Chapter 124 124 "Oh my God! This really is my sister...
Why was it made public so suddenly?
No, how can they be called Dao couples? They haven't even gotten married yet... no, they haven't even formed a covenant yet!
Su Xiaoyuan's head seemed to be surrounded by a swarm of bees, buzzing, and she couldn't imagine how others would react.
It was only at this moment that Lin Wan turned her gaze to the woman sitting on the same couch with Ling Yuexianzun. She saw that she had her eyes downcast, her face red all the way to her neck, and she was pretending to be uneasy.
Are you actually very proud of yourself?
She comes from a wealthy family and has seen too many women like this.
Without any cultivation or ability, they rely on their looks to cling to powerful men, just like vines wrapped around giant trees. They look weak, but in fact, the habit of retreating to advance and greedily grabbing benefits is engraved in their despicable bones.
There were many such women around his father and uncles.
But how come even he is not immune to this... He is supposed to be independent and detached from the world, so how could he be mesmerized by beauty like those ordinary men?
If his Taoist partner was a woman worthy of him, she would naturally have nothing to say, but she happened to be the most despicable woman!
How could he!
What kind of evil poison is this? Can it really make people obsessed and lose their minds?
Lin Wan's hatred gathered again, like scattered flies gathering again, dark and overwhelming, circling in her heart.
She looked at the other people in the hall again. Except for Shen Qingluan and the two disciples who were kept in the dark like her, the others had obviously known about it for a long time.
This included her master.
He had known about it for a long time, but he had never told her a word.
What a Ci'en Daojun! He is truly "Ci'en" and sanctimonious! Even now he is still pretending to be so sincere and showing such a heartbroken expression. Who is he showing this to?
She gritted her teeth in hatred and her body trembled.
No, I can't let hatred overwhelm me. The most urgent thing is to calm down and gather my spirit to deal with this trial.
She only gave Zhao Qingluan some guidance and did not participate in the matter. She was completely unaware of Zhao Qingluan's plan. He was also very considerate and rarely visited her in the past month.
They had no solid evidence and could not convict her unless they searched her soul.
However, the soul-searching technique is extremely damaging to the soul, and is only used on criminals who have been convicted but have concealed some truths.
She is the eldest daughter of the Lin family and the most outstanding descendant of this generation. Although according to the rules of the Lin family, women cannot inherit the family business, she can also be a great help to the next head of the family.
Even Tai Yan cannot cover up the truth with one hand. If someone is falsely accused and charged without any reason, it will affect the reputation of the Lin family, and the head of the family will definitely come forward to denounce it. Even if the Immortal Master Ling Yue was drugged by the Hehuan woman, the sect leader will not be able to act without scruples.
As long as Zhao Qingluan takes the initiative to distance herself from the matter, she will be safe.
As for how to make someone like Zhao Qingluan willingly take all the blame, she knew it very well.
It's a pity that this loyal dog had to die.
Her mind raced, and she quickly figured out how to respond when she was interrogated, and she suddenly felt confident.
At this moment, Master Wei Xuan of Feiquan Peak suddenly spoke up: "This case involves a respected elder. It is of a serious nature and of great importance. I propose that the trial process be made public to all disciples of the sect as a warning to others."
It's really like someone brings a pillow when you're dozing off. Lin Wan smiled secretly in her heart. An open trial will have no disadvantages for her. If someone like Zhao Qingluan is forced into a corner, he will definitely tell her about Su Xiaoyuan's poison. Then she will have to explain.
Sect Master Shen pondered for a moment, then nodded and said, "Alright. However, this involves the privacy of Junior Brother and Young Friend Su. What do you two think?"
Su Xiaoyuan wasn't in a good place. Revealing their relationship in front of a few people was already socially devastating, and a public trial would be like announcing it to the world. Furthermore, the discovery of the Gu worm in her body was true, and they would definitely use it as an excuse...
Just as she was thinking about it, the man next to her squeezed her hand on her knee.
Su Xiaoyuan raised her eyes and met his gaze, and suddenly realized that this public trial was probably his idea, and he just said it through the mouth of his fourth senior brother.
Then he must have prepared a countermeasure for the poisonous insect.
Regardless of whether it is public or not, their relationship cannot be concealed after today. Judging the case and convicting the criminals in private will not convince the public.
No one else had any objection, so Sect Master Shen asked Master Weixuan to notify the deacons of each peak to open the water mirror and notify the disciples.
There is a large water mirror on each main peak. It is invisible at ordinary times and opens during major events such as sect competitions, just like the giant screen in a movie theater.
In less than half a minute, the deacons of each peak reported back that the water mirror had been opened. All the disciples of the sect also received the announcement, and many disciples were gathering in front of the water mirror.
In fact, the entire Taiyan was in an uproar. Except for a few disciples who were unfortunately in seclusion, everyone was trying their best to rush to the water mirror.
