A fissure had appeared in the airtight stone wall behind the white wolf, but no one noticed this fact. Han Yunxi only felt all sorts of feelings as she stared at the lofty figure walking towards them. This was none other than the sword sect elder, Li Jianxin. He had finally arrived!
With him here, Long Feiye will definitely be safe.
But what about me?
Han Yunxi suddenly laughed. She knew she was doomed. The strike just then had been filled with killing intent, a clear sign of the sword sect elder’s intentions. He stood now like a mountain by the entrance, with his hands behind his back and his hair combed neatly. He had awed the chaos into stillness and blocked Han Yunxi’s only chance of escape.
“Evil remnants of the Poison Sect dare to cause chaos on my Celestial Mountain?” the sword sect master’s sonorous voice filled the entire room.
Outside, everyone surrounded the building, afraid to speak a word. Even Duanmu Yao was struck with fear. She had never seen her master so angry before.
Master will definitely kill Han Yunxi. Duanmu Yao’s heart began to jump for joy. She knew she was going to win now!
Han Yunxi clung weakly to the white wolf’s back on the verge of collapse. But she gritted her teeth and held on, her words powerful and firm. “I am a descendant of the Poison Sect, but I didn’t cause trouble for your Celestial Mountain. It was your elders who went too far!”
She would acknowledge her ident.i.ty as the Poison Sect heir, and the fact that she owned the poison beast. But why did she have to be painted a criminal when she hadn’t committed any crimes?
The sword sect master never expected Han Yunxi to so easily accept her ident.i.ty. He had just recovered from a bout of insanity yesterday and remembered that today was Long Feiye’s final day in confinement. This was the most important part of his cultivation. Thus, he left Nine Xuan Hall immediately as soon as he regained his senses. Who knew that his guards would be telling him about the chaos at Abstinence Hall, or the fact that Han Yunxi was a Poison Sect scion, or that she’d summoned the poison beast to fight with the two Depositories and Courtyards?
He could hardly believe the news until he rushed here in person. The dead and injured littered the grounds of Abstinence Hall, while Han Yunxi sat on the poison beast’s back, fighting against the crowd. He had always trusted Long Feiye’s insight and even looked into this woman before his disciple brought her to the mountain. In his heart of heart, he rathered admired the girl, but never expected her to be a descendant of the Poison Sect! And now she had the gall to raise a ruckus on Celestial Mountain!
“You didn’t cause any trouble? What’s the explanation for summoning the poison beast to hurt my Celestial Mountain disciples? Han Yunxi, you dared to lie to Long Feiye and used him to get to Celestial Mountain’s peak. What are you plotting?”
The white wolf seemed to understand the sword sect master’s words, because it began to howl with indignation, baring its fangs at the sword sect master. Han Yunxi comforted the beast before straightening her back. “Your Celestial Mountain’s four elders and their disciples number in the hundreds, but they all joined together to attack a weak woman like me. Do you have any shame? Are these the methods of the dignified and righteous leader of the martial arts world? How was I supposed to defend myself without calling out the poison beast? Where was I wrong?”
The sword sect master gave a start, which was when Cang Qiuzi rushed in with his tattered clothes, wretched appearance, and furious expression. He knew that he wouldn’t be able to touch Long Feiye today, so he had to dispose of his greatest weak point, Han Yunxi, before the man emerged!
“Han Yunxi, you’re still playing crafty? This old man has long suspected that you were a scion of the Poison Sect with designs against Celestial Mountain. That’s why I brought everyone here to make a scene at Abstinence Hall. I never thought you were really capable of summoning the poison beast!” He pointed at her and cursed. “Speak, why did you seduce Feiye? What are your plans? Just why are you using him?”
Both second and third elder hurried over as well, the former giving out a report. “Sect leader, the head elder discussed this ahead of time with both of us. Our behavior today was acting in accordance with the head elder to flush out the Poison Sect scion. May sect leader be clear in your judgment!”
