SOL Chapter 4

Sandalwood Torture

Sandalwood Torture

The Cui Wei Sword Pavilion’s encirclement and suppression of Li Huai Su failed. Seeing this, the remaining sects in the cultivation world naturally couldn’t sit still and responded by joining the ranks of the punitive encirclement, but they were all insignificant and easily counter-killed by Li Huai Su.

Having entered demonic cultivation for only a short time, he had already harmed more than a hundred cultivators. Such slaughter was considered cruel even among the demons, worthy of being called a human butcher.

The Demon Clan’s power is now declining. The current Heavenly Demon Lord, Tian Chang, is even more cowardly, nesting in the Demon World’s “Thirty-three Heavens,” rarely appearing in the cultivation world and the human world. No one knows his temperament or appearance.

The Left Guardian, Garuda, was extremely ferocious but was killed by Li Shan with a single sword strike, so we won’t discuss that for now. The Right Guardian, the Dharma Master Shi En, often wanders in the human world, enticing the world to convert to heretical religions under the guise of saving all living beings.

The deaths of the left and right guardians were all ignorant mortals, insignificant weeds, and did not cause much trouble. The cultivation world’s attitude towards him was mostly one of non-interference.

Now, Li Huai Su has destroyed his Dao Heart and entered demonic cultivation with his physical body.

It was originally thought that he wouldn’t cause much trouble, but who knew that in just a few days, he would fill Garuda’s vacancy. Since his blade is now directed towards the cultivation world, how can they leave it alone?

Small sects are panicking, and large sects harbor ulterior motives.

Now that things have come to this, they can no longer operate independently. They sent capable members of their sects to gather at the Cui Wei Sword Pavilion to discuss the matter of suppressing Li Huai Su.

Although the Between Water and Cloud, the Cui Wei Sword Pavilion’s place for entertaining guests, isn’t large, it is decorated elegantly with soft cushions and low tables, full of ancient charm. The elders of the various sects sat around the room. During the banquet, there were fine wines, delicacies, and elegant silk and bamboo music.

The White Egret Academy’s position in the cultivation world is now second only to the Cui Wei Sword Pavilion, and it even faintly shows signs of surpassing it. Several elders didn’t take Li Huai Su seriously. They only wanted to win first place in this encirclement and suppress the Cui Wei Sword Pavilion.

To seize power, the spearhead naturally pointed at the Cui Wei Sword Pavilion.

An academy elder said dismissively, “This Li Huai Su is a wicked creature raised by your Cui Wei Sword Pavilion. You should avoid suspicion in this encirclement. Don’t think we don’t know! This wicked creature’s younger brother, Li Shan, is still living peacefully in your Cui Wei Sword Pavilion. Your Cui Wei Sword Pavilion must have harbored the intention of sheltering him, right?”

Lin Que had already guessed that the people from the White Egret Academy would cause trouble and dealt with it with ease. “That’s right, this Li Shan is indeed in our Cui Wei Sword Pavilion.”

The academy elder said, “Then why doesn’t Sect Leader Lin quickly hand this person over for everyone to deal with? It is said that Li Shan’s swordsmanship is outstanding and he is the Number One of Sword Pavilion. Your Sword Pavilion must have harbored the intention of cherishing talent, right?”

Lin Que smiled. “That’s not true! His brother committed such an ugly act of murdering the master and defecting. How could our Sword Pavilion let him off easily? He has already repented. Today, I have also called him here. Fellow Daoists can make their own judgments after seeing him.”

As he spoke, he lightly clapped his hands twice. The cultivators present followed his gaze with different thoughts and saw a tall, slender figure slowly walking out from the layers of curtains.

The cultivators present had high positions in their sects and had met this young man who followed the Sword Pavilion’s previous master. At first glance, they knew it was Li Shan.

Usually, they saw him in a neat disciple uniform, wielding his sword decisively, his body agile, like a proud pine tree. Although he wasn’t old, he didn’t dare to be underestimated.

Today, Li Shan was dressed in plain white clothes, a belt cinching his slender waist. His dark hair was combed neatly and draped gently over one shoulder, which made him look beautiful.

However, the expression on his face was somewhat listless, revealing a hint of hidden fatigue.

The Between Water and Cloud didn’t leave a place for Li Shan. Just when everyone thought Li Shan would walk to Lin Que’s side and sit down, Li Shan walked to the center of the hall. The gazes of the cultivators present formed a cage, trapping him in it.

