After Changing Her Fate, the Vicious Female Villain and the Protagonist Got an HE! - Chapter 11

Chapter 11: Rumors

Luo Hua, being experienced and knowledgeable, quickly understood the situation.

Those with strong Destiny are protected by the Heavenly Dao and cannot be harmed by ordinary conspiracies, unless the attack comes from someone deeply entangled with them.

The enemy currently targeting Wen Shurong clearly calculated that her relationship with Qin Niyun was unusual.

Having grasped the sequence of events, Luo Hua asked no more, only offering a reminder: “Innate Spiritual Treasures are rare in the world. When traveling in the future, try to exhibit it as little as possible in front of others, lest you invite disaster.”

Wen Shurong readily agreed.

In the Secret Realm, the siege was indeed triggered by the treasure.

The reason she felt no hesitation in bringing the Shan Hai Zither to Wangxian Dwelling now was that she was well aware that with the Sect Leader’s cultivation and strength, there was no need to covet a mere treasure.

Furthermore, the Sect Leader had cleared her name, which constituted a favor to her.

Naturally, her guard towards a benefactor was much lower than toward a stranger.

Seeing that Luo Hua was no longer asking questions, the Zither Spirit received her master’s permission and returned to the Shan Hai Zither.

For the next ten days, Luo Hua found ways to further suppress Wen Shurong’s Cold Poison, while also dispatching personnel to track the whereabouts of the stolen Demon Suppression Pagoda.

As time passed, within the Lingxiao Sect, the views of the elders and disciples regarding Wen Shurong formed two extremes.

Simultaneously, some rumors quietly began to circulate.

One day, Wen Shurong left Wangxian Dwelling and returned to her own cave dwelling. As she passed Qingzhu Peak, she overheard some discussions about her.

She slightly reduced her escape speed, and the voices reaching her ears were continuous.

“There’s clearly a Shadow Stone record proving that Senior Sister Wen stole the Demon Suppression Pagoda, yet the Sect Leader claims she’s innocent. Why do you think that is?”

“Could someone really have impersonated her?”

“Hmph, what impersonation! I asked my Master. The Treasury Pavilion has an Illusion-Breaking Array. Under this array’s cover, all illusionary techniques fail. Who could possibly impersonate her! My Master says she’s gained the Sect Leader’s favor and offered herself for sexual services!”

“What? But the Sect Leader is also a woman, isn’t she?”

“Why the big reaction? Don’t we have same-sex Daoist partners in our sect? The cultivation world isn’t bound by the same restrictions as those secular feudal dynasties.”

“That may be true, but would a mighty figure with such supreme strength as the Sect Leader really be swayed by beauty? You know, the Demon Suppression Pagoda is a top-grade Spiritual Treasure; its power is second only to an Innate Spiritual Treasure.”

“As long as it’s secretly returned, wouldn’t that solve it? You know, Senior Sister Wen has been staying in Wangxian Dwelling these days, a place where no one other than the Sect Leader could enter or leave before. Who would believe there’s no shady business going on?”

Wen Shurong listened to these words, her expression icy cold.

She was all too familiar with these disciples on Qingzhu Peak. Years ago, when her Master was still alive, these people would greet her with smiles and the utmost respect every time they saw her.

But ever since her Master passed away, they had changed their tune, following the instructions of some of the peak’s elders, withholding her cultivation resources, and forcing her to leave Qingzhu Peak.

She descended from the air, looking at the suddenly changed expressions of the few people. Her gaze fell on a youth wearing a blue, round-collared robe, and she asked coldly, “Junior Brother Zhang, are the words you just spoke truly what your Master told you?”

“Yes!”

The youth was initially afraid, but thinking of his Master, he immediately straightened his back.

“Everything I said today was told to me by my Master. If Senior Sister feels aggrieved, you can go and find my Master and confront that old man!”

The youth’s Master was one of the elders who had instructed the cultivators on the peak to withhold Wen Shurong’s cultivation resources, and he was now the Peak Master of Qingzhu Peak.

The rumors currently circulating in the sect were also their doing in secret.

