23: Yun Lingxiao in a rage

"One look and you can tell this is fake. Surely no one will believe it!" the Stationed Elder said immediately without even thinking.

Hearing this, a strange light flickered in the eyes of the many Disciples below.

This was because, in the hearts of most of them, they actually already believed some of the content on the papers.

After all, as the number one Genius of the Cloud Sword Sect, Lin Luoxue had suddenly failed her Breakthrough, resulting in a dantian rupture and the loss of her cultivation.

Afterward, the high-level officials not only failed to find a way to save her but also isolated her, forbidding others from visiting.

No matter how one looked at it, this matter felt abnormal. In fact, many Cloud Sword Sect Disciples had long felt something was off; they just lacked concrete evidence and had maintained a tacit silence.

The female Elder to the side also noticed the strange looks in the surrounding Disciples' eyes, but she simply acted as if she hadn't seen anything.

In truth, as an Elder of the Cloud Sword Sect, she understood more of the situation, so she believed the content on the papers even more than these Disciples did.

Only the Stationed Elder beside her, having been away from the Cloud Sword Sect for a long time, knew little about the matter and thus insisted it was slander.

"Block the news first and destroy all those papers within Cloud Sword City."

After some thought, the female Elder suggested helplessly.

"Fine! I will immediately notify all the Families in the city and have them unite to block the news."

The Stationed Elder, having stabilized his emotions, nodded in response.

Soon, the various Families within Cloud Sword City, along with the Cloud Sword Sect Disciples, began destroying the papers Zhang Daobai had distributed on a large scale.

They also went around warning everyone not to spread the content of the papers.

But their actions were destined to be in vain.

Because from the moment those papers were scattered, people had been constantly leaving Cloud Sword City, and various message talismans were flying wildly inside and outside the city.

The current Cloud Sword City was like a pot of boiling filth; even if you put a lid on it, the stench would continue to spread everywhere.

Before long, the news from Cloud Sword City reached the Cloud Sword Sect. In an instant, this news spread through the Cloud Sword Sect like a virus.

Everyone in the Sect, from the Utility Disciples at the bottom to the Sect Elders at the top, was buzzing with discussion about this news.

Some even went as far as to run out of the Cloud Sword Sect to the mountain forests outside, where they found the small hilltop that had been half-destroyed by an explosion.

In the deep pit on that hilltop, someone soon discovered fragments of clothing.

Judging by the material and the aura upon them, there was a high probability that these fragments came from Fairy Luoxue, Lin Luoxue, who had not appeared for a long time.

As soon as this news reached the Cloud Sword Sect, many Disciples and Elders who had remained skeptical began to waver.

Inside the Cloud Sword Sect, Yun Changqing emerged from his seclusion Immortal Cave and, as usual, walked toward his residence.

But before he had gone far, he noticed that the gazes of the surrounding Disciples were filled with something strange.

"You! Come here!"

Seeing this, Yun Changqing frowned and pointed at a random person to call them over.

"Young Sect Master."

The Disciple who was called over gave him a nervous look and hurriedly bowed in greeting.

"Tell me, has something happened in the Sect?" Yun Changqing asked in a cold voice, his eyes fixed on him.

"This..."

Hearing this, the Disciple couldn't help but feel conflicted; it was impossible to speak ill of the man right to his face.

"Hmm? Speak!"

Yun Changqing's gaze turned cold, and he barked in an icy tone.

Seeing Yun Changqing's persistence, the Disciple cautiously recounted the news that had come from Cloud Sword City.

After listening to the Disciple, Yun Changqing's expression changed instantly. His gaze shifted rapidly between anger, fear, and panic... Finally, his face turned pale, and he fled the scene quickly. This reaction undoubtedly confirmed the truth of the news.

For a moment, the surrounding Disciples were filled with shock and quickly spread word of Yun Changqing's reaction.

Thus, combining all the unusual clues, a conclusion was born in the hearts of most Cloud Sword Sect Disciples and Elders.

And that was: the news from Cloud Sword City was very likely true!

..."What is the use of spreading the truth like this?"

High in the sky, Lin Luoxue asked in confusion as she flew on her sword.

Since releasing the spirit bird talismans in Cloud Sword City, Lin Luoxue had taken Zhang Daobai and left the city without stopping.

Hearing this, Zhang Daobai, who was behind her, suddenly showed a mysterious smile and said, "Do you know?"

"In the Cloud Sword Sect, at least one-third of the male Disciples admire you, half of the female Disciples see you as a role model, and one-third of the Elders believe you are the hope for the Cloud Sword Sect's rise."

"Even among the various Sects and powers around the Sunset Mountain Range, you are the most outstanding Genius of the younger generation."

"And now, if they knew that your Revered Master Yun Lingxiao and his son Yun Changqing, for their own selfish gain, crippled you—the number one Genius of the Cloud Sword Sect—and even left you without a corpse afterward!"

"How do you think those admiring male Disciples, those female Disciples who see you as a role model, those Elders who want the Cloud Sword Sect to rise, and even those surrounding Sect powers will view the Yun father and son?"

Hearing this, Lin Luoxue fell into deep thought. She had never cared about her past fame or her many admirers.

If Zhang Daobai hadn't mentioned it, she wouldn't have known she could influence so many people.

"My plan is to destroy the reputation of the Yun father and son, making them the shame of the Cloud Sword Sect, creating a rift between them and the Disciples and Elders, and making cultivation geniuses afraid to join the Cloud Sword Sect!"

"Although this plan won't cause any substantial physical harm to the Yun father and son, it can disgust them for at least ten years!"

Zhang Daobai didn't wait for Lin Luoxue to figure it out herself and directly stated his true purpose.

"I will return to settle this debt with them sooner or later."

Lin Luoxue looked back toward the Cloud Sword Sect, murmuring with a cold gaze.

Zhang Daobai softly agreed, "That day will come."

Meanwhile, within the Cloud Sword Sect.

After receiving Yun Changqing's transmission, Yun Lingxiao hurriedly ended his seclusion and gathered all the Elders.

"Immediately order the suppression of this rumor! Forbid anyone in the Sect from mentioning this matter; violators will be handled according to Sect rules!"

"At the same time, issue a public statement immediately to clarify this rumor!"

"Finally, at all costs! Catch the person who spread this rumor for me! I want them found, dead or alive!"

Yun Lingxiao glared at the people around him, his Sword Intent erupting around his body.

In just a few moments, the ground and walls around Yun Lingxiao were covered in crisscrossing sword scars.