82: Su Mengyao insisted

"Vice Sect Master, please hear your Disciple out. Your Disciple did not intend to go against you; it's truly someone framing your Disciple.

Your Disciple must prove her innocence. After all, bearing the infamy of colluding with evil cultivators is no small matter. Shouldn't the Vice Sect Master investigate carefully before drawing conclusions?"

Lord Youyang frowned slightly upon hearing this. Just seeing Su Mengyao's calm and composed attitude made him more suspicious about her colluding with evil cultivators.

"Indeed, to convict Su Mengyao of colluding with evil cultivators based solely on a few words from Lu Qingyi is too hasty. Although Lu Qingyi is an Inner Sect Disciple and a Personal Disciple of the Sect Master, that's true,

for such a significant matter, how can we rely on her unilateral testimony? It's not too late to make a decision after a thorough investigation. If Su Mengyao is wronged, and it gets out, it will be the Chess Sword Pavilion's reputation that suffers."

Thinking this, Lord Youyang nodded and replied, "That is natural. The Chess Sword Pavilion has always valued fairness.

If you haven't colluded with evil cultivators, that's for the best. If you have, then don't blame this Lord for showing no mercy."

Su Mengyao sneered inwardly. Those words sounded so good, fair and just?

He only said that if she colluded with evil cultivators, she would be severely punished, but he didn't mention a word about what punishment Lu Qingyi would receive if she had falsely accused her.

The favoritism couldn't be more obvious.

But just as Lord Youyang finished speaking, Lu Qingyi couldn't help but interject, "Vice Sect Master, let's just drop this matter. Perhaps there's a misunderstanding. It's possible.

I believe Senior Sister wouldn't collude with evil cultivators. Even if she did, it was just a moment of confusion. Right now, our Sect faces a great enemy; it's better to defend against them."

Lord Youyang was not entirely biased towards Lu Qingyi like Nangong Li. Hearing her words, he calmly replied,

"This matter will be decided by this Lord; you needn't worry. Such a major event as a Xuanmen Disciple colluding with evil cultivators, this Lord must investigate thoroughly."

"Buzz—"

As his voice fell, the ancient bell rang nine times.

Lord Youyang took a deep breath, just about to announce the activation of the Barrier, when suddenly a Sword Light streaked into the main hall from outside.

As the Sword Light dissipated, Nangong Li's figure appeared proudly before the main seat.

"Greetings, Sect Master (Revered Master)!"

All the Disciples bowed in unison to Nangong Li.

"You may all rise."

Nangong Li scanned the hall, then her gaze fell on Su Mengyao: "This Lord heard your conversation outside the Sect just now. Su Mengyao, was it you who colluded with evil cultivators and killed Hidden Edge and Elder Xuanyuan?"

Su Mengyao was stunned, then hurriedly denied, "Sect Master, please be discerning. This matter is baseless; someone is framing your Disciple. Your Disciple has absolutely not colluded with evil cultivators."

"Presumptuous!"

Nangong Li's deep voice shook the entire hall, causing it to tremble.

"Are you saying that it's this Lord's Personal Disciple who is slandering you?"

Su Mengyao lightly bit her lower lip with her pearly teeth: "I implore the Sect Master to restore your Disciple's innocence. Your Disciple has absolutely not collaborated with evil cultivators to harm fellow Disciples."

"Kneel!"

Nangong Li's cold shout, coupled with the release of her Aura, forced Su Mengyao to her knees.

"Su Mengyao, do you think this Lord wouldn't know your intentions? You've framed Qingyi time and again. If Qingyi hadn't been kind-hearted and considered you a fellow Disciple, not bothering with you,

this Lord would have dismembered you long ago. This time, you must have harbored resentment after being demoted to a Utility Disciple,

and thus colluded with evil cultivators to frame a fellow Disciple. Unfortunately, the matter was exposed and discovered by Qingyi.

Yet you still dare to use your glib tongue to exonerate yourself? What do you take the Chess Sword Pavilion for, that you can toy with it like this!"

Su Mengyao gritted her teeth: "No matter how many times the Sect Master says it, your Disciple must still say, your Disciple did not collude with evil cultivators!"

"Still not admitting it?"

Nangong Li's Spiritual Qi circulated, and six spiritual swords condensed from Dao Rhyme instantly appeared behind her, shimmering with a chilling Aura.

"You bitch truly won't shed tears until you see the coffin. Since that's the case, this Lord will completely suppress and kill you today, to avenge my Disciple!"

