Chapter 2: Did Senior Sister really die?

The junior students seemed to have heard some incredibly good news.

Yuan Ce clapped his hands and cheered, "Great! Finally, I don't have to be forced to practice swordsmanship by that old hag anymore! Just because Junior Sister pleaded for me, she held a grudge and said that cultivation requires diligence. I think she's just jealous that everyone likes Junior Sister!"

Ye Li found it laughable. She pointed at Yuan Ce and said, "Do you think I want to force you to practice swordsmanship? You are born rebellious. If you don't establish your foundation before the age of eighteen, you will become a cripple and have no chance of cultivation. Now you are over seventeen. How much time do you have left to waste?"

But Yuan Ce couldn't hear these words; he was only immersed in the joy of getting rid of Ye Li.

She even pulled Mo Hannian aside and said, "Fifth Senior Brother, you don't need to drink those bitter medicines anymore!"

Mo Hannian and Su Ying'er exchanged a smile, and Su Ying'er bowed gracefully, "Congratulations, Fifth Senior Brother, you no longer have to suffer."

suffering?

Upon hearing these absurd remarks, Ye Li almost collapsed.

Six months ago, she tested the poison on herself and found a rare poison called "Heartbreak Grass". If she took it for 49 consecutive days, it could cure the Gu poison in his body.

She tested the medicine on herself and, finding it effective, treasured it so much that she brewed it for Mo Hannian to take every day.

However, on the forty-ninth day, Su Ying'er secretly poured out the last bowl of medicine, citing Mo Hannian's birthday as an excuse that he couldn't endure hardship, causing her to fail at the last minute.

Upon learning this, she punished Su Ying'er by sending her to the back mountain to reflect on her actions. However, Mo Hannian stood in front of Su Ying'er, his brows furrowed and his expression dark. "I made Ying'er pour that medicine. All the joy I've experienced in my life has come from Ying'er. If you have any punishment to give, take it out on me."

She assumed it was due to his long-term illness and volatile personality, and couldn't bear to tell him the truth, still thinking of finding someone else.

Although her junior brothers are unruly, they will eventually understand her good intentions.

I never imagined they would despise her so much!

She devoted herself wholeheartedly to her sect, yet this is how she ended up!

Ye Li was in great turmoil, her remnant soul was in turmoil, and there were faint signs that her soul would be scattered.

No!

Her physical body has not yet been found, and she still has a chance of survival. She must not destroy herself for the sake of these people.

She silently recited the Heart-Cleansing Mantra several times to stabilize her soul.

No one from the Lotus Sect spoke up for Ye Li. Instead, the Water Cloud Sect elder below Qingyu Zhenren couldn't stand it anymore. "Qingyu Zhenren, Ye Li hasn't done anything seriously wrong. She hasn't returned yet. What if she really encountered danger? Wouldn't you be missing out on your beloved disciple?"

Master Qingyu said calmly, "Even disciples in the Qi Refining stage are not in danger at the trial grounds of the Misty Camphor Forest. If she really dies, it is because the Immortal Path is unwilling to keep such an arrogant person who does not love his fellow disciples in the world. It is all her own fault, and there is no need to mention it again."

"As an elder of the Shuiyun Sect, you should understand even more what it means to follow the way of Heaven."

The elder of Shuiyun Sect choked up. Was this even human language?

He was about to say something more when the sky suddenly turned dark and a strong wind arose, instantly overturning the altar.

The massive, dark object circled in the sky a few times before swooping down toward the main hall.

The sharp beak lunged straight at Su Ying'er, startling her so much that her face paled. "Master, save me!"

"presumptuous."

With a flick of his sleeve, Master Qingyu sent a golden light directly striking the giant creature. It fell onto the altar, unable to move under the pressure of the Nascent Soul stage, and its cries grew increasingly shrill.

Ye Li's eyes widened: Big Black!

Big Black is her pet beast, which is extremely rare in the cultivation world. Pet beasts are nothing more than magical beasts and monsters. Magical beasts are highly aggressive and mostly unintelligent, making them unsuitable as pet beasts.

The demon race prides itself on its nobility and would never be enslaved.

Big Black was hatched from an egg she accidentally picked up during her trial. It was a hybrid of the demon and monster races, so it possessed both the stupidity of the demon race and the arrogance of the monster race, causing trouble for Ye Li every day.

But it was precisely when she was attacked that, knowing it was no match, it still charged at its opponent like a madman. Even when its bones were broken and its tendons were severed, it refused to give up.

Knowing her time was near, she desperately flung it thousands of feet away, saving its life.

Master Qingyu had always disliked Dahei, and he was already displeased because Ye Li had not returned for a long time. Now, looking at the altar that had been made a mess by the beast, he said coldly, "You beast, you're asking for death."

