Why is My System Glitching-Chapter 52: A Weight Off My Shoulders

What?!

Kinson Wexford, who had been the very picture of calm and composure just moments ago, felt his pupils shrink to pinpricks. His head snapped around, and he fixed Lordi Payne with a glare so ferocious it could've devoured a man whole. His expression was that of a rabid beast, teeth bared and ready to lunge.

Lordi Payne flinched, startled by the sudden shift. "Senior Brother Wexford?"

"So it's this little bastard who screwed me over!" Kinson Wexford's mind roared with fury, a volcano of rage threatening to erupt. His palm itched to strike, spiritual energy surging through his veins like a storm. But with a deep, shuddering breath, he forced himself to rein it in.

After all, Lordi Payne was someone Senior Sister Fairy Lith had personally brought into the sect. Without her explicit permission, Kinson Wexford couldn't lay a finger on him—no matter how much he wanted to.

"I've got the gist of it," Kinson Wexford growled, his voice low and dangerous. He was already sick of looking at Lordi Payne's face. Every glance at this kid dredged up the humiliating memory of Miu Tyanh thrashing him in front of everyone. Sure, he and Miu Tyanh had a long-standing feud, and taking a beating over their personal grudge was one thing. But getting beaten because of Lordi Payne? What the hell was that about?!

Steadying his nerves, Kinson Wexford issued a curt dismissal. "If there's nothing else, get back to the outer sect. Inner and outer disciples don't mix—you're still just an outer disciple. It'd be bad for you if someone saw you wandering around the inner sect."

Get lost! he barked inwardly, his jaw clenched so tight it hurt. Scram, fast! Before I lose my temper and squash you like a bug right here!

Lordi Payne sensed something was off, but with Kinson Wexford's stormy expression, he didn't dare push his luck. "Aye, Senior Brother," he mumbled, turning to leave.

But just as he took a step, Kinson Wexford's voice snapped him back. "Hold up. You took down and slaughtered Miu Toanh and two other sect comrades single-handedly? What were their cultivation levels? Were they injured at the time?"

"Uh, reply to Senior Brother," Lordi Payne said, puzzled but honest. "Two were at Qi Refinement Fourth Layer, one was Fifth Layer. None of them were injured. I wouldn't have stood a chance normally—it was a desperate, brutal fight..."

Lordi Payne was about to embellish how he'd fearlessly risked it all to defend Kinson Wexford's honor, but the Bloodline Lord cut him off, gesturing for him to step closer. After a thorough once-over, Kinson Wexford sucked in a sharp breath. "How are you unscathed?!"

Taking on three opponents solo was already impressive—especially with one outranking him in cultivation. Yet here was Lordi Payne, looking fresh as a daisy just days later. This wasn't some desperate brawl or life-or-death struggle; he hadn't just scraped by. No, he'd handled it like a cakewalk, or damn near.

Given Kinson Wexford's understanding of Lordi Payne's background—low status, no miracle pills, no fancy healing skills—a real thrashing would've left him limping, not strutting in here like this.

"Senior Sister's got an eye like a hawk! Her judgment is unreal." Kinson Wexford thought. He had never doubted Fairy Lith's eye for talent, but this Lordi Payne? A random pick of hers had turned out to be a diamond in the rough.

His anger didn't vanish, but the killing urge dimmed.

"If this Lordi Payne were just some mediocre nobody, killing him would've been manageable. At worst, I'd face Senior Sister's reprimand and take my punishment—nothing I couldn't handle."

But to think this Lordi Payne was a hidden gem, buried by the Payne Clan!

He's only just joined the sect, yet he's already demonstrated such terrifying talent and combat prowess. Given time, he'll undoubtedly become Senior Sister's most formidable blade.

With that in mind... How dare Kinson Wexford lay a finger on him now?

Hell, he might even have to play the role of protector, just like Lordi Payne had hoped.

Kinson Wexford's face shifted like a stormy sky, flickering between dark clouds and reluctant calm. After a tense moment, he finally spoke, his voice icy and flat. "I've got a handle on this. I'll sort it out. But remember, the Holy Sect's rules aren't a joke—watch yourself from now on."