“Please judge clearly, sect leader. No matter what, the descendant of the Poison Sect cannot be allowed to stay!” the third elder added.
Granny You had long joined the group, but she simply stood in the back without saying a word.
“I never expected Celestial Mountain’s elders to be so base and despicable hypocrites!” Han Yunxi shook her head. “Cang Qiuzi’s true target is Long Feiye! Granny You, you know best of all what happened here today. Yunxi won’t ask you for favors, but only that you speak the truth!”
Granny You knitted her brows and looked at Han Yunxi without a word.
“Youmin, speak!” the sword sect elder said coldly.
A complicated look flickered past Granny You’s eyes. Then she recounted how Cang Qiuzi and Duanmu Yao had forced their way into the Abstinence Courtyard and slandered Han Yunxi with accusations of poison. But in the end, she added, “This old woman wasn’t aware that Han Yunxi was a descendant of the Poison Sect. But whether or not the head elder was purposely causing a row at Abstinence Hall to draw out the poison beast remains uncertain. This old woman only stopped protecting Han Yunxi once her status came into light.”
Although Granny You didn’t rise to defend her, she didn’t smear her either. Han Yunxi slightly exhaled in relief. She didn’t add any details to her account, trusting the sword sect master to see the truth and uncover Cang Qiuzi’s schemes.
“Sect leader, we didn’t falsely accuse Han Yunxi of poison. Yao Yao herself said it and she’s already poisoned. She even has an eyewitness!” Cang Qiuzi subtly avoided the topic of Long Feiye altogether. As soon as he finished speaking, Duanmu Yao walked in sobbing to the sword sect master’s side. She pulled up both her sleeves, revealing the horrific rose vines trailing up along her skin.
“Master, look…my face is already ruined, but she still wouldn’t give up!” Duanmu Yao tugged on the sword sect master’s hand before suddenly dropping to her knees. Her tears were absolutely wretched. “Master, Yao Yao’s begging you. Please stop getting involved with me and senior brother’s affairs. Yao Yao’s afraid, afraid from all the tormenting she’s done…”
The sword sect master watched Duanmu Yao cry as his rage s.h.i.+fted to irritation. But in the end, he was the leader of an entire sect. As long as his insanity didn’t act up, he was quite coolheaded. By that, it meant…he could be quite cold blooded!
He could see Cang Qiuzi’s true designs and knew that the man was incapable of hurting Feiye now. Instead, the man had set his target on eliminating Han Yunxi instead. At the same time, he knew that Duanmu Yao’s poison had nothing to do with Han Yunxi at all. The girl wasn’t stupid enough to purposely provoke Cang Qiuzi or Duanmu Yao, nor was she an imbecile who would do something as obvious as poisoning.
She had been framed.
But she has to bear the guilt for the crime and die! Otherwise, Yao Yao, Cang Qiuzi, and the second and third elders will be labeled criminals in her place. This event has already alerted all of Celestial Mountain. It’s impossible to resolve with a private meeting at the mountain peak anymore.
He would punish Yao Yao and the elders in private, but he had to maintain appearances on the surface. That meant protecting them for the sake of Celestial Mountain’s venerated name.
Moreover, he was more worried about Long Feiye! As long as Long Feiye finished cultivating, he could partic.i.p.ate in the ranking matches and win them to inherit the sect leader’s t.i.tle. At a time like this, Long Feiye couldn’t afford to be dragged down by Han Yunxi. To put things in perspective, even if Long Feiye didn’t partic.i.p.ate in the matches, he couldn’t have any hint of relations with the Poison Sect. Once news of that spread, he would turned into a target of public criticism! Even the commander-in-chief’s estate in South Ning would turn their backs on him.
Thus, whether or not Feiye knew about Han Yunxi’s ident.i.ty, he had to eliminate this disastrous woman before he emerged from his room. Ruthlessness flashed in the sword sect master’s eyes before he spoke.
