There were very few people in the Lingxu Sect who had a bad relationship with Zhang Jingmo.

Zhang Jingmo had a cold and aloof temperament, and spent most of his time refining pills in his residence, rarely offending anyone. Except for Daoist Cen whose disciple was killed by Lu Guijiu, and Daoist Wang whose disciple's dantian was crippled by Zhang Jingmo, probably no one else wanted Zhang Jingmo to suffer misfortune.

After some inquiries, Zhang Jingmo reached a conclusion. It turned out that the news of him taking the Luo'e Pill was spread by a young servant in Daoist Cen's residence. Zhang Jingmo couldn't be bothered to get entangled with Daoist Cen, so he directly reported the matter to the Sect Master, saying he wanted to confront Daoist Cen face to face.

Upon hearing this, the Sect Master also felt angry, thinking that Daoist Cen was ungrateful and only causing trouble. Putting aside his previous conflict with Zhang Jingmo, now that Zhang Jingmo was an alchemist who had refined the Tianqu Yellow Spring Pill, anyone should give him some respect. But this Daoist Cen was acting so recklessly, making things difficult for the Sect Master on both sides.

The Sect Master said it was difficult, but it wasn't really that difficult. Anyone could tell the difference in importance between Zhang Jingmo and Daoist Cen who had lost his disciple. But on the surface, the Sect Master still had to show an impartial attitude. As per Zhang Jingmo's request, he summoned Daoist Cen and his young servant to confront Zhang Jingmo.

In the past ten years or so, Daoist Cen had aged a lot, and there was a sense of defeat in his expression, apparently still deeply impacted by the death of his disciple years ago.

For more than ten years, Daoist Cen's cultivation had not progressed at all, and the chances of a breakthrough seemed very slim.

Zhang Jingmo was still dressed in white, standing beside the Sect Master. His expression was cold, and he did not stand up to greet Daoist Cen when he arrived.

Seeing Zhang Jingmo, a hint of schadenfreude appeared on Daoist Cen's face. He said loudly, "Senior Zhang, long time no see. I wonder how you have been faring in Kuchan Valley these days."

Zhang Jingmo replied coldly, "Even if not so good, it's still better than Senior Cen. If I'm not mistaken, Senior Cen doesn't have many days left, right?"

With one sentence, Zhang Jingmo hit Daoist Cen's sorest spot. Trembling with anger, Daoist Cen said furiously, "Senior Zhang really has a way with words. I'd like to ask, how did the Luo'e Pill taste? Was it to your liking?"

Zhang Jingmo replied expressionlessly with two words: "Not bad."

Seeing the tense atmosphere between the two, the Sect Master had no choice but to say, "Enough. If you two have any personal grudges, go settle it privately. Senior Cen, the reason I called you here today is to ask you something."

Daoist Cen sneered, "What is it?"

The Sect Master said, "Was it someone from your residence who spread the news about Senior Zhang taking the Luo'e Pill?"

Daoist Cen continued to sneer, "Sect Master, I won't admit to something without evidence..."

Before he could finish, Zhang Jingmo coldly interrupted, "Of course, if there's no evidence, Senior Cen doesn't need to take the blame. But what if there is evidence proving that Senior Cen failed to discipline his subordinates?"

Daoist Cen said coldly, "If my own people made a mistake, naturally I will punish them myself."

Zhang Jingmo sneered, "Is Senior Cen planning to cover for them?"

Daoist Cen was about to retort when the Sect Master waved his hand. His expression was very displeased, having cursed this troublesome Daoist Cen thousands of times in his heart. Although he was biased towards Zhang Jingmo, he couldn't show it on the surface.

The Sect Master said, "Senior Cen, if it was your servant who spread this, they must be punished no matter what. This has always been the rule in Lingxu Sect, with no exceptions."

Daoist Cen glared at Zhang Jingmo with a gloomy expression.

Zhang Jingmo continued, "Sect Master, what if Senior Cen intentionally told his subordinates to spread the word?"

Daoist Cen sneered, "You want to punish me too?"

Zhang Jingmo had no intention of giving Daoist Cen any face: "Rule 63 of the Lingxu Sect: Those who use foul language to slander others and disrupt the sect's ways shall have their cultivation crippled and be expelled from the sect."

Daoist Cen retorted, "Foul language to slander others? Hahaha, Senior Zhang, how do you know it was me using foul language to slander you, and not the young servant talking nonsense on his own?"

