Volume One, Chapter Four: The Truth Surfaces, Justice Prevails Against Evil

Elder Qingfeng’s robe fluttered lightly as he landed steadily on the ground, his gaze locked onto Gu Qingyi like a cold, bottomless pool. That look held not an ounce of warmth, as if he were staring at a lifeless object.

Gu Qingyi shivered under that gaze, a chill shooting down her spine. Struggling to maintain composure, she protested sharply, “Elder, please hear me out! Everything I have done was for the Academy! These herbs must be used this way to maximize their medicinal potency!”

Her voice trembled, and her eyes darted nervously, the previous calm and pride nowhere to be seen. Though she tried to keep a facade of tranquility, the panic bubbling beneath was unmistakable, thickening the tense atmosphere.

Lin Fan watched the scene unfold with satisfaction. He hoped Elder Qingfeng’s keen insight would bring stern justice to this venomous woman.

“Lies!” Elder Qingfeng thundered, his voice like a bell, shaking the surrounding leaves until they fell. With a sweep of his hand, a delicate jade vial appeared in his palm. Tilting it, a pill emitting a faint glow rolled out and hovered midair.

The pill’s strange light illuminated Gu Qingyi’s pale face. Her pupils contracted sharply, eyes wide with terror as if she had seen a ghost. Pointing at the pill, her voice cracked, “No… impossible! How do you know?”

Elder Qingfeng ignored her outcry, his gaze cold and filled with disgust and disappointment. He spoke slowly and firmly, “Do you really think your despicable deeds can deceive everyone? To concoct this so-called ‘miracle pill,’ you resorted to human sacrifice! The poison found in the herb-gathering team members was deliberately implanted by you during your alchemy!”

His words struck like thunder, exploding in the ears of all present.

A shocked murmur spread through the crowd. Everyone stared at Gu Qingyi in disbelief. Once a respected chief pharmacist of the Academy, she was now exposed as a sinister villain—a stark and jarring contrast.

Li Yun’s fury was uncontrollable; his fists clenched tightly, itching to tear her limb from limb.

Lin Fan’s chest burned with righteous anger, his heart swelling with admiration for Elder Qingfeng and hatred for Gu Qingyi.

“No, it’s not like that! Don’t listen to his lies! I didn’t, I didn’t!” Gu Qingyi stammered incoherently, her voice sharp and grating, losing all rationality and composure.

Elder Qingfeng’s words shattered her mental defenses, revealing her ugly true nature.

Ignoring her desperate denials, Elder Qingfeng slowly raised his right hand, releasing an invisible force that enveloped Li Yun.

Li Yun groaned, his face turning deathly pale as cold sweat dripped down his forehead.

Horrified, the crowd noticed something writhing beneath his exposed skin—thin, worm-like creatures twisting under the skin, making their scalps crawl.

“Ah!” Li Yun screamed in agony, feeling as if countless needles were stabbing into his body, unbearable pain coursing through him.

He gritted his teeth, trembling violently, his face growing paler by the second, on the verge of collapsing.

Elder Qingfeng’s voice was grave: “Is this your ‘miracle pill’? You used living humans to create such a vile concoction!” With a snap of his fingers, a beam of golden light shot at Li Yun’s chest.

Ripples spread over Li Yun’s skin like water disturbed, and a black, thumb-thick parasite crawled out with a sharp screech.

The creature was pitch-black, exuding a nauseating stench of decay, covered in dense bristles, terrifying in appearance.

It twisted and writhed in the air, emitting haunting screams as if protesting Elder Qingfeng’s righteous wrath.

As the first parasite emerged, more began to crawl from Li Yun’s body—one, two, three… countless parasites spilled out, swirling through the air, shrieking harshly, painting a horrifying scene.

The onlookers turned pale and trembled, overwhelmed by nausea and fear at the grotesque spectacle.

Lin Fan clenched his fists until his nails dug into his palms, a fierce wave of hatred surging within him.

Elder Qingfeng’s eyes were icy. He swept his sleeve again, unleashing a powerful spiritual energy that enveloped the flying parasites.

The parasites shrieked pitifully, twisting and struggling in vain under the spiritual force.

“Beasts!” Elder Qingfeng sneered coldly, contracting his spiritual power sharply. The parasites were instantly crushed to powder, dissipating as wisps of black smoke.

With the parasites destroyed, Li Yun’s complexion slowly regained its color, his breathing steadied.

He opened his eyes, filled with gratitude and awe, and looked toward Elder Qingfeng with a trembling voice: “Thank you, Elder, for saving my life.”

Elder Qingfeng nodded slightly, turning his gaze to Gu Qingyi, a cold gleam flashing in his eyes. “Do you still wish to deny it now?”

