Chapter Thirty-Six: Utterly Disappointed

"How could this be? How could his cultivation level drop so suddenly without any warning?" Liu Ruohan’s cold face was etched with worry. Her brows were tightly furrowed, and her gaze remained fixed on Qin Hao, whose cultivation had regressed and whose aura had grown feeble. Her heart was filled with both confusion and anxiety.

"Master, it was Senior Brother Lin. It was Senior Brother Lin who drained my fortune and merit," Qin Hao said, his voice weak and labored. He was calculating in his mind that no matter what, he had to pin the blame on Lin Chen first. After all, with his current cultivation stuck at the fifth stage, he feared that if he didn't come up with an excuse, he wouldn't be able to drag the "useless" Lin Chen back.

"It really is that good-for-nothing Lin Chen! First he gouged out Senior Sister’s eyes, and now he’s harming our Junior Brother. He is truly wicked!" Upon hearing this, Ye Ling’er’s brows arched in anger, and she cursed viciously.

"Exactly! He is a deranged villain with such a poisonous heart. Master, you must seek justice for our Junior Brother," Wen Yun echoed, looking at Qin Hao with a concerned expression.

Liu Ruohan pondered to herself. Regarding the matter of Su Xiangling’s eyes, she knew the truth better than anyone: it had absolutely nothing to do with Lin Chen. However, the theft of fortune and merit was no trivial matter. If it were true, she could not let Lin Chen off lightly. Such an act of betraying one’s master and harming one’s fellow disciples was an unforgivable crime.

"The three of you, go and bring that wretch back to me," Liu Ruohan commanded, her tone icy as she looked at her three female disciples.

A flicker of hesitation crossed Mei Xiulan’s eyes, and she looked troubled. After a moment of hesitation, she said, "Junior Brother Lin would not do such a wicked thing. I implore you, Master, please reconsider."

"Insolent! Your Junior Brother has said it himself; could he be lying?" Liu Ruohan’s expression darkened, and she snapped sharply.

"Our Junior Brother has been harmed to this extent, yet you still protect that wretch? What are your true intentions?" Wen Yun glared at Mei Xiulan, her face full of fury as she accused her with malice.

"Master, don’t you think there is something wrong with this? How could Junior Brother Lin, having already left the sect, possibly manage to drain Junior Brother Qin’s merit?" Though her tone was humble, Mei Xiulan summoned the courage to voice her doubts.

"Junior Sister, are you out of your mind? Our Junior Brother is the one injured here; how can you be so unable to distinguish right from wrong?" Ye Ling’er scolded her without reservation.

Hearing their exchange, Liu Ruohan felt a slight trace of doubt herself. She turned to Qin Hao and asked, "Tell me, what exactly happened?"

Qin Hao had already planned his strategy, just waiting for them to capture Lin Chen. Once captured, he would activate the shackles of fortune, and Lin Chen’s merit would return to him. In this way, his lost cultivation would be restored steadily, and these foolish women would surely believe it had always been his own power, never suspecting a thing.

His pale lips trembled slightly as he said weakly, "Master, as long as you bring Senior Brother Lin back, everything will become clear. Every word I have spoken is the truth."

"Very well. Rest now; I will certainly see justice done for you," Liu Ruohan said, her eyes filled with doting affection as she gently consoled him. She then turned around, a chilling, piercing aura erupting from her. She pointed a finger at Mei Xiulan and scolded, "You heard him, you rebellious disciple. Do you still have any objections?"

The overbearing pressure surged toward her, and Mei Xiulan felt a powerful force that left her unable to stand steady. She gritted her teeth and stood her ground, saying, "Master! Forgive your disciple for her boldness, but please retract your order. Junior Brother Lin is not that kind of person."

"Hmph! Overestimating yourself," Liu Ruohan said coldly. "Get out... go to the Cliff of Reflection and repent. Don't come out until you've cleared your head!"

The immense pressure released by Liu Ruohan made it impossible for Mei Xiulan to rise. She felt a surge of blood in her chest and coughed up a mouthful of blood. Yet, enduring the intense pain, she struggled to her feet and began to walk toward the Cliff of Reflection, her back looking incredibly desolate.

