At the gates of the Clear Mist Sect.
Chen Changming landed, straightened his robes, and walked toward the gates.
Two Spirit Transformation disciples on guard stopped him.
"Stop! Who are you? What business do you have with our Clear Mist Sect?" one disciple asked loudly, looking Chen Changming up and down.
Chen Changming cupped his fists in greeting and said, neither servile nor overbearing, "Someone entrusted me with delivering a gift to Saintess Qingyi. Sorry for the trouble, but could you two please inform her?"
Hearing that he had brought a gift for Saintess Qingyi, the two disciples exchanged a glance and dared not delay.
Saintess Qingyi held an extremely high position in the sect. She was Jade Mist True Person's personal disciple as well as the Clear Mist Sect's saintess. Who would dare slight her?
"Wait here. I'll go report it."
One disciple spoke to Chen Changming, then turned and hurried through the gates.
The other remained where he was, studying Chen Changming curiously. Unable to resist, he asked, "Fellow Daoist, where have you come from? Who asked you to deliver a gift to the saintess?"
Chen Changming smiled faintly. "An old acquaintance of Saintess Qingyi."
Seeing that he was unwilling to elaborate, the disciple could hardly press him, though he muttered inwardly.
In the small courtyard, the room's door was tightly shut.
Saintess Qingyi hid inside, weeping in silence.
She sat beside the bed, her arms wrapped around her knees and her face buried in the crook of her arms, her shoulders trembling slightly. Tears slipped down silently, soaking her sleeves.
"Chen Shan... I was the one who doomed you..."
She murmured to herself, her voice filled with self-reproach. "If you hadn't tried to save me, you wouldn't have offended the Void Poison Demon Sect or drawn Xuan