As the two were talking, the young servant kneeling on the ground had been trembling in fear. Hearing Daoist Cen's words, he knew he was about to be abandoned. After showing a look of horror, he opened his mouth to speak.

But Daoist Cen, seeing this, actually took action while Zhang Jingmo and the Sect Master were caught off guard. He struck the young servant's head with his palm.

The young servant let out a miserable cry, blood flowing from his orifices, his face contorting as he fell to the ground, dead.

The Sect Master shouted angrily, "What are you doing?"

Daoist Cen laughed, "It's all the fault of my foolish subordinate for angering Senior Zhang. I'm killing him now to vent Senior Zhang's anger." As he spoke, he actually tried to push all the blame onto his young servant.

Zhang Jingmo's face remained expressionless, as if he had expected Daoist Cen to do this. He just glanced at the young servant who had died on the spot and sighed lightly, "Pitiful."

Daoist Cen said indifferently, "What's pitiful? These young servants are only able to enter Lingxu Sect thanks to my blessing. Since they have entered my service, their lives are mine."

Then, he bowed and said, "Since the young servant is dead, I shall take my leave first." With that, he actually turned to leave.

Zhang Jingmo said coldly, "Wait a moment, Senior Cen."

Daoist Cen turned his head, his eyes full of resentment, "Does Senior Zhang want me to kill another young servant?"

Zhang Jingmo said expressionlessly, "What's the use of killing more young servants? If the master can't teach well, even if you slaughter all the people and young servants in your residence, it's useless."

Daoist Cen laughed, "Then what does Senior Zhang mean? This young servant is already dead. Dead men tell no tales. Can Senior Zhang accuse me of instigating him with no proof?"

Hearing Daoist Cen shirking responsibility like this, Zhang Jingmo actually smiled. He said, "Sect Master, is today's matter going to end just like this?"

The Sect Master also felt a bit helpless. He said, "Qingyuan, what do you want?"

Zhang Jingmo's expression turned cold, the smile on his face earlier completely replaced by frost. He said, "Since everyone in Lingxu Sect is spreading that I, Zhang Jingmo, took the Luo'e Pill wanting to betray the sect, naturally I must prove my innocence. But once I have proven my innocence, shouldn't the person who spread this news also pay a price?"

The Sect Master vaguely guessed what Zhang Jingmo was talking about, and said, "Qingyuan, you must not act on impulse."

However, Zhang Jingmo ignored him and continued speaking, "I, Zhang, am willing to go to the Cold Mirror Wall with Elder Cen to prove my innocence."

Upon hearing this, the Sect Master's face changed and he said, "No..."

Before he could finish his words, Elder Cen burst into maniacal laughter and said, "Good, good, good Zhang Jingmo, this is what you asked for."

The Sect Master's face looked grim as he said, "This is absolutely impossible. Qingyuan, I will not agree to it."

The Cold Mirror Wall was a stone wall left behind by the founding patriarch of Lingxu Sect. Whenever someone in Lingxu Sect suffered a great injustice, it would be used.

The wronged person and the accused would both sit in front of the Cold Mirror Wall, speaking out their grievances. After forty-nine days, they would drip their essence blood onto it. The one who lied would directly have their cultivation crippled.

But this was not the reason why the Sect Master stopped Zhang Jingmo. It was because once the Cold Mirror Wall was used, even the person seeking justice would suffer severe internal injuries after forty-nine days. In mild cases, their dantian would be damaged; in severe cases, their cultivation level would drop.

Elder Cen was already a person destined to die, with only a hundred years left to live at most. But Zhang Jingmo had a bright future ahead. In Elder Cen's view, exchanging his life for Zhang Jingmo being heavily injured was a profitable deal no matter what.

Seeing that the Sect Master was unwilling, Zhang Jingmo simply bowed and said indifferently, "Sect Master, Qingyuan has always been upright by nature and cannot bear the slightest grievance. My taking the Luo'e Pill in the Kuchan Valley was not voluntary. If I do not prove myself today, these absurd rumors will still spread in Lingxu Sect. The accumulated slander can destroy one's reputation. I, Zhang Jingmo, have a clear conscience and am willing to seek the truth through the wall."

