CHAPTER 37 ENTER LIFE AND DEATH VALLEY (PART ONE)
Everyone present was taken aback by Darren's provocative actions.
"You... You dared to hit me?" Karl gaped at Darren with a stunned expression. 'He really slapped me
with William around?' he wondered in disbelief.
William clenched his fists as he looked at Karl with a grim expression. He couldn't believe that Darren
slapped his brother in public. It was humiliating.
"William, I need you to kill him," Karl demanded, his face getting red with anger. The next minute, he
broke out crying. Everyone who was not directly involved was amused, to say the least.
The next thing Karl knew, Darren's palm was getting nearer and nearer his face again. The sound of
flesh hitting another flesh cut through the air, ringing in people's ears.
William watched his brother get slapped once again. Hot, fiery fury filled his chest, and he could only
think of one thing.
"You're dead," William said darkly, glaring at Darren.
"What are you doing?" Several disciples in purple went up to them.
"Look, the people from the Discipline Cabinet are here."
The crowd moved aside to make way for those who wore purple clothes, parting like the red sea.
"Who started all of this?" one from the Discipline Cabinet asked, giving Darren a glance.
"Sir, that brat hit my brother," William replied instantly in a humble manner.
"Humph. So you're the one who stirred up trouble here. Guys, drag him away and teach him a hard
lesson!" that disciple ordered, his eyes hard and cold.
"Wait!" Darren exclaimed frantically, pointing at Jimmy with visibly trembling fingers. "You want me to
be punished because I slapped that jerk, but what about the guy who beat up Jimmy? Shouldn't he get
some punishment, too?"
"Oh?" The disciple of the Discipline Cabinet looked to where Darren was pointing at and saw Jimmy
crumpled in a heap on the floor and heavily injured. Furrowing his eyebrows, he asked, "Who did this?"
According to the sect rule, anyone who committed violence against a fellow sect member like this
would be deprived of cultivation base and exiled from the Ilmen Sect. This kind of behavior was not
tolerated.
However, for someone who was at risk of getting kicked out of the sect, William seemed calm. He just
walked to the disciple from the Discipline Cabinet and whispered, "It was Elder Alan's orders. I'm sure
you know what to do at this point, right?"
Alan had already informed the Elder in charge of the Discipline Cabinet that he ordered Jimmy's
punishment to be carried out as he was found guilty of setting up a disciple. He told the Discipline NôvelD(ram)a.ôrg owns this content.
Cabinet to stay out of it.
"I see," the disciple said. "He is Jimmy Li. Although he has received punishment from Elder Alan, I still
have to teach him a lesson as a member of the Discipline Cabinet." His gaze hardened as he opened
his mouth to bark his orders. "Guys, strike him until he learns from his mistake!" 'He actually decided to
punish Jimmy instead of punishing the real criminal, ' Darren thought as his body started trembling with
anger.
"What are you talking about?" Darren asked, gritting his teeth.
"Don't you know?" the disciple replied. "Jimmy framed a genius in our sect. Such an offense warrants
death penalty. Fortunately for him, Elder Alan has already delivered his punishment, or else I would
have taken his life right this instant!"
Darren let out a sneer and countered, "Is that so? Why don't I remember that he set me up, then?"
"Oh, so you're Darren Chu? In that case, tell me what exactly happened between you two," the disciple
from the Discipline Cabinet responded, looking genuinely puzzled.
"Jimmy has never done anything wrong to me. He is innocent!" Darren exclaimed, pointing at Jimmy
and then at himself.
Another round of discussion erupted among the crowd.
"What's going on in here, William?"
Suddenly, a man showed up out of nowhere, possessing incredible internal strength. Everyone could
almost tell he was not a regular disciple.
"Elder!"
"Elder Alan!"
All the disciples greeted and bowed to Alan.
"Whether he framed you or not, you can neither deny nor confirm. It's not up to you." As Alan spoke, he
released an enormous internal strength and hit Darren. All of a sudden, Darren doubled over and
gasped. He was having difficulty breathing normally and his bones felt like they were being crushed by
an invisible force.
"So you'll resort to this kind of attack? I know you did it," Darren growled, looking at Elder Alan in the
eye. He was struggling so hard that he couldn't keep the eye contact for long.
"How dare you! Watch your tone!" Alan said sternly, unleashing a stronger force to put more pressure
on Darren.
Sweat broke out on Darren's forehead. He opened his mouth but couldn't make any sound due to the
unbearable pressure.
SWOOSH!
Out of the blue, a dazzling sword light drew the attention of the crowd. They searched for the source of
the light and found a figure floating in the air with a solemn expression.
"Elder Thomas is here!" the crowd exclaimed in awe.
"That's enough! Alan, you are an Elder, so act like one! Bullying my new disciple like this..." He shook
his head and exclaimed, "Shame on you!"
Due to the dazzling shiny sword light, Alan was forced to take two steps back. He also recalled the
force he placed upon Darren.
Despite the insult he had received, Alan didn't get angry at Thomas. Calmly, he said, "Thomas, you
haven't changed at all. You're still short-tempered. I just came to figure out what was going on here.
Now that you are interested, I'll leave this to you."
"Alan, we both know what's going on here, and it seems to me that you're pushing your luck too hard.
To weaken my strength, you sent people to set up my talented disciple of the Black Degree. Sooner or
later, this will all come back and bite you. I will make you pay the price one day," Thomas said slowly,
stressing each syllable.
Alan smiled coldly as he responded, "Do you have any proof, Thomas? It amuses me how daring you
can be sometimes. I suggest you refrain from saying anything unless you have something backing you
up. You can't frame me just like that."
"Like a snake slithering his way out, your words are as slippery as your innocence. You know what you
have done!" Thomas exclaimed gazing pointedly at Alan before turning to Darren.
"Why are you still standing here? Get your ass back to Sword Mountain. Are you still trying to make a
scene here?" he said acidly, leering at Darren who was breathing heavily.
Darren remained standing.
"Elder Thomas, please help Jimmy," Darren pleaded after a few moments.
"He is from the School of Boxing Skill. He has nothing to do with me, so why would I do that?" Thomas
responded matter-of-factly.