Yun Shuiqing nodded slightly: "Indeed, because when the Sect Master died, I was right by him."
"Oh?" Hu Yue's eyes narrowed slightly, revealing a hint of killing intent.
"So, the Sect Master's death is not unrelated to you!"
"The Sect Master was already at the Late Stage of Tianji Realm back then, while you were only at the Early Stage of Tianji Realm."
"Why were you able to survive, but the Sect Master died in the Netherworld Beast's lair?"
Hu Yue's words were very sharp, causing Lord Mang and Qing Mu Shi, who had originally decided to side with her, to feel a hint of suspicion.
"When fighting the Netherworld Beast, the Sect Master's illness flared up," Yun Shuiqing explained.
"I saw that the situation was bad and intended to take him with me, but he injured me instead."
"You all know about the Sect Master's illness; once it flares up, he doesn't recognize anyone."
"I had no choice but to retreat first."
"And the Sect Master, in his madness, didn't know to retreat, and ultimately died in the Netherworld Beast's lair..."
Hu Yue did not refute Yun Shuiqing's explanation but took a deep breath.
"Past events are like smoke; it's meaningless to investigate them now."
"The top priority is to kill our way to the Netherworld Beast's lair and retrieve the Tianluo Divine Art!"
"Then, we will re-elect a Sect Master and revive our Tianluo Sect!"
"For the past two hundred years, I have mostly presided over the sect's affairs."
"You Yu and Yan Jun have also been diligently assisting me."
"Therefore, I think it is more suitable for me to assume the position of Sect Master."
Man Tianning chuckled: "Tiger Lord, you don't understand the rules."
"According to the Rank order in our sect, below the Sect Master are the two great Envoys."
"Ghost Envoy Mr. Mo has been missing for many years, his life or death unknown, but the Charm Envoy Yun Fairy is still right before your eyes!"
"If anyone is to succeed the Sect Master, it should be her!"
"Furthermore, if you were to become the Sect Master, I would be the first to object."
"We, the three Lords—Eagle, Tiger, and Mang—have always been of the same Rank. What right do you have to suppress me?"
Hu Yue snorted coldly, raising his left foot and stomping heavily on the ground, a surging energy sweeping in all directions.
"Because my Realm is higher than yours, and my Tiger Fiend Divine Art has Cultivated to the third layer!" Hu Yue said domineeringly.
Man Tianning glared angrily but had nothing to say.
Because he had fallen into a trap and been ambushed, he suffered severe injuries and spent many years recovering.
Therefore, his Realm had not improved over the years; instead, he had remained stagnant.
Seeing that Man Tianning dared not contend, Hu Yue proudly turned his head to look at Yun Shuiqing.
"Charm Envoy, what do you have to say?" he asked, looking directly at her.
Yun Shuiqing silently looked at Xiao Yao, who was leaning next to Fang Ling; Xiao Yao was now fast asleep.
When she sensed that Hu Yue and the others were approaching, she had already put her to sleep.
"Tiger Lord, I have no intention of taking the Sect Master's position, but I also cannot let you become the Sect Master."
"Because even if I were to submit to you, the Ghost Envoy would not submit to you when he returns in the future."
"And Eagle Lord, she is even more arrogant and would likewise not acknowledge you."
"At that time, the sect's situation would still be fragmented, and there would not be much improvement," she said.
"Therefore, it is most suitable for Xiao Yao to succeed the Sect Master's position."
"She is the Sect Master's daughter. The timing wasn't right back then, so I had to keep her in a deep sleep until recent years..."
"With her taking over the Sect Master's position and us assisting her, no one would object."
"Only then can our Tianluo Sect truly have a chance at revival."
"She's the Sect Master's daughter?" A hint of surprise flashed in Tiger Lord's eyes.
He looked at the old man and asked seriously, "Qing Mu Shi, can you confirm this?"
Qing Mu Shi nodded and replied, "Last night, I secretly cross-referenced it."
