From a loser to an immortal sage

Chapter 129 Stuck in the mire, struggling to move forward

Elder Xuanfeng's words were like a boulder thrown into a calm lake, stirring up ripples. The disciples in the hall began whispering again. I felt the gazes upon me—some expectant, some doubtful, but mostly scrutinizing. Three days? He was clearly deliberately making things difficult, demanding I prove the flaws of the peace plan within three days. How could that be possible? Peace is meant to avoid greater losses and long-term benefits; how could these be revealed in just three days?

I took a deep breath, suppressing the surging emotions within me. "Since the elder has spoken, this disciple will naturally do my utmost." My tone was calm, not letting anyone see my panic. I knew that I absolutely could not back down now; if I showed weakness, I would completely lose my voice.

After the meeting, I immediately went to find Elder Mingyue. She was still gentle, but a hint of worry appeared between her brows. "Xiao Yao, you heard what Elder Xuanfeng said. He's clearly trying to make things difficult for you."

I nodded. "Disciple understands. Elder, disciple would like to ask, how many elders in the Immortal Sect still support the peace policy?" I must quickly ascertain the current situation in order to formulate a response strategy.

Elder Mingyue sighed, "Besides me, there are several other elders who also favor peace, but they are wary of Elder Xuanfeng's power and dare not express their opinions publicly." She paused, then continued, "The resource-sharing plan I proposed before was also misinterpreted by them as a sign of weakness to the hostile forces, and now they... sigh."

Elder Mingyue's helplessness weighed heavily on my heart. I had thought that at least Elder Mingyue's supporters could be of help to me, but now it seemed that the situation was more complicated than I had imagined. They were being forcefully suppressed by Elder Xuanfeng and had begun to waver.

I offered Elder Mingyue a few words of comfort before taking my leave. I had to hurry and persuade the wavering elders one by one.

Over the next two days, I traveled almost the entire immortal sect, patiently persuading the elders and disciples. Some were moved by my words and expressed their willingness to support me; others remained ambiguous and refused to make a clear statement; still others, like Elder Xuanfeng's followers, mocked and ridiculed me, even hurling insults at me.

Senior Brother Lin and Junior Sister Chu also came to see me separately. Senior Brother Lin naturally came to encourage me, patting my shoulder and saying, "Xiao Yao, don't be discouraged, I believe you can do it!" Junior Sister Chu, however, looked gloating, saying, "Xiao Yao, I think you're in deep trouble this time!"

I rubbed my temples wearily, feeling utterly exhausted. Two days had passed, and I still couldn't find any evidence to prove the flaws in the peace plan. Elder Xuanfeng's deadline was also drawing ever closer.

I went to Deacon Wu again, hoping he could provide some information about resource allocation, which might offer a breakthrough. However, seeing my current predicament, Deacon Wu became even more cautious, dodging the question and refusing to reveal a single word.

"Deacon Wu..." I started to speak, but he suddenly stood up, looking flustered. "Xiao Yao, I have things to attend to right now, you..." He hurriedly left, leaving me standing there alone, watching his figure disappear at the end of the corridor...

The sight of Deacon Wu hastily departing was like a sharp thorn, piercing my heart. I understood that he only wanted to protect himself now, and I couldn't count on him at all. A sense of powerlessness washed over me like a tidal wave, almost drowning me. I had been spinning like a top for the past two days, but to no avail. The deadline Elder Xuanfeng had given me was like a sword hanging over my head, making it hard for me to breathe.

Back in my room, I slumped down at the table, the tea already cold. Senior Brother Lin pushed open the door, his face filled with worry. "Xiao Yao, how is it? What did Deacon Wu say?"

I shook my head and gave a bitter smile. "He didn't say anything."

Senior Brother Lin sighed and sat down opposite me. "Don't worry, we'll think of another way." His words were comforting, but they couldn't hide a trace of anxiety.

Just then, a commotion arose outside the door. A disciple rushed in, flustered. "Senior Brother Lin, something terrible has happened! The Enforcement Hall says you've misappropriated sect resources and they want to take you in for questioning!"

Senior Brother Lin and I were both stunned. Misappropriating resources? That's utter nonsense! Senior Brother Lin has always been an upright person, how could he do such a thing? I immediately realized that someone was deliberately framing him!