Wen Shurong did not swallow her anger and went straight to the main hall of Qingzhu Peak.

At that moment, the Peak Master, Wu Yuan, was scolding a disciple in the hall.

Sensing someone breaking into the main hall, he immediately flew into a rage, a hint of murderous intent flashing in his sinister eyes.

The next moment, he saw who it was. Surprised at first, he then reacted with a laugh full of ambiguous meaning.

“Junior Niece Wen, it’s rare to see you visit Qingzhu Peak. What an unexpected guest! Why don’t I see Junior Niece continuing to stay in Wangxian Dwelling? Could it be that you’ve incurred the Sect Leader’s displeasure and been kicked out?”

Wen Shurong temporarily suppressed the anger in her heart and said expressionlessly: “Peak Master Wu, what is your intention in having your disciples spread those rumors?”

Wu Yuan sized up the girl in green and scoffed, “Are those rumors? They are clearly the truth!”

“The truth? Does Peak Master Wu have any evidence to prove it is the truth?”

“Do I need evidence? No one could enter or leave Wangxian Dwelling in the past except the Sect Leader, yet Junior Niece Wen can move in and out freely. Doesn’t that prove the point?”

“The Sect Leader took me to Wangxian Dwelling only to suppress the Cold Poison in my body!”

“Heh heh, the Ice Soul Cold Poison in Junior Niece Wen’s body is incurable in this lifetime. Whether it’s suppressed or not, what’s the difference? Junior Niece, don’t quibble. Why not just admit it? I might even think highly of Junior Niece then.”

“It is a baseless matter. Why should Junior Sister admit to it?”

A clear, cold voice came from outside the hall. Qin Niyun slowly walked into the main hall.

Wen Shurong turned back to look. Their gazes met in mid-air.

The moment she saw her Senior Sister, her furiously angry heart gradually calmed down.

Qin Niyun had previously received a voice transmission from her Junior Sister that she would leave Wangxian Dwelling today.

Therefore, she frequently used the Tethering Silk to sense her Junior Sister’s location, thinking that once the Junior Sister returned to Ruoyun Peak, she would discuss traveling out to search for the Spiritual Pearl.

Unexpectedly, her Junior Sister lingered on Qingzhu Peak for a long time.

She was generally aware of the grudges between her Junior Sister and the cultivators of this peak and rushed over immediately, worried something might happen.

Stepping into the main hall, her gaze met her Junior Sister’s. Qin Niyun slightly nodded, signaling her to be at ease. Then she looked away, directing her gaze to the obnoxious, pot-bellied, middle-aged man in the hall, and asked expressionlessly, “Peak Master Wu, do you still remember the Lingxiao Sect’s twenty-seventh sect rule?”

Wu Yuan coldly snorted, “Of course I do!”

“Then, I kindly ask Peak Master Wu to recite it.”

“What? Is Junior Niece Qin giving me orders?”

“Peak Master Wu overthinks it. It’s merely reciting a sect rule. Your current demeanor suggests you don’t remember the rule at all?”

“Nonsense! The twenty-seventh sect rule explicitly states that all cultivators within the sect must not arbitrarily spread rumors about the sect or individuals. Violation of this order results in a minimum punishment of forfeiting five years’ worth of sect monthly stipends, and a severe punishment of being confined to the Siguo Forest (Forest of Contemplation) for ten to twenty years.”

As his voice fell, Qin Niyun continued: “Since Peak Master Wu knows the sect rule, yet knowingly violates it, what crime should he be punished with?”

Wu Yuan’s brow furrowed straight up: “What this seat speaks is the truth, not a rumor!”

“Does Peak Master Wu dare to say this in front of the Sect Leader?”

“The Sect Leader is busy with a myriad of affairs. Why would she care about such trivial matters?”

“Is casually slandering someone’s innocence a trivial matter?”

“This seat says it is a trivial matter, then it is! If the two Junior Nieces are unconvinced, you may go and find the Sect Leader and see if the Sect Leader will punish this seat for your sake!”

