Shen Xian noticed Shi Yi's unusual expression and followed his gaze, turning to look and muttering, "It's over, we've said too much."
"What do we do?" Shi Yi asked, his heart filled with anxiety as he watched the approaching immortals.
Shen Xian gripped his broom, lowered his head, and quickly turned to sweep the fallen leaves he had just scooped from the lake back into it.
Seeing this, Shi Yi quietly asked, "What are you doing?"
"Quick, help me," Shen Xian urged urgently.
Upon hearing this, Shi Yi quickly cast a spell, and together with Shen Xian, they pushed the fallen leaves back into the lake.
The old gentleman looked at his two disciples with astonishment at their actions. He then glanced at Zhang Yan walking beside him, as well as the other immortals, and frowned.
Zhang Yan: "Are your two disciples covering up evidence?"
Any reaction from the lake surface would be immediately known to all the immortals, but they couldn't sense who the immortal using the demonic arts was. Therefore, they were gathering one by one, each with the mindset of spectators, eager to see which unlucky immortal was the culprit.
Clearly, Zhang Yan was unaware that the one who had made the mistake was Mu An Xiao.
"I see," the old gentleman said, stopping his steps. "You two, stop what you're doing."
At the sound, Shi Yi hurriedly stopped, terrified, but Shen Xian continued.
Shi Yi, seeing the old gentleman glaring furiously at Shen Xian, was startled. He quickly turned and grabbed Shen Xian's arm. "Stop moving, Master is going mad... he's angry."
"Going mad," Zhang Yan repeated, looking at the old gentleman.
The old gentleman ignored Zhang Yan and continued to stare at Shi Yi, who was forcefully restraining Shen Xian. "Let go of him."
Hearing this, Shi Yi obediently released Shen Xian and took a step back, lowering his head.
At the same time, Shen Xian also stopped and turned to face the old gentleman, remaining silent.
Shi Yi cautiously glanced at the lake surface, now completely hidden by the fallen leaves, and breathed a sigh of relief.
The old gentleman: "Who is it."
Shen Xian feigned ignorance: "What are you saying?"
"I said," the old gentleman stated sternly, "who is using demonic arts."
"What do you mean?"
"Shen Xian, you'd better not play dumb with me."
Seeing this, Zhang Yan said, "Perhaps he truly doesn't understand what you're saying." He was worried that the old gentleman might expel Shen Xian in anger.
The old gentleman glanced at Zhang Yan, then at the surrounding immortals waiting to watch the show, and finally turned back to Shen Xian, who was still feigning ignorance. "It seems you really don't know what's going on?"
Shen Xian: "...." He tightened his grip on the broom.
Shi Yi: "...." He cautiously glanced at Shen Xian, then turned back to the old gentleman and said, "Master, we really don't know anything."
"Don't know," the old gentleman said, nodding. This was the response he wanted. "Very well, you two, clear the leaves from the lake surface now."
"Master, I did this to protect the lake."
"...." The old gentleman narrowed his eyes.
The other immortals immediately understood Shen Xian's fallacious argument.
One female immortal said, "You did that because you saw us approaching."
"Exactly, you were clearly trying to conceal something."
"Yes, definitely concealing."
"You two definitely have something to hide."
"Yes, something to hide."
Listening to their shouts, the old gentleman clenched his fist and said, "Clear the leaves from the lake surface, quickly!"
"...." They both fell silent.
Zhang Yan chuckled and said, "Don't scold your disciples, I'll do it." With that, he stepped forward.
Seeing Zhang Yan approaching, Shi Yi and Shen Xian exchanged glances and then stepped forward together, intentionally blocking Zhang Yan. Shi Yi said, "I think... it's better if you don't look."
Zhang Yan smiled: "Why?"
Shi Yi cleared his throat. "Don't ask why, it's all for your own good."
"That's very thoughtful of you," Zhang Yan said, bypassing Shi Yi and walking to the lake.
Shen Xian cast a sidelong glance at Shi Yi and whispered, "Let him see for himself."
Shi Yi sighed.
Zhang Yan, sensing nothing, lightly waved his arm. Then, all the leaves floated up with his spell, creating a spectacular scene.
The immortals who didn't believe Shen Xian and Shi Yi, the moment the leaves rose, bypassed the old gentleman and rushed over.
Just then, Mu An Xiao's casting of the spell appeared before Zhang Yan's eyes. Instantly, he widened his eyes and quickly retracted his hand.
The next second, as Zhang Yan withdrew his spell, the leaves fell back down.
Shi Yi looked at Zhang Yan's back from the side and breathed a sigh of relief.
Shen Xian knew that Zhang Yan was Mu An Xiao's master, and his methods would surely be more effective than theirs. That's why he hadn't stopped him earlier.
He also knew that after seeing Mu An Xiao, Zhang Yan would definitely side with them.
The immortals stopped for a moment as the leaves once again covered the lake's surface.
The female immortal said angrily, "What's wrong?"
Zhang Yan, with his back to them, deliberately extended his hand, calculated with his fingers, and said, "Not right." Then he turned around.
The female immortal: "What's not right?"
Zhang Yan deliberately looked around and shook his head. "That scene, it's not good."
"What scene?"
"A girl piling stones by the river, a boy urinating by the water. That kind of scene," Zhang Yan smiled, "you like it."
The female immortal was embarrassed. "We came to see the immortal secretly using demonic arts, not to see children."
"So you don't like it then." Zhang Yan said flatly.
The female immortal: "Of course not." She then leaned forward to look at the lake water, which was once again covered by leaves, and narrowed her eyes. "By the way, are those really children?"
"You don't trust me."
"It's not about not trusting," the female immortal said, "it's just... the information couldn't be wrong."
"It wasn't wrong."
"Huh?"
"Near those children, there was indeed an immortal fighting another demon with demonic arts. After those children appeared briefly, that scene disappeared."
Judging by the timing, the notification time for the lake water had passed. All of this was within Zhang Yan's calculations.
Listening to Zhang Yan, the female immortal calculated with her fingers and said, "The time is up."
Zhang Yan sighed. "That's truly a shame."
"Yes, we'll have to wait for that immortal to cast their spell again."
"Right," Zhang Yan agreed.
Subsequently, upon hearing this disappointing news, the other immortals dispersed.
Zhang Yan watched them leave one by one, breathed a sigh of relief, and looked at Shi Yi and Shen Xian beside him, whispering, "Don't tell anyone."
"Mm," they both nodded slightly.
After they had completely left, the old gentleman looked at Shi Yi and Shen Xian sternly and asked, "Is there anything you are hiding from me?"
Zhang Yan: "There's nothing." His face remained unchanged.
Shi Yi cautiously looked at Zhang Yan's calm expression and let out a breath.
Then, the old gentleman glanced at Shi Yi, and shifted his gaze to Shen Xian. "You tell me."
"...." Shen Xian deliberately averted his gaze.