Although the elders had long wondered why Ouyang Qianru was in Li Xiaoya's cave abode, they had refrained from asking out of respect for the Nine Profound Fairy, merely speculating in private.
Had she been an ordinary female cultivator, Li Xiaoya could easily have answered by openly acknowledging her as his concubine or dual cultivation partner. Unfortunately, Ouyang Qianru held a special position in the Mystic Heaven Way, making it difficult for him to answer.
"Hehe! Here's what happened. Qianru had been stuck at the late Core Condensation peak bottleneck for several years without reaching the Core Condensation great perfection stage, so I asked Xiaoya to give her a little guidance. And now she's reached great perfection! We really must thank Xiaoya properly." Just as Li Xiaoya was struggling for an answer, the Nine Profound Fairy spoke first.
"Oh? Is that so? Could Xiaoya be better at guiding Qianru's cultivation than her own master?" A trace of a cold smile flashed through Elder Hua's eyes as she spoke indifferently, then glanced at the Grand Elder, Master Long.
"Is that all?" Master Long paused in surprise. Without waiting for the Nine Profound Fairy to respond, he spoke with a faint, ambiguous smile. After a pause, he continued, "That's actually my fault. I've been refining a treasure these past few years and neglected Qianru's instruction. It's entirely my fault!"
"Of course it's all your fault, old master!" Ouyang Qianru pouted and complained coquettishly. She was not merely making excuses. Master Long really had been engrossed in refining treasures these past few years, leaving Ouyang Qianru with Bo Gu, who often "bullied" her, and had given her no guidance in cultivation.
"Well..." Elder Hua faltered. She had managed to put herself in the wrong on both sides, offending not only the Nine Profound