As Lin Ya spoke, sorrow surged in his chest. His voice cracked with grief, and his tears became even more heartfelt and sincere.
Yue Zhao and the others were unaware of the full truth. All they saw was Yun Jin, grievously wounded. Their faces turned heavy with sorrow. Yue Zhao struggled to hold back tears, but his reddened eyes betrayed him. Si Wanning was already wiping her cheeks over and over, unable to control her sobs. Even Yu Songnian exuded an aura of despair.
Yun Jin was stunned.
What is going on?
She'd only set the stage with a small performance, but master and the brothers and sisters were going all out!
Compared to them, her acting felt amateurish!
Unacceptable!
Yun Jin's competitive spirit flared. She clutched tightly at Lin Ya's sleeve, her expression full of grief. "Master, it's all this disciple's fault! Even though you willingly weakened your cultivation for the sect, what use is that now? In the cultivation world, strength is all that matters! Now that the Sect Master has turned his hand against me, what can you possibly do to stop him? Please, don't worry about me anymore. Let me throw myself to death right here!"
She began to stagger upright. "Sect Master, I admit my fault. I shall end myself now. I only beg you to spare my Master and my senior brothers and sisters!"
Without hesitation, she threw herself forward, aiming to smash her head on the stone floor.
Lin Ya sucked in a cold breath.
This disciple of his was really going above and beyond!
He instantly grabbed her and pulled her back, face ashen. "You are my disciple. Naturally, I must take responsibility for you. If the Sect Master wants blood, then take mine first. I'm already a ruined man."
"No, take mine first!"
"Better you kill me first."
Yue Zhao and the others stepped forward one by one, voices rising in unison.
The sight of this tragic tableau moved even the crowd watching below. Some began quietly wiping their eyes.
Zhao Wuji: "..."
Had he… gone that far?
Was Yun Jin pretending to endure earlier, but actually at her limit?
As Zhao Wujie began to doubt himself, the elder who had arrived with Lin Ya shot him a disapproving glare. "Wujie, she's just a new disciple, yet you, as Sect Master, deign to strike her yourself? Is that not beneath your dignity?"
Zhao Wujie's face twitched slightly. "Elder Jian, the new disciple spoke with outrageous insolence. I merely gave her a light punishment. If not, what would happen if every disciple began insulting their elders? Would the dignity of the Sect Master still mean anything?"
This elder, known as Elder Jian, held no formal post in the sect, having long focused solely on the path of the sword. But in terms of cultivation, he surpassed even Zhao Wujie.
More importantly—
Though born in Tianxing Sect, Elder Jian had been chosen by the Kunlun Sword Sect and practiced the most orthodox sword manuals of the Holy Land. His cultivation was at the late Unity stage, and even if they were at the same level, his sword techniques were nothing Zhao Wujie could hope to contend with.
Zhao Wujie had a father in the Holy Land, which was the true reason he'd managed to hold the Sect Master position. Even the elders of Tianxing Sect showed him deference for that reason alone.
But Elder Jian also hailed from the Holy Land. He had no need to fear him in the slightest.
"What outrageous insolence!" Si Wanning cried bitterly. "The Sect Master tried to forcibly recruit my junior sister into his tutelage because of her rare talent. When she refused, he lashed out and hurt her grievously. Her life now hangs by a thread! If Tianjian Peak no longer has a place in this sect, just say the word. We'll leave with our Master at once!"
"There are so many disciples who saw and heard everything clearly!" Yue Zhao shouted, voice trembling with anger. "You may be the Sect Master, and your word may be law in this sect, but can you truly silence every whisper behind your back?"
"Insolence!" Zhao Wujie snapped. "Is this how your Master has taught you to speak to your Sect Master?!"
Lin Ya clung to Yun Jin, his face ashen. "No need for threats. If you resent me for competing for the Sect Master position… strike me down. Just spare my disciples."
"No, it's my fault!" Yun Jin clutched his sleeve. "If someone must die, let it be me!"
"I'm the senior brother," Yue Zhao stepped forward bravely. "It should be me first. Sect Master, strike if you must."
"Didn't you say 'ladies first'?" Si Wanning said resolutely. "Start with me."
Even Yu Songnian silently joined the huddle.
Zhao Wuji: "..."
Again?!
When would this farce end?!
He genuinely wanted to slaughter them all.
"Zhao Wujie," Elder Jian spoke at last, casting him a disdainful glance. "You are the head of the sect. The elders entrusted the entire sect to your care, yet this is how you rule? Lin Ya was injured for the sake of the sect, and not only do you fail to show him the slightest compassion, you now kick him while he's down. How can the sect possibly follow a man like you?"
Others feared Zhao Wuji.
He did not.
When it came to combat strength, sword cultivators reigned supreme.
Would Qingxiao Pavilion dare wage war against Kunlun Sword Sect?
Elder Jian's rebuke made Zhao Wujie's expression sink. He spoke coldly, "Elder Jian you go too far. I have always been fair and impartial. This entire matter was a misunderstanding. If I truly meant to harm a mere new disciple, would I have waited for you to arrive? I heard this Yun Jin secretly stole sect techniques and disrespected her elders. Such a disciple is unworthy of Tianxing Sect."
"Stole?" Si Wanning shot back. "She learned those sword arts by sight! We haven't even shown her the basics! Senior Brother Ruan didn't believe it, so he gathered witnesses to test her. Those advanced yellow-level swordsmanship, Junior Sister can completely learn it after watching it a few times. These people were found by Senior Brother Ruan. Could it be that these senior brothers also secretly taught my junior sister?"
Zhao Wuji's expression soured.
Damn it.
Elder Jian's eyes lit with interest. "She truly mastered a high Yellow Rank technique in three viewings?"
Yun Jin coughed up more blood and answered weakly, "Barely."
If this was true...
He might have found a genuine sword prodigy!
Finding this generation of Innate Sword Body would skyrocket his status in Kunlun!
"Don't believe their nonsense, Elder Jian" Zhao Wujie said hastily. "They might have used underhanded methods. Who knows what they're hiding—"
But Elder Jian ignored him. He pulled out an old, yellowed booklet and tossed it to Yun Jin. "This sword manual is something I stumbled upon. Its techniques are quite unorthodox, and it's only a high Yellow Rank style. Without a manual, you must see it three times to learn it. With the manual in hand, I'll give you one incense stick's time. Can you master it?"
Zhao Wujie's face grew even darker.
He had sought to force Yun Jin under his wing precisely because of her sword talent.
Now that Elder Jian had taken notice, if Yun Jin truly possessed such talent, she might soon be recorded as an official disciple of the Kunlun Sword Sect.
And if she truly bore the legendary innate sword body...
It would be even more terrifying.
Every Kunlun Sword Sect Master in history had been of that constitution.
If Yun Jin possessed such a gift, she might even become a candidate for Sect Master one day.
Zhao Wujie glared at Yun Jin with burning intensity.
A five-element spiritual root?
Impossible.
She couldn't be the Innate Sword Body.