The Palace-dressed Beauty was panting as well. Lu Yunxiao's oppressive presence had drained her greatly.
After catching her breath for a moment, she tried to rise, but Lu Yunxiao's starry eyes swept over her again.
"Did I permit you to stand?"
"Thump!"
The Palace-dressed Beauty's heart skipped a beat. She hurriedly knelt properly again and deeply bowed to Lu Yunxiao. "I know my crime."
Seeing even the Sect Master act this way, the remaining Elders fell silent as cicadas in winter and hastily knelt properly once more.
Ling Qingzhu's expression changed at this sight. She could not help tugging Lu Yunxiao's hand. "Yunxiao!"
Lu Yunxiao held Ling Qingzhu's delicate hand, but his gaze remained fixed on the Palace-dressed Beauty, devoid of the slightest warmth.
"I originally promised Qingzhu that I would treat you with courtesy and did not wish to use force to oppress others."
"Yet I never expected things to end up like this."
"For Qingzhu's sake, I lowered my stance and dealt with you all, but you did not appreciate it and kept pressing me."
"I gave you respect, but you refused it. You insisted on forcing me to get serious."
"As expected, only strength gives one a firm voice."
"From the very beginning, I should have let you understand what thunderous might truly was."
"A mere Nine Heavens Grand Purity Palace—you think far too highly of yourselves."
Lu Yunxiao's voice was indifferent, yet every word he spoke made the Palace-dressed Beauty's soul tremble.
Her pretty face was deathly pale, and her expression was filled with terror.
By now, she naturally understood that her earlier words had been no different from wandering before the gates of hell.
Merely showing disrespect toward an Ancestral Realm strong person was enough to bring ruin upon the entire Nine Heavens Grand Purity