At the True Martial Temple, before the main hall.
The teacup in Li Minghuai's hand stopped in midair, the leaves slowly swirling inside.
"Say that again?"
The disciple's forehead was drenched in sweat, his voice trembling. "Temple Master, people from two sects have arrived at the foot of the mountain. They claim to be from the Heavenly Secret Pavilion and the Ten Thousand Laws Sect, ancient secluded sects. They want... want the Dao Master to give them an explanation."
"An explanation for what?"
The disciple swallowed and forced himself to answer. "They say... the Dao Master abducted the Heavenly Secret Pavilion's daughter of the main line, Shangguan Hongye."
"She's the fiancée of the Ten Thousand Laws Sect's young sect master. Both sects have searched for months, and now their investigation has led them to the Dao Master."
Dead silence filled the hall.
The soup bowl in Wang Yuan's hand fell to the floor with a crack, shattering into eight pieces.
"Utter nonsense!"
He sprang to his feet, his face blazing with anger. "What kind of man is our second senior brother? How could he do such a thing?"
Li Minghuai raised a hand to stop him, his brows tightly knitted.
He knew his junior brother.
Zhang Chu might act domineeringly, but he had always disdained such despicable deeds.
But secluded sects... he vaguely remembered seeing those two names in old Daoist records.
If these truly were those two sects, this would be no simple matter!
"How many came?"
"Temple Master, only six of them came.
"But... but their aura..."
The disciple's lips turned white. "It's terrifying."
"Several of the martial experts waiting in line at the foot of the mountain collapsed just from watching them at a distance."
"Even the Heavenly Wolf Gate's acting Sect Master withdrew without a word."