Xia Yun looked at no one else, fixing his gaze on Ning Hai alone. Swaying on his feet, he gave a slight cupped-hand gesture that barely counted as a bow.
"This junior, Xia Yun, greets Sect Master Ning." As for the others seated above, Xia Yun had gone selectively blind.
Indeed, in his eyes, those people were no longer even worthy of a greeting from him.
The former Grand Elder also stood frozen in place. He had never expected to meet the person they had just mentioned so soon.
Without waiting for Ning Hai to reply, Xia Yun raised his head and continued, "I imagine Sect Master Ning knows why I am here. In that case, hand them over. We need not trouble you to look after them any longer."
Hong Ling stared at Xia Yun for a long moment, grinding her back teeth. "You certainly have excellent manners, Fellow Daoist Xia," she said through gritted teeth. "You beat our disciples the moment you came through the door. Don't you think that was inappropriate?"
Xia Yun smiled. "Oh? Inappropriate? Since you know what is inappropriate, why did you arrest our disciples?"
Hong Ling sneered. "Don't you have a fucking clue why we arrested your people? Must I shove the Recording Stone in your face?"
At the words "Recording Stone," Xia Yun raised his eyebrows. "The Azure Tide Sect really is as cautious and meticulous as ever."
"Indeed. Without a little caution, how could we ever make the truth of this matter clear? After all, we hate wrangling with you too."
Xia Yun nodded. "So? You don't intend to release them? Just as you imprisoned Liu Xing'er back then, do you intend to imprison our sect's disciples until they die?"
"Hah! Liu Xing'er? You certainly know plenty about such trifling matters