Phoenix Power: The True Colors of the Empress - Chapter 38. Three Men Make a Tiger.

“You’re saying all these injuries were caused by Wu’er?” The Sect Master was stunned, his heart aching for Luo Yue while grappling with his disbelief.

He knew Wu’er possessed formidable cultivation skills and talent. Yet, it was hard to fathom that Luo Yue and the others had been bested by such a young girl, especially one who had only been cultivating for half a year.

“Yes, Sect Master. She did this. All these injuries are her doing!” Xiao Lian cried, casting a tearful glance at Luo Yue while seeking the Sect Master’s sympathy.

“That’s correct, I did this. But they were the ones who started it. They came looking for trouble, so I had to defend myself!” Wu’er tried to explain without escalating the situation, recounting the recent events to the Sect Master.

“Father, I just wanted to discuss some things with Wu’er. I didn’t expect Xiao Lian and the others to get hurt so quickly. I had no choice but to intervene, and this is what happened,” Luo Yue said, still unsure of her father’s thoughts. She feigned pain and accused Wu’er, trying to ensure she wouldn’t be punished.

“They approached me as if to tie me up. I had no choice but to defend myself. Don’t slander me. If you hadn’t pushed me, I wouldn’t have acted this way. You reap what you sow!”

When Wu’er heard Luo Yue falsely accuse her, her heart burned with anger. Despite her fury, she addressed the Sect Master with calm clarity, making sure each word conveyed the truth.

“Father, that’s not true. It was Luo Yue. She tried to harm us without any reason. I have no idea what I did to provoke such hatred from her.”

Tears streamed down Luo Yue’s face, resembling a pear blossom in the rain. Pointing at Wu’er, she cried and pleaded with the Sect Master, determined to pin all the blame on Wu’er and ensure her father punished her severely.

“That’s right, Sect Master. You must seek justice for the Young Miss. We approached Wu’er with good intentions, aiming to strengthen our bond as disciples. But Wu’er, ungrateful as she is, attacked us. The Young Miss is entirely innocent!”

Xiao Lian, understanding Luo Yue’s strategy, joined in. They had to shift all the blame onto Wu’er to avoid the Sect Master’s wrath.

“Yes, she attacked us for no reason, like a lunatic!”

“We just arrived, and she beat us up. We’re all in shock.”

“Sect Leader, you must seek justice for us!”

The other girls, not wanting to be punished, echoed Luo Yue and Xiao Lian’s accusations, their faces showing genuine fear.

Behind the bamboo forest, the sole witness to the entire incident could no longer remain silent. If he didn’t speak up, Wu’er would be unjustly blamed.

Wu’er, already agitated by their slander, felt cornered. She had been peacefully cultivating when they repeatedly sought her out, causing trouble.

Realizing she couldn’t win against their united front, Wu’er chose to remain silent, glaring at them with a fierce intensity, reverting to her old, fiendish demeanor.

“Father, she did this! She viciously attacked us, leaving us gravely injured. You must seek justice for us!” Luo Yue pleaded, using all her strength to cry and push the blame onto Wu’er in front of everyone.

“Everyone knows that in our Lishan Sword Sect, harming or framing a fellow disciple leads to expulsion!” a disciple murmured, highlighting the seriousness of the situation.

The punishment now rested in the Sect Leader’s hands, the truth seemingly clear. Wu’er wasn’t known to cause trouble, and everyone was aware of Luo Yue’s nature. The decision lay with the Sect Leader.

Understanding the situation, the Sect Leader faced a dilemma. His beloved daughter, whom he had always pampered, had caused this uproar. As the disciple mentioned, Luo Yue’s actions warranted severe punishment. With so many witnesses, even if he wanted to protect her, he couldn’t.

Wu’er’s identity complicated matters further. She was brought to the sect by Elder Ming Zhe, whom she had saved. However, Elder Ming Zhe had been absent for the past half year, with no news of his return. The Sect Leader no longer feared this relationship; his daughter’s well-being was paramount.

Despite Luo Yue’s willfulness and recklessness, the Sect Leader couldn’t bring himself to punish her personally, even for such a serious mistake.

The situation was crystal clear: Luo Yue, Xiao Lian, and the others had united like tigers, pinning all the blame on Wu’er.

For the Sect Master, this turn of events was convenient. To safeguard his daughter’s reputation, he felt compelled to unjustly blame the isolated Wu’er. Regardless of his actions, there would be no dissenting voices.

It appeared that, for his daughter’s sake, he had no choice but to proceed this way.

Xiao Heng had initially intended to speak up for Wu’er, but the overwhelming accusations from Luo Yue and the others left little room for doubt. Their united front twisted the truth to suit their narrative, firmly placing all the blame on Wu’er.

Seeing the Sect Master’s decision to protect his daughter, Xiao Heng realized that any attempt to defend Wu’er would be futile.

Realizing the gravity of the situation, Xiao Heng knew that speaking up for Wu’er would only lead to the Sect Master punishing his daughter. The Sect Master wouldn’t tolerate this, and it could even cause him to view Xiao Heng unfavorably. So, Xiao Heng chose to remain silent.

“Wu’er attacked and harmed a fellow disciple…” The Sect Master, after a deep breath and much contemplation, began to announce Wu’er’s punishment in front of everyone.

Hearing this, Wu’er felt a surge of anger but struggled to defend herself. She couldn’t believe she was being punished for simply defending herself. It wasn’t her fault.

However, without evidence or witnesses, and with no one willing to support her, Wu’er realized she was truly doomed this time.