punishment of confinement for a year.”

“I see…So is there a reason you’ve come before a decision has been made, then?”

“Yes…You see, even if you escape punishment, there is a faction within the sect that will only see you as a thorn and a danger to our reputation from now on. They may try to get rid you of through other means. That’s why it is my recommendation that you…leave the sect.”

“So, banishment is an option?”

“Yes, I think it is for the best. I invited you into our sect, so I’d rather not see you lose your life because of it. You really do have talent in alchemy, so maybe some other sect would take you…”

“Thank you for telling me all this and giving me an option, senior. Can I have some time to think it through?”

The elder solemnly nodded. “Yes, but you should make it quick. With me here, it’s unlikely they will decide to execute you, but it’s better to decide if you want to leave or not before they settle on a punishment. I’ll come again tomorrow.”

“Understood.”

After replying to the elder, Li Lang continued to practice his Earthbound Step technique. Elder Cao shook her head and left while he trained as if nothing had happened. However, the inside of Li Lang’s mind was in a flurry.

His goal of joining a sect was to attain resources, study cultivation, and make connections with powerful cultivators in hopes of saving his childhood friends. He wasn’t naive enough to believe he could easily join another sect after departing this one. 

Even if other sects accepted him, they would definitely have researched his past and prevent him from continuing with his experiments.

That was why his mind was racing to find alternatives.

If I stay with a righteous sect, will they continue to mistake me for a full-fledged demonic cultivator sooner or later if I don’t advance as slowly as their expectations? Just because I have low aptitude, I’m not allowed to make quick progress? 

If that was the case, I might as well join the demonic cultivators for real, then!

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