Gu Qingyi’s face was deathly pale, lips trembling, unable to utter a word. She knew it was over.

“You…” Elder Qingfeng approached her step by step, each footfall heavy as if treading on her very heart, suffocating her with dread.

He extended a hand, pointing at her with frost-cold authority. “Is there anything you wish to say?”

Shaking uncontrollably, Gu Qingyi lifted her head to meet Elder Qingfeng’s gaze. She opened her mouth as if to speak but found herself utterly speechless.

“I…” she faltered.

Suddenly, she collapsed weakly to the ground, tears mingling with sweat carving dirty streaks down her face.

“Elder, I was wrong! I… I only wanted to forge stronger pills, to contribute to the Academy… to humanity! Please… spare my life!” Her voice was hoarse, broken like a dying beast’s last plea.

Elder Qingfeng remained expressionless, unwavering.

“Stronger pills? Using humans as sacrifices, violating all humanity and conscience! Is this your so-called contribution? You have defiled the sanctity of pharmacists—you… are unforgivable!” His words fell like heavy hammers, crushing Gu Qingyi’s heart, suffocating her in despair.

The air around them seemed to freeze, thick with oppression and fear.

Gu Qingyi trembled all over. Seeing that begging was useless, in desperation she suddenly drew a talisman glowing with eerie light from her bosom. Strange patterns adorned it, emitting a chilling aura.

A cold wind arose out of nowhere, billowing her robe with a rustling sound.

“Trying to run?!” Lin Fan was startled and immediately summoned his Wood Spirit power. Vines burst from the earth, snaking like living serpents to entangle Gu Qingyi’s arms, preventing her from activating the talisman.

Thorns on the vines pierced her skin, causing sharp pain.

Gu Qingyi screamed in shock as the talisman dropped to the ground.

Quick as lightning, Lin Fan’s hand flashed with azure light, transforming his Wood Spirit power into a blade that sliced the talisman into fragments.

The moment it shattered, a black mist spread out, emitting a pungent sulfur stench before vanishing without trace.

Gu Qingyi’s face turned ghostly pale, eyes wide in disbelief as if witnessing something unimaginable.

“You…” Elder Qingfeng swept his sleeve, releasing an invisible force that instantly enveloped Gu Qingyi.

She felt her spiritual energy ebb away like a receding tide; her limbs went limp, collapsing to the ground with no strength left to resist.

Elder Qingfeng cast her a cold glance before effortlessly lifting her as if she were a dead chicken.

“This matter is grave. I must take her back to the Academy for judgment,” he declared with solemn authority.

His gaze swept the surroundings, resting on the pale-faced Li Yun.

On the way back to the Academy, the atmosphere was suffocatingly heavy.

Once a revered chief pharmacist, Gu Qingyi had become a pariah overnight—a truth hard for all to accept.

Elder Qingfeng led the procession, radiating a sharp, chilling aura like a drawn sword.

Gu Qingyi was bound by spiritual restraints, limp and lifeless like a broken doll.

Li Yun, supported by Lin Fan, trailed painfully at the rear, his face still pale and occasionally groaning in pain.

Lin Fan clenched his fists tightly, his heart filled with hatred for Gu Qingyi.

Inside the Academy, the elders were outraged upon hearing the news.

Such vile conduct was an affront to the Academy itself!

After urgent deliberation, the Academy decided to hold a public trial for Gu Qingyi.

The announcement caused an uproar.

The Academy square was packed with throngs of students and teachers eager to witness the trial firsthand.

Whispers of shock and curiosity rippled through the crowd.

On the tribunal platform, Gu Qingyi knelt, flanked by two enforcers.

Her face was pale, hair disheveled, her former pride and splendor completely vanished.

Elder Qingfeng stood before her, his gaze piercing. Each word he spoke struck her heart like a hammer: “Gu Qingyi, do you acknowledge your crimes?”

She raised her head, eyes hollow and vacant, as if surrendering all resistance.

She parted her lips to speak but swallowed her words, nodding mechanically instead.

“You not only used living humans to forge poison but also tried to escape punishment with sorcery. Your crimes are unforgivable!” Elder Qingfeng’s voice echoed across the square, chilling and commanding.

Suddenly, Gu Qingyi lifted her head, a sinister smile curling on her lips that sent a shiver down the spine.

Slowly raising her gaze, her once dull eyes now sparkled with madness. Her hoarse voice carried a chilling coldness: “Do you think I would surrender so easily? Let me tell you, everything I did was for…”

She trailed off, turning her head slowly to look at Lin Fan amid the crowd.

Her eyes brimmed with malice and mockery, a twisted smile playing on her lips, as if revealing some dark secret no one else knew…