From a loser to an immortal sage

Chapter 141 Eliminating Hidden Dangers and Promoting Peace

Seeing Senior Brother Lin shield me from Elder Xuanfeng's fatal blow, Senior Brother Lin let out a muffled groan, a trickle of blood escaping from the corner of his mouth.

"Senior brother!" I exclaimed.

"Don't worry about me, run!" Senior Brother Lin said through gritted teeth, "He... he's gone mad from his cultivation, you're no match for him!"

My heart was filled with grief, but I knew Senior Brother Lin was right; I couldn't stay here and die in vain. I had to find the other elders as soon as possible and tell them about Elder Xuanfeng.

I gave Senior Brother Lin a deep look, then turned and ran away.

However, after I left the cave, I found the atmosphere in the immortal sect to be unusually strange. The disciples were gathered in twos and threes, whispering among themselves, their faces showing unease.

"Have you heard? Senior Sister Xiao is going to...go and take sole power!"

"Yes, I heard she wants to abolish the council of elders and make decisions for herself!"

"This...how is this possible? Senior Sister Xiao isn't that kind of person!"

"Who knows? You can't see into someone's heart!"

These rumors spread like wildfire throughout the sect. My heart sank as I realized the gravity of the situation. These rumors were clearly being deliberately spread to damage my reputation and make me lose popular support.

I suppressed my anger and went to find Deacon Wu to ask him what had happened.

Deacon Wu glanced at me cautiously and said in a low voice, "Senior Sister Xiao, these rumors... were all spread by Elder Xuanfeng."

"Elder Xuanfeng?" I was shocked. "Why would he do this?"

"It is said...it is said that he was worried that you would damage the traditions of the Immortal Sect, so..." Deacon Wu said hesitantly.

I sneered inwardly. Everyone knew Elder Xuanfeng's ambition. He wasn't doing this for the tradition of the immortal sect; he was clearly doing it for his own selfish interests!

What chilled me to the bone was that even Junior Sister Chu had been bewitched by Elder Xuanfeng and actually led people to search my residence, claiming to be looking for evidence that I was "plotting something wicked."

Looking at Junior Sister Chu's hostile face, my heart was filled with disappointment and heartache. We used to cultivate together, play together, and were like sisters. Now, however, she harbors such hatred towards me because of some unfounded accusations.

I looked at her coldly and said, "Junior Sister Chu, how can you do this to me?"

Junior Sister Chu glared back at me defiantly and said, "Xiao Yao, stop pretending! We all know what kind of person you are!"

I took a deep breath, suppressing my anger, and turned to leave. I knew that saying anything now would be useless; only by finding evidence could I prove my innocence.

However, things turned out to be far worse than I had imagined. Although Elder Mingyue didn't believe Elder Xuanfeng's rumors, under pressure from the other conservative elders, she was forced to raise some questions about me…

“Xiao Yao,” Elder Mingyue’s voice carried a hint of helplessness, “regarding the rumors about you practicing demonic arts…” My heart sank; I knew this was something I couldn’t avoid after all. Elder Mingyue was always gentle and kind, but now her brows were furrowed with lingering worry, showing the immense pressure she was under.

I took a deep breath and tried to remain calm: "Elder, this disciple has never cultivated any demonic arts. These are all malicious slanders by Elder Xuanfeng."

“I know, Yao’er,” Elder Mingyue sighed, “but… the other elders insist on thoroughly investigating this matter. Your… your recent cultivation speed has indeed been somewhat… abnormal, and the cultivation method you are using is also… slightly different from the sect’s cultivation method.”

A sense of powerlessness welled up within me, and I was utterly speechless. My rapid improvement in cultivation was due to the modern knowledge I gained from my time travel and my unique understanding of cultivation techniques. This allowed me to forge my own path, but it also became an excuse for others to attack me. The cultivation method I used was also one that I modified according to my own circumstances, and naturally differed from the traditional sect's methods.

"Elder, the cultivation method I use, although different from traditional methods, is definitely not a demonic art. I can demonstrate it in front of everyone, please judge for yourselves!" I looked earnestly at Elder Mingyue, hoping she would believe me.

Elder Mingyue hesitated for a moment, then shook his head: "Yao'er, I know you've been wronged, but given the current situation... you must provide stronger evidence to prove your innocence. Otherwise, it will be difficult for me to protect you."