“Han Yunxi, where’s the antidote?”
Han Yunxi only smiled coldly. Does this mean the sword sect master believes that the poison belongs to me?
She didn’t even want to call him grandmaster anymore. “I don’t have it!”
“This grandmaster will give you one last chance. Hand over the antidote!” the sword sect master raged.
“Will you lot let me go if I hand over the antidote?” Han Yunxi laughed out loud. Even she found the notion laughable.
“We can keep your corpse intact,” the sword sect master’s face was expressionless.
“No need!” Han Yunxi braced herself against the white wolf’s back, supporting her weak body as she pointed with her other hand at Duanmu Yao. “I want her to be buried with the dead!”
Cang Qiuzi hastened to speak. “She’s not the only one who can cure Rose Rattan! Senior brother, don’t be fooled by her! She’s threatening us with Yao Yao!”
Duanmu Yao had no antidote of her own, but there were still three days before the poison flared up. She could find Jun Yixie for help! Or even other poison doctors! She wouldn’t die.
Duanmu Yao looked at the vine-like patterns up her arms before she steeled her heart. “Master, it’s more important to eliminate the descendant of the Poison Sect. Don’t worry about Yao Yao! Yao Yao will definitely find an antidote!”
My face is already ruined, so my body might as well follow! At least Cang Qiuzi will lose interest in me then. As long as Han Yunxi was dead, n.o.body would vie with her for Long Feiye anymore. Master would definitely force Long Feiye to take responsibility for her.
The sword sect master fell silent before he coldly issued orders. “Someone come, write a letter to Academy Head Gu in Medical City. Just say that this grandmaster would like to trouble him to seek the antidote for Rose Rattan.”
Poison was taboo in Medical City, but they still had poison doctors. He knew that Jun Yixie would definitely have the antidote as well, but he could only ask Medical City. Once he finished speaking, Cang Qiuzi, second elder, and third elder all drew closer, with Granny You joining them after some hesitation. It was clear that the sword sect master was determined to kill Han Yunxi.
Han Yunxi looked at the five people surrounding her. Instead of fear, she threw back her head and laughed out loud.
“What are you laughing for?” Cang Qiuzi asked.
“What am I laughing for? I’m laughing because I’m only a weak woman who doesn’t know martial arts. But what skill and fortune! I’ve actually gotten the sword sect leader and his four elders to trap me in this little room! Hahaha, today I, Han Yunxi, will die with pride!” Han Yunxi exclaimed.
That’s right, she was proud!
She rode on the back of the white wolf and towered above them with a scornful gaze. Against the entire Celestial Mountain Sword Sect and its strongest fighter, she felt not dread, but disdain! Everyone felt pained by the mocking lilt of her smile. Even Cang Qiuzi didn’t dare to meet her eyes.
Clang!
With a whistling shriek, the sword sect master unsheathed his Scorching Frost Sword. One side of it burned with heat while the other was as chilly as frost. The mixture of flames and ice on both sides merged into a beautiful, s.h.i.+mmering display of lights and colors.
He pointed the sword at Han Yunxi.
“Aroooo….!” the white wolf leaped into the air in rage, avoiding the sword sect master’s sword to pounce. The old man immediately backed away until he was out of the room. The white wolf howled again, its voice like a whistling gale that injured its listened. Second and third elder chased after the beast, but Cang Qiuzi remained put. When he saw Granny You staring at him, he had no choice but to give up on Long Feiye for now and join in the pursuit.
n.o.body else knew why the sword sect master had chosen retreat for his first move, but Granny You was very clear. The old man didn’t want to destroy Abstinence Hall and disturb Long Feiye’s training. She too, hurried after the rest, leaving no one to notice the crack left in the stone wall.
As soon as she reached the exit, she was blinded by a blue-red sword awn. Its wide sweep was filled with immeasurable strength that sent Han Yunxi and the white wolf flying uncontrollably through the air…