Hearing Zhu Wanning's words, Lin Xiao's mind exploded with a loud "buzz"!
Instantly, his thoughts were in a colossal mess!
Darn!
Did this woman even realize what she was saying?
Zhu Wanning was one of the most dependable helpers in Ye Chen's harem, wasn't she?
Did she sincerely want to kill Ye Chen?
If the changes in the other junior sisters are considered because of me, what about Zhu Wanning then?
Whether in the original story or in this timeline, Zhu Wanning hardly had any interaction with him, Lin Xiao.
Even when the news of Lin Xiao committing suicide was spread all over the sect, this icy beauty of Phoenix Caw Peak only remarked: "Those with impure hearts should meet such an end."
In all these years, I managed to lay low and coast, bullying my junior brothers and sisters with Master's partiality, I am a known troublemaker throughout the whole Qinglan Sect."
Zhu Wanning must have heard of it too. Given her loathing disposition towards the wrongdoers, why would she willingly join forces with me?
It's not normal! Something's definitely off about this!
Lin Xiao contemplated and weighed his options, his clear eyes wide open, he said coldly, "Junior Sister Zhu! At yesterday's initiation ceremony, indeed, I had a disagreement with the newly initiated Junior Brother Ye, but I, Lin Xiao, always act uprightly and openly."
"Since Junior Brother Ye has maligned me in front of the Sect Leader, I will clear my name. The rest is up to the Sect Leader and the Elders of the Enforcement Hall. If I interfere sneakily, it would imply I am unfair."
"Whether Ye Chen is guilty or not, and the severity of his crime, the iron laws of the Sect will determine it. I hope Junior Sister Zhu doesn't make assumptions, so as not to lose her sense of justice and compassion."
His words were firm and resonated with justice.
Even Lu Yingying, standing by his side, was astonished!
It was her first time seeing such a just and righteous side of her senior brother!
Having said his piece, Lin Xiao didn't so much as glance at Zhu Wanning. He simply led the astonished little junior sister by his side towards Shenxiao Palace, quickly striding away.
To put it more accurately... he hastily retreated!
He genuinely felt that if he continued to squabble with Zhu Wanning, the plot would go even more off the rails!
"I didn't expect... Senior Brother Lin to be so upright and unyielding..."
Watching his receding form, clad in white like snow, exuding an aura of immortality, Zhu Wanning muttered to herself, "This is quite different from what I imagined."
...
...
Shenxiao Palace, Master's Great Hall.
Lin Xiao, the eldest disciple of Divine Phoenix Peak, greets Sect Leader and the Elders."
Lin Xiao stepped forward and bowed towards the elders.
Sweeping his gaze around.
He saw that including Sect Leader True Master Ziyun, all the four chairmen have attended, only his beautiful master was not present.
In front of the statue of the Trinity in the center, about ten elders from the guest Qinglan sect and five Punishment Elders from the Enforcement Hall, sat solemn faced in mid-air.
Wow, what a grand scene.
Lin Xiao's heart shuddered as he instinctively looked towards the rear hall. He truly saw a young man in black kneeling on the ground, sobbing while speaking to a short and fat Daoist.
Naturally, it was Ye Chen and his wicked master, Daoist Yuan Yi.
"Tsk, the destined Son, the unrivaled Ye Chen from the original tale, who would not bow to any god in his life, now weeping and kneeling before a minor boss; it's rather desolate".
Lin Xiao sneered, feeling rather dejected.
In fact, on deeper thought, it was quite normal.
In the original story, Ye Chen, disregarding his golden finger and the great fortune, was just a mediocre, slightly bolder young man with a childish hero syndrome.
In the past years, he had been smooth sailing under the guidance of the mysterious old man in the ring, winning every battle, which further fed his innate arrogance and vanity.
Presumably, after being defeated by Lin Xiao, a minor antagonist, he couldn't accept it, and his character had already somewhat twisted.
"Forget it, whatever's going to happen to this guy isn't important to me."
"What I need to do now is, to do everything possible to let him survive until the Five Branches Martial Art Tournament and defeat me publicly, so as to help me complete this major plot."
Lin Xiao reinforced his goal in his mind.
At the same moment.
Ye Chen lifted his head, gnashing his teeth, his eyes bloody red, glaring fiercely at him!
That look, as if he wished to tear him limb from limb!
"Hmm, do you think glaring at me would do you any good?"
"If you're so tough, why don't you come and bite me? Retard."
"If it wasn't for completing the task, with my current strength, I could slay you, a useless piece of trash, with one blow!"
Lin Xiao sneered in his heart, moving his gaze to one side.
