Xu Yuanzhen Goes All the Way in Her Evil Deeds

Elder Hu frowned deeply, the displeasure on his face completely undisguised.

Li Xuan had recovered somewhat and naturally wanted to fight for his younger brother once more. "It must have been this Heat Crystal Sand that triggered the abnormal change in the Lower Immortal Pool!"

At last, Zhang Jingzhen, the Contemporary Celestial Master's third direct disciple, spoke up.

"Many factors could have caused the changes in the Cloud Sea Immortal Pool, and it is difficult to determine which. We will investigate carefully afterward. For now, send Junior Brother Fang and the others out first."

Lei Jun left the Minor Cave Heaven along with the others.

But for the moment, they still could not simply return to their respective homes.

Given the unprecedented disturbance in the Cloud Sea Immortal Pool, and especially the serious incident of Li Ming's death, everyone present would later have to answer questions from the elders of the sect.

Still, everyone had some backing of their own.

Yuan Mobai and the others quickly came to retrieve their respective disciples.

In truth, although there had been no direct witnesses at the time, the general course of events was not complicated.

The Lower Immortal Pool had undergone an unusual change, concealing undercurrents. It looked calm, but could erupt at any moment—and with terrifying violence.

If cultivators at the Third Heaven entered without knowing what awaited them, Certain Death was inevitable. Swept up by the whirlpool, they would not even be able to escape.

Although Li Ming had a Spirit Talisman bestowed by his father, Elder Ziyang, to protect him, just as with the Golden Barrier Talisman Yuan Mobai had given Lei Jun, how much effect it could exert still depended on the cultivation of the junior disciple using it.

Besides, neither father nor son of the Li Family had imagined that Li Ming, within the mountain gate of the Celestial Master Mansion, would encounter such great peril.

"So, one must act with caution. If Martial Uncle Ziyang had left Junior Brother Li a few more Talismans for emergencies, perhaps his life could have been saved."

Wang Guiyuan, who had come to visit Lei Jun, sighed repeatedly. "The world is unpredictable. Better to guard against the one chance in ten thousand!"

"Why did the Cloud Sea Immortal Pool suddenly become so dangerous?" Lei Jun asked.

His master, Yuan Mobai, spoke slowly. "It has not yet been confirmed, but the flow of some spiritual energy was influenced by the outside world, originating from Dragon Tiger Mountain... It may have something to do with Eldest Senior Brother's long seclusion. The mountain's spiritual veins have undergone more subtle changes."

The expressions of Lei Jun and Wang Guiyuan, the two fellow disciples, both became somewhat strange.

Yuan Mobai's Eldest Senior Brother naturally referred to the Contemporary Celestial Master.

He was both Li Ming's Eldest Martial Uncle and his blood uncle.

In the end, Li Ming had drowned in the Lower Immortal Pool, and the source of the danger had been his own uncle?

"The news is still being kept under wraps, mainly concerning Junior Brother Li's posthumous reputation."

Wang Guiyuan said, "Eldest Senior Brother and Senior Brother Li Xuan still want to conclude that he died while responding to danger, sacrificing himself heroically to protect his fellow disciples."

Although every sign indicated that Li Ming had coveted treasure and entered the Lower Immortal Pool on his own, even triggering the upheaval in the Minor Cave Heaven and nearly harming the other senior and junior brothers within along with himself.

But he was already dead. Generally speaking, some dignity would be left for Elder Ziyang, who had to watch his white-haired self send off his black-haired son.

Yuan Mobai said, "Though there have been some ripples, unless something unexpected happens, the storm will eventually settle."

But some things could not bear being spoken of.

The unexpected truly came.

Eldest Sister Xu Yuanzhen, who had left the mountain to travel again after the Ordination Ceremony at the beginning of the year, returned.

"By chance, I caught a few small fry."

Xu Yuanzhen wore a Purple Taoist Robe beneath a black gauze outer garment. Her complexion was still pale as snow, and her speech remained crisp and rapid.

"The small fry themselves were nothing new, but they had drawn a new Spirit Talisman called the Golden Breaking Talisman. It had some clever ideas behind it and could indeed break most of This Sect's Golden Barrier Talismans."

Yuan Mobai said, "Mm. Recently, disciples traveling outside have reported this matter one after another. Some have even been killed or injured because of it. The mansion has arranged for the Golden Barrier Talisman to be improved as soon as possible in response."

Xu Yuanzhen said, "I modified it a little on my way back. It is nearly done already. I came back to compare notes with you Martial Uncles."