The Sect Leader angrily said, "No, this is simply ridiculous." Even though Zhang Jingmo had taken the Luo'e Pill, he was still a treasure of their Lingxu Sect. Now, Zhang Jingmo was actually so hotheaded that he wanted to exchange his life with Elder Cen. How could the Sect Master possibly agree?

Seeing that the Sect Master did not allow it, Elder Cen let out a shrill laugh and said, "Why not? Sect Master, your heart is really quite biased. Since Elder Zhang has already proposed it and I have agreed, even you cannot disagree now."

The Sect Master furiously said, "Zhang Jingmo!" He was obviously enraged, no longer calling Zhang Jingmo by his Daoist title, but directly by name.

If Elder Cen was not afraid, how could Zhang Jingmo be? He chuckled lightly, "Since Elder Cen has already agreed, then let's not delay. Please, after you."

Elder Cen laughed wildly, "After you."

The two seemed to have a tacit understanding, ignoring the fuming Sect Master behind them, and flew towards the location of the Cold Mirror Wall.

After traveling for a while, the two arrived at the place where the Cold Mirror Wall was located.

At this time, a great bell tolled three times from Lingxu Sect, causing an uproar among all the disciples.

Whenever a major event occurred in Lingxu Sect, the bell would be rung as a warning. The bell being struck three times meant that a cultivator of the Elder level was going to face the Cold Mirror Wall.

The entire Lingxu Sect knew the power of the Cold Mirror Wall, and because of this, few people used this wall. Now that the bell had actually rung three times, almost everyone's curiosity was piqued.

By the time Zhang Jingmo and Elder Cen had sat down in front of the Cold Mirror Wall, the entire Lingxu Sect knew that Zhang Jingmo, who had been slandered by Elder Cen, was proving his innocence in this way.

After learning the news, Ji Jinglun and Yu Fen, who had rushed over, were unable to stop Zhang Jingmo. The two showed a look of regret on their faces, watching helplessly as Zhang Jingmo entered the range of the Cold Mirror Wall and had already sat down.

Yu Fen said with a bitter smile, "When did Qingyuan become so impulsive? Why bother contending with Elder Cen, a dying man?"

Ji Jinglun also felt that this was unlike Zhang Jingmo's usual style, but now that it had happened, he had no way to change it. He could only show the same bitter smile as Yu Fen, "Yeah... I can't figure it out either. Could it be that Master was provoked by the matter with my junior brother?"

Hearing this, Yu Fen actually felt there was some truth to it. He said, "And about that junior brother of yours—your Master doted on him so much, yet he's been gone for over a decade without sending back any news. I heard that the Sect Master's disciple Su Yu is about to return though..." As he spoke, he sighed again.

On this side, Yu Fen and Ji Jinglun had arrived. On the other side, Zhang Jingmo had already started speaking out his grievances.

Elder Cen's face had been carrying a cold smile. He knew that as soon as Zhang Jingmo entered the Cold Mirror Wall, his life would be ruined. Zhang Jingmo's cultivation was already hindered from taking the Luo'e Pill, and now entering the Cold Mirror Wall would cause even greater damage to his dantian.

The more Elder Cen thought about it, the happier he became. He actually started laughing loudly, not caring how others saw him. He directly said, "Zhang Jingmo, oh Zhang Jingmo, you were wise all your life but muddled for a moment. You had a bright future ahead, yet you personally destroyed it. No matter how powerful your disciple is, now that you've entered the Cold Mirror Wall, don't even think about breaking through for a thousand years. After a thousand years, your lifespan will also be nearly spent..." As he said this, he laughed so much that tears came out.

How could Zhang Jingmo not see the despair contained in Elder Cen's laughter? Hearing Elder Cen's words, his expression did not change in the slightest. He said indifferently, "Elder Cen, you really are adorably naive."

Elder Cen thought Zhang Jingmo was still deceiving himself. He said, "I am already a dying man. Exchanging the second half of your life for mine, I feel it's worth it. It's a pity that you originally had soaring momentum, but made such a stupid move."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Jingmo laughed, "Elder Cen, do you know? I was originally thinking that after your cultivation is crippled, I would take your life. But now... I've changed my mind."

Elder Cen snorted coldly, thinking Zhang Jingmo was just putting on a front.

Zhang Jingmo continued, "Do you really think I, Zhang Jingmo, am someone whose judgment would be clouded by anger? If I weren't absolutely certain, would I enter the Cold Mirror Wall with you? In my view, the one whose head is muddled by rage should be you."

