Chapter 721: Have Ghosts

The Saint Yuan Palace Master's voice still reverberated between heaven and earth, and the various powerful figures present were all stunned, clearly not expecting him to reveal such an astonishing secret.

Old Ancestor Cang Xuan's demise back then was actually because Liu Lianyi had tampered with the Cang Xuan Saint Seal?!

Sect Master Qing Yang, Elder Bai Mei, and others also stared blankly at Liu Lianyi, their eyes filled with disbelief.

Among the disciples Old Ancestor Cang Xuan had taken, Liu Lianyi was the youngest, considered the beloved junior sister by everyone, and Old Ancestor Cang Xuan had a particular fondness for her.

Liu Lianyi was equally devoted to Old Ancestor Cang Xuan, almost to the point of reverence and love. When Old Ancestor Cang Xuan fell, if Sect Master Qing Yang and the others hadn't stopped her, Liu Lianyi would likely have charged into the Saint Palace to fight to the death.

Therefore, their initial reaction to the Saint Yuan Palace Master's words was that he was slandering her, but when they saw Peak Master Lianyi's ashen face, their hearts couldn't help but sink.

At this moment, Peak Master Lianyi's face was deathly pale, and her delicate body was trembling slightly.

After a long while, she finally murmured, "What nonsense are you talking about! I never tampered with the Cang Xuan Saint Seal!"

Qing Yang's gaze was fixed on Peak Master Lianyi as he slowly said, "Junior Sister, what exactly did you do?!"

When Old Ancestor Cang Xuan fell back then, Sect Master Qing Yang harbored a hint of suspicion, because he was well aware of Old Ancestor Cang Xuan's strength. Coupled with his control over the Cang Xuan Saint Seal, even if powerful Saint Race experts had hunted him, it would have been impossible for him to perish within the Cang Xuan Heaven.

There had to be a reason. However, he could never have imagined that this matter might actually be related to Peak Master Lianyi.

Peak Master Lianyi gave a bitter smile and said, "I really didn't mean to harm Master. I just… I just inscribed a Mind-Purifying Divine Rune onto the Cang Xuan Saint Seal. It has no harmful effects; it just isolates the Saint Seal from some of its influence on Master."

Sect Master Qing Yang's expression changed, and he suppressively roared, "Utterly foolish! Why would you do such a thing?"

Peak Master Lianyi clenched her hands, trembling as she said, "I discovered from ancient texts that those who control supreme holy artifacts like the Cang Xuan Saint Seal will have their seven emotions and six desires purged. I, I..."

Sect Master Qing Yang, Elder Bai Mei, Peak Master Hong Ya, and the others fell silent, their eyes complex as they looked at Peak Master Lianyi.

Liu Lianyi was their junior sister; they had virtually watched her grow up. Over the years, they had also noticed some of her emotional entanglements. For many years, Liu Lianyi had probably secretly fallen in love with Master. Later, Master might have also sensed this and stopped keeping Liu Lianyi by his side, instead sending her off for more training. Liu Lianyi, sensing the meaning behind Old Ancestor Cang Xuan's actions, naturally felt unwilling. In her youthful infatuation, she became fixated on this idea. After discovering the effects of the Cang Xuan Saint Seal in ancient texts, she concluded that Old Ancestor Cang Xuan's coolness towards her was due to the Saint Seal. Thus, she found that "Mind-Purifying Divine Rune" and inscribed it onto the Cang Xuan Saint Seal, attempting to shield Master from its influence.

Sect Master Qing Yang's brows suddenly furrowed tightly, and he said in a deep voice, "But the Cang Xuan Saint Seal was always on Master's person. How could you have gotten close to it?"

Liu Lianyi gritted her teeth and said, "I stole it while Master was in seclusion."

Elder Bai Mei shook his head and said, "Nonsense. Even when Master was in seclusion, the Cang Xuan Saint Seal was protected by a barrier. That barrier, even we disciples couldn't approach it. Only..." His voice trailed off at this point. Including Sect Master Qing Yang and the others, their gazes slowly turned towards Peak Master Ling Jun, who had remained silent all along.

