The Male Lead I Wronged Has Blackened

CHAPTER 35: Don’t Be Afraid, I’m Here

　　Everyone froze, staring at the girl on the altar. For a long moment, the scene was completely still, broken only by gasps of shock and murmurs of disbelief.

　　The disciples from the four sects gawked, their eyes wide, unable to recover for a long time.

　　Even the Shuiyun Palace disciples, each stunning and radiant, seemed dull and pale in comparison to this girl.

　　Lin Jing, though shocked, quickly regained her composure. Clearly, this breathtaking woman was not Si Luo. The question was why she appeared here wearing the same clothes as Si Luo. Something had definitely happened.

　　Jiang Shuo glanced at Si Yao. The flicker of astonishment in his eyes was brief, and then he calmly positioned himself at her side.

　　The most anxious was Mu Yuanbai. Now that Si Yao’s identity had been exposed, countless troubles could come her way. He urgently wanted to step forward and shield her.

　　Si Yao furrowed her brows slightly, still trying to piece everything together. After a moment, she steadied herself and asked softly, “Is the ceremony over?”

　　Her voice was unbelievably clear and melodic, like pearls dropping on jade, crisp and soothing to the ear.

　　Hearing Si Yao’s voice, everyone’s confusion immediately flipped into shock. This was unmistakably Si Luo’s voice!

　　Only Lin Jing refused to believe it. Her beautiful eyes widened as she whispered, “You… you are Si Luo?”

　　Si Yao, who had never been fond of Lin Jing, found the question absurd. Without even sparing her a glance, she let out a soft snort. “I am not Si Luo. Are you?”

　　Lin Jing could barely believe what she was seeing. The girl who had seemed so ordinary just moments ago had suddenly become a peerless beauty. Her voice trembled. “How… how is this possible… You really are Si Luo…”

　　Si Yao’s answer left no doubt that the flawless girl on the altar was indeed Si Luo.

　　Lin Jing felt a bitter mix of humiliation and regret. She had mocked Si Yao’s looks only moments ago. If Si Yao's appearance was ugly, then she was less than dust.

　　At that moment, Lin Jing just wanted to disappear. Compared to Si Yao, she was like heaven and earth, light and shadow.

　　Hearing Si Yao’s confirmation, the crowd below erupted into a flurry of shocked whispers and heated discussion.

　　“Oh my God! How did she suddenly become so beautiful!”

　　“She’s even more stunning than the fairies in the sky! How can anyone in this world be this perfect!”

　　“What… what is going on? Could it be because of that strange light just now?”

　　The crowd below buzzed loudly with chatter, voices overlapping in shock and wonder. Si Yao’s expression immediately changed. This was bad—her illusion had clearly failed.

　　Her magic had been exposed in front of everyone. If the people of Xuanming Sect realized that she was the infamous Si Yao, things would not end well.

　　Her face stiffened, and she instinctively clenched her fists. Her mind raced, trying to figure out a way to escape this disaster.

　　Just as she was panicking, a different kind of voice came from the Xuanming Sect side, one filled with confusion rather than mere surprise.

　　“Why does she look so familiar…” an older disciple asked, his voice full of puzzlement. He had been with Xuanming Sect for over twenty-three years, a veteran with plenty of experience.

　　“I feel the same…” another disciple agreed.

　　For those who had been in the sect for over ten years, seeing Si Luo sparked more shock than awe, because she looked exactly like someone from their memories—someone who should never have appeared here.

　　They dared not speak her name, because that person had died over ten years ago, reduced to ashes without a trace.

　　But there was one person who, the moment she saw Si Yao’s true face, felt a flood of emotions.

　　And she alone knew immediately—it was Si Yao.

　　Shen Rong stared straight at Si Yao, her throat tight and eyes red with unshed tears.

　　No wonder… no wonder she had always felt so familiar around Si Luo.

　　No wonder, on the very first day they met, Si Luo had taken her to the lake they used to visit ten years ago to drink together.

　　The leaders of the four sects were also shocked, but their experience allowed them to quickly realize that Si Luo had used a special spiritual technique to conceal her true face.

　　Yan Jingshan stepped forward, clasped his hands toward Jiang Shuo and the elders, and said sincerely, “Forgive our poor eyes for not seeing it sooner. The lady of your sect is truly peerless. She is clearly a child favored by heaven itself. With her, the Xuanming Sect will surely prosper even more.”

　　His words were earnest, yet the Xuanming Sect elders showed no joy. Their expressions were strange and unreadable.

　　Under the altar’s source light, no disguise could remain hidden.

　　Under the altar’s light, Jiang Shuo remained unchanged, but Si Luo’s appearance had completely shifted. The situation was obvious now—Si Luo’s illusion had triggered the altar’s source light.

　　But it wasn’t just a simple disguise. Her face was identical to that person’s.

　　Si Yao’s heart thumped violently, and her palms were slick with cold sweat from the tension.

　　No matter how she thought, she couldn’t find a way to deal with the crisis. If the elders and the sect’s disciples insisted on punishing her to the extreme, even if it meant death, she would still fight tooth and nail to escape.

　　“Who does she look like?”

　　Some of the newer disciples, hearing the murmurs and gasps from the older ones, couldn’t help but ask. Who did Si Luo resemble?