Seeing that Zhang Jingmo never showed a hint of panic, and instead had a half-smiling expression, Elder Cen's heart skipped a beat as an ominous feeling surfaced in his mind.

Zhang Jingmo said indifferently, "I want you to live and witness my lifelong success. Not only will I form the Nascent Soul that you failed to achieve, but I also want you to see me ascend to the immortal realm. Oh, I almost forgot, after you lose your cultivation, you're nothing but a mortal. Having a lifespan of a few decades is already a blessing from the heavens. How could you have the chance to see what happens to me later?" After saying that, he laughed softly, a sound that made Elder Cen's heart tighten.

At this point, even if Elder Cen had doubts about the matter, he couldn't take a step back. He could only force a smile and say, "Zhang Jingmo, keep being stubborn. I want to see what methods you have to... restore your cultivation."

Zhang Jingmo laughed, "There are countless elixirs in the world. Elder Cen, just because you don't know about them doesn't mean they don't exist."

At this point, Elder Cen already believed most of what Zhang Jingmo said. He still wanted to laugh but couldn't. Instead, what surfaced in his mind were the words Zhang Jingmo deliberately used to provoke him and the expressions he showed.

At some sudden thought, Elder Cen shuddered, his expression becoming dazed, as if he had been severely shocked.

However, there was no turning back from the path he had chosen. Zhang Jingmo endured the pain brought by the Cold Mirror Wall and the Luo'e Pill, and the smile in his eyes grew even richer.

Yu Fen and Ji Jinglun were waiting anxiously outside. Zhang Jingmo had already taken the Luo'e Pill earlier, sealing his dantian. Now he had entered the Cold Mirror Wall, and it was unknown whether he could endure it.

The usually talkative Yu Fen seemed very depressed and spent the whole day drinking outside the Cold Mirror Wall.

It was precisely because the two were guarding here that they didn't know that at this time in the Lingxu Sect, Zhang Jingmo had already established a glorious and lofty image—a loyal elder of the Lingxu Sect who worked diligently every day to refine elixirs.

Unfortunately, he was captured by people from the Kuchan Valley and forced to refine the legendary elixir, the Tianqu Yellow Spring Pill. After refining the elixir, he was also forced to consume the Luo'e Pill. He could have been an honored guest in the Kuchan Valley, but he still chose to return to the Lingxu Sect without hesitation. However, such a loyal person was forced by the petty and vicious Elder Cen to enter the Cold Mirror Wall to prove his innocence.

It was truly pitiful and lamentable!

Zhang Jingmo didn't know that because of this matter, his reputation soared, while Elder Cen, who originally had little popularity, had become a pariah whom everyone detested.

At this time, besides Ji Jinglun and Yu Fen, the Sect Master also felt equally heavy-hearted. He had not expected Zhang Jingmo to be so impulsive. If he had known Zhang Jingmo's plan from the beginning, he would never have called Elder Cen over, but would have chosen to solve it privately.

Although Elder Cen was an elder, compared to Zhang Jingmo, an alchemist with a limitless future, he was far less important.

But now it was too late to say these things. Zhang Jingmo had already entered the Cold Mirror Wall, and they could only wait for him to come out and see the situation before making a decision.

Days passed by, and Zhang Jingmo's physical condition became worse and worse. The reason why few people used the Cold Mirror Wall was that the damage to the body was too great.

About twelve days into the ordeal, Zhang Jingmo started vomiting blood and had not stopped since, almost soaking the ground.

Yu Fen watched from a distance, feeling flustered, and said, "Jinglun, do you think your master can endure it?"

Ji Jinglun sighed, "If he can't endure it, he can only endure..."

Yu Fen said helplessly, "Since I joined the Lingxu Sect, I have seen more than a dozen people use this Cold Mirror Wall... every one of them..." He couldn't continue speaking. "I don't know how sad Qingyuan's little disciple will be when he sees this."

Ji Jinglun also had a bitter face. He shook his head and said, "I only pray that Master can hold on until he comes out."

Yu Fen muttered, "If he comes out, I'm going to scold him properly..."

While the two worried, Zhang Jingmo's condition became even worse. The pain in his body made him unable to straighten up, and he could only lie on the ground weakly.

But if someone could see Zhang Jingmo's expression at this time, they would find a faint smile on his lips, while Elder Cen, who outwardly looked to be in a good state, showed profound despair.