I walked dejectedly out of Elder Mingyue's cave, my heart aching. I had given my all for the sake of the immortal sect, for the sake of protecting everyone, only to be met with such suspicion and doubt in return.

To make matters worse, Deacon Wu started sabotaging my resource allocation again. The area I was responsible for received fewer and fewer cultivation resources, and the quality of the pills deteriorated. Initially, my supporters still had faith in me, but as time went on, they began to waver.

"Senior Sister Xiao, what... what exactly happened?" Senior Brother Lin looked at me with concern, holding several dull pills in his hand. "These pills... are not even as good as those of the most ordinary disciple."

I gave a wry smile. What else could it be? Someone was obviously up to no good behind the scenes.

"Senior brother, do you believe me?" I looked at Senior Brother Lin earnestly.

Senior Brother Lin nodded without hesitation: "Of course I believe you, Senior Sister Xiao!"

"That's good," I took a deep breath. "Senior brother, do me a favor and secretly investigate the recent distribution of supplies to see who's behind it."

However, even with Senior Brother Lin's best efforts to help me, the situation did not improve. Some disciples who had initially supported me began to complain, and some even openly questioned my abilities.

I sat alone in my cave, watching the sky darken outside the window, my heart filled with weariness and despair. I once thought that as long as I tried hard enough, I could change everything. But now I realize I was wrong. In this treacherous world of cultivation, strength alone is not enough; one also needs sufficient cunning and scheming.

Just as I was about to give up, something suddenly occurred to me. Elder Xuanfeng had mentioned his travels in his youth, and some details struck me as odd… I abruptly stood up, a glint of light in my eyes. Perhaps I could start here and find a flaw in Elder Xuanfeng's account… I quickly walked to my desk, opened an ancient book, and began to study it carefully. The words on the pages seemed to possess a certain magic, drawing me deeper and deeper… “Found it!” I exclaimed softly, my finger lingering on a passage on the page. This passage differed significantly from Elder Xuanfeng's account of his travels… I picked up a pen and quickly began to write on the paper…

"See you in the council chamber tomorrow," I said in a low voice.

The candlelight flickered, illuminating the paper covered in my writing. Elder Xuanfeng, you schemed and plotted, yet you still slipped up. I stayed up all night, compiling the evidence I'd gathered into a book, ready to expose you completely tomorrow in the council hall!

The morning sunlight streamed into the cave through the window lattice. I changed into my clean disciple robes, took a deep breath, and pushed open the door. Inside the council hall, the elders were already gathered, the atmosphere heavy. Elder Xuanfeng sat in the front row, a smug look on his face, as if victory was assured. He glanced at me, his eyes full of mockery and disdain.

I walked straight to the center of the hall, bowed to the elders, and said loudly, "Today, I have something to report to you elders. It concerns the safety of the immortal sect. Please give me your understanding!"

Before I could finish speaking, Elder Xuanfeng sneered, "Xiao Yao, what trick are you going to pull this time? Are you trying to use the same old trick to frame me?"

I met his gaze without fear and said in a deep voice, "Elder Xuanfeng, you traveled far and wide when you were young, and you went to the Valley of Ten Thousand Poisons in the Southern Frontier, is that right?"

Elder Xuanfeng's expression changed slightly, but he quickly regained his composure: "That's right, I did visit the Valley of Ten Thousand Poisons when I was young. Is there anything wrong with that?"

"Do you still remember the stone tablet in the Valley of Ten Thousand Poisons that was engraved with an ancient forbidden spell?" I continued to ask.

A hint of panic flashed in Elder Xuanfeng's eyes, but he still forced himself to remain calm: "I can't remember, it was decades ago."

I sneered and took out a rubbing from my sleeve, unfolding it to show everyone: "This is a rubbing of the forbidden spell stele of the Valley of Ten Thousand Poisons, which I found in ancient books. It clearly states that anyone who has come into contact with this stele will have a special mark left in their body. And this mark can only be detected by special secret methods."

Before I could finish speaking, I channeled my spiritual power and unleashed a secret technique, sending a beam of golden light towards Elder Xuanfeng. There, on Elder Xuanfeng's chest, a black mark appeared, its shape exactly the same as the one on the imprint!

The whole place was in an uproar!

Elder Xuanfeng's face turned deathly pale, his lips trembled, but he couldn't utter a single word. He never imagined that I would be able to find such evidence!

"Elder Xuanfeng, what else do you have to say?" I demanded sharply.

