The Aftermath of Sect Master Lei's Gossip

The system flipped through its book. [Oh, he didn't die. That child was raised by his father's junior fellow disciple. He grew up being beaten, scolded, and bullied. Later, he ran away from home and became a Rogue Cultivator. He's been living quite freely.]

Li Zi breathed a sigh of relief. [That's good, then. But being a Rogue Cultivator must be hard, right? You have to fight for every cultivation resource yourself. That child's really had it rough.]

[It's more than hard. The Medicine King Sect Master's fake son plotted against him, too. The child has a talent for alchemy and wanted to join the Medicine King Sect after leaving home. But during the Sect's Disciple Selection, the fake son tampered with the results and got him eliminated. With no other choice, he gave up on alchemy. Oh, right! He's being hunted down as we speak. The men chasing him were sent by the fake son, and he's at a place called West-Pacifying Village.]

The Medicine King Sect Master's face turned ashen.

He couldn't bear to listen any longer.

"I just remembered something I need to take care of. I'll be going."

He had no way to verify whether any of this was true yet.

First, he had to get to West-Pacifying Village and save the boy!

If the one at home really wasn't his son...

The Medicine King Sect Master felt like killing someone!

Back then, he had withdrawn from the world and entered the Sect to devote himself to cultivation because his wife and master had died one after the other.

He had thought it was fate. He had never imagined they had fallen victim to a villain!

He needed to investigate!

Meanwhile, Li Zi was still discussing with the system whether she should tell the Medicine King Sect Master.

Li Zi said, [Should I tell the Medicine King Sect Master that his real son is about to be killed? But wouldn't it seem strange if I suddenly said something like that?]

The system said, [It would. The Medicine King Sect Master treats the son he has now very well. He's never suspected the child isn't his. So if you say that, Host, there's a good chance he'll want to kill you.]

Li Zi was deeply troubled. [The problem is, the fake son is holding an innocent young woman captive in his cave residence, too.]

Those words brought a touch of warmth to the Medicine King Sect Master's gaze as he looked at Li Zi.

Before leaving, he made sure to say, "You chose the right disciple."

The child was a little too fond of gossip, but she had a good heart.

The Spirit Sword Sect Master lifted his chin and smiled proudly.

"If you save your son, remember to send me the Marrow-Washing Pill as a thank-you gift."

The Medicine King Sect Master nodded solemnly. "I will."

Li Zi was still agonizing over whether to tell him. Before she and the system could reach a decision, he was already gone.

She grew anxious.

[What do we do, system? The Medicine King Sect Master's gone, and neither of them can be saved. This is awful.]

[Don't worry, Host. He's heading toward the Sect. His son is there throwing his weight around right now. The Medicine King Sect Master should discover what's going on this time. At the very least, that young woman can be saved.]

Only then did Li Zi relax.

[System, keep an eye on things. It's unbearable getting halfway through the gossip and missing the rest. Let me know what happens.]

Everyone else in the hall strained their ears to listen.

They kept their own conversations low, afraid of missing what came next.

By now, Sect Master Lei should have returned.

Thunder God Hall.

A beautiful woman gathered her valuables, slung a bundle over her shoulder, and headed straight for the exit.

Sect Master Lei's personal disciple hurried forward to stop her.

"Master's wife, please don't go! Master was just confused when he caused all this. He has a terrible temper, but he'll regret it once he thinks it over... Please don't leave like this."

The beautiful woman wore a jade-green gauze robe. Though she was no longer young, she remained slender and graceful as a willow swaying in the wind, her beauty undiminished.

Her tender eyes brimmed with tears, but more than anything, they held hurt.

"I'm leaving. When he comes back, tell him to send me the letter of divorce as soon as possible."

"I know he has a bad temper. I've never held it against him all these years. I've always been patient with him. But this time, he's gone too far. He no longer trusts me. If there isn't even that much trust between husband and wife, what's the point of carrying on?"

She had made up her mind to leave.

Even though it felt as if a knife were twisting in her heart.

But remembering how her husband had glared at her and questioned her hurt even more.

At least she could leave with dignity before things grew any worse.

After all their years together, did he still not know what kind of person she was? How could he suspect her and the Medicine King Sect's First Elder?

She had even found his occasional jealousy endearing.

But after so many years of marriage, this was no longer a matter of possessiveness. He simply did not trust her at all!

The disciple dropped anxiously to his knees before her.

"Master's wife, please, you mustn't go! We've all seen how close you and Master have been over the years. You would never do such a thing. We all believe you. There must be a misunderstanding, so please wait until Master comes back and talk to him."

The beautiful woman gently wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes.

She reached out and helped the disciple to his feet.

"He won't listen to a word I say. This..."

Suddenly, a woman's sweet, affected voice sounded behind her.

"Does Mother want to leave because this is too humiliating, and she can't face Father?"

The beautiful woman stiffened, pain crossing her face. Then she turned back in anger.

"Lei Niao Niao!"

If Lei Niao Niao hadn't spent every day talking nonsense, there wouldn't be so much distance between her and her husband.

But she couldn't blame Lei Niao Niao entirely. Her husband was also at fault for not trusting her enough.

"What nonsense are you spouting now? I was falsely accused in the first place. Why wouldn't I be able to face him?"

Lei Niao Niao had a pair of foxlike eyes and a modest, delicate beauty. She was eloquent and well-liked throughout the Sect.