“Smack!”
The crisp sound of a slap echoed across the entire hall.
Half of Liu Wuya’s face swelled instantly, a streak of blood seeping from the corner of his mouth.
“S-Supreme Elder?” Liu Wuya clutched his face, eyes wide with disbelief. “Why did you hit me?”
“If you don’t want to die, shut up!”
“I…”
Liu Wuya trembled.
He had never seen the Supreme Elder this furious.
Could it be… that this Li Qingxuan was already so powerful that even the Supreme Elder had to show him some respect?
The Supreme Elder shot Liu Wuya a cold glance, then turned to Li Qingxuan, his expression turning solemn and sincere.
“Fellow Daoist, please calm your anger. I am Ye Guixu, Supreme Elder of Azure Cloud Sect. I can represent the sect.”
“This matter is indeed our sect’s fault. Trust me, I will give you a proper explanation.”
Li Qingxuan stared at Ye Guixu for a moment, then suddenly smiled and slowly released Liu Wuya’s throat.
“Fine. I’ll give you that face.”
“However… if this explanation does not satisfy me, I will make sure Azure Cloud Sect knows no peace.”
A trace of gravity flashed deep within Ye Guixu’s eyes, yet he still nodded. “Fellow Daoist Li, please follow me into the main hall so we may discuss this in detail.”
“Very well.”
Li Qingxuan took Su Yanran’s small hand and walked toward the grand hall.
Su Yanran’s breathing was uneven, her heart pounding rapidly.
She secretly glanced at the man beside her. His expression was calm, his gaze sharp as a blade, as though the entire Azure Cloud Sect meant nothing to him.
“For my sake, he’s willing to stand against an entire sect…”
Her heart felt both sweet and uneasy.
Sweet, because Li Qingxuan would risk everything for her.
Uneasy, because Azure Cloud Sect was a colossal force. If things truly escalated, the consequences would be unimaginable.
“But… with him here, it feels like I don’t have to fear anything.”
She tightened her grip on Li Qingxuan’s hand, her heart gradually calming.
…
Inside the grand hall.
Ye Guixu personally led Li Qingxuan to the highest seat and invited him to sit.
This scene caused all the Elders and disciples present to suck in a sharp breath.
Their Supreme Elder was a late-stage Golden Core Realm Expert, yet he was showing such respect to this man?
Could it be… that this person was even stronger than the Supreme Elder?
Everyone felt a chill in their hearts. The way they looked at Li Qingxuan completely changed.
Ye Guixu coldly swept his gaze across the crowd before finally fixing it on Liu Wuya. “Go. Bring Liu Yueji here.”
Liu Wuya did not dare delay and quickly nodded. “Yes!”
Moments later, Liu Yueji was escorted into the hall.
The instant she entered and saw Su Yanran and Li Qingxuan, her expression changed drastically, and a flash of resentment flickered in her eyes.
“Su Yanran, you still dare to come back?” Liu Yueji shouted harshly. “As a saintess candidate, you dared to marry privately, betray the sect, and even instigate this wild man to ambush and injure me. Absolutely outrageous!”
“And you, Li Qingxuan, relying on a sneak attack to injure me, and you still dare to cause trouble at Azure Cloud Sect?”
“Liu Yueji, you’re spouting nonsense! When did I ever betray the sect?” Su Yanran’s pretty face turned pale with anger. “It was clearly you who were narrow-minded. After being injured by my husband, you held a grudge and deliberately slandered me upon returning to the sect!”
“Back then, I advised you not to make a move, but you insisted on attacking.”
“And now you’re the one accusing us first?”
Liu Yueji sneered. “Su Yanran, as a saintess candidate, you are forbidden from marrying. Yet you married privately. Isn’t that betrayal?”
“I…”
Just as Su Yanran was about to argue, Ye Guixu suddenly spoke, “Enough!”
