"Why bother with all that trouble? Why not just dig out your Spirit Root and use it to heal Junior Sister Xuewei? That way, Master can let you off the hook."
Shen Jingyuan stood to the side. Seeing that Si Nansheng made no move to offer up her Spirit Root with both hands, he anxiously stepped forward.
His words sounded quite righteous, yet they caused the representatives of the major sects on both sides of the grand hall to frown deeply.
Digging out someone's Spirit Root violated the laws of the Heavenly Dao. How could a dignified disciple of the Shengtian Sect utter such words?
Noticing Shen Jingyuan's threatening glare, Si Nansheng could not help shivering.
"Second Senior Brother, I know I was wrong. Please—please rest assured, I will never tell anyone that Junior Sister Liu Xuewei dragged me along to trespass into the forbidden grounds. I—I will also do as you said and admit that I entered the forbidden grounds alone, and that Junior Sister's injuries were my fault."
Si Nansheng suddenly collapsed onto the floor, her face ashen and her expression dazed, her red eyes repeating the words over and over in a murmur.
Everyone present was a cultivator, so their hearing was naturally sharp. Though her voice was soft, every word was heard clearly.
At this, they all raised their heads in astonishment. Shivering as if in sheer terror, Si Nansheng repeated it loudly once more: "Second Senior Brother, I know I was wrong. Please don't beat me anymore. It hurts so much."
Did this mean that none of this was done by Si Nansheng, but rather that she was forced by others to take the blame?
"Si Nansheng! You... how audacious! Watch me beat you to death!"
Provoked into a fury, Shen Jingyuan never expected Si Nansheng to dare speak to him like this. In a fit of hot-tempered rage, he raised his hand to strike her.
Yet before the blow could land, Feng Zeyan's voice cut in to stop him.
"Stop! Jingyuan, step back!"
"Master! It is clearly Si Nansheng whose heart is venomous. She envies Junior Sister for her superior talent and fast cultivation, fearing that Junior Sister's cultivation would surpass her own, which is why she harmed Junior Sister. Not only that, she shows no remorse and stubbornly refuses to confess. Master, you must severely punish her!"
Shen Jingyuan said indignantly. He was truly enraged—Si Nansheng had actually dared to humiliate him like this!
He could never forgive her!
"Second Junior Brother is right. With such unprincipled conduct, Si Nansheng truly deserves to be taught a lesson. Master, look—Junior Sister Xuewei is severely injured and has yet to wake up. Since Si Nansheng is in the wrong, she ought to apologize to Junior Sister Xuewei and show sincerity so that Junior Sister Xuewei can forgive her!"
The one speaking was Su Heng, their Eldest Senior Brother. Su Heng was a schemer with formidable methods. His words and actions were airtight, always making people think he was a good person—not just a good person, but a remarkably reasonable one!
Yet it was he who, the moment Liu Xuewei took a fancy to her immortal cave, had driven her out without a moment's hesitation. He had even gently told her that the Junior Sister had just arrived and they needed to take good care of her, never once considering where she would go once she left the cave.
Thinking of how she had shared a sect with such a hypocrite all these years made Si Nansheng feel sick to her stomach.
*So disgusting. What should I do if I can't stay here any longer? If I stay a moment longer and keep talking to them, I'm really going to vomit.*
Si Nansheng took a deep breath to steady herself, wiped away her tears, and forced her battered body to stand up. With tear-filled eyes, she walked step by step toward Liu Xuewei, who lay motionless on the ground.
"Junior Sister Xuewei, I'm sorry. It's all my fault. Won't you please wake up? As long as you wake up, whatever you want in the future—anything I have, I will give it to you. Even if I don't have it, I will find it for you just like I used to. Please wake up, won't you?"
Knowing that Liu Xuewei was merely faking, Si Nansheng wiped her snot and tears onto Liu Xuewei's clothes while shaking her with exaggerated force.
