Hearing that Elder Lianshan was going to abandon her, Banfenghe grabbed tightly at the corner of his robe in fear.
"Master, Master, I really know I was wrong. Please take back what you just said. From now on, I'll cultivate my moral character and practice medical skills diligently!"
"Please, don't abandon me!"
Banfenghe was truly scared. She knew that her admission to the Green Wood Sect was thanks to Sect Master Qingdai. But Sect Master Qingdai had also said that she got in through connections, which had already aroused dissatisfaction among many disciples.
If she were to become a direct disciple under the sect master, many disciples might leave the sect in anger, and the elders might also become disloyal. That's why Sect Master Qingdai had tried every means to persuade Elders Lianshan and Lianqiao to take her in.
Elder Lianqiao had firmly refused from the start, while Elder Lianshan had taken her in out of pity.
So Banfenghe knew that Elder Lianshan was soft - hearted and easy to handle. She had been using this method to deal with him all this time.
Sure enough, every time she did something wrong, all she had to do was shed a few tears, and Elder Lianshan would stop scolding her.
So now she cried so miserably in order to win back Elder Lianshan's heart.
Elder Lianshan was indeed touched by Banfenghe's cries. He looked down at her and was about to say something to ease the situation and give her a way out.
But unexpectedly, he met Banfenghe's eyes and saw the calculating look that she hadn't had time to hide. His heart immediately turned cold.
Elder Lianshan immediately brushed off Banfenghe's hand, took a step back, and said coldly, "You have your own ideas. As your master, I've never dared to discipline you. It was the same in the past, and it will be the same in the future."
Shen Qing raised her eyebrows. She had witnessed Banfenghe's performance just now and thought that she was just like Lin Yibai, taking advantage of others' soft - heartedness.
But different from Lin Yibai, Lin Yibai's master, True Lord Hengling, was a weakling with a white - moonlight substitute dream in his heart, while Elder Lianshan was not.
Although Elder Lianshan was soft - hearted, he always adhered to moral principles. A disciple with a crooked heart would never gain his favor.
Banfenghe was brushed off by Elder Lianshan and stood there stunned for a moment.
The people around looked at her with disgust, hatred, and a hint of schadenfreude. There wasn't even a trace of sympathy.
This almost drove Banfenghe crazy.
So when she met Shen Qing's half - smiling eyes, she stood up maniacally and rushed towards Shen Qing.
"It's all your fault. You framed me. Why are you doing this to me? Is it because both of us like Li Xian? But why can you do it while I can't!"
"A woman like you would be drowned in a pig cage in the mortal world. In the mortal world, men can have multiple wives and concubines. A jealous woman like you can never marry into a noble family!"
Shen Qing frowned and took a step back to avoid Banfenghe's flailing hands.
Li Xian was not so polite. He gathered spiritual power in his palm, waved his wrist, and Banfenghe was knocked to the ground by the spiritual power. She even spat out a mouthful of blood.
"Who my fiancée is has nothing to do with you. If you want to splash dirty water on others, you should clean the dirt on yourself first!"
Li Xian looked down at Banfenghe with a sarcastic look in his eyes.
Banfenghe was in a complete mess. The gorgeous clothes she had just changed into were stained with blood. With her tear - streaked face and lying on the ground, an uninformed person might feel pity for her.
But unfortunately, no one present would believe a single word from Banfenghe.
Just as Elder Lianshan was about to dissolve the master - disciple contract with Banfenghe, Sect Master Qingdai finally arrived.
She was late but looked arrogant. When she saw Banfenghe lying on the ground, there was only disgust in her eyes.
Sect Master Qingdai didn't need to ask to know that the plot had been exposed.
Although she was disgusted, Banfenghe was the person she had brought back after all, and she had to protect her.
Elder Lianshan suppressed his anger, bowed perfunctorily to Sect Master Qingdai, and was about to tell her that he wanted to dissolve the master - disciple contract with Banfenghe.
But Sect Master Qingdai didn't even give him a glance. She quickly helped Banfenghe up from the ground and said lovingly, "Who beat you like this? Tell me, and I'll avenge you!"
Seeing Sect Master Qingdai coming, Banfenghe thought she had a backer and immediately started acting again.
She pointed at Shen Qing aggrievedly and said, "Just now, I accidentally offended Fellow Daoist Shen. Fellow Daoist Li was so anxious that he knocked me to the ground. I don't blame him. But Fellow Daoist Shen..."
"Fellow Daoist Shen, even though we have a deep grudge, it has nothing to do with Fellow Daoist Li. Why did you make Fellow Daoist Li treat me so harshly? Isn't it an attempt to cause a rift between the Five - Element Dao Sect and the Green Wood Sect?"
Shen Qing was really disgusted with this kind of slander like Lin Yibai's. In full view of everyone, she waved her hand and knocked Banfenghe to the ground again.
"Ah!" Banfenghe screamed. Her face turned pale when she fell to the ground, and she almost fainted.
This time, Banfenghe not only spat out a mouthful of blood but also dislocated her arm due to the impact when she landed.
Sect Master Qingdai glared at Shen Qing. "What are you doing, Shen Qing! Do you really want to have a rift with my Green Wood Sect?"
Shen Qing said impatiently, "Didn't she just say that I was trying to cause a rift between the Green Wood Sect and the Five - Element Dao Sect through Li Xian? Since she said so, can't I prove myself?"
Sect Master Qingdai trembled with anger and pointed at the seriously injured Banfenghe. "Is this your way of proving yourself? Beating someone up again in front of me?!"
Shen Qing took a step forward, raised her chin proudly, and said, "Yes!"
"I'm proving that if I really wanted to deal with her, I wouldn't need to use Li Xian. I can do it myself."
"Shen Qing, you're going too far!" Sect Master Qingdai's face darkened, and several silver needles appeared in her hand.
Li Xian stood in front of Shen Qing and said, "The Green Wood Sect is getting weaker every year. Even the business of the Green Wood Hall has been snatched by other families. Sect Master Qingdai, you'd better think twice. Do you really want to offend two major sects for your disciple?"
Sect Master Qingdai clenched the silver needles in her hand. Due to her dignity as the sect master, she wanted to take action but was really afraid that the two major sects would cause trouble for her.
Li Xian was right about one thing. The development of the Green Wood Sect had been getting worse every year. There were already few medical cultivators, and it was even rarer to see good seedlings joining the sect now.
Moreover, she could clearly see the threatening look in Li Xian's eyes just now. He wasn't joking.
Besides, it was they who had plotted against Shen Qing and Li Xian first. Maybe the two of them had already seen through their plot and played along, leaving Banfenghe speechless.
Elders Lianshan and Lianqiao watched their sect master confront two young people and felt ashamed.
It was originally a matter between the younger generation, but she had to jump out and take charge.
Just by her actions, she had already shown her inferiority.
With such a sect master leading the way, it seemed normal for the Green Wood Sect to decline year by year...