Lin Xiao knew what was happening.
Last night, he had sent Chu Youwei to Tiandang Peak to lure Ye Chen. It was highly probable she would encounter other disciples from Tiandang Peak there.
Therefore, instead of beating around the bush, it was better to admit it openly.
Besides, in his upcoming plan, this was an entirely insignificant detail.
However, when he admitted it so readily, the various Chairmen present, including the Elders and stewards, let out a collective gasp.
They had assumed that this infamous eldest disciple from Divine Phoenix Peak would be silver-tongued, desperately trying to defend himself.
Yet, they hadn't expected...
He just admitted it so easily?
Doesn't the time and place perfectly match Ye Chen's accusation?
Su Mei also frowned slightly and said, "Martial Nephew Lin, please recall carefully. Did you, or did you not, send your junior sister, Chu Youwei, to Tiandang Peak? And at what time exactly? Make sure there are no mistakes."
"Thank you for the reminder, Martial Uncle Su, but it's unnecessary."
Lin Xiao shrugged. "Last night, I did indeed send my Third Junior Sister to visit Junior Brother Ye at Tiandang Peak and asked her to apologize to him on my behalf."
"After all, some friction occurred between us during the disciple acceptance ceremony earlier in the day. I thought that since we are now fellow disciples, we should naturally eliminate the rift between us and strive forward together."
His words were impeccable, his tone righteous and honorable.
It made the Elders on the dais regard him in a new light.
Some inner sect disciples of Dragon Head Peak, standing guard outside the hall, began to whisper among themselves:
"Strange. Wasn't it rumored that Chairman Xiao's eldest disciple was tactless and ill-behaved, a pretty face with no substance? How come he speaks so methodically now, fully demonstrating the demeanor of a Chief Disciple?"
"Hmph, can you believe all those rumors? I'd heard before that this Chief Lin had mediocre talent, was lazy in his cultivation, and wasn't even as strong as his junior sisters! And the result? Yesterday, with a single sword strike, he summoned heavenly lightning, beating that Ye Chen until he knelt and begged for mercy! How incredibly domineering was that!"
"You're right. Rumor has it that Chairman Xiao has valued this eldest apprentice the most these past few years! It seems he really is Divine Phoenix Peak's secret weapon!"
"Hah! I bet it's more than just valuing him! I once visited Divine Phoenix Peak and personally saw Chairman Xiao looking at this eldest apprentice with eyes as soft as water! It's completely different from how she looks at her other three female disciples! You have to know, she hasn't taken a Dao companion in two hundred years, and this Chief Lin is so handsome, perhaps..."
"Wow! That's so taboo! Master-disciple stories are the best! Senior Brother, please tell us more!"
"I like this kind of story too!"
"Shh! Keep your voices down! If Chairman Xiao hears of this, dying ten thousand times wouldn't be enough!"
"SILENCE!"
Amidst the clamor, a clear, authoritative, and cold shout echoed.
It was Sect Leader True Master Ziyun on the dais who spoke: "Chairman Su, continue with your questioning."
"Yes."
Su Mei nodded, but she didn't immediately ask a question, her mesmerizing phoenix eyes fixed on Lin Xiao, as if hinting for him to change his story.
Lin Xiao certainly understood her meaning. This beautiful Martial Aunt was suggesting I deny everything. After all, it wasn't necessarily the case that Chu Youwei was seen by other disciples when she went to Tiandang Peak last night. However, my objective isn't just to clear my name!
Lin Xiao cleared his throat and said, "Martial Aunt Su, venerable Elders, my original intention was to have my Third Junior Sister accompany Junior Brother Ye for a walk, to familiarize him with our Qinglan Sect's environment, and incidentally, to see if she could ease the enmity between him and me. However, I didn't expect—"
He paused briefly before continuing, "Around the third watch, my Third Junior Sister suddenly returned, looking quite anxious. She told me that while she and Junior Brother Ye were flying on their swords towards Bright Moon Cliff, they had accidentally become separated. Despite searching everywhere, she couldn't find any trace of him..."
"Now, it seems Junior Brother Ye must have accidentally stumbled into the forbidden area of Phoenix Caw Peak, the Fairy Pool..."
