The Masked Strength of Sect's Trash : The Lazy Second Senior Brother chapter 33

Chapter 33 Have you been fooled by that?

When Lu Shaoqing tallied up his spoils, he realized he had amassed nearly two thousand low-grade spirit stones.

"Robbery really does pay off quickly," he mused to himself. "Should I head down the mountain for another round?"

He pulled out Xiao Yi's little notebook, where she had meticulously recorded details about the people who had harassed her at the Juxian Pavilion. Flipping through the pages, Lu Shaoqing shook his head and clicked his tongue in disapproval.

"This girl is way too petty," he muttered. "Someone just made a passing comment, and she actually noted it down?"

He counted the names—over twenty people were listed.

"Hmm, even a few of our fellow disciples are on here. Looks like I'll have to teach them a lesson too."

He paused at one page, noting that five of the offenders lived in Lingxiao City.

"They're definitely worth a visit," he thought, grinning.

With that, Lu Shaoqing got up and started to make his way down the mountain. He grabbed the small red bird perched on his head and said, "Stupid bird, stay here and keep watch. If anything happens, call Master or Senior Brother. I've got things to do."

Though Lu Shaoqing was naturally lazy and disliked moving around, he needed the money now. The recent breakthrough of Ji Yan into the Nascent Soul stage had stirred something within him. As much as he tried to appear indifferent, he didn’t want to fall too far behind Ji Yan. He had already used his last spiritual stone, and now he was short on resources. There was no choice but to go down the mountain and scavenge.

"The cultivation world is all about the survival of the fittest. If I don't become stronger, I won't even have the luxury of being lazy in the future," Lu Shaoqing muttered as he leisurely descended the mountain.

Meanwhile, Xiao Qun, seething with anger, had rushed to find Xiao Chuang. Xiao Chuang was in the middle of escorting representatives sent by his younger brother to meet Shaocheng. Though Xiao Chuang was a member of the Lingxiao Sect, he was also a member of the Xiao family. This time, he was acting as a mediator, bringing his family's representatives to congratulate Ji Yan.

He hadn't expected Xiao Qun and her group to burst in, disheveled and furious. Both Xiao Chuang and Shaocheng were taken aback.

"Have you been... assaulted?" Xiao Chuang asked, bewildered. "Or did you assault someone?"

Seeing Xiao Qun and her companions behave so rudely, Xiao Chuang was displeased.

"What do you think you're doing?" he snapped. "This is Tianyu Peak, not your home. Get out!"

This was Tianyu Peak, Shaocheng's domain, and Xiao Chuang felt it was disrespectful for Xiao Qun to just barge in while two Nascent Soul cultivators were having a conversation.

Xiao Qun was taken aback. He was scolding her? Whose side was he on?

"Uncle Xiao Chuang, I..." Xiao Qun pouted, ready to pour out her grievances.

But before she could speak, Xiao Chuang, seeing her lack of decorum, grew even angrier. With a wave of his hand, he bellowed, "Get out!"

The force of his wave sent Xiao Qun and her companions flying out of the room, landing roughly outside.

Xiao Chuang then turned to Shaocheng, his face dark. "Junior Brother, I apologize. It seems the younger generation of our family lacks proper discipline."

But Shaocheng wasn't bothered. "No matter," he said. "Judging by their appearance, something unusual must have happened. Don't be too harsh on the juniors."

Xiao Chuang couldn't help but retort, "You're too lenient with your disciples."

At the mention of his disciples, Shaocheng couldn't help but beam with pride.

"Heh, you don't think they're doing well?" Shaocheng asked, smiling.

Xiao Chuang was momentarily at a loss for words. Ji Yan had recently advanced to the Nascent Soul stage, almost reaching Xiao Chuang's own level. There was no denying that Shaocheng's disciples were doing exceptionally well.

So, there was no room for criticism. Xiao Chuang's own niece was also Shaocheng's direct disciple, so he couldn't complain about her. But there was one person he could criticize: Lu Shaoqing.

"You should see what your second disciple has become," Xiao Chuang said, shifting the conversation. "You've spoiled him so much that he's become a complete slacker."

Shaocheng sighed at the mention of his second disciple. Although Lu Shaoqing's strength hadn't fallen behind, his behavior was often hard to overlook.

Seeing Shaocheng's pained expression, Xiao Chuang continued, "Someone as lazy as him needs a good, hard lesson. I'm not saying he needs to be as diligent as Ji Yan, but he can't be this lazy either. Junior Brother, I'm warning you—don't let Xiao Yi pick up his bad habits. I sent her to be your disciple so she could cultivate properly, not so she could learn laziness from that brat Lu Shaoqing."

Not wanting to dwell on the subject of his troublesome second disciple, Shaocheng skillfully changed the topic. "Why don't you ask your juniors what happened? They might have something important to report."

Xiao Chuang turned to Xiao Boyuan, who was standing nearby. "Boyuan, go find out what this is all about. If it's nothing, send them back. I don't want them embarrassing us here."

The Xiao family head and the Grand Elder were not on good terms, and Xiao Chuang, being the Xiao family head's younger brother, naturally shared that animosity. He had already been annoyed when the Grand Elder insisted on sending Xiao Qun along, and now he was even more irritated.

It wasn't long before Xiao Boyuan returned. "Deputy Head, Miss Xiao Qun says they were robbed."

"Robbed?" Xiao Chuang was taken aback, then angered. "Nonsense! Who would dare rob them here?"

But then he noticed the change in Shaocheng's expression and suddenly understood. True, this was Tianyu Peak, where no one would dare rob them—except for one person.

"What happened? Who robbed you?" Xiao Chuang called Xiao Qun and her companions back in, demanding an explanation. "I told you not to cause trouble, but you just wouldn't listen."

Xiao Qun hesitated, then said, "Uncle Xiao Chuang, it wasn't us. He did it on purpose."

"Who was it?"

Xiao Qun was at a loss. She didn't know Lu Shaoqing's name. "He said he was the second senior brother of Tianyu Peak. Xiao Yi was with him."

"What? Xiao Yi was with him?" Xiao Chuang's worry was evident.

Turning to Shaocheng, he asked, "Junior Brother, what's going on? I sent my niece here to follow Ji Yan, not Lu Shaoqing! I want her to learn from Ji Yan, or at least from you, not from that slacker!"

Shaocheng coughed awkwardly. Was this troublemaker Lu Shaoqing causing problems again? He addressed Xiao Qun, "No need to get upset. Just tell me what happened."

Xiao Qun recounted the events, but in her version, Lu Shaoqing and Xiao Yi had deliberately provoked and humiliated them before robbing them of all their belongings.

When she finished, Xiao Qun turned to Shaocheng. "Peak Master Shaocheng, you must give us an explanation. Otherwise, I'll report this to my grandfather and have him seek justice for me."