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Chapter 27: 27. Xu Yuanzhen's Despicable Deeds
Chapter 27: 27. Xu Yuanzhen's Despicable Deeds
Elder Hu's brows were deeply furrowed, his displeasure evident on his face.
Having recovered, Li Xuan continued to argue for his younger brother, "I believe it was these heat crystals that caused the anomaly in the Lower Immortal Pool!"
Finally, Zhang Jingzhen, the third disciple personally taught by the Celestial Master, spoke up, "There are many factors that could have contributed to the changes in the Yunhai Immortal Pool, and it's difficult to determine the exact cause. We'll need to investigate further, but for now, let's send Fang and the others out."
Along with the others, Lei Jun was escorted out of the small paradise.
However, they couldn't just go back to their respective homes yet.
Given the unusual disturbance in the Yunhai Immortal Pool and the tragic death of Li Ming, all those present would have to undergo questioning by their senior fellows.
Fortunately, they all had some background and connections.
Soon, Yuan Mobai and the others arrived to retrieve their respective disciples.
In fact, although there were no direct witnesses to the incident, the general sequence of events was not complicated.
The Lower Immortal Pool had undergone a unique transformation, hiding underlying currents. It appeared calm, but it was actually on the verge of erupting violently at any moment.
A cultivator with the Triple Heaven realm of cultivation would undoubtedly perish if they ventured in unaware, as they would be swept away by the whirlpools and unable to escape.
Although Li Ming had a spiritual talisman bestowed by his father, Elder Ziyang, for protection, just like the Golden Lock Talisman that Yuan Mobai had given to Lei Jun, the actual effectiveness of the talisman depended on the cultivator's own abilities.
Moreover, the father and son pair had never expected that Li Ming would encounter such grave danger right within the Celestial Master's sect.
"This just goes to show that one must be cautious in their actions," Wang Guyuan, who had come to visit Lei Jun, sighed repeatedly. "Life is unpredictable, and it's the unexpected that we should fear the most."
Lei Jun asked, "Why did the Yunhai Immortal Pool suddenly become so dangerous?"
Master Yuan Mobai slowly replied, "We can't be certain yet, but some of the spiritual energy flows seem to be influenced by external factors originating from Longhushan... It's possible that it's somehow related to the Grand Senior Brother's prolonged seclusion, causing more subtle changes in the mountain's spiritual veins."
Both Lei Jun and Wang Guyuan's expressions turned strange.
Yuan Mobai's Grand Senior Brother was, of course, referring to the current Celestial Master.
He was not only Li Ming's grand senior uncle but also his paternal granduncle.
In the end, the source of the danger that led to Li Ming's drowning in the Lower Immortal Pool was his own granduncle?
"The news is still being suppressed," Wang Guyuan said. "The focus is on Li's posthumous reputation."
"The Grand Senior Brother and Li Xuan still want to conclude that he died a heroic death, sacrificing himself to protect his fellow disciples," Wang Guyuan added.
Although all signs indicated that Li Ming's greed for treasures had led him to sneak into the Lower Immortal Pool, even triggering the catastrophe in the small paradise that nearly endangered the other disciples, he was already dead. Typically, Elder Ziyang, who was known for showing compassion to the elderly and the young, would grant him a respectable death.
"Although there have been some ripples, unless something unexpected happens, the matter will eventually blow over," Yuan Mobai said.
However, some things couldn't be left untouched.
The unexpected happened.
The Grand Senior Sister, Xu Yuanzhen, who had left the mountain again after the New Year's initiation ceremony, returned.
"I happened to catch a few miscellaneous fish," Xu Yuanzhen said, clad in a purple Daoist robe with a black silk cloak draped over it. Her skin was still as pale as snow, and she spoke crisply and quickly. "The miscellaneous fish themselves aren't new, but they've created a new kind of spiritual talisman called 'Aurum Shatter,' which is quite ingenious. It can indeed break through most of our sect's Golden Seal Talismans."
"Indeed, in recent days, several disciples traveling abroad have reported this matter, and some have even died as a result," Yuan Mobai acknowledged. "The sect has arranged for the Golden Lock Talisman to be improved as soon as possible to counter this threat."
"I made some modifications on my way back, and it's almost done," Xu Yuanzhen said. "I'll need to fine-tune it with you, Senior Uncle."
Yuan Mobai wasn't surprised by her efficiency at all and smiled, "If you say so, Senior Nephew Yuanzhen, then I believe it's ready. Let's inform the entire sect and promote it as soon as possible."
