Chapter 12
[Captain Wei is actually… kind of pitiful.]
The thought surfaced without warning.
Everyone froze.
Si Nidie’s brush stopped mid-stroke, ink pooling at the tip. Even Wei Houming—who had just stepped into the observation area—halted where he stood.
A moment earlier, he had been handling a case when the formation in the third district flickered to life. He’d checked it, confirmed the entrant held the Sect Leader’s token, and let it pass.
After Song Li left, he inspected the formation personally. Finding no issues, he made his way here—
Only to overhear whispering.
At first, it was just Xiao Si and Xiao Lou chatting idly about copying sect rules. Annoying, but manageable. He had been ready to step in and correct their attitude.
Then that thought rang out.
Wei Houming stopped at the corner of the corridor, brows knitting together.
…He had heard it clearly.
But no one else reacted.
And more importantly—pitiful? Him?
A strange unease crept into his chest. Almost involuntarily, he stayed where he was, as if rooted to the spot, waiting.
Waiting to hear it again.
Lou Yuqing did not disappoint.
[Captain Wei grew up an orphan, abandoned in the mountains. If Elder Wei Tu of the Wendao Sect hadn’t passed by, he would’ve died that very night.]
Wei Houming frowned slightly.
Not entirely wrong… but not entirely right either.
He had indeed been saved by his master and brought back to the sect—that much was true. But abandoned?
No.
He hadn’t been abandoned.
He had been… lost.
He remembered it clearly—or rather, he had always known.
He remembered his mother giving birth to him. He remembered the chaos that followed—the demonic calamity sweeping through like a storm. Somewhere along the escape, he had been separated from his parents.
That was the truth he carried.
Meanwhile, Si Nidie sat frozen, her pen hovering uselessly above the paper.
She had fully entered spectator mode—mentally wriggling in place, utterly unable to look away.
Gu Buqi, on the other hand, narrowed his eyes slightly.
Wei Houming’s career had always been smooth—aside from a tragic childhood, there was nothing particularly “pitiful” about him.
…Unless something came after.
He straightened, quietly attentive.
[Elder Wei Tu treated Captain Wei extremely well—gave him his surname, taught him everything… raised him like his own son.]
[They shared a deep bond. When Captain Wei’s metal-attribute celestial spiritual root was discovered, many elders wanted to take him as a disciple—but he chose Elder Wei Tu without hesitation.]
Wei Houming’s expression softened.
That part… was true.
He remembered the cold.
Winter, bitter and merciless. The night air had frozen everything solid. A swaddled infant should not have survived it.
He hadn’t expected to.
And then—
His master had appeared.
Like a celestial descending from the heavens.
Warm arms. Steady breath. A presence that drove the cold away.
He had fallen asleep like that, wrapped in warmth.
The memory lingered, softening the sharp edges of his expression.
[But Captain Wei always believed he was naturally gifted. What he didn’t know… was that when Elder Wei Tu first examined him, he discovered he had a congenital weakness.]
—Impossible.
The denial came instantly.
Wei Houming’s gaze sharpened.
His meridians had been strong since childhood. He awakened his spiritual root early—far earlier than most.
Someone with a congenital weakness wouldn’t even qualify to step onto the path of cultivation.
Let alone reach the Golden Core stage.
He stepped forward—and stopped.
His throat locked.
No sound came out.
It was as if an invisible force had sealed his voice entirely.
Wei Houming stilled, a flicker of shock passing through his eyes.
…What was this?
Unable to speak, unable to interrupt—he could only listen.
[Elder Wei Tu went to great lengths, gathering countless spiritual herbs to treat Captain Wei’s condition, allowing him to take medicinal baths every day.]
[With those rare and precious herbs, his weakness stabilized by the age of six. At the same time, he awakened his metal-attribute celestial spiritual root, and his cultivation advanced by leaps and bounds.]
[Foundation Establishment at twelve. Golden Core at thirty-six. A future Nascent Soul within a century… a renowned genius of the Wendao Sect.]
Si Nidie nodded unconsciously.
That part checked out.
On the other side, Wei Houming’s brows slowly drew together.
Medicinal baths…?
Fragments of memory surfaced.
Green liquid.
Warmth spreading through his small body.
He had laughed then—thinking it was nothing more than a bath.
Now, replayed with clarity, the image sharpened.
That liquid… was no ordinary water.
It pulsed with vitality—clearly the result of countless refined spiritual herbs.
A medicinal bath.
A real one.
A storm surged through Wei Houming’s chest.
Master…
You never told me.
To treat a congenital weakness. To strengthen meridians ahead of time, preparing them for the awakening of a celestial spiritual root—
How much effort had that taken?
How much had it cost?
The weight of that unspoken kindness pressed heavily against him.
For years, he had believed he was repaying his master’s life-saving grace.
Now, he realized—
That debt had never stopped growing.
“How… could I ever repay you?” he murmured under his breath, voice barely audible.
His emotions churned, refusing to settle.
[While excelling in cultivation, Captain Wei also served as an enforcement captain. His strict and impartial methods earned him the “love” of many disciples.]
Si Nidie’s lips twitched.
Love?
If curses counted as affection, then sure.
[During his time as a rotating elder, discipline within the sect improved drastically. Offenses dropped to an all-time low.]
[Because everyone knew—when Captain Wei punished someone, he meant it. Every punishment was justified, precise… and impossible to argue against. Trying to argue would probably just earn you more punishment.]
Si Nidie felt that in her bones.
Last year, one disciple had dared to protest his punishment.
Wei Houming had calmly extended his sentence—from one year of mining… to three.
The poor guy had practically tripled his suffering on the spot.
[Captain Wei’s life in the Wendao Sect was smooth. If only it could’ve stayed that way forever…]
[Unfortunately, his biological parents eventually found him.]
