"Buzz... Buzz..."
Nine loud bell rings echoed across the Bìshuǐ Sect.
People from all over the sect rushed to the Haotian Hall as soon as they heard the bell.
By now, the Haotian Hall was already packed with countless people. Lin You, being one of the disciples from this batch, was not particularly noticeable amidst the crowd.
Three months ago, Lin You accidentally arrived in this world. Before he even figured out what this world was about, he had passed the Bìshuǐ Sect's entrance test and became a disciple.
Bìshuǐ Sect was the number one sect in the Lìyáng Continent, reigning supreme for four hundred years, unmatched in both strength and status.
Becoming a disciple of Bìshuǐ Sect was a dream come true for many, something unimaginable to most.
Just as Lin You was marveling at his brilliant start, something even more bewildering happened.
A mysterious object called the Evil Fate Compass appeared in his mind.
After some research, Lin You figured out what the Evil Fate Compass was.
To put it simply, it contained a variety of tasks. As long as he completed certain tasks, he would receive corresponding rewards.
But before Lin You could even feel any joy, he was stunned by the tasks listed in the Evil Fate Compass.
"Destroy Bìshuǐ Sect... Evil Fate Compass rewards peak Martial God cultivation..."
"Force Bìshuǐ Sect to lose its position as the number one sect... Evil Fate Compass rewards peak Martial Emperor cultivation..."
"Be expelled from Bìshuǐ Sect... Evil Fate Compass rewards peak Martial Emperor cultivation..."
After reading the tasks, Lin You was completely shocked.
Good grief! This is a trap!
All the tasks were related to his own Bìshuǐ Sect. As long as he did anything harmful to the sect, he would immediately reach the peak of martial power.
No wonder it's called the Evil Fate Compass; it truly lived up to its name.
Though it seemed despicable, Lin You was genuinely excited.
For others, becoming a Martial Emperor was something they could never achieve in a lifetime. But for him, just being expelled from the sect would grant him the Martial Emperor cultivation?
This was exhilarating!
As the saying goes, learning the right way is hard, but going astray is easy.
Bìshuǐ Sect was the number one force in the world; to destroy it? That seemed even harder than directly becoming a Martial God.
To make Bìshuǐ Sect lose its position as the number one sect? Could a mere rookie like him manage that?
But being expelled from the sect? That seemed simple enough.
"Lin You, what are you thinking? Did you remember what I told you just now? Do exactly as I said this time; don't go messing things up or you'll regret it!"
A boy with a hooked nose whispered to Lin You, threatening him with a glare.
His name was Chu Cheng, and he was from the same village, Kaoshan Village, as Lin You. Both had been chosen to join Bìshuǐ Sect.
Kaoshan Village had produced two disciples who could enter Bìshuǐ Sect in one go, and the village chief had nearly fainted from joy when he heard the news.
The two of them had joined Bìshuǐ Sect together, but now Chu Cheng was already a small team leader, and Lin You was in his team.
The reason for the nine bell rings today was due to their team.
Half a month ago, the new disciples were split into many small teams for their introductory trials. These trials were supposed to be just a formality to get the disciples familiar with each other.
But no one expected that the trial, which should have been peaceful, turned into a disaster. Two talented disciples from Lin You's team, misled by false information, wandered into a dangerous area and died.
These two disciples had been taken in by the Great Elder, so when they died during what should have been a simple trial, the Great Elder was furious and vowed to find out who was responsible.
The nine bell rings today were to announce that the Great Elder was personally investigating the deaths.
"Do you know what you've done, Lin You?" Chu Cheng sneered, giving Lin You another threatening look.
"Yeah, I know..." Lin You shot a quick glance at him, annoyed.
"Keep your mouth shut. If you say one more word, I'll break your other arm!" Chu Cheng threatened again, remembering how he had once broken Lin You's arm during the trial, and now Lin You's attitude made him grind his teeth in anger.
That little brat had no idea who was standing in front of him. Wait until I get expelled from the sect; the first thing I'll do is chop him up!
The disciples from all parts of Bìshuǐ Sect gathered in Haotian Hall, and the stern-faced Great Elder walked out from among the many elders, his cold gaze sweeping over everyone.
"Bìshuǐ Sect has stood for a thousand years. Four hundred years ago, we earned the title of the number one sect in the world, revered as a holy land in the hearts of martial artists. In these four centuries, our sect has produced countless geniuses, surpassing even the past. Anyone who becomes a disciple of our sect is a prodigy in their own right. Yet, during this new disciple trial, two of our disciples were misled by treacherous individuals and died. This is the first such incident in four hundred years!"
