Chapter 52: Sect Master Gu, How Disheartening

How could Xiao Pingtian not know what Gu Xiande was thinking? But at this moment, he had only one thought.

I was too careless.

He had been far too simplistic in his thinking about Lin Yun. He had wanted to borrow a knife to kill someone, but in the end, it had backfired spectacularly.

"Pingtian, do you have anything else to say in your defense?" Gu Xiande's voice held a trace of helplessness.

The witness and the evidence were both present. Could the Image-Retaining Crystal have been faked? Even if the Jade Emperor himself came today, it would be useless. The fact was that Xiao Pingtian had refused to help Lin Yun. If Deng Pengzu hadn't arrived, Lin Yun might have died.

"Master, this disciple was entangled by others at the time, which is why... I hope Master will be lenient in his punishment." Xiao Pingtian knelt on the ground, his expression still defiant.

Lin Yun sneered. As expected of you, Xiao Pingtian. Even at a time like this, you're still unwilling to admit defeat? A pity. If it were anyone else, they might not be able to do anything to you, but me... heh.

Gu Xiande had originally been thinking that since Xiao Pingtian had already said this much, a light punishment was not out of the question. But just then, he heard a woman's voice.

"A light punishment, indeed. Having committed such a grave error, if he is not severely punished, where will the reputation of our Flowing Cloud Sect stand?"

Shangguan Wan had arrived at some point.

Gu Xiande had been holding onto a sliver of hope, but now his face turned grim. He didn't quite understand why Hongxiu valued Lin Yun so highly. Even if he had some talent, it wasn't to the extent that she needed to protect him like this, was it?

"Sect Master." Shangguan Wan greeted him with a smile.

Gu Xiande nodded. "What brings Elder Shangguan here?"

"Oh, just passing by."

Gu Xiande was speechless. "..."

Xiao Pingtian looked at Lin Yun coldly, furious. He was certain now. This was all Lin Yun's scheme. It was one thing for Deng Pengzu to be "passing by," but for Shangguan Wan, who rarely ever left her mountain, to also be "passing by" here?

A conspiracy. This is all a conspiracy.

Shangguan Wan stood beside Lin Yun, smiling as she looked at Xiao Pingtian. "In the battle of Chen Family Fort, Lin Yun, with his own strength, saved the heir of the Chen family. Otherwise, the Chen family's bloodline would have been completely severed. At that time, the Sect Master would surely have felt guilty, no?"

Although she was smiling, Shangguan Wan's words made Gu Xiande feel ashamed. He could feel that her words were meant to force his hand.

"And during the incident with the Beast Taming Sect, it was also Lin Yun who made a move, raising the prestige of our Flowing Cloud Sect. Otherwise, we would have long become a joke in the cultivation world."

Gu Xiande hurriedly tried to smooth things over. "Elder Shangguan, this..."

But Shangguan Wan wasn't buying it. The Sect Master? She had Ancestor Liuyun behind her. What was there to be afraid of?

"But certain people in our Flowing Cloud Sect not only don't treat Lin Yun as a hero, but they also target him at every turn, even wanting him dead. Sect Master... do you truly not believe that this person's heart is deserving of punishment?"

Hearing Shangguan Wan's words, one sentence after another, Xiao Pingtian's face grew uglier and uglier. He looked at her back and thought to himself, Just you wait. The moment I reach the Myriad Laws Realm, I'll kill you first.

Gu Xiande sighed. How could he not know what Shangguan Wan meant? And how could he not understand Xiao Pingtian's personality? It was just that compared to Lin Yun, Xiao Pingtian had more value, and his future benefits to the sect were greater. This was one of the reasons Gu Xiande wanted to protect him.

"Pingtian, you were in the wrong this time," Gu Xiande sighed.

"Yes, this disciple knows his mistake and is willing to accept any punishment."

Looking at Lin Yun, then at Xiao Pingtian, Gu Xiande said, "You will go to the back mountain for a month of reflection."

