Hearing the words “expelled from the sect” from several senior brothers, Jiang Hong and Li Xu, who were cowering on their knees nearby, were startled for a moment. They then raised their heads to exchange a quiet glance, a hint of malice and pleasure glinting in their eyes.
Like Chen Er, both of them came from the Mortal Realm. Back in the Mortal Realm, they had been wealthy young masters living in luxury, while Chen Er was merely a waiter at an inn in tiny Guangle Village—a world apart in status.
Yet upon arriving in the Origin Realm, simply because of some damn difference in the quality of their spiritual meridians, their current situations were now completely reversed.
They had thought that being chosen by the Yuxu Sect meant heading to an immortal mountain to become immortals, living free and carefree off dew and wind. Who could have known that once they arrived, reality was nothing like what they had imagined?
The two young masters, who used to have servants crowding around them, now had no one to serve them. Saddled with the title of “handyman disciple,” they had to do manual labor all day long.
Worse, it was dirty, exhausting work like sweeping, farming, and hauling spirit beast dung. Day in and day out, they smelled of beasts or were splattered with mud. They constantly had to watch people's expressions and were ordered around by outer and inner disciples.
Servile and flattering like this every single day, how could Jiang Hong and Li Xu not feel deeply resentful?
The Immortal Destiny Gathering occurred only once every fifty years, so regret was useless now.
Yet looking at Chen Er, simply because his spiritual meridian quality was a fraction better than theirs, he had become an outer disciple, outranking them.
Now, hearing that he had even entered the Qi Refining Realm and gained a touch of immortal grace, setting him completely apart from them, Jiang Hong and Li Xu felt not only a sense of injustice, but intense jealousy and hatred.
Seeing him in trouble now, they completely forgot that Chen Er had ended up in this state precisely because he had stood up for them and spoken on their behalf.
Though Jiang Hong and Li Xu remained kneeling there, the corners of their mouths curled into pleasure, much like those who were giving Chen Er a hard time.
Chen Er clutched his fractured ribs, enduring the pain. Catching sight of their expressions out of the corner of his eye, he felt a sudden chill in his heart.
After taking a healing pill and adjusting his breath for a moment, Zhan Xuan stared fixedly at Chen Er and ordered, “Go search him and see if he has any more stolen spirit talismans on him.”
Chen Er was powerless to resist and watched as several senior brothers searched his robe, pulled out his remaining Blaze Talisman, and handed it to Zhan Xuan.
Zhan Xuan took the spirit talisman, inspected it briefly, and said coldly, “Once the outer elders and Junior Sister Lu arrive, we'll let Junior Sister Lu inspect it. Then we'll know whether or not he stole it from her.”
Chen Er remained silent, thinking to himself: It's fine if Lu Yujiao comes. Once she arrives, she will know with a single glance that this talisman wasn't made by her. With her speaking up, others shouldn't be able to pin the crime of theft on me anymore.
Just as he was thinking this, an outer elder was brought over. After listening to everyone's explanations, the elder also agreed to wait until Lu Yujiao arrived.
After the crowd waited a while longer, Lu Yujiao finally arrived in a hurry.
She had already learned the gist of the situation from the junior brother leading the way. Upon arrival, she glanced at Chen Er and asked directly, “Where is the talisman?”
Dropping his previous aggressive arrogance, Zhan Xuan wore a gentle smile as he handed the talisman searched from Chen Er to Lu Yujiao. “Junior Sister, the talisman is right here. Take a look and see if you drew it.”
Lu Yujiao took the talisman, freezing momentarily as her fingers brushed over the clear, exquisite radiance of the source runes upon it.
She was a Tier-1 talisman master, so her eye and discernment for talismans naturally far surpassed ordinary people.
At a single glance, Lu Yujiao recognized that this talisman belonged to that “senior.” The ethereal, clear glow within its radiance was far too rare; she could think of no one else who could have crafted it.
The outer elder spoke up to ask, “Yujiao, inspect it carefully. Did this talisman come from your hand, and did Chen Er steal it without your knowledge?”
She handed the talisman back to the outer elder and was about to deny it immediately: “This talisman—”
“When that Blaze Talisman blew up just now, it really gave me a fright.”
“Yeah, how could an ordinary Blaze Talisman have such power? Only Senior Sister Lu's natural talent could produce such an incredible talisman.”
