The next morning, Qin Yuyan arrived in a flowing green dress.
Sitting across from Lin Bai in the pavilion, Qin Yuyan giggled. "It looks like the Sect Leader and the sect truly value you highly. You committed the enormous crime of secretly releasing the Joyous Union Sect's Sect Leader's wife, yet they punished you so perfunctorily?"
Zhou Xi brewed the tea and brought it over. Lin Bai filled a cup for Qin Yuyan. "This counts as light punishment? If I hadn't helped the sect win a place at the Evil Moon Grand Feast, I would have had to bear both punishment and atonement. I'm afraid I wouldn't have escaped death."
Qin Yuyan laughed disdainfully. "We all know perfectly well that this is merely a delaying tactic by the sect."
"The Joyous Union Sect rose to prominence in Le Province, and the Eternal Thirteen Provinces held it in contempt. Public resentment ran deep. On top of that, you secretly released the Joyous Union Sect's Sect Leader's wife. If the sect imposed no punishment at all, it would likely chill the hearts of people throughout the world."
"As for your punishment—sending you to Contemplation Cliff for half a year, then having you win a place at the Evil Moon Grand Feast—in truth, the sect simply wants time to wash all this away."
"A year from now, even if you return from the Evil Moon Sect without winning a place for the sect, the sect won't blame you!"
"By then, the Eternal Devil Sect will be facing new challenges, such as the Eternal Demon Alliance, which has been lying low for so long..."
"With new challenges before it, the sect naturally won't come back to settle old scores."
Qin Yuyan lifted her fragrant tea and took a small sip. "The Sect Leader handles