True Master Chengyue pointed at Xu Yi, her expression both triumphant and wild.
She seemed to believe that by bringing reinforcements, she could erase her previous humiliation.
However, she failed to notice that the face of True Master Longhua beside her had already darkened like ink.
True Master Longhua was not impulsive and easily angered like True Master Chengyue. She carefully observed the other party, and the more she looked, the colder her heart became.
Two cultivators at the mid-stage of Integration.
And one of them was suspected to be from the Xuanji Gate.
These were not existences that the Mingyue Pavilion could suppress.
With the unexpected death of Sect Leader Jingqiu, the Mingyue Pavilion's high-level combat power was further weakened.
Among the six elders standing here now, besides True Master Longhua, there was another elder who had recently entered the Integration stage.
However, True Master Longhua was advanced in age, and that elder's foundation was unstable. Both of their strengths were greatly diminished, making it difficult for them to engage in direct combat with cultivators of the same cultivation level.
In other words, if a fight truly broke out, the Mingyue Pavilion would be bound to lose.
True Master Longhua weighed the pros and cons and suddenly spoke, coldly reprimanding True Master Chengyue, "Chengyue, do not be rude!"
True Master Chengyue's triumphant expression froze instantly on her face. She looked at True Master Longhua in surprise, "Grand Elder..."
"Silence!"
True Master Longhua shot her a cold glare, then turned to put on a smiling face, bowed, and said, "We did not expect your esteemed arrival and apologize for the lack of proper welcome. Please forgive us."
Xu Yi exchanged a glance with Zhan Fei. This Grand Elder was indeed a perceptive person, adept at seeking advantages and avoiding disadvantages.
"May I know who you are..."
"I am the Grand Elder of Mingyue Pavilion, my Daoist title is Longhua," True Master Longhua introduced herself.
"So it is True Master Longhua. I have heard much about you."
Xu Yi retracted the coldness from her face and also bowed to the other party with a smile.
One does not strike a smiling face. Since the other party had already shown their stance, she naturally had to respond accordingly.
Moreover, she hadn't intended to cause trouble from the start. She only wanted to investigate the truth, which also required the cooperation of the Mingyue Pavilion.
If she truly angered the people of Mingyue Pavilion, the losses would outweigh the gains.
"I am Xu Yi from Xuanji Gate, and this is Zhan Fei, the Sect Leader of Huofu Sect. We have come to your esteemed location today to offer condolences upon hearing of the passing of Sect Leader Jingqiu of Mingyue Pavilion." Xu Yi stated her purpose.
As expected, they were from Xuanji Gate.
True Master Longhua's heart skipped a beat.
Previously, Lan Keren had sent a message to the sect stating that Wen Yi and a mysterious woman had defected from the sect, and this mysterious woman was the culprit who had injured True Master Jingqiu and stolen the secret treasure.
When True Master Longhua received the message, she was still half-believing. Now, seeing Xu Yi, she suddenly believed that perhaps this statement was not without basis.
After all, cultivators who dared to casually injure a sect leader and steal treasures were not common.
And Xu Yi happened to possess the strength and confidence to do such outrageous things.
However, since the other party had enmity with Sect Leader Jingqiu, why did she specifically come to offer condolences?
What was her true purpose?
True Master Longhua was highly wary of Xu Yi, yet since Xu Yi had already spoken, she could not refuse.
She showed no emotion on her face and respectfully said, "So the two of you are also old friends of Sect Leader Jingqiu. Please follow me."
"Grand Elder!"
True Master Chengyue's eyes were almost bulging out. She couldn't understand why the Grand Elder wasn't siding with her but with those outsiders.
True Master Longhua was almost choked with anger by the unobservant True Master Chengyue, and a cold glint suddenly flashed in her eyes.
True Master Chengyue felt as if she was enveloped by a chill. She instinctively retreated several steps before feeling slightly better.
And as she retreated, Xu Yi, Zhan Fei, and the other two had already followed True Master Longhua's steps to the mountain gate of Mingyue Pavilion.
True Master Chengyue stood there awkwardly, her face pale and shifting colors. Finally, she gritted her teeth and followed.
Wen Yi once again stood before the mountain gate of Mingyue Pavilion, feeling as if she were dreaming.
She looked around. Her fellow disciples, who had always been friendly to her, were now staring at her with hateful, indifferent gazes, sending chills down her spine.
She couldn't understand why she, who had done nothing wrong, had become the one who was being criticized.
"Forgive my abruptness, but may I ask which esteemed elder's disciple you are from Xuanji Gate, and how you knew the Sect Leader? I am truly curious, and hope you will forgive my presumptuousness."
Along the way, True Master Longhua directly inquired about Xu Yi's origins.
This straightforward style made Xu Yi look at her with new admiration.
"My master is the Ancestor Yuanming, and I am his second-generation disciple. As for how I met Sect Leader Jingqiu, that dates back to a banquet many years ago..."
Since True Master Longhua liked to be direct, Xu Yi decided not to spare the Mingyue Pavilion's reputation. After all, the people here were either her own people or members of the Mingyue Pavilion.
When True Master Longhua heard that Wang Biyun had caused trouble for no reason, her aged face couldn't help but twitch.
No wonder Wang Biyun never returned. It turned out she had done such a disgraceful thing.
A sudden ominous premonition arose in True Master Longhua's heart.
Xu Yi had not mentioned True Master Jingqiu at all earlier, which meant they met after Xu Yi and Wang Biyun had a conflict.
And based on True Master Longhua's understanding of True Master Jingqiu's character, she could roughly guess what happened next.
Indeed, upon hearing Xu Yi describe how she had pinned True Master Jingqiu to the ground and "frictioned" her, True Master Longhua, despite her anticipation, couldn't help but have her expression contort for a moment.
Only then did she understand why Sect Leader Jingqiu had become unusually despondent after returning from her outing; it was because she had experienced such a humiliating event.
What made her even more angry and helpless was that although Xu Yi's actions were ruthless, there was not the slightest fault to be found.
Even if the Mingyue Pavilion wanted to pursue the matter, they had no grounds to do so.
True Master Longhua cast a subtle glance at Xu Yi and secretly shook her head.
However, it was only at this moment that she realized she had overlooked a very important detail earlier.
Xu Yi said her master was Ancestor Yuanming.
True Master Longhua found the name both familiar and strange. In her memory, Xuanji Gate seemed to have had an ancestor with the Daoist title Yuanming, but this ancestor had ascended nearly two thousand years ago. How could he be Xu Yi's master?
But looking at Xu Yi's expression, it didn't seem like she was lying.
Could this be true?
"Oh, if True Master Longhua doesn't believe me, you can ask Sect Leader Zhan beside me and your sect's former disciple, Wen Yi. They are both witnesses from that day."
True Master Longhua unintentionally blurted out her doubt. Xu Yi thought she was asking about her entanglement with True Master Jingqiu, so she presented Zhan Fei and Wen Yi.
Before True Master Longhua could resolve her previous confusion, she was entangled by a new problem.
"Wait, what did Fellow Daoist Xu just say? Former disciple? Are you referring to Wen Yi?"
True Master Longhua's brows furrowed.
A disciple's defection was a disgrace to any sect.
Seeing that Xu Yi brought Wen Yi with her, True Master Longhua thought she was coming to intercede for Wen Yi, allowing her to remain in Mingyue Pavilion. She never expected her to bring someone here to slap the face of Mingyue Pavilion.
A man can only endure so much.
This time, True Master Longhua was truly angered.