dognovel Chapter 449 Sinner
Chapter 449 Sinner
The figure, slender and frail, was hidden in the shadow of the pillars; it was Lin Wan'er.
Upon hearing Yun Chen's voice, she looked up abruptly, a hint of panic flashing in her eyes. She quickly regained her composure and whispered, "Brother Yun, I heard that Sister Zhao has gone missing, so I came out to help look for her."
Yun Chen looked at Lin Wan'er who had suddenly appeared and a hint of doubt flashed through his mind, but he was too anxious to think about it at the moment.
"Wan'er, have you seen anyone suspicious?" he asked, stepping forward quickly.
Lin Wan'er's eyes flickered, her fingers unconsciously twisting the hem of her clothes, and she whispered, "I...I think I just saw a few dark figures heading towards the forbidden area behind the mountain, but it was too dark to see clearly..."
"The forbidden area in the back mountain?" Elder Lei frowned. "That is the forbidden area of Taixu Palace. Ordinary disciples are not allowed to enter."
A cold glint flashed in Yun Chen's eyes: "The more forbidden the place, the more likely it is to harbor filth and evil. Elder Lei, we must go and take a look."
Lin Wan'er hurriedly said, "Brother Yun, I... I know a shortcut that can bypass the patrolling disciples and lead directly to the edge of the forbidden area in the back mountain."
She paused, her voice even lower: "But the forbidden area is protected by a barrier, I... I can't get in."
Yun Chen and Elder Lei exchanged a glance, both seeing the determination in each other's eyes.
"Lead the way," Yun Chen said in a deep voice.
Lin Wan'er nodded and turned to lead the way.
She led the two through the secluded paths of Taixu Palace, successfully avoiding all the patrol teams.
The further you go into the back of the mountain, the more eerie the atmosphere becomes. Even the moonlight seems to be blocked out by some force, and the surroundings are shrouded in darkness.
Just as they approached the edge of the forbidden area, Lin Wan'er suddenly stopped and took out a jade pendant from her person: "Brother Yun, the barrier is just ahead. You can go in with this jade pendant..."
"Aren't you coming with us?" Yun Chen took the jade pendant and looked at her with some confusion.
Lin Wan'er said, "The sect has rules that only the sect leader and the patriarch are allowed to enter the forbidden area. I am a disciple of Taixu Palace and must abide by the sect rules."
Yun Chen accepted the jade pendant; it was warm to the touch and faintly contained spiritual energy. He gave Lin Wan'er a deep look: "Thank you."
Lin Wan'er avoided his gaze and whispered, "Go quickly, I... I'll wait for you here."
Without further hesitation, Yun Chen rushed towards the forbidden area barrier together with Elder Lei.
Sure enough, the jade pendant emitted a soft light, and the barrier rippled slightly when it came into contact with the light, actually creating an opening.
The two quickly sneaked into the forbidden area.
Watching them leave, Lin Wan'er's tears involuntarily streamed down her face...
His fingers dug deep into his palm, and blood dripped onto the ground...
"Brother Yun, I hope you and Sister Zhao can get along well..."
After saying that, she took a deep breath, wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes, and then turned and left.
Inside the forbidden area, as soon as Yun Chen and Elder Lei stepped in, they saw a dilapidated ancient temple deep within, with lights flickering faintly inside.
Yun Chen's heart tightened, and he rushed into the temple first.
Zhao Xiruo and Bai Qingluo were found tied to two stone pillars, both unconscious.
Several men in black robes stood to the side, and upon seeing someone intrude, they immediately assumed a defensive stance.
"Who goes there?" the leader of the men in black robes shouted sternly.
Yun Chen didn't answer at all, and his sword energy was already out.
Elder Lei followed closely behind, his palm condensing the power of thunder.
Those black-robed men were quite strong, but they were quickly defeated by Yun Chen's enraged swordplay and Elder Lei's domineering thunderous attacks.
Seeing that things were not going well, the leader crushed a talisman and his whole body turned into black smoke and disappeared.
The others weren't so lucky; they were directly knocked unconscious by Elder Lei's thunderous power.
Yun Chen hurriedly stepped forward to untie Zhao Xiruo and Bai Qingluo, checked their pulses, and found that they were only unconscious, which put him at ease.