Dizzy and nauseated from the violent shaking, and revolted by Si Nansheng's disgusting actions, Liu Xuewei felt like she was about to throw up, yet she stubbornly forced herself to keep her eyes shut.
"Audacious, rebellious disciple! How dare you harm a fellow sect member right before my eyes!"
At this sight, Feng Zeyan flicked his sleeve, sending Si Nansheng flying through the air. She slammed heavily onto the ground, coughing up a mouthful of blood.
"Master, Master, I... I have never harmed anyone, let alone a fellow sect member. I just wanted Junior Sister Xuewei to wake up quickly."
Wiping the blood from the corner of her mouth, Si Nansheng crawled up from the floor and looked with pleading eyes at Feng Zeyan, the master she had respected since childhood.
"You still dare to quibble? Junior Sister Xuewei has been harmed to this extent by you, yet you stubbornly refuse to admit it!"
With a hostile glare, Shen Jingyuan directly pronounced her guilty, a spectacle that almost laughed Si Nansheng into fury.
"Second Senior Brother, you beat me all over just now, and it really hurts. Please don't hit me anymore. Everything you said—I'll admit to it all, okay?"
Looking at Shen Jingyuan with tears shimmering in her eyes, Si Nansheng put on such a pitiful display that Shen Jingyuan involuntarily halted his movements.
Shen Jingyuan was startled; he had never expected Si Nansheng to make such an expression, one that strangely reminded him of the Junior Sister.
Only now did the seated guests notice that while Si Nansheng's outer garments looked clean, bloodstains were seeping through, and her clothes were even torn in places.
They were all shrewd veterans; who could fail to guess that someone had already subjected this young girl to torture before bringing her here?
Staring back at Shen Jingyuan's murderous gaze, Si Nansheng sneered inwardly while shrinking her shoulders with a feigned, frightened shudder.
"I know neither Master nor Senior Brother believes me, but... but... very well..."
Lowering her head as if suffering the greatest grievance, Si Nansheng let her tears fall in a steady patter.
"Since neither Master nor Senior Brother believes what Nansheng says, Nansheng has no choice but to swear an Inner Demon Vow. I, Si Nansheng, swear by my Dao heart before the Heavens that I have never trespassed into the Shengtian Sect's forbidden grounds, nor have I ever harmed Liu Xuewei. If I lie, may I be struck by the five heavenly thunders and may my Dao heart shatter!"
A beam of golden light descended from the sky, enveloped Si Nansheng, and then vanished. Yet Si Nansheng suffered no harm whatsoever.
Watching Si Nansheng—who had sworn an Inner Demon Vow without suffering any backlash from the laws of heaven and earth—most of the onlookers showed a look of sudden realization.
"She even dared to swear an Inner Demon Vow. It seems what she said is true; she never harmed a fellow disciple."
"It appears Sect Master Feng and his disciples wronged this young girl!"
"If what she said is true, then just who is lying?"
For a moment, everyone exchanged glances, their eyes filled with profound meaning.
"Master, Master, look—I'm fine. Doesn't that prove I didn't lie? If you still don't believe me, could you have Junior Sister Xuewei swear an oath as well?"
Stiff all over, cold sweat beading on her forehead, Liu Xuewei trembled in every limb. An Inner Demon Vow—how could Si Nansheng possibly dare?
She absolutely could not swear an Inner Demon Vow!
"Rebellious wretch! Xuewei has been harmed by you to the point of unconsciousness, yet you actually demand that she swear an Inner Demon Vow! Do you have any idea what an Inner Demon Vow entails? I raised you from childhood, yet I never knew your heart was so venomous. The Shengtian Sect can no longer keep you!"
With a flick of his hand, Feng Zeyan unleashed a surge of Spiritual Energy toward Si Nansheng.
Covered in wounds as she was, how could Si Nansheng possibly evade it?
*Boom!*
The incoming attack of Spiritual Energy was abruptly intercepted by someone.