“Golden Light Heavenly Venerable, this sect knows you trust Ling Xiao, but the entrance to the fourth stage, this sect once found it too. However, the guardian there is a full realm higher than the trial participants. Back then, this sect was already at the Heavenly Human Realm, so the guardian was at the Cave Heaven Realm. Ling Xiao’s cultivation is still at the Mortal Realm, so the guardian might be at the Heavenly Human Realm. Do you think he could possibly defeat the guardian?”
Sect Leader Chang Yueying was not optimistic about Ling Xiao entering the fourth stage.
“Heh, he doesn’t necessarily have to kill it, that lad is quite cunning,” Yang Danlin said with a smile.
“Even as Elder Hall Master Yang says, reaching the fourth stage still requires a key. Back then, this sect searched the entire third stage, only to be killed by pursuing monsters in the end, without finding it.”
Chang Yueying gave a bitter smile.
Golden Light Heavenly Venerable and Yang Danlin exchanged glances, both giving a wry smile, unsure of what to say.
Could Ling Xiao really accomplish what even the Sect Leader couldn’t?
Buzz!
At that moment, the Moonlight Pagoda flashed with light, and someone was ejected from it.
Everyone looked closely, their faces lighting up with joy.
Only Supreme Sect Leader Chang Yueli’s expression shifted from joy to disappointment in an instant.
The one ejected was none other than Bai Feifei.
Although Chang Yueli was glad Bai Feifei wasn’t dead, the fact that everyone else remained inside while Bai Feifei was thrown out was somewhat regrettable.
At this moment, Bai Feifei was trembling all over, looking extremely haggard. Not only had her cultivation not improved, it had regressed significantly. Originally at thirty percent strength of a half-step Heavenly Venerable, she had now fallen back to the ninth-level Divine Ability stage of the Mortal Realm.
“Feifei, how did you end up like this?”
Chang Yueli asked in shock.
“Master!”
Seeing Chang Yueli, Bai Feifei burst into tears, collapsing weakly to the ground.
Chang Yueli turned into a blur, landing beside Bai Feifei, and began infusing true essence to heal her.
As a martial artist, most knew some healing techniques, though their skill levels varied.
Chang Yueli’s healing abilities were quite strong, as she had once been the Hall Master of the Medicine Hall, with Elder Hall Master Yang succeeding her.
After a moment, Bai Feifei gradually recovered, but her cultivation could not return to its original level.
“You were first trapped, then had a large amount of your true essence drained, right? The trap was likely some kind of formation, containing the aura of an ancient dragon clan, truly terrifying!”
As expected of a Cave Heaven Realm powerhouse, Supreme Sect Leader Chang Yueli deduced so much just from treating Bai Feifei.
“My dear daughter, tell the truth, what exactly happened? How did you end up in such a state?”
The question came from Demon Flame Heavenly Venerable, his voice carrying a hint of threat.
He was, of course, afraid Bai Feifei would reveal the matter of his clone.
In that instant, Bai Feifei’s expression turned ferocious, her teeth nearly grinding to pieces as she spat out, word by word, “Ling Xiao! It was that bastard Ling Xiao!”
Ling Xiao?
Why Ling Xiao again?
Hearing Bai Feifei’s words, Demon Flame Heavenly Venerable breathed a sigh of relief, while the other sect higher-ups looked exasperated.
Even Bai Feifei had been eliminated by Ling Xiao, what on earth was this Ling Xiao up to?
“Master, in the third stage, I discovered a Black Spirit City and had already reached its core. But due to powerful guards, I had no choice but to team up with Ling Xiao. Who would’ve thought this despicable, shameless guy would set up a formation while I was fighting the guards? I was attacked by them and ended up like this.”
The hatred in her eyes was no act.
Though the events weren’t as simple as she described, her resentment towards Ling Xiao was genuine.
Now, she wished she could tear Ling Xiao to pieces and scatter his ashes.
“Outrageous! Is there still anyone defending this Ling Xiao? This man is utterly reprehensible!”
Supreme Sect Leader Chang Yueli slammed the ground, causing the earth to tremble. Her anger was almost bursting her body.
Demon Flame Heavenly Venerable sneered inwardly.
Ling Xiao, oh Ling Xiao, it seems even if I don’t act, you’re doomed.
With the five enforcement elders of the Law Enforcement Hall, plus the Supreme Sect Leader, even Sect Leader Chang Yueying was highly dissatisfied with Ling Xiao.
Did Ling Xiao still have a way out?
“Sect scum, everyone has the right to punish him! He dared to harm my daughter, I’ll kill him myself!”
Demon Flame Heavenly Venerable also roared loudly, putting on a show.
The Moon Lady said nothing, merely watching coldly, a faint smile curling at her lips.
True or false, false or true, when the full truth came to light, what expressions would these people have?
Chang Yueying took a deep breath and said, “Bai Feifei, Ling Xiao will be dealt with by the sect, but what exactly happened inside the Moonlight Pagoda? So many of you passed the second stage and entered the third, and why did a golden divine dragon’s shadow appear?”
Sect Leader Chang Yueying was more concerned with the changes inside the Moonlight Pagoda.
At her question, the other higher-ups also turned to Bai Feifei.
This was a question everyone wanted answered.
Not daring to deceive, Bai Feifei detailed the events of passing the second stage.
Of course, while her words were true, she completely omitted Ling Xiao’s critical role in them.
Instead, she exaggerated certain actions of Ling Xiao, making it sound like he was an utterly deplorable villain.
She also pinned all the misdeeds of Demon Flame Heavenly Venerable’s clone on Ling Xiao.
For instance, Ling Xiao somehow used an evil method to control Wang Nan.
When facing the Five-Faced Monster, Ling Xiao refused to help, instead trying to escape while they held it off.
And when they found the treasure chest, Ling Xiao allegedly controlled Wang Nan to steal it.
And so on, everything, once filtered through her mouth, completely changed in tone.
One had to admire this-woman, her tongue was truly formidable.
Hearing Bai Feifei’s words, over ninety percent of the sect’s higher-ups and disciples felt Ling Xiao was utterly unworthy of being a Moonlight Sect disciple, despicable to the extreme.
“Hmph, Ling Xiao is so shameless, resorting to such vile acts to pass the stage! But fortunately, ten of you passed the second stage, that’s something to celebrate.”
The Supreme Sect Leader sighed.
Since the disappearance of the Moonlight Heavenly Lady ten thousand years ago, no more than three people had ever passed the second stage.
This time, ten people achieving it was truly astonishing.
“Wait, when you were dealing with the Five-Faced Monster, weren’t there supposed to be many other monsters around? Were they all just watching the show?”
Guanghan Heavenly Venerable, being a woman, was more perceptive and immediately spotted the inconsistency in Bai Feifei’s story.
Golden Light Heavenly Venerable, Yang Danlin, the Moonlight Tower Master of the inner sect, the Formation Hall Master, and other higher-ups who supported Ling Xiao or remained neutral all nodded.
This was indeed a point of doubt.
