Chapter 123 You said you'd protect me for life...

When Zeng Shuqing flew backward, she also knocked several people down, leaving them unable to get up.

"Sect Leader Zeng has gone mad!"

It's unclear who shouted that first, but instantly everyone around scattered and retreated several meters, clearing a large open space for Zeng Shujin, as if they were afraid that if Zeng Shujin went crazy again, they would be the ones to suffer.

Li Chen instinctively tried to run towards Zeng Shuqing, but Shen Zhengyuan grabbed his arm.

She glanced back at Shen Zhengyuan, then at Zeng Shuqing lying on the ground, her face contorted in pain, but ultimately did not approach her.

Just as no one dared to utter a sound, Zeng Shujin, who had suddenly attacked and injured someone earlier, suddenly pointed in Zeng Shuqing's direction and said, "She is a demon!"

"..."

After a long silence, a voice suddenly trembled as someone spoke: "Sect Leader Zeng, have you gone mad with your cultivation? That's the Sword-Wielding Fairy, your own sister, Elder Shuqing of the Wanshan Sect!"

Someone else exclaimed in alarm, "This is terrible! Sect Leader Zeng must have been poisoned by that demonic poison! Look at all the wounds on his body, the poison must have entered his brain!!"

"Could it be that Sect Leader Zeng is actually a demon? He used to say that the Sword God had fallen, but the Sword God is right here; now he says that Elder Shuqing is a demon, but Elder Shuqing has been injured by him..."

"Zeng Shujin is untrustworthy. This boy is a liar. Not long after becoming the sect leader, he managed to split the sword cultivator world into two realms. If things continue like this, how can the sword cultivator world possibly survive? I think he is the one who is behind the demon race!"

"Isn't the Sword God right here? Instead of believing Zeng Shujin, we should believe the Sword God!"

"Yes! The Sword God is right here, we will only listen to the Sword God!"

After a flurry of discussion, the group finally turned to Li Chenjin, cupped their hands in greeting, and said in unison, "Please, Sword God, take back control of the sword cultivation world and cleanse it of its corruption!"

Li Chen looked at the person in front of him and smiled helplessly. Then he turned his head and whispered in Shen Zhengyuan's ear, "Do you see those elderly elders of the sword cultivator world? They used to say the same thing to my master when I did something wrong."

Shen Zhengyuan lifted his eyelids, glanced in the direction Li Chenjin had indicated, and then hummed in acknowledgment, indicating that he already knew.

Seeing that Han Shannan was indifferent, Li Chen figured he wasn't very interested, so he pursed his lips, turned to look at Han Shannan who was still in a daze, and waved in his direction.

Han Shannan had been staring at her in a daze, but when he saw her waving at him, his wounds stopped hurting and he felt less tired. He quickly ran towards her.

Han Shannan ran up to her in one breath, but dared not get too close. After stopping two or three steps away from her, he even pinched the hem of his clothes, looking extremely nervous and shy.

He had dared to scrutinize her from a distance, but now that he was closer, he dared not look up at her. He simply lowered his head and whispered, "Master...Master..."

He's really different from the usual Han Shannan; he looks more polite, but also more foolish.

Li Chen took two steps forward and put his arm around his shoulder.

When she felt his body tense up instantly, she immediately exerted force and flipped Han Shannan over so that he was facing the people in front of him.

After he turned around, Li Chenjin stood behind him, patted him on the shoulder in front of the crowd a little distance away, and said, "Everyone, this is my disciple. Since you don't know who to believe, why not let him decide?"

Everyone: "..."

Everyone: "...?"

Regardless of why this kid from the demon realm became the Sword God's apprentice, is it really appropriate to entrust this matter to a novice demon?

Even though the relationship between the cultivation world and the demon world is currently acceptable, it's far from good enough that people from the demon world can handle matters of the cultivation world!

Everyone present disagreed with Li Chenjin's actions, but no one dared to protest directly. They just looked at each other, their faces showing disappointment and indescribable complex emotions.

It must be because she was reminded of the Sword God's past handling of affairs in the cultivation world, and felt that she was ultimately not up to the task.

Although no one spoke, Zeng Shuqing, who had been lying on the ground, had recovered somewhat.

She struggled to roll over on the ground, changing from lying on her back to lying face down.

She didn't look at anyone else; her eyes were fixed solely on the direction of the Sword God, and she called out in a hoarse voice, "Xiang... Xiang Huan..."

After vomiting blood, she struggled to reach out and crawl forward a short distance, slowly leaving a trail of blood on the ground.

She seemed to want to crawl to the Sword God, but because she was so badly injured, she would cough up blood with every movement. She didn't crawl for long before she was completely exhausted.

She looked in the direction of the Sword God, tears streaming down her face.

The tears that slid down her face mingled with the blood on her face, making it seem as if she was shedding tears of blood. Coupled with her intermittent sobs, it was enough to make anyone around her feel heartbroken just by looking at or listening to her.

"Xianghuan... Xianghuan... I'm not... I really'm not, cough cough cough..."

Her injuries were so severe that blood flowed from her mouth with every gulp, making her voice slurred and indistinct. "I am Shuqing... cough cough... Xianghuan... I am Shuqing... have you forgotten? You and I used to be so good... I... I am not a demon..."