Si Nidie frowned.
Wasn’t that supposed to be a good thing?
Gu Buqi’s gaze sharpened.
There it was.
The turning point.
At the corner of the corridor, Wei Houming stood motionless.
His chest tightened.
He had always wanted to find them.
Separated by disaster—he had no idea whether they lived or died.
They had not raised him, but they had given him life.
That alone was enough.
If they were alive, he would take care of them.
Give them a peaceful life.
That had always been his intention.
So why—
Why did Xiao Lou sound like this?
The answer came swiftly.
[Captain Wei was overjoyed at the reunion… completely unaware that his biological parents had been plotting against him from the very beginning.]
[In fact, the plan started before he was even born.]
Wei Houming’s pupils shrank.
[He has an older brother—also born with a weak constitution, though less severe. Their parents learned of a folk remedy: using one’s own flesh and blood as a catalyst to treat the illness.]
[So they decided to have another child. A living blood source.]
[That child… was Captain Wei.]
Silence fell.
Thick. Suffocating.
Wei Houming’s mind went blank.
Flesh and blood… catalyst?
A living… blood source?
Si Nidie’s grip tightened around her brush.
Her knuckles turned white.
No way.
No way anyone could do that to their own child.
[But their plan failed. Captain Wei was also born with a congenital weakness—his chances of survival were almost nonexistent.]
[Then came the demonic war. Chaos spread across the land. And during their escape… they abandoned him by the roadside.]
Si Nidie slammed her hand onto the table.
Her breath came sharp and fast.
No conscience.
None at all.
Even knowing what kind of people they were, hearing it aloud still made her blood boil.
Gu Buqi flicked a glance toward the corridor.
He knew Wei Houming was there.
For someone who had spent years searching for his family…
This was cruelty.
Wei Houming leaned a hand against the wall.
For the first time, his strength faltered.
Was this… the truth?
His memories—his certainty—felt suddenly fragile.
He had been too young then.
Too young to tell truth from illusion.
Too young to understand what had really happened.
The people he had longed to find…
Were the ones who had thrown him away.
[Why did Senior Sister suddenly slam the table?]
Lou Yuqing’s puzzled thought cut through the tension.
Si Nidie snapped upright, forcing a smile.
“I’m almost done copying,” she said quickly. “Got a little excited.”
Lou Yuqing accepted the explanation without suspicion.
Her attention drifted away.
[No wonder they came looking for him now. They saw Captain Wei’s success and came to take advantage of it.]
[Ever since they reunited, they’ve been acting pitiful—talking about their hardships every chance they get.]
[They’ve even made Captain Wei feel guilty. What is this, some kind of emotional manipulation?]
[Your suffering has nothing to do with him. You brought it on yourselves.]
Her thoughts burned with anger.
Si Nidie’s fists clenched under the table, veins standing out along the back of her hands.
Shameless.
Absolutely shameless.
Wei Houming let out a quiet, humorless chuckle.
He knew himself well.
If he hadn’t known the truth—
If he had believed their story—
Would he have been able to tell the difference?
Probably not.
He had wanted this reunion too badly.
He would have overlooked their flaws.
Excused them.
Accepted everything.
He could already see how it would unfold.
They would ask for favors.
Push boundaries.
Apply pressure—
And he would give in.
Because he wanted them to be real.
[Sure enough, once the time was right, they asked to send his brother into the Wendao Sect—into the Enforcement Hall.]
[Captain Wei hesitated.]
[Then came the pressure—threats, emotional blackmail, silent pleading…]
[In the end, he relented. Used his authority to bring his brother into the sect. But he refused to let him join the Enforcement Hall. No matter what.]
[That… earned him their resentment.]
Si Nidie clicked her tongue.
“Unbelievable,” she muttered under her breath.
Wei Houming’s eyes darkened.
Of course.
If his brother couldn’t enter the Enforcement Hall—
It meant he wasn’t qualified.
There were easier paths. Safer paths.
Why insist?
The answer came immediately.
[Because his brother isn’t grateful at all. He takes everything for granted. And he’s jealous.]
[Jealous that Captain Wei was treated, that he has talent, that he succeeded.]
[In his mind, if he had been the one taken in by Elder Wei Tu… everything would be his instead. So he insists on entering the Enforcement Hall—to compete.]
[Honestly? A toad dreaming of eating swan meat. With that kind of character, getting into the sect at all is already pushing it.]
Lou Yuqing mentally spat.
Si Nidie nodded fiercely.
Exactly.
The Enforcement Hall wasn’t a dumping ground.
Wei Houming said nothing.
He was fortunate. But that did not give anyone the right to scheme against him.
Still—
How, exactly, would he be deceived?
The answer came swiftly.
[They already knew he was in the Wendao Sect. They knew all along.]
[Back when Elder Wei Tu began gathering spiritual herbs, they followed the trail.]
[After years of investigation, they confirmed his identity… and settled in a nearby city, waiting.]
[Why didn’t they come earlier?]
Because Elder Wei Tu had always been at the sect.
They waited.
Waited until he was gone.
Waited until their chances improved.
“Master…”
The word slipped from Wei Houming’s lips, raw and unsteady.
So they knew everything.
He pulled out his communication jade slip, fingers tightening around it.
A moment later, a familiar voice came through—
“Ming’er? What is it?”
Warm. Steady. Unchanged.
The cold inside him began to thaw.
“Master…” he said quietly. “Was I… born with a congenital weakness?”
A brief pause.
Then a light chuckle.
“What nonsense are you talking about? You’ve been healthy since childhood.”
Wei Houming closed his eyes.
He caught it—
That brief hesitation.
“Master,” he said softly, “you don’t have to hide it. I already know.”