Chapter 38: Uniting to Revitalize the Cultivation World (38% complete)

Surprise and suspicion mingled as the onlookers stared at the two figures, one standing and one sitting, seemingly confronting each other yet not quite, unsure of whom to believe.

"How could the Palace Master of the Holy Prayer Palace lie?"

"The Palace Master has a disciple named Shen Qirui, who is highly regarded. He stayed in Yongzhou this time and did not come with us."

“I know that person; he’s from the Shen family in Dongyu City.”

"I was wondering how a little girl could possess such powerful techniques; it turns out she stole them from the Holy Prayer Palace!"

"Don't be so arbitrary. In all these years, no one from the Holy Prayer Palace has ever used the blood sacrifice technique."

"What, you still suspect that the Holy Prayer Palace, one of the three clans and nine sects, wants to covet a little girl's cultivation technique? What doesn't the dignified Palace Master of the Holy Prayer Palace have?"

The onlookers were abuzz with discussion. Some believed without a doubt that the dignified Palace Master of the Holy Prayer Palace would not lie, while others wondered why no Holy Prayer Palace disciple had ever used such a powerful technique.

The Palace Master of the Holy Prayer Palace heard the discussions and was secretly pleased.

This is exactly the effect he wanted.

Who would doubt that those of noble status who enjoy the best resources in the cultivation world would actually covet the cultivation techniques of a mere female cultivator? Moreover, he knew Shen Suqi's family background all too well. She had fled to escape an arranged marriage and become a rogue cultivator. She had somehow gotten a chance to interact with the Holy Prayer Palace. So, wouldn't he be the one to decide the truth?

It's like the heavens are helping him; this must be an opportunity that the heavens have specially sent to him!

The commotion caused by this blood sacrifice rune is too great. Who knows, some cultivator might open a recording stone to record it. Today, he will publicly inscribe the name of his Holy Prayer Palace on the rune!

Shen Suqi can use the runes on the last page of the cultivation technique, and it's possible that she has the complete technique in her possession. The cultivation technique of the Heavenly Evolution Ancestor can definitely help the Holy Prayer Palace rise to a higher ranking among the Three Clans and Nine Sects!

Thinking this way, the Palace Master of the Holy Prayer Palace was even more delighted, but his face showed an expression of anger at her lack of ambition. He swept his whisk and pretended to be compassionate: "This method is a sacred object that our palace has worshipped for generations. Only successive Palace Masters can learn it, and it is not used except in times of crisis. You little girl, I really made a mistake in taking you in back then. It is a misfortune for our sect!"

The accusations around them grew louder, and everyone looked at Shen Suxi with scrutiny.

Shen Suqi was at a critical moment of breakthrough and was unable to react to the outside world, but her breathing became obviously unstable after hearing the slander.

Helian Yi was well aware of the unspoken rule that breakthroughs after a match cannot be disturbed. He thought this was just an ordinary advancement, but unexpectedly, this happened. He met Shui Fan's gaze, who only showed his eyes, and saw the mockery in her eyes.

The silent mockery seemed to be asking: Do they even deserve a five-star talisman cultivation technique?

Teaming up inevitably requires showcasing one's own value. Shen Suqi didn't hide this matter and openly told them that she had drawn a five-star talisman cultivation technique created by the Heavenly Evolution Dao Ancestor from the advanced prize pool.

Who gave the Palace Master of the Holy Prayer Palace such audacity to claim the cultivation technique produced by the system?

Moreover, Shen Suqi herself stated that she became a rogue cultivator after leaving home, so when did she become a disciple?

Shui Fan, being a demon, already disliked contact with humans, and upon seeing this scene, her disdain deepened.

No wonder the elders say that there are many cunning and ignorant people among humans.

Without thinking twice, he was about to curse back on behalf of Shen Suxi, but Helian Yi stopped him.

“I’ll do it,” Helian Yi said, under his puzzled gaze.

Although humans and demons coexist peacefully now, some people still believe that those who are not of our kind must have different intentions, and that it might backfire if merfolk rashly speak on behalf of others.

Shui Fan belatedly realized this, pursed her lips, took a step back, and stood guard beside Shen Suqi with her arms crossed.

Whether as temporary partners, fellow mission takers, or bystanders who knew the truth, they could not stand by and watch Shen Suqi be taken away, nor did they want their companion to be unjustly stigmatized.

