novelraw Chapter 172 : The Full Story
Chapter 172 : The Full Story
As the number one sword cultivator family in the cultivation world back then, the Mo family had always taken it upon themselves to eliminate demons and protect the Way. Over thousands of years, they had formed many grudges with the demon race. Old and new resentments piled up, and it would take several autumns to settle all accounts.
The two sides were like fire and water, it was either you die or I live.
Against this background, as a disciple of the family, the Mo family head's sister naturally also hated the demon race bitterly and often fought against them. Perhaps she encountered the old Demon Sovereign on one occasion.
Maybe her beauty that could cause fish to sink and geese to alight, eclipse the moon and put flowers to shame, caught the old Demon Sovereign's attention. Or perhaps the old Demon Sovereign simply wanted to take revenge on the Mo family, so he forcibly took Fourth Senior Brother's mother.
The Mo family head, feeling that his family member had been taken by the demon race, which was a great loss of face for the family, announced to the outside world that his sister had died early. At the same time, this also formed an irreconcilable feud with the demon race.
As for the later massacre, according to the plot speculation, the conflict probably intensified to a certain point, and the demon race launched their biggest counterattack in history, slaughtering the Mo family.
However, the Mo family was after all the number one sword cultivator family in the cultivation world. How could they be so easily slaughtered in one night? There must have been other forces pushing things along, cooperating from both inside and outside, but this is unknown.
Of course, the above is purely Chu Sang's fabrication. Who knows what's true and what's false? Just listen and take it with a grain of salt.
After clarifying the background, Chu Sang looked at the silent Mo Baizhou and stepped forward, "Fourth Senior Brother, what do you want to do now?"
Mo Baizhou thought for a moment, then took out a square piece of sandalwood. He carefully carved the three characters "Mo Yunsu" on it and placed the spirit tablet in its rightful place.
After completing this task, the three left the ancestral hall. The atmosphere was somewhat silent for a while.
Chu Sang was someone who couldn't hold back her words. She looked at the two long-lost cousins on her left and right, the last two people of the Mo family, and cleared her throat, "You two, don't you have anything to say?"
The two silently looked at each other, then telepathically averted their gazes, looking somewhat awkwardly unfamiliar.
Indeed, there wasn't much to say. The two hadn't met more than three times. Even with this relationship, they were just strangers with a blood connection. They were at a loss for words.
Chu Sang had never experienced such a thing. She rubbed her chin, "Really nothing to say?"
"No, really nothing."
Mo Baizhou held Little Junior Sister back, telling her not to ask anymore.
He wasn't familiar with the Mo family. If it weren't for Little Junior Sister's instigation today, he might never have known he had such a relationship with the Mo family. This trip was only to learn about his mother's background, to let her return to the ancestral hall, which fulfilled one of his long-standing wishes.
With his wish fulfilled, Mo Baizhou had no other thoughts. His face rarely showed a slight smile of relief, "It's getting late, let's go."
[+10]
After saying goodbye to Mo Qingchen, the two didn't leave the Tianyan Sect. Chu Sang wasn't someone who put others at ease, at least not for others. Chang Yu could protect Qin Xixue for a while, but it wouldn't be so easy to keep deceiving everyone forever.
She still had a memory stone in her hand.
Last time in the village, to help those children whose spirit roots had been dug out, Chu Sang was tricked by Qin Xixue into the mirror world. Fortunately, she was clever and recorded the evidence with a memory stone. At that time, she had Lou Qing take it back to the Tianyan Sect Leader, but it was intercepted halfway.
It didn't matter that it was intercepted. She always liked to make backups.
It's better to be safe than sorry.
Previously, their Lingqing Sect had little influence and no right to personally come to the Immortal Sects. Now it's different. Now the Lingqing Sect is on equal footing with the Eight Great Immortal Sects, and she can personally hand over the memory stone to the Sect Leader.
"Lingqing Sect, Chu Sang, Mo Baizhou, request an audience with the Tianyan Sect Leader."
After the disciple reported, they were allowed in shortly.
After several years, Chu Sang saw the Tianyan Sect Leader again, a serious and stern white-haired elder. It was said that he was over a thousand years old, with strength above the Unity stage and unfathomable cultivation.
The Tianyan Sect Leader naturally recognized this former disciple of his sect.
Even though this little disciple rarely spoke during her years at the Tianyan Sect, often secluding herself and rarely being seen, giving a vague and unremarkable impression, the Sect Leader did remember having such a disciple.
Back then, she was a fire-attribute Heavenly Spirit Root with high hopes, but unexpectedly, before she could shine, her spirit root was damaged in an accident, relegating her to uselessness.