At that time, only Ling Jun, as Master's personal attendant, could enter and exit that barrier. "Ling Jun, was it you?" Sect Master Qing Yang took a deep breath and asked slowly.

Peak Master Ling Jun's handsome, youthful face was devoid of expression. He didn't deny it but directly said, "This matter was caused by me. I am willing to accept punishment from the Sect Master."

Peak Master Hong Ya grunted, "Perhaps Junior Sister asked you to take the Saint Seal out of the barrier, didn't she?"

Peak Master Ling Jun remained silent, his eyes slightly closed.

In his childhood, he was an orphan, adrift and alone. When he was on the verge of starving to death, a little girl in colorful clothes knelt down, painstakingly carried him on her back, and brought him up the mountain, begging her Master to take him in as a personal attendant. Master, however, refused, telling him to eat his fill and then leave the mountain. He refused to leave, not to seek great power, but because that small figure in colorful clothes was the only warmth he had ever felt in his heart throughout those years. So, he knelt at the foot of that mountain for an entire month. Although the little girl secretly brought him food during that time, he still nearly starved to death. Ultimately, the Old Ancestor took him in as a personal attendant. That day, he was very happy, because from then on, he could always see that colorful figure...

The little girl in colorful clothes was, of course, the current Peak Master Lianyi. So, when Liu Lianyi later asked him to help her retrieve the Cang Xuan Saint Seal, he didn't hesitate much... although at that time, he had actually already understood Liu Lianyi's feelings. But he didn't want to see her disappointed face.

Over the years, he hadn't revealed this secret. However, with the Old Ancestor's demise, Liu Lianyi might have also sensed something, becoming increasingly radical, and even developed some anger towards him. Perhaps she blamed him for not stopping her foolish actions back then. So, for all these years, she had always treated him coldly.

However, Ling Jun felt no resentment; deep down, he felt more pity, because he knew the immense regret Liu Lianyi carried in her heart. In truth, she desperately wanted to go directly to the Saint Palace and perish together with the Saint Yuan Palace Master... She had long lost the will to live.

Staring at the silent Liu Lianyi and Peak Master Ling Jun, Sect Master Qing Yang pointed at them both, gritting his teeth and saying, "You two are nothing but utter, idiotic fools!"

These two imbeciles, for some trivial matter, dared to boldly tamper with the Cang Xuan Saint Seal! This became the fuse for Old Ancestor Cang Xuan's later demise.

"However, although the Mind-Purifying Divine Rune is an extremely ancient source rune, even if inscribed onto the Cang Xuan Saint Seal, it wouldn't actually have a significant impact," Elder Bai Mei suddenly interjected. Sect Master Qing Yang narrowed his eyes, his gaze turning dark as he looked at the Saint Yuan Palace Master.

The latter, at this moment, also smiled faintly and said, "That's right. Although it seemed almost identical, that wasn't a Mind-Purifying Divine Rune..."

Liu Lianyi froze, then her eyes turned bloodshot as she stared at the Saint Yuan Palace Master, her trembling voice filled with boundless killing intent: "Indeed, all of this was your conspiracy?!"

Sect Master Qing Yang's gaze grew even darker. He slowly said, "To be able to guide Junior Sister to search for ancient texts in my Cang Xuan Sect's scripture pavilion, and for her to just happen to find something that resembled the Mind-Purifying Divine Rune... And also to know that only Junior Sister could find an opportunity to touch the Cang Xuan Saint Seal through Ling Jun... It seems you truly know my Cang Xuan Sect like the back of your hand... Or rather..." His voice paused for a moment before he continued in a low tone, "Is there a mole within my Cang Xuan Sect?"

As his low voice still echoed and everyone was yet to fully recover, a withered hand silently glided past, a destructive aura brewing within its palm. Then, it lightly moved towards Elder Bai Mei's back.

However, just as that withered hand was about to strike, another hand tore through the void and grasped the withered hand's wrist, causing space to crack and preventing it from descending. Space rippled, and a stooped, aged figure appeared beside Elder Bai Mei; it was no other than Elder Xuan! At this moment, his previously cloudy eyes were fixed intently forward, and killing intent emanated from his wrinkled face. Finally, he let out a deep sigh.

"It really is you..."

"Lei Jun..."