The poisoning case involving Immortal Master Ling Yue is much more exciting than any sect competition!
For a while, the photo stones were in great demand, and those who had extra stock were sold at dozens of times the price.
The water mirror of Longji Peak is set up on the Tongyuntai where the disciples usually learn swordsmanship.
Ruan Mianmian also received the announcement and was so shocked that her eyes almost popped out. She quickly sent a message to her best friend, wanting her to go with her to grab a good seat.
But the call could not be connected.
She had no choice but to write a message: [Xiao Yuan, have you seen the announcement? My brother-in-law was poisoned, and the case will be open for trial. Ah Chun and I will go to Tongyuntai to grab a good seat. If you see the news, come find us.]
She and Yu Yingchun rode their swords to Tongyuntai. Many disciples had already gathered in front of the water mirror. Relying on her strength as a physical cultivator in the Nascent Soul stage, she dragged her boyfriend into the crowd, occupied a good seat, and took out the photo stone to aim at the water curtain.
At this moment, the huge water curtain fluctuated, and then the scene in the Law Enforcement Hall appeared.
When Ruan Mianmian saw the girl sitting next to Immortal Master Ling Yue, she wondered if she had taken the wrong pill.
She rubbed her eyes and tugged at Yu Yingchun's sleeve: "Grandma Tian, is that Xiao Yuanzi? Am I seeing things right?"
Yu Yingchun also stretched his neck and widened his eyes, looking more like a goose than a phoenix: "It should be correct..."
There was an uproar all around. The disciples of Longji Peak usually attended classes together, and even those who were not very familiar with Su Xiaoyuan had seen her.
"Is that Su Xiaoyuan?"
"Why is she there?"
"Ahhh, I knew she and Ling Yuexianzun were real!"
"Oh my God, look! He's looking at her! That look is killing me..."
Su Xiaoyuan kept her eyes downcast and head slightly lowered, not looking at the man beside her, but Immortal Ling Yue would glance at her from time to time, with affection in his eyes ready to burst out, without any concealment, and it was even clearer on the huge water curtain.
Ruan Mianmian came back to her senses and suddenly realized, "No wonder she said something important and rushed out as soon as the get out of class was over. It turned out she was going to the Law Enforcement Hall!"
Yu Yingchun: "When did Fellow Daoist Su and the Immortal Venerable...get together?"
Ruan Mianmian gritted her teeth, "I don't know either! He did such a big thing without telling me! How disloyal! How unreasonable!"
Yu Yingchun hurriedly massaged her shoulders and said, "Calm down, calm down. Fellow Daoist Su certainly wouldn't hide this from you on purpose. Wait until she comes back and talk it over."
Ruan Mianmian naturally wouldn't be really angry with her: "Oh my God! Now he really is my brother-in-law!"
Sect Leader Shen began to speak on the water curtain, and the discussions around him gradually died down.
Sect Master Shen briefly recounted the case: "Yesterday, someone put banned drugs into Ling Yuexianzun's food. At that time, Guangmoya disciple Zhao Qingluan was in Wuji Palace."
She said to Zhao Qingluan, "Zhao Qingluan, please tell me what happened."
Zhao Qingluan's face was as pale as paper. She trembled when she heard her own name. She glanced at her junior sister who looked sick and had tears in her eyes, and her eyes became firm again.
He bowed and said, "Reporting to the Sect Master and all the elders, yesterday at about 3:00 PM, I, as usual, followed Master's orders and went to Wuji Palace to deliver medicine to the Immortal Venerable. After the Immortal Venerable took the medicine, I took his pulse as usual, but found it to be abnormal. I suspect he was given a forbidden drug..."
Sect Leader Shen interrupted him: "What kind of forbidden drug is it? Please tell me clearly."
Zhao Qingluan blushed: "Yes... Disciple has identified several strong medicinal herbs among them, which are often used in aphrodisiacs..."
This sentence was like a drop of water splashed into a boiling oil pan, and the disciples in front of the water mirror were all shocked.
Sect Master Shen seemed to have anticipated the heated atmosphere outside and waited for a moment before continuing to ask, "Are you saying that someone ordered a drug to urge the Immortal Venerable to return, is that right?"
Zhao Qingluan: "Yes..."
"What did you do next?" Sect Master Shen asked, "Did you report it to the Immortal Venerable immediately?"
Zhao Qingluan shook his head and said, "After the Immortal Master left, I secretly checked the candies he used to relieve the bitterness after taking the medicine. I smelled the scent of forbidden drugs and then poured out a few as evidence. I prepared to go back and report to the Law Enforcement Hall."
"Why don't you report this to the Immortal Venerable immediately?"