Later, after suffering this blow, the little girl appeared even less before people.
The next time he heard her name was when Chu Sang was expelled from the Tianyan Sect four years ago.
However, since she wasn't a disciple under the Sect Leader, he didn't pay much attention to this matter.
What really made the Sect Leader remember this former disciple was at the sect competition.
She emerged out of nowhere, far surpassing others.
A red-robed sword cultivator girl, wielding a divine bow, single-handedly turning the tide.
At that time, the various Sect Leaders and Elders were enthusiastically discussing this dark horse that had emerged out of nowhere.
Although this cultivation competition had brought them many surprises, with many geniuses worthy of praise, this red-robed, stunningly beautiful little disciple was definitely the youngest, most potential, and most delightful among them.
Unfortunately, by the time the Sect Leader discovered this hidden gem, she had already become a disciple of another sect.
Later, hearing the conversations between Mo Qingchen and Lou Qing, it seemed that this little disciple's expulsion from the sect back then was a wrongful case with doubts. But now, even if they cleared her name, it seemed to have no meaning.
The Sect Leader felt quite regretful and remorseful. For a moment, he didn't know what to say. Hearing that Chu Sang had come to the Tianyan Sect today for help, he didn't even think and had the disciples invite the two in.
The Sect Leader spoke with a kind expression, not even this gentle to his own personal disciples, "What brings you two here today?"
"I want to ask, why was Qin Xixue only sentenced to half a year of confinement for privately communicating with the demon race behind the Immortal Sects' backs?" Chu Sang asked bluntly.
The Sect Leader's face changed slightly, immediately realizing, "So the news we received a few days ago, could it have been reported by you?"
Chu Sang nodded, frankly admitting it, "Since the Sect Leader also knows about this matter, why not handle it according to sect rules? Isn't this unfair?"
"This......" The Sect Leader was somewhat troubled. According to sect rules, disciples who privately communicated with the demon race should indeed be expelled from the sect.
But Chang Yu was determined to protect this extremely favored little disciple of his.
Moreover, Qin Xixue had repeatedly promised not to offend again.
Chang Yu had specially come up with an excuse, saying he had sent Qin Xixue to the demon realm to collect demon plants and refine pills for the sect, intending to refine a legendary high-grade pill in one go, to win a good reputation for the sect.
In the end, he even twisted it to be about the sect's interests.
He was quite eloquent.
Hearing this, the other elders couldn't say much.
To tell the truth, they also had some selfish motives. After all, the sect had finally produced a Heavenly Spirit Root. If they expelled her from the sect again, what if Qin Xixue turned around and joined another sect? Wouldn't that recreate Chu Sang's tragedy? It would make the Tianyan Sect lose face even more.
So, seeing that Qin Xixue was still young and her attitude of admitting her mistake was indeed sincere, in the end, they could only minimize the big issue and trivialize the small one. The Sect Leader only confined her for half a year.
"What if I say that this isn't the first time Qin Xixue has privately communicated with the demon race? Will the Sect Leader still choose to trivialize it?"
Chu Sang took out that memory stone. With a touch of spiritual energy from her fingertip entering the memory stone, a faint light immediately appeared on the seemingly ordinary stone. It floated in midair, projecting a light screen, which showed the conversation content of those demons from back then.
The more the Sect Leader listened, the uglier his expression became. His beard even curled up in anger as he waved his sleeve heavily, "To think such a thing happened! This is truly unforgivable!"
"Someone, summon Qin Xixue and Elder Chang Yu for me!"
Chu Sang didn't have a good impression of the Tianyan Sect, but she had to admit that the Sect Leader was a very righteous old cultivator. His leniency towards Qin Xixue was mostly because he thought this little disciple was too young to understand, and her occasional mistake could be forgiven.
But he never imagined that she was a habitual offender, truly colluding with demon cultivators, and even attempting to frame orthodox Immortal Sect disciples!!?
This was absolutely intolerable for orthodox Immortal Sects.
Not only were Chang Yu and Qin Xixue summoned, but other high-level elders of the sect also gathered. The atmosphere was very serious and heavy.
Qin Xixue had just been confined, and after just a few days, she was out again. She was full of joy, thinking that her master had pleaded for her again.
But when she arrived at the sect's main hall, she realized it wasn't quite like that. Everyone's gazes fell on her, scrutinizing and coldly indifferent, with no intention of canceling her charges.
What truly made Qin Xixue feel uneasy and fearful was when she saw Chu Sang standing beside the Sect Leader. Her face paled a few shades, and she stepped back twice.
"May I ask why the Sect Leader has gathered all the elders today?" Chang Yu's face was slightly cold as he spoke calmly.