Nangong Li raised a hand, and the six spiritual swords behind her instantly flashed with seven-colored light.

The other Disciples and Elders, seeing this scene, all retreated to the side without a sound, not one stepping forward to speak up or plead for Su Mengyao.

After all, Su Mengyao was merely a Utility Disciple; even if she was truly wronged and died, it wasn't a big deal.

To offend the Sect Master for her was utterly worthless.

Lu Qingyi sneered inwardly at this sight.

"Su Mengyao, you won't even need me to act; you'll just die by Revered Master's hand. Once you're dead, I'll never have to worry about my secrets being exposed."

Su Mengyao stubbornly raised her head, staring blankly as the six Innate Sword Qi slowly descended towards her head.

Even if she died, she would not admit to colluding with evil cultivators.

Just as Su Mengyao was about to perish, Lord Youyang finally spoke up to dissuade her: "Sect Master! I think it's better to verify this matter."

Nangong Li: "Lord Youyang, what do you mean by that? Do even you doubt my Disciple's words?"

Lord Youyang: "Sect Master, please calm your anger. To directly suppress and kill a Utility Disciple without even giving them a chance to explain themselves,

when other Disciples of the Chess Sword Pavilion learn of this, they will inevitably have thoughts, and it might be detrimental to the Sect Master's reputation."

Nangong Li thought for a moment, then retracted her Sword Qi and sternly shouted: "Speak, how exactly did you collude with evil cultivators? Explain it in detail, and perhaps I can leave you a complete corpse!"

Su Mengyao, whose Aura had just been lifted, felt extremely fragile in body and mind, but she still forced herself to calm down and replied frankly: "Whether the Sect Master believes it or not, your Disciple truly did not collude with evil cultivators. I implore the Sect Master to be discerning!"

"Truly stubborn and unrepentant, Qingyi!"

"What are Revered Master's orders!"

Nangong Li looked at Lu Qingyi: "You said you personally witnessed Su Mengyao colluding with evil cultivators. If that's the case,

then tell everything you saw, one by one, in front of all the Disciples, so that the entire Sect can carefully see what kind of person Su Mengyao truly is!"

Lu Qingyi's eyes immediately turned red: "Revered Master, let's just forget it. I believe Senior Sister was just temporarily confused."

"Other matters can be confused, but only this matter, no one can be confused!" Nangong Li said loudly, "Colluding with evil cultivators is absolutely intolerable to our Righteous Path. Qingyi, you must prioritize the bigger picture and no longer shield this bitch as you did in the past!"

"Yes!"

So, Lu Qingyi explained her pre-fabricated narrative to the Disciples.

"...I truly never thought that it would be Senior Sister colluding with evil cultivators in secret, harming the lives of many Disciples of the Chess Sword Pavilion.

Nor did I expect that Senior Sister's cultivation would skyrocket to the Su Yuan Realm in just one day after cultivating evil methods."

"Oh, and Senior Sister even took that evil cultivator as her Revered Master and planned to attack me. Fortunately, your Disciple narrowly escaped, but those fellow Disciples who were with me..."

At this point, Lu Qingyi covered her face and turned away, and soon her sobs could be heard.

Upon hearing that Su Mengyao had taken someone else as her Revered Master, Nangong Li was furious: "Su Mengyao! Just because this Lord was unwilling to take you as a Disciple, you dare to take someone else as your Revered Master?!"

Su Mengyao took a deep breath: "Sect Master, nothing Lu Qingyi said is true. Of course, your Disciple knows you will absolutely not believe me.

But this time, your Disciple must first admit that one thing Lu Qingyi said is correct, and that is your Disciple indeed took someone else as Revered Master.

I only wanted to inform you upon your return, and from then on, withdraw from the Chess Sword Pavilion."

"What? You want to withdraw from the Chess Sword Pavilion?"

At these words, all the Disciples in the hall were shocked.

Nangong Li's eyes turned red: "bitch, say it again, what do you want to do?"

Su Mengyao replied: "Your Disciple has been in the Sect for ten years and has yet to enter the Inner Sect, which shows the Sect Master's dislike for your Disciple. Since that is the case, your Disciple has no need to remain here and waste time.

And that expert pitied your Disciple, imparting profound Sword Intent and giving your Disciple new hope for the path of the sword. Your Disciple naturally respects him as a benefactor Revered Master.

But your Disciple can swear on her Dao Heart, although my Revered Master's actions are eccentric and difficult to fathom, he is absolutely not an evil cultivator!"