"Sigh, speaking of which, this all seems to be just one big misunderstanding~~"
He gazed up at the sky at a 45-degree angle, his face a mask of lament. Every microexpression was perfectly executed, the epitome of a master actor.
"Lin Xiao! You're talking utter nonsense!"
Just then, a cold shout came from afar.
Ye Chen, who was some distance away, could no longer sit still and roared, "You deliberately sent Chu Youwei to lure and frame me! What apology? You're despicable, shameless, and a chronic liar!"
"Shut up!"
Su Mei's rosy complexion suddenly hardened, her phoenix eyes blazing as she turned her head to the black-robed youth beside her. "I am still conducting the interrogation! What right do you have to interrupt!"
"Senior Brother Yuanyi, please control your disciple!"
Then, her gaze fell, sharp and stern, on the short, stout Daoist beside him.
At this moment, a phantasmal fire phoenix materialized behind her. She erupted with a terrifying aura that swept over the entire hall like a tidal wave!
Even the high-ranking Punishment Elders, who had been dozing off, couldn't help but snap their eyes open in shock.
Lin Xiao was also somewhat stunned!
According to the novel's original setting, Su Mei was a woman with a complex past! On the surface, she was the Chairman of Phoenix Caw Peak, but in reality, she was the daughter of the Hehuan Sect's previous Sect Master—one of the Eight Great Demon Sects—and its legitimate Saintess! However, her purpose for hiding within the Qinglan Sect differed from that of Daoist Yuan Yi, another hidden Demonic Cultivator. She had entered into a sham Dao companionship with Nangong Wudao and concealed her identity within the Qinglan Sect solely to investigate clues and find her twin sister's daughter! Therefore, to avoid exposing her identity, she always treated others with gentleness and kindness. In the early parts of the book, her persona was that of an understanding, pure, yet alluring 'older sister' type. Apart from Xiao Hongling, she had almost never had a harsh word with any Chairman or Elder! And now... she was actually confronting Yuanyi, that old fox, all for an insignificant character like me? Heavens, first my junior sisters, and now Martial Aunt Su's character has completely shattered!
「On the other side.」
Under Su Mei's oppressive gaze, Daoist Yuan Yi gave a dry laugh and hurriedly pulled Ye Chen aside.
"I have failed to discipline my disciple properly. My apologies, Chairman Su."
"Please continue your interrogation."
He cupped his fists with an apologetic expression, but a barely perceptible glint of murderous intent flashed deep within his eyes.
Su Mei snorted coldly, not bothering to spare the master-disciple pair another glance. She refocused on the devastatingly handsome and composed Martial Nephew before her, her tone softening once more:
"Martial Nephew Lin, even if I were to believe what you've just said, how would you prove it to the Elders present? In other words, after your Third Junior Sister and Ye Chen separated, did she encounter anyone while searching for him who could corroborate her story?"
"Well..."
Lin Xiao narrowed his eyes, his gaze sweeping to a distant spot. There, standing among a group of short, stout Elders, was an ice-cold beauty, Zhu Wanning, looking like a crane among chickens.
In an instant, their eyes met.
Silence, yet it spoke volumes.
Miss Zhu, you will help me, won't you? You probably... will, right?
He had to admit, this move was indeed a gamble.
"I can prove it!"
Just as all eyes were fixed on Lin Xiao, a clear, cold female voice rang out: "I can confirm that what Senior Brother Lin said is true!"
Everyone turned to look at the source of the voice.
The speaker was none other than one of the key figures in this case: Zhu Wanning, the Chief Disciple of Phoenix Caw Peak, under Chairman Su Mei!
"Senior Brother Lin, I have never met you, and everything I know about you comes from the idle talk of others.
"But in that Script of Heavenly Fate, you were the first to see through Ye Chen's hypocrisy with your discerning eyes!
"Despite your ordinary aptitude and lack of strength, you exhausted every means to save the Qinglan Sect by trying to expel Ye Chen. For this, you bore all the slander and were even despised by your own Master and junior sisters!
"In the end... you even lost your life!
"In my life, I, Zhu Wanning, have respected few people. You, Senior Brother Lin, are foremost among them!
"Therefore, before it all comes to pass...
"Please allow Wanning to stand with you and send this demon, Ye Chen, to hell!"