Just as Hei Long and Ji Yao vanished around the corner, the air in the courtyard shifted again.
A gust of spiritual wind swept through the crowd, sending ripples through robes and hair.
Then came her voice—calm, clear, and utterly chilling.
"Elder Yu."
Everyone snapped to attention. Disciples froze. The remaining birds flew off. Even the koi in the pond seemed to stop swimming.
The Sect Leader—descended with a cold expression that silenced the entire courtyard.
"...S-Sect Leader!" Elder Yu bowed so fast his nose nearly hit the ground. "W-We were just—"
"I heard everything," she said plainly, her eyes sweeping over the scene: the destroyed stall, the pond-wrecked disciples, and the gathered crowd.
"And more importantly, I heard who was involved."
Her gaze sharpened like a blade.
"You dared to raise your voice in this courtyard over a petty squabble, knowing it involved Saint Hei Long?"
Elder Yu paled. "I—I was unaware he—"