Li Shan just knelt down silently, slowly prostrated himself, and buried his head very low.

No one spoke to allow him to rise, so Li Shan just knelt there motionless, extremely obedient.

A man’s knees are worth gold, especially since Li Shan used to be a top figure in the cultivation world. This kneeling really surprised everyone present. Lin Que was used to it and said, “Li Shan is a sinner. He only wants to atone for his brother’s sins and has already repented.”

Seeing this, the White Egret Academy elder was still unconvinced and said to Lin Que in a strange tone, “Although Sect Leader Lin says so, who really knows what he is thinking in his heart? He may be pretending to be submissive in front of us, biding his time! If he colludes with the Demon Clan in the future, I’m afraid you, the sect leader, won’t be able to bear the responsibility.”

Lin Que knew that the people from the White Egret Academy had come with ill intentions and wouldn’t give up easily. He smiled. “Let’s see—”

Lin Que raised his left hand, holding Li Shan’s sword, Withered Wood Meeting Spring. He threw it up, and the long sword landed beside Li Shan, making a clang.

Li Shan’s body stiffened, and he slowly raised his head to meet Lin Que’s slightly malicious and teasing gaze. Lin Que smiled. “Now everyone doesn’t believe you. What should you do? Show them. You know what to do.”

Withered Wood Meeting Spring is a heavy sword, and the sword body is also clumsier than ordinary swords.

Li Shan slowly reached out, his fingers touching the cold sword body. It was clearly a weapon that had been with him day and night, but it made him feel a chill in his teeth for a moment.

The cultivators present also sized up Li Shan with different expressions, feeling that Lin Que’s words had a deeper meaning—proving what has already happened is easy, but proving what hasn’t happened is extremely difficult.

The crime of colluding with the Demon Clan is like accusing a woman of improper behavior in the human world. If she is really improper, it’s fine, since she won’t set up a chastity arch. If she wants to prove her innocence, she can only prove her innocence with death!

Could it be that Lin Que wants Li Shan to commit suicide with his sword in front of the cultivators?

But everyone present is a cultivator and naturally can see that Li Shan’s spiritual energy has been sealed, making him no different from a mortal. Withered Wood Meeting Spring is a blunt, heavy sword, so even suicide is impossible.

Li Shan took a deep breath, and his fingers suddenly tightened around the Withered Wood Meeting Spring sword, as if he had made a decision. He clumsily lifted the hem of his clothes.

The Between Water and Cloud isn’t large, and everyone present saw Li Shan’s actions clearly. They saw that he wasn’t wearing underwear, and his clothes were half-covered, wearing plain silk foot wraps on his bare legs, showing a hint of ambiguity.

Seeing Li Shan’s next action, all the cultivators present gasped. From time to time, there were comments such as “insulting to morality” and “shameless,” but their eyes were very honest, turning from doubt to the current frivolousness, staring at Li Shan without blinking, as if he was the last delicacy on the Between Water and Cloud banquet.

Lin Que said that he wanted to satisfy everyone.

Li Shan knew that what Li Huai Su had done could almost be described as inhumane and extremely sinful. He was afraid that everyone present hated him so much that they wanted him dead. He didn’t know what extent he had to go to to satisfy everyone present. The strength in his hand was out of proportion, and he bled immediately after a few inches.

Li Shan almost heard the sound of cloth tearing deep in his body, but he just thought absentmindedly that he had seen such a punishment in the ancient books in the library, called Sandalwood Torture. A sandalwood stick in the shape of a sword is inserted from the anus and then through the throat. The person who suffers this punishment will die like a grasshopper strung on a foxtail.

The Withered Wood Meeting Spring sword is about twenty inches long, which is enough to make Li Shan die with a broken heart.

Li Shan didn’t care about life and death, but the face of his elder brother appeared in front of him.

That day, after Li Huai Su killed the former master, he came to his residence, carrying a dripping sword. His white clothes and jade face were splattered with thick blood, which was completely different from his usual gentle and elegant demeanor.

He stood by his couch with murderous aura and bloodstains, coldly looking at him for an unknown amount of time. Li Shan had just woken up from his dream and didn’t know what had happened, but his animal-like keen intuition told him that his elder brother wanted to kill him.

But Li Huai Su didn’t do it in the end, nor did he explain a word to Li Shan. He just turned around and left the Cui Wei Sword Pavilion.

