Fantasy: I Can Control the Script of My Life

News that the Beast Taming Sect was preparing to leave spread quickly. The Marvelous Sound Sect also received the intelligence. Tang Miaoling knew that with their departure from Nether Cave Mountain, this so-called Grand Tournament of the Spirit Realm was effectively a failure. What would follow would be the Flowing Cloud Sect coming to settle accounts with them.

And so, the Marvelous Sound Sect also left early. With danger clearly on the horizon, no one wanted to be drawn into the impending trouble.

A few days after the two major sects had departed, the first batch of disciples from the Flowing Cloud Sect finally emerged from the Spirit Realm. Judging by their appearance, their losses had been severe.

Shangguan Wan, who followed behind them, had a complicated expression. She had said long ago that this venture was unworkable, that forcing it would change nothing. But Gu Xiande hadn't paid her words any mind. And now, so many people were dead.

Just then, Shangguan Wan spotted a familiar figure in the crowd. Hong Xiu had also come. And beside her was Qin Xiyan, whose strength had risen like a boat with the tide. In just a few short months, Qin Xiyan seemed even more powerful than before; even her captivating eyes seemed to hold a brighter spirit.

"Why have you come?" Shangguan Wan asked, walking up to them.

Hong Xiu glanced at her and replied, "I heard the Flowing Cloud Sect lost many people in the Grand Tournament this time, so I came to see for myself."

To be honest, she had never thought a young man like Lin Yun was anything to be concerned about. She already had a powerful disciple in Qin Xiyan. As long as she was properly nurtured, she was destined to become a famous figure in the future. Lin Yun might have some talent, but he was a man. And compared to Qin Xiyan, he was nothing. Thus, she had never once given him any real thought.

That was why Hong Xiu was so unable to comprehend what had happened. In her eyes, it was impossible for such an ordinary young man to reach such heights.

Shangguan Wan's expression was dim. "The Sect Master expended a great deal of manpower and resources to obtain the Panlong Cauldron this time. But we failed completely. We didn't get the cauldron, and people died. I heard that even Elder Ouyang Chun, who accompanied us, also perished."

Hong Xiu was dumbfounded. What? Ouyang Chun was dead? That man wasn't overwhelmingly powerful, but he wasn't someone who could be killed so easily. For him to have died in the Grand Tournament… just how much trouble had they gotten into this time?

Qin Xiyan was completely indifferent to these matters. She only asked, "Senior Sister, what about Lin Yun?"

Shangguan Wan looked at Qin Xiyan, at a loss for words. They had found no clues about Lin Yun's whereabouts. But judging by how Gu Xiande had treated him before, the boy was most likely dead. To have bled so much in such a dangerous situation… it would be impossible to recover in a short time.

Seeing Shangguan Wan's evasive gaze, Qin Xiyan immediately understood.

"Master, you clearly promised not to continue targeting Big Brother Lin. Why did it still turn out like this?" The usually good-tempered Qin Xiyan now had a tone of reproach. If it weren't for Lin Yun, how could she possibly be standing here today?

Seeing Qin Xiyan like this, Hong Xiu gave an awkward smile. "Master naturally didn't wish for them to make things so tense. But as you can see, it is Lin Yun's own actions that are now threatening the development of the entire sect."

Even at a time like this, she could still speak with such self-righteousness. Hong Xiu did feel a flicker of regret, but she figured it was impossible for Lin Yun to have made it out of the Grand Tournament alive anyway. In such a dangerous situation, no amount of skill would have saved him.

Qin Xiyan clenched her fists, but she was just one person, powerless to do anything.

"Forget it. Even if Lin Yun is really dead, it doesn't matter," Hong Xiu said, still trying to persuade her to forget him. "Yan'er, you know that your future is bright. You and that boy were never on the same level to begin with."

Shangguan Wan sighed and interjected, "Lin Yun killed Xiao Pingtian in the Spirit Realm."

Qin Xiyan's mouth fell open. "How is that possible?"

Even Hong Xiu's expression grew grave. "Is this confirmed?"

Shangguan Wan nodded. "It is precisely because this matter was confirmed that Sect Master Gu made things so difficult for him. If Lin Yun truly died this time, it was because of the Sect Master's persecution that things ended up this way…"

Hong Xiu's face was a mask of utter shock. The news was too staggering. She couldn't believe any of it was real. That young man had, with his own supposedly inferior strength, actually killed Xiao Pingtian.

"He was indeed a young man of terrifying talent. But what a pity. He is already dead in the Sishui Heavenly Palace. Otherwise, with that boy's abilities, it's hard to say what kind of trouble he would stir up in the cultivation world in the future." She felt a sliver of admiration. It was just a shame that no matter how talented he was, he had still met his end.

Just then, Qin Xiyan, standing beside her, said with obstinate conviction, "I know Senior Brother Lin is very strong. And I will absolutely not believe that he died just like that."

Ever since coming out of seclusion, Qin Xiyan had been trying every means possible to investigate what had happened to Lin Yun. To her surprise, all information had vanished. When she asked Hong Xiu, she was always fobbed off with a perfunctory answer. This made Qin Xiyan understand that something major must have happened during her seclusion.

Meanwhile, Lin Yun and the others had already returned to the Beast Taming Sect. There, Lin Yun received some news about Gu Xiande.

The old man had been so enraged by the outcome in the Spirit Realm that he had fallen ill upon his return. After all, so many people had died, he had gained no benefits, and he had lost Ouyang Chun in the bargain. No one could possibly accept such a result, and Gu Xiande was no exception.

In the Great Hall of the Beast Taming Sect, Jiang Zhengqing had gathered everyone for a meeting.

"Although we have won a great victory this time, I believe Gu Xiande will certainly use this incident to make a move against us. Their target will still be Lin Yun."

At these words, everyone's emotions flared. Lin Yun was now a legitimate disciple of their Beast Taming Sect. How could they simply give him up? What's more, Lin Yun had protected so many people during their time in the Spirit Realm. No matter how they looked at it, they would not allow the Flowing Cloud Sect to continue to persecute him.

"I think," the rarely outspoken Duan Wuya said in a low voice, "it's time we let the Flowing Cloud Sect know the temper of our Beast Taming Sect."