"What happened?!"
Qi Shuming heard Blood God Child's loud laughter, so grating and laden with mockery, then saw the expressions on Bai Guyi's and Tao Xinzhi's faces. A terrible suspicion immediately arose.
"Did you clash with True Lord Cheng?!"
Bai Guyi immediately looked at Ascetic Dhuta, whose face alternated between green and red, at a loss for what to say.
"Oh, my dear Sect Master Qi! You still don't know?!"
Blood God Child laughed heartily, his attacks unceasing and his mouth no less busy.
"That idiot beside you had his heart smothered in lard! True Lord Cheng meant to come in and help you, but this idiot was terrified that while you were attacking the Blood Sea and Emei stood empty, True Lord Cheng would covet your Qi Household's estate. So he drooped those dead-fish eyes, pulled a long face, and furrowed his brows, writing the word 'suspicion' all over his face. He stared True Lord Cheng down as though guarding against a thief and actually angered him into leaving. Now he's gone back to Azure City with Li Jingxu to drink tea! Hahahaha-Tao Xinzhi, oh, Tao Xinzhi, I ought to thank you! I ought to thank you properly, hahahaha!"
Qi Shuming's expression changed sharply at this, and he looked at Ascetic Dhuta.
Sect Master Qi was Longbrow's personally chosen successor. Neither his talent nor his methods fell short; he seemed cast from the same mold as Longbrow. He had been Sect Leader for centuries, had once brought Emei to great prosperity, and had even forcibly held back his ascension for the sake of Emei's foundations. His imposing authority needed no elaboration. Now, suffering both the siege of his mountain and the pain of losing his wife, his expression was terrifyingly grim. When he looked over like this, even Ascetic