　　Some shook their heads, refusing to accept the thought. That person couldn’t possibly appear here.

　　Others checked again and again, and finally shouted in shock, “It’s Si Yao! It’s Si Yao!”

　　“No mistake! That face, I’ll never forget it in my life!”

　　One disciple spoke up, and others who recognized her joined in one after another.

　　“It has to be her. There’s no second face like that in heaven or earth!”

　　“Oh my god, she’s alive! She even took the name Si Luo and got engaged to Jiang Shuo. Is she plotting some vile scheme against him again?”

　　“This cruel woman… to think she survived until now.”

　　The newer disciples had never seen Si Yao in person but had heard her story. She was notorious, a name everyone in the sect despised.

　　The crowd erupted with calls to punish Si Yao. Her eyes darted around in panic, and she felt utterly helpless.

　　Seeing her anxiety, Jiang Shuo reached out, holding Si Yao’s small hand in his own, and whispered in her ear, “I’m here. Don’t be afraid.”

　　Si Yao’s heart skipped a beat. His hand was cold to the touch, yet it felt warm, calming her racing thoughts.

　　Just as the Xuanming Sect disciples seemed about to erupt in chaos, Elder Hongfang raised a hand, silencing them.

　　“Quiet. Let me ask first. I will handle this properly.”

　　Elder Hongfang silenced the noisy disciples, then turned to Si Yao. Countless questions were caught in his throat, but he didn’t know where to start.

　　After a long moment, he sighed and asked, “You… are Si Yao?”

　　Si Yao wanted to deny it outright, but Jiang Shuo squeezed her hand firmly and whispered in her ear, “I’m here. You don’t need to hide anymore.”

　　His voice was low and rough, carrying the charm of a mature man. Si Yao admitted it—at that moment, she couldn’t help but feel drawn in.

　　She nodded, silently confirming the truth.

　　The moment Si Yao admitted it, the Xuanming Sect disciples erupted again.

　　“She really is Si Yao!”

　　“How can such a cruel and dangerous woman become our Sect Leader’s wife? We demand the elders handle this fairly!”

　　“Si Yao has committed countless crimes and tried to harm disciples repeatedly. The elders must deal with her according to sect rules!”

　　Her misdeeds from ten years ago had spread throughout the sect, exaggerated over time until she had become the image of a merciless, vile beast.

　　Now that they knew she was alive, the sect’s disciples were furious. Every one of them wished she would die immediately.

　　Elder Situ looked troubled. He had carefully orchestrated things to allow Jiang Shuo to succeed as Sect Leader, and he never imagined something this unbelievable would happen at the last moment.

　　“Si Yao is cunning and dangerous. Everyone in the sect knows it. If she is not executed, the anger of the disciples will never be quelled.”

　　A disciple stepped forward demanding the elders to punish Si Yao severely. Her name was Lin Churou. She had a past grudge against Si Yao and saw this moment as the perfect opportunity to strike back.    

　　The situation had erupted so suddenly that the elders were momentarily at a loss in the face of Lin Churou’s accusations.

　　Mu Yuanbai’s heart raced with anxiety. Seeing the calls to punish Si Yao growing louder, he could no longer stay silent.

　　In a few brisk steps, he climbed the high platform and bowed to the elders. “Si Yao has made mistakes, but she has already paid the price once with her life. If the elders insist on punishing her further, I am willing to take the blame in her place.”

　　Si Yao hadn’t expected Mu Yuanbai to go this far for her. She had caused this mess herself and couldn’t bear the thought of dragging him into it. Panic flared in her chest as she hurriedly called out, “Senior Brother, you don’t have to do this.”

　　The moment she spoke, Jiang Shuo’s expression remained steady. Silently, he tightened his grip on Si Yao’s hand and drew her close to his side.

　　“Senior Brother!”

　　Lin Churou was stunned. Mu Yuanbai had always been fair and just, so why would he plead for someone as cunning and dangerous as Si Yao?

　　The other disciples were equally shocked. They hadn’t expected Mu Yuanbai to stand up and speak on Si Yao’s behalf.

　　After all, Si Yao had originally been promised to Mu Yuanbai. When the Sect Leader’s succession shifted from him to Jiang Shuo, she had openly contracted a marriage with Jiang Shuo instead. To everyone else, that was a clear rejection of Mu Yuanbai, yet here he was, willing to take the blame for a woman known for her deceit.

　　Jiang Shuo’s godlike features darkened, his gaze sharp and cold as he looked at Mu Yuanbai. “Si Yao’s affairs are none of your concern.”

　　Elder Situ’s heart skipped a beat. Si Yao had returned to the sect with Jiang Shuo, which meant he had known her identity all along. Seeing how he had behaved toward her over the past few days, Elder Situ realized it would be better to let the aggrieved party handle this himself.

　　He smiled faintly and addressed the angry disciples. “The succession ceremony is complete. From now on, all sect affairs will be decided by the Sect Leader. Si Yao’s matters should also be left to the Sect Leader’s judgment.”

　　Elder Situ’s words immediately calmed the crowd. They knew Jiang Shuo was the true victim in all this. Si Yao had repeatedly tried to trap him, and with his temperament, no one expected him to let it slide.

　　The only question that remained was how Jiang Shuo would deal with his former enemy.   

    

    

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