Li Shan later learned about the tragic case that happened Among the Bamboo Forest, but just like Li Huai Su didn’t take the opportunity to kill him in his sleep, he didn’t take action to intercept Li Huai Su.

He knew that he had always been stupid and hadn’t figured out why his elder brother, who was usually so upright and gentle, would go crazy overnight and commit such a big mistake. Even now that he was implicated by Li Huai Su, it was difficult for him to feel resentment. Instead, he regretted that he hadn’t taken care of his elder brother enough on weekdays.

Li Shan thought blankly, “I wonder where my elder brother is now?”

The sword body had penetrated less than halfway, and Li Shan’s hand had already started to shake, and a breath was broken into several pieces. His body could no longer support him and he fell to one side. His thin clothes were also worn close to his body, and a slight movement revealed most of his chest. His chest showed an antique copper bell, and the bright red tassel swept across his waist as he tried to support himself.

The Hedong Li Family has produced many talents in the cultivation world. Everyone present only froze for a few seconds before recognizing that it was the Li Family’s token. They all smiled knowingly—Li Shan looked too cheap!

There were undercurrents in the room, and someone finally asked teasingly. The elder of the Water Mirror Zhu Tower shook his folding fan and said ambiguously, “Sect Leader Lin, is this last dish just for us to watch and not eat? Then your Cui Wei Sword Pavilion is too unkind—”

As soon as these words came out, they naturally drew agreement from everyone.

Some people in the room had heard of Li Shan’s mother’s famous reputation in Yangzhou City. They usually felt that it would be insulting to their elegance to say it out loud, and they didn’t dare to talk nonsense in front of the powerful Li Shan. But now, they were all maliciously pouring out their words. “As expected of the son of a prostitute. An old bitch gave birth to a little bitch. He can even go into heat with his own sword.”

“Now he’s carrying on his mother’s business, and he hasn’t disgraced the fragrant and beautiful stories of the famous prostitute in Yangzhou in the past.”

Li Shan was now covered in cold sweat, and his ears were buzzing. His brain was a mess, so he couldn’t hear that everyone had already turned him into the fish on the chopping board, waiting to be devoured.

Lin Que listened to everyone’s discussion and coldly looked at Li Shan’s appearance, feeling more and more happy in his heart. He just smiled and asked, “Where in the world is there such a way to treat guests?”

Everyone knew that this meant permission. Immediately, a lecherous ghost stepped forward and grabbed Li Shan’s hair that was draped over his shoulder, pulling him into his arms.

The copper bell swayed with the movement, making a tinkling sound. Li Shan’s eyes slightly regained clarity, and he faced the lewd gaze of the cultivator in front of him. He subconsciously wanted to escape.

Someone on the side saw that he wanted to run and immediately pressed his hand on the Withered Wood Meeting Spring sword and pulled it out with force. Li Shan immediately stopped struggling and felt difficulty breathing. The light in his eyes was a little scattered.

A series of filthy words turned into a buzzing sound in his ears. He only knew the words but didn’t know the meaning.

Li Shan used his chaotic brain to think, “How did it become like this—usually, everyone looks like they’re exchanging pleasantries and being polite, which makes me feel stupid and ignorant, out of place; now that I’ve taken off my clothes, everyone is like a beast, without any rules or shame. The fact that I still have a sense of shame makes me feel even more out of place.”

Before he could figure it out, he suddenly felt a warmth on his cheek.

The man who was pulling Li Shan’s hair was tall and sturdy, originally like a mountain, but now he suddenly collapsed. His mouth kept making wheezing sounds, and he fell backward with the force of pulling the sword.

Li Shan stared blankly as he fell. Because his brain was a mess, the man’s falling action was slowed down infinitely. He could almost see the whole process of life passing away from the other person.

He raised his eyes dully and faced a very familiar face.

The young man was tall and handsome. After killing someone in public, he just slowly raised his hand and shook off the blood on the sword.

This sword is called—Enraged Sea Rising Tide.

Today, he was wearing the same white robe as usual, with exquisite dark patterns, as if he was still the most famous elegant young master and gentleman of the Cui Wei Sword Pavilion. He looked at Li Shan’s stupid appearance, glanced at the bell on his chest, frowned slightly, and said coldly, “Noisy.”

Everyone present woke up from their dream and exclaimed, “Li Huai Su! It’s Li Huai Su!”