From a loser to an immortal sage

Chapter 8 Jedi Counterattack

The dark cave was like the gaping maw of a monstrous beast, and I charged in without hesitation. Elder Li's cold laughter echoed behind me, my heart pounding wildly, yet miraculously, I calmed down. The sacrifice of Pharmacist Sun, the disappearance of Zhao Ling'er—all of this was like a fire, burning with raging fury within me. I couldn't run away, and I couldn't lose!

Guided by memory, I navigated the intricate caverns. Inside the storage ring given to me by Pharmacist Sun was a map marking the location of the mysterious organization's stronghold. I gripped the map tightly, a glimmer of hope igniting within me.

After an unknown amount of time, I finally arrived at the place marked on the map. It was a secluded valley, its entrance sealed by a powerful barrier. I took a deep breath and channeled my spiritual energy into the jade talisman given to me by Pharmacist Sun. The talisman emitted a faint light, and the barrier opened in response.

I slipped into the valley, and a breathtaking view suddenly opened up before me. This place was a completely different world, with pavilions and towers, carved beams and painted rafters, secluded from the world, like a fairyland. However, I could feel a chilling aura permeating the air, sending shivers down my spine.

"who!"

As soon as I stepped into the valley, I was spotted by the patrolling disciples. My mind raced, and I quickly hid behind a boulder.

"It looks like something ran past. I'll go check it out."

"Never mind it, it's probably just wild animals in the mountains. Let's continue patrolling."

The footsteps faded into the distance, and I breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed the area was heavily guarded; I needed to be even more careful.

Following the map, I stealthily made my way deeper into the valley. Along the way, I saw many imprisoned disciples of various sects, all bound by restrictions, their expressions blank, like walking corpses. My heart sank. It seemed that what Pharmacist Sun had said was true; the ambition of this mysterious organization far exceeded my imagination.

I hid behind a big tree, observing my surroundings. Suddenly, I heard voices coming from ahead.

"Do you think the sect leader can really succeed?"

"Of course! The sect leader cultivates forbidden magic. When that happens, the entire cultivation world will submit to us!"

Forbidden magic? A chill ran down my spine. Could it be that they wanted to…

I held my breath and crept closer, trying to hear more clearly. Just then, my foot accidentally stepped on a dry branch, and the "crack" sounded particularly jarring in the silent valley.

"Who?!"

Two dark figures rushed towards me quickly. I knew something was wrong and turned to run.

"Stop! Don't run!"

I ran as fast as I could, but the other person was faster, and I was about to be caught up.

"Xiao Yao? What are you doing here?!"

Just then, a familiar figure descended from the sky, blocking my path between me and the pursuers.

"Deacon Ma!" I exclaimed with a mixture of joy and surprise, as if I had seen a savior.

Steward Ma, wielding a long sword with chilling aura, forced back the pursuers.

"Why are you here?" I asked.

"I was worried about your safety, so I followed you. Thankfully, you're alright." Deacon Ma looked at me with concern.

"Steward Ma, now is not the time for reminiscing. We must stop them as soon as possible!" I said anxiously.

"Stop them? Do you know what they're up to?" Deacon Ma looked at me with suspicion.

I took a deep breath and told Steward Ma everything that Pharmacist Sun had told me, as well as everything I had seen and heard along the way.

After hearing my explanation, Steward Ma's expression became extremely solemn.

"I never imagined they would be so ruthless!" Deacon Ma said through gritted teeth. "We must stop them; we cannot let them succeed!"

“But there are only two of us, how can we stop them?” I said worriedly.

"No, we have helpers." Deacon Ma smiled mysteriously and took out a communication talisman from his pocket. "I have already notified Zhao Ling'er and Pharmacist Sun. They will be here to join us soon."

"What? Zhao Ling'er and Pharmacist Sun are still alive?" I was overjoyed.

“Yes, they are all fine.” Deacon Ma nodded. “Now, let’s find a place to hide and wait for them to arrive.”

We found a hidden cave and hid inside.

"Deacon Ma, how do you know that Zhao Ling'er and Pharmacist Sun are still alive?" I couldn't help but ask.

Deacon Ma smiled slightly and said, "Because..."

Before he could finish speaking, footsteps suddenly came from outside the cave, followed by a chilling voice at the entrance:

"Xiao Yao, I know you're here. Come out, you can't escape!"

Deacon Ma and I exchanged a glance, a sense of foreboding rising in our hearts… “It seems we’ve been discovered.” Deacon Ma drew his longsword, the blade emitting a clear hum that reflected on his resolute face. “Xiao Yao, I’ll do my best to hold them off. You find a chance to break through and tell the sect leader what happened here!”

"No, Steward Ma, I can't leave you alone!" I gripped the short sword in my hand, my heart filled with unease.

"Listen to me! This is an order!" Deacon Ma shouted sternly. "Only if you are still alive can you expose their conspiracy and rescue those imprisoned disciples!"

