Inside the stone chamber at the bunker entrance.
As Ren Ye was chatting with Brother Chun, he heard footsteps approaching.
"Senior Brother Linghuo is here. Make way."
At the shout, the Taoists crowding the corridor on the left immediately cleared a path and bowed slightly to Zhang Linghuo.
Ren Ye looked toward the voice and saw Zhang Linghuo holding a fly-whisk, dressed in a loose Taoist robe embroidered with two cranes. At first glance, he looked quite otherworldly. A closer look, however, revealed an unfriendly expression, a slightly raised chin, and gloomy eyes. He looked thoroughly arrogant.
The crowd escorted Zhang Linghuo into the stone chamber and silently surrounded the nine unlucky souls, Ren Ye included.
Nearly a hundred Taoists stood about twenty meters away, watching Ren Ye and the others coldly without a word.
Dim candlelight flickered inside the stone chamber, and the atmosphere grew somewhat oppressive.
"They're two separate groups?"
Zhang Linghuo gave Ren Ye and the others only a cursory glance before quietly questioning the Taoist who had just led the group inside.
"Yes, Senior Brother. Two groups. The four on the left entered first, and the five on the right just arrived," the young Taoist replied.
Zhang Linghuo raised his head at that, his cold gaze slowly passing over everyone, but he was in no hurry to speak.
By the wall, Brother Chun saw that they were surrounded and that all the Taoists before them looked unfriendly, so he grew a little uneasy.
When under someone else's roof, you had to bow your head.
After a moment's thought, he took the initiative to step forward and cupped his hands politely. "Fellow Taoist, I'm afraid there's been some misunderstanding. I don't know why these Taoists would say we stole the Route Passes, nor do I know how