"I'll go take a look!" Senior Brother Lin got up and was about to walk out.

I grabbed him and said, "Wait! Something's not right. I need to find out what's going on." I had a feeling that this matter was related to Junior Sister Chu.

I walked quickly to the Hall of Enforcement and sure enough, I saw Junior Sister Chu standing there, looking smugly at Senior Brother Lin who was surrounded by the disciples of the Enforcement Hall.

"Junior Sister Chu, what's going on?" I asked, barely suppressing my anger.

Junior Sister Chu smiled dismissively, "What's going on? Senior Brother Lin misappropriated the Immortal Sect's resources without authorization. The evidence is conclusive, and the Enforcement Hall will naturally handle it impartially!"

"Evidence? What evidence?" I demanded.

Junior Sister Chu pulled a piece of paper from her sleeve, on which Senior Brother Lin's name and a list of resources were clearly written. I could tell at a glance that the paper was a forgery!

“This is clearly a forgery!” I said, pointing to the paper.

"Xiao Yao, you can eat whatever you want, but you can't say whatever you want! This is a document from the Enforcement Hall, how dare you slander it?" Junior Sister Chu said righteously.

I know that saying anything now will be useless. The people in the Enforcement Hall won't listen to my explanations; they'll just follow procedure. If Senior Brother Lin is convicted, at best he'll be expelled from the sect, at worst… I dare not think any further.

I took a deep breath, trying to stay calm. "Junior Sister Chu, what exactly do you want?"

Junior Sister Chu raised her chin triumphantly, "What do I want to do? I just can't stand you, I can't stand that a good-for-nothing like you with no spiritual roots dares to point fingers in the immortal sect! Now, your good senior brother is going to be implicated by you too!"

I clenched my fists so tightly that my nails almost dug into my flesh. I knew that Junior Sister Chu was getting revenge on me for making her lose face in front of everyone.

I must save Senior Brother Lin! Even though I know this will likely put me in an even deeper predicament.

I turned to the disciples of the Enforcement Hall and said, "I can prove Senior Brother Lin's innocence, but it will take some time."

The disciple in charge of enforcement looked at me expressionlessly. "Xiao Yao, you only have three days. After three days, if you cannot produce evidence, Senior Brother Lin will deal with you according to the sect rules."

Three days... another three days! I feel like I'm tightly bound by an invisible net, unable to move.

I turned to look at Senior Brother Lin; his eyes were filled with worry and trust. I nodded to him, indicating that he could rest assured.

I must find evidence as soon as possible to prove Brother Lin's innocence. But where should I begin?

Just as I was at my wit's end, a voice suddenly rang in my ear, "I know who framed Senior Brother Lin..." I turned around abruptly and saw...

I turned around abruptly and saw Elder Mingyue's maid, Xiaolan, standing behind me. Her face was somewhat pale, and there was a hint of hesitation in her eyes.

“Xiao Lan, do you... do you know who it is?” I grabbed her arm and asked urgently.

Xiao Lan bit her lip and whispered, "It was...it was Junior Sister Chu. I saw her secretly hand over the forged documents to the disciples of the Enforcement Hall."

My heart skipped a beat. It really was Junior Sister Chu! But why did Xiao Lan tell me all this? Wasn't she afraid of Junior Sister Chu's revenge?

Seemingly sensing my confusion, Xiaolan explained, "Junior Sister Chu, relying on being the sect leader's personal disciple, is arrogant and domineering within the sect. Many people dislike her, but dare not speak out. Elder Mingyue has also been looking for an opportunity to teach her a lesson, but has been hampered by a lack of evidence. This time, Elder Mingyue instructed me to observe the situation secretly, but I never expected..."

I understand now, Elder Mingyue is helping me!

With Xiaolan's testimony, I can prove Senior Brother Lin's innocence. However, that's not enough. I must find evidence that Junior Sister Chu forged documents to completely bring her down.

For the next two days, I barely slept. While comforting Senior Brother Lin, I inquired everywhere, searching for any weaknesses in Junior Sister Chu's defenses. Junior Sister Chu seemed to know I was investigating her, and she became even more brazen inciting disciples against me, accusing me of spreading rumors, bewitching people, and disrupting the order of the immortal sect.