He had ascended before reaching fifty, the youngest and most talented elder in the sect. His cultivation was second only to the Sect Leader, and he had two Heavenly Spirit Root disciples under him. His prestige in the Tianyan Sect far surpassed that of other elders, giving him absolute authority.
"Why ask me? Why not ask your good disciple what she's done!" the Sect Leader spoke coldly.
Since coming to the Tianyan Sect, Qin Xixue had started as a Heavenly Spirit Root, easily gaining the love of the entire sect. Even the usually stern Sect Leader was kind to her on ordinary days.
This was the first time she had been rebuked so coldly. Her eyes reddened slightly as she hid behind Chang Yu, "This disciple... this disciple doesn't know what she's done to anger the Sect Leader so."
Even at this point, she was still pretending.
Chu Sang couldn't help but marvel. As expected of the female protagonist, with such a good attitude.
"I've already made myself very clear. Xiao Xue merely went to the demon realm to collect demon plants. Moreover, she ventured deep into the demon realm for the sake of the sect's reputation... I'm not asking for Xiao Xue to be rewarded by the sect, but I absolutely won't allow certain outsiders to groundlessly slander Xiao Xue."
Chang Yu coldly glanced at Chu Sang and spoke calmly, "Or is it that the Sect Leader would rather believe an outside sect disciple than our own sect's disciple?"
Whether intentionally or not, Chang Yu deliberately emphasized the words "outside sect disciple," looking at Chu Sang with contempt in his eyes.
He meant to mock her, but he didn't see any sadness or disappointment on the young woman's face. On the contrary, she was very calm, as if he wasn't talking about her.
Chang Yu's face immediately became somewhat unpleasant.
He had expelled her from the sect and didn't even recognize her as a disciple, yet she didn't feel sad about it at all?
After all, he had raised her for ten years. What a heartless thing!
"The evidence is conclusive. Stop quibbling." This time, Chu Sang didn't need to speak. The Sect Leader had already coldly rebuked, "If Chu Sang hadn't come to report this matter to me today, I'm afraid we old fellows would have all been kept in the dark by your little disciple!"
With that, the Sect Leader took out that memory stone.
Memory stones cannot be faked. The images and conversations were clearly transmitted to the eyes and ears of everyone in the hall. The elders all had expressions of disbelief and shock, mixed with anger.
Qin Xixue's face instantly lost all color. Her mind was in a fog, unable to say a single word.
She tightly gripped Chang Yu's sleeve, her lips trembling, "Master, I......"
She instinctively wanted to refute, to slander Chu Sang for completely framing her, but even she couldn't find a reason to exculpate herself, let alone Chang Yu.
Chang Yu's face was equally unpleasant. Qin Xixue was his disciple, and everyone in the sect knew how extremely fond he was of this female disciple. If the crime of colluding with the demon race was confirmed, it wouldn't just be Qin Xixue being punished. The one truly losing face would be him as the master.
"Demons have always been cunning. To sow discord between sects, they might deliberately say such things." Chang Yu's face was slightly sunken, visibly forced.
The other elders naturally didn't believe these words. It's true that demons have always been cunning, but would those powerful demons deliberately say such things just to sow discord between a few small disciples of the sects?
Did he think too highly of his little disciple?
At this moment, Lou Qing, Mo Qingchen, and several other Tianyan Sect disciples also came over.
They had just heard certain things outside the door.
Lou Qing coldly looked at the pale-faced Qin Xixue, then stepped forward with clasped hands, "Sect Leader Master, this disciple also has some words to say."
"Previously, when this disciple was on a mission with others and Little Junior Sister Qin, we also witnessed her privately communicating with a demon lord from the demon race. The relationship between the two was very familiar."
"Once or twice might be because she didn't know the other party's identity, but since Fellow Daoist Chu Sang has provided so much evidence, isn't this enough to prove her private communication with the demon race? I don't know how long Elder Chang Yu intends to protect her? Does he intend to stop only when Qin Xixue betrays the sect and the cultivation world?" Her eyes shone brightly as she spoke forcefully, "Everything this disciple has said can be attested to by fellow sect disciples. There isn't a single false word."
Mo Qingchen also nodded slightly, guaranteeing the truthfulness of these words.
"Chang Yu, since she is your disciple, then you decide how she should be dealt with," the Sect Leader coldly waved his sleeve, no longer wanting to hear this master and disciple quibble.
Chang Yu was silent for a moment, then slowly said, "I will abide by the sect's decision."
"Since it has been established that Qin Xixue secretly colluded with the demon race, then according to sect rules, she shall be expelled from the sect. Moreover, all major Immortal Sects will be notified that she will never be accepted again in this lifetime."