"Old Hong?"
Everyone looked over with curiosity. Lin Qingling even raised her eyebrows.
Meng Yifei had been so annoyed earlier that he'd hidden himself away—so why was he showing up now?
Ye Zhaozhao couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.
The sudden appearance of the Sect Leader drew everyone's attention. Perhaps she could slip by unnoticed.
Just as she thought that, she turned and saw the person following Meng Yifei. Her pupils shrank, and a flash of fear crossed her eyes.
Qiu… Manager Qiu?!
How could Manager Qiu be here? And why was he following the Sect Leader?
Meng Yifei was speaking to a thin man in a black robe—this must be the "Old Hong" he'd mentioned.
But behind Meng Yifei and Old Hong walked none other than Manager Qiu.
Ye Zhaozhao quickly turned her back, avoiding his gaze, trying to calm herself.
She and Manager Qiu had worked together for years, but each time she met him, she had changed her appearance and worn a veil.
During their dealings, she had never revealed her real identity.
So… Manager Qiu couldn't possibly be here for her. He shouldn't even know who she really was.
Ye Zhaozhao kept telling herself that, but her heart still pounded, and her hands grew clammy.
"Why is the leader willing to show up now?" Lin Qingling arched an eyebrow.
Meng Yifei looked a little embarrassed. He cleared his throat. "Master Lin, what are you implying? It's not like I was deliberately hiding before. I just had a sudden stomachache."
Fearing more teasing from Lin Qingling, he quickly changed the subject. "Let me introduce you—this is Hong Sheng, a powerful cultivator in the Fusion Stage, and a good friend of mine."
He then introduced Hong Sheng to the others. "Lin Qingling, Master of Wuqing Peak; Lingxu, Master of Lingxu Peak; Pang Zhixue, Master of the Law Enforcement Hall."
The two sides exchanged nods.
With Meng Yifei and Hong Sheng's arrival, there were now five Fusion Stage cultivators present.
Above the Nascent Soul stage is Spirit Transformation; only after that can one reach the Fusion Stage. Meng Yifei and the masters of the five peaks and three halls of the Sword Sect were all at this level.
"Old Hong, can you tell me now? Why did you suddenly come to Lingxu Peak?" Meng Yifei asked curiously.
He and Hong Sheng had been friends for decades, meeting before Meng Yifei became head of the Sword Sect. They had traveled together, faced life-and-death situations, and built a deep friendship.
Later, when Meng Yifei took over the Sword Sect, Hong Sheng chose not to join, preferring the freedom of serving as a guest elder for the Spirit Weapon Pavilion. Guest elders received monthly resources from the Pavilion and only had to act in times of great need—far freer than being bound to a sect.
Hong Sheng settled near the Sword Sect's Lingbao Pavilion branch, and he and Meng Yifei often shared tea and wine, maintaining their long friendship.
Meng Yifei had just finished reminiscing when Hong Sheng turned to Manager Qiu. "Did you see him?"
Even though Ye Zhaozhao had turned her back, Manager Qiu recognized her instantly.
He also spotted Li Shuang, but felt no particular resentment toward her. After all, she hadn't wanted to take part in the blind box event at first—he was the one who had insisted on inviting her.
Even if he did hold a grudge against Li Shuang, what could he say? That he had tried to cheat her but failed? No matter how he framed it, he would be the one in the wrong. If he openly targeted her, he might even be expelled from the Sword Sect.
No—his real target was Ye Zhaozhao.
Over the years, he had been dazzled by her fresh business ideas, and while those ideas had greatly boosted his branch's sales, they had also tarnished Lingbao Pavilion's reputation.
The blind box incident had been the breaking point—customer outrage had destroyed the Pavilion's good name, which had been built over a century. Now, facing severe punishment, Manager Qiu needed a scapegoat.
And Ye Zhaozhao was perfect for the role.
"I saw someone," he said through gritted teeth, nodding.
He knew he was at fault, but self-preservation came first. If someone had to take the fall, it wouldn't be him.
"What's going on?" Meng Yifei asked, even more curious now.
Hong Sheng chuckled. "Master Meng, your disciples are truly clever."
Meng Yifei frowned, sensing the sarcasm in his tone.
Before Hong Sheng could elaborate, Chang Le'an cut in. "What's there to guess? Back at the Law Enforcement Hall, Senior Sister Luo said she and Li Shuang had just returned from the market town. Isn't this Manager Qiu the Spirit Weapon Pavilion's manager there? I bet they caused trouble at his shop, and now he's here to settle it."
He glanced at Li Shuang and Luo Mingyue with a hint of gloating.
No one knew what Li Shuang had done, but if trouble had followed her back here, he was eager to see how she'd talk her way out of it.
Ye Zhaozhao's eyes flickered. Hearing this, she suddenly felt more at ease.
She had been nervous earlier, but now she remembered: Li Shuang had exchanged five medium-grade spirit stones for the grand prize—worth a hundred high-grade stones. Surely Manager Qiu had come for her, not Ye Zhaozhao.
Her tense shoulders relaxed.
Li Shuang frowned at Manager Qiu. "You came to see me?"
She felt no guilt over what had happened in the market. If he wanted to make an issue of it, she wouldn't mind settling it face-to-face.
"Who else would I be looking for?" Chang Le'an sneered. "Think carefully—have you done anything wrong?"
Luo Mingyue bristled. "Manager Qiu, you were the one running a shady business. Don't try to pin it on Xiaoshuang."
Lin Qingling's brow furrowed. "What happened?"
Before Manager Qiu could answer, Luo Mingyue launched into the entire story, rapid-fire.
Everyone present was quick-witted; by the end, they all understood the situation clearly.
Lin Qingling's gaze turned icy. "So—blind boxes, gambling stones. From what I hear, your Spirit Weapon Pavilion was the dishonest one, and Xiaoshuang won the grand prize through her own skill. Now you come here—what, to take back the Qingxin Jade Pendant?"
Her sharp eyes warned that if Manager Qiu dared to try, he would find out exactly how sharp her sword still was.