After My Rebirth, I Ended Up Happily Ever After with the Saintess - Chapter 105

Half a month later, the gate of the Xuan Yun Sect was finally in sight. The continuously undulating immortal mountains were shrouded in swirling spiritual mist, with flying waterfalls, flowing springs, and immortal cranes gathering, forming a stark contrast to the deathly silence of the Buried Soul Mountain Range’s ice fields. However, the returning team had no time to appreciate the familiar beauty of this immortal realm; the atmosphere remained heavy.

Under Ye Li’s desperate efforts in treatment and subsequent meticulous conditioning, Qin Yi Xuan’s life was finally saved, but her origin foundation was severely damaged, and her cultivation had fallen to the early stage of the Spiritual Mansion Realm, leaving her extremely weak. She still had to lie in a specially made soft sedan for most of the time, carried in turns by the disciples of the Clear Water Pavilion. Her face was still pale, but her eyes had recovered their former clarity, though a subtle shadow of gloom lingered deep within them. The disparity between being the sect’s highly anticipated Heavenly Pride and now a severely injured person needing constant care was a hardship only she could truly understand.

Ye Li’s condition was slightly better, but the after-effects of forcibly burning her essential blood and excessively activating the Reincarnation Mirror’s origin were also profound. Her face held a sickly paleness, and although her aura was stable in the middle stage of the Spiritual Mansion Realm, there was a clear sense of internal instability that would require a long period of quiet recuperation to fully recover. For the most part, she walked silently beside Qin Yi Xuan’s soft sedan, like the most loyal of guards.

Elder Yun of the Clear Water Pavilion had not relaxed her expression the entire time. Qin Yi Xuan’s injury tore at her heart, and what worried her more was how to report to the Pavilion Master and the future predicament facing the Clear Water Pavilion.

In comparison, while Layman Muyun also looked grave, a hint of sharp light was hidden deep within his eyes. The expedition to the Ice Soul Profound Palace had resulted in heavy losses but also tremendous gains. Ye Li’s astonishing growth and the fortuitous encounters she received were self-evident, but more importantly, they now held irrefutable evidence of Situ Kuang’s collusion with the Shadow Demon and betrayal of the sect (the confessions of the captured like Shi Long, and the lingering Shadow Demon aura at the scene). This would be a golden opportunity to purge the internal toxins of the sect!

The team slowly descended upon the main peak’s plaza of the Xuan Yun Sect. The sect’s high-ranking members, who had already received the message, had almost all gathered. Led by the Sect Master, Reverend Xuancheng, the peak masters and elders from various peaks stood in solemn silence. Around the plaza, countless inner and outer disciples, who had heard the news, had also gathered. The crowd was immense, and everyone’s gaze was fixed on this bruised and battered team that returned with startling news.

When they saw the weak and barely breathing Qin Yi Xuan being carried off the flying ship, a wave of repressed gasps swept through the crowd. News of the Clear Water Pavilion Saintess’s severe injury had already spread, but seeing it with their own eyes was still shocking. And when their eyes fell upon Ye Li, who, though haggard, stood tall and straight beside the sedan, a complex mixture of emotions—awe, respect, jealousy, and curiosity—intertwined in countless gazes.

“Greetings to Martial Uncle Muyun (Martial Great-Uncle), Elder Yun, upon your return!” The true disciple, Xuan Tianzi, and the others were the first to bow and salute.

Sect Master Reverend Xuancheng stepped forward, his gaze sweeping over the team, lingering for a moment on Qin Yi Xuan and Ye Li. He spoke in a deep voice, “Martial Brother Muyun, Elder Yun, you have endured a long journey. We have a general understanding of the situation. Please move to the Lingxiao Hall for details.”

His voice was calm but carried an unquestionable authority. A cold glint flashed in his eyes as he glanced at the captured Shi Long and others, whose spiritual power was sealed and who hung their heads in dejection.

“As per the Sect Master’s decree,” Layman Muyun and Elder Yun bowed in unison.

Just then, a sharp voice, full of anxiety and fury, suddenly rang out: “Muyun! Where is my disciple, Situ Kuang?! Why is he not with you?!”

Everyone turned towards the voice to see an old man in crimson robes, with a withered face but eyes as sharp as a hawk’s, stepping out from the crowd. It was Reverend Lieyang, the Deputy Peak Master of the Battle Frenzy Peak and Situ Kuang’s Martial Uncle! Several elders from the Battle Frenzy Peak followed behind him, all with grim expressions.

At this utterance, the atmosphere in the plaza instantly became delicate. The news of Situ Kuang colluding with the Shadow Demon and attacking his own team was no secret among the high-level personnel, but most disciples were still unaware.

Layman Muyun shot a cold glance at Reverend Lieyang. His tone was level but carried a bone-chilling coldness: “Why must Martial Brother Lieyang ask what he already knows? Situ Kuang colluded with the Shadow Demon, set an ambush in the Ice Wind Gorge to conspire against and harm his fellow disciples, and seize treasures. After the plot failed, he fled with the Shadow Demon General. This can be attested to by the captives like Shi Long, and the lingering Shadow Demon aura at the scene serves as proof!”

“What? Peak Master Situ colluded with the Shadow Demon?”

“How is that possible?!”

“No wonder Saintess Qin was so severely injured!”

“He actually attacked his own people?!”