"The Bloodline flowing within her is indeed that of the Sect Master, without a doubt."
"Tiger Lord, if you truly wish for our Tianluo Sect to revive, then do as the Charm Envoy says."
"Do you really think she's that kind?" Tiger Lord snorted.
"This little girl was raised by her and has grown close to her; in the future, she will undoubtedly listen to her more."
"Ultimately, she will only be a puppet in Yun Shuiqing's hands!"
"But even so, it would be more conducive to unity than you serving as Sect Master," Qing Mu Shi said.
"You!" Tiger Lord clenched his fists in anger.
At this moment, You Yu, the valiant Water Guard behind Tiger Lord, suddenly interjected: "Wait, wasn't there a young man with you just now?"
Yun Shuiqing and the others quickly looked around; Fang Ling was indeed gone!
As for when he disappeared, no one knew.
"Damn it, wasn't he here just now?"
Man Tianning scratched his bald head, looking puzzled.
Qing Mu Shi's expression changed, and he said in a deep voice, "This person is terrifying; he slipped away silently right before our eyes!"
Yun Shuiqing also looked astonished, staring blankly at Xiao Yao's location.
She clearly remembered that Fang Ling had been guarding Xiao Yao just now.
"Charm Envoy, who was that person?" Tiger Lord asked sharply.
Yun Shuiqing: "Someone I met on the road; I thought he was just a Young Master from a noble family..."
"This person knows many secrets of our sect; we absolutely cannot let him come and go as he pleases."
"Tiger Lord, how about we discuss the Sect Master's position later?"
"Let's find this person first!"
Tiger Lord nodded solemnly: "Agreed!"
"This kid shouldn't have gone far; he's still in Tianduan Mountain."
Suddenly, a terrifying beast roar came from the depths of Tianduan Mountain.
Yun Shuiqing would never forget this beast roar; it was the sound of the Netherworld Beast!
The beast roars were continuous, seemingly wailing, making one feel uneasy.
"The Tianluo Divine Art is important! Let's go see what's wrong with the Netherworld Beast first," Yun Shuiqing added.
The two groups, originally at loggerheads, merged due to the sudden change in circumstances and headed straight into the depths of Tianduan Mountain.
.........
At this moment, in the depths of Tianduan Mountain, in the Netherworld Beast's lair.
Fang Ling, who had suddenly disappeared, was now in this dangerous lair.
"Little fellow, if you still refuse to submit, I will eat you!"
Fang Ling gently patted the Netherworld Beast's head, speaking in an extremely gentle tone.
Not long ago, he was still watching the Tianluo Sect's drama unfold, but suddenly, he sensed that the Netherworld Beast wanted to escape.
It was probably the only suitable mount nearby, and Fang Ling couldn't let it slip away like that, so he quietly snuck in.
With his Cultivation at the Tianquan Realm, he suppressed it with a raised hand.
However, most demons are inherently rebellious; although subdued instantly, the Netherworld Beast refused to yield.
So, Fang Ling severely beat it a few times, and the continuous wailing sounds just now were precisely because of this.
Seeing that it still didn't react, Fang Ling was about to use it for Cultivation.
"Forget it, the next one will be more obedient."
But just then, the Netherworld Beast suddenly whimpered, its eyes filled with fawning as it looked at him.
In the face of death, it finally yielded, willing to become Fang Ling's mount.
"Turning back from the wrong path, very good!" Fang Ling showed a slight smile, "Then I'll spare your life."
The Netherworld Beast's form resembled a black panther, but it had a pair of golden horns on its head.
Its body was covered in thick black scales, and faint lightning flickered between its claws and teeth, making it quite mystical.
It not only possessed terrifying offensive power but could also merge with darkness.
In the night or dark places, it would possess unparalleled speed.
Its true body was several feet tall, but now, to accommodate Fang Ling, it had to compress its size to that of a horse.