Zhao Qingluan bit her lip. "When I examined the Immortal Venerable's pulse the day before yesterday, I found signs of a suspected Gu poison in his heart meridian. Considering that the Immortal Venerable had been close to a female disciple from Dragon Ridge Peak recently, I was worried it might be the work of an evil Gu. Therefore, when I discovered the forbidden drug, I didn't dare report it to the Immortal Venerable, fearing I would be blamed."
Sect Master Shen: "The female disciple you are talking about is Su Xiaoyuan, a disciple from Longji Peak?"
Zhao Qingluan: "Exactly. That jar of orange candy was also given to Immortal Master Ling Yue by her."
There was another uproar.
Poisoning has turned into drug administration, and now evil witchcraft is involved, making things more and more confusing.
Zhao Qingluan is the first disciple of Taoist Master Ci'en. He is not an unknown person in the sect and has always had a good reputation. In addition, his face looks honest and simple, and his words are plain, not like a cunning person. Many people subconsciously believe his words.
Even the disciples of Longji Peak were confused: "Xiao Yuan doesn't seem like that kind of person..."
Ruan Mianmian shouted, "That Zhao guy is slandering us! Xiao Yuanzi has a deep hatred for evil poison because of me and would never use such a thing on anyone! That Zhao guy is probably jealous that we can't wait to make it to Dragon Ridge Peak and receive personal guidance from the Immortal Master, so he's going crazy!"
The specially recruited students at Longji Peak had all been ostracized, either overtly or covertly, by Taiyan's "regular" disciples. Ruan Mianmian's words immediately rallied them against the enemy: "Kaishan is right!"
"Xiao Yuan is not that kind of person at all!"
"Yes, it was the Immortal Master who took the initiative to ask her to go to Wuji Palace. She even hid from the Immortal Master during the sword class and didn't come forward at all..."
Others may not believe it, but the disciples of Longji Peak saw it all. It was obvious that the Immortal Venerable was the active party.
"Is that so? No matter what others say, we who came here with them can't just let them lead us astray. Otherwise, Xiao Yuanzi will be so disappointed!" Ruan Mianmian said contentedly, "Shhh, let's listen to what that Zhao guy has to say!"
Sect Leader Shen paused for a moment and said, "Please continue to tell me what happened next."
Zhao Qingluan said, "After I obtained the evidence, I wanted to leave Wuji Palace as soon as possible to report the matter to the Law Enforcement Hall. However, I was stopped by a Wuji Palace steward at the palace gate."
Sect Leader Shen: "Why stop you?"
Zhao Qingluan: "So the Immortal Venerable has discovered my Chinese medicine. I was in Wuji Palace at the time, so I inevitably became a target of suspicion. The steward searched my Qiankun bag and found the forbidden medicine as evidence, and then detained me."
Sect Leader Shen pondered and asked, "Do you have any evidence for what you said?"
Zhao Qingluan: "I have been worried about the Gu worm incident for a long time. Therefore, from that day on, every time I went to deliver medicine, I would bring the recording stone with me. From the moment the Immortal Venerable left that day to the moment I checked the remaining medicine and the sugar jar, and took the sugar as evidence, I recorded the entire process."
He paused and said, "That jar of drugged orange candy is still in Wuji Palace. There must be some drugged candy mixed in there, which proves what I said is true."
Sect Leader Shen: "Did you explain yourself when you were detained?"
Zhao Qingluan: "I explained it to you naturally and gave the image stone to the steward, but the Immortal Venerable did not believe my words."
Sect Master Shen nodded and said, "The Immortal Venerable has handed the Image Stone to me."
She took out a photo stone from her sleeve and told the deacon of the Law Enforcement Hall to project the image.
The screen first showed the departing figure of Ling Yue Xianzun, and then the direction changed and aimed at Zhao Qingluan. It was exactly as he said.
It is well known that the images taken by the photo stone cannot be changed or spliced.
Zhao Qingluan felt relieved and wiped the cold sweat from his forehead with his sleeves. He had been worried that Immortal Master Ling Yue would destroy the evidence.
Sect Leader Shen then asked, "Did you do anything else while you were detained?"
Zhao Qingluan hesitated for a moment, then glanced at her third junior sister on the other side, a look of apology flashing in her eyes. "I sent a message to third junior sister Meng Caichun, briefly explaining the matter, and asked her to quickly go to the Law Enforcement Hall to get someone to search Su Xiaoyuan's residence for evidence as soon as possible."
Sect Leader Shen: "Why?"
Zhao Qingluan: "I am afraid that if she finds out about the incident, she will destroy the evidence."
Sect Leader Shen looked at Meng Caichun and asked, "Is what Zhao Qingluan said true?"
The female cultivator was so frightened that her face turned pale. She nodded and said, "Reply, report to the Sect Master, yes..."
Sect Leader Shen: "Have you never suspected that there's something going on?"