Wang Guyuan, who was standing by, sighed with emotion, "What's more important, Senior Sister, is that in addition to your great contribution this time, you've also saved countless fellow sect members, so we no longer have to live in fear."
Xu Yuanzhen nonchalantly changed the subject, "I just returned and heard that something happened at the Yunhai Immortal Pool?"
As someone who had experienced it firsthand, Lei Jun recounted what he had seen and heard without embellishment.
Xu Yuanzhen's eyes were distinct, with bright irises, and her question was unexpected, as if she had suddenly changed directions: "When I first entered the mountain gate, I met Xiaotang, and she told me about how she was set up by the Li family's disciples. Lei Jun, you know about this too, don't you?"
Lei Jun briefly discussed what had happened, concluding with, "Although we have no evidence, based on what happened at the Yunhai Immortal Pool, I suspect that it was Li Ming's doing. His direct targets were probably Chen Yi and Shangguan Hong, and the incident involving Xiaotang and the senior male disciple was likely more of a coincidence."
"Mhm, it was him," Xu Yuanzhen affirmed.
With that, she stood up.
Yuan Mobai watched her quietly.
Xu Yuanzhen said, "If anyone challenges Xiaotang face-to-face and beats her so badly that she bites the dust, I will applaud from the sidelines. However foolish she may be, she is still someone I brought back to the sect. If someone wants to use her to put on a comical show, they should be prepared for it to be exposed. When a play is exposed, there should be people booing, as that is what they deserve."
Her tone was calm, and after she finished speaking, she turned and left without haste.
Lei Jun watched her retreating figure, his eyebrows raised slightly.
Nothing happened that day.
The people in the mansion were mostly relieved that the Senior Sister had improved the Golden Lock Talisman.
The threat of the Aurum Shatter Talisman had loomed over them for only a few days before it fizzled out.
The Senior Sister truly lived up to her name.
The next day, nothing happened again.
Within the upper echelons of the mansion, a consensus was slowly being reached regarding the Yunhai Immortal Pool incident.
But on the third day.
Xu Yuanzhen suddenly made a lot of information public.
Led by Li Ming, a group of Li family disciples had been engaged in corruption and embezzlement while serving in various departments, including the Hall of Executors, the Hall of Talisman, the Hall of Fire, and the Hall of External Affairs, filling their own pockets.
There were also instances of Li family disciples serving as instructors in the Daoist Academy, where they neglected their teaching duties, shirked their responsibilities, and even deliberately suppressed disciples from other families.
Going further back, Li Ming had once caused injury to a disciple from another family during their journey outside the sect, damaging their foundation and affecting their future cultivation path.
More recently, Shangguan Hong, a new disciple who participated in the initiation ceremony this year, had trespassed into a forbidden area under Li Ming's misguided influence.
And in the recent incident at the Yunhai Immortal Pool, Li Ming had also attempted to harm disciples from other families.
Xu Yuanzhen presented varying degrees of crucial evidence for each accusation, stunning everyone.
Most people were shocked by Li Ming's audacity, while a small number were astonished by how Xu Yuanzhen had obtained such solid proof.
"Senior Sister Xu, what are you trying to achieve?!'' Li Ming's elder brother, Li Xuan, his face pale and eyes blazing, demanded, "Are you trying to ruin our entire family?"
"You should ask your brother what he's trying to do," Xu Yuanzhen replied. "If you can't bring yourself to do it, I'll help you."
The Young Celestial Master, Li Zhengxian, raised his hand, signaling for Li Xuan to step back.
He looked at Xu Yuanzhen and said slowly, "Senior Sister, Li Ming has indeed done many wrong things, and I have neglected my duty to guide him properly. I am willing to accept punishment for my failures. However, Li Ming is no longer with us. He has already paid with his life, and as the saying goes, the dead are to be forgiven. Let's give him some dignity in death."
"I don't need Li Ming's life," Xu Yuanzhen said. "He used Xiaotang to bolster your reputation, and all I want is your reputation in return. Li Ming died because of his own greed and stupidity, not because he took responsibility for his actions. Death is too easy, it's not a big deal at all."
"Senior Sister, why push things to such extremes?"
The Young Celestial Master took a deep breath and asked, "Must you create chaos and turmoil?"
A rare upward curve appeared on Xu Yuanzhen's lips, "I don't like to see chaos and turmoil. I like to see certain people frothing at the mouth in rage."
(End of Chapter)
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