Chapter 75

Ling Qinghui, though determined to become the valley master, harbored many grievances and resentments towards Ling Zai Xin. However, all this was merely because she was jealous that Ling Zai Xin had won the favor of their master, Lian Huanchen, and had also secured the position of valley master. Although Ling Qinghui was two years older than Ling Zai Xin, they had both grown up together in the Hundred Flowers Valley, like sisters, and naturally had a bond. Despite her ambition to seize the valley master's position, she had never thought of killing her junior sister. In her heart, she truly felt some reluctance to kill Ling Zai Xin, with whom she had grown up.

Seeing Ling Qinghui hesitate, Ling Jianlan called out, "Senior Sister, if you don't act now, the valley master's position will be yours!"

Ling Qinghui suddenly shouted at Ling Jianlan, "Can you do it?"

Ling Jianlan, not yet sensing Ling Qinghui's change, thought she was just being momentarily soft-hearted. She stepped forward and said, "If Senior Sister finds it difficult, let Junior Sister do it. Just remember Junior Sister's contribution!"

Ling Qinghui suddenly said coldly, "If that's the case, then I'll leave it to Junior Sister."

Ling Jianlan, sensing something was off in her tone, saw a mocking look on Ling Qinghui's face and realized something was wrong. She quickly knelt down and said, "Senior Sister, Junior Sister is only thinking of you! Don't you want to be the valley master? Junior Sister is just trying to help you achieve your wish!"

Ling Qinghui's voice was icy cold, "Thinking of me, for my wish?"

Ling Jianlan's voice trembled, "Yes, yes, Senior Sister, what's wrong with you? Didn't we agree to force that woman to give up the valley master's position so you could take it? Isn't that your wish? Junior Sister is only thinking of you!"

Ling Qinghui said coldly, "Oh, is that so? If one day I ask you to die, will you fulfill my wish?"

Ling Jianlan was so frightened that her legs trembled. She didn't understand why Ling Qinghui suddenly seemed like a different person and didn't know what to say.

Ling Qinghui sighed deeply, her voice softening, "Jianlan, only now do I realize that you also want to be the valley master, don't you? Could there come a day when you treat me the same way we are treating Ling Zai Xin today?"

Ling Jianlan shuddered and waved her hands, "No, no, never! The valley master's position belongs to Senior Sister, how could Junior Sister dare to covet it? Senior Sister, please believe me!"

Ling Qinghui said, "Believe you? Before tonight, Third Junior Sister also believed us and never thought we would join forces to force her to give up the valley master's position! Jianlan, I ask you, can you really bear to kill Third Junior Sister to become the valley master? I won't ask you to answer. I'll give you a choice: go kill Ling Zai Xin, and the valley master's position will be yours! I, Ling Qinghui, will not go back on my word!"

Ling Jianlan, unsure if Ling Qinghui was serious, looked up at her and saw a determined look in her eyes. It seemed she wasn't lying, and she hesitated.

To say she wanted to be the valley master, Ling Jianlan admitted she wanted it a thousand, ten thousand times more than Ling Qinghui. But Ling Qinghui, as the eldest sister, still had a chance to compete with Ling Zai Xin, who had the master's command. As for herself, she had neither status nor the master's command. If she showed any ambition for the valley master's position, she would surely be targeted by Ling Qinghui. This would lead to a three-way struggle for the position between Ling Zai Xin, Ling Qinghui, and herself. Without Ling Qinghui's support, if the two of them joined forces against her, it would be very dangerous.

So, in her calculations, she knew that her only option was to help Ling Qinghui take the valley master's position from Ling Zai Xin first, and then gradually take it from her. After all, if Ling Qinghui could seize the position, why couldn't she?

With this judgment, she had never revealed any ambition for the valley master's position to Ling Qinghui, and Ling Qinghui had never seemed to notice. When it looked like Ling Qinghui was about to succeed, Ling Jianlan was also very excited. Although it wasn't her who would become the valley master, it was a step closer to her goal.

But at this critical moment, Ling Qinghui suddenly changed her mind, ignoring Ling Zai Xin and turning to stare at her. Her eyes, like a cold pond reflecting the moon, seemed to see through everything. When she exposed her long-hidden intentions, Ling Jianlan was terrified, thinking she had been tricked into a trap set by Ling Qinghui and Ling Zai Xin.

But upon further thought, it didn't seem to be the case. Ling Qinghui's ambition for the valley master's position was not a recent development, and no one understood her better than Ling Jianlan. Why would she suddenly change her mind so decisively and thoroughly? Could Ling Zai Xin have done something? Did she possess some kind of enchantment that could influence people's hearts? Thinking of this, she couldn't help but look at Ling Zai Xin.