Wu Yuan was defiant because, firstly, he didn’t believe the Sect Leader would bother with such trivialities, and secondly, even if the Sect Leader did inquire about this, he could simply deny everything and claim the two women were slandering him, as they had no evidence to prove he said those words.

In the main hall, Qin Niyun gave him a meaningful look, then remained silent, walking to Wen Shurong’s side and leading her Junior Sister away from the place.

Looking at their departing figures, Wu Yuan showed a triumphant smile on his face.

A long time ago, when Wen Shurong’s Master, Yue Lan, was still alive, he was severely punished by her for illegally selling sect resources, harboring resentment ever since, which extended to Wen Shurong.

Yue Lan was powerful, with an Early Great Accomplishment Stage cultivation. Wu Yuan dared not openly show any malice.

It wasn’t until nine years ago, when the demon race launched a large-scale beast horde invasion, and the frontier city was on the verge of falling, that Yue Lan sacrificed herself to form an array to protect the city’s inhabitants.

Upon hearing the news, Wu Yuan burst into laughter in his secluded chamber.

Since then, he began to unreservedly show his malice, forcing Wen Shurong to leave Qingzhu Peak, and then using various means to ascend to the position of Peak Master, which he held until now.

Of course, the success of his plans was also thanks to the Sect Leader, who was constantly in seclusion and rarely interfered in sect matters.

It was precisely because of this that when he had people spread the rumors earlier, he was certain the news would not reach the Sect Leader’s ears.

However, Wu Yuan, calculating a thousand things, failed to account for the fact that Qin Niyun carried a Recording Stone when she came to the main hall.

After leaving Qingzhu Peak, Qin Niyun took out the Recording Stone and handed it to Wen Shurong.

“Since this incident involves the Sect Leader, Junior Sister may take this Recording Stone and go to Wangxian Dwelling again to report the details to the Sect Leader.”

Wen Shurong was already contemplating a countermeasure. Her Senior Sister’s action was exactly what she wished for.

She thanked her warmly, engraving her Senior Sister’s kindness in her heart, and reached out to accept the object offered to her.

A few minutes later, in Wangxian Dwelling.

Luo Hua was slightly surprised to see the girl in green return.

“Did Junior Niece Wen encounter some difficulty?”

Wen Shurong did not hesitate, detailing everything she had seen and heard today, and also taking out the Recording Stone her Senior Sister had given her.

The smile that had been on Luo Hua’s face gave way to a hint of anger after listening to the relevant information.

She waved her sleeve, drawing the Recording Stone to her, and said solemnly: “I will deal with this matter. Junior Niece Wen can return to Ruoyun Peak and await news.”

Wen Shurong nodded in agreement and left Wangxian Dwelling.

Upon returning to Ruoyun Peak, she stayed in her cave dwelling for about two hours before receiving a voice transmission from the Sect Leader.

The transmission mentioned that Wu Yuan had been stripped of his Peak Master position.

In addition, the past incidents from years ago were also thoroughly investigated.

The seven elders on the peak were each fined ten years’ worth of stipends, and the disciples were fined five years’ worth. As for Wu Yuan, he was punished for multiple crimes. He would receive no more cultivation resources, his cultivation was sealed, and he was confined to the Siguo Forest to contemplate his errors for a hundred years.

Currently, the position of Qingzhu Peak’s Peak Master was vacant.

Luo Hua inquired in the voice transmission whether Wen Shurong was interested in taking over the peak.

She thought for a long time and politely declined the Sect Leader’s kindness.

Qingzhu Peak was a place of sorrow for her.

Returning to this peak would inevitably bring back the memories of those years.

Moreover, her current cultivation was insufficient.

It was generally understood that a Peak Master should have at least reached the Early Soul Transformation Stage before taking office.

With her current Core Formation Stage cultivation, taking over as Peak Master would make it difficult to gain respect.

Furthermore, Wen Shurong constantly remembered her promise with her Senior Sister: once the incident of the stolen Demon Suppression Pagoda was completely resolved, they would go out to gain experience and search for the Fire Spirit Pearl.

If she chose to take over as Peak Master, she would be burdened with numerous responsibilities, making it difficult to leave the sect for a while…

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