After Hua Xuerong rose and gave a polite farewell, she was about to turn and leave when a clear voice rang out. "Miss, remember to tell your father that we'll need an answer from him before he comes to meet us tomorrow."
She frowned and glanced over at the man who had spoken. He was waving a fan, wearing a gentle smile that somehow still made people uncomfortable.
She silently nodded, then walked out of Wanli Sect alone, without anyone seeing her off.
Outside the main gate, the older of the three young men who had come with her still hadn't left. When he saw her emerge, the tension finally eased from his face.
"Senior Brother." She hurried over and called out to him.
Hua Yang nodded. He didn't ask what had happened inside, only said, "All right. Let's go."
The two headed back to Qingming Sect. Only after they had traveled far beyond Wanli Sect's territory did he ask, "Why did Wanli Peng call you over?"
Hua Xuerong gave a soft, mocking laugh. "He was probably acting on instructions from an Elder of the Kan Family. He wanted Father to abandon his cooperation with Elder Tang and throw in his lot with the Kan Family instead."
Hua Yang furrowed his brow. "How could that be possible? A Song is still training at the Tang Family as an Outer Disciple. If we turn around and join the Kan Family now, wouldn't that look like a betrayal? Master would never agree!"
She shook her head. "I don't know why they made such an invitation. They even said they wanted an answer when we meet tomorrow."
Hua Yang's brow remained deeply furrowed. His instincts told him there was far more to this than they could see. He quickened his pace back to