"Master Huikong, Mistress Yunbai, Uncle-Master Zhang Qing, everyone, I apologize on behalf of the Daoist Temple's Master for the inconvenience caused by the events that transpired here."
Following this, Yang Jingyi bowed to Master Huikong, Mistress Yunbai, Elder Zhang Qing, and the sect leaders and masters present from the Qingcheng and Huashan sects, such as Liu Bing and Shi Yizhen, offering her sincere apologies.
"Madam, there is no need for such courtesy."
Master Huikong waved his hand and sighed, "It's just that we never expected that the one who had been trying to harm Master Duan all along was indeed Sima Boyong!"
"Yes, yes..."
Meng Zixiang, the sect master of Bajimen, looked a bit embarrassed and quickly said, "To think he deceived us so much, truly judging a person by appearance. He made us misunderstand others. We hope Madam and the elders of the Daoist Temple will not take offense."
"Right, right..."
Sect masters Tan Song of Taishanmen and Li Feiyu of Xingyimen quickly nodded in agreement.
Just moments ago, they had stood by Sima Boyong's side, and now it turned out that the real contender for the Master's position was Sima Boyong himself. This could not help but make the expressions of sect masters like Liu Bing and Lu Chenzi awkward and full of regret.
Yang Jingyi did not blame them, understanding that some of them had come to the Daoist Temple for the Ancestral Worship ceremony due to their connections with Sima Boyong.
"Master Huikong, Mistress Yunbai, Elder Zhang Qing, thank you for your help just now."
Yang Jingyi bowed to the three of them to express her gratitude. If she hadn't invited the three of them in time, Sima Boyong might have forcefully entered the courtyard and harmed Duan Wuyu.
"Madam, you are too kind. It was merely a small effort on our part, but all our major sects support Master Duan!" Mistress Yunbai stated.
"That's right..."
Master Huikong and Elder Zhang Qing nodded in agreement.
"Thank you."
Yang Jingyi and Xu Lingwei expressed their thanks and then said to Wu Weizi, "Junior Brother Wuwei, it is getting late. Please invite everyone to rest. I will personally apologize to everyone again tomorrow."
Master Huikong, Mistress Yunbai, and Elder Zhang Qing nodded, and then each led their disciples back to their respective residences.
"Madam, please send our regards to Master Duan..."
The sect masters of sects like Li Feiyu also smiled and said to Yang Jingyi before quickly leaving with their people.
None of the major sects expected that they would witness such an event during their visit to the Wuliang Daoist Temple for their Ancestral Worship ceremony. It truly surprised and astonished everyone...
"Zhishan, Qi Wu, go and see if they have left the mountain?"
After the various sects departed, Yang Jingyi instructed her disciples Xu Lingwei and Qi Wu.
"Yes..."
The three of them then hurried towards Sima Boyong's residence, wanting to see if they were leaving the mountain overnight. If not, they would escort them down the mountain.
"Martial Uncle Zong, please come inside." Yang Jingyi turned to Song Yuanzong.
Ghost Grandpa's old face was grim as he turned and entered the courtyard gate. Chang Wude and Wan Yunting followed, and then Yang Jingyi also went in. She then turned to the group of young disciples standing nearby, knowing they were not Sima Boyong's people, "You all stand guard outside. Inform us if anyone approaches."
"Yes."
The dozen or so young disciples nodded, their expressions serious as they vigilantly guarded the courtyard entrance.
Meanwhile, at Sima Boyong's residence...
"Cough, cough..."
"Dad, how are you?"
Seeing his father's pale face, weak breath, and residual blood at the corner of his mouth, Sima Boyong, supported by Sima Wentang and Zhu Yangyu, entered the living room and sat in a chair, gasping for air. He weakly said, "Quick, get me a Yellow Dragon Pill..."
"Okay, Dad, don't worry..."
Sima Wentang immediately ran back to his room, rummaged through a suitcase, and took out an exquisite wooden box. Upon opening it, he found two thumb-sized, brownish-black pills. These were pills made from twenty-nine precious medicinal materials, capable of rapidly relieving severe injuries.
"Dad, the Yellow Dragon Pill is here. Hurry and take it..."
Sima Wentang, returning with the pill, immediately fed it to Sima Boyong. Then Zhu Yangyu poured him a glass of hot water to help him swallow it. Sima Boyong closed his eyes and secretly circulated the internal energy in his dantian, beginning to circulate it throughout his body, especially his right arm, which was still trembling.
Just moments ago, he had forcefully taken Ghost Grandpa's palm strike, which contained powerful qi, almost shattering Sima Boyong's internal organs. However, he was not an ordinary person; anyone else would have died from Ghost Grandpa's palm strike.
"Ah, it hurts..."
At this moment, a scream came from outside. Wei Ping, supporting his junior brother Zeng Yongchang, walked to the living room entrance. He held his right hand, which had been severed by Xu Lingwei, in his left hand. Although acupuncture had been used to stop the heavy bleeding, the bloody scene was horrifying to behold.
"Martial Uncle Boyong, how are you?"
Wei Ping placed Zeng Yongchang at the entrance and entered, seeing Sima Boyong sitting in the chair, eyes closed, secretly regulating his severely injured internal organs.
"Wei Ping, you've also been expelled from the sect?"
Sima Wentang looked at him and Zeng Yongchang at the entrance. Wei Ping nodded and said, "Senior Brother Wentang, you cannot abandon us."
Sima Wentang sighed and said, "Come down the mountain with us later. Let's go back to the school at the foot of the mountain first."
"Alright, I'll go pack my things now."
Wei Ping nodded and then said, "By the way, many disciples are also leaving with Martial Uncle Boyong."
"Then let them escort my father down the mountain together," Sima Wentang said.
