"What exactly happened? How did you escape? Were you injured?"
Although Immortal Venerable Yuheng was pleasantly surprised, his expression remained unchanged, his gaze fixed on the two of them as if trying to discern some clues.
Li Taiqing and Su Ming exchanged a glance, and Li Taiqing spoke first, his words clear:
"Reporting to the Headmaster, this disciple did indeed have some conflict with the Golden Crow Clan cultivators. Senior Brother Su Ming was also implicated by me and encountered danger, but... fortunately, a powerful figure secretly helped him, turning the situation around. The specific details involve the privacy of that senior, so I cannot elaborate."
He described the matter in a calm tone, briefly.
As soon as Li Taiqing finished speaking...
Su Ming also chimed in:
"This was a decision made privately by the two of us. If the sect holds us accountable, we are willing to bear the consequences."
They had already discussed it beforehand, so naturally they wouldn't reveal any secrets.
Upon hearing this...
The senior disciples fell silent. If any other disciple had spoken to them in that tone, they would have been furious long ago.
But these two are different.
The news that Li Taiqing had single-handedly killed seven Taiyi Golden Crow Clan had spread throughout the world. Although the inside story was unknown, there was no doubt that his strength was at the top of the Taiyi Golden Immortal, and no one could underestimate him.
"It's good that you two are alright. The Golden Crow Clan's actions have already blatantly broken the treaty, and the powerful figures of the Human Race have already gone to hold them accountable. You are meritorious members of your sect, so what crime have you committed?"
Immortal Venerable Yuxuan immediately comforted the two of them.
And Immortal Venerable Changgeng kept repeating this sentence:
"It's good that you're alright..."
The chief ministers were men of great stature; they would never do anything outrageous.
Putting aside the fact that the two of them did not make any mistakes, even if they did, Spirit Void Heavenly Palace could not simply abandon two geniuses who might one day become Daluo Immortals. This is the true foundation of the sect.
If it were peacetime, it wouldn't matter, but now that two races are at war, what's the big deal about the death of a Taiyi Golden Immortal?
If the death of a Taiyi Golden Immortal leads to a major battle between Daluo or even Hunyuan level experts, it would only benefit other forces.
However, the chiefs were also secretly shocked that someone could be rescued so easily from the hands of the Golden Crow Clan's Daluo Immortal King, and that the entire Golden Crow Clan seemed to dare not make a fuss about it.
What kind of being is this?
The others were sensible enough not to press the matter further, but instead told the two to go and rest. They said they still needed to communicate with the elders of the Spirit Void Heavenly Palace.
Seeing that the sect did not investigate further, Su Ming and Li Taiqing breathed a sigh of relief.
The two exchanged a glance, smiled, and returned to the Myriad Phenomena Garden together.
"This time, it was truly a close call. If it weren't for my master, I probably wouldn't have escaped this calamity either."
Li Taiqing sighed.
Su Ming nodded in agreement.
"Go back and let them know you're safe."
As Li Taiqing and Su Ming entered the Myriad Phenomena Garden, a familiar and peaceful atmosphere enveloped them, and their long-tense nerves finally relaxed completely.
For the two of them, Myriad Phenomena Garden was no different from home.
"Senior Brother! Senior Brother Su! You're finally back!"
A shout, like muffled thunder, exploded.
Lin Potian, with a physique as robust as a small mountain, charged forward like a cannonball. His large, fan-like hand grabbed Li Taiqing's shoulder with such force that Li Taiqing swayed slightly.
"You're finally back!"
I haven't been able to concentrate on my cultivation these past few days! I heard you were besieged by the old birds of the Golden Crow Clan? Were you hurt anywhere?
As he spoke, he looked the two of them up and down.
"It's alright, the Golden Crow Clan is nothing but a rabble."
Su Ming responded with a laugh, making no mention of the fact that he had been arrested.
Immediately afterward, Little White jumped down from the tree, her words somewhat sarcastic:
"Hmph! All you do is go out and cause trouble!"
"If it weren't for me and Lin boy pleading with the master, I wonder how you would have gotten back?"
That being said, the slight trembling at the tip of its tail betrayed its true emotions.
Han You stood quietly to the side, not saying a word, but her eyes revealed a rare, human concern.
Even he has felt a touch of loneliness these days.
Seeing their junior brothers' concern and worry, Li Taiqing and Su Ming felt a surge of warmth in their hearts, but also a sense of guilt.
Their unauthorized actions have indeed caused great anxiety among those who care about them.
"It's alright, Potian, we're all fine."
Li Taiqing patted Lin Potian's strong arm gently.
We're sorry to have worried everyone; it's our fault.
Su Ming bent down and patted Little White's head hard, then apologized to Han You.
However, this heartwarming scene of reunion was abruptly interrupted by a loud voice.
"It seems you still know to come back."
The sound came from the direction of the Dragon Blood Black-Yellow Tree. It wasn't loud, but it clearly reached everyone's ears, making the air in the garden seem to freeze for a moment.
Everyone looked in the direction of the sound and saw that Han Xuanji had somehow appeared, standing with his hands behind his back under the tree. His green robe fluttered slightly, and his face was still shrouded in a faint Daoist aura, making it impossible to discern his expression.
But the profound aura that emanated naturally, seemingly in harmony with the myriad principles of heaven and earth, made everyone feel an invisible pressure.
Li Taiqing and Su Ming's expressions changed slightly. They could sense that Han Xuanji's tone was different from his usual detached indifference; beneath the calm surface, there seemed to be a very faint hint of... anger?
"Master."
"Senior brother."
The two quickly stepped forward and bowed in greeting.
Han Xuanji's gaze slowly swept over them, his voice calm, yet every word sent a chill down their spines:
"You two have quite the nerve, especially you, the senior brother. You went off to seek revenge without a word. You seem quite confident in your abilities?"
Although he was well aware of Li Taiqing's movements and turned a blind eye to them, it didn't mean that as his master, he couldn't teach these two a lesson.
The Immortal Realm is filled with countless people of great destiny and those One Destined to Face the Tribulation; they too will perish.
These simple words made Li Taiqing and Su Ming feel their hearts tighten and their faces burn more than any harsh rebuke.
"Disciple... knows his mistake!"
Li Taiqing knelt down without hesitation, bowing his head deeply.
He knew that his master was not against his revenge, but rather dissatisfied with his seemingly carefree but actually irresponsible behavior.
"I know I was wrong, I have caused my senior brother worry and the sect concern, and I am willing to accept punishment!"
Su Ming followed closely behind, kneeling beside Li Taiqing. His face no longer held the aloofness he usually displayed as the head of the household; only humility remained.
Lin Potian, Han You, and the others were stunned by what they saw. They instinctively wanted to plead for the two, but seeing Han Xuanji angry for the first time, they all shut their mouths and could only watch nervously.
Little White Bai watched the spectacle with schadenfreude, while Little Gold Jin stared wide-eyed, somewhat bewildered as he had never seen anything like it before.
Even the Dragon Blood Black-Yellow Tree began to sway slightly, whether out of fear or pleading, it was hard to tell.