His gaze turned icy as he stared at Liu Yueji. “Elder Liu, earlier you claimed Fellow Daoist Li was at the Foundation Establishment Realm and only injured you through a sneak attack, correct?”
At these words, Liu Yueji’s expression shifted slightly, and she hurried to explain, “Supreme Elder, he truly did sneak attack!”
Ye Guixu let out a laugh of disbelief. “So you mean to say a Golden Core Realm Expert sneak attacked you?”
“I… I…”
Cold sweat broke out across Liu Yueji’s forehead. “He concealed his cultivation level. I didn’t know…”
“Didn’t know my cultivation level?” Li Qingxuan let out a mocking laugh. “Then was it a dog begging me to spare your life back then?”
“You…”
Liu Yueji’s throat tightened, her expression turning extremely ugly as she retorted, “That’s only your side of the story.”
“Liu Yueji, do you think I’m explaining myself to you? You’re not worth it.” Li Qingxuan stood with his hands behind his back, his voice domineering. “I am at least a Golden Core Realm Expert. I have no time to waste here proving my innocence, nor do I need to explain anything to a Profound Core Realm ant.”
He slowly raised his right hand. A faint blue glow flickered at his fingertips. “After reaching the Golden Core Realm, one begins to grasp the Soul-Searching Technique. If we want the truth, it’s very simple.”
“N-no! Don’t!” Liu Yueji staggered backward in terror, her face pale as paper. “I don’t want my soul searched!”
Ye Guixu’s heart shook violently.
This Fellow Daoist Li was far more ruthless than he had expected.
Liu Wuya quickly stepped forward. “Supreme Elder, absolutely not!”
“Forcibly searching a soul damages the spirit. At best, it causes memory disorder. At worst, it leaves a person mentally crippled! If Elder Liu is telling the truth, this would be extremely unfair to her!”
“Oh?” Li Qingxuan narrowed his eyes, looking at Liu Wuya with a faint smile. “You believe Liu Yueji is telling the truth, which means everything I said is false?”
“Vice Sect Master Liu, you also bear the surname Liu… Could it be that you and Liu Yueji are related?”
His voice suddenly turned cold. “In that case, I think your soul should also be searched.”
“I have reason to suspect you were involved in this.”
“Otherwise, why would you listen to one side of the story and act against my wife without even conducting an investigation?”
Liu Wuya’s entire body trembled, cold sweat instantly soaking his forehead.
Damn it.
Was this kid a fortune teller?
How did he guess so accurately?
At this moment, Ye Guixu had fully understood the situation. The terrifying aura of a late-stage Golden Core Realm Expert surged forth, pressing down upon Liu Wuya and Liu Yueji.
“Liu Wuya, Liu Yueji, I will give you siblings one final chance. Speak the truth. Otherwise, don’t blame me for being merciless!”
Li Qingxuan raised an eyebrow.
Oh?
They really were siblings.
Under the crushing pressure of the Supreme Elder, Liu Wuya and Liu Yueji were drenched in cold sweat. Finally unable to endure it, they collapsed to their knees with a thud.
“Supreme Elder, spare us!”
“We were wrong!”
Cold sweat poured from Liu Wuya’s forehead. “I was momentarily confused and believed my sister’s one-sided account…”
Liu Yueji cried bitterly, tears streaming down her face. “It’s all my fault. I shouldn’t have held a grudge after being injured and slandered Yanran…”
“You disgraceful fools!” Ye Guixu roared in fury upon hearing this. With a wave of his hand, he heavily injured the two of them and sent them flying.
“As an Elder and Vice Sect Master, you slandered a disciple. Have you no shame?”
Ye Guixu shouted angrily, “The Vice Sect Master and an Elder violated sect rules. Their crime is doubled!”
“According to sect regulations, two hundred strokes of the rod. After that, both of you will reflect at Soul-Breaking Cliff for one year as a warning to others.”
“And this is the explanation you’re giving me?” Li Qingxuan raised an eyebrow. “Such a light punishment counts as an explanation?”