Somewhat unexpectedly, he suddenly felt that while staring at Ye Chen just now, he no longer felt the strong oppressive aura that the Son of Destiny was supposed to exude.
"Could this lad's luck... be starting to fade?"
Lin Xiao suddenly began to get curious.
"Lin Xiao, why isn't your sister disciple, Chu Youwei, here? Did our disciples fail to deliver the message properly?"
In the center of the grand hall, True Master Ziyun, the Sect Leader of Qinglan Sect who possessed a fair and upright aura, spoke in a clear voice.
"Replying to Sect Leader, my Third Junior Sister exerted herself too much in practicing her zither last night, which injured her heart pulse. My master strictly ordered her to rest in her dormitory and not go out."
Lin Xiao replied in a neither servile nor overbearing manner.
Of course, he deliberately made Chu Youwei absent.
This girl could not lie without blushing, let alone deal with such a grand occasion.
As for the reason for her absence, he simply pushed the blame onto his master who loved booze!
Who would dare to make things difficult for the unbearably arrogant and wilful fairy Hongling who subdues people with her force at the slightest disagreement!
Everyone should remember that when several chairmen, including Sect Leader Ziyun, were still junior disciples, Xiao Hongling, being the youngest sister, had once defeated her senior brothers who disapproved of her drinking habits, and then merrily returned the confiscated wine.
Arguably, in the entire Qinglan Sect, aside from "Taiwu True Monarch" who was about to die due to the plot, there was only one who could be really called the ceiling of combat power, and that was Xiao Hongling!
As expected.
Once Lin Xiao finished speaking,
Ziyun looked embarrassed for a moment, then glanced at the enforcement elders, cleared his throat, and said, "Never mind, as your master is not here, you, as the head disciple and main target of Ye Chen's accusation..."
"Today, you shall explain everything yourself!"
As he spoke, Ziyun's gaunt face suddenly became extremely serious, "Lin Xiao, last night, did you order your sister disciple Chu Youwei, to visit Ye Chen at Tiandang Peak, and trick him into going to the Fairy Pool at Phoenix Caw Peak?"
"Tell the truth!"
His tone was not heavy, but his imposing manner made the atmosphere suddenly and severely chill.
Even Lin Xiao, who had been nonchalant all along, felt a bit heavy under the tremendous aura of this Divinity Transformation Stage Sect Leader.
"Damn, must think carefully about what to say, so as to clear the relationship but doesn't get Ye Chen killed."
"This requires some skill."
....
At this moment, at the back of the grand hall,
The benevolent Daoist Yuan Yi gently stroked the hand of the black-robed youth, and said with a smile,
"Ye Chen, my sweet disciple, don't worry."
"If today his master is not here, and if he cannot prove his innocence later, I have a thousand ways to get the Law Enforcement Hall to execute him, in order to appease your anger."
"Re...Really? Master, are you serious?"
Upon hearing this, Ye Chen's eyes instantly brightened.
"Heh, you don't know how capable your master is yet."
Daoist Yuan Yi squinted and smiled.
"Indeed, your master, Xiao Hongling, is unmatchable when it comes to fighting. But when it comes to social affairs, heh heh..."
He paused, and on his peaceful and kindly chubby face, there was a faint sense of pride.
"Let me put it straight, over the years, I've cultivated relationships within the sect. Almost all of the elders would give me the benefit of the doubt."
"In other words, with no one defending him at the Law Enforcement Hall's public trial today, this inner sect disciple Lin Xiao is like a fish egg, which can be crushed to powder at any time."
"And once the charge is pronounced, even if his master intervenes later, it would be too late!"
The moment he finished speaking,
A charming yet dignified female voice came from the stage:
"Ah, since Sister Hongling is not here today, I shall take the liberty to stand up for Martial Nephew Lin, and personally interrogate him."
The moment her words rang out, the entire hall gasped in surprise!
Even the accused, Lin Xiao, appeared dumbfounded!
He gawked and looked in the direction of the sound.
Only to see an exquisite middle-aged woman in a crimson robe with a phoenix crown, with stunning looks!
It was Su Mei, the master of Zhu Wanning, the Chairman of the Phoenix Caw Peak!
The beautiful woman, who was as promiscuous as his master Xiao Hongling and had a more striking figure than Sister Yurong, looked at him with a smile, her full and enticing lips curling slightly, seemingly...
Teasing?
"Bloody hell, what's with the look in Martial Aunt Su's eyes?"
"What does she want...in front of so many people?"
Lin Xiao felt a "thud" in his heart as he couldn't help but recall some descriptions of Su Mei from the original story.
In an instant, his Formless Sword Body, which was already sturdy, became even more rigid.