Outside the door, a gentle breeze blew, causing the bamboo leaves to rustle. The old master's steady and slightly majestic voice penetrated the night and came slowly: "Lin Zhi, the master has something important to discuss with you in detail." After that, the air seemed to be frozen with a hint of expectation and urgency.
Inside the room, the flickering candlelight illuminated Song Jiao's playful face. She tilted her head, a playful glint in her eyes, and a teasing smile played at the corner of her mouth. She whispered, "Master, the Sect Master has summoned you. Are you not going to respond? Or are you so engrossed in your cultivation that you can't even hear the outside world?"
Although her voice was soft, it contained a hint of teasing and provocation.
Lin Zhi's heart was in a mess at this moment, with unspeakable anxiety between his brows.
His cultivation had quietly slipped to the Foundation Establishment Stage without him knowing when, which filled him with unprecedented panic.
He tried to concentrate again, trying to recover the lost strength, but it seemed that there was an invisible force hindering him, making it difficult for him to extricate himself.
"Why is this happening? What exactly caused this decline in cultivation?" He muttered to himself, a hint of determination and unwillingness flashing in his eyes.
Just as Lin Zhi was deeply trapped in his own struggle, the patience of the old master outside the sect was gradually wearing out.
His face was as gloomy as water, his eyes were as sharp as torches. With a wave of his hand, the door opened and a cool breeze rushed in, raising the dust in the room.
The headmaster's gaze instantly locked onto Lin Zhi, who was concentrating with his eyes closed, trying to stabilize his cultivation, and Liu Yaoyao, who was also immersed in cultivation.
When his eyes caught sight of Lin Zhi's cultivation level, which had already dropped to the foundation-building stage, his pupils shrank and he exclaimed in shock, "This...what's going on?"
Lin Zhi was awakened by the sudden shouting. The surging breath in his body instantly went out of control, and a countercurrent hit his meridians. He felt a tightness in his chest, and a mouthful of blood gushed out uncontrollably. He seemed to have lost all his strength and fell to the ground dejectedly.
Just before he lost consciousness, his gaze involuntarily turned to the place where Song Jiao had stood before, but there was no one there. He couldn't help but feel a sense of inexplicable loss and confusion in his heart.
...When did she leave? Why didn't even the Sect Leader notice?
Lin Zhi was full of confusion. He tried hard to stay awake, but the world in front of him became more and more blurred, and finally fell into darkness.
The leader exhausted all his efforts, went through numerous hardships and dangers, and finally pulled Lin Zhi back from the brink of life and death.
However, when he saw the cultivation that had once shone brightly but was now dull and dim, he couldn't help but feel an indescribable sorrow and anger in his heart.
Lin Zhi, the young talent who was once regarded as the sect's future hope and the one most likely to take over the important task, now only has the weak cultivation level of the Foundation Establishment Stage, as if the brightest star in the night sky has suddenly lost its brilliance.
"This...what kind of evil creature could have done this?" The old master's voice was filled with uncontrollable trembling and anger, and his eyes were like torches, as if he wanted to set the whole room on fire.
He approached Lin Zhi step by step, his eyes full of confusion and pain, "Why are you silent? Is there something you can't say?"
Lin Zhi lowered his head, his long hair covering half of his face, revealing only the corners of his tightly pursed lips and a lingering sadness.
He was silent, as if every word he said was too heavy to speak.
Seeing this, the old master became even angrier and slammed the table so hard that the furnishings in the room rustled.
"Do you think silence can cover up everything?" He shouted angrily, then waved his hand, and powerful spiritual power surged, knocking Liu Yaoyao, who was standing beside him, to the ground.
Liu Yaoyao screamed and fell to the ground, with a hint of fear and innocence in her eyes.
"Tell me! Was it you, a witch, who secretly interfered and harmed Lin Zhi?" The old leader's tone was full of questioning and threats, and his eyes were like knives, piercing Liu Yaoyao's heart.
Liu Yaoyao waved her hands quickly, tears glistening in her eyes, her voice trembling slightly, "It wasn't me, it really wasn't me, Master! How could I have harmed Master Lin Zhi? My cultivation...my cultivation also increased inexplicably, I have no idea why!"
If it weren't for Lin Zhi's cultivation that offset the system's punishment, she would probably still be in a coma now.
Upon hearing this, the old leader frowned and his eyes became even colder.
"It's not you? Then explain clearly why your cultivation suddenly soared to the Spirit Transformation Stage? There is no other explanation for this phenomenon except that the evil cultivator absorbed the cultivation of others!" His voice was low and powerful, as if every word contained a thousand pounds of force.
The atmosphere in the room froze instantly, and the tension was suffocating.
Lin Zhi remained silent, but his clenched fists trembled slightly, revealing his inner struggle and pain.
Seeing this, the old master was filled with grief and shouted angrily, "Lin Zhi, if you don't speak up, I will personally put an end to this evil creature! I can't let the future of our sect be ruined by an unknown witch!"
After saying this, he raised his hand and prepared to move, and spiritual power began to gather at his fingertips, forming a dazzling sword light.
Seeing this, Liu Yaoyao turned pale with fright and trembled all over, while a complex emotion flashed in Lin Zhi's eyes, as if he was weighing some important decision.
At this critical moment, Lin Zhi finally spoke. Although his voice was soft, it was clearly audible: "Master, wait a minute. This matter... has nothing to do with Yaoyao. It was my own choice."
As the heavy wooden door slowly opened, Youxun and Song Jiao walked into the house.
The sunlight shines through the crack in the door and falls on them, adding a bit of vitality to this quaint room.
Youxun's gaze first swept over Lin Zhi, a look that held both sympathy and determination. Finally, her gaze settled on Liu Yaoyao, her tone undeniably firm: "Master, I have always believed that evil cultivators who absorb the cultivation of others should never be allowed to remain within our sect!"
The old leader frowned slightly, his eyes wandering between Youxun and Liu Yaoyao, as if he was weighing something.
Seeing this, Youxun continued, a barely perceptible chill in her tone, "Master, you know I've now entered the Tribulation Crossing Stage. While my cultivation is high, I also face unprecedented risks. If one day, I were to be harmed by these evil cultivators and my cultivation were to be absorbed, how would our sect cope? How would you explain this to all the disciples?"
Her words were filled with worry about the future and concern for the sect's safety, making the atmosphere in the entire room solemn.
When the old leader heard this, a complex emotion flashed in his eyes. He knew very well that what Youxun said was true, but facing Liu Yaoyao, he was a little hesitant.
At this moment, Youxun spoke again, her tone even more resolute: "Also, Master, you may not know yet, my apprentice Song Yi, she is only a few years old, but she has already broken through the Mahayana stage. The speed of her cultivation progress is so fast that even I am shocked."
"If our sect tolerates the existence of such evil cultivators, then for the safety and future of our disciples, I will have no choice but to take those disciples who yearn to cultivate and pursue the righteous path, as well as Song Yi, and leave this sect that once gave us shelter."
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