Chapter Thirteen: The Secret of the Starfeather Sect

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Duan Mubian’s emotions grew increasingly agitated, his voice echoing around them, laced with suppressed anger and unwillingness. His gaze was as sharp as a blade, fixating on Nanmen Chuyao and Bai Jingyan, pressing forward step by step as if to pour out all the doubts and pain within his heart.

“Nanmen Chuyao, don’t think you can fool me! I, Duan Mubian, have always acted with integrity and transparency—I have never lost control like this before! If you don’t give me an explanation, I will not let this matter rest today!” His voice trembled slightly, clearly overwhelmed by the emotions he had been holding back.

Bai Jingyan frowned tightly and spoke coldly, “Duan Mubian, calm down! Chuyao has already made it clear that your emotional changes have nothing to do with her. If you continue to be so aggressive, don’t blame me for being unkind!”

Duan Mubian sneered, his eyes icy, “Unkind? Bai Jingyan, do you think I fear you? If it weren’t for your interference, I would have gotten my answers long ago! Today, I demand Nanmen Chuyao give me an answer!”

His voice grew louder and louder, drawing the attention of the disciples nearby, who stopped to watch.

Some whispered, “What’s wrong with Senior Brother Duan? Why is he treating Junior Sister Nanmen like this?”

“I heard he caused a scene at the Bai residence a few days ago and nearly beat Bai Jingyan to death. Now he’s making trouble for Nanmen Chuyao—really strange.”

Nanmen Chuyao looked at Duan Mubian, a trace of helplessness flashing in her eyes. She spoke softly, “Senior Brother Duan, I’ll say it again—I have never done anything to you. Your emotional changes may be due to your own state of mind, unrelated to me.”

But Duan Mubian seemed deaf to her words, continuing to press forward, “State of mind? Ha! Nanmen Chuyao, do you think I’ll believe that? If you don’t give me a reasonable explanation, I will never let you off today!”

Just as the tension reached its peak, a commanding voice suddenly rang out from afar: “Stop! Within the sect, how dare you behave so recklessly!”

Everyone turned to see Wu Yaoqing frowning as he strode over, his face dark. His gaze swept over Duan Mubian, Nanmen Chuyao, and Bai Jingyan, his tone stern: “You three, why are you making such a ruckus here? Duan Mubian, you are about to enter the inner sect and are a senior brother to the assembled disciples—why are you acting so out of line?”

Duan Mubian’s expression flickered slightly upon seeing Wu Yaoqing but quickly returned to his prior agitation. He cupped his hands respectfully and said, “Elder Wu, I do not intend to cause a disturbance. I simply have doubts and want to get an explanation from Nanmen Chuyao.”

Wu Yaoqing’s brows knitted tightly as he responded coldly, “What doubts require such aggression? Within the sect, we value rules and etiquette. Your behavior is utterly disgraceful.”

Duan Mubian clenched his teeth and lowered his voice, “I… I just want to know if Nanmen Chuyao used some method on me, causing me to… to feel this way about her…”

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He had yet to finish when Wu Yaoqing already understood his meaning. Wu Yaoqing snorted coldly, “Ridiculous! Matters of the heart cannot be manipulated by external forces. Duan Mubian, as a cultivator, your lack of reason is truly disappointing!”

Duan Mubian lowered his head, fists clenched tightly, still clearly unwilling to accept this. Seeing this, Wu Yaoqing’s tone softened somewhat, “Duan Mubian, if you have doubts, calm your heart and think carefully. Within the sect, we cultivate the mind and character, not act on impulse.”

Having said that, he turned his gaze to Nanmen Chuyao and Bai Jingyan and said lightly, “You two also should not continue to argue with him. Fellow disciples should value harmony above all.”

Nanmen Chuyao and Bai Jingyan both cupped their hands and replied, “Understood.”

Wu Yaoqing nodded, then turned and left, motioning for the surrounding disciples to disperse. Only Duan Mubian, Nanmen Chuyao, and Bai Jingyan remained standing there.

Duan Mubian was silent for a moment before lifting his head to look at Nanmen Chuyao. His eyes still held a trace of unwillingness.

“Could it… really be that the problem lies with me?” he murmured softly, a flicker of confusion in his gaze.

After Duan Mubian left, Bai Jingyan stood there, his expression deep as he glanced at Nanmen Chuyao.

His heart was complicated, filled with both suspicion toward Nanmen Chuyao and speculation about her true identity. Duan Mubian’s unusual behavior only strengthened his belief that Nanmen Chuyao was hiding some secret.

“Yao Yao, you should go back first. I have some matters to handle,” Bai Jingyan spoke suddenly, his tone calm.

Nanmen Chuyao turned, a hint of confusion flashing in her eyes. “Brother Jingyan, aren’t you coming back with me?”

Bai Jingyan smiled faintly and shook his head, “I still have some cultivation questions that require Elder’s guidance. You go on ahead; there’s no need to wait for me.”

Nanmen Chuyao glanced at him, seeming to sense something but did not press further, simply nodding softly. “Alright, then you rest early too.”

Having said that, Nanmen Chuyao turned and left. Bai Jingyan watched her retreating figure disappear from sight, the smile on his face gradually fading, replaced by a solemn expression.

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“Nanmen Chuyao… who exactly are you?” Bai Jingyan murmured, a cold glint flashing in his eyes.

He did not return to his quarters to cultivate but waited until nightfall before heading toward the sect’s library.

He knew clearly that there were more important things to do—help Bai Huaiwu and Chen Hu uncover evidence of the Star Feather Sect’s treason.

Bai Jingyan sped along until he arrived at the library.

Although the library was open to most disciples, the central area was accessible only to a select few within the Star Feather Sect. It housed secret texts and records. However, Bai Jingyan, holding Elder Wu Yaoqing’s seal, deceived the gate disciples and gained entry.

“Star Feather Sect… evidence of treason…” Bai Jingyan murmured, running his fingers over row after row of ancient tomes. Suddenly, his gaze stopped on a yellowed volume.

“The Sect’s Secret Records?” he raised an eyebrow and pulled the book down, opening it carefully.

The text recorded some unknown secret events within the sect, including a passage about the Star Feather Sect that caught Bai Jingyan’s attention.

“The Star Feather Sect was once affiliated with the royal family but, dissatisfied with the distribution of resources in the Wuhou Kingdom, secretly colluded with foreign enemies, intending to rebel…” Bai Jingyan read softly, a cold light flickering in his eyes.

He continued scanning and found mention of specific evidence of Star Feather’s collusion with outsiders, including secret letters and records of transactions. However, this evidence was incomplete, clearly concealed deliberately.

“Indeed… the Star Feather Sect has long harbored treasonous intent.” Bai Jingyan closed the tome, a resolute gleam in his eyes.

He knew that this scattered evidence alone was insufficient to fully expose the Star Feather Sect. More concrete proof was needed.

After some thought, he resolved to investigate the Star Feather Sect’s stronghold directly.