Helian Yi stepped forward, blocking Shen Suqi, who was sitting cross-legged and practicing her internal energy. His cold gaze met that of the Palace Master of the Holy Prayer Palace: "In order to conceal the cultivation method, the Palace Master slandered a junior with empty words. This reputation is not good."

The Palace Master of the Holy Prayer Palace smiled coldly and took out a tattered ancient book from his robes: "I know that words are meaningless, but fortunately I carry a secret technique with me, and this is the evidence. I ask you all to see for yourselves."

After saying that, he turned to the last page.

A quick scan with one's spiritual sense reveals the pulsating spiritual energy within the ancient book, confirming it as a work by a powerful being that has been passed down for many years.

The onlookers gasped in amazement and crowded forward to get a better look.

The yellowed pages were partially erased with spiritual power, blurring the runes, but the few remaining strokes could still be vaguely discerned to be consistent with those drawn by Shen Suqi.

Those watching naturally didn't know that this was all the contents of the tattered ancient book; they simply assumed that the Palace Master of the Holy Prayer Palace had erased most of it to protect the secret techniques from being learned by others.

Now their gaze towards the person in meditation was different.

It turns out that the "young hero's" kung fu was stolen.

The Palace Master of the Holy Prayer Palace smiled slightly: "This is a cultivation technique that the Heavenly Evolution Dao Ancestor bestowed upon my ancestor ten thousand years ago. Shen Suqi, where is your cultivation technique? Could you take it out and let everyone have a look? I'll wait for you to wake up and prove it to me personally."

"The cultivation technique of the Heavenly Evolution Ancestor! Then I believe it. How could an ordinary woman possess such a profound cultivation technique? It must have been stolen."

"I can't believe someone so young is like this."

Upon hearing that the cultivation technique originated from the Heavenly Dao Ancestor, the crowd whispered among themselves.

"The Palace Master is truly kind-hearted. If you ask me, such a disciple who betrays his master and ancestors should be executed on the spot."

"What's the point of arguing? She has the secret techniques of the Holy Prayer Palace, and she happens to come from the Shen family of Dongyu City. The Shen family also happens to have a deep connection with the Holy Prayer Palace. It's obvious where she got these techniques. Besides, the Palace Master of the Holy Prayer Palace has no reason to wrong her."

“She’s currently in the process of breaking through and can’t speak, so whatever you say goes.” Helian Yi sneered. “I bet even if the book you have is a fragment, it’s not complete, otherwise there would be no need for you to come and fight for it.”

"Young friend." The sect leader of the Xuantian Sword Sect led a group of powerful figures as he strode over. His face was kind and his eyes were full of compassion, but his tone was full of irresistible authority. "I know you don't want to believe that your friend is such a person, but it is the truth. Please step aside."

"I've heard that noble families can lack great virtues but not small manners. Seeing it today, I can see that's true. Poor Su Xi, he was labeled as someone who stole martial arts techniques without saying a word. It's like snow is falling in June!"

A slightly bulky body leaped onto the ring; it was Su Xiaoyao, dressed in thick clothing.

Her words were anything but polite, causing everyone's expression to change.

Xiao Tingyuan and Jiang Yun, who had just won the match, followed and stood guard beside Shen Suqi without any fear.

Su Xiaoyao grinned and said, "Besides, he's a rogue cultivator. When did he become your disciple, Palace Master of the Holy Prayer Palace?"

The Palace Master of the Holy Prayer Palace said, "You'll find out as soon as you ask around."

Su Xiaoyao pulled out a potion pot, stood there casually, and gestured towards Xiao Tingyuan with her lip: "Look, the man next to me is the eldest young master of the Xiao family in Dongyu City. He can testify that Shen Suqi has always been a rogue cultivator, but her brother is indeed your disciple. What, Shen Qirui is your disciple, so his whole family is under your name? And this eldest young master of the Xiao family is related to the Shen family by marriage. Shouldn't you give your disciple a grand gift when you meet him?"

She was blunt and her retort made the Palace Master of the Holy Prayer Palace look ugly.

"Palace Master." Xu Lingyou regained some strength, pushed away Wu Ji's support and walked over unsteadily. In stark contrast to his weak body, his eyes were resolute. "Perhaps this is a misunderstanding? The Heavenly Evolution Dao Ancestor may have left behind more than one cultivation technique. How can you directly accuse her of a crime?"

