After hearing the man's report, the Sect Master and Luozi both darkened. They exchanged a glance, then the Sect Master cupped his hands toward the assembly and left with the disciple who had suddenly burst in.
Only Luozi remained to preside over the gathering.
Luozi quickly composed himself, though the smile on his face looked decidedly strained. He respectfully cupped his hands and bowed to everyone present. "My sincerest apologies, everyone. I never imagined matters would come to this, making a spectacle of ourselves before you. But since neither of the two juniors objects, this Dao Companion ceremony will end here."
"Some trouble has now arisen within our sect as well, so we can no longer entertain you! Everything happened so abruptly this time that our Vast Righteousness Sect has failed in its hospitality. Should there be another occasion, the Vast Righteousness Sect will surely make it up to you twofold."
The members of the Wenren Household seemed to have finally realized that the situation was no longer something they could turn around, so they said nothing more. Yet the somewhat gloomy expressions of the elders still betrayed their foul moods.
Wenren Qingtang, however, had stopped looking at Wenren Jing ever since that disciple appeared.
Instead, he kept his head lowered, seemingly immersed in his own thoughts.
Among the guests, cultivators from major sects wore expressions of understanding and sympathy, while disciples from smaller sects looked bewildered. This time, however, few complained.
After all, the bloodstained object that disciple had brought in still left them unsettled. It was clear at a glance that something had truly gone wrong within the sect.
Meanwhile, the Vast Righteousness Sect disciples present stepped forward in an orderly manner and began asking the cultivators to leave. Their movements even seemed somewhat anxious.
Any Vast Righteousness