C16 The Truth!

Zhao Lin's predicament was becoming increasingly perilous, with death looming at any moment. As Zhao Lin continued to resist, the Third Elder's expression hardened. With a forceful press of his palm, the massive handprint erupted with a horrifying force. A muffled sound echoed as the protective light barrier, which had held up for a brief time, finally shattered, and Zhao Lin was on the brink of death...

"Enough!" At that critical moment, a calm voice rang out. The oppressive handprint above Zhao Lin's head vanished into thin air, and the Third Elder's face contorted with shock. "Yes, I understand!" The voice that had just spoken, who was it that could instill such fear in the Third Elder, a man hell-bent on killing Zhao Lin? Merely two words, leaving no trace, had caused the deadly handprint to disperse. Zhao Lin's face was grave, yet his eyes betrayed his envy; he longed for such power.

"Zhao Lin, since you have a protector from above, I'll note your transgression this time. But be warned, if there's a next time, not even the leader's intercession will save you from certain death!" The Third Elder gave himself an out with a contemptuous snort, then turned and strode into the palace. Inside, the other elders had already departed; they wouldn't have bothered with such a trivial matter if not for the Third Elder.

Zhao Lin wiped the fresh blood from his mouth, got to his feet, and bowed in the direction of the mysterious voice that had come to his aid. Casting a dark glance at the Third Elder's palace, he departed. Along the way, the disciples who had just been eager to apprehend him now offered awkward smiles, attempting to cozy up to him. It was astonishing that someone who had killed and even clashed with an elder was saved by an unseen savior. The fact that the Third Elder had backed down was a clear indication of the savior's superior status.

Observing these disciples who, just moments before, had sought his life and now shamelessly sought his favor, Zhao Lin let out a scornful laugh and hastened away. "What a joke, they actually think they're something special. That person might have saved me once, but there's no guarantee of a second time!" Zhao Lin's indifference enraged the disciples. As he walked away, one of them spat in his direction.

Today, I was fortunate to be saved by a benefactor, but I must not assume that someone will come to my rescue again. Ultimately, the only one who can truly save me is myself!" Zhao Lin continued his stride without pause, heading swiftly toward the thatched cottage. He was determined to catch up with Chen Yong and the others to prevent them from destroying the evidence. The only suitable place for such a deed within the Outer Sect disciples' area of movement was the mountain behind the residential area.

On the mountain, just as Zhao Lin had anticipated, Chen Yong and his group were hastily carrying Wang Ke's body deeper into the forest. They only stopped in a densely wooded area. "Senior Brother Chen, surely we're far enough now," one of the men carrying Wang Ke remarked, forcing out a few drops of sweat, seemingly exerting great effort. But would a cultivator really sweat from just a bit of exertion?

"That kid is definitely dead by now. The Outer Sect is under Senior Brother Wang's control; no one will come to check the body. Hurry up and dig a hole to bury him," Chen Yong said with a sinister chuckle, already calculating the rewards he might receive for this deed. The others started to dig. Once the hole was ready, they tossed Wang Ke's body in and began to cover it up.

"Junior Brother Wang, may your journey be peaceful. If you have any grievances, please don't seek me out. I was only following orders!" After the burial, one disciple, while Chen Yong and the others were distracted, whispered a prayer over the grave. "What are you waiting for? Let's go!" someone suddenly barked, grabbing the praying disciple and nearly scaring him out of his wits.

Shortly after they departed, Zhao Lin emerged from the forest. "Just as I thought, this poor soul was their pawn to set me up!" Zhao Lin glanced at the grave and began to dig. As night descended, Zhao Lin emerged from the grave, with a body tucked under his arm – it was Wang Ke, who had been buried just a short while ago.

"Let's see what really killed you," Zhao Lin said, laying Wang Ke on the ground and examining his chest. As expected, the chest was collapsed, indicating death by internal organs shattered from a powerful impact. Zhao Lin wasn't disappointed; a setup had to look convincing, after all. He pinched Wang Ke's jaws, prying the mouth open, and was immediately hit with a wave of foul odor.

"Damn, this stench is unbearable!" Zhao Lin exclaimed in disgust, prodding gently inside Wang Ke's mouth with a stick. Upon removing it, he found the stick coated with a revolting liquid, but notably devoid of any blood. "Odd, if Wang Ke was fatally wounded in the chest, surely there would be blood in his mouth from internal injuries. Why is there no blood? Could it be that he was already dead when his chest was injured?" Zhao Lin's expression was one of perplexity.

Zhao Lin resided in the South District of the Outer Sect's living quarters, a stark contrast to the North District where Chen Yong and others lived. Judging by the size and location of the thatched cottages, the South District paled in comparison to the North District. At that moment, in a North District cottage, the disciple who had prayed at Wang Ke's grave earlier that day had set up a spirit tablet for him.

"Junior Brother Wang Ke, have you reached the other side? I implore you, your death has nothing to do with me. I was coerced. There's a rightful debtor for your grievances; please, don't come back to haunt me!" The disciple's face was ashen as he bowed repeatedly before Wang Ke's spirit tablet. Suddenly, a fierce wind blew, snuffing out the candlelight before the tablet in a single puff.

"Ah, Junior Brother Wang Ke, I swear it wasn't me who killed you. You must believe me!" The disciple, panic-stricken, frantically kowtowed before the spirit tablet. Then, with a creak, the door to the cottage slowly swung open. The terrified disciple spun around, his face draining of color as he fell to his knees in fright.

In the doorway stood a figure, deathly pale and bloodless, looking like a reanimated corpse under the moon's eerie glow. "Why did you harm me?" Wang Ke, though dead, was speaking. "No, Junior Brother Wang, it wasn't me. It was Chen Yong; he made me do it!" The disciple on the ground, paralyzed with fear, had wet himself.

"Tell me. Why did Chen Yong want to harm me?" Wang Ke's voice was chilling, and his disheveled hair fluttered menacingly in the wind. "I'll tell you, just please don't hold it against me, Junior Brother Wang Ke. I'll confess everything!" The disciple, who had been scared into incontinence, had lost all capacity for rational thought. His only wish was to survive.

"Speak!" Wang Ke's voice was still chilling, each word laced with menace. This time, there was no room for negotiation. The disciples on the ground hastily recounted how they had murdered Wang Ke and pinned the blame on Zhao Lin. It turned out that Zhao Lin had bested Zhang Yun for the Foundation Building Pill that day. Lee Qing, a top disciple of the Outer Sect, had instructed Chen Yong to target Zhao Lin. Bound by the sect's rules, they had to work within those constraints. They covertly administered a pill to Wang Ke that induced breathlessness. After Zhao Lin was apprehended, they proceeded to kill Wang Ke. The chest wound was merely a ruse to mislead others. In reality, Wang Ke had perished shortly after Zhao Lin was taken away by the Third Elder.

The entire scheme was executed without a hitch. Lee Qing had even anticipated that the Outer Sect Elder would not perform an autopsy and would take their side, sealing Zhao Lin's fate. The feigned attack was nothing more than a ploy to satisfy the Third Elder's obligation to report to the leadership. But what he failed to foresee was that Zhao Lin, who was seemingly doomed, would be rescued!