Bone-stripping and tendon-pulling? The reborn senior sister becomes the number one cultivator in the

"Yes! It's possible that you might be the one to break the seal by chance."

"It must have been Xie Wanning who broke the seal, not Junior Sister Ye. At that time, Junior Sister Ye was being chased by Xie Wanning, and she had never learned any formations, so how could she have had the energy and ability to break the formation?"

"Xie Wanning said she has never learned formations. How is that possible? She is the senior sister. She has been in the sect for two years. She must have had the opportunity to learn formations."

"That's right! Isn't Tian Ruochun, the second senior sister of Fuzhen Peak, close to Xie Wanning? Maybe she taught Xie Wanning array formations."

……

The disciples below were whispering amongst themselves, and Xie Wanning's face darkened when she heard someone slandering Tian Ruochun.

She stared intently into Peak Master Mu's eyes and asked suspiciously, "Elder Mu, can a high-level formation really be broken by an attack from a Qi Refining stage cultivator?" Mu Wenyan guiltily looked away; she had never heard of such rumors.

Wang Chengfeng stepped forward and said fiercely, "Anything is possible, especially since you may have studied formations, which will give you the opportunity to find the flaws in the formations. Xie Wanning, don't try to shirk your punishment. Since you made a mistake, you should have thought about paying with your life."

Xie Wanning finally understood: everyone was trying to exonerate Ye Qianqian and wanted to convict her.

"Master, Second Junior Brother, Third Junior Brother, I have always lived in the Sword Peak. You know I am not good at formations." Xie Wanning placed her last hope on her master and junior brothers.

During her two years at Qingyun Sect, Xie Wanning was busy practicing swordsmanship and handling sect affairs, so how could she possibly have learned formations?

"I do not know."

"I don't know anymore."

Song Huai'an and Jiang Ci silently lowered their heads.

Xie Wanning turned her pleading gaze to Yan Ze, hoping that her hard work over the past two years might earn her a word.

"I've only taught you swordsmanship. Whether you know formations or not is completely unknown to me, but you know it best in your heart," Yan Ze replied indifferently.

Xie Wanning felt like a joke, actually believing that her master and junior brothers would speak up for him.

But now no one believes her, what should she do?

The crowd was abuzz with discussion, mostly consisting of rebuttals and insults directed at Xie Wanning.

"Enough!" Xie Wanning shouted, turning to Ye Qianqian: "Junior Sister, you said in the secret realm that the Silver Python was chasing me for the treasure. But the treasure was always on you, and when I gave the Silver Python the treasure, it didn't need it at all. So why did the Silver Python hurt me? Even at the end, the severely injured Silver Python risked backlash to break through and attack me. Why is that?"

Xie Wanning didn't know why the silver python was so determined to kill her; she firmly believed that Ye Qianqian and the silver python had made a deal.

Of course, it's because of the inner demon curse.

Ye Qianqian knew perfectly well what was going on, but her eyes were filled with confusion: "I'm sorry, I didn't know." Ye Qianqian was trembling with fear.

"Don't be afraid! We're here." Beast Peak Master Xiang Yanwu and Body Peak Master Ye Jian shielded Ye Qianqian behind them. Xiang Yanwu glared at Xie Wanning: "What could that girl Ye know? She's a victim. How could she possibly know why the silver python attacked you?"

Ye Jian scoffed, "That silver python is, after all, a spirit beast, born from the spiritual energy of heaven and earth. It can't stand seeing a wicked human like you doing evil, which is why it attacked you."

The disciples all spoke up:

"Yes! Junior Sister Ye is beautiful and kind-hearted, so the silver python won't attack her, unlike someone who is vicious and cruel, even the silver python can't stand it."

"Evil people will get their just desserts!"

"Xie Wanning, what right do you have to doubt Junior Sister Ye!"

……

Down the steps, there was chaos.

If it weren't for the sect leader and elders on the stage, the disciples might have already rushed up to vent their anger.

They were like a pack of enraged monsters, ready to tear and attack, their faces fierce, showing no trace of righteous disciples.

"Quiet!" Yan Ze released a burst of pressure, and the audience immediately fell silent.

"Xie Wanning, do you have any more questions?" Yan Ze urged.

This is the last question.

Everyone stared at Xie Wanning, wondering what question she would ask.

"Junior Sister, you broke the seal, commanded the Silver Python, and feigned injury. You didn't do all of this alone, did you?" Xie Wanning stared intently at Ye Qianqian, as if trying to see right through her: "Who exactly is supporting you behind the scenes?!"

A strange crimson glint flashed in Xie Wanning's eyes, and the temperature around her plummeted, as if she had fallen into an ice cave.

She tried to say the word "system," but found that as soon as she had the thought, she couldn't make a sound. Her emotions seemed to be getting more and more volatile, like a volcano about to erupt.

