Chapter 8 Second Senior Sister is back!

This wait lasted for a whole day.

In the afterglow of the setting sun, cracks finally appeared on Master Qingyu's aloof and indifferent face.

Most of the people in the ordination hall had left, but the discussions grew louder and louder.

"If Ye Li hasn't arrived by this hour, she probably won't be coming."

"Disrespecting teachers truly tarnishes the family's reputation!"

"Ye Li is indeed a scoundrel, but she is only twenty-five years old and has already reached the late stage of Nascent Soul cultivation. Even a genius like Qingyu Zhenren only formed his Nascent Soul at the age of one hundred. In this respect, Ye Li's potential is even greater than that of Qingyu Zhenren."

"Hey, do you think that Master Qingyu changed 'expelled from Lotus Sect' to 'expelled from the sect' because he was afraid Ye Liqing would surpass him, and did it on purpose?"

"presumptuous!"

A cold rebuke, the oppressive aura of a Nascent Soul cultivator, instantly restored silence to the hall.

Master Qingyu's face was as cold as ice, but inside he was burning with rage.

The dignified master was left hanging by his own disciple for an entire day. Since he joined the Tianmen Sect, he had never suffered such a humiliation!

He forced out the words through gritted teeth, "Ye Li is so disrespectful to her elders, I must cleanse this sect!"

Seeing that Qingyu Zhenren had murderous intent, the elder of Shuiyun Sect couldn't help but speak up for Ye Li.

"Master Qingyu, do you remember when Ye Li sent you a help talisman?"

Master Qingyu frowned. "So what?"

The elder of Shuiyun Sect resisted the urge to roll his eyes and patiently said, "Although Ye Li's cultivation is high, she is still a child after all. What if she falls into an ambush and can't get away? Wouldn't the Master be wronging her? Besides, Ye Li has grown up in Tianmen Sect since she was a child. She has always been respectful and doesn't seem like someone who disrespects her elders."

"..."

Looking at the Water Cloud Sect elder who had spoken up for her time and time again, Ye Li felt moved but also saddened.

Outsiders all know what kind of person she is, but no one in the Lotus Sect is willing to believe her.

Perhaps it was because of recent events that Qingyu Zhenren noticed something was amiss, for he unusually did not refute them.

Could it be that Ye Li is really in danger?

After a moment's thought, he said to Lu Ziting and the others who were standing behind him as protectors, "Ziting, you and your fourth junior brother take a few outer disciples to the Misty Camphor Forest. If you find Ye Li, bring her back to me immediately."

Upon hearing the order, Lu Ziting was somewhat impatient and immediately accepted the command, "Yes, Master!"

Ye Li was also greatly encouraged. As long as they found her body in the Mist Camphor Forest, her soul would not be scattered!

Just as Lu Ziting had finished selecting his men and was about to depart, a panicked voice entered from outside the Discipline Hall.

"Master! Something terrible has happened!"

Su Ying'er, clutching her bleeding shoulder, stumbled in, her pretty face streaked with tears. "Second Senior Sister is back! She's at Lotus Gate!"

Ye Li was stunned. She was right here. Had Su Ying'er encountered a ghost?

-

The group immediately rushed towards the Lotus Gate.

As a soul entity, Ye Li was one step ahead of everyone else.

She saw that her nameless cottage was in a mess, with obvious signs of a fight.

The ground was scorched earth, much like her Fire Lotus Technique.

What exactly happened?

Soon, everyone arrived together with Su Ying'er.

They also saw traces of the Fire Lotus Technique. Yuan Ce pointed to the ground and shouted, "Master, look! It really is Second Senior Sister!"

Yuan Ce dared not confront Ye Li head-on, so he shouted into the doorway, "Master is here! You old hag, why don't you surrender!"

Lu Ziting and Bai Xiaosheng went inside to search, but they couldn't find any trace of Ye Li anywhere.

Unable to find Ye Li, Lu Ziting felt an indescribable anxiety. "Junior Sister, didn't you say A-Li was back? Where is she?"

Su Ying'er sobbed, "Second Senior Sister did come back just now, and I even reminded her that Master was waiting for her, but she said, she said..."

