Wen Yi carefully extended her hand and, with Xu Yi's assistance, got to her feet.
Beside her, Lan Keran watched the scene with trembling fear, her heart a tangled mess.
This woman who had suddenly appeared knew Wen Yi.
And their relationship seemed close.
But hadn't the other woman just claimed she had injured their Master and stolen the secret treasure?
Why was Wen Yi so close to her?
Could it be that their Master's injury was a conspiracy between the two of them?
A guess flashed through Lan Keran's mind, but she dismissed it moments later.
Wen Yi considered their Master her closest kin; she would never do such a thing. There must be another reason.
While Lan Keran was lost in thought, Xu Yi withdrew her hand and looked at Wen Yi, "How did your Master die?"
Xu Yi asked directly.
Wen Yi blinked, then her eyes drooped slightly, and she said sadly, "Master... Master was caught off guard and harmed by a villain."
"What? Master was murdered? Wen Yi, why didn't you tell me!"
Lan Keran was greatly alarmed.
She had always believed that her Master had died from trying to break through, old injuries relapsing, causing her demise.
Not just her, but all the disciples of Ming Yue Pavilion thought so.
Xu Yi's gaze swept over the two women. They each offered a different account; who spoke the truth?
"I, I don't have proof, but I know Master was definitely harmed by someone. I told several elders, but they didn't believe me," Wen Yi said through gritted teeth.
Their Master had died seven days ago. All the elders who saw her condition said it was due to a cultivation error, leading to a reversal of qi and blood.
But Wen Yi didn't believe it.
Her Master would never make such a low-level mistake.
Therefore, she insisted that her Master had been murdered.
Lan Keran rolled her eyes in exasperation after hearing Wen Yi's explanation.
She thought Wen Yi had some concrete evidence, but it turned out to be mere speculation, utterly unbelievable.
Without a more precise answer, Xu Yi temporarily set aside the topic and asked, "Since I've started helping, how do you plan to deal with them?"
At these words, the expressions of Wen Yi and Lan Keran froze.
Lan Keran froze out of sheer terror, while Wen Yi froze in surprise.
Wen Yi hadn't expected Xu Yi to still be willing to help her, especially considering how excessively her Master had acted in the past. Although her Master had already been punished, Xu Yi still had the right to choose not to forgive.
A flicker of a dark glint appeared in Xu Yi's eyes, and she said sternly, "Do you want me to help you kill them? Or cripple their dantian, turning them into useless individuals?"
Lan Keran's pupils contracted, and she instinctively lowered her head further, her fingers trembling nervously.
Some of her companions, overwhelmed by fear, had already collapsed to the ground, their faces drained of color.
Death or becoming a cripple were both outcomes they could not accept.
But the decision was not in their hands; it rested with Wen Yi, whom they had been chasing moments before.
"Junior Sister Wen, I was wrong. I shouldn't have been greedy for the great rewards promised by your Senior Sister. I apologize to you, I beg your forgiveness. Please spare me, please spare me."
The first to lose composure was a woman with a double bun hairstyle, not far from Lan Keran.
Her knees buckled, and she fell to the ground, pleading repeatedly.
Beside her knees lay a long sword.
Not long ago, she had used this sword to pierce the shoulder of an outer disciple, and there was still uncongealed blood on the blade.
The double-bunned woman's action was like a stone cast into a lake, instantly shattering the calm.
The other female cultivators also knelt down, begging incessantly.
Only Lan Keran stood defiantly, refusing to yield.
"I..."
Amidst the pleas of the others, Wen Yi appeared at a loss. These senior sisters, who usually carried themselves with such arrogance and disdained to associate with her, were now groveling at her feet.
Wen Yi felt a strange warmth surge from her heart.
This warmth ignited a desire for revenge within her.
She looked up at Xu Yi, seeing encouragement in her eyes, as if Xu Yi would fulfill her request unconditionally if she voiced it.
"I..." Wen Yi took a deep breath, suppressing the restless surge, and continued, "I don't want their lives, nor do I want to cripple them. I only want them to repay their deeds."
Xu Yi asked with interest, "How do you wish to do that?"
Wen Yi tightened the long sword in her hand and, under everyone's gaze, quickly walked to the front of the double-bunned woman.
Amidst the woman's pleas, she thrust the sword into her shoulder.
The location was identical to the wound on the injured junior sister.
Following the same pattern, she inflicted a similar wound on the second person.
Finally, she stopped before Lan Keran.
Lan Keran gritted her teeth, glaring at Wen Yi with hatred.
Lan Keran had already guessed what Wen Yi intended to do.
*Slap!*
But when the crisp sound of a slap echoed, Lan Keran was still stunned.
She raised her hand to cover her red, swollen cheek in disbelief, "You dare to hit me?"
"Senior Sister Lan, this slap is to repay the humiliation you inflicted on me earlier. We are even now. Take your people and leave."
Wen Yi tried her best to control her voice, to keep it from trembling, but her shaking hands betrayed her inner turmoil.
Slapping Lan Keran was the boldest thing she had ever done.
"You..."
"Senior Sister Lan!"
Lan Keran felt the heat on her cheek surge directly to her head. Unable to control her anger, she was about to retaliate when she was stopped by a series of desperate shouts from behind.
"Senior Sister Lan, let's go!"
"Senior Sister Lan, Junior Sister Wen has shown mercy. Let us not betray her kindness any further."
"Senior Sister Lan! Let's go!"
One plea after another, like chains, bound Lan Keran tightly, leaving her struggling in vain.
Lan Keran swallowed the metallic taste in her mouth, cast another glance at Xu Yi and Wen Yi, then turned and walked in the opposite direction.
Her pace quickened, her retreating figure exuding an aura of disarray.
As Lan Keran left, her companions followed suit.
A few moments later, only Xu Yi, Wen Yi, and the five outer disciples of Ming Yue Pavilion remained.
Xu Yi was quite pleased with Wen Yi's performance.
What she had said earlier was merely a test of Wen Yi's character. If Wen Yi had truly wanted her to keep Lan Keran and the others here permanently, Xu Yi would have only taken Wen Yi and the others to a safe place and left, not concerning herself with further matters.
Fortunately, Wen Yi had not disappointed her.
"Sister... Senior Xu, Senior Xu." Wen Yi carefully bowed to Xu Yi, "Thank you, Senior Xu, for your intervention. Wen Yi and my junior sisters are deeply grateful."
Xu Yi waved her hand, "Go and check on their injuries first."
Wen Yi's companions were all injured, two of them quite severely.
"Thank you, Senior Xu," Wen Yi squeezed out a grateful smile towards Xu Yi, then quickly hurried to her injured companions, checking their wounds while wiping away tears.
Only now could she dare to cry openly.
Xu Yi watched Wen Yi busily tending to her companions and nodded silently.