"Xianghuan... I am Shuqing... I am not a demon... I really... really don't know why my brother... said that about me... but I am not... I am not... I really am not..."

Those around her, listening to her words, all showed expressions of pity.

Finally, someone couldn't help but speak up: "How could Elder Shuqing be a demon? Sect Leader Zeng and Elder Shuqing were once very close, and the Sword God was also on good terms with Elder Shuqing before his fall. If it were the former Sect Leader Zeng and the Sword God, how could they have injured Elder Shuqing so badly? And how could they have shown no concern for Elder Shuqing at all?!"

Once one person spoke up, the others immediately poured out all the words they had been holding back. "That's right! I often come to the sword cultivation world, and Elder Shuqing's personality has never changed; she's always been gentle and kind. On the contrary, Sect Leader Zeng and the Sword God have both changed from what they used to be. Perhaps they are the demons who have transformed!"

"Zeng Shujin previously claimed that the Sword God had fallen, then dismissed most of the Wanshan Sect disciples, and now he claims that Elder Shuqing is a demon, and suddenly attacked and injured him. Everyone, think about it carefully, doesn't Zeng's behavior seem like he's eliminating dissidents? Perhaps Zeng Shujin is a demon, or perhaps he has already been controlled and replaced by demons!"

"Is this Sword God real or fake? Why did he not show himself for so many years, but suddenly appear today?"

"I remember that before the Sword Goddess fell, she always disliked the demon race. If it weren't for the Zen cultivation world protecting the demon realm, those demons would have been wiped out by the Sword Goddess long ago. If she were truly the Sword Goddess, why would she take a young master of the demon realm as her disciple? I think she's clearly a fake!"

Seeing the increasingly strange and suspicious looks people were giving Zeng Shujin and Li Chenjin, Shen Zhengyuan, who had been silent for a long time, suddenly spoke up: "Whether they are demons or not, we'll know by trying the Heavenly Thunder Formation."

No sooner had Shen Zhengyuan finished speaking than someone immediately said, "Once the Heavenly Thunder Formation is activated, it will attract heavenly lightning. Anyone within the formation, regardless of whether they are demons or not, will be severely injured. Moreover, Elder Shuqing is already severely injured. If the Heavenly Thunder Formation is used on her, wouldn't that be the death of Elder Shuqing?!"

Upon hearing this, Li Chen immediately turned to look at Shen Zhengyuan.

Shen Zhengyuan has always been the type of person who doesn't like to explain things to outsiders, and when that person questioned him just now, he didn't bother to respond.

But now that Li Chenjin was looking at him, it meant he cared, so he could only explain, "If she dies, then I will kneel and kowtow to her three times and then find her a better body."

"While resurrection through possession is difficult, it's not impossible. In any case, her current body is inherently weak and has poor constitution. Wouldn't it be better for her to have a better body?"

No sooner had Shen Zhengyuan finished speaking than another person said, "When lightning strikes, the pain is excruciating. Sect Leader Shen's actions are hardly an attempt to clear someone's name; he's probably trying to extract a confession through torture!"

"This Sword God doesn't seem real, but Sect Leader Shen seems to have such a close relationship with her. If this person wasn't arranged by Sect Leader Shen, then Sect Leader Shen must have some shady dealings with that demon statue. Otherwise, why would they all be targeting Elder Shuqing like this?"

"I believe Elder Shuqing is definitely innocent! They are the demons!"

"I am an inner disciple of the Wanshan Sect, and Elder Shuqing has helped me a great deal. So no matter what they say, I absolutely do not believe that Elder Shuqing is a demon. Today, I will swear to protect Elder Shuqing with my life!"

"That's right, we swear to protect Elder Shuqing with our lives!"

"They must be the demons. Their actions are aimed at completely splitting the sword cultivator world. We must not let their evil scheme succeed!!"

………………

Hearing the chatter, Shen Zhengyuan's expression remained unchanged, and he paid no attention to their attempts to stop him.

With just a slight movement of his hand, a magic array suddenly unfolded beneath Zeng Shuqing.

The moment the magic circle was formed, those who had just vowed to protect Zeng Shuqing and believed in her innocence, and who had voluntarily formed a circle to surround her, scattered and fled like frightened birds and beasts.

Forget about "swearing to protect them to the death," when they saw real danger, those who screamed the loudest all ran a mile away. They were all more afraid of their lives than the last. Shen Zhengyuan couldn't help but sneer, a mocking smile curving his lips.

Zeng Shuqing was still lying on the ground, seemingly oblivious to the magic array beneath her. Her eyes were fixed intently on Li Chenjin's direction, muttering, "Xiang... Xiang Huan..."

"I am Shuqing...I am Shuqing..."

"Xianghuan...it's me, Shuqing...didn't you say...you would protect me for life? You promised me...no matter what...you would always believe in me...I'm Shuqing, Xianghuan...Xianghuan..."

Author's Note: I'll try my best to update daily this month. I'm currently in labor arbitration proceedings...

My heart ached even more. When I went to the labor arbitration office, it was packed with people. Are there so many companies not paying their employees these days? The pain was unbearable.