Chapter 82: "It’s Not About Explaining to the World, But to Me"

Chapter 82: "It’s Not About Explaining to the World, But to Me"

This time, Chang Wen didn’t keep Chen Yin waiting long.

In just a short while, a massive group of people arrived at the mountain gate.

Countless disciples in Misty Spirit Sect robes crowded behind a group of elders in the front.

These elders, lined up in a row, exuded an overwhelming aura of authority and power.

Among these elders were several familiar faces to Chen Yin.

There was Chang Wen, Mo Jie from the Heavenly Beauty Summit, and the elder from the Hall of Discipline who had mocked and hindered him relentlessly in his previous life.

The leader of the group was also someone Chen Yin recognized.

With white hair and beard, cloudy yet steady eyes, and a flowing blue-and-white robe, the man radiated an air of celestial elegance.

—The Sect Leader of the Misty Spirit Sect, Wu Xun.

The group stopped in front of Chen Yin and Yu Xiang. All of them—disciples and elders alike—glared at the two with hostility.

"Finally, you’re here."

Chen Yin glanced down at Xu Li, who was still kneeling and unable to speak, and said softly, "Looks like you’ve earned yourself a little more time to live."

Xu Li glared at him with venomous eyes, bloodshot with rage.

"I am Wu Xun, Sect Leader of Misty Spirit Sect."

Wu Xun cast a single glance at the kneeling Xu Li before speaking in a low voice, "May I ask why disciples of Yushan Mountain are so aggressively intruding upon our sect’s mountain gate?"

"I’m here for two things," Chen Yin said calmly.

"First, to uncover the truth about what happened at Changli Palace all those years ago and give my junior sister an explanation."

"Second, to demand an explanation for my master, who was injured yesterday by someone from your sect."

Xiang’er gripped Chen Yin’s hand tightly, unable to suppress her unease at the sight of the large crowd before them.

Wu Xun exchanged a glance with Chang Wen beside him before shaking his head regretfully.

"Heh, as expected from a disciple of the esteemed Immortal Yu Ling. The master has indeed taught her disciple well."

"Unfortunately, it seems the lesson lacked discernment of right and wrong."

He spoke loudly, his voice clear and steady:

"Back then, we feared that the scandal of Changli Palace being exposed would disrupt the unity of the righteous path and give the demonic faction an opening to exploit. Thus, we chose to suppress the matter instead of spreading it far and wide."

"Since you insist on an explanation today, very well. I shall recount the truth of what happened at Changli Palace before the thousands of disciples here."

With a wave of his hand, a scroll unfurled midair, its inked characters rolling as it floated.

"Fifteen years ago, while on a mission, our sect’s disciples happened to pass through Ziqing Prefecture. To their shock, they discovered that the so-called 'paradise where immortals commune,' Ziqing Prefecture, was plagued by the mysterious disappearance of countless mortals without a trace or word."

"Upon investigation, our disciples uncovered a shocking secret!"

"The renowned and respected Changli Palace was secretly colluding with the demonic faction. Its leader, Yin Changli, had been practicing demonic arts in secret, sacrificing countless lives from Ziqing Prefecture to fuel his cultivation."

"They had already taken control of Ziqing Prefecture, spreading rumors to create the illusion of harmony among its people. Behind the scenes, they treated its citizens as nothing more than livestock!"

"If they had succeeded, the world would have seen the rise of a heartless demonic overlord, bringing untold suffering to all."

Yu Xiang’s body began to tremble. She bit her lip so hard it almost bled, her voice barely audible as she murmured,

"It’s not true…"

Chen Yin frowned slightly.

"At first, we couldn’t believe that Changli Palace, a fellow righteous sect, could commit such heinous acts. But the evidence was irrefutable. Reluctantly, our sect resolved to nip this calamity in the bud."

His voice was firm, filled with righteous fervor, almost infectious in its intensity.

"Thus, our sect expended all its resources to deal with the matter in secret, ensuring that such a scandal would not tarnish the righteous path."

"It was a brutal and bloody battle," Wu Xun said, his tone somber. "Changli Palace had secretly turned all its disciples into demonic cultivators, their strength bolstered by human blood as sustenance."

"Our sect suffered heavy casualties and depleted significant resources, but we ultimately eradicated this threat!"

His words sparked a wave of cheers and applause among the Misty Spirit Sect disciples.

"Well done!"

"Our elders work tirelessly for the righteous path without seeking fame—this is true greatness!"

"I am proud to be a disciple of the Misty Spirit Sect!"

Behind him, Yu Xiang’s trembling grew more severe. Chen Yin gently patted the back of her hand and reassured her softly:

"Don’t worry."

Yu Xiang pressed her lips tightly together, fighting back tears.

"To avoid spreading the scandal, our sect never boasted of this battle. We merely informed our fellow sects in passing and buried the matter, silently bearing this burden."

"However, we never expected there to be surviving remnants of Changli Palace’s demonic forces."

Wu Xun’s gaze turned sharp as an eagle’s as he looked at Yu Xiang.

"This girl managed to escape back then, only to be picked up by the Immortal Yu Ling and brought to the mountain."

"If she had repented and dedicated herself to righteousness, we righteous cultivators would not trouble a mere girl."

