Chapter 38: The People of the Sacred Land of Yaoguang Are All Rotten to the Core!
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After hearing this, Fu Lin’er hurriedly shook her head.
“No, we have broken none of those rules. Brother Ye Chen has always obeyed the rules. He has never harmed a mortal, has always respected his teachers and honored the Dao, and is not a member of the Demon Sect.”
When the disciple heard her mention Ye Chen’s name, he hesitated before looking up at her.
“Ye Chen—the one who caused such a commotion at the Shaking Light Holy Land over a month ago?”
Fu Lin’er quickly lowered her head.
“Yes.”
“Brother Ye Chen has never done anything wicked or harmful, nor has he ever done anything to wrong the Shaking Light Holy Land.”
“It was all… all Liu Ruyan’s fault. She was the one scheming behind the scenes!”
“That’s right! Brother Ye Chen was being used!”
At her words, the disciple’s brow furrowed tightly.
“According to the sect’s rules…”
Before he could finish, Fu Lin’er, knowing that this was Ye Chen’s last chance, hurriedly pleaded her case.
“The sect’s rules do not forbid saving an orthodox cultivator who has a dispute with another orthodox sect.”
“Besides, Brother Ye Chen was injured because Xiao Chenxin shamelessly ambushed him.”
“Please arrange treatment for him.”
The disciple pondered for the better part of half an incense stick before finally shaking his head.
“This matter is too complicated. I must consult the elders.”
“As for the others, leave them where they are for now. They won’t die anytime soon.”
…
Before long, dozens of elders had gathered in the main hall of the Brightmoon Sect. The sheer number of elders alone made it clear that the sect had a considerable number of disciples.
The sect master of the Brightmoon Sect, Lin Yixin, rested her cheek against her palm, a solemn expression on her face.
“Have you confirmed that it is Ye Chen?”
An elder hurried forward.
“Yes. I have investigated the matter thoroughly. They accidentally entered a spatial-temporal turbulence and, unexpectedly, were swept to the vicinity of our sect.”
“This is probably what our Ancestor always called the will of Heaven.”
Lin Yixin’s brows remained tightly knitted.
“If they belonged to some other sect, it would not matter. But the Holy Lord of the Shaking Light Holy Land is no ordinary woman.”
“She is not easy to deal with.”
An elder stepped forward and said, “Sect Master, according to our rules, we should save this man. We are merely carrying out the orders left behind by our founding sect master. Even the Saintess of the Shaking Light Holy Land would find no fault with that, would she?”
“Besides, I have heard that Ye Chen achieved some impressive victories in his younger years. He seems to be a promising talent.”
Lin Yixin shot the elder a cold glance.
“If your residence caught fire, and the Holy Lord of the Shaking Light Holy Land stood nearby watching, drinking wine, and hiring performers to put on an opera, that would not violate the rules, would it?”
The elder’s expression grew conflicted. After a long while, he replied, “It would not violate the rules.”
Lin Yixin continued, “If your child were led astray by someone and embarked upon a wicked path, while the Holy Lord of the Shaking Light Holy Land happened to be in the same place, that would not violate the rules either, would it?”
The elder’s expression became visibly unpleasant.
Although it did not technically violate the rules, anyone with eyes could see that something was wrong.
He immediately said, “Then the Holy Lord of the Shaking Light Holy Land must have been scheming behind the scenes. Finding evidence would be enough.”
Lin Yixin gave a cold snort.
“Evidence? Do you really think she would leave evidence behind?”
“That was exactly how my master was angered to death by her back then. Even my master could not catch her in the act. Do you think you are more capable than my master was at the peak of the Golden Core Realm?”
“Do not forget that cultivation was her only weakness.”
The elder promptly fell silent.
With such a thorny troublemaker lurking outside, the matter was indeed difficult to handle. The inability to seize any evidence was especially fatal.
After all, when an orthodox sect acted, everything had to be justified and supported by conclusive proof.
They could not condemn someone based merely on an unsubstantiated conjecture.
For a time, silence descended upon the great hall.
After pondering for a while, Lin Yixin suddenly gritted her teeth.