"Senior brother?"

The three people behind him were surprised; they were clearly his opponents.

Xu Lingyou gave his companion a reassuring look. He trusted his own eyes more than one side's story; Shen Suqi was not the kind of person who would steal cultivation techniques.

Moreover, these powerful beings are not as innocent as they appear; he has experienced this firsthand.

“Exactly, you have to give people a chance to explain themselves,” Wu Ji immediately agreed.

Huangfu Mian also stepped forward, raising his voice with a meaningful tone, "Don't you dare?"

She saw the elder of the Liuyun Sect behind the sect leader of the Xuantian Sword Sect and hated his hypocritical appearance. In her heart, she immediately labeled all the powerful figures who were on the same side as him as hypocrites.

Friends of friends are their friends. Dai Kui silently stood next to Xu Lingyou, silently protesting the actions of the Palace Master of Shengqi Palace and others.

The sect leader of the Xuantian Sword Sect was a little irritated.

If I had known I shouldn't have listened to the Palace Master of the Holy Prayer Palace, I should have just dealt with him behind his back. It's all that old man's fault for insisting on publicly incorporating the Blood Sacrifice Rune into the Holy Prayer Palace, making the situation so complicated.

If you kill someone and take the complete technique, who would dare to say anything even if you brazenly replicate it?

Now things have turned out badly; they're now in an awkward position, and forcibly taking people away is just too unseemly.

"My dear friends, please don't make trouble. I will take her away and investigate the matter thoroughly. If Ms. Shen is innocent, I will clear her name and compensate her with a high-grade spiritual artifact." He was used to wearing a mask and did not want to be caught red-handed over such a trivial matter.

Helian Yi laughed, his ordinary face becoming vivid because of a pair of incongruously beautiful eyes: "You were just saying that you were waiting for someone to produce evidence, and now you can't wait to take the person away to silence them? Oh no, before you destroy the evidence, you still have to search their souls to get the real cultivation technique."

"What a grand spectacle! So this is how the martial arts techniques of the various sects in Lingzhou are derived. As a native of Yingzhou, I've truly broadened my horizons." He clapped his hands with a smile, though the smile didn't reach his eyes.

"Young friend, your words are inappropriate," the Xuan Tian Sword Sect Master said coldly. "If you want to stall for time until she breaks through so you can take her away, then stop struggling. You can't escape. Even if you do manage to get out, the four continents will be after you. Where can you go?"

He presupposed that they would run away, as if they were necessarily guilty.

"You want me arrested? Do you even have the guts?"

Helian Yi suddenly burst out laughing, as if he had heard the biggest joke in the world.

The disdainful laughter made the powerful figures, who had never been publicly humiliated in thousands of years, suddenly turn cold.

The young man in front of them showed no fear whatsoever.

Helian Yi turned around and looked in Shen Suqi's direction without caring.

The chaotic spiritual energy around Shen Suqi gradually stabilized.

Her character is what it is; she would never allow her resolve to crumble because of such ridiculous slander.

Seeing that she quickly adjusted her mindset after a brief moment of anger, Helian Yi's eyes showed admiration.

He tossed a piece of holy-grade armor over there, his casual gesture leaving onlookers speechless.

Compared to consumable items like talismans and elixirs, magical artifacts are not easily destroyed, so he carries many treasures brought from his family.

His nonchalant attitude, coupled with the Xuan Tian Sword Sect Master's earlier statement that "if innocent, compensate with a high-grade spiritual weapon," was incredibly ironic.

His gaze lingered on Shen Suqi for a moment before quickly returning to his disdainful look towards the Xuantian Sword Sect Master.

He gently touched the turquoise ring on the middle finger of his left hand, and pinched it slightly between his two fingers.

A crisp sound, accompanied by a faint fluctuation of spiritual energy, rang out. The sound was not loud, but it clearly reached the ears of everyone present.

The shattered ring fell to the ground, and the young man revealed his true face beneath the disguise.

A gentle breeze ruffled the stray hairs at Helian Yi's temples, and his exquisitely handsome face was unforgettable to anyone who had seen it.

His shimmering eyes glanced lightly at the person opposite him, his tone laced with sarcasm.

"Anyone who takes Shen Suqi away today and forces a confession from her will be an enemy of me, Helian Yi."

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Author's Note: Mission takers: Internal strife is acceptable, but unity against a common enemy is essential.

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