L'hibiscus comme peinture

Chapitre 112

"You mean, the sect leader... no, that's impossible." Sheng Lu's face turned pale as she murmured. Although she was prepared, she still couldn't believe it when she heard what the old man Sheng Huang said. Why was the heavens so cruel to such a person who moved heaven and earth?

"Didn't you claim to be the greatest physician in the world? Why haven't you come up with a single solution in half a year? Why? If it weren't for the Seven-Colored Lotus suppressing the sect leader's poison, we wouldn't be seeing him now. Tell me, what use is your divine bridge?" Saint Orange, his previous carefree and roguish demeanor gone, grabbed Saint Yellow by the collar and roared, his face flushed with anger. It wasn't that he disrespected the elder, but he simply couldn't accept this reality. Not only him, but all the pavilion masters of the Saint Immortal Sect, though outwardly appearing unaffected and continuing their leisurely lives, knew that their hearts had been hanging in suspense for the past six months, filled with fear that the sect leader might leave them at any moment.

"Shengcheng, don't be so impulsive. Old Huang's heart is definitely not any better than ours." Shenglu pulled Shengcheng's hand away and said with a gloomy face.

"Saint Orange is right. If I can't save the sect leader, what kind of great doctor am I? Even if I have to go without food and drink, I will find a way to detoxify him within this month." Saint Huang stood up, his face serious, his determined eyes fixed on the sky, as if making a vow.

“Yes, arguing here won’t do any good now, old man. Don’t worry, I’ve grown up with poison since I was a child. I don’t believe I can’t deal with this damn ‘White Hair’.” Sheng Zi, with her baby face, clenched her fists and said with a determined look in her eyes. But she had no confidence at all. After all, in the past six months, she had traveled all over the country and ventured into all kinds of poisonous forests and dangerous places, but she still couldn’t find a way to cure the poison.

Suddenly, everyone fell silent, their faces gloomy. They all knew that although the words were true, the most skilled doctors and poison masters in the world were all here, yet they had spent half a year and still couldn't find an antidote. Now, there was only one month left, and the hope was really slim. They could only hope that a miracle would happen.

"Sect Master," Sheng Lan, who had been silent until now, suddenly spoke up.

Everyone turned their heads and saw a white-clad man with an elegant demeanor and captivating charm emerge from the inner room. Although his face was veiled, his unparalleled elegance was still faintly visible in his features. His unfathomable dark eyes were calm and serene, yet sharp and cold, drawing people in even though they knew they would be frostbitten. In particular, the few strands of white hair hanging down his forehead made him look even more ruthless, cold, and unapproachable.

"Sect Master." Orange, yellow, green, cyan, blue, and purple instantly reverted to their usual forms, bowing to the Holy Immortal Sect Master, Holy Monarch, in all sorts of strange ways.

The Holy Emperor walked straight to the seat of honor, sat down lazily, flicked his robes, and said calmly, with a hint of weakness in his expression, "There's no need to worry about my poison anymore. Life and death are predestined..."

Before the Holy Lord could finish speaking, Holy Green hurriedly interjected, "Sect Master, you can't say that. Although life and death cannot be forced, we can't just sit and wait to die. You said that a person's life is only once, and we must cherish it and not give up easily. As the saying goes..." She started her nagging, 'housekeeper' routine again. From the moment she started speaking, everyone except the Holy Lord and Holy Blue consciously jumped ten steps away from her. She truly deserves to be the steward of the Holy Immortal Sect, reciting scriptures for everything, big or small.

"Green, don't worry, even if there's no cure in the end, I won't give up. I, the Holy King, have always firmly believed that human will can overcome fate." The Holy King quickly finished his sentence, his unfathomable eyes revealing unwavering determination. Green's nagging was even more intense than Tang Sanzang's, almost unbearable for him, yet it was also heartwarming. How long had it been since anyone had nagged him like this?

"It's good that the sect leader thinks that way. Don't worry, the most capable people in the world are all here. Even the King of Hell has to step aside." Sheng Lu nodded in satisfaction, looking self-assured and like a promising student.

"Of all the nonsense Saint Green has said, only this one sounds human," Saint Orange said with a chuckle, blinking her peach blossom eyes and tossing her hair back over her chest.

"What do you mean by that? You..." Sheng Lu nodded at Sheng Cheng's words, but then realized something was wrong. She immediately put her hands on her hips, looked like a shrew, and pointed at Sheng Cheng, about to start cursing.