I bit my lip, knowing he was right, but I was really unwilling to just run away like this.

"Stop talking nonsense and prepare to die!" A roar came from the cave entrance, and several dark figures rushed in, surrounding me and Steward Ma.

A fierce battle erupted instantly, swords flashing, spiritual energies clashing, and the cave was immediately filled with a dangerous atmosphere. Deacon Ma fought against multiple opponents, yet he was in no way inferior. His swordsmanship was swift and sharp, each strike carrying a fierce killing intent.

I was looking for an opportunity to break out, but the enemy outnumbered me and I was trapped in the encirclement, unable to escape.

"Xiao Yao, hurry up!" Deacon Ma seized an opening and shoved me out. "Don't waste time, go and inform the sect leader!"

I was pushed to the cave entrance and turned around to see Steward Ma surrounded by the enemy. He had several wounds on his body, and his clothes were stained with blood.

"No, Steward Ma!" I cried out in anguish, but there was nothing I could do.

"Go!" Steward Ma roared again, his eyes filled with determination.

I knew I couldn't hesitate any longer, so I turned and rushed out of the cave, running towards the depths of the valley.

Along the way, I encountered countless enemies, but I couldn't care less about being afraid. I had only one thought: to find the leader of the mysterious organization as soon as possible and expose their conspiracy!

The image of Deacon Ma flashed through my mind, his words echoing in my ears: "Only if you are still alive can you expose their conspiracy..."

I felt as if I had gained boundless power, and the short sword in my hand transformed into streaks of lightning, knocking down the enemies who stood in my way one by one.

Finally, I arrived at the deepest part of the valley, and a magnificent hall appeared before my eyes.

I took a deep breath, pushed open the heavy door, and went inside.

The main hall was resplendent with gold and jade. A man dressed in black and wearing a mask sat on a high throne, exuding a suffocating aura of power.

"You are Xiao Yao?" the man in black asked slowly, his voice low and hoarse.

"Who are you?" I asked warily.

"Who I am is not important. What is important is that you will soon become a dead man." The man in black sneered, a hint of murderous intent flashing in his eyes.

"You're the leader of this mysterious organization?" I gripped my short sword tightly, my heart filled with rage. "Why did you do this? Why did you harm your fellow disciples?"

"The law of the jungle, survival of the fittest, that's the rule of the cultivation world." The man in black stood up and slowly walked towards me. "You, a piece of trash without spiritual roots, don't deserve to live at all."

"Even if I don't have spiritual roots, I will never submit to someone like you!" I roared and charged towards the man in black with my sword.

A fierce battle broke out instantly. The man in black was far stronger than me, and I quickly found myself at a disadvantage.

"Overestimating yourself!" The man in black sneered, slapping my chest and sending me flying.

I fell heavily to the ground, a trickle of blood spilling from the corner of my mouth.

"It's over." The man in black slowly walked towards me, his eyes filled with icy killing intent.

Just then, I felt a powerful force awaken within me. In my dantian, it felt as if a flame was burning, and a pure spiritual energy surged throughout my body.

I suddenly opened my eyes, a glint of light flashing in them.

"How could this be..." The man in black stared at me in astonishment, his eyes filled with disbelief.

I slowly stood up, the short sword in my hand gleaming brightly.

"You...you actually awakened a spiritual root?" the man in black exclaimed in surprise.

I ignored him and instead poured all my spiritual power into the short sword, then swung it fiercely at the man in black.

A dazzling sword light ripped through the void, instantly engulfing the man in black...

"you……"

The man in black stared wide-eyed, filled with resentment and fear. His body slowly fell, turning into a cloud of ashes and disappearing into the air.

I stood there, the short sword in my hand slowly disappearing, my body trembling slightly, as if I had just gone through a great battle.

I looked up and around. The sect disciples who had been controlled by the man in black had all regained their senses. They looked at me blankly, as if they didn't know what had happened.

I took a deep breath, knowing that now was not the time to rest; I had more important things to do.

"Fellow senior brothers and sisters, please listen to me..." I looked at everyone and spoke slowly, my voice clear and firm. "Fellow senior brothers and sisters, please listen to me..." I looked at everyone and spoke slowly, my voice weak from excessive spiritual energy consumption, but exceptionally firm. "Everything that happened here was manipulated by an evil organization called 'Shadow Pavilion'! They have infiltrated the sect, secretly controlling many disciples, with the aim of stealing our sect's most treasured artifact, and even attempting to overthrow the entire sect!"

My words echoed in the hall. The disciples who had been controlled by the man in black regained their senses and looked at me blankly, seemingly unaware of what had happened.

I took a deep breath and continued, "I saw with my own eyes that Deacon Ma was besieged by them in order to protect me and expose the conspiracy of the 'Shadow Pavilion'..."

At this point, my voice choked up, and tears blurred my vision.

