Chapter 40 Framing and Incriminating

Ye Ling'er wore a look of terror, her clear eyes filled with utter helplessness as she gazed at Lin Chen like a frightened bird.

Meanwhile, Lin Chen stood like a triumphant demon god from the nethermost hell, radiating a piercing and soul-chilling aura that made one's blood run cold.

With every step Lin Chen took, Ye Ling'er's legs trembled more violently until, finally buckling under the overwhelming pressure, she collapsed onto the ground in a pathetic heap with a dull thud.

The aloofness, arrogance, and mockery that once defined her were long gone, replaced entirely by panic and desperate supplication. Her former overbearing manner had vanished without a trace.

"Junior Brother! You... you mustn't kill me! I am your senior sister, after all!" Ye Ling'er's voice shook violently, the cleverness of her past days entirely gone, leaving only these wretched, pitiful pleas for mercy that echoed endlessly through the deathly silent courtyard, lingering long in the air.

Lin Chen stood quietly in place, his gaze slowly falling upon the crack-ridden bamboo staff in his hand.

The fractures were like scars carved by the passage of time or the ruthless slash of fate, deeply etched into the bamboo and piercing straight through his heart.

After a long while, he raised his head slightly to look into the distance at the Peach Blossom Temple, looming high upon the mountain peak and half-concealed in the drifting clouds. Deep within his eyes, a complex surge of emotions flickered past—part boiling grief and indignation, part resolute determination.

"Get lost. This is your last chance. If there is a next time, I will surely take your life," Lin Chen said in a low voice, yet his soft words reverberated heavily like a massive hammer in the quiet space.

With that, Ye Ling'er struggled to her feet, dragging the dying Wenyun along as she slowly stumbled out of the courtyard.

Upon reaching the outskirts of Qinghe Town, Ye Ling'er abruptly flung Wenyun aside. A fierce intent to kill flashed instantly in her eyes as she spoke in a freezing tone, "Junior Sister! Since you are now nothing more than a cripple, why don't you fulfill your senior sister just this once!"

Wenyun widened her eyes in terror as fear surged like a tidal wave from the depths of her soul. She desperately crawled away along the ground, weeping and pleading incessantly, "Senior Sister! What... what on earth are you trying to do?"

"Your broken body would return to dust sooner or later anyway, so let your senior sister send you on your way right now." A ruthless glint flashed across Ye Ling'er's eyes.

In an instant, a sharp snap rang out as a whip lashed across Wenyun's body like a venomous snake, instantly tearing her flesh open in a horrifying and gruesome display.

"Senior Sister! Please spare me, I beg of you..."

With a face full of shock and despair at the unfolding scene, Wenyun coughed up a violent mouthful of blood.

Never in her wildest dreams had she imagined she would meet her end at the hands of someone who had once been like a true sister to her.

A myriad of thoughts flashed through her mind in an instant—deep remorse, profound shock, and above all, a bewildered lamentation over the caprice of fate.

Ahhhh!

Amidst a despairing shriek, Wenyun's body fell backward limply. The flame of her life was extinguished, and a talented beauty perished.

***

With a mind entirely free of distraction, Ye Ling'er swiftly formed hand seals to activate the telepathic talisman in her palm.

In a split second, a dazzling beam of white light pierced straight into the clouds like a bridge connecting heaven and earth.

In the blink of an eye, her figure vanished from outside Qinghe Town, reappearing moments later within the grounds of the Peach Blossom Temple.

With unsteady steps, she stumbled all the way toward the main peak.

Along the way, the fierce gale howled past her ears, yet it could do nothing to dispel the deep-seated fear and panic gripping her heart.

After a long while, she finally burst headlong into the main hall of the peak. Before she could even steady her footing,

she let out a groan and spewed a mouthful of fresh blood. Darkness overtook her vision, and her entire body slumped to the floor like a puddle of mud.

Liu Ruohan happened to arrive at that very moment. Witnessing the scene, her face instantly turned ashen. She hurried forward, lifting Ye Ling'er's limp and powerless body,

while simultaneously channeling the power of virtue within her own body, pouring it in a continuous stream into Ye Ling'er to desperately treat her wounds and preserve her life.

Time slowly slipped away. After a prolonged interval, Liu Ruohan finally let out a long breath of relief,

murmuring to herself, "Thank goodness... I arrived in time. If it had been even a moment later, the consequences would truly have been unimaginable."

