Xun San was someone who judged people by their status. When he encountered elders or someone with a relatively high position like the senior brother, he would act obsequiously.

However, when it came to ordinary disciples or his junior brothers and sisters, his attitude would take a complete 180-degree turn. Not only would he mock them, but he would also often make them run errands and do menial tasks.

As a result, he wasn't well-liked within the Tongshan Sect. So, when something happened, there were disciples who couldn't wait to see him fall.

The two elders and the hall master didn't recognize Xun San, and a young disciple behind them pretended to be surprised.

"Huh? Senior Brother Xun San, why is it you?"

"I..."

Xun San really couldn't clear his name this time. He couldn't possibly say that a black-clothed person threatened him to steal from the Discipline Hall, or else he would be poisoned, right? It sounded utterly ridiculous.

...

Right... poison!

"Elders, Hall Master, I'm being wronged! Everything that happened tonight was because someone set me up!"

The two leading elders were named Elder Daochen and Elder Daoqian. Elder Daoqian still had a few strands of black hair and was younger than Elder Daochen.

His expression was more serious.

"If you have grievances, speak quickly. Otherwise, you'll be heavily punished for trespassing into the Discipline Hall!"

This time, Xun San didn't dare to speak carelessly. He recounted everything he experienced last night in detail.

Of course, the part where he was driven by greed and walked into the trap himself was omitted.

The elders saw his tearful account and believed him somewhat. But the hall master of the Discipline Hall wasn't so easily fooled.

"Call the hall master of the Medical Hall to check him for poison."

The hall master of the Medical Hall was a relatively young cultivator, appearing to be under thirty. He looked disgruntled as he was disturbed from his rest and hurried over.

"Who died? Hurry up and confess."

Stolen novel; please report.

The disciple who brought him over nodded and bowed, probably having been scolded several times on the way.

"Hall Master, it's this Senior Brother Xun."

The hall master of the Medical Hall muttered, "Isn't he alive? Why bother him?" as he went up to check for poison.

A silver needle pricked an acupuncture point on Xun San's back and was then withdrawn. The hall master squinted his eyes.

Then he flicked Xun San's head with his sleeve.

"Where's the poison? What nonsense."

"What? This... this can't be!" Xun San was more shocked than anyone present. "I was really poisoned! Elders, Hall Master, you must believe me!"

"Stop arguing!" The hall master of the Discipline Hall glared angrily. He wasn't afraid of trouble in the Tongshan Sect, but it couldn't come from their Discipline Hall!

"Wang Xu, take him to the cell and interrogate him thoroughly. If you don't get to the bottom of this, don't bother seeing me again!"

The disciple named Wang Xu was probably someone with a higher status among the Discipline Hall disciples. He respectfully replied to the hall master, then called over two other cultivators to drag Xun San away.

This time, they entered the door on the right.

While the Tongshan Sect was interrogating Xun San about the entire incident, Li Fengchan and the others were nearby.

With Xun San's downfall, she naturally felt delighted.

Back when she was young in the mountains, Xun San often bullied her behind the adults' backs. Since she was an outsider, no disciples would help her.

After she left for many years and returned to her hometown, Xun San still spoke rudely to her outside the Li family gate.

Now, seeing Xun San being taken away by the Discipline Hall people, Li Fengchan clasped her hands together in a prayer gesture.

—Hope he gets what he deserves.

However, Tao Mian, who orchestrated this outcome, was rather uninterested.

The three of them were now at the edge of a small grove next to the Discipline Hall. Little Tao Immortal had climbed a tree again, Shen Bozhou leaned against the trunk, and Li Fengchan sat beneath it.

Tao Mian yawned, feeling tired.

Watching the drama unfold had become dull.

He initially had some expectations. Since no one else was punishing the wicked Xun San, he decided to go with the flow and set a small trap.

If Xun San hadn't been greedy and had directly sought the hall master of the Medical Hall to resolve the "poison," he wouldn't have ended up like this.

Now, Tao Mian sensed from the elders, hall master, and those disciples that the Tongshan Sect was indeed like a towering tree with its roots rotted away. It appeared grand on the outside, but inside, it was already decayed.

He wondered if this was a common problem among all cultivation sects. Once they passed a hundred years, the words spoken by the founding ancestor during the establishment of the sect were forgotten.

Truly, each generation was worse than the last.

Tao Mian couldn't help but recall what Ah Jiu told him about the ancestor's statue being struck by lightning.

It seemed this wasn't entirely a coincidence, or perhaps it was more fitting to call it a premonition.

However, the Tongshan Sect didn't have any special connection with him. He planned to take what he needed and leave, pretending he had never been there.

Tao Mian covered his mouth with his sleeve and yawned again.

At this moment, he noticed someone at the Discipline Hall entrance looking at him.

It was the older of the two elders at the front of the group, Elder Daochen.

Elder Daochen, with his white hair and beard, always wore a gentle smile, presenting the image of a kind and elegant old man.

His eyes were fixed on the grove, not by accident.

Tao Mian had good eyesight and noticed the elder's eye twitch.

It twitched again.

...

What was this about?

Tao Mian was a bit confused, and then the sixth disciple leaning against the tree spoke up.

"Little Taoist Tao, that old man is winking at you."

"..."

Liu Chuan was always straightforward and never joked. Even when he said such things, it was in a matter-of-fact tone.

Even the disciple noticed, so it was clear the elder had discovered him.

Tao Mian sat cross-legged on the tree, arms crossed.

He tilted his head to the left, and the elder's eyes followed.

He tilted his head to the right, and the elder's eyes followed again.

"..."

Tao Mian suddenly stood up on the tree, ready to escape. At that moment, the elder took his hand out of his sleeve and made a small downward pressing motion, signaling Tao Mian not to panic.

Then he flipped his palm, facing up, and beckoned with four fingers for Tao Mian to come over.

Tao Mian thought, although he didn't understand the elder's intentions, he decided to go over and see.

Half an hour later, Tao Mian regretted his decision.

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