"But," Wu Xun’s tone turned icy, "not only did she fail to repent, but she continued to collude with the demonic faction in secret and even became a saintess of the demonic faction!"

"At the recent Heavenly Beauty Summit, she used the alias Yin Mengwan and fought her way to the finals using forbidden techniques. She even tried to kill our sect’s prodigy, Shen Shuanglian!"

Murmurs began to ripple through the disciples behind him.

"We elders believed that since she had joined the Immortal Yu Ling’s sect, it was up to her to discipline her."

Wu Xun sighed.

"Regrettably, the Immortal Yu Ling is often preoccupied with her own matters and did not pay much attention to her disciples. As a result, she failed to notice her wicked deeds until it was too late!"

"Now, she even has the audacity to accuse us first!"

"Though we are compassionate and unwilling to embarrass the Immortal Yu Ling, being directly confronted leaves us no choice but to reveal the truth to the world."

His voice rang out clearly, carrying far and wide.

"This is the explanation I owe to our disciples and to the world!"

His words ignited a furious uproar among the Misty Spirit Sect disciples, who began to denounce Yu Xiang’s actions with righteous indignation.

"Demonic witch! She must be executed for her crimes!"

"She dares to come here seeking trouble? Today, we’ll deliver justice for the people of Ziqing Prefecture!"

The noisy clamor enveloped the pair. Yu Xiang covered her ears tightly, her body trembling uncontrollably.

"It’s not true… it’s not like that…" she whispered, her voice breaking as tears welled up.

Chen Yin remained calm, his expression as serene as ever, unaffected by the storm of curses and accusations.

Wu Xun and the elders fixed their sharp gazes on him.

"Chen Yin," Chang Wen spoke again, "as the prized disciple of the Immortal Yu Ling, I understand that being deceived by a junior sister you’ve known for over a decade must be hard to accept."

"How about handing over this demonic girl to us? We guarantee she will confess everything."

For a moment, all eyes were on the pair.

The elders' cautious, guarded stares. The disciples' clamorous jeers and vile accusations.

But then, amidst the raucous cacophony, a chuckle cut through—clear, sharp, and utterly incongruous.

"Pfft."

Gradually, the noise subsided. The disciples fell silent, staring at Chen Yin, who was suppressing his laughter.

"Pfft. Haha. Ha—"

Chen Yin laughed lightly, a carefree tone in stark contrast to the gravity of the situation.

His laughter was unrestrained, lighthearted, as though he were mocking the solemnity of the scene.

Watching him, Wu Xun squinted slightly. His tone was low as he asked, "What is it that disciple Chen Yin finds so amusing?"

"Nothing much," Chen Yin replied, his lips curling into a faint smile. "I was laughing at fools."

A brief silence enveloped the crowd.

Wu Xun's expression darkened, as did those of the other elders. Chang Wen, however, attempted to mediate, "There's no need for such sharp words, my young friend—"

But Chen Yin didn't even glance at him.

Turning to Yu Xiang, he gently stroked her hair and spoke softly, "Don't be upset."

"Black can't be made white, and white won't turn black."

"The rules are the rules. They'll understand."

Yu Xiang looked at him, tears brimming in her eyes, nodding with a choked sob.

Then Chen Yin faced Wu Xun again. "I think you've misunderstood something."

"I summoned you here not to have you give an explanation to the world."

His voice grew colder.

"—I asked you to give an explanation to me."

Wu Xun's eyes widened slightly.

But before he could respond, a blinding sword light shot skyward, streaking across the heavens like a radiant arc.

In that instant, all anyone could see was a brilliant white streak so dazzling that it dimmed even the sun.

The arc of light tore through the sky, leaving a visible rift in its wake.

And then—

Behind them came a tremendous, earth-shaking crash.

Cries of alarm erupted from the Misty Spirit Sect disciples as they turned to see their great mountain gate—split cleanly in two—collapsing in a cloud of dust.

The mighty gate crumbled to the ground amidst a deafening roar, the sound reverberating for miles. Birds scattered from the forest, and even hundreds of miles away, one could see the faint shadow of the fallen gate.

"This—what is this?!"

"The mountain gate—it's fallen?!"

As the shocked cries of the disciples echoed around him, Wu Xun turned slowly. His face was ashen as he fixed his gaze on Chen Yin.

Chen Yin, unfazed, calmly brushed the dust off Changming. His voice was casual, almost indifferent.

"I don’t care if the world accepts your explanation. That has nothing to do with me."

"But, forgive me, your explanation is not acceptable to me."

"I’ve already given you a chance." His gaze lifted, eyes cold and detached.

"...What a pity."

"Sto—" Chang Wen barely began to shout when—

On the ground, Xu Li suddenly convulsed violently, his eyes bulging grotesquely as if they might burst.

In the next instant—

A sword light erupted from within him.

Blood rained down in a fine mist, splattering Chen Yin's calm, expressionless face.

And Wu Xun’s own, now icy with rage.

"...I am disappointed."

Chen Yin's tone carried profound disillusionment.

"This is your final chance."

"Summon all your secret division members now."

"Every single one who was involved in the Changli Palace incident—none of them will live."

"—When I say it, I mean it," he murmured with quiet determination.

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