From a loser to an immortal sage

Chapter 7 Shocking every step of the way

As night fell, the cool moonlight spilled onto the bluestone path, casting an exceptionally long shadow on me.

Ever since Elder Li and Wang Fugui were expelled from the sect, I've been restless. Will they really let this go? My intuition tells me that things aren't that simple.

I decided to take the initiative and uncover their conspiracy. I found Zhao Ling'er and Pharmacist Sun and told them my idea.

"Yaoyao, are you really going to do this? This is too dangerous!" Zhao Ling'er looked at me worriedly, her delicate brows furrowed.

“I know, but I can’t just stand by and watch them get away with it!” I said firmly.

After a moment of contemplation, Pharmacist Sun said, "I can help you. I know some people from all walks of life, and perhaps I can find out some information."

I gave him a grateful look and said, "Then I'll leave it to you."

Over the next few days, we inquired around and finally discovered that Elder Li and Wang Fugui had secretly colluded with a mysterious organization. This organization was powerful and spread throughout the entire cultivation world. Their goal seemed to be to overthrow the entire cultivation world!

This news sent chills down my spine. If it were true, the consequences would be unimaginable! I must tell my master and the sect leader about this as soon as possible!

However, at that moment, I realized I was being followed!

I walked casually down the street, secretly observing my surroundings. A man in black was following me; he was hidden in the crowd, incredibly agile, and I wouldn't have noticed him at all if I hadn't been on guard.

A chill ran down my spine. It seemed Elder Li and Wang Fugui had already decided to kill me! I had to get rid of them as soon as possible!

I slipped into a narrow alley, turning and twisting, trying to shake off the man in black. However, the man in black seemed to know the area like the back of his hand and kept chasing me.

Just when I was about to despair, a familiar figure appeared in front of me—Pharmacist Sun!

"Hurry up!" Pharmacist Sun grabbed me and we ran off.

The man in black was in hot pursuit, and just as he was about to catch up with us, Zhao Ling'er suddenly appeared and blocked his path.

"Where do you think you're going!" Zhao Ling'er unleashed her magic weapon and engaged the man in black in battle.

I took the opportunity to escape the alley with Pharmacist Sun.

"Ling'er!" I called out anxiously, wanting to go back and help Zhao Ling'er.

"Don't worry, she can handle it!" Pharmacist Sun grabbed me and said, "Our most important thing now is to get the message out as quickly as possible!"

I nodded and went with Pharmacist Sun to my master's residence.

However, when we arrived at our master's residence, panting, we found that he was not there!

"Oh no!" My heart sank, and a sense of foreboding washed over me. "Master is in danger!"

Just then, a cold voice came from behind: "Are you looking for Steward Ma?"

I turned around abruptly and saw a person dressed in a black robe and wearing a mask standing at the door. In his hand, he was holding a blood-stained jade pendant—his master's personal possession!

My heart sank to the bottom, my legs went weak, and I almost couldn't stand up. The jade pendant was still stained with fresh blood, a testament to the perilous situation its owner was in.

"Master!" I cried out in a trembling voice, glaring at the man in black with eyes wide with fury. "What have you done to Master?!"

The man in black let out a chilling laugh: "Want to know? Then come with me!"

With that, he swung his palm at me. I instinctively tried to dodge, but a powerful force immobilized me, preventing me from moving.

"Yao Yao!" Pharmacist Sun exclaimed, trying to rush forward to save me, but was knocked away by the man in black with a palm strike.

Just at this critical moment, a sharp sword aura descended from the sky, forcing the man in black back several steps.

"Who goes there?!" the man in black roared in shock and anger.

"Your grandfather!" A familiar voice rang out, and Deacon Ma appeared before us. His face was pale, his clothes were disheveled, and he was obviously injured, but his eyes remained firm and sharp.

"Master!" I cried tears of joy, as if I had grasped a lifeline.

Deacon Ma nodded slightly to me, reassuring me, then turned to the man in black and said coldly, "Who are you? Why are you attacking us?"

The man in black did not answer, but turned to run away.

"Trying to leave? Not so easy!" Steward Ma leaped after him.

"Master!" I called out worriedly, wanting to chase after him to help, but I was stopped by Pharmacist Sun.

"Don't worry, your master's strength is unfathomable, he'll be fine," Pharmacist Sun reassured me. "Let's leave here first and find a safe place to talk."

I nodded and left this place of trouble with Pharmacist Sun.

Along the way, I told Deacon Ma what I had found out over the past few days. After listening to my account, Deacon Ma's expression became extremely solemn.

