The messenger disciple had only just left when the Seventh Elder began to feel uneasy.
"Junior Sister Song still hasn't responded. Shouldn't we wait a bit longer?"
He couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. With Song Wanníng's temperament, if Lu Nanfeng had truly been wronged, she would have torn the entire sect apart by now.
The Sect Master was being far too rash.
"Wait for what? Song Wanníng's silence clearly shows she's feeling guilty. Otherwise, why hasn't she responded all day?"
The Sect Master gave a cold snort, convinced that his decision was justified.
"I know what you're all worried about, but the entire sect is waiting for my answer. Haven't you heard the rumors going around?
And Lu Nanfeng and Ye Chuxue were very close to begin with. For something like this to happen, there must have been serious reasons. Doesn't it all make sense now?"
Taking all this into account, everyone should already understand the truth.
"Besides, do you really not know Junior Brother Gu by now? You think he'd lie?"
The Sect Master had never liked Song Wanníng. Part of it was because their families had long been in competition. The other part was simpler: she never gave him any face.
Gu Qingyuan, on the other hand, had shown him deference since childhood and had no powerful backing...
There was no question who he would favor.
As soon as the Sect Master finished speaking, the Second Elder could no longer hold back and said with mocking scorn, "As if Gu Qingyuan hasn't lied before? Who was it that kept insisting again and again that he only saw Ye Chuxue as a disciple?"
Back then, when Song Wanníng was furious about how much attention Gu Qingyuan lavished on Ye Chuxue, the entire sect had heard the gossip. Everyone knew.
And every time, Gu Qingyuan had accused Song Wanníng of being jealous and narrow-minded.
And yet?
That bastard clearly had ulterior motives for Ye Chuxue all along.
Anyone who believed his nonsense now had to be a fool.
The Second Elder's words clearly stirred memories among the others. Their expressions began to shift.
"Sect Master, maybe we really should wait."
"Yes, I think so too. Junior Sister Song isn't the type to make baseless accusations..."
Several elders tried to advise the Sect Master to hold off on making a final decision. They didn't realize their efforts would only make him angrier. To him, it was obvious now that they were openly challenging his authority. Already sensitive to criticism, the Sect Master snapped.
"This matter is settled. If Song Wanníng has any objections, let her come speak to me herself."
With a furious wave of his sleeve, he turned and stormed off, his anger visible in every step. The great doors slammed shut behind him, leaving the gathered elders in uneasy silence.
Everyone's face turned grim.
What was the Sect Master thinking?
They exchanged glances and saw the same dissatisfaction in each other's eyes. They had long grown discontent with the Sect Master. His rash decisions, his erratic leadership—now he had publicly dismissed their counsel without a shred of respect.
If things went on like this, Wentian Sect was going to fall under his leadership sooner or later.
Without saying a word, they all looked away, each quietly entertaining the same dangerous thought.
The news that Lu Nanfeng had tried to assault Ye Chuxue and been killed in the act spread swiftly through the sect.
And then it began leaking to the rest of the world.
In just one day, the story had swept through the entire region once again.
The narrative had now reversed entirely. Those who had previously sympathized with Lu Nanfeng and Song Wanníng suddenly turned their blame on them.
They claimed that Song Wanníng was using her influence to pressure Wentian Sect into protecting her interests.
And the more the rumors spread, the more twisted they became. People began saying the Song family was bullying Gu Qingyuan and Ye Chuxue, all to get revenge for a broken engagement.
"This is disgusting, Big Sister! Let me go rip their lying mouths apart! They're vile. How can they say such things about you?"
The little golden sword trembled with fury as it listened to the spreading gossip.
Song Wanníng gently patted its hilt, a chilling smile forming at the corner of her lips.
"Don't get worked up. This public opinion is exactly what I wanted. Once they realize they were manipulated and deceived, the backlash against those two bastards will be even worse. And besides, the things I heard in my past life were far more vicious. This is nothing."
What annoyed her, though, was how often her enemies tried to drag the Song family into everything. Her message talisman buzzed again. Song Wanníng curled her lips into a smile and deliberately ignored it.
She still had one final gift for the Sect Master. A proper thank-you for his repeated favoritism.
Five days passed in the blink of an eye. The furor began to die down.
The disciples of Wentian Sect had mostly accepted the punishment. Only Li Ruo remained deeply dissatisfied.
But she had little power or status, and her master had specifically told her to stay out of it. All she could do was grit her teeth and wait for her master to return.
She hadn't seen her master in a long time. That thought made Li Ruo frown, and she doubled down on her cultivation. Her spiritual roots were poor, especially compared to her Senior Brothers. She had to work harder than anyone else.
She couldn't rely on them. She needed to grow strong as quickly as possible.
While Li Ruo focused on cultivating, the Sect Master was basking in self-satisfaction.
He had just sent another message to Gu Qingyuan, urging him to bring Ye Chuxue back for punishment.
Now that everything had settled, he felt vindicated. Clearly, he had made the right call. Song Wanníng had stayed silent all this time, which meant she had no argument left.
What had once seemed like a crisis, he had cleverly resolved. Even the elders had warmed up to him lately. That thought alone made him feel incredibly pleased.
In high spirits, he summoned the elders again to begin selecting the lead representative for the disciple recruitment mission.
Every year, the sect recruited new disciples, but the selection process wasn't held at Wentian Sect. It took place in Yongzhou City.
During this time, the city would be packed to the brim with people.
Wentian Sect, once a dominant force, had fallen from grace. Attending the recruitment event meant enduring sneers and ridicule. None of the elders wanted to go, and they had all been dodging the assignment.
When the elders gathered again, the Sect Master brought it up once more. But as before, every elder made excuses, unwilling to subject themselves to humiliation.
That pushed the Sect Master over the edge. He lost his temper and lashed out, saying things he probably shouldn't have.
The result was immediate and explosive.
"Since you're doing nothing useful in the sect anyway, why don't you lead the team yourself?"
"Exactly. I think it's an excellent idea. Seeing the Sect Master take charge personally will surely impress everyone. Maybe we'll even attract better disciples this year!"
"I agree!"
"So do I!"
The elders were shamelessly united. One after another, they expressed enthusiastic support, leaving the Sect Master red-faced and speechless.
Even the Seventh Elder didn't come to his defense this time.
The Sect Master was overwhelmed with grief.
He had sacrificed so much for the sect, and this was how they treated him?
He was just about to say something harsh when a disciple burst into the hall, shouting breathlessly.
"Bad news! Bad news! The Lu family is here!"
"The Lu family? Lu Nanfeng's family?"
The Sect Master's brow furrowed instantly. His voice was full of irritation.
"What are they doing at Wentian Sect?"
===
Hi everyone~ (≧◡≦)
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