After leaving the Forbidden Ground, Jiang Yantian still glanced back.
When the Forbidden Ground opened again, would those people think they had come to the wrong place?
With things here settled, it was naturally time to return.
Everyone boarded the flying boat and headed toward the Mysterious Spirit Sect.
Everyone had reaped a rich harvest and beamed with delight.
Ye Feng still sat in a corner, grief on his face.
In Ye Feng's hands was a red Pill Cauldron.
It belonged to Hua Jiao.
Never in his wildest dreams had Ye Feng imagined that a single training expedition would leave him and his little sister Hua Jiao separated by life and death.
He wondered whether Hua Jiao was cold now, and whether other ghosts were bullying her.
As he thought about it, Ye Feng's eyes reddened again.
"Jiaojiao, why did you have to leave...?"
"If only you hadn't come on this training expedition. It's all my fault, all my fault..."
Ye Feng shouldered the blame himself.
Whether it was Hua Jiao coming to the Forbidden Ground or getting killed, it had all been because of him.
Hua Jiao had wanted to protect him and stay with him, which was why she had asked the Pill Lineage elder to pull strings and secure a spot for her.
Otherwise, Hua Jiao's talent was not enough for her to qualify as a heavenly prodigy, since it had all been built up with pills.
As for her death, that was all the more because she had stood up for him, gone to reason with Jiang Yantian, and gotten into an argument with him.
That had led that ruthless beast to kill Hua Jiao outright.
She suddenly felt utterly useless.
Her mortal enemy was right before her eyes, the man who had killed Hua Jiao with his own hands, yet she could do nothing.
Suddenly, Ye Feng gritted his teeth.
She still had a chance to turn the tables.
Jiang Yantian had kept his eyes fixed on him the whole time, failing to fulfill his duties as a guardian elder. That was dereliction of duty.
The sect master would never allow something like this, treating disciples' lives as a joke.
Even if evidence was required, he had secretly used an Image-Recording Stone to preserve some.
Once they returned, he would accuse Jiang Yantian before the entire sect.
He would let everyone in the sect see Jiang Yantian's true face, collecting a little interest for Hua Jiao.
Besides, Jiang Yantian would never dare lay a hand on him during this time.
If he did, it would mean he had a guilty conscience. It would be retaliation.
With the Pill Lineage elder certain to stand on his side as well, what did he have to fear from Jiang Yantian?
Only at that thought did Ye Feng breathe a little easier.
That's what I'll do!
The flying boat grew faster and faster. This training expedition had been a quick trip out and a quick trip back.
In less than half a day, the Mysterious Spirit Sect's mountain gate was already visible.
When the flying boat stopped above the sect's square, they could see a great many people below.
It was like a welcoming ceremony.
Those above waved to those below, and those below waved to those above.
The elders of the various lineages craned their necks in anticipation.
The sect master also stood on the higher ground.
"Down!" At Jiang Yantian's command, everyone aboard the flying boat leaped down.
A hundred figures landed in the square in the blink of an eye.
People immediately crowded around them, asking question after question.
Jiang Yantian and Luo Xingcai landed on the higher ground instead.
Just as he was about to speak to Lu Ming, a wail suddenly rang out.
"Jiaojiao, Jiaojiao, my daughter, my daughter!!!"
The cries came from Hua Youque, the Pill Lineage elder.
At once, the scene fell silent.
The joyful voices from before were no longer appropriate.
Only Hua Youque's sobs remained.
Few could bear the white-haired burying the black-haired.
Everyone also turned their gaze toward the Pill Lineage elder.
The Pill Lineage elder's legs were a little weak. Supported by a beautiful young married woman, he walked toward the crowd one step at a time.
As the beautiful young woman supported him, she quietly wiped away her own tears.
Jiang Yantian's gaze fixed on her at once.
This beautiful young woman was Hua Youque's second wife, Liu Mengjie.
He just wondered whether she had a younger sister named Liu Ruyan.
The years had left no unkind marks on her face. Instead, they had added a rosy glow and the charm of maturity.
Especially now, with that look of hers-whether her tears were real or feigned, even he could not help finding her pitifully endearing.
Jiang Yantian withdrew his gaze and looked at Hua Youque, the Pill Lineage elder.
His aged face looked several years older.
He sobbed and whimpered, one arm supported while his other hand reached out, as though he wanted to touch his daughter's belongings at the first possible moment.
All Hua Jiao had left behind was a Pill Cauldron and a set of clothes. There was nothing else.
The Pill Cauldron had been left behind deliberately, while Hua Jiao's clothes remained only because Jiang Yantian had shown a tiny bit of kindness.
When Ye Feng handed the Pill Cauldron and clothes to Hua Youque, the usually domineering Pill Lineage Attendant cried like a fucking idiot.
He collapsed straight onto the ground.
"Jiaojiao, Jiaojiao, my daughter..." Hua Youque beat his chest and stamped his feet, old tears streaming down his face.
With his own intentions in mind, Ye Feng also crouched down, gently stroked Jiaojiao's Pill Cauldron, and said softly.
"Elder, Jiaojiao and I shared sweet and bitter for so long. I bear responsibility for her death too. Don't worry. I'll avenge her even if it costs me my life."
Hua Youque, who had been crying his heart out, suddenly choked on his sobs when he heard Ye Feng's words.
According to the news Luo Xingcai had sent back, Hua Jiao had been killed by a Spirit Devourer inside the Forbidden Ground.
When he received the news, his first reaction had been to blame the two guardian elders, thinking he had to demand justice from Jiang Yantian and the other elder.
But hearing Ye Feng say this now, it seemed this little fucker knew something.
Hua Youque was no fool either. He would not ask in a setting like this.
He merely held Hua Jiao's belongings.
Just then, Ye Feng, who had still been crouching, abruptly stood up.
He rushed forward, taking three strides in two, slid onto his knees, and kowtowed to Sect Master Lu Ming.
"Sect Master, this disciple dares to report a matter of great importance!!!"
Ye Feng's sudden actions also left everyone present stunned.
"Ye Feng, speak. What do you wish to report?"
Ye Feng gritted his teeth, suddenly raised his hand, and pointed at Jiang Yantian. "Him, Elder Jiang!"
"This disciple accuses Elder Jiang of dereliction of duty during the training expedition, disregarding the safety of the other disciples and thinking only of his personal grudges..."
"Young friend, you mustn't! You mustn't!" Elder Long inside the Spirit-Fusing Mirror was fucking frantic.
This Ye Feng really had let hatred go to his head.