All along the way, Ye Danxia tried every method to stall for time, but Ma Hongyu kept watching her. Ye Danxia had no chance to run and was forced right up to Zhao Wuji's door.
The guards at the door said that Zhao Wuji was still conditioning Han Xiaoyu's body.
Ye Danxia's eyes lit up, and she hurriedly said, "Uncle Master Ma, it seems the timing isn't ideal, why don't we come back later?"
Ma Hongyu grabbed Ye Danxia's arm and smiled, "Junior Niece Ye, there's no rush. Since the Sect Leader is busy, we'll just wait here. It is only right for us to wait for the Sect Leader, we mustn't let the Sect Leader wait for us. That's our duty as disciples."
Ye Danxia tried to pull away, but couldn't, and she felt a small flare of irritation. In any case, she truly couldn't leave.
The period of waiting at the door was the most agonizing for Ye Danxia.
She racked her brains, thinking on how to gloss over this matter and, ideally, shift the blame onto Ma Hongyu.
But how should she do it?
Just as Ye Danxia was straining her thoughts, the door opened on its own.
Han Xiaoyu walked out.
From inside came Zhao Wuji's voice, "Hongyu, Danxia, come in."
"Senior Brother Han." Ye Danxia cast a tender, lingering look at Han Xiaoyu.
Han Xiaoyu was about to leave, but under Ye Danxia's gaze he couldn't take another step. He quickly stopped, turned around, and followed Ye Danxia back inside.
After all, Master doted on him. Han Xiaoyu didn't think the Master would drive him away.
Sure enough, seeing Han Xiaoyu return, Zhao Wuji only looked at him with indulgence, not the least bit displeased.
Zhao Wuji nodded to Ye Danxia, but when his eyes shifted to Ma Hongyu, his expression had already returned to stern authority, "Hongyu, are the spiritual plants all collected? How does the quantity compare with previous years?"
Ma Hongyu shook his head, "Sect Leader, I don't know."
Zhao Wuji's face changed, "You don't know? You've always been in charge of these matters. If you don't know about this, whom should I ask?"
Ma Hongyu glanced at Ye Danxia, then said in a surprised tone, "Sect Leader, you don't know?"
Zhao Wuji frowned, "What should I know!"
"This…" Ma Hongyu deliberately looked at Ye Danxia again, the difficulty in his eyes was plain for all to see.
Zhao Wuji's brows knit tighter, "Is there some issue? Why did you bring Danxia along? Could this have something to do with her?"
Ye Danxia lowered her head, not daring to answer.
She had tried to find a way, but Ma Hongyu had been too cautious, she hadn't found an opening.
Ma Hongyu, looking astonished, quickly said, "Sect Leader, yesterday I was about to go out to collect the spiritual plants, but Junior Niece Ye came holding the Sect Leader's Token, saying you had given her this task. I examined the token, it is indeed the one you always carry. The sect rules say, to see the token is to see the Sect Leader. Naturally, I didn't dare disobey. Therefore, all the collection was done by Junior Niece Ye. The spiritual plants are with her now, I haven't even seen a single leaf."
As Zhao Wuji listened, his face shifted again and again.
How had his Sect Leader's Token ended up in Ye Danxia's hands?
Zhao Wuji couldn't help looking at Han Xiaoyu.
It was Han Xiaoyu who had borrowed the token from him, saying he wanted to study the inscriptions.
Xiaoyu, that child had always had an innate interest in talismans, and indeed there were several talisman patterns engraved on the token.
Zhao Wuji had always doted on this illegitimate son, thinking that Xiaoyu was cautious by nature and nothing would go wrong, he had lent it to him to play with.
And now, the token had ended up with Ye Danxia, used to pass down false orders?
Han Xiaoyu was also startled, looking at Ye Danxia in confusion.
Hadn't Little Junior Sister said she only wanted to play with it for a bit?
Ye Danxia felt flustered but forced herself to say, "Master, I… I only thought Uncle Master Ma was too busy and wanted to help him."
Zhao Wuji narrowed his eyes.
He still had some fondness for Ye Danxia.
But after so many incidents, he no longer trusted her as he first did.
Zhao Wuji said, "Where are the collected spiritual plants?"
Ye Danxia gritted her teeth. Afraid though she was, she still grudgingly took out the storage pouch and handed it to Zhao Wuji.
At the sight of Ye Danxia's expression, Zhao Wuji already sensed something was wrong.
His divine sense swept through quickly, and his face changed.
The spiritual plants inside were less than half compared to previous years!
Linking this to Ye Danxia's guilty look, it was obvious where the spiritual plants had gone!
Fury rose in Zhao Wuji's chest.
But he forcibly suppressed it!
There were definitely problems with Ye Danxia.
However, with Ma Hongyu standing right here, if he exposed this on the spot, then given that Danxia was already a disciple with a criminal record, wouldn't this be adding crime upon crime?
"Master," Ye Danxia said, face pale, looking at Zhao Wuji with a pleading expression.
It's just some spiritual plants, isn't it?
Zhao Wuji had embezzled so much over the years, surely he wouldn't quibble with her over this?
Zhao Wuji's face went black.
This wasn't something he could simply choose to overlook.
In previous years he had sat atop the whole Tianxing Sect and indeed had abundant resources, but those resources had long been spent on himself and a few favored disciples; and this time, to invite Li Heng's help, he had also paid heavily.
Now, Zhao Wuji was far from flush with resources. Moreover, he had gradually lost control over the other peaks. To stabilize the remaining three, he had given out quite a few benefits.
With so much spent, he had been counting on this harvest to replenish the coffers.
And now!
Ye Danxia had actually swallowed so much!
This was simply lawless!
"Master, is there a problem?" Han Xiaoyu asked uneasily.
As he spoke, his gaze kept drifting toward Ye Danxia, the affection between his brows could not be hidden.
Zhao Wuji grew even more irritable.
His son was clearly smitten with Ye Danxia.
Originally, a Celestial Spiritual Root could match his son.
But this Ye Danxia was a bit too brazen.
Zhao Wuji suddenly recalled that Han Xiaoyu's consumption of medicinal herbs in recent days had been much larger than before. He had only thought Xiaoyu's body was rapidly recovering, hence the increased consumption.
Now that he thought about it! There's likely another story!
Rage burned in Zhao Wuji's heart, but Ye Danxia was, after all, his cherished disciple. If he exposed her on the spot, not only Ye Danxia but Han Xiaoyu might become estranged from him.
But to make him accept such a huge loss.
Zhao Wuji couldn't do it.
Zhao Wuji looked at Ma Hongyu and suddenly said mildly, "Hongyu, step forward."
Ma Hongyu obediently stepped up.
Zhao Wuji handed the storage pouch full of spiritual plants to him, "I don't know whether the amount this year is more or less than usual. Help me tally it. There's no need to rush, take it back and count it carefully. Tell me the result tomorrow."
Someone had to shoulder responsibility for this enormous loss, and Ma Hongyu was a suitable candidate!