NFBE Chapter 34 "The Truth"
Chapter 34 "The Truth"
Qingyun Sect, Sword Peak Hall.
The main hall was packed with people. They were the peak masters, personal disciples, and inner disciples of the Qingyun Sect.
A hush fell over the crowd; the usual noise was gone, replaced by a slightly chilly atmosphere and heavy hearts.
The peak masters all wore expressions of sorrow, their hearts aching as they looked at the few remaining disciples. It was just an ordinary trial, just a beginner-level secret realm; why had it resulted in such irreparable casualties?
This cultivation trip in the secret realm resulted in the loss of many disciples. Senior Sister Yun Qing of Dan Peak, Senior Brother Wen Liao of Qi Peak, and many other inner disciples all became food for the silver python, uprooted and destroyed at the very beginning of their lives, leaving no trace of their bodies.
Whose brothers and sisters are they, and whose closest relatives and friends are they?
It's unclear, but all that's known is that nearly half of the disciples of Qingyun Sect were dressed in mourning clothes, and wisps of smoke rose from every mountain peak of Qingyun Sect. The distant sound of flutes played all night long, masking the faint cries of weeping.
Suddenly, footsteps were heard. Everyone turned their attention to the entrance of the hall, where Yan Ze, the leader of the Qingyun Sect, and his three disciples were walking towards them.
Song Huai'an led the other disciples. He wore a silver crown, his face was as bright as the moon, his eyebrows and eyes were handsome, his figure was tall and slender, and his gaze was fixed on the front. His posture was as steady as a mountain peak, and he had the charisma of a leader.
Jiang Ci has fair skin, delicate features, and a faint smile always playing at the corners of her mouth. She is gentle and humble, always giving people a pleasant and refreshing feeling.
Ye Qianqian wore a light yellow dress, her chestnut hair flowing smoothly down her back, revealing her fair and delicate face. Her doe eyes were bright and captivating, and her cherry lips were slightly parted, a faint smile adorning her exquisite features.
Xie Wanning, who walked at the back, wore a plain white dress. Her face was slightly pale, but her eyes flashed with a clear and imperceptible coldness. She had a high nose bridge, pale lips, and a straight posture, which reminded people of plum blossoms standing against the wind in the cold winter.
The master and his disciple were as dazzling as immortals in a painting, yet all eyes were fixed on Xie Wanning.
In the ten days since returning from the secret realm, rumors about Xie Wanning's experiences there have spread like wildfire.
Defeating the Crimson Flame Bird single-handedly and forming a contract with it is hard to believe that a fifth-tier spirit beast would agree to acknowledge a Qi Refining stage cultivator as its master; it's simply unbelievable!
Xie Wanning released a sixth-order silver python for the sake of the treasure, and even seriously injured her junior sister. She is truly a selfish and vicious person!
Xie Wanning successfully advanced from the Qi Refining stage to the Foundation Establishment stage, yet she attracted heavenly lightning? This has never happened before.
……
There are more and more rumors about Xie Wanning. The senior sister, who was already quite famous before, is now the focus of the disciples' conversations, but most of them are negative.
These rumors even reached other sects, attracting considerable attention. Many people were watching to see if they could add fuel to the fire for the Qingyun Sect in the truth of this secret realm trial.
"Greetings, Sect Leader." Respectful greetings echoed through the palace. Many disciples looked at Yan Ze with admiration. In this secret realm trial, Yan Ze had almost instantly killed a seventh-tier silver python, earning the genuine respect of many disciples. Was this the Sect Leader's true strength? He was truly powerful!
Meanwhile, some disciples cast disdainful glances at Xie Wanning, seeing such a black sheep as a disgrace to the sect leader.
Xie Wanning ignored these gazes. She understood that the main event was about to begin, and there was no need to care about trivial matters.
"Sect Leader, the peak masters and disciples of all the peaks have gathered here today to find the truth about what happened in the secret realm," said Wang Chengfeng, the peak master of the Weapon Peak, solemnly.
