"..."
An Ziqing looked slightly uneasy.
Naturally, he could not voice the thoughts he had just been having.
After a brief silence, he could only lower his eyes and say:
"I recalled what happened at the Training Ground and couldn't quite control myself."
"..."
The Glass True Cultivator's gaze grew complicated.
She assumed An Ziqing had remembered his final loss of composure and was overcome with shame.
Rather than press him further, she asked gravely:
"Then do you know how grave a mistake you made?"
"...I do."
An Ziqing lowered his head as though ashamed-or rather, he was doing his utmost to make himself feel ashamed.
The Glass True Cultivator said coldly:
"You didn't just disgrace yourself today. You disgraced the entire Cold Purity Palace."
"How will the disciples of the palace look at you from now on?"
"If you can't even command their respect, how will you continue to lead the younger generation of the Cold Purity Palace?"
"I... understand."
An Ziqing trembled even harder as he said breathlessly:
"I know how serious the consequences are this time."
"So once we return to the Cold Purity Palace, I'm willing to step down as Palace Heir."
"..."
The Glass True Cultivator did not answer immediately.
As she looked at An Ziqing, much of her anger actually dissipated.
If An Ziqing had tried to shirk responsibility after waking up-
For instance, by blaming all his loss of composure today on [Snow Without Blame]-
Then once she returned to the Cold Purity Palace, she would certainly have the Palace Master publicly strip An Ziqing of his position as Palace Heir.
But now that An Ziqing was willing to accept the consequences himself,
She instead felt that the matter was not serious enough to warrant his removal.
"The position of Palace Heir isn't