The Great Elder spoke with a heartbroken tone, continuing,
"I have already investigated this matter thoroughly. Today, I've called you all here to deal with it. Whoever is responsible for the deaths of these two disciples, I will not let them go lightly."
As the Great Elder spoke, everyone's gaze turned to Lin You's team.
The Great Elder walked directly to Lin You's side.
"Will you confess willingly, or should I tell you what happened?"
Everyone trembled. Lin You saw that Chu Cheng was visibly shaking, and he couldn't help but think—could it be him?
While Lin You was thinking, the Great Elder started questioning the disciples. The ones being interrogated stammered but all repeated the same thing: they had no idea who was responsible for the deaths.
The Great Elder grew angrier with every answer, and when he reached Lin You, he said again, "If you confess now, I'll expel you from the sect out of consideration for your youth and ignorance. But if I find out the truth myself, your life will be in danger!"
As soon as the Great Elder finished speaking, everyone except Lin You looked terrified, and Chu Cheng looked as if he was about to lose control.
But Lin You, at this moment, was practically bursting with excitement.
What? Expelled from the sect? Could this be my chance?!
The Great Elder turned to Lin You and asked him to explain what had happened during the trial.
But just as the Great Elder finished speaking, Lin You immediately spoke up,
"Great Elder, there's no need to ask any further. It was me. I know my crime is great, and I have no face to stay in Bìshuǐ Sect. Please, Great Elder, expel me from the sect as punishment!"
The rest of the team stood frozen, stunned, including the Great Elder.
Lin You felt overjoyed. Finally, expulsion was within his grasp... The peak Martial Emperor was almost within reach.
But just as Lin You imagined himself as a Martial Emperor, the Great Elder suddenly fell silent.
After what seemed like an eternity, the Great Elder's cold expression disappeared, and he suddenly burst out laughing!
"Did you lose your mind, kid? You actually confess so easily!" Lin You thought, eagerly waiting for the expulsion.
"Good... Good... Good!"
The Great Elder repeated three times, leaving Lin You confused.
"Good child! How did you discover that these two were spies from the Móyǐng Sect, and before they could act, you lured them into a trap and killed them?"
Lin You: "???"
What? Spies from the Móyǐng Sect?
He thought he had betrayed them, but now he was being praised for exposing a plot!
The Great Elder went on to explain that the two deceased disciples had been secretly planted by the Móyǐng Sect to sabotage Bìshuǐ Sect. They had planned to carry out an evil plot during the trial, but due to the false information, they ended up perishing before they could execute their scheme.
So, completely unaware, Lin You was now praised for his contribution!
The Great Elder patted Lin You on the shoulder with a smile, grateful that the situation hadn't escalated into a crisis for the sect.
After explaining everything, everyone around shouted in unison,
"Heaven's Blessing to Haotian!"
The Great Elder, pleased, waved his hand, "From today on, Lin You will be promoted to an elite disciple and rewarded with ten Jù Líng Dan (Spirit Gathering Pills). He will study under my tutelage!"
The other disciples stared at Lin You in envy and jealousy.
But Lin You himself was bewildered. What was this? My peak Martial Emperor status? Gone! And you think ten pills will make up for my heartache?
Seeing the shocked Chu Cheng, Lin You had a sudden idea.
"Great Elder, I'm not worthy. Actually, it was our team leader, Chu Cheng, who first discovered the spies. I was just carrying out the plan. If anyone deserves the reward, it's him. Please, Great Elder, expel me from the sect."
As soon as Lin You spoke, everyone froze. Chu Cheng looked utterly stunned.
He couldn't believe Lin You would pass the credit onto him.
But just as Chu Cheng was getting excited, the Great Elder, who had been so kind before, suddenly turned cold and faced him,
"You are Chu Cheng, right?"
"Yes..."
"I did this to test you all, to see if any of you had the courage to stand up!"
"But as the team leader, you showed no responsibility. You didn't confess right away, which is a disgrace to Bìshuǐ Sect. Lin You, in loyalty to his hometown, was willing to accept being expelled. But you said nothing. What face do you have to take the credit?"
Chu Cheng was dumbstruck.
Lin You was dumbstruck too.
"Take him away!" the Great Elder ordered.
"Chu Cheng is hereby expelled from the inner sect and relegated to the outer sect as a lesson to others!"
Chu Cheng was taken away, and the Great Elder returned to his cheerful self, patting Lin You's shoulder, "You didn't get cocky from rewards or scared by punishment. Good kid!"
The storm passed, and countless new disciples gathered around Lin You to congratulate him on becoming the first elite disciple in this batch.
But Lin You's smile was more painful than a frown. My peak Martial Emperor...
Elite disciple? The Great Elder's favor? All nonsense...
I just want to be expelled from the sect!