"It seems the enemy we've encountered this time is far more powerful than we imagined!" Deacon Ma said in a deep voice. "Behind this mysterious organization, there must be an even more powerful force manipulating everything!"

"What should we do now?" I asked anxiously. "Master, do you have a plan?"

After a moment of contemplation, Deacon Ma said, "Our most important task now is to figure out the true purpose of this mysterious organization and the identity of the person behind it. Only in this way can we find a way to break it."

“But where should we begin our investigation?” I asked.

“Don’t rush, I already have some clues.” A glint of light flashed in Deacon Ma’s eyes. “I’ve received information that this mysterious organization will hold a secret meeting in three days, at which time their leader will also appear. If we can infiltrate them, perhaps we can find what we’re looking for.”

"But that place is heavily guarded. How can we sneak in?" I asked worriedly.

"Don't worry, I've already made arrangements," Steward Ma said confidently. "We..."

Before he could finish speaking, his expression suddenly changed, and he abruptly pushed me away.

"careful!"

At the same time, a dark shadow descended from the sky and attacked me...

The dark figure was incredibly fast; I had no time to react and could only watch helplessly as it approached me. At the last second, Steward Ma tackled me to the ground, and the dark figure barely passed overhead.

"Master!" I cried out in shock, only to find a trickle of blood spilling from the corner of Steward Ma's mouth.

"Don't worry, I'm fine." Deacon Ma tried to stand up, but was knocked to the ground again by the dark figure.

"Haha, Deacon Ma, today is your death day!" A cold voice came from the shadows. I looked closely and saw that it was Elder Li's trusted disciple, Zhang Tao!

"Zhang Tao! How dare you collude with outsiders and harm your fellow disciples!" Steward Ma shouted angrily.

"Hmph, the victor is king, the loser is villain. As long as I kill you, who will know it was me?" Zhang Tao sneered, moving closer to me. "And you, Xiao Yao, just surrender obediently, or don't blame me for being ruthless!"

I was filled with fear and dread, but I was helpless. Just then, a strange power suddenly surged from within me, as if my body was enveloped by a warm current, and my previously weak limbs were filled with strength. I subconsciously raised my hand, and a golden light shot out from my palm, striking Zhang Tao directly in the face.

"Ah!" Zhang Tao screamed, covering his eyes and backing away.

"What... what kind of power is this?" Deacon Ma looked at me in astonishment, his eyes filled with disbelief.

My mind was also filled with doubts, but I didn't have time to think about it. Taking advantage of Zhang Tao's injury, I grabbed Steward Ma and ran.

"Don't even think about running!" Zhang Tao roared and chased after us again.

I raced through the mountains with Steward Ma, my inner strength surging continuously, allowing me to maintain an astonishing speed. However, Zhang Tao's strength was not to be underestimated; he pursued relentlessly, closing the distance between us.

"Yaoyao, you take Master and go first, I'll hold him off!" Deacon Ma suddenly stopped and pushed me aside.

"No! We'll go together!" I shook my head firmly.

"Listen to me! Your staying here will only be a burden!" Deacon Ma said sternly. "Only when you are safe can we find an opportunity to reveal the truth!"

I gritted my teeth and finally nodded. I gave Steward Ma a deep look, then turned and ran in another direction.

I ran desperately, Deacon Ma's words echoing in my mind. I knew that with Deacon Ma's and my own strength alone, we were no match for Elder Li and Wang Fugui, let alone able to expose their conspiracy. I had to seek greater power to save my master and bring the truth to light!

A figure flashed into my mind—the sect leader! He was the most respected and strongest person in the sect; only he could rival Elder Li and Wang Fugui!

I found the sect leader's cave and told him the whole story. However, to my surprise, after listening to my story, the sect leader simply said, "I will investigate this matter thoroughly. You can go back now."

My heart was filled with doubt and unease, but my senior uncle, the sect leader, was unwilling to say more, so I could only leave helplessly. When I returned to my residence, I found that neither Pharmacist Sun nor Zhao Ling'er were there. A sense of foreboding immediately rose in my heart; something must have happened to them!

I forced myself to calm down and began to think about my next plan. I realized that Elder Li and Wang Fugui had cultivated their influence within the sect for many years, and their power was deeply entrenched; bringing them down would not be easy. I needed to find more evidence to convince my senior master and the other elders to believe me.