Wang Chengfeng was a rigid old man whose greatest concern in life was weapon crafting, and his second greatest concern was Wen Liao, who could inherit his skills. Old Wang was usually very stingy; other peak masters who wanted magic weapons had to exchange them for large amounts of spirit stones, and even then, it depended on Old Wang's mood. Even if the sect leader came, Old Wang wouldn't give him a friendly look.
This seemingly aloof old man was incredibly generous to his eldest disciple, Wen Liao, readily gifting him seventh and eighth-grade magic artifacts. Although Wen Liao's cultivation was relatively low, preventing him from using these high-level artifacts, Wang Chengfeng patiently explained the steps to use them, hoping his obedient disciple would never lack good artifacts in the future. Whenever he saw Wen Liao, Wang Chengfeng would greet him with a warm smile and affectionately pat his head. The other peak masters jokingly remarked that he treated Wen Liao like his own grandson, but Wang Chengfeng didn't get angry; instead, he would smile unexpectedly, his eyes filled with joy and pride. In his heart, Wen Liao was indeed his grandson.
On the day the secret realm's exit opened, upon learning that Wen Liao had been devoured by the silver python, Wang Chengfeng was so anxious he almost couldn't catch his breath. His face flushed, he was determined to go to the secret realm to rescue Wen Liao. However, he was told that the silver python had successfully undergone its tribulation after devouring Qingyun Sect disciples, and that Wen Liao, in an attempt to avenge his junior brothers and sisters, had been struck dead by the heavenly lightning during the python's tribulation. Wang Chengfeng ultimately succumbed to his shock and fainted. The first thing he did upon waking was rush to the main hall to seek the truth.
Yan Ze looked at Wang Fengzhu, whose face was pale and whose lips were cracked, sighed softly, and said to Ye Qianqian, "Qianqian, tell me what you saw."
All eyes were on Ye Qianqian, making her flinch slightly. Then, she steadied herself and said clearly, "I took Senior Brother Wen's treasure-hunting artifact to search for treasure and came to the forest in the eastern part of the secret realm. Second Senior Brother and the other senior brothers and sisters know about this."
Song Huai'an nodded slightly in agreement.
Ye Qianqian continued, "After I arrived in the forest, I found that the treasure-hunting artifact was pointing to a well. I jumped in and saw my senior sister inside. She was holding a storage bag and was about to put treasures in it. However, as soon as she saw me, she asked me if I was here to find treasures. I didn't answer at that time because I saw that my senior sister's eyes were very stern, as if she was angry."
"Junior Sister, you were the one who got into the well first, I got in later." Xie Wanning interrupted Ye Qianqian, she couldn't let Ye Qianqian talk nonsense.
"Ugh!" A silencing spell struck Xie Wanning's throat, rendering her unable to speak.
Xie Wanning's eyes widened as she stared incredulously at Yan Ze, whose face was as cold as ice. At the same time, an irresistible pressure appeared on her shoulders. With a thud, Xie Wanning knelt on the ground, her forehead covered in cold sweat from the pain.
She spat out a mouthful of blood. Xie Wanning's body had just recovered and was very weak. Now, she was under the pressure of Yan Ze's Nascent Soul stage cultivation and could not hold on any longer.
Xie Wan Ning's vision blurred. Looking at Yan Ze, she saw his cold, indifferent expression, his icy eyes sending chills down her spine. In a daze, Xie Wan Ning suddenly remembered that during her unconscious period, she had briefly regained consciousness and opened her eyes to see Yan Ze sitting by her bedside, his eyes filled with an unprecedented tenderness and worry, a faint smile on his lips, his whole being radiating warmth like sunshine. This was a Yan Ze that Xie Wan Ning had never seen in either her past or present life; therefore, although the image was only fleeting, it was deeply etched into her mind.
However, the seemingly cold and unapproachable master is now so real, and the physical pain tells Xie Wanning that Yan Ze has never changed.
He would ignore Xie Wanning when she was falsely accused, and even use intimidation to prevent her from defending herself.
Xie Wanning felt her vision getting blurrier and blurrier, and she was about to faint from the pain!