"Is everyone here?" The Holy Lord's calm question immediately silenced the cursing Holy Green, and they began to discuss serious matters.

"Duan Zhengfei and the eight sect leaders are all here, but there are four more people," Sheng Qing said with a sly smile, her smiling eyes fixed on Sheng Jun. She waited for Sheng Jun to ask further, but Sheng Jun remained seated lazily, seemingly uninterested in who the other four were.

"He's here," she continued listlessly, though the smile in her eyes remained undiminished. Hehe... I bet you won't react by now.

"They've really come?" The Holy King's usually calm eyes suddenly surged with emotion as he murmured softly. He finally rallied, and his tranquil heart began to stir.

"He rose up because of Young Master Mo Jun. He wants revenge and to destroy the Seven Fiends Tower. His current alias is Ling Xuan." Sheng Cheng smiled smugly, as if nothing could escape my notice.

“Ling-Xuan?” The Holy Lord seemed not to understand these two words, repeatedly muttering them, his heart filled with indescribable feelings. Ling Xuan? Ling, the Ling of Ling Aojun, Xuan, the Xuan of Ouyang Jinxuan.

"Hehe... Sect Master, shall we meet or not?" Saint Orange asked with a flirtatious grin, her peach blossom eyes sparkling.

"Nonsense, of course I met him, Sect Master, right?" Sheng Qing rolled her eyes at Sheng Cheng and smiled at Sheng Jun.

"Where are they?" The Holy Emperor did not answer, but asked indifferently.

"I'll stay at the foot of the mountain for now and come back up tomorrow morning," Sheng Lu replied. The Green Pavilion was responsible for all the daily affairs of the Holy Immortal Sect, and nothing that happened within the Holy Immortal Mountain range could escape her notice.

"Sect Master, shall we come out of the mountain?" Sheng Qing smiled and winked at Sheng Jun again. She seemed very enthusiastic about this matter and kept urging Sheng Jun to come out of the mountain.

The others also waited expectantly for the Holy Lord's answer. Holy Qing glanced at them disdainfully: They all clearly shared the same thoughts, yet they always insisted she speak first, making her the first to speak. How cunning! And they called her treacherous. Perhaps in a month, the Sect Leader really would… If it truly was irreversible, they only hoped that in this month, the Sect Leader could live happily, spending her final days with her beloved. They would do anything for her.

"Let's talk about it tomorrow!" After waiting for a long time, the Holy Lord casually uttered these words, almost causing them to stumble. However, they would not be discouraged, because the sect leader's eyes were no longer as still as water.

The next day, early in the morning, Jinxuan and his group arrived at Shengxian Mountain again.

As soon as they arrived, a cheerful voice appeared: "You're here so early!" Sheng Qing, dressed in a blue robe, didn't look like a typical girl at all. She sat casually on a large tree near Jin Xuan and the others, swinging her legs and staring at Jin Xuan with a calculating look on her face.

“Young lady, my name is Duan Zhengfei. I have come with my friends to see your sect leader. May I ask if you may announce our arrival?” Duan Zhengfei bowed politely to Sheng Qing. He could tell that this smiling woman in green was no ordinary person, just from the fact that she had appeared silently beside them without them even noticing.

"Your name is Ling Xuan, right? Ling plus Xuan, they make a good match!" Sheng Qing ignored Duan Zhengfei and kept looking at Jin Xuan, his words carrying a hidden meaning. His handsome face exuded a sharp, cold elegance; beneath his thick eyebrows were deep, dark eyes; his high, straight nose and beautiful, resolute lips were tightly pressed together; his imposing physique proclaimed his nobility and elegance, radiating a kingly aura that exerted an invisible, powerful pressure. Hmm, not bad, truly a dragon among men.

"Thank you for the compliment. Has the Holy Lord agreed to see us?" Jin Xuan's deep eyes flickered for a moment, but he quickly regained his composure and said calmly. Her words made his heart tremble involuntarily. There was something in her words. Did she know who she was? With the Holy Immortal Sect's capabilities, it shouldn't be surprising that they knew. But Ling... few people knew her. Was it a coincidence, an unintentional act, or was there another mystery?

Just as Sheng Qing was about to speak, a voice filled with arrogance rang out: "If you want the sect leader to come out and see you, give me a reason first. If you give me a good reason, I will let you see the sect leader."