“Deacon Ma…he…”

The crowd erupted in commotion, some believing me while others expressed doubt.

"Don't believe her! She must have been sent by the 'Shadow Pavilion' to mislead us!" A chilling voice suddenly rang out, and a man dressed in black stepped out from the crowd. "She just killed our men; she's a spy for the 'Shadow Pavilion'!"

"Shut up! You're talking nonsense!" I glared at the man in black, my heart filled with anger. "You're the one who killed Steward Ma, and you're trying to frame me!"

"What evidence do you have to prove that I killed Steward Ma?" The man in black sneered. "As for you, how could a piece of trash without spiritual roots possibly kill one of our people? You are clearly a spy for the 'Shadow Pavilion'!"

"I..." I was speechless for a moment, not knowing how to refute it.

Just then, a dignified voice suddenly rang out from the crowd: "Enough!"

Everyone turned to look, and saw an old man in a purple robe slowly walking out from the crowd.

"Head!"

Everyone saluted.

This old man is none other than our sect leader—Master Xuanji!

Master Xuanji's gaze swept over everyone, finally landing on me. He asked in a deep voice, "Xiao Yao, is everything you've said true?"

"Every word I have spoken is true. If there is even a single falsehood, may I be struck by lightning!" I answered without hesitation, my eyes filled with determination.

Master Xuanji looked at me, a hint of appreciation flashing in his eyes. He slowly nodded and said, "Good! I believe you!"

"Sect Leader, you mustn't!" The man in black panicked and hurriedly said, "She's clearly a spy for the 'Shadow Pavilion,' you mustn't be fooled by her..."

"Shut up!" Master Xuanji shouted angrily, interrupting the man in black. "What else do you have to say?"

The man in black was pale. He knew he had been exposed. He glared at me fiercely and turned to run away.

"Trying to leave? Not so easy!" I snorted coldly, and in a flash, I blocked the man in black.

"You..." The man in black's expression changed drastically. He knew he was no match for me, but he still held onto a sliver of hope and tried to rush past me.

"Hmph!" I sneered, and the short sword in my hand reappeared. A flash of cold light appeared, and the man in black was stunned on the spot. A thin bloodstain appeared on his neck.

"You..." The man in black looked at me in disbelief. He never expected that he would die at the hands of a "good-for-nothing".

I watched the man in black fall coldly, without a trace of pity in my heart. I would never show mercy to my enemies!

Master Xuanji looked at me with admiration in his eyes. He slowly nodded and said, "Good! Xiao Yao, you did very well!"

I bowed respectfully to Master Xuanji and said, "Thank you for the praise, Sect Leader. I only did what I should do."

"Good, very good!" Master Xuanji looked at me, his eyes filled with satisfaction. "From today onwards, you are a hero of our sect!"

I became a hero of my sect, but I knew this was just the beginning...

"Xiao Yao, come with me." Deacon Ma appeared beside me at some point, his eyes gleaming with a complex light... The moment Master Xuanji announced me as a sect hero, thunderous applause erupted all around, but I clearly felt a burning gaze upon me. I turned my head and saw Deacon Ma! The praise in his eyes was undisguised, and it also carried a hint of relief and excitement that I had never seen before.

"Good boy, you did a great job!" Deacon Ma walked up to me, his voice slightly choked, and patted my shoulder. "You are braver and more responsible than I imagined!"

I was somewhat flattered and quickly said, "Steward Ma, this is all I should do."

“No, child,” Deacon Ma shook his head, “What you did today has far exceeded the responsibilities of an ordinary disciple. You are not only exceptionally talented, but also possess courage and wisdom. Given time, you will surely achieve great things!”

"Steward Ma is too kind..." I wanted to say a few more humble words, but Steward Ma interrupted me.

“Child, don’t underestimate yourself.” His tone suddenly became serious. “I’ve decided to impart all the knowledge I’ve gained in my life to you, so that you can reach the pinnacle as soon as possible!”

My heart was instantly filled with shock. Was Deacon Ma going to... take me as his disciple?! I was so excited that I could hardly speak, and could only nod repeatedly.

"Good! Good! Good!" Deacon Ma said "good" three times in a row, his face full of a gratified smile. "From today onwards, you will be my only personal disciple!"

Under Steward Ma's meticulous guidance, I cultivated day and night, making rapid progress in my skills. My swordsmanship became increasingly sharp, my movements more elusive, and even previously insurmountable bottlenecks were easily overcome. I know that all of this is inseparable from Steward Ma's teachings and my own hard work.

However, I was not blinded by victory. I knew that as long as the Shadow Pavilion remained, the sect would never have peace. I trained even more diligently, constantly improving my strength to prepare for the even greater challenges to come.

"Xiao Yao, come with me." One day, Steward Ma suddenly appeared in front of me, his tone tinged with mystery, "It's time to choose a suitable cultivation method for you."

A chill ran through me; a strange premonition washed over me. I…