As he had anticipated, the Master only needed a reason to protect him.
Now, Li Changxi gave the Master just that reason.
Next was the Master's counterattack against the Bai Family.
Of course, Ji Changsheng would be more than glad to be the spearhead, routing for the Master.
So he "angrily" started: "It's mere coincidence that Bai Guanlin happened to go down the mountain, the same moment I decided to disguise myself as him. And, his group of minions just happened to die in his room. Bai Guanlin also miraculously survived the assassination attempt and, by some strange luck, I wasn't arrested on the spot during my attempt to assassinate him in Mystic Temple. Tsk, Tsk, it seems you guys are really struggling with your fabrications."
This was a definitive knockout.
Jiang Boqing started cursing under his breath.
The Master is the Master.
The nominal supreme leader of the Mystic Temple.
Once the Master began to exert his strength, the Bai Family immediately began to falter.
That was quite normal.
If the Bai Family's strength was indeed stronger than the Master's, then by now the Master of the Mystic Temple would have been under Bai Family's control.
The Bai Family didn't seize the opportunity when the Mystic Temple was in transition. Now that he has assumed the position, the power of the Bai Family will only fall further behind.
With the Master himself entering the fray, accompanied by Ji Changsheng charging forth.
Jiang Boqing, the spokesperson for the Bai Family, realized he had to drink poison first.
Admitting that Bai Guanlin went down the mountain during his time of seclusion, would be equivalent to Bai Guanlin's defiance of sect rules, worsening his crime.
Denying Bai Guanlin's descent, would imply this incident to be entirely orchestrated by Bai Guanlin.
Whether admitting or denying, Bai Guanlin was in serious trouble.
However, choosing the lesser of two evils.
Compared with worsening the crime, the crime of false accusations was more serious.
So, Jiang Boqing could only tell the truth: "Bai Guanlin did indeed go down the mountain."
The Discipline Hall's Enforcement Elder's face darkened: "Regardless of whether Ji Changsheng has killed anyone or not, Bai Guanlin, knowing the law, still broke it. His crime is hence increased. Because of his well-off family background, he doesn't regard the sect rules in his eyes. He must be punished severely."
Jiang Boqing tried to argue: "Li Changxi did it too. She freely comes and goes even while she is grounded by the Master. If the Enforcement Elder is to be fair, both of them should be punished, otherwise it will be hard to convince people."
Li Changxi yawned, raised her hand and said, "I was wrong. I accept my punishment. Master, deduct my merit, deduct more, set an example for Bai Guanlin."
Merit, the hard currency of the Mystic Temple.
More useful than the Spirit Stone.
Unless committed an unforgivable crime, as long as the disciples have enough merit, the Mystic Temple usually wouldn't sentence them to death.
But merit isn't easy to accumulate at all.
Jiang Boqing continued cursing under his breath.
Where did this maniac get so much merit from?
Li Changxi, with her abundant wealth, used her merit to solve her violation of sect rules. Jiang Boqing was left speechless.
The Bai Family was not good at accumulating merit.
Their family had too many dirty secrets. It was impossible for them to have significant merit.
Moreover, the merit that the Bai Family had painstakingly accumulated couldn't be donated to the Mystic Temple just because of this small matter.
Anyway, Bai Guanlin wouldn't be sentenced to death for this minor affair, so he had to accept the punishment on his behalf.
The Enforcement Elder seized the opportunity to attack: "Why did Bai Guanlin go down the mountain?"
Jiang Boqing: "...He was also trapped by others. Before, he received a note, the information on which led him to misjudge, thereby giving Ji Changsheng an opportunity to murder him."
A note appeared in the Master's hand.
"Is it this one?"
Ji Changsheng took a look.
Yes, it was that one.
His handwriting.
It ended up in the Master's hand.
Looks like this was pretty much settled.
If the Bai Family dared to confront the Master, they must be powerful. But the Master is always the Master.
In Mystic Temple, if Fairy Linglong didn't show up, this was the Master's home ground.
Even if Fairy Linglong emerged, the current Mystic Temple was still the Master's home ground.
After all, Li Changxi told him that when Mystic Temple was in transition, the Bai Family voted against the Master, but was vetoed by Fairy Linglong, who had the power to overrule the vote.
Which meant to say, The Master was chosen by Fairy Linglong as the successor.
That's why Ji Changsheng was calm.
The Master read out the words on the note:
"I am a disciple of Mystic Temple acting as an undercover for the Sky Devil Sect, want to defect, but fear that the Mystic Temple won't accept me. If Young Master Bai is willing to offer protection, I can frame Ji Changsheng for being in cahoots with the Sky Devil Sect, and I have evidence of the Master and upper echelons of the Sky Devil Sect colluding in private. If Young Master Bai is sincere, he can come to Breeze Inn directly. Midnight tonight, no delay. Remember, come alone, otherwise I won't show up!"
With the contents of the note read aloud by the Master, the main hall fell silent.
The atmosphere became strange.
Ji Changsheng took the initiative to break this eerie silence.
He chuckled in distress, "Sure enough, it's a frame-up. Simply because Bai Guanlin is from the Bai family and I'm from a humble background, blocking Bai Guanlin's path, I'm being framed and schemed by Bai Guanlin and the undercover of the Sky Devil Sect. Where is the justice? Law? Master, I'm tired. If offending the Bai family is a crime, then I'll plead guilty. Please grant me a swift death, Master."
The Master let out a soft sigh, "Silly child, there's no need to be so indignant. It's not just you, I too am on the list of those being framed. But their methods are really a bit crude."
The Master waved the note in his hand and asked Jiang Boqing, "This note was indeed found on Bai Guanlin, right?"
Jiang Boqing nodded, then glanced at Ji Changsheng and sneered, "Guanlin suspected that this note was placed on him by Ji Changsheng during the daytime. The real villain behind this incident is Ji Changsheng."
Ji Changsheng became furious, "The Bai family is shifting the blame, utterly shameless indeed."
The Master raised a hand, signaling Ji Changsheng not to refute. He then handed the note to Master Luan.
"Master Luan, you are fair and impartial. Everyone trusts you. You decide the authenticity of this note."
Master Luan of Kunyue lineage took the note. His eyes gleamed as he examined the note in his hand.
A moment later, Master Luan frowned and announced in a deep voice, "The paper is agarwood paper from the Bai family, it's not circulated in the market, only the direct descendants of the Bai family get to use it. The ink is the Transforming Ink that can spiritually cultivate demons, a specialty of Cinnabar-Azurite Pavilion. I don't have it in my possession, and it's said that the Pavilion sent quite a bit of Transforming Ink as a gift when Bai Guanlin was born."
There was an uproar in the main hall.
The truth was clear to all — Bai Guanlin did not fall into a trap, it was all orchestrated by him.'
Ji Changsheng was surprised by "Bai Guanlin's" move, staring at Jiang Boqing in horror, "You guys are really going out of your way, utterly despicable!"
Ji Changsheng composed himself and dared not meet the Master's eyes.
Agarwood paper, Transforming Ink...he heard of these for the first time today.
The content of the note was correct.
And indeed, it was his handwriting.
But the paper was not his.
Neither was the ink.
Of course, it wasn't Bai Guanlin's either.
Master...well played!
Taking control of himself, Ji Changsheng had one question:
Why does it seem like they were the villains here?