The sect had fallen into such decline that there was not a single person left with common sense. Qin Hao was clearly a deceitful scoundrel, yet based on a single word from him, everyone trusted him implicitly as if they had seen it with their own eyes. This left Mei Xiulan feeling completely hopeless about the sect.

Seeing Mei Xiulan punished, Wen Yun muttered triumphantly, "Serves you right! Let's see if you dare to defy Master again."

***

Inside the Cliff of Reflection, Su Xiangling was staring at the scenery when she saw her frail Junior Sister walk in. A wave of worry washed over her, and she asked, "Junior Sister, why are you here?"

"Let me stay here with you from now on. I don't want to go out anymore. This sect has become truly unbearable," Mei Xiulan said as she walked to Su Xiangling’s side and slowly sat on the ground.

"Junior Sister, what exactly happened? Don’t scare me; the Cliff of Reflection is no place to be," Su Xiangling’s heart trembled. An ominous premonition stirred within her, and she stared steadily at Mei Xiulan.

Wiping the blood from the corner of her mouth, Mei Xiulan slowly began to speak: "That good Junior Brother of yours, Qin Hao, is slandering Junior Brother Lin. Master and the others believe him completely and are going to capture Lin Chen."

Upon hearing this, Su Xiangling actually smiled and said, "Is that all? Don't worry, Little Chen will be fine." She knew very well that the senior who had performed the eye transplant for Lin Chen possessed unfathomable power. Forget her two junior sisters; even if the Master herself went out, she might not be a match for that senior.

"Senior Sister, do you know something?" Mei Xiulan asked, her face full of curiosity.

Su Xiangling did not hide it. She parted her lips slightly and whispered, "Little Chen has an expert protecting him. You can set your heart at ease."

"Oh, I see. Then I am relieved," Mei Xiulan said, the sorrow on her face vanishing instantly as she smiled.

"Well, since that's the case, go and apologize to Master so you can leave. Don't suffer here," Su Xiangling said, looking at Mei Xiulan with a gentle expression.

Mei Xiulan shook her head firmly. "No, I am not wrong. I am simply not wrong. I will not do anything that goes against my conscience."

"You... sigh... alright then!" Su Xiangling was momentarily speechless, feeling a sense of poignancy. Yes, she was Mei Xiulan; she was that kind of person—she would never betray her principles for the sake of temporary ease. If only she had possessed such a mindset back then, would she and Little Chen still be as close as siblings? Thinking of this, she shook her head helplessly.

"Rumble!"

As they spoke, a dull clap of thunder echoed through the valley. Su Xiangling looked up at the violent, dark lightning above and felt her scalp go numb. She was all too familiar with this dark lightning; every time her injuries showed signs of healing, it would strike again, leaving her clothes in tatters—they could barely even be called clothes anymore. However, this time, the target of the lightning did not seem to be her.

"Rumble!!!"

Suddenly, a bolt of dark lightning descended, striking Mei Xiulan squarely. She let out a sharp cry, her hair scorched and disheveled, and she looked utterly wretched. Su Xiangling rushed to help her up, and they sat together on the side.

But at that moment, with a loud "bang," another bolt of dark lightning fell from the heavens and struck Su Xiangling. She stumbled and fell to the ground, rage welling up in her heart. She couldn't help but curse at the sky: "You bully of the virtuous and kind! Just you wait—if I ever become an immortal, I will surely cut you down first!"

Strange to say, the dark lightning seemed to understand her words and vanished without a trace. The two women, disheveled and leaning on each other, sat in meditation, trying to recover their strength as quickly as possible.

***

Meanwhile, Lin Chen stepped out of the Golden House and walked leisurely through the streets of Qinghe Town. The streets were still bustling with people, and the farmers were busy with their daily toil. The north wind whistled past, swirling snowflakes in the air. The snow hit his face, bone-chillingly cold, making him shiver.

"Boss, give me a pound of pork," Lin Chen said with a smile.

The pork jerky merchant looked up and was momentarily stunned, a look of surprise crossing his face. He remembered that when Lin Chen was blind, he had often shortchanged him. He hadn't expected Lin Chen’s eyes to have healed. The merchant felt a pang of regret that he could no longer cheat him, but he weighed a pound of pork, handed it to Lin Chen, and squeezed out a professional, fake smile. "Here you go."