“Senior Sister Lu is a role model for us all. I heard she just broke through to the fifth layer of the Qi Refining Realm a few days ago...”
“Such talent in the Talisman Dao is truly enviable.”
The hushed chatter of the surrounding disciples reached her ears.
As the words were about to leave her mouth, hearing the compliments and admiration all around her, Lu Yujiao felt a moment of dazed trance and somehow paused.
After a brief pause, as if possessed, she changed her tune and said to the outer elder, “This talisman is indeed mine.”
Chen Er, who had been keeping his head down, suddenly snapped his head up, looking at Lu Yujiao with disbelief in his eyes.
Lu Yujiao avoided his gaze, her heart hammering against her ribs.
Zhan Xuan immediately smiled. “I knew this talisman had to be Junior Sister Lu's.”
The surrounding crowd voiced their agreement one after another.
Lu Yujiao noticed a few distant senior brothers and sisters outside the crowd whispering among themselves, looking at her with a hint of suspicion, and she suddenly felt a flush of panic.
She had studied the Talisman Dao for less than two years. Though she could now be considered a Tier-1 talisman master, the spirit talismans she drew lacked power compared to normal ones. How could they possibly compare to this talisman shimmering with radiant light?
Those senior brothers and sisters had spent more time around her and knew her skill level far better than the junior disciples, so they naturally harbored doubts.
But the lie had already been spoken.
Lu Yujiao composed herself. As if to prove her own words, she pulled out another Blaze Talisman. “Everyone, please look.”
This was precisely the Blaze Talisman she had obtained earlier, drawn by that unknown senior, identical to the one found on Chen Er.
Under everyone's watchful eyes, she funneled a stream of spiritual energy into the spirit talisman. A blast of fiery flames erupted with grand momentum, indeed matching the power of the one Chen Er had unleashed on Zhan Xuan.
The crowd instantly thronged around Lu Yujiao in marvel. The few suspicious senior brothers and sisters dispersed their doubts as well, their faces turning to astonishment.
Lu Yujiao felt lightheaded with pride.
She had originally felt guilty, but now, for some reason, her mind became completely resolute.
Though she hadn't drawn this talisman, with her talent, she would eventually draw one like this sooner or later.
She was merely demonstrating it in advance—what was wrong with that?
Seeing this, the outer elder waved his hand. “Then there is no need for further discussion.”
“A disciple who steals must be flogged and expelled according to sect rules. Chen Er, you come from Guangle Village, and Guangle Village shared a tie of karma with our Ancestor several centuries ago. Out of consideration for this, the flogging shall be waived. Once you leave the sect, look after yourself.”
Chen Er turned a deaf ear to his words. He simply gritted his teeth and stared fixedly at Lu Yujiao.
Meeting his gaze, Lu Yujiao was startled and involuntarily took two steps back.
“What kind of look is that?” someone spat. “You stole Senior Sister Lu's talisman and still dare to be so disrespectful to her? You truly are a heartless wretch!”
Chen Er sneered, “Whether this spirit talisman was drawn by you or not, Senior Sister, you know best in your heart.”
“You!” Lu Yujiao fumed with anger. “You stole a talisman I drew and still boast so brazenly—”
“A talisman you drew?”
A crisp, clear voice interrupted her, drifting lightly from behind the crowd.
Hearing the voice that suddenly spoke up, everyone turned around and parted to make a way.
A young boy with a delicate and clear countenance walked forward, accompanied by Manager Jiang Qihe of Tongyi Pavilion.
Chen Er stared dumbfounded at the familiar face. “Young... Young Master...?”
Jiang Hong and Li Xu were also stunned upon seeing Shi Yu, whom they had not seen since leaving the Mortal Realm together.
Shi Yu shot an encouraging glance at Chen Er, then looked at Lu Yujiao. “I had no idea that a Blaze Talisman created by my own hand had somehow become your work.”
She and Manager Jiang had just arrived at this spirit-beast defensive line and had not even had time to purchase spirit materials before overhearing several rogue cultivators discussing a conflict among Yuxu Sect outer disciples.
Upon hearing keywords like “a mortal from the Mortal Realm” and “stolen spirit talisman,” Shi Yu sensed something was amiss. She dragged Manager Jiang along and hurried over, catching sight of this exact scene.
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