A barely perceptible look of panic flashed across Ye Qianqian's face. Her hands clenched into fists, and she retreated several steps. But inside, she felt a secret delight.

It's working!

"I saw you break the seal on the silver python! Who told you how?" Xie Wanning suddenly rushed towards Ye Qianqian, holding an iron sword in her hand.

Ye Qianqian stood frozen in place, unable to move at all.

"Watch out!" the disciples shouted.

The various peak masters are about to make their moves!

"Boom!" A thunderclap ripped through the air, and a bolt of lightning pierced through the top of the palace, striking Xie Wan Ning. Everyone heard a piercing electric shock and was hit by a powerful shockwave.

When she opened her eyes again, she saw Xie Wanning charred black by lightning, with a sword stuck in her abdomen. The one holding the sword was none other than Yan Ze, the head of the Qingyun Sect, the master of the Sword Peak, and Xie Wanning's master! Ye Qianqian, who had just been on the verge of death, was hiding timidly behind Yan Ze, her face covered with tears.

Xie Wanning collapsed to the ground, and Yan Ze looked at the peak masters and disciples: "Just now I discovered that Xie Wanning has the aura of a demon, and her eyes have turned scarlet, which is a sign of becoming a demon. Therefore, as her master, I cannot let her continue down this wrong path." Yan Ze sighed slightly.

As Xie Wan Ning's own master, he personally took action to eliminate his disciple who had fallen into demonic possession for the sake of righteousness. What a noble and awe-inspiring act!

Everyone looked at Yan Ze with awe.

This exploration of the secret realm has brought the truth to light, the villains have been eliminated, and everyone is happy!

[Ding! The Lingyun Secret Realm storyline is complete, with the story progress reaching 10%.]

[Yan Ze's favorability +20 points, total favorability 10 points.]

[Song Huai'an's favorability +20 points, total favorability 30 points.]

Jiang Ci's favorability +15 points, total favorability 30 points.

[Shi Kuo's favorability +18 points, total favorability 40 points.]

[Ding! Confirmation of the death of female lead Xie Wanning.]

……

Qingyun Sect, Netherworld Prison.

An empty prison cell.

Yan Ze walked into the prison cell.

No one responded.

He took a flame from his pocket and gently set it down.

He calmly circled the flames, but his eyes never left them.

An appreciative and joyful look in their eyes.

He carefully protected the flame in his hand, but occasionally stimulated it with lightning. Watching the flame flicker in his hand, a faint smile appeared on his face, and there was a hint of infatuation in his eyes.

"How clever you are!" Yan Ze praised, but immediately his face darkened. "Yet you are so disobedient, always like this."

Yan Ze put down the flames, took out a storage bag with the character '凝' (Ning) engraved on it.

The storage bag was forcibly opened, and a crimson figure flew out, attacking Yan Ze.

Yan Ze released his aura and easily grasped the already weakened Crimson Flame Bird in his hand: "The death of your master must have greatly harmed you, my contracted spirit beast!"

Although the Crimson Flame Bird was weak, its cry was still shrill: "You murderer, I will make you pay with your life."

A flash of lightning streaked across the sky, and the Crimson Flame Bird plummeted to the ground, unable to struggle. Flames flickered to one side, and the Crimson Flame Bird weakly cried out, "Master!"

As a Nascent Soul cultivator, Yan Ze naturally understood the Crimson Flame Bird's words.

"It seems you cherish your master very much, even to the point of risking your life." Yan Ze picked up the flame again, his eyes cold: "Tell me, as a fifth-tier spirit beast, why did you sign a contract with a Qi Refining stage cultivator? What is it about her that attracts you?"

"That's because Master is outstanding! No... I'll tell you." The Crimson Flame Bird wanted to brush it off, but when it saw the lightning in Yan Ze's other hand approaching the flames, it dared not: "Master... she showed off her Phoenix Fire, that's why I became her master."

"As expected!" Yan Ze chuckled, striking the Crimson Flame Bird with lightning from his hand. The Crimson Flame Bird closed its eyes and stopped moving.

"Why are you always so smart and so rebellious? It's time to teach you a lesson." Yan Ze's eyes surged with a wave of madness.

Footsteps could be heard outside the cell.

A pink figure appeared; it was Ye Qianqian.

Her face lacked its usual gentleness, and was full of impatience: "Yan Ze, that's enough."

"No need for you to urge me, I know what I'm doing." Yan Ze didn't care at all about how Ye Qianqian addressed him, he was just annoyed that someone was disturbing him.

"Hmph!" Ye Qianqian strode away.

Yan Ze glanced at the flames reluctantly and sighed, "Who told you to disobey me?"

The flames burned even brighter...