Questions from the Sect

Therefore, even though they had returned to the sect, they were treated exceptionally poorly. No one showed any concern for these disciples who had essentially returned from the dead.

They were merely given a remote, forgotten corner to live in. Whenever someone remembered, they would be sent the most basic supplies, and then they were left entirely to fend for themselves.

Except for Yuan Qing.

Since last year, when they emerged from the Green Leaf Secret Realm, Yuan Qing had been the one making time to take care of them.

Although he alone couldn't provide them with ample cultivation resources, he worked hard to take on numerous sect missions to exchange for more resources, barely managing to support these abandoned disciples a little.

As a result, Yuan Qing's diligent efforts in completing sect missions for resources made him a highly hardworking role model in the eyes of the elders and his master. They often praised his diligence and drive in front of other disciples.

Later, a rumor emerged from somewhere among the disciples, claiming that Yuan Qing had already been guaranteed a spot as an inner disciple.

Because of this, Yuan Qing made enemies.

Until later, someone discovered that the resources he earned were not used for his own cultivation, but mostly to fund those abandoned disciples. This was revealed to the elders and his master.

Thus, he went from being a model disciple to a prime example of someone who was lacking in ambition, overly sentimental, foolish, and hypocritical.

Consequently, when he was later framed by his enemies, everyone kicked him while he was down, and he was expelled from the sect.

Whenever the Talisman Master Conference was held, the manpower required was jointly discussed and arranged by the Lianying Association.

Some sects were responsible for dispatching low-level disciples, while others had to send members with higher cultivation bases.

And the dispatch of Qi Refining stage personnel needed for this Talisman Master Conference happened to fall upon the Tianxuan Sect.

However, the timing of the Talisman Master Conference perfectly clashed with the Tianxuan Sect's secret realm trial period for Qi Refining disciples, and it just so happened to be their sect's turn to send Qi Refining personnel.

Yet, the Tianxuan Sect didn't have enough Qi Refining disciples left behind. After tallying up all the remaining Qi Refining disciples in the sect, they found that those disciples who had returned from the dead in the Green Field Secret Realm seemed to have recovered decently physically, and their cultivation was passable, so they dragged these abandoned disciples in to make up the numbers.

Therefore, those Tianxuan Sect disciples who had originally come out of the Green Field Secret Realm were currently all running errands in Banxiang City.

Pan Han was one of them.

When Yuan Qing contacted him, he was very surprised and pleasantly shocked.

Their group was cut off from news within the sect. They didn't know when something happened to Yuan Qing, only assuming he had gone out to do missions again.

Actually, after their bodies had recovered somewhat, they had all gone to the Mission Hall to take on tasks themselves, so they didn't need Yuan Qing's help as much later on.

However, those people used the previous matters to speak in front of the elders, forcibly twisting the narrative to make these abandoned disciples look like leeches sucking Yuan Qing's blood, and portraying Yuan Qing as a deaf, blind, unprincipled pushover who helped others indiscriminately.

Because the elders had preconceived notions, Yuan Qing couldn't clear his name no matter how much he tried to explain.

Meanwhile, Pan Han and the others had long since lost any friends in the sect, so no one would tell them these things. The Tianxuan Sect was so large, and they couldn't possibly go around asking about things for no reason, so they remained completely unaware of the situation.

It wasn't until later, when the sect organized personnel to come to Banxiang City, that some more easygoing fellow disciples saw them on the road. Seeing that they didn't look half-dead like the rumors suggested, but rather like perfectly normal cultivators, these disciples finally interacted with them and revealed some things about Yuan Qing.

Only then did they realize that their brother Yuan Qing had been persecuted to such an extent.

But they had nothing. Trying to find the expelled Yuan Qing in this vast cultivation world was like looking for a needle in a haystack.

For a time, this group of people was deeply saddened.

Until a few days ago, when Yuan Qing managed to contact Pan Han through a rather convoluted process.

Upon receiving news of Yuan Qing, he was overjoyed in his heart.

On this day, Pan Han was off duty. Following the information Yuan Qing had given him, he came to a very remote corner in Banxiang City to wait.

When he saw Yuan Qing appear, although his overall condition still looked a bit weak, his spirit seemed quite good, which greatly eased the worry in Pan Han's heart.

Junior Brother Yuan, are you doing alright?

Hearing him ask this, Yuan Qing knew he must have learned about his situation. He nodded gently and smiled:

Rest assured, Senior Brother, I have met some very good people.

After exchanging pleasantries for a moment, Pan Han asked:

Is there anything this Senior Brother can help you with, Junior Brother?

Yuan Qing took a storage bag from his robes and handed it to him, saying:

I know Senior Brother has always been a careful and cautious person. Right now, I have something I'd like to entrust you to pass on to Xu Juan.

Back then, because of those rumors, Yuan Qing had proactively distanced himself from his best friend Xu Juan, fearing he would drag him down and cause him to be disliked by the sect as well.

Later, his expulsion from the sect was so sudden that he didn't have a chance to say anything to Xu Juan.

But the two of them had supported each other since joining the Tianxuan Sect. Over the years, they had gone through many things together and could be said to have a bond forged through life and death.

Now, for this matter, entrusting it to Xu Juan was the most reassuring option. Moreover, Xu Juan was the most knowledgeable about his interpersonal relationships and various affairs, making him the most appropriate person to handle this.

Hearing this, Pan Han took the storage bag offered to him, put it away, and nodded at him:

Don't worry, Junior Brother, I will definitely deliver this item into Junior Brother Xu's hands personally. The disciples participating in the secret realm trial should have already entered the realm by now. Junior Brother Xu even came to find us before he set off, asking us to help ask around for news about you while on the outside.

Knowing that they were all concerned about him, Yuan Qing lowered his head and smiled.

As Pan Han spoke, he suddenly thought of something else and said to him:

Oh right, Junior Brother Yuan, there is something I must warn you about. A few days ago, Elder Gu of the sect came to question us disciples who were trapped in the Green Field Secret Realm back then. He asked if we had encountered any special people or events in the secret realm. We were afraid he would notice if we lied completely, so we all used the excuse that our bodies were severely depleted and our consciousness was blurry at the time, saying we didn't notice anything unusual.

Although their minds were indeed hazy back then, they were still clear on the fact that they had been saved by a youth. They remembered the youth's silhouette, even if they couldn't see his face clearly.

But he knew that Yuan Qing definitely knew that youth.

Thinking of this, he paused and then continued:

The sect is very likely investigating something. It wasn't just us; they also questioned some other disciples who entered the Green Field Secret Realm last year. I have a feeling it might be related to that person from back then. If you know that person, remember to warn him.

He hadn't expected the sect to suddenly start investigating this.

Since it had alarmed a sect elder, this matter was definitely not simple. Yuan Qing suddenly thought of the exit that Lin Xiao had found for them in the secret realm back then.