She looked at Master Qingyu and said timidly, "Those words are too blasphemous, Ying'er dares not say them."

Master Qingyu: "Speak!"

"Second Senior Sister said that Master's cultivation level is only slightly higher than hers, and he is no longer worthy of being her master. It's a pipe dream to expect her to obediently accept the precepts."

"presumptuous!"

Master Qingyu flicked his wide sleeves, and the big tree at the entrance was snapped in half by the gale, clearly indicating that he was extremely angry.

Su Ying'er covered her arm and said aggrievedly, "Master, please calm down. Ying'er wanted to stop Second Senior Sister, but Ying'er was too useless. She couldn't hold Second Senior Sister back and was even injured."

Several of her fellow students noticed the injury on her shoulder and exclaimed in surprise.

Yuan Ce was filled with righteous indignation. "That old hag! How dare she hurt my junior sister! When she gets back, I'll stab her a thousand times over!"

Lu Ziting felt both heartache and disappointment. He had initially wondered if Ye Li was truly in danger because of those dreams, but he never expected that not only was she alright, she would also try to kill Ying'er.

Thinking that he had neglected Ying'er for Ye Li's sake these past few days, he felt sorry for Ying'er and hugged her to comfort her softly.

“This is not your fault. You are a mortal, yet you dare to confront a Nascent Soul cultivator. My master and I have both seen it.”

The other disciples who came along also said, "When Master Qingyu accepted Junior Sister Ying'er into the sect before, we had some objections. Now we know that Senior Sister Ying'er's love for her sect is truly touching."

"Yes, yes! She's much better than Ye Li, who only has cultivation but no substance."

"Disrespectful to their teachers and elders, and ruthlessly murdering their fellow disciples. We beg Master Qingyu to cleanse the sect and avenge Junior Sister Ying'er!"

"Avenge Junior Sister Ying'er!"

"..."

The crowd's condemnation grew louder and louder. Ye Li stared at Su Ying'er, who covered her face with her sleeve, but the smugness in her eyes was impossible to hide.

She's lying!

Ye Li pointed at Su Ying'er, "She's lying! She didn't even see me!"

Unfortunately, no one heard it.

Amidst the clamor of voices, only the elder of the Shuiyun Sect frowned. He looked at Su Ying'er and asked, "When Ye Li returned, did anyone else see her?"

Su Ying'er's gaze darted away for a moment, and she explained in a soft, tearful voice, "Everyone went to the Discipline Hall at the time, only Ying'er saw it."

The elder of Shuiyun Sect pressed further, "Then why didn't you go to the Discipline Hall?"

“I… Ying’er couldn’t bear to see Second Senior Sister being tortured, so I didn’t go.”

The elder of Shuiyun Sect bowed to Qingyu Zhenren and said, “Zhenren, I feel there are still some doubts about this matter. Perhaps we should investigate it carefully before making a decision.”

Su Ying'er cried, "Does the elder think I'm lying? It's all my fault for being useless and failing to keep Second Senior Sister here, I..."

Before she could finish her sentence, her delicate body swayed, clutching her injured shoulder and teetering on the verge of collapse.

"Ying'er!"

Lu Ziting hurriedly pulled the frail and helpless person into his arms and defended her, saying, "Elder, Ying'er is kind-hearted and would never lie. Besides, my fourth junior brother and I checked the room just now, and there were no magic artifacts, pills, or even cultivation manuals in Ye Li's room. It seems that she took advantage of everyone returning from the Discipline Hall to pack her luggage and was just caught by Junior Sister Ying'er."

With this excuse as evidence, Su Ying'er, who was lying weakly in Lu Ziting's arms, said, "Senior Brother is right. I did see with my own eyes that Second Senior Sister was leaving with something."

Bai Xiaosheng, who was checking Su Ying'er's injuries, paused, a look of suspicion on his face.

Wait a minute, didn't he take those things? Why did Junior Sister Ying'er say that Second Senior Sister took them?

He couldn't help but say, "Actually, those things..."

Ye Li's hope was rekindled. As long as he admitted it, Su Ying'er's lie would be exposed!