Inside the Sea God Pavilion, the Golden Ancient Tree shed layer upon layer of golden radiance, and the air in the hall felt stifling, as though soaked in cold water.
Yun Ming stood before the tree, his white robes hanging still, his brows drawn into a deep furrow and his expression gloomy.
Rumors smearing Shrek ran rampant outside, showing not the slightest sign of abating.
Long Yeyue tapped her fingertips against the stone railing, the short, sharp knocks grating on the nerves.
Her gaze stabbed straight at Yun Ming.
"All that talk gravely damaging Shrek is flying everywhere. Ya Li was the one who stepped forward and volunteered to settle it. All this time has passed, yet the matter hasn't been suppressed, and she's nowhere to be seen. How far has she gotten?"
Long Yeyue curled her lips slightly, a cold, heavy disappointment settling at the corners of her eyes.
"If you ask me, she wasn't going to mediate at all. I'm afraid she simply used this opportunity to extricate herself from Shrek."
Yun Ming heaved a long sigh, his voice weary. "Sister Yue, give her a little more time. Ya Li handles things reliably. Presumably, she's already reached an agreement with the various parties. Most likely, something unexpected happened on the road and delayed her."
"Delayed?"
Long Yeyue's gaze suddenly sharpened. The earth-shattering explosion in Heaven Dou City instantly surfaced in her mind, and she stepped slightly forward, her voice cutting.
"Yun Ming, you'd better pray she's merely been held up. She'd better not have gone softhearted and run off to Heaven Dou City, busy saving people and treating their injuries, playing the bleeding heart and holy mother."
She stared at Yun Ming, her tone openly accusatory. "As the Sea God Pavilion Master, all you can do is sit