At Houtu's words, the vast Interception Sect fell silent for an instant.
But only a moment later, its hundreds of thousands of disciples began to react.
"Hehe, so it's the Sage Houtu!"
"She's here for Senior Brother Changqing again."
"Haha, the Sage Houtu really is making herself more and more at home these days."
"Hehe, anyone who didn't know better would think the Sage Houtu belonged to our Interception Sect."
The disciples all wore smiles, their voices carrying no shortage of teasing.
In the past, they would never have dared act this way.
After all, what sort of being was Houtu?
She was an absolute powerhouse who could challenge Hongjun without yielding an inch.
If such words angered Houtu, a single thought from her would be enough to crush countless cultivators, even Mighty Experts.
Yet Gu Changqing's overwhelming rise had brought Houtu to the Interception Sect several times to visit him specifically.
Everyone had long since grown accustomed to it.
Thus, they no longer fell silent as cicadas in winter before Houtu.
Some disciples even had knowing, suggestive glints in their eyes, their meaning plain without a word.
Faced with this, Houtu could only lower her eyes to her nose and turn her attention inward.
Still, recalling the teasing remarks her elder brothers had made earlier, she could not help a faint blush rising to her lovely face.
While the disciples whispered among themselves, something else happened.
Inside Biyou Palace, Tongtian swept his hand and opened the Interception Sect's Sect-Protecting Array to welcome Houtu inside.
Houtu took a single step and arrived directly within Biyou Palace.
"Greetings, Fellow Daoist Tongtian, Fellow Daoist Changqing!"
Houtu offered a graceful bow.
At that moment, she had already reined in all her domineering presence, releasing none of her pressure.
Only gentleness showed in her