Chapter 31

" that old rascal, truly heartless and ruthless. Even towards his own core disciples, he is so cold."

Lin Xi waited behind the trees for a moment. Only after Wei Buping disappeared did he come out from behind the trees.

"Li Yun."

Lin Xi called out the name of the Five Thunder Sect disciple:

"Do you still recognize me?"

Hearing the sudden voice from the woods, the core disciple named Li Yun was shaken all over. When he saw Lin Xi, his face was full of shock:

"Junior Sect Leader!"

His face was full of panic, his eyes darting around, and his lips moved, instinctively looking in the direction where Wei Buping had gone. Then he quickly realized something and immediately closed his mouth.

Lin Xi's heart turned cold. He had originally hoped that, considering they were both disciples of the Five Thunder Sect, he would try to save him. But he never expected that the first thing Li Yun thought of upon seeing him was to inform Wei Buping and report him to gain credit.

"Indeed, it's hard to change one's nature. Even though this guy was cruelly abandoned by Wei Buping, he still thinks about returning to his side. I am indeed too soft. There's no need to be merciful with such a person."

Lin Xi showed no emotion and slowly walked over.

By this time, Wei Buping had already gone far. Moreover, there were many fierce beasts in the mountains, and even if he shouted, it might not be heard. Even if he did hear, by the time Wei Buping returned, Lin Xi would be long gone.

Lin Xi had a reason for waiting a long time after Wei Buping and the others left before coming out.

"Speak. Why are you and that old rascal Wei Buping here?"

Lin Xi, thinking about how this guy was still thinking of betraying him to gain credit, lost all interest in conversation and went straight to the point.

"Junior Sect Leader, I don't understand what you mean. We are here, of course, to hunt for beast cores."

Li Yun supported himself on the ground with both hands, his eyes darting around.

"Still not telling the truth?"

Lin Xi walked over and stepped on his broken leg with a crunch:

"Looks like you still think I'm as weak and easy to bully as before. Wei Buping can abandon you here, but I can make your death painful."

"Ah! I'll tell, I'll tell."

Li Yun screamed, blood gushing from his thigh:

"Senior Sister last returned to the mountain and reported that a heavenly fruit in the Fierce Beast Mountains was about to ripen. She asked the Great Elder if he wanted to collect it. The Great Elder did not agree, but the Second Elder got the news and sent the Fifth Elder and us to collect the heavenly fruit."

Lin Xi's eyes showed deep thought, and he immediately realized something, sneering:

"Are you still lying to me? Why did you wait until now to come? Senior Sister left the sect over three months ago. If you wanted to pick the heavenly fruit, why didn't you come to the Fierce Beast Mountains then?"

Li Yun was speechless, clearly not expecting Lin Xi to see through the key point so quickly.

"What? Do I need to kick you again?"

Lin Xi said coldly.

"I'll tell, I'll tell."

Li Yun's heart turned cold, and he finally revealed all the secrets:

"To avoid arousing the Great Elder's suspicion. Elder Wei came to take the heavenly fruit because it has a great effect on martial artists, but an even greater effect on fierce beasts. If Elder Meng's tiger-hound consumes it, it can immediately advance to the Dragon Power stage. — Elder Meng wants to use the tiger-hound to deal with the Great Elder!"

"What!"

Lin Xi was shocked, his eyes wide with disbelief:

"Elder Meng and Wei Buping want to deal with the Great Elder!!"

This news was a shock to Lin Xi. The Great Elder was highly respected in the Five Thunder Sect and was the sect's top expert. The fact that Elder Meng was planning to attack him made Lin Xi shudder.

Despite the Great Elder always staying out of affairs, Lin Xi knew that if the Great Elder were not there, no one could restrain Elder Meng and his group. Sect rules and regulations were just formalities to Elder Meng.

In the face of absolute power, all rules were just scraps of paper. The reason Elder Meng had been relatively well-behaved for so many years was that the Great Elder was there, even though he did nothing.

"Yes. At the last Elder Council, the Great Elder broke precedent and intervened in internal affairs, favoring you. This made Elder Meng very unhappy and made him feel threatened. This time, Elder Meng wants to completely eliminate the Great Elder and take full control of the Five Thunder Sect!"

Li Yun, fearing that Lin Xi wouldn't believe him, immediately spilled all the secrets.

Lin Xi knew that Elder Meng was bold and acted recklessly, but he never expected his audacity to reach such a level.

"No matter what, we cannot let Elder Meng and his group get the heavenly fruit."

A look of determination crossed Lin Xi's face.

If Elder Meng succeeded, the first ones he would likely kill would be Lin Xi and his aunt Lin Ruyun.

"Where is that heavenly fruit?"

Lin Xi asked finally.

Li Yun gave the exact location.

This kind of information was usually very secret, but since he was one of Wei Buping's closest confidants, it was not surprising that he knew.

The forest was silent. Lin Xi did not speak, and Li Yun did not dare to speak. After a moment, Lin Xi spoke again.