“No. I cannot let what happened to my master go unanswered. I must make the Shaking Light Holy Land uncomfortable!”
It had to be said that Ye Chen, protected by destiny, was truly formidable.
Even when trapped in a perilous situation, he had the hidden assistance of the Shaking Light Holy Land’s old adversary. No matter how much help the Brightmoon Sect could provide him, the mere fact that they could treat his injuries was already more than enough.
Just as Lin Yixin was preparing to arrange medical treatment, a disciple suddenly burst hurriedly through the doors.
“Reporting to the Sect Master! Xiao Chenxin of Red Dust Peak of the Shaking Light Holy Land has come to request an audience!”
“He says he saw Ye Chen being carried into the main hall.”
Lin Yixin’s face darkened at once, and she turned toward the disciple at the entrance.
“How did you handle this?”
“I told you to bring him in secretly. How did Xiao Chenxin still manage to see him?”
“You useless fools!”
Lin Yixin was furious. Ever since her master had died in humiliation, she had been unable to find an opportunity to retaliate against the Shaking Light Holy Land. Now that such an opportunity had finally appeared, her own disciples had ruined it!
The two disciples hurriedly lowered their heads.
“We came in through a secret passage. Xiao Chenxin could not possibly have seen us.”
Lin Yixin suddenly frowned.
Could the flaw not have been exposed when they carried him into the main hall?
Then Xiao Chenxin and the others must have seen them long ago and were merely testing her with that statement.
After thinking it over, she realized that this indeed matched Holy Lord Su Yao’s usual style. She asked, “Were those words spoken by that vile woman, Su Yao?”
The disciple hurriedly replied, “They were spoken by Xiao Chenxin. We did not see the Holy Lord of the Shaking Light Holy Land.”
Hearing that the greatest thorn in her side was not present, Lin Yixin immediately snorted.
“A useless simp who was even willing to hand over his Supreme Bone—do you really think he can give me trouble?”
“Carry Ye Chen inside and tend to him properly. I will deal with this fool myself.”
…
Xiao Chenxin entered with three disciples.
To avoid being recognized, Su Yao had gone to considerable lengths to disguise herself. Lin Yixin merely glanced at her before paying her no further attention.
After all, Su Yao had always been domineering and imposing. The woman now hiding behind Xiao Chenxin, nervously clutching Ye Chen’s clothes, was clearly an inexperienced young disciple, not the lofty Holy Lord Su Yao.
Once Lin Yixin confirmed that her greatest adversary was absent, she felt completely at ease and turned her gaze toward Xiao Chenxin.
“Peak Master Xiao, I hear you pursued Liu Ruyan for many years. Did you finally win the beauty’s heart?”
She had gone straight for the sore spot.
Her attack was clearly vicious.
Xiao Chenxin merely cupped his fists.
“Xiao Chenxin, Peak Master of Red Dust Peak of the Shaking Light Holy Land, has come especially to pay his respects to the Sect Master of the Brightmoon Sect.”
“Those are matters of the past. I have long since let them go.”
The corners of Lin Yixin’s lips curved slightly upward.
“I remember you once said that you would live and die together with Liu Ruyan. Now that Liu Ruyan is dead, even if you do not seek death yourself, you ought to show some reaction, should you not?”
Xiao Chenxin smiled with effortless grace.
“Indeed, I should.”
“That is precisely why I have come—to ask the Sect Master of the Brightmoon Sect to save Ye Chen.”
“I have heard that the Brightmoon Sect has three rules, one of which states: ‘We do not save those who deceive their masters, destroy their ancestors, or commit treasonous acts against the Dao.’”
“I have come especially to plead for Ye Chen.”
At Xiao Chenxin’s words, Lin Yixin’s heart suddenly sank.
Why was Xiao Chenxin no ordinary man either?
Was there not a single pure-hearted person in the Shaking Light Holy Land?
By bringing up the sect’s rules now, and then mentioning that Ye Chen had attacked him and shown no respect for orthodoxy, Xiao Chenxin had delivered a fatal blow.
She no longer had any justification for saving Ye Chen.
Could she really only abandon this opportunity to avenge her master, just as he intended?