My mediation work has become more difficult. Many of my previously neutral disciples have begun to distance themselves from me, even mocking me. I can feel those strange looks as I walk down the street, like needles pricking my skin.

I was exhausted, both physically and mentally, but I dared not slacken in the slightest. I knew I couldn't give up; I had to persevere. For Brother Lin, and for myself.

I locked myself in my room, going through the known clues over and over again, trying to find a breakthrough. The tea on the table was changed cup after cup, but I never touched it. My head grew heavier and heavier, my eyelids grew heavier and heavier, but I forced myself to stay awake. I couldn't sleep; I still had so much to do.

My body was starting to give out. I felt like a taut string, ready to snap at any moment. My stomach churned, and my throat burned like fire. But I refused to rest. I kept telling myself I couldn't give up; I had to persevere.

Finally, on the morning of the third day, I found a clue. I noticed that Junior Sister Chu had been frequently visiting the library lately, and each time she stayed for a long time. A thought struck me: could she be forging documents in the library?

I rushed to the library, hoping to find some clues. I searched for a long time and finally found a crumpled piece of paper in a corner. I carefully unfolded it and found that it listed the names and quantities of some materials, which were exactly the resources listed in the forged document by Junior Sister Chu.

I was overjoyed; this was the evidence that Junior Sister Chu had forged the documents!

Holding the paper, I quickly walked out of the library. Just then, I saw Elder Xuanfeng. He was standing at the library entrance, looking at me with a gloomy expression.

"Xiao Yao," his voice carried a hint of sarcasm, "what are you up to now?"

I……

I gripped the paper tightly, trying to remain calm. "Elder Xuanfeng, I've found evidence that Junior Sister Chu forged documents."

He gave a dismissive laugh, his gaze sweeping across my face with undisguised contempt. "Evidence? You? Look at yourself now, disheveled and exhausted. What kind of trouble do you think you can cause?"

His words were like a bucket of cold water poured over my head, chilling me to the bone. Yes, I really looked pathetic. I hadn't slept for almost three days; my face was pale, my eyes bloodshot, and my clothes were wrinkled. I felt like a trapped beast, stuck in an invisible cage, struggling but unable to find a way out.

"Elder Xuanfeng, I..." I opened my mouth, but didn't know what to say. The paper in my hand seemed to have become incredibly heavy, and I could barely hold it.

"Enough," Elder Xuanfeng waved his hand impatiently. "Stop wasting my time. How can a nobody like you interfere in the important affairs of the Immortal Sect? You should think about how to improve your cultivation instead of thinking about these trivial matters all day long."

He finished speaking, turned and left without even glancing at me again. My heart sank to the bottom, a wave of despair washing over me. Was I really going to give up? Was it truly impossible to clear Senior Brother Lin's name?

I leaned weakly against the library wall, feeling all my strength drain away. I closed my eyes, took a deep breath, and tried to calm myself down. I couldn't give up; I had to find a way. Senior Brother Lin was still waiting for me; I couldn't let him down.

Suddenly, a thought flashed through my mind. The library! It houses all the classic texts of the immortal sects; perhaps I can find a solution to my problem here!

I opened my eyes abruptly, a renewed glimmer of hope in them. I stumbled into the library and began rummaging through the thick volumes. I turned book after book, hoping to find a clue. Time ticked by, and my hope gradually turned to despair. Was there truly no way out?

Just when I was about to give up, I saw an old book. Its cover had a few ancient characters written on it: "Tales of the Immortal Sect." A thought struck me, and I reached out and took it.

I opened the book and began to read it carefully. It was a book recording the history of the immortal sects, detailing all the major events that had occurred since the sects' founding. I quickly flipped through it, hoping to find some cases similar to the current situation.

Suddenly, my gaze fell upon a passage of text. This text recorded a similar internal strife that had occurred within the Immortal Sect hundreds of years ago. At that time, the Immortal Sect was riddled with internal conflicts, with various factions fighting endlessly, almost to the point of collapse.

The final solution to this internal strife was neither military suppression nor compromise, but a peculiar method… I suddenly looked up into the depths of the library, where something seemed to be drawing my attention. “This…this is…”