Shu Yuanguan and Elder Li never dreamed that they would be attacked by their disciples while having tea in the private dining room of their own sect!
When two tiny pills flew in through the window, the two had no idea what it meant. What happened next shocked them so much that they didn't realize what was happening until the stench had dissipated.
There wasn't enough time to get out through the main gate; the two of them leaped into the air and flew directly out of the dining hall window.
Since their cultivation reached the Nascent Soul stage, they had never fled in such a sorry state; today they felt like they had returned to their youth.
Even after flying for ten miles, the two still had the illusion of being surrounded by foul smoke.
Perhaps it cannot be called an illusion, because they themselves were also covered in the stench of the smoke, which was extremely persistent and not only did it not dissipate over such a long time, but it also tended to become more and more foul.
The two exchanged a glance, and without hesitation, shot towards the waterfall in the sect's mountains and jumped in.
Meanwhile, all the staff in the dining hall rushed out, leaving it deserted and filled with a stench. The disciples from various peaks who had come out to watch the spectacle watched from afar, none daring to approach.
Thinking back to when the sign "[Baicaofeng Lushan and its close contacts are not allowed to enter]" was erected because of the taste of Lushan cuisine, and now look at the dining hall, where no one is allowed within a hundred meters, it really feels like the wheel of fortune has turned.
A group of friends who had gotten into trouble stood looking at each other in an open space in the distance, realizing that things were likely to get out of hand.
Sure enough, not long after, Elder Su of the Enforcement Hall arrived with several enforcement disciples on their swords, followed by Elder Jia of the Council Hall, and then Elder Qu of Hundred Herbs Peak.
It was rare for the elders to gather together; the last time they did so was when the sect was accepting disciples.
However, although everyone was present, no one wanted to go forward to check the situation; the stench of the dining hall deterred the members of the Enforcement Hall.
Elder Su sighed, looked at the person in charge of the dining hall from a distance without approaching, and asked, "Tell me, what's the situation now?"
The person in charge was indignant. The few people working in the dining hall had been running too slowly and now they all smelled terrible. Everyone else in the sect kept their distance from them and no one was willing to come near them.
"Reporting to the Elder, several disciples from Hundred Herbs Peak, during their lunch break in the dining hall, conducted unauthorized experiments on a new elixir in the dining area. They blasted this rotten elixir into the dining hall, rendering it completely unusable now, and likely for a long time to come! Furthermore, they caused serious harm to Peak Master Shu of Hundred Herbs Peak, Elder Li of the main peak, and ourselves. Their actions are egregious and must be severely punished as a warning to others!" The person in charge of the dining hall spoke with righteous indignation, clearly furious.
Elder Su turned to the other side, where a group of Hundred Herbs Peak disciples gathered and watched from a distance.
"Disciples of Hundred Herbs Peak, step forward. Is what the dining hall steward said true?"
Before Gu Liangce could reply, Shi Xuan spoke first: "Reporting to Elder Su, our discussion of alchemy during our meal in the dining hall was not against the sect rules. The problem lies in my personal desire to combine the spiritual plants we had previously demonstrated to test their medicinal effects, which led to the serious contamination of the dining hall. However, based on my understanding of the elixirs I have prepared, this place will surely be restored to normal within ten days!"
It will take ten days to recover! Where will the disciples eat during these ten days?
Lu Shan hurriedly said, "What do you mean 'you'? We were all involved in this matter. All seventeen disciples of Baicao Peak were involved. If anyone should be punished, it should be us all!"
He just praised him for being sensible, and now he's dragging her down again. If he keeps talking, she won't be able to get to the Cliff of Repentance.
“It’s not what he said!” Shi Xuan said loudly, “I handled all the materials, I refined the pills, and I was the one who threw the pills. The seventeen people from Hundred Herbs Peak watched the whole thing and didn’t lift a finger! This disciple is willing to accept all the punishment!”
Thinking about it, it's true. Shi Xuan did the demonstration and explanation throughout the whole process, and she did everything herself, from refining the pills to throwing them away.
However, in the minds of the disciples of Baicao Peak, since they had problems first, Senior Sister Shi Xuan was so generous in giving them advice. How could they let her take the blame in the end?
Seeing Shi Xuan step forward to accept punishment, the disciples of Baicao Peak were deeply moved. What kind of wonderful fellow Daoist was Shi Xuan? She generously shared her alchemy skills without reservation, and when she was punished, she stepped forward to take full responsibility. She was truly a great person with an open mind, a kind heart, and a righteous spirit!
Gu Liangce tried to argue, saying, "Even so, the reason for this is that we had questions to ask, so how can we only punish Senior Sister Shi Xuan!"
"No need to say anything more," Shi Xuan waved his hand, "No matter what, this matter today was all my doing. I should take responsibility for my actions. I cannot let you bear the consequences because of your personal feelings towards me! I urge Su Chang to punish me immediately!"
Elder Su then looked at everyone in the dining hall and asked, "Is the truth as Shi Xuan said?"
“Exactly,” said the person in charge of the dining hall. “They refined unknown pills without carefully understanding their effects, and then threw them away indiscriminately without any knowledge of what they were doing. Today we were lucky that they only smelled bad. If these pills were poisonous, we probably wouldn’t have made it out alive!”
What he said makes sense. Ultimately, Shi Xuan did something harmful without knowing why, and that caused the consequences.
Elder Su learned the details of the entire incident and confirmed that the group's actions were initially impulsive, and the medicinal herbs were randomly generated during the process of answering questions; there was no premeditation or planning involved. This matter must be punished, but it shouldn't escalate to the point of endangering the sect. The best outcome would be forcing her to reflect on her actions at the Cliff of Repentance for a few days.
"Alright! Now that the facts are clear, the person primarily responsible will be punished by being sent to reflect on their actions..."
"etc!"
Before Elder Su could finish speaking, and just as Shi Xuan was beginning to feel a secret joy at having achieved his goal, a voice came from afar, interrupting Elder Su's announcement of the punishment.
It was Shu Yuanguan who spoke, and Elder Li followed closely behind him.
Their hair was somewhat disheveled, as they had just been in the water. A faint stench still lingered on their bodies, a result of the isolation spell Shu Yuanguan had cast on them.
"I disagree with punishing Shi Xuan!" Shu Yuanguan said as he walked up to Elder Su.
Elder Su subtly stepped back a little and asked, "Why?"
Shu Yuanguan said, "The children were just exchanging ideas about alchemy. What's wrong with that? Seeking knowledge is what disciples should do most. I watched their discussion the whole time and was very pleased."
Elder Li glared at Shi Xuan from behind, clearly annoyed, but politely refrained from speaking.
They had no idea that Shi Xuan was wishing Shu Yuanguan hadn't appeared at all. Their almost-achieved goal had been ruined by his meddling, and they had no idea how it would end.
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