Xiao Pingtian was stunned for a moment, then respectfully accepted the order and left.

Only Lin Yun sneered inwardly. Old fox. You call that punishing him? You're clearly sending him to seize the opportunity and step into the Myriad Laws Realm. What a pity. The two of you have been scheming for so long. You never thought that I had already gotten there first, did you?

"Elder Shangguan, Elder Deng, I must take these two degenerate disciples back. The two of you should also get some rest." After speaking, Gu Xiande hauled up one of the Zhao brothers in each hand and took them up the mountain.

After Gu Xiande left, Shangguan Wan said to Lin Yun, "You have done the Ancestor a favor, but you must also know your limits and when to advance or retreat. The Ancestor... cannot help you too much."

Ancestor Liuyun had already stopped meddling in the sect's worldly affairs. If she were to interfere in every matter, it would inevitably draw criticism. The way Gu Xiande had handled Xiao Pingtian this time also made it clear. He was still the golden boy, the chosen one.

And Lin Yun? Even though he had won first place in the Inner Sect Grand Competition and had fought a bloody battle at Chen Family Fort to save the Chen heir, in Gu Xiande's eyes, he was less than nothing.

After Shangguan Wan finished speaking, she left. Lin Yun stood in place for a moment, his heart heavy.

Deng Pengzu saw what was on his mind. "Don't take it to heart. When you become strong enough, you will naturally no longer be treated unfairly."

Lin Yun nodded.

After Deng Pengzu left, he returned to his bamboo hut. Today's events were truly disheartening. He had thought he could use this opportunity to make Xiao Pingtian suffer, but he hadn't expected Gu Xiande's favoritism to be so blatant. If he hadn't been strong enough himself, in that situation just now, he would have been dead long ago.

And Gu Xiande? He had merely dealt with two insignificant outer-sect disciples and wasn't even willing to give Lin Yun any benefits. Moreover, after all this trouble, the favor Lin Yun had with Hongxiu was more or less used up. It seemed he would have to rely on himself from now on, Lin Yun mused.

...

The night was quiet.

In Cloudsoar Pavilion, Gu Xiande sat cross-legged on a prayer mat. Just then, the ring of a sword sounded in his ear. Xiao Pingtian had arrived.

"Master."

Seeing Xiao Pingtian, Gu Xiande was clearly surprised. "Didn't I tell you to go there? Why have you come?"

Xiao Pingtian's face was grim, like he'd swallowed something foul. "Master, the opportunity there... was taken by someone else first."

Hearing this, Gu Xiande immediately shot to his feet. "What did you say?" he asked, his face full of astonishment.

That senior's strength had been brilliant, surpassing even that of Ancestor Liuyun. And now, the inheritance he had left behind had been taken by someone else? The forbidden area in the back mountain was a place few people ever went. It was even more impossible for someone to have passed the trials set by that senior. Could it be someone from another sect?

Just then, Xiao Pingtian said, "Master, this matter is definitely related to Lin Yun. Ever since I met that guy, nothing good has ever happened to me. He's a plague god!"

Lin Yun was a rising star and was deeply liked by Hongxiu and a host of other disciples. These days, his fame in the Flowing Cloud Sect was already catching up to Xiao Pingtian's. As the Sword Child who had once been unrivaled in the spotlight, Xiao Pingtian was filled with envy, jealousy, and hate.

Gu Xiande also knew what Xiao Pingtian was thinking. It was nothing more than the fear that Lin Yun's status in the sect would grow day by day and that he would one day replace him as the Sword Child. So, he wanted to get rid of Lin Yun at all costs.

However, this happened to coincide with Gu Xiande's own thoughts. "Because of Lin Yun, the Ancestor has been asking about the sect's affairs far too much recently."

Xiao Pingtian looked at Gu Xiande, and as if he had thought of something, he lowered his head in fear.