I decided to start with the other disciples in the sect to see if I could find any clues. I found some disciples who were closely related to Elder Li and Wang Fugui and tried to subtly inquire about information. However, they either kept their mouths shut or gave evasive answers, and I couldn't get any valuable information out of them.

Just when I was in despair, I overheard two disciples talking about something. They said that Elder Li and Wang Fugui had been frequently visiting a mysterious place recently, a place that was heavily guarded and no one was allowed to get close.

A thought flashed through my mind: could that place be Elder Li and Wang Fugui's secret hideout where they were colluding with outsiders? I decided to investigate… My senior uncle's attitude chilled me to the bone, but he was, after all, the leader of the sect; perhaps he had his own considerations. I could only place my hopes on myself. I approached several elders who had always been at odds with Elder Li and Wang Fugui, trying to persuade them to believe me. However, their reactions surprised me; their words were filled with suspicion and apprehension.

“Xiao Yao, it’s not that I don’t trust you, but Elder Li and Elder Wang have been in the sect for many years and have always been conscientious and diligent. There must be something else going on in this matter,” an elderly man with white hair stroked his beard and said earnestly.

Another elder was even more direct, coldly snorting: "You, a junior who has just entered the sect, do you know what crime it is to slander an elder? Without real evidence, I advise you not to talk nonsense!"

My heart was filled with grief and indignation. Was there really no one willing to believe me, willing to stand up against evil? Was this huge sect really going to let Elder Li and Wang Fugui control everything?

After a series of setbacks, I returned to my lodgings disheartened, only to find that Steward Ma, who should have been recuperating, was nowhere to be found. A chill ran through me; a sense of foreboding washed over me. Zhao Ling'er and Pharmacist Sun were also missing. Had they also met with misfortune?

Despair overwhelmed me like a tidal wave. I collapsed helplessly to the ground, tears blurring my vision. Was I really going to give up? Was I just going to stand by and watch my master and friends be in danger, powerless to help?

No, I can't give up! I clenched my fists, a raging fire burning in my heart. I must find out the truth and avenge my master and friends!

Just then, a paper crane wobbled in and landed in front of me. My hands trembled as I opened the paper crane; there was only one line of small writing on it: "Come to the forbidden area in the back mountain immediately, it's extremely urgent!"

I recognize this handwriting; it's Pharmacist Sun's! Could he still be alive? Could he know something?

Without a second thought, I immediately stood up and dashed towards the forbidden area at the back of the mountain. This area was a vital part of the sect, constantly guarded by elders; trespassers were to be killed without exception. But at this moment, I couldn't care less about anything else. Even if there was only a sliver of hope, I had to seize it!

Using my familiarity with the terrain, I evaded the patrolling disciples and finally arrived at the place written on the note—a hidden cave. I took a deep breath and cautiously entered the cave. It was pitch black inside; you couldn't see your hand in front of your face.

"Who's there?" I asked in a low voice, the sound echoing in the empty cave.

"Xiao Yao, is that you?" A familiar voice came from the darkness.

"Pharmacist Sun, it really is you!" I exclaimed in surprise and walked in the direction of the voice.

In the dim light, I saw Pharmacist Sun. He was pale and weak, clearly seriously injured.

"What's wrong? Where's Zhao Ling'er?" I asked anxiously.

"Shh, keep your voice down," Pharmacist Sun gestured for silence. "I found evidence that Elder Li was colluding with outsiders, but I was discovered. Zhao Ling'er was captured by them to cover for me..."

He told me, in fits and starts, that he had inadvertently discovered the secret stronghold of that mysterious organization and found evidence that they were colluding with external enemies in an attempt to overthrow the entire cultivation world.

"Here, hurry up! They'll catch up soon!" Pharmacist Sun said weakly, stuffing a storage ring into my hand.

"And what about you?" I asked, clutching the storage ring, my heart filled with mixed emotions.

"Don't worry about me, I'm not going to survive. You go quickly and make sure to hand over the evidence to the sect leader to expose their true colors!"

I bit my lip, tears welling up in my eyes. I knew this wasn't the time for grief; I had to fulfill Pharmacist Sun's last wish and avenge him and Zhao Ling'er!

I gave Pharmacist Sun a deep look, then turned and ran towards the cave entrance. Just then, a series of chaotic footsteps came from the cave entrance, accompanied by Elder Li's chilling voice:

"Xiao Yao, you can't escape!"

I glanced back at Pharmacist Sun lying in a pool of blood, a resolute glint in my eyes. I clutched the storage ring tightly in my hand, then turned and rushed into the depths of the dark cave…