Just as the elders were so angry that they were too lazy to even utter a word, and some were even rolling up their sleeves to take action, a palm-sized talisman suddenly "whooshed" out of Shen Zhaozhao's arms.
The little one, with hands and feet, pounced with incredible speed towards Ji Lian, who was still brimming with righteous indignation and wearing a "I'm the only one who's sober in a world of drunks" expression, and then—
It swung its little arms, made of paper, and swung them left and right!
"Slap! Slap!"
Two crisp, loud, and unmistakable slaps landed squarely on Ji Lian's face!
The force was so great that it sent the person spinning halfway around on the spot, leaving two small handprints on their face instantly!
You talk too much!
You're the one who keeps bringing up my dark past and talking nonsense everywhere!
You deserve a beating!
On the other side.
Yun Wan'er was nodding slightly, a faint but unmistakable smile of satisfaction on her lips. Ji Lian's "righteous words" had hit her sweet spot.
Ha, so what if Senior Brother Qingxuan was popular in the past?
Faced with true "righteousness" and the majesty of the sect leader, there were naturally sensible disciples who stood up to support her as the "victim" and condemn those who "disregarded the law."
This feeling of being the center of attention and having everything revolve around her made her feel extremely happy, and even the slight displeasure caused by that idiot Gu Xuanchen dissipated considerably.
But this moment of comfort was ruined by the suddenly appearing, unsightly talisman.
Seeing Ji Lian being slapped in public, Yun Wan'er's smile vanished instantly, her brows furrowed, and she revealed an aloof and unapproachable expression. Her voice was cold and clear, carrying a solemnity of upholding the sect's rules.
"Senior Sister Zhao Zhao, the Sect Leader is here. How dare you use such an evil creature to so brazenly challenge the sect's authority?"
"Today, Wan'er will presume to overstep her bounds and clean up the sect on behalf of Master!"
Every word she uttered revolved around "sect," "laws," and "majesty," completely absolving herself of any personal motives, as if it were all for the sake of sect order, rather than for her own selfish desires.
After saying that, she flipped her wrist and a radiant spirit sword appeared in her hand.
In her view, Shen Zhaozhao had only just entered the Golden Core stage by chance, and the gap between her and herself, who was at the seventh level of Foundation Establishment, was not insurmountable.
Besides, how much power could something formed from a mere talisman possibly have?
Now that her master is right beside her, it is the perfect opportunity for her to demonstrate her strength and severely suppress Shen Zhaozhao's arrogance.
Yan Qiubai is no threat, and the man who makes her heart flutter has not shown up. If she doesn't smash Shen Zhaozhao's face now, when will she?
She wanted everyone to see clearly who would be at the top of Lingzhou's future!
Who is the one who should stand by that man's side and be carefully protected?
"Fight!"
Amidst the clashing sounds, the sword, imbued with Yun Wan'er's unwavering confidence and ruthlessness, cleaved straight towards the obstructing paper talisman!
However--
"Crack... Boom!"
The anticipated scene of the talisman being shattered by a single sword strike did not occur.
Her sword couldn't even touch the paper figure within three inches of its body before it crashed into an invisible, indestructible barrier. Then, the spirit sword bestowed by Master Lingxiao let out a mournful cry of unbearable strain and broke apart inch by inch, starting from the tip of the sword!
Yun Wan'er's expression suddenly changed to one of shock, and her pupils contracted sharply.
How... is this possible?!
Before she could react, the paper figure seemed to be angered by her offensive action, and casually flicked its paper arm—
An invisible palm wind, as powerful as a collapsing mountain, carrying a terrifying pressure that made one's soul tremble, struck down fiercely!
"Bang!"
Yun Wan'er didn't even have time to defend herself. She was thrown out like a kite with a broken string, her back slamming heavily against the cold, damp stone wall of the water prison. The shock made her feel as if her internal organs had shifted. She felt a sweet taste in her throat and spat out a mouthful of blood!
She collapsed to the ground, feeling as if all the bones in her body had fallen apart. A sharp, needle-like pain shot through her heart, and her spiritual energy was so chaotic that it was almost impossible to gather.
What... what kind of monster talisman is this?!
What made Yun Wan'er feel even more like she had fallen into an ice cave was that Ling Xiao Zhenren beside her had just watched all of this happen in a daze from beginning to end, without even uttering a reprimand or making a single move to stop it!
Intense pain and unprecedented fear intertwined.
In all her life, Yun Wan'er had never suffered such real physical torment.
In the past, no matter what she did, there was always her master or Gu Xuanchen standing in front of her. There was always someone to shield her from all the storms and someone to clean up all the messes for her.
She really couldn't understand how she had ended up in such a state when she had only wanted to take advantage of the situation to establish her authority and suppress Shen Zhaozhao's arrogance.
How could they have endured such unprecedented grievances and excruciating pain?
Thinking of this, the stark contrast and real pain made her unable to hold back any longer. Tears fell like beads from a broken string, not because of pretense, but because of a breakdown mixed with pain and immense incomprehension.
She raised her tearful eyes to look at the motionless Lingxiao Zhenren, her voice trembling with sobs. She could no longer maintain her usual pitiful, delicate demeanor; only utter grievance and disbelief remained: "Master...?"
However, at this moment, Lingxiao Zhenren seemed completely oblivious to Yun Wan'er's tearful cries.
In his world, it seemed that only that palm-sized paper talisman figure floated in mid-air.
From the moment this little figure appeared, swatting Ji Lian away, to easily shattering Yun Wan'er's spirit sword and severely injuring her... this series of actions was as fast as lightning, yet like heavy hammer blows, slamming into Lingxiao Zhenren's mind.
It wasn't because of the terrifying power that the talisman displayed, which far exceeded his understanding.
Rather, it was because... that talisman exuded an aura that he was so familiar with that it was etched into his very bones, yet it felt so distant that it seemed like a lifetime ago.
But...why?
How could Master's soul imprint appear here?
Did he do something wrong?
However, he was simply following the prophecy left by his master before his death, believing that as long as he followed the direction his master pointed out, he could find the destined person and devote all his resources to nurturing her.
At that time, the Tianyan Sect will usher in a bright future, and he will be able to unload his burdens, single-mindedly pursue the Great Dao, and eventually ascend to immortality.
He didn't understand the principles of sectarian balance, nor did he understand the intricacies of human relationships.
In his view, everything in the world is simply a matter of strength and weakness, right and wrong.
The master's words are the strongest principle, and he only needs to strictly follow them.
But why... did things turn out this way?
Lingxiao Zhenren looked at the paper talisman figure, his eyes no longer displaying their usual cold and stern demeanor. He subconsciously took a step forward, as if trying to get closer to that familiar aura and seek guidance.
Under the astonished gazes of everyone, the sect leader of the Tianyan Sect, a powerful figure in the Nascent Soul stage, actually lifted his robe and knelt down in front of the tiny figure with a "plop".
He raised his head, his voice deep and trembling almost imperceptibly, and uttered two earth-shattering words: "Master..."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