"Second Senior Sister, Ruoruo..." he called softly, gently shaking Zhao Xiruo's shoulder.
Zhao Xiruo slowly opened her eyes, her gaze filled with confusion: "Yun Chen...where is this?"
"It's alright, we've come to rescue you."
Yun Chen said softly, and gently helped her up.
Elder Lei examined Bai Qingluo's condition and said with a grave expression, "Qingluo's injuries have not yet healed, and she has suffered this torment. She needs to be treated as soon as possible."
Yun Chen nodded, carried Bai Qingluo on his back, and helped Zhao Xiruo up. The three of them quickly left the ancient temple.
When they crossed the barrier and returned to the edge of the forbidden area, Lin Wan'er had already disappeared.
"That girl..." Elder Lei said thoughtfully, "She seems to know something."
Yun Chen also noticed Lin Wan'er's unusual behavior, but now was not the time to pursue it: "Saving her is the priority."
They quickly returned to Zixiao Garden with the unconscious Bai Qingluo and the weakened Zhao Xiruo.
Liu Yanran and Shen Nan were both surprised and delighted to see the two rescued, and quickly helped them settle in.
However, no one noticed that in the shadow of a tall building in the distance, Lin Wan'er stood quietly, gazing in the direction of Zixiao Garden, her eyes filled with complex emotions.
"Brother Yun, I hope you will always remember me..." she murmured softly, then turned and disappeared into the night.
……
Taixu Palace, the main hall of the sect leader.
Lin Wan'er quickly walked through the corridor and came to the door.
She pushed open the door and entered, only to see Lin Xuantong standing with his back to her, his hands behind his back.
"Father……"
Lin Wan'er's voice trembled slightly as she knelt down.
Lin Xuantong slowly turned around, his face grim as he looked at Lin Wan'er: "Just now, Lei Tong and Yun Chen went to the forbidden area and rescued people. Was that your doing?"
"Yes!"
Lin Wan'er raised her eyes and looked directly into Lin Xuantong's eyes, showing no panic whatsoever, only determination.
"You traitor! Do you know that by doing this, you've betrayed the Taixu Palace?"
Lin Xuantong's face turned ugly, and he suddenly waved his sleeve.
Instantly, Lin Wan'er was thrown off balance by the force of the attack. She forced herself to kneel upright again, a trickle of blood seeping from the corner of her mouth, but her eyes remained defiant.
"Father, I am not betraying Taixu Palace, but I do not want to see you make one mistake after another and drag Taixu Palace into an abyss of no return!"
Her voice was clear and bright, carrying an unprecedented firmness.
"Making the same mistake again?"
Lin Xuantong laughed in anger, approaching step by step: "Everything I have done is for the future of Taixu Palace. Innate Dao Body is a rare find, only appearing once every thousand years. If we can seize its Dao Foundation, Taixu Palace will be able to surpass all other Dao lineages. What's wrong with that?"
“Those who rely on heretical teachings to do such despicable things, even if they become powerful for a time, are by no means on the right path.”
Lin Wan'er met her father's gaze without flinching: "Father, you taught me that cultivating the Dao begins with cultivating the mind, and one must be upright in conduct. But now you are secretly colluding with cultivators from the East, kidnapping fellow practitioners, and engaging in such treacherous tricks. How is this any different from the demonic path? Once this matter is exposed, the thousand-year-old reputation of Taixu Palace will be ruined. How can we face our ancestors?"
"shut up!"
Lin Xuantong interrupted sharply, veins bulging on his face: "Those who achieve great things do not concern themselves with trifles! Once I have mastered my divine skills, who will dare to object? History is always written by the victors!"
"victory?"
Lin Wan'er's eyes were filled with sorrow and disappointment: "Father, you have been blinded by power. Even if you succeed, all you will get is the Taixu Palace, which will be abandoned by everyone and despised by the world."
“The Divine Thunder Palace will not let this go. What will the Jade Void Palace and the Tide Sound Pavilion think of us? If the Japanese cultivators take advantage of the situation and cause internal strife within the sect, Father, you will be a sinner for all time.”
Her words were forceful and poignant, each one like a hammer blow to Lin Xuantong's heart.