Everyone was startled and turned around to find a stunningly handsome man in an orange robe standing on another tree beside them. He was leaning against the tree trunk, playing with his hair, and his captivating peach blossom eyes, like those of the woman in green, were fixed on Jin Xuan.

The eight sect leaders glared angrily at the impudent man before them, but having learned their lesson yesterday, they dared not utter another word, for inviting the Holy Emperor to come out of seclusion was the most important matter.

"Young Master, the Seven Killings Tower has wreaked havoc on the martial world, utterly devoid of humanity. They spare not even defenseless children and women, and have even murdered high-ranking officials. Ordinary people are wiped out for a single word. Their cruelty is unheard of; they have no regard for the people of the world. Their ambitions are blatantly obvious. It is our duty to eliminate evil and uphold justice. Our fellow martial artists have launched numerous counterattacks against the Seven Killings Tower, but their actions are unpredictable and their martial arts are extremely powerful. We are not only powerless to stop them, but have also suffered countless casualties. The Holy Immortal Sect is the number one sect in the world, with many extraordinary individuals. Therefore, we have dared to come up the mountain to ask the Holy Lord to come out of seclusion and lead our fellow martial artists to eradicate the Seven Killings Tower and restore peace to the martial world." Duan Zhengfei, unconcerned by Sheng Cheng's arrogant attitude, straightened his back and spoke righteously.

"Finally finished talking. I was almost asleep. How can a grown man be so long-winded? More annoying than a nagging old woman." As soon as Duan Zhengfei finished speaking, a playful yet sleepy voice rang out.

Everyone was startled. A little girl in purple had appeared beside the woman in blue, and it was she who had just said those words. The little girl's face was still very sleepy.

Duan Zhengfei's face flushed red and then paled. After all, he was the dignified leader of the martial arts alliance, and to be spoken to like this by a little girl had completely humiliated him. But he couldn't retaliate because the woman in purple was currently playing with a small purple snake, and it was obvious at a glance that the snake was extremely venomous. Good heavens! What kind of strange people are in the Holy Immortal Sect!

"You damned vixen, who are you calling a busybody?" Before the crowd had even recovered from their shock, another fierce woman suddenly appeared in front of them, hands on her hips, pointing at the woman in purple and shouting angrily.

Several sect leaders were so frightened that they took several steps back, almost falling to the ground, and kept patting their chests: "My God! How come the people from the Holy Immortal Sect appear like ghosts, without a sound?"

"Gentlemen, I have no time to listen to your arguing, Your Majesty..." Jin Xuan frowned, then suddenly stopped, as if sensing something. He looked up at the mountain peak and saw a figure in white standing against the wind amidst the swirling clouds. A few strands of white hair fluttered in the wind, and his face was covered in grime, obscuring his features. Yet, his aura was so otherworldly, like a god standing aloof from the world. Jin Xuan's usually calm heart began to pound uncontrollably. He didn't know why, but he felt that the white figure was so familiar, like a peerless beauty etched deep in his heart.

Everyone stared blankly up at the dreamlike figures before them, intuitively feeling that they had entered a fairyland and met immortals, banished immortals who made the world pale in comparison.

"Sect Master..." Saint Orange, Saint Green, Saint Azure, and Saint Purple exchanged smiles and instantly stood beside Saint Lord, respectfully addressing him.

The word "Sect Master" brought everyone back to their senses. My God! This was the mysterious Holy Immortal Sect Master, Holy Monarch! They had finally met him, and their feelings were simply... indescribable!

"Your Majesty, I wish to request your assistance." Jin Xuan put aside his inexplicable thoughts, stepped forward, calmly looked up and stared directly at the Holy Lord standing on the mountain peak, speaking bluntly as if he did not want to say a single extra word. Only he knew how chaotic his heart was.

The Holy Monarch, standing atop the mountain peak, had unfathomable eyes that shimmered with a faint mist. His hands, clasped behind his back, tightened, and his heart, which had been still for so long, seemed about to leap out of his chest. He remained silent, afraid that if he opened his mouth, he would reveal his emotions and be discovered by the Holy Monarch.

"Our sect leader has agreed to come out of seclusion, but you must agree to several conditions. First, you must not approach the sect leader without his permission; second, you must obey the sect leader's orders; third, you must not reveal the sect leader's whereabouts..." Saint Green stood beside Saint King and used her megaphone to announce on his behalf.

With each statement she made, the faces of the eight sect leaders darkened further, but they couldn't retaliate, since they needed her help.