Lordi Payne's face lit up. "Aye! Don't you worry, Senior Brother. I wouldn't dream of stirring up trouble unless they come for me first. All I want is to focus on my cultivation and repay your kindness."

To Lordi Payne, Kinson Wexford's words were a tacit promise to deal with the fallout. The thinly veiled warning afterward? Totally understandable. The Abyss Pit Sect had stood for millennia—its laws weren't meant to be trifled with. The crippling fine was unavoidable, but with Kinson Wexford's name backing him, the shadowy revenge plots of the three families would be held at bay.

A weight lifted off Lordi Payne's shoulders. As he left Withered Orchid Villa and summoned his Corpse Cloud to head back to the outer sect, he couldn't help but grin.

"Those ten—no, thirteen— D-grade spirit stones were worth every bit. Best deal ever."

"Senior Brother Wexford's my true hero!"

Back at Ghost Shade Peak, Lordi Payne wasted no time and hurried straight to the Punishment Crypt. He found Joe Lion and delivered the story he'd rehearsed with Drainwood Yowl, word-for-word. Under Joe Lion's half-smirk, half-skeptical gaze, Lordi Payne forced out a sheepish, "That's... uh, the situation. I'm new to the Holy Sect. I don't know nothing. But Jarl Drainwood said I should report this to the Punishment Crypt, so here I am."

"Noted," Joe Lion said, arching a brow. Amusement flickered beneath his detached tone. "We'll investigate. You'll be summoned if needed when the results come in."

Before, Lordi Payne might've thought Chen Haunt and the others' deaths—on Drainwood's turf, no less—meant there was no proof, no evidence to trace. But after witnessing the Punishment Crypt's meticulous investigative skills firsthand, he wasn't so cocky anymore. He forced a stiff smile and excused himself to leave.

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"Screw it. Earning spirit stones is the priority now!" Stepping out of the Punishment Crypt, Lordi Payne mulled over his situation, a cold glint flashing in his eyes. Kinson Wexford had promised to shield him from the trio's families' revenge plots, and Jarl Drainwood was intervening in the Punishment Crypt's investigation into Chen Haunt's death. Neither issue was fully resolved, and trouble might still find him, but for now, he was off the hook.

His real problem? Finding a way to earn spirit stones—fast. Even if Chen Haunt's case cleared and no one from Lee Sagwon's family came after him, that massive fine would bury him in three months flat!

With that in mind, Lordi Payne made his way to the peak's waist cloud platform, spent a spirit stone, and headed to Alchemy Peak.

Sure, Lordi Payne believed he might have a talent for Dao-Fulu crafting like Hugo Payne, but mastering it would take at least two or three years to produce his first Fulu. By then, he'd be cold in the grave—what was the point? Dao Artifact Forging? Chen Haunt and his crew made it look like a long, grueling slog. Pass. Alchemy Peak was his first target now—worth a shot. If it flopped, he'd try beast taming next. One lap around the options couldn't hurt.

At first glance from afar, the outer sect's Alchemy Peak didn't stand out much from the surrounding mountains. But once his boots hit the ground, the difference was striking. The flora here was lush, almost aggressive in its vitality, radiating a vivid life force so thick it jolted Lordi Payne's spirits. The air itself seemed to hum with energy, carrying the faint, sweet scent of medicinal herbs.

Steadying himself, Lordi Payne scanned the scene and followed a bustling crowd of disciples forward. Before long, they funneled into a vast, grand hall near the peak's summit. The structure was imposing, its towering walls carved with intricate patterns of flames and ancient cauldrons, symbols of the alchemical arts. The entrance was flanked by two massive stone pillars, each etched with flowing script that seemed to shimmer faintly in the light.

Lordi Payne had expected a classroom vibe inside, but instead, he found himself in a massive pit. Jagged, uneven benches lined the sloping floor, circling a lone, island-like platform at the center. The platform was raised slightly, surrounded by a shallow moat of clear, glowing liquid that pulsed faintly with spiritual energy. Above, the ceiling arched high, adorned with glowing crystals that cast a soft, ethereal light over the entire hall.

Moments later, a young cultivator in flowing robes floated gracefully from the shadows, landing lightly on the central platform. The crowd hushed instantly, the trio of chime strikes that followed silencing even the faintest murmur.