The Rise of the Divine Oracle

Chapter 111 - Punishment

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Grandmaster Qiren has never been this angry in his life. He was standing before four adults who he forced to kneel and hold up a stick for hours while they explained to him why his son was neglected to the point of emotional breakdown.

Jiang Cheng complained: "Grandmaster Qiren, I'm not from your Clan. You can't do this to me!"

Qiren pointed his finger at him: "You promised to respect and protect your brother right in front of me. I am older and you're in my home. I will punish you as I see fit or you can leave and never come back!"

Jiang Cheng grumbled under his breath, ducking his head in surrender. He cannot be banished from this place. His brother lives here.

Healer Shi shifts her weight from one side to another. Her knees are starting to blister from the cold. She spoke up: "I'm wasting valuable time here. Why am I being punished? I visited him frequently and did my duties!"

Qiren: "You made him feel like he's at fault when he wasn't. If you were truly fulfilling your duties, you would've figured out sooner that the spear was poisoned. NOT FIVE DAYS LATER! You even went a step further and banished his soul-bond and guardian from being near him! We all know that Wei Ying is a tactile person. By depriving him the touch of others you inadvertently made him feel isolated and without control."

Qiren glared at the remaining two: Wen Ning and Wangji. Both had their heads down, offering no resistance to his punishment.

Qiren sighs and starts paces again: "To sum this up.. each one of you thought the others will carry the slack and left my son to fend for himself while he's recovering from an attack, bleeding and alone."

When he received no objections to his claims he steps between Wangji and Cheng: "You both thought the other was keeping Wuxian company and chose to stay away to avoid conflict."

They both timidly nodded. Qiren: "If you were not both leaders of clans, I would have you flogged publicly. Do you even know the amount of damage you have created?"

Wangji looks up with determined eyes: "Uncle, I have to go see him. I will receive whatever punishment you deem necessary afterwards."

Qiren smacks the sticks off of his hands in a fit of rage: "YOU are the worst of them all! You're bonded to him! You have created so much damage, the snake sought another to comfort your partner!"

Wangji pursed his lips, clearly bothered by what Qiren was insinuating.

Qiren kneels to look angrily into Wangji's eyes: "He thinks he's a burden on you. The Divine Oracle and treasure of our clan thinks that asking for help from his own soul-bond and leader is asking for too much. From the amount of fuss you made to have him, you are doing a poor job at keeping him."

Wangji felt a dark void slowly eating away at his heart. Grandmaster Qiren was correct. He has neglected his duties to Wuxian and chose to put work ahead of his needs. He promised that Wuxian will always be in the forefront and he has failed him.

Qiren stood up and moved towards the youngest of the bunch: "The Guardian of The Treasure of Gusu Lan. Last time I checked, the Treasure of Gusu Lan was Wei Ying, not Hweiru. Why did you abandon your duties to guard a girl that's not under your care?"

Wen Ning was shaking: "I.. I thought that's what Master Wei wanted."

Qiren: "Do you think I'm too old to take care of a three year old girl?"

Wen Ning's eyes widened: "NO! That's not what I meant."

Qiren glares at him: "Then, why did you leave his side? Did he ask you to?"