"Elder Meng and Wei Buping are plotting treason and want to usurp power. They are the masterminds, and you are an accomplice. By leaving you to fend for yourself in the Fierce Beast Mountains, I am already being merciful. However, since you have revealed the truth, I can give you a chance."

Lin Xi took out a few medicinal herbs from his pocket and threw them in front of Li Yun:

"These are some healing herbs I collected. Swallow them to temporarily alleviate your injuries. With your strength, heading south, no wild beasts will harm you. Once you leave here, you can save your life."

"Thank you, Junior Sect Leader, thank you, Junior Sect Leader!"

Li Yun was grateful.

Lin Xi ignored him and turned to leave.

After the forest was silent and no one was around, Li Yun picked up the herbs, put them in his mouth, chewed a few times, felt a bit of strength, and grabbed a nearby branch, roughly making a crutch, and then stood up.

Li Yun's eyes darted around, and he sneered when he saw no one around:

"Lin Xi, Lin Xi, you are still too soft-hearted..."

However, instead of heading south to leave the Fierce Beast Mountains, he walked in the direction where the Fifth Elder Wei and the others had disappeared.

Roar!—

Suddenly, a roar came from ahead, and a six-clawed giant leopard leaped down from a tree, blocking Li Yun's path and staring at him fiercely.

Li Yun's face changed drastically, and he waved his hand to drive away the fierce beast. However, as soon as he moved, several wounds immediately started bleeding profusely. Li Yun screamed and immediately fell to the ground.

"Lin Xi..."

Li Yun seemed to realize something, and his face turned pale with despair.

Roar!—

The giant leopard pounced, and a piercing scream followed, then silence.

Lin Xi, watching from behind the trees, quietly retreated.

Li Yun had underestimated him. The herbs Lin Xi gave him were not healing herbs but a blood-clotting herb. It could temporarily stop the bleeding, but if he exerted himself, the wounds would reopen.

If Li Yun had headed south and left the Fierce Beast Mountains, Lin Xi would have appeared again to give him the real herbs. Unfortunately, his treacherous heart led him to try to gain credit with Wei Buping, and he had no one to blame but himself.

"Those who make heaven's mistakes can still live, but those who make their own mistakes cannot live."

Lin Xi's mind made up, he immediately followed in the direction where Wei Buping and the others had disappeared.

After about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, Lin Xi found the trail of Wei Buping and the others. To his surprise, they had not immediately gone to the cave where the heavenly fruit grew but were gathered together, seemingly discussing something.

"They are waiting for someone."

Lin Xi realized this. He did not dare to be careless and immediately hid behind a tree, holding his breath.

After an unknown amount of time, a powerful, almost prehistoric beast-like aura suddenly spread from the eastern forest.

"Ha ha ha..."

A loud laugh shook the earth, making the surrounding trees rustle. To Lin Xi, it felt like countless drums were being beaten.

"Elder Wei, I kept you waiting!"

A voice full of energy, like a thunderclap, echoed through the forest. Ten feet in front of Wei Buping, two tough iron trees shattered, and a figure in golden robes walked out of the forest, with a distinctive blood-red flame on his body, shining brightly.

This was an extremely robust old man with silver hair as white as frost. His eyes were sharp, and when he opened them, they emitted electric sparks. Wherever his gaze fell, the air seemed to boil, unable to withstand the pressure of his gaze.

"Elder Meng is indeed colluding with the Sunlight Sect."

Lin Xi's heart sank. The blood-red flame on the old man's chest was unmistakable. Recalling his aunt's letter a few months ago, which mentioned that Elder Meng was colluding with the Sunlight Sect, it was now clear.

"No wonder Elder Meng, that old rascal, suddenly had such audacity. It turns out he has the support of the Sunlight Sect."

Lin Xi thought to himself.

This old man gave him a very dangerous feeling, even more dangerous than Elder Meng. Lin Xi felt that this old man was definitely not just at the Vajra stage but likely a Dragon Power stage expert.

"So, Wei Buping was waiting for him."

Many thoughts raced through Lin Xi's mind. A Dragon Power stage elder, plus Wei Buping, a Vajra stage elder, had a good chance of obtaining the heavenly fruit.

After all, obtaining the heavenly fruit did not necessarily mean killing the guardian beast.

"Elder Li, you have finally arrived!"

Wei Buping, seeing the silver-haired old man, seemed to relax, his face beaming with a smile as he welcomed him.

"Yes, you know, our Sunlight Sect is currently hunting in the mountains. Recently, we have been busy trying to catch the murderer of the Red Flame Bow, moving around everywhere."

Elder Li nodded, speaking calmly.

"What? The Third Prince was killed!"

Wei Buping looked shocked.

"Yes."

Elder Li's face showed a hint of fatigue:

"Although Red Flame Bow's martial arts were not great, he was very favored by the Sect Master. He suddenly died here in the Fierce Beast Mountains. When we return, no one will be able to escape blame. Everyone is in a panic. — If I find out who did it, I will tear them to pieces!"

Lin Xi, hiding behind the tree, was shocked. He had not expected that the Sunlight Sect would be fully mobilized to search for him.

However, Lin Xi was confident that the Sunlight Sect would not suspect him.

c!~!

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