On the other side, Lin Chen felt as though all the strength in his body had been drained away in an instant. Carrying a weight akin to mountains, he slowly toppled backward into the snow.

At that very moment, he keenly sensed that the virtue he possessed had been completely exhausted during this life-and-death clash, leaving behind only the cold and barren desolation of a campfire burned down to its embers.

Xiao Yunyao had been keeping watch not far away. Seeing this, she flew forward without the slightest hesitation, and after several arduous attempts utilizing every ounce of her strength, she managed to gather Lin Chen into her arms.

Her arms trembled slightly from the excessive exertion, and beads of fine sweat covered her forehead, yet her gaze revealed an unwavering and resolute conviction.

Cautiously, step by step, she carried him into the house and gently laid him upon the bed. Then, she hurried off anxiously toward the residence of the widow from the Li family to summon Fox Meiniang, who excelled in the medical arts.

Before long, Fox Meiniang arrived in haste in the company of Xiao Yunyao. A group of people stood anxiously outside the room, their hearts heavy with worry.

They waited in silence, every single one of them having their hearts in their mouths.

Time drifted quietly by, and finally, Fox Meiniang stepped out from the room.

"How is he?" Xiao Yunyao rushed forward impatiently, asking with deep anxiety.

Fox Meiniang gently waved her hand, a trace of exhausted fatigue gracing her smile as she said, "There is no major danger. He has simply exhausted all his strength and will recover after a period of rest."

***

Hearing these words, the hanging hearts of everyone present slowly dropped, and their tightly wound nerves finally relaxed, all of them wearing expressions of profound relief.

Lin Chen slept for three full days. Throughout this time, Fox Meiniang remained by his bedside, tending to him with meticulous care. Gazing at his paper-white complexion, her heart was filled with deep tenderness.

When Lin Chen slowly drifted back to consciousness, he felt his entire body limp and powerless, his mind heavy and groggy.

Seeing him awake, Fox Meiniang's eyes instantly turned red, and with a hint of playful reproach, she murmured, "Young master, you certainly gave this slave a fright."

Lin Chen managed to pull together a faint smile, speaking softly, "I have put you all through trouble."

Fox Meiniang gently wiped the slightly damp corners of her eyes and said, "If you encounter powerful enemies in the future, never try to shoulder everything on your own again. You still have me by your side."

Lin Chen nodded slightly in response, "Alright, I understand."

In truth, Lin Chen's actions this time were merely meant to personally test the strength of Wenyun at the seventh realm, to see how it differed from his own.

Meanwhile, the Peach Blossom Temple was already buzzing with commotion on account of the events of that day.

Upon learning that Wenyun had died and Ye Ling'er was severely wounded, Liu Ruohan flew into an immediate rage.

Although Ye Ling'er had narrowly escaped with her life, her cultivation base had suffered a massive blow, and her hatred toward Lin Chen grew all the more intense.

On the main peak, she wept bitterly before Liu Ruohan, embellishing the tale with accusations of Lin Chen's various misdeeds, single-mindedly intent on driving Lin Chen to his death.

"Master! You must seek justice for me and Junior Sister! That Lin Chen has completely lost his mind; ignoring all bonds of the sect, he murdered Junior Sister Wenyun and even wounded me to this state!"

Upon hearing this, Liu Ruohan furrowed her brows tightly, a look of astonishment crossing her face as she asked, "Are you truly certain that wastrel Lin Chen killed Wenyun?"

"Master, it is the absolute truth! After stealing the Junior Brother's virtue, Lin Chen has already advanced to the fifth realm of cultivation. I too nearly lost my life at his hands," Ye Ling'er said, weeping tears like pear blossoms in the rain.

Hearing these words, Liu Ruohan's originally stern face instantly flooded with an intense intent to kill. Clenching her hands into tight fists, she gnashed her teeth and said, "What an unfilial, master-betraying scoundrel! To think he is capable of such evil deeds as harming his fellow disciples."

"Master, please let the Senior Sister go and eliminate him! As long as the Senior Sister steps forward, that Lin Chen will certainly have no way to escape," Ye Ling'er wiped away her tears and urged eagerly.

"You should go down and tend to your injuries properly; your master will handle this matters appropriately," Liu Ruohan waved her hand impatiently.