Yuan Mobai was not at all surprised by her efficiency. Smiling, he said, "Since Disciple Yuan Zhen says so, then it must indeed be ready. Notify the entire mansion and spread it as quickly as possible."

At the side, Wang Guiyuan sighed. "Eldest Sister, setting aside the great merit you have earned again this time, the important thing is that you can save many fellow disciples. No one will need to live in constant fear anymore."

Xu Yuanzhen casually changed the subject. "I just returned and heard something happened at the Cloud Sea Immortal Pool?"

As someone who had experienced it firsthand, Lei Jun calmly recounted what he had seen and heard without embellishment.

Xu Yuanzhen's eyes were sharply black and white, her gaze bright. Her question leaped abruptly, as though she had suddenly changed direction again.

"When I entered the mountain gate, I ran into Xiao Tang. She told me about how Li Clan Disciples set her up before. Lei Jun, you knew about that too?"

Lei Jun briefly explained, then said at the end, "Though there is no evidence, judging from what happened in the Cloud Sea Immortal Pool, I suspect it was Li Ming's handiwork.

His direct targets may have been Chen Yi and Shangguan Hong. As for Little Senior Sister and Eldest Senior Brother, it was more likely a coincidence."

Xu Yuanzhen said, "Mm, it was him."

With that, she rose to her feet.

Yuan Mobai watched her quietly.

Xu Yuanzhen said, "If someone challenged Xiao Tang face-to-face and beat her until she was eating mud, I would stand by and clap in approval.

But no matter how foolish she is, she is still someone I brought back to the mountain. If someone wants to use her to stage a farce, they must be prepared to have it exposed.

Once the play is exposed, someone should be booing it. That is what they deserve."

Her tone was calm. After speaking, she turned and left without haste.

Lei Jun watched her departing back, raising an eyebrow.

That day, nothing happened.

More people in the mansion were simply celebrating that Eldest Sister had improved the Golden Barrier Talisman.

The Golden Breaking Talisman had barely threatened everyone for a few days before withering away.

Eldest Sister truly was Eldest Sister.

On the second day, nothing happened either.

Among the mansion's upper ranks, a consensus regarding the Cloud Sea Immortal Pool incident was slowly nearing completion.

But on the third day.

Xu Yuanzhen suddenly made a great deal of information public.

Some Li Clan Disciples led by Li Ming, while serving as stewards in places such as the Hall of Affairs, Talisman Hall, Fire Worker Hall, and External Affairs Hall, had embezzled extensively and lined their own pockets.

When certain Li Clan Disciples served as Instructors in the Dao Child Courtyard, they taught perfunctorily, neglected their duties, and even deliberately suppressed Dao Children of Other Surnames.

Going further back, Li Ming had once caused disciples of Other Surnames to be injured while traveling outside the mountain, damaging their foundations and affecting their future paths of cultivation.

More recently, Shangguan Hong, a disciple who had undergone Chuan Du Initiation this year, had trespassed into a forbidden area after being misled by Li Ming.

In the recent Cloud Sea Immortal Pool incident, Li Ming had also attempted to harm disciples of Other Surnames.

Not one charge after another had been fabricated from thin air.

Xu Yuanzhen produced key evidence for each of them, more or less, leaving everyone in an uproar.

Most people were Shocked by Li Ming's audacity and recklessness.

A smaller number were Shocked by where Xu Yuanzhen had obtained such solid evidence.

"Senior Sister Xu, what exactly are you trying to do?!" Li Ming's elder brother, Li Xuan, had a pale face and eyes that spat fire. "Are you determined to make the fish die and the net break?"

Xu Yuanzhen said, "You should ask what your younger brother wanted to do. If you cannot bring yourself to do it, I will help you."

Young Celestial Master Li Zhengxuan raised a hand, signaling Li Xuan to step back.

He looked at Xu Yuanzhen and spoke slowly. "Senior Sister, Li Ming did many things wrong. I was lax in disciplining him and am willing to accept punishment.

But Junior Brother Li is already gone. He has paid with his life. As the saying goes, the dead are greatest. We should still leave him some dignity."

Xu Yuanzhen said, "I do not need Li Ming's life. He used Xiao Tang to pave the way for your reputation, so I only want your reputations as well.

Li Ming died because of his own greed and stupidity, not because he was taking responsibility for what he had done.

Dying is too simple. It is not great at all."

"Senior Sister, why must you take things to the bitter end?"

The Young Celestial Master drew a deep breath. "Must you truly stir things up until the entire world is thrown into utter chaos?"

The corners of Xu Yuanzhen's lips rarely curved upward.

"I do not like watching the world fall into chaos. I like watching certain people fly into a rage out of humiliation."