Layman Muyun’s words were like a massive stone dropped into a calm lake, instantly causing an uproar! The plaza erupted in shouts of surprise, disbelief, and anger! The disciples of the Battle Frenzy Peak, in particular, turned deathly pale with shock.

“Nonsense!” Reverend Lieyang’s hair stood on end as he roared, “Muyun! You dare not slander him! You must have coveted Kuang’er’s fortuitous encounter and conspired with the Clear Water Pavilion to frame him! Evidence? Who knows if those captives were coerced into confession! Shadow Demon aura? How do we know you didn’t fake it!”

He was clearly denying all accusations and counter-attacking!

“Lieyang! Facts speak louder than words!” Elder Yun couldn’t hold back her fury and spoke out sharply. She was boiling with unvented anger. “If not for Situ Kuang’s collusion with the Shadow Demon, how would our Saintess have suffered such a grievous injury? The Clear Water Pavilion will not let this matter rest! We demand justice from your Xuan Yun Sect!”

Seeing that the two parties were about to escalate the argument right in the plaza, Sect Master Reverend Xuancheng frowned. A vast, awe-inspiring pressure instantly enveloped the entire area, silencing all the commotion.

“Enough!” Reverend Xuancheng’s voice was not loud, but it clearly reached everyone’s ears, carrying an unquestionable authority. “The truth and falsehood of this matter will be judged by me! All relevant personnel, proceed to the Lingxiao Hall immediately! The rest of you, return to your duties and refrain from speculation!”

With the Sect Master’s decree, no one dared to make any more noise. Although Reverend Lieyang was unwilling, he could only glare fiercely at Layman Muyun and Ye Li before flicking his sleeve and following the others.

🏛️ Inside the Lingxiao Hall: Accusations and Shocking News

Inside the Lingxiao Hall, the atmosphere was even more tense than in the plaza. The core high-ranking members of the Xuan Yun Sect and Elder Yun of the Clear Water Pavilion were seated on opposite sides. Ye Li, as a key participant, was permitted to stand behind Layman Muyun. Qin Yi Xuan was arranged to rest and recuperate in a side hall.

Layman Muyun recounted in detail everything that had transpired within the Ice Soul Profound Palace ruins, including the struggle for the Reincarnation Mirror fragment in the main hall, Qin Yi Xuan’s awakening of her Divine Nature Origin, Gao Sheng’s loss of control, the appearance of the Shadow Demon Emissary, and finally, the joint ambush by Situ Kuang and the Shadow Demon General in the Ice Wind Gorge, and Qin Yi Xuan’s severe injury while saving Ye Li. His narrative was objective, yet the sheer terror of the events still left everyone present inwardly shaken.

When they heard that Ye Li, with her Spiritual Mansion Realm cultivation, had teamed up with Qin Yi Xuan to repel the Shadow Demon Emissary and severely wound Gao Sheng, and later, after Qin Yi Xuan was critically injured, she unleashed astonishing power to wound the Nascent Core Realm Shadow Demon General, all eyes once again focused on Ye Li, filled with an unbelievable shock! Even the usually composed Sect Master Reverend Xuancheng’s eyes flashed with a sharp glint.

Subsequently, the captives like Shi Long were brought into the hall. Under the Sect Master’s secret inquiry technique, they timidly revealed all the details of how Situ Kuang had colluded with the Shadow Demon and planned the ambush, which corroborated Layman Muyun’s account.

The evidence was undeniable!

Reverend Lieyang and his cohort’s faces turned extremely ugly, but they could no longer argue.

“Preposterous! How dare Situ Kuang commit such an outrageous act!” An elder of high prestige slammed the table and roared in anger.

“Colluding with the Shadow Demon and harming fellow disciples is an unforgivable crime!”

“The involved individuals from the Battle Frenzy Peak must be severely punished to uphold the sect rules!”

Inside the grand hall, calls for retribution rose one after another. Situ Kuang’s betrayal had crossed the sect’s bottom line.

However, just as emotions were running high, a management disciple rushed into the hall, reporting a piece of news that astonished everyone:

“Reporting to the Sect Master! We just received a secret report from the Battle Frenzy Peak… Peak Master Situ… he has returned!”

“What?” Everyone was stunned. Situ Kuang dared to return?

The disciple swallowed and continued, “However… Peak Master Situ is severely injured and unconscious. He was found outside the mountain gate… Furthermore, according to the inspecting elder, his internal aura is chaotic, and it seems… he suffered a backlash from an extremely powerful force. His Golden Core… shows signs of shattering!”

This news was like another heavy hammer, instantly plunging the entire Lingxiao Hall into silence.

Situ Kuang severely injured, unconscious, and his Golden Core on the verge of shattering? Was he injured by Layman Muyun? Or… did he suffer a backlash from the Shadow Demon?

The situation instantly became even more perplexing.

Everyone’s gaze involuntarily turned to Ye Li once more. This young woman was not only the central figure of this incident, exhibiting extraordinary combat power, but now she also seemed to have indirectly caused Situ Kuang’s tragic downfall. The mysterious aura surrounding her became even more compelling.

It was predictable that with Situ Kuang’s “return,” regardless of whether his injuries were genuine or feigned, a greater storm was about to erupt within the Xuan Yun Sect, all because of her. Ye Li stood composed in the center of the hall, feeling the diverse gazes directed at her from all sides, her expression calm. Only the fist within her sleeve was slightly clenched. What must come, will come. She was utterly fearless.