Chapter 19: Experience of Getting Arrested

[Xu Mo's POV]

Slam—

"Speak. When and where did you steal this from?" Wei Han demanded, his voice cold and stern. He slammed the items found in my room onto the table in front of me, the sound echoing sharply in the small interrogation room.

"And what if I say I don't know? What if these things just appeared under my bed one day?" Xu Mo spread his arms and shrugged, his eyes fixed on the objects with a calm expression.

"Hah! As if I'd believe that," Wei Han scoffed, folding his arms across his chest and glaring at me with undisguised suspicion.

We were in one of the interrogation rooms in the Disciplinary Hall, a place I had never imagined I'd find myself in so soon after joining the sect. A wooden table separated us, and Wei Han sat across from me, his piercing gaze trying to break through my composure.

"Guardian Cold. Your name. Your parents must have hoped you'd grow into an upright person. But look at you now—accusing a new disciple of stealing from an elder when the disciple doesn't even know his way around the outer sect."

Wei Han's frown deepened as I targeted his upbringing, his expression darkening. An intimidating aura radiated from him, but it didn't affect me in the slightest. After all, I'd been in the presence of Elder Long and the Sect Master almost daily. How could a mere team leader compare to them?

'Why isn't my Qi working on him?' Wei Han wondered, his frown still etched on his face. He had been trying to pressure Xu Mo since the interrogation began, but every time his Qi approached Xu Mo, it seemed to be absorbed by something.

'Does he have another artifact on him?' Wei Han's eyes narrowed as he noticed Xu Mo's hands trembling beneath the table, despite his outward bravado.

I tried to steady my shaking hands, but they were beyond my control. This always happened when I found myself in situations I couldn't manipulate. The fear of losing control was something I had struggled with since childhood, and it seemed even my cultivation couldn't fully suppress it.

"You'll be placed in temporary detention until further investigation. Your Qi will be blocked, and you won't be able to absorb any Qi while you're there. I advise you not to attempt breaking the Qi-blocking chains. I'd rather not find a corpse during our next interrogation," Wei Han said, standing up and opening the door. Outside, members of the Disciplinary Hall stood ready to take me away.

"Thank you. Take your time," I replied with a smile, inwardly praising the Sect Master's arrangements. Why hadn't I thought of this before? Being under constant surveillance in detention would help me avoid any unforeseen complications during my Qi dissipation.

"Search his body. If you find anything unusual, confiscate it—but be careful," Wei Han ordered, clearly irritated by my lack of fear.

You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

Was he trying to humiliate me? If so, he was going to regret it.

[Wei Han's POV]

An anonymous report had come in, claiming that a disciple had stolen valuables from an elder. At first, I dismissed it as impossible. But my sense of duty wouldn't let me ignore it.

I put on my Disciplinary Hall uniform, adorned with two stars, and raided the male dormitories as per the report. To my surprise, I found the stolen goods—sitting on the disciple's study table, gathering dust. There was no attempt to hide them.

Something felt off. My eight years of experience told me this was a trap set for this disciple, Xu Mo.

When I called out his name, Xu Mo stepped forward without hesitation. He didn't run or hide.

'Was he paid to take the fall? Or is he covering for someone else?' I wondered. Alternatively, he might have powerful backing to escape this situation.

But the more I observed him, the more confused I became. His demeanor was calm, almost too calm for someone facing such serious accusations. And then there was the matter of my Qi being absorbed whenever I tried to pressure him. It was as if he had some kind of protective artifact, but I couldn't detect anything unusual on him.

Meanwhile, Long Chen, who had been planning to befriend Xu Mo, was stunned by the news of his arrest.

"Master, do you think it's true? Could Xu Mo really have stolen from an elder?" Long Chen asked, his voice filled with disbelief.

[Do you really think a mortal like Xu Mo could steal from an outer sect elder?] his master replied, his tone dismissive.

"Aah..."

[Go back and cultivate. If you don't break through to the first level of Qi Condensation in the next four days, no more techniques for you.]

"Master, no! I'm going back now!" Long Chen exclaimed, scrambling to his feet and rushing back to his training area.

[Xu Mo's POV]

The heavy iron bars groaned as they slid into place, their echoing clang reverberating through the dimly lit prison hall like the final toll of a judgment bell. The lingering hum of metal faded into silence, leaving only the cold stillness of confinement.

"Excuse me, what are the meal times here?" I called out to the retreating figure of the Disciplinary Hall member.

"Why are you walking away? What if I escape?" I added, a hint of amusement in my voice.

"Try if you can," the member's voice echoed back, his tone indifferent.

I laughed, my voice bouncing off the empty cells. I looked around my new "home," where I'd likely stay longer than I had in any other place in the Hidden Dragon Sect.

"It's cleaner than I expected," I muttered, brushing my fingers against the dusty walls. "At least there's no stench or rats."

I sat down on a hard rectangular block that served as both a bed and a sofa. Thud, thud— I knocked on it with my knuckles to check if it was solid rock or hollow. The sound confirmed it was pure stone.

I glanced up as the same Disciplinary Hall member returned, this time carrying two thick bracelets.

"What are those for?" I asked, feigning ignorance.

"To make you a mortal."

"And what am I now?"

"...A strong mortal."

I wanted to say more but held back. It wasn't in my nature to curse or scold someone just doing their job. The member seemed unfazed, and I could tell he'd developed a good impression of me. Most disciples cursed or insulted the Disciplinary Hall members, but I believed words could cut deeper than any blade. The wounds they left were often irreparable.

As the bracelets were clamped around my wrists, I felt a strange sensation as my Qi was sealed away. It was an odd feeling, like being wrapped in a thick blanket that muffled everything. But I didn't resist. This was all part of the plan.

[Wei Han's POV]

I couldn't shake the feeling that something was off about this entire situation. Xu Mo's calm demeanor, the way my Qi was absorbed, the ease with which the stolen goods were found—it all pointed to a larger scheme.

But who was behind it? And why target a new disciple like Xu Mo?

I decided to dig deeper. If this was a trap, I needed to find out who set it and why. And if Xu Mo was innocent, I owed it to him to uncover the truth.