Chóng Fēi also knew—it was hidden by his father himself. Because he also knew how fast news spread.
This was the only thing within his reach to stop the rumor from spreading beyond the city. If it did—even if the Yìn Làn clan, or especially the Hàngwō Clan, found out—they would report it, and the Zhèng Clan would take serious action. They might be killed, forever limited, or forgotten as pure demonic or gray demonic cultivators—while they were already running out of options here.
Chóng Féng's gaze met Chóng Fēi's. Cold, but listening this time.
Chóng Fēi was about to lower his gaze. The shame kept screaming into his mind.
"Speak." His father ordered, firm but low in tone.
Chóng Fēi swallowed hard. But his words quickly started to catch up as he spoke carefully. "I have never supported him with anything. He.. had been trying to use the space between my limitations of this clan's knowledge and what zhù fù keeps within himself. I didn't know what he was up to—even if I was monitoring him."
Chóng Féng looked back at the exorcist with a cold, thoughtful expression.
"Oh, is that so?" The exorcist echoed with mocking wonder, pity. The smirk never left his face, as if he found the whole situation too amusing. "So you are as innocent as an angel?~ Were you not begging me for—"
"Shut up! Stop making up stories!" Chóng Fēi cut in again.
"What a mess."
"What are both of them trying to prove?"
The disciples muttered among themselves. But Chóng Fēi chose not to look at the disciples who were still giving him those eyes—the ones he hated too much. His words shifted into authority, totally at his father's side.
"We beg to nobody." Chóng Fēi added with finality.
This statement earned him Chóng Féng's glance again. But with amazement and something almost close to pride. Satisfaction.
This look felt like a relieving cold balm for Chóng Fēi.
"Oh, so that was perhaps a 'plea' or 'request' you were making to me..?" The exorcist said again, not letting him slip away so easily.
Chóng Fēi didn't answer him. Instead, he added more to what he was saying, piecing together everything he knew his father cared deeply about—his acting or truth. He just wore those like reality. "We live and die like a lion. Everyone should be under our feet before they put theirs over our—"
Chóng Féng held up a hand toward Chóng Fēi without looking at him. His thoughtful gaze still fixed on the exorcist.
It made Chóng Fēi pause.
He quickly looked down at the ground again with heavier shame—the kind that seemed never to stop destroying him.
'Is he.. rejecting me..?'
'I-i was trying to fix things.'
'Perhaps he won't believe me this time.'
Another blow of fear started to creep in, too fast and chilling, like crawling foam of sea banks.
"Throats." His father spoke, completing the sentence by himself quietly.
Chóng Fēi blinked, exhausted like he would pass out. But the sentence being completed was a mercy. It probably wasn't the fatherly affection which only Lord knows why he can't get openly—though Yínglòu cultivators had the freedom—it was better than nothing. Better than being abandoned, which he was fearing the most.
"Y-yeah.." Chóng Fēi whispered, soft and almost awkwardly.
The exorcist glared at him. His face twisted faintly from one side, like a husky getting angry. "Of course, now you would move backwards. What have you even done in your whole life more than blaming others.. even if you are involved..?"
A few faint gasps filled the air at his last statement: even if you are involved.
The words were all thin needles for Chóng Fēi. The truth of his flaw—running away from problems—was too sharp. He already hated it, but never learned to overcome. His past regret was wrapped around it too.
He wanted to curse this guy more.
But before it could rise into a tide, Chóng Féng slashed his hand fan hard over the table. "Silence."
Everyone silenced and looked away when he looked around to them like searching who started it. "You believe in your dàoist.." He took the tip of his sword near to the exorcist's throat again. "Or this half-breed spider-looking human creature?"
The disciples quickly hushed apologies. "O-of course you, Xiānsheng. Please continue your.. judgment."
"Then shut up, or I have my ways to find out your loyalty." Chóng Féng hissed faintly. "And clean it." He fetched his sword to a disciple—without cover.
The disciple caught it, but bit back a faint whimper. His warm red blood painted the blade with new blood, overlapping the black blood of the exorcist. The man slowly went to clean it.
It made the exorcist chuckle faint and dark, watching them with quiet interest. "Great move as well. You are quite savage, dear Féng Xiānsheng."
But Chóng Féng's attention was totally on Chóng Fēi now. He walked closer to him. His steps slow and careful, as if the moment lay under his feet.
His next words came like a test question picked up by a teacher. "You mean it..?"
Chóng Fēi's lips parted.
He didn't mean a single word. Nor did he 'not' mean it.
All was for the sake of life, for the power he was also about to get at his father's place—which none other son had gotten, all gladly gone from the world before they actually went crazy. It was his life, which seemed to be ending before even properly organizing it, with nothing but day-night sword practice in many ways.
'I hope.. he won't find it out.'
'No, he will not.. he can't sense lies like me.'
'All are normal instincts.'
'But I won't give chance to this.. too.'
So Chóng Fēi nodded shakily, not meeting his gaze. Still not sure if his eyes would reflect the truth as the exorcist had already said: eyes never lie.
He felt his father nod, like a teacher getting the right answer from their student and already preparing for another one.
"You would prove to me if I tell you.. like a heir should?" Chóng Féng asked next, now kneeling down on one knee in front of him, suddenly close.
Chóng Fēi first felt a chill run down his spine. His back straightened even while kneeling like this. His mind imagined the worst possibilities—perhaps a slash by hand over neck, being thrown out, his hair gripped.
But nothing like that happened.
His father just waited for his answer, watching him silently.
He had no idea how his father would tell him to prove. Nor did he know if he could do it or not. Especially if it was something horrible related to this exorcist—whom he was still not sure what he was with him.
Or maybe he himself didn't want to choose a single path to be sure about. Being confused felt safer than choosing a path and then taking all of the blame.
"I asked a question, Chóng Fēi." His father called with silent warning. His gaze turned more calculating than waiting or merciful.
Finding no other way out, he nodded again. But also spoke, understanding his father would wish for both right now. "I.. would, zhù fù."
"So responsible, are you not, Lil prince??" The exorcist cut in again. His tone was sharp and oversweet.
He was grinning like he wanted to eat him alive after wrapping himself around his bandages. He pouted softly under their grip. "I would have clapped cheeks for you if my hands were untied." He tilted his head almost sadly—but never real. "Sad. But I am bound."
Chóng Fēi slowly looked up at the exorcist. His bluish-gray eyes dark with the push and pull of guilt, sadness, and at the other side, determination to prove himself.
The exorcist held his gaze. Cold. Not welcomed anymore. But clouded too. He tilted his head up lightly, signaling: go on. Show me.
"Good." Chóng Féng stood up, raising his hand toward his disciples.
His sword returned clean already. He cut away the spiritual rope from Chóng Fēi's arms, freeing him.
Chóng Fēi hesitantly brought his hands to the front, stroking his wrists which seemed reddened.
'I have to.. I need to..'
He stood up, feeling his bones ache from sitting like this for so long. His gaze fixed on the exorcist.
His view was lightly blocked—by his father's clean sword. The snake symbol carved from gold seemed to mock him. The silver reflection showed the face of himself which he didn't know he was carrying right now.
'W..what?'
He looked at his father with that question in his eyes. But no voice to speak of.
The exorcist just smirked, almost like a smile. A knowing one.
"Would you kill him in front of me..?" Chóng Féng asked him calmly. "Or I would kill him in front of you—perhaps more brutally..?"