Meng Caichun swallowed his saliva. "Big Brother... is a man of character, and I have always respected him... Besides, he told me before that he suspected the Immortal Venerable had been poisoned by an evil spirit... So I have no doubts..."
Sect Leader Shen: "What did you do after receiving the message?"
Meng Caichun replied, "I went to find Li Hanlin, a disciple from the Law Enforcement Hall..."
Sect Leader Shen turned to Li Hanlin and asked, "Have you applied for a search warrant from Hall Leader Xiao of the Law Enforcement Hall?"
Li Hanlin glanced at Meng Caichun and said, "Junior Sister Meng said that the disciple who committed the crime would destroy the evidence. I thought that the situation was urgent and I had to make an emergency decision..."
Sect Leader Shen: "So it's gone?"
Li Hanlin's face turned red and he stammered, unable to speak.
Sect Leader Shen: "Breaking the law while enforcing it is a more serious crime. You knew it was against the rules, so why did you help Meng Caichun? Do you have a personal relationship with him?"
Li Hanlin lowered his head even more: "This disciple and Junior Sister Meng have only known each other since childhood, and we have a certain friendship..."
Sect Leader Shen: "What did you find?"
Meng Caichun perked up: "Senior Brother Li and I found orange candies laced with banned drugs and an unknown poisonous insect at Su Xiaoyuan's residence."
Sect Leader Shen nodded to the deacon, who then brought over a tray with half a can of orange candy and a small jade box on it.
"But these two things?"
Meng Caichun and Li Hanlin identified the mark they had made on it and said, "Master, yes."
Sect Leader Shen turned his gaze towards the remaining people in the hall and asked, "Lin Wan, are you aware of or involved in the things Zhao Qingluan mentioned?"
Lin Wan remained calm and composed: "Master, I know nothing about this."
"Alright," Sect Master Shen glanced at the four people, "Can you ensure that what you say is the truth, and the whole truth?"
All four should answer “yes”.
Sect Leader Shen said in a slightly stern tone, "I repeat, if it is proven that you fabricated excuses and lied in the Law Enforcement Hall, your crime will be aggravated and you will be punished more severely. Think carefully about it. Is there anything you need to confess?"
Among the four, Lin Wan remained calm, while the other three looked a little panicked, and Meng Caichun and Li Hanlin were even sweating profusely.
But in the end, all four of them gritted their teeth and insisted that they were telling the truth.
Su Xiaoyuan couldn't help but glance at the man beside her. Although Sect Master Shen didn't question her, she could see that the situation and evidence were extremely unfavorable to her. If this continued, even if he used his power to protect her, the spit from the sect would drown her.
She couldn't think of any other way he could help clear her name. If he had evidence, why had he kept it hidden until now?
But for some reason, just looking at his profile, she felt inexplicably relieved, always feeling that he must have a way.
On Tongyun Terrace, Ruan Mianmian and Yu Yingchun were not so sure.
Ruan Mianmian was so anxious that she almost tore Yu Yingchun's sleeve. She knew that it would be no problem for Immortal Venerable Ling Yue to protect Xiao Yuanzi, but Xiao Yuanzi was thin-skinned to begin with. How could he stay in the sect with such a bad reputation?
She had already made up her mind. If this matter couldn't be resolved peacefully, she would pack up and take Xiao Yuanzi back to Yunyu Sect tonight! Yu Yingchun... I could only feel sorry for Yu Yingchun.
The other disciples also stared at the water mirror intently and held their breath, wondering how this matter would end.
There was a heated discussion in front of the water mirrors of other peaks. Those "legitimate" disciples of Tai Yan were already prejudiced against those who came in through the trials at Longji Peak, especially Su Xiaoyuan who came from Yunyu Sect.
Except for a few people who had doubts, everyone else almost unanimously believed in Zhao Qingluan.
"Who doesn't know that Senior Brother Zhao is just as good a man as his master? It's really heartbreaking to see his kindness being taken for granted."
"If those who come from unknown backgrounds and use crooked methods are allowed to succeed, how can we honest and well-behaved disciples stay here?"
Many people sympathized with Lin Wan: "Junior Sister Lin was badly injured at Dragon Ridge Peak, and this incident has nothing to do with her. Why did they drag her to kneel as well?"
At this moment, Ling Yue Immortal Venerable looked at Ci En Daojun: "Second Senior Brother."
Daoist Master Ci'en sighed, his expression heavy with sorrow. "Recently, I have refined a Mantra Pill. Taking it can make one speak the truth. Its effect is comparable to soul-searching, but without damaging the spirit. I can use it today."
As soon as he finished speaking, the faces of Lin, Zhao, Meng and Li flashed across the water curtain one after another.
On the huge face, shock, fear, panic and confusion were clearly visible and nowhere to hide.
Taoist Master Ci'en looked at his favorite student with regret: "Zhao Qingluan, let's start with you."
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