The oppressive force grew heavier and heavier, until Big Black could no longer even cry out, and it cried blood, on the verge of death.

Ye Li rushed forward to stop them, but her body passed right through them again and again.

Seeing that Dahei was about to die, her eyes were bloodshot with rage.

No!

"Master, look!"

The fourth junior brother pointed at Big Black's paws and asked, "It looks like Big Black is holding something in its paws?"

It was a piece of blood-stained fabric, so stained that the pattern was no longer visible.

Ye Li looked down and, sure enough, the hem of her Taoist robe was missing.

She was wrong; Big Black is still intelligent!

With this, they knew she had perished, and her body could be saved!

Master Qingyu withdrew his oppressive aura, raised his hand, and the fabric fell into his grasp. Seeing the character "Li" embroidered on the edge of the fabric, he frowned. "It's A-Li's Daoist robe."

As soon as she finished speaking, all the fellow disciples were stunned. Could it be that their second senior sister had really perished?

Lu Ziting spoke sharply, "You beast, where is Ah Li now!"

"say!"

The fourth junior brother awkwardly reminded him, "Senior brother, Big Black can't talk."

Lu Ziting froze. He was clearly so concerned that he forgot that this beast was not human.

He bowed to the high platform, "Master, my second junior sister is in trouble, I request permission to rescue her!"

Just as he was about to go look for the person, Su Ying'er tugged at his sleeve. "Senior Brother, don't rush. Ying'er thinks there's something fishy about this."

"What's the meaning?"

"Not to mention that this Mist Camphor Forest is located within the territory of the Heavenly Gate Sect, where no one dares to act recklessly, even if there were one or two demonic beasts that had escaped the net, with Second Senior Sister's Nascent Soul cultivation, she shouldn't be injured like this."

Ye Li is not only in the Nascent Soul stage, but also has dual earth and fire spiritual roots. Her cultivation is excellent, and she is not at a disadvantage even when she encounters other cultivators in the same Nascent Soul stage. How could she suffer such severe injuries and be powerless to fight back?

Lu Ziting calmed down. "You mean to say that she tore the clothes on purpose?"

"Ying'er didn't mean to speculate about her senior sister. Ying'er just felt that it was really strange that her second senior sister first sent out help talismans to everyone, and then, after hearing that the master wanted to expel her from the sect, she sent Dahei to deliver this blood-stained hem of clothing."

"What's so strange about it!" Yuan Ce said disdainfully. "Isn't it just that the help-seeking talisman didn't work and angered Master, so he started using his ultimate move again, pretending to be injured?"

Su Ying'er looked surprised. "Although Second Senior Sister doesn't like me and has been preventing me from joining the Lotus Sect, she wouldn't do something like this, would she? Isn't she treating Master and all the senior brothers like fools?"

After saying that, she covered her mouth, looking guilty, "I'm sorry, Ying'er misspoke."

Su Ying'er quickly accused herself of orchestrating the whole thing with just a few words, and Ye Li belatedly realized that Su Ying'er was not as innocent as she seemed.

She had previously prevented Su Ying'er from entering the Lotus Sect because Su Ying'er frequently disrupted the rules she had established.

She would either secretly keep watch for Yuan Ce while he practiced swordsmanship so he could rest, or she would help Mo Hannian throw away the antidote soup she had brewed for him, or she would pick medicinal herbs from her garden with her fourth junior brother, saying she wanted to weave them into a wreath to give to their master.

Every time she was punished by her, Su Ying'er would stubbornly say, "Senior sister, I really feel sorry for the senior brothers. They are all such outstanding people. Why can't you treat them better?"

Over time, whenever she punished Su Ying'er, several of her junior brothers would plead for her, and some of them had even been punished along with Su Ying'er, so their resentment towards her grew stronger.

“Junior Sister Ying’er is right! If Senior Sister insists on targeting Ying’er, then let me suffer in her place!”

"Junior Sister Ying'er is just concerned about us. If this is wrong, then let us stand up for Junior Sister Ying'er!"

Lu Ziting initially sided with her, scolding his junior brothers for being more diligent.

But before he knew it, Su Ying'er's name started appearing more and more often in his mouth.

"Ying'er is frail, but she still lives like a little sun, which is truly remarkable."

"Although Ying'er is slightly less talented, she is kind-hearted and innocent. Why make things difficult for her?"

She, who sacrificed everything for her sect, became the villain, while Su Ying'er became their most precious treasure.

...

Ye Li no longer harbors any hope for her master or fellow disciples. She only hopes that they still have a shred of clarity and will realize that the hem of her garment was left behind during her time of crisis, so that they will go to the Misty Camphor Forest to take a look.