Elder Xuanfeng's face turned pale and then flushed, and fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead. He opened his mouth, wanting to explain, but found that he had no way to refute it.

The other elders also criticized Elder Xuanfeng, and even the usually gentle Elder Mingyue looked disappointed and angry.

"Xuanfeng, how could you do such a thing? You have truly disgraced the immortal sect!"

"What face do you have to sit in the elder's seat?"

"You are a disgrace to the immortal sect!"

Elder Xuanfeng was abandoned by all his friends and family, and isolated and helpless. He slumped into a chair, his eyes vacant, as if he had lost all hope.

Looking at everything before me, I felt no joy, only profound weariness. I didn't immediately state my plan for dealing with Elder Xuanfeng, but instead turned to the other elders and slowly said, "Elders, the Immortal Sect is currently beset by internal and external troubles. We should unite as one to overcome this difficult time..."

My words echoed in the council chamber, but they were like still water, failing to stir even a ripple. The elders exchanged glances, their eyes flickering, seemingly trying to decipher my thoughts. Some whispered amongst themselves, others murmured amongst themselves, but no one dared to speak loudly.

Elder Xuanfeng sat there slumped, like an empty shell devoid of a soul. His former majesty and arrogance had vanished, replaced by endless regret and despair. I looked at him, feeling no pleasure, only a faint sense of helplessness.

"Xiao Yao, what do you plan to do with Xuan Feng?" Elder Mingyue broke the silence. Her voice was gentle, but it carried a hint of probing.

I smiled slightly, but did not answer her question directly. "Elders," I said calmly, glancing around the room, "the Immortal Sect is currently in turmoil, beset by internal and external troubles. We should unite as one to overcome these difficulties. Elder Xuanfeng made a mistake in a moment of confusion, which is certainly understandable, but we should take this as a warning, learn from it, and avoid repeating the same mistake."

My words were met with silence once again. The elders' expressions varied: some agreed, some questioned, some were indifferent, and some were worried. I could feel their scrutinizing gazes, like needles pricking me.

“Junior Sister Xiao Yao,” Junior Sister Chu suddenly spoke, her tone sharp and tinged with displeasure, “You make it sound so easy. Elder Xuanfeng has committed such a grave mistake, how can it be so easily forgiven? If everyone follows suit, wouldn’t the immortal sect be thrown into chaos?”

I looked at Junior Sister Chu, my eyes calm and unwavering. "Junior Sister Chu, I'm not trying to protect Elder Xuanfeng, but I feel we should prioritize the bigger picture. With the Demon Clan eyeing us covetously, we should unite against them rather than waste our strength on internal strife."

Junior Sister Chu was about to say something when Senior Brother Lin interrupted her. "Junior Sister Chu, Junior Sister Xiao Yao is right. We should prioritize the overall situation." Senior Brother Lin's voice was firm and powerful, carrying an unquestionable authority.

I gave Senior Brother Lin a grateful look and continued, "As for Elder Xuanfeng's fate, I believe it should be left to the Sect Leader to decide. I trust that the Sect Leader will make the fairest judgment."

As I finished speaking, the atmosphere in the council hall became even more subtle. Everyone was speculating about how the sect leader would deal with Elder Xuanfeng, and also about my true intentions. I, however, remained calm and waited quietly.

Deacon Wu glanced at me cautiously, then at the other elders, and ultimately chose to remain silent. He was always cautious and never easily expressed his opinion, especially at such a sensitive time.

I took in everyone's reactions and gradually formed a plan in my mind. I knew that although the matter of Elder Xuanfeng had temporarily subsided, the internal conflicts within the Immortal Sect had not been completely resolved. Those conservative elders still treated me coldly, even with a hint of hostility.

I took a deep breath and slowly said, "Elders, I hope you can all learn from today's events, unite as one, and work together to protect the Immortal Sect. As for other matters..." I paused, my gaze sweeping over everyone, "we'll discuss them later."

Having said that, I turned and left the council hall. Behind me, I heard the elders' hushed conversation, like a breeze brushing past my ears. I continued walking towards the cave dwelling without stopping.

As the sun set, a fiery red sunset painted the sky. I stood at the entrance of the cave, gazing at the distant mountain peaks, a sense of peace washing over me. I knew the road ahead was long, filled with challenges and the unknown.

Suddenly, a voice came from behind: "Xiao Yao..."