"Yes."
Wei Ping nodded and quickly walked out. He saw dozens of young disciples already gathered at the entrance. Upon seeing him come out, they all exclaimed, "Senior Disciple Brother, how is Martial Uncle Boyong?"
Wei Ping looked at these junior disciples. In fact, they had all joined the Wuliang Daoist Temple because of Sima Boyong, so they were all his people.
"Martial Uncle Boyong is fine. You will all escort Martial Uncle Boyong down the mountain with me later. We'll go to the school first, and then we'll make arrangements for everyone," Wei Ping glared at them and said.
"Yes."
These people all nodded and stayed at the entrance.
Wei Ping ran back to his residence to pack his things, but unexpectedly, Xu Lingwei, Qi Wu, and Li Zihang arrived with a group of disciples. They were all carrying various weapons and had imposing auras, which immediately made the people guarding the entrance to Sima Boyong's courtyard tense.
"Why are you still here, you group of people? Where is that despicable old thief Sima Boyong? Hurry and tell him to get out and go down the mountain..." Li Zihang, holding a long sword, pointed at the people guarding the courtyard entrance and shouted.
Inside, Zhu Yangyu heard this and was so enraged that his face turned grim. He roared, "They are going too far! I'm going out to teach them a lesson."
"Yangyu, now is not the time for recklessness."
Sima Wentang immediately reprimanded him and glared, "The most important thing now is to get down the mountain. We cannot conflict with them. We can't beat them."
"But Senior Brother, they..."
"Alright, endure it for now."
Sima Wentang waved his hand to stop Zhu Yangyu from being impulsive.
"Old thief, get out here, or we'll break in..."
Outside, Li Zihang and Qi Wu shouted, and at the same time, the disciples they brought, who were loyal disciples of the Wuliang Daoist Temple, also shouted.
Swish!
Immediately, Xu Lingwei drew her sword. Her pretty face, with its freckles, was cold as she moved directly towards the courtyard gate.
"You, what do you want to do..."
The people guarding the entrance became nervous.
"If you don't want to die, then move aside!"
Xu Lingwei continued to walk forward, coldly ordering them.
Now the people guarding the entrance became frightened. They had personally witnessed the fierce and decisive manner in which Xu Lingwei had severed Zeng Yongchang's arm with a single sword strike. If they truly blocked her, she would definitely attack.
"What, you're not letting us down the mountain?"
At this moment, Sima Wentang came out. Zhu Yangyu and another disciple were supporting Sima Boyong. Having taken the Yellow Dragon Pill and recuperated for a while longer, his severe injuries had clearly stabilized, but he was still very weak and had to go down the mountain for treatment, otherwise, his condition would worsen and leave hidden ailments.
"Senior Sister..."
Li Zihang came up and grabbed Xu Lingwei. This time, it wasn't to fight, but to escort Sima Boyong and his group down the mountain.
"Stop the nonsense. Hurry up and get down the mountain. We Wuliang Daoist Temple will not allow you despicable scoundrels to linger for another second!" Li Zihang glared at Sima Wentang and the others and shouted.
"Move aside, we're going down the mountain now."
Sima Wentang glared at Li Zihang, still so defiant at this moment.
Swish!
Suddenly, Xu Lingwei made a move.
"Senior Brother, be careful..."
Zhu Yangyu behind him was shocked and immediately lunged forward, pulling Sima Wentang back. As a result, his left shoulder was pierced by Xu Lingwei's sword, and blood dripped from the sword tip. Zhu Yangyu's eyes widened, and he looked down at his left shoulder in shock. The intense pain made his mouth twitch, and his whole body trembled...
Xu Lingwei's pretty face was indifferent as she directly withdrew her long sword, drawing a spray of blood...
"Yangyu..."
Sima Wentang, snapping back to reality, immediately went to catch Zhu Yangyu, who was falling backward. Sima Boyong, supported by a disciple behind him, fixed his small, sinister eyes on Xu Lingwei at this moment and gritted his teeth angrily, "Zhishan, you are truly ruthless."
Xu Lingwei's expression was cold, and her sharp gaze met his directly. She coldly retorted, "Compared to your attempt to harm my master, I wish I could kill you myself!"
"Good, good, good, I'll remember your words."
Sima Boyong was so angered that he became agitated, and his internal injuries were aggravated, causing him to cough violently a few times.
"Zhishan, stop..."
At this moment, Wei Ping returned. He looked at Zhu Yangyu, who was lying in Sima Wentang's arms, and stared at Xu Lingwei in disbelief, not expecting her to injure Zhu Yangyu again.
"Get out!"
Xu Lingwei coldly told Wei Ping, "If you don't get out, don't blame me for being impolite!"
Wei Ping knew that his junior sister was not to be trifled with. He suppressed his anger and nodded, then supported Sima Boyong. Sima Wentang also immediately had those disciples come over to support the injured Zhu Yangyu, glaring fiercely at Xu Lingwei. The group began to leave.
All the way down, Xu Lingwei, Li Zihang, and Qi Wu followed them, until Sima Boyong and his group walked out of the entrance gate of the Wuliang Daoist Temple, forcing them down the mountain overnight.
As Sima Boyong descended the steps, he turned back to look at the gate of the Wuliang Daoist Temple. His small eyes revealed a sinister gaze as he coldly said, "One day, I, Sima Boyong, will return."
Sima Wentang and Wei Ping, who were supporting him, had grim expressions. They seemed not to have expected that their years of planning would be ruined overnight due to Wan Yunting and Chang Wude, leaving them feeling stifled and unwilling.
"Go down the mountain and notify Lei Laohu. This matter absolutely cannot be left like this!" Sima Boyong said coldly as he turned his head.