Nangong Yan shivered, his eyes full of fear, his voice trembling slightly, "Ancestor, are these two medicinal ingredients yours?"
Chen Nan smiled and shrugged, "If I'm not mistaken, you must have obtained these two medicinal ingredients at the Grand Hotel in the provincial capital, right?"
*Plop!*
Nangong Yan was so frightened that he knelt on the ground, saying with extreme fear, "This junior did not know the origin of these two medicinal ingredients. I beg the Ancestor for punishment!"
Li Ping'an, standing beside him, didn't know whether to laugh or cry!
They stole the Ancestor's medicinal ingredients.
And then they wanted to give them to him as a gesture of filial piety...
This maneuver was truly incomprehensible!
Chen Nan said casually, "You stole them to show filial piety to me. Now that these two medicinal ingredients have found their way back to me, it must be fate's arrangement. There's nothing to blame."
Nangong Yan breathed a sigh of relief, then said, "Ancestor, what about my master and fellow disciples..."
"You don't need to worry about this matter!" Chen Nan slowly stood up, a cold glint flashing in his eyes. "Since I am the most senior disciple of the Outer Eight Sects, I have the right to adjudicate injustice and punish unfilial descendants!"
---
*Slap!*
In the Ruyi Hall.
Aunt Lan, her face full of anger, slapped Yan Wushuang in front of everyone.
This action drew a lot of attention.
It seemed no one expected this woman to lose her temper in public.
"Do you know why your master is hitting you?" Aunt Lan's eyes were cold, radiating immense anger.
"Disciple knows," Yan Wushuang lowered her head.
Her seductive art was taught by her master.
Once a practitioner of seductive art loses their virginity, their entire demeanor undergoes a significant change.
It was understandable that her master couldn't tell in the darkness outside.
But now, in the brightly lit hall, this matter could no longer be hidden from her.
"You knew we were about to go to the capital, so why did you still do such a thing? Are you protesting against me with this behavior? Do you know the consequences of what you've done?"
Aunt Lan's anger grew with each word, "You will ruin everything I have painstakingly built, and you will ruin the future of our Orchid Sect!"
"Where is the man who defiled you? I will castrate him and make him pay a heavy price!"
Yan Wushuang's face changed drastically.
She never expected her master to be so furious.
"Why is Sister Lan so angry?"
A booming laugh echoed.
Cao Zhen, along with people from the Sect of Thieves, arrived at the Ruyi Hall.
He was over fifty, dressed in a black Tang suit.
Behind him followed a group of disciples from the Sect of Thieves.
Among them were Cao Dayuan and his son Cao Yang, who had been publicly slapped by Chen Nan here before.
Cao Zhen's appearance caused the atmosphere to change abruptly.
Although they all belonged to the Outer Eight Sects, no one liked Cao Zhen, the sect leader of the Sect of Thieves.
"What business is it of yours whether I'm angry or not?" Aunt Lan made no attempt to hide her displeasure towards Cao Zhen.
"Cao Zhen, today is to pay respects to the Ancestor. Why are you bringing so many people and making such a grand display? Do you still have the Ancestor in your eyes?"
A man in his sixties spoke. He was Guan Nian, the sect leader of the Sect of Life-Taking, which ranked eighth among the Outer Eight Sects but was not to be underestimated. The most famous ancient assassin, Jing Ke, was a disciple of the Sect of Life-Taking.
Cao Zhen chuckled, "Elder Guan, it is precisely because we are here to pay respects to the Ancestor that I brought more people. Only in this way can we show our Sect of Thieves' respect for the Ancestor, isn't that right?"
"You better have no other intentions. If you do, my Sect of Mechanisms will be the first to deal with you!" Lu Fu, the sect leader of the Sect of Mechanisms, was playing with a wooden hand-held ornament. The Sect of Mechanisms, skilled in secret mechanisms, could cleverly craft exquisite hidden weapons, and even a mere hand-held ornament possessed terrifying power.
"Elder Lu, it's been a few years, and your temper has only grown," Cao Zhen's face showed a hint of disdain. "As the saying goes, excessive anger harms the body. You should restrain your temper."
"Cao Zhen, although you are the sect leader of the Sect of Thieves, your seniority is below ours. Are you publicly mocking Elder Lu, disrespecting us elders?"
A figure hidden beneath a black robe spoke in an ancient female voice. Her voice was sharp, like countless insects chirping together. Although she was a woman, the people present did not dare to underestimate her. She was Gu Men's sect leader, Mei Gu, ranked second among the Outer Eight Sects. Gu Men, second only to Wu Men in mystery, rarely showed itself. Although Gu Men had the fewest disciples, no one dared to disrespect Mei Gu, as no one knew the consequences of angering her.
Cao Zhen laughed, "Mei Gu, you say too much. Even if I don't put others in my eyes, you are my elder. How dare I disrespect you, a junior?"
Mei Gu said coldly, "Today is a joyous occasion to meet the Ancestor. I don't care how your Sect of Thieves internally disputes; you had best not anger the Ancestor!"
"Also, tell the riffraff to get out!"
"They are not worthy to see the Ancestor!"
Cao Zhen's smile gradually faded, "Mei Gu, I respect you and regard you as an elder. But I, Cao Zhen, am the sect leader of the Sect of Thieves. Are you disrespecting my Sect of Thieves by shouting at me like this?"
"So what if I disrespect you?"
Following Mei Gu's cold laugh, a buzzing sound emanated from beneath her black robe. A swarm of blood-red mosquitoes flew out like a red cloud. The atmosphere in the venue suddenly became tense. They could even feel a bloody smell permeating the air.
"Are you already fighting amongst yourselves before the Ancestor has even appeared?" Xu Xiang'an said expressionlessly. Although Hong Shou Juan (Red Handkerchief) had little influence among the Outer Eight Sects, Li Ping'an had met the Ancestor early on. Therefore, when Xu Xiang'an spoke, the atmosphere immediately eased.
"Everyone, please be quiet," Qian Men's sect leader, Ying Bie, holding a deck of playing cards, said, "This is our first time meeting the Ancestor, and we should leave a good impression on him. Fighting and killing is not proper. If it doesn't work out, let's sit down and play cards to decide the winner!" Ying Bie said cheerfully. The Sect of Thousand Skills, if nothing else, was expert at cheating.
Cao Zhen snorted, "Child's play!"
Ying Bie's lips curled up, "How about we play a round?"
"I can't be bothered to deal with you!" Cao Zhen snorted dismissively, then swaggered to a chair and sat down.
"The Ancestor has arrived!"
Following Li Ping'an's excited announcement, all the sect leaders of the six sects present, except for the Sect of Thieves, immediately stood up. They all looked towards the entrance, eager to meet the Ancestor of Wu Men. After all, Wu Men was extremely strict in accepting disciples. One had to possess extraordinary talent to be accepted as a disciple and inherit the position of sect leader.
At this moment, the air seemed to freeze.
Everyone held their breath, anticipating the appearance of that mysterious figure.
As footsteps grew closer, Li Ping'an, with a respectful expression, led Chen Nan into the Ruyi Hall.
Yan Wushuang's pupils trembled, and she let out a cry of surprise, "Chen Nan, why are you here? Could it be that you are the Ancestor?"