Ling Zai Xin, who had already despaired, had said those words in a moment of hopelessness. But when she saw Ling Qinghui hesitate and then turn to Ling Jianlan, she was confused at first. Later, when she heard Ling Qinghui force Ling Jianlan to kill her, she understood that Ling Qinghui was unwilling to kill her herself and wanted to use Ling Jianlan.

Seeing Ling Jianlan look at her, Ling Zai Xin steeled her resolve and called out, "Come on, kill me!"

Ling Jianlan suddenly felt a surge of determination. She realized that the valley master's position was something she must obtain. If she was going to seize it, she might as well do it thoroughly. Regardless of whether Ling Qinghui had a hidden agenda, as long as she killed Ling Zai Xin first, even if she had to fight Ling Qinghui with her powers, she might still have a chance.

With this resolve, her body suddenly moved on its own, and the wooden building was filled with two opposing energies: one vibrant and full of life, the other dead and desolate. These energies intertwined and flowed, indicating that Ling Jianlan was using the unique power of the Hundred Flowers Valley—the Life and Death Cycle.

As the Life and Death Cycle activated, Ling Jianlan stood up and walked step by step toward Ling Zai Xin. A black light suddenly appeared in her hand, forming a black sphere that rapidly spun, containing a powerful force of death. Ling Qinghui saw this clearly. As fellow disciples and sisters, she knew this was the Withering Power of the Life and Death Cycle. If the black sphere struck someone, it would instantly drain their life force, causing their flesh to wither and turn to dust, like the sudden withering of all things.

Seeing Ling Jianlan approach, Ling Zai Xin, who was her second senior sister, felt a deep sorrow and called out, "Second Senior Sister!"

Suddenly, Ling Jianlan's mind flashed with memories of Ling Zai Xin's innocent voice from childhood, calling her "Second Senior Sister" and sometimes pulling on her sleeve. Thinking of the past, she was stunned and couldn't take another step, standing dumbly between Ling Zai Xin and Ling Qinghui. Her mind was flooded with memories of the three of them practicing, picking flowers, and playing together. Later, when their master was abandoned by a bad man and ordered the valley to be sealed, she would cry every day and no longer care for her, only showing affection to the third junior sister...

It turned out that these memories had never been forgotten. She thought they were from a past life, but now they still made her feel warm. Ling Jianlan couldn't help but shed tears and turned to Ling Qinghui, saying, "Senior Sister, how did I become like this!" She then burst into tears, and the Withering Power in her hand dissipated.

Seeing this, Ling Qinghui knew her junior sister had undergone a similar change of heart. She sighed in relief and quietly dispelled a green light from her hand. This was the Flourishing Power of the Life and Death Cycle, which she had prepared to save Ling Zai Xin. When she said she would let Ling Jianlan kill Ling Zai Xin and then become the valley master, it was a test, hoping that Ling Jianlan would come to her senses like she did. Since she hoped Ling Jianlan would come to her senses, she didn't intend to kill her. The green light would only neutralize the Withering Power without harming her.

Ling Qinghui walked forward and embraced the sobbing Ling Jianlan, patting her back and saying, "Don't cry, it's all Senior Sister's fault for leading you to do such a thing. We have wronged Third Junior Sister."

Ling Jianlan said, "I was determined to be the valley master. Even without Senior Sister, I would have done this. We have indeed wronged Third Junior Sister and our master."

With that, the two of them knelt before Ling Zai Xin and said, "Valley Master, we have committed a grave offense. Please punish us!"

This sudden turn of events shocked Ling Zai Xin, who was deeply confused. How could the two of them, who were so eager to seize the valley master's position just moments ago, now kneel and ask for punishment? Could it be that their master's spirit was watching from the heavens and had made them repent?

Ling Zai Xin, unable to believe it, asked, "Senior Sisters, what is your real intention?"

Ling Jianlan said, "We truly know we were wrong and have no ulterior motives. We just feel guilty toward our junior sister and our master."

Ling Qinghui also said, "Valley Master, we were blinded by greed. All the mistakes are mine as the eldest sister. Please strip me of my powers, but spare Jianlan. Just expel her from the valley."

According to the rules of the Hundred Flowers Valley, if a disciple committed an offense against a superior and tried to seize the valley master's position, the valley master could strip them of their powers and expel them. In the cultivation world, being stripped of one's powers and expelled from the sect was worse than death. By saying this, Ling Qinghui meant to take all the blame and spare Ling Jianlan from punishment.

Ling Zai Xin looked at the two kneeling before her, slowly straightened her posture, and, though unsure of the reason, saw that they were genuinely repentant. She pondered and said, "Ling Qinghui, you have committed a grave offense by challenging your superior. How can you still plead for others? Moreover, one should bear their own faults. How can you ask someone else to take the blame? I am the valley master, and it is not your place to decide the punishment!"