Confrontation in the Grand Hall
Watching the Gale Hound forget all about her the moment it saw Su Fuyun, Sang Ying could hardly put her complicated feelings into words.
Perhaps some things were destined never to be hers. No matter how much she gave for them, she could not force them to be hers.
Sang Ying lowered her eyelashes, her expression unreadable. "You and I both know perfectly well how much truth there is in those explanations. I will pursue this matter to the end. But the most important thing now is to return to the sect. Once we're back, I'll ask the sect master to judge who's right and who's wrong."
"But..."
Sang Ying looked up at Su Fuyun, who had started to speak only to stop herself, then looked over everyone's expressions in turn. Finally, her gaze fell on the indignant Lin Shu. "If you don't believe what I've said, then let the sect master judge what's true and who's in the right. Surely you can't say I'm bullying anyone that way?"
Since Sang Ying had put it like that, the others could only obediently shut their mouths.
Although Su Fuyun wanted to persuade Sang Ying, if she spoke up in front of so many people, it might look as though she had a guilty conscience. So she could only hold back for the time being and wait until they were aboard the flying boat to speak with Sang Ying in private.
Only now, after the matter had escalated this far, did Elder Yanhua, who had been practically invisible, step forward and order everyone to board the flying boat at once.
Although these disciples' cultivation was not high, there was no telling whether they might have brought something valuable out of the secret realm. If they did not leave quickly, it would be disastrous if they ran into Devil Cultivators looking to rob travelers.
Such things had happened in previous years, costing the Flowing Light Sword Sect more than a dozen young disciples. If the elder in charge at the time had not possessed extraordinary cultivation, the entire flying boat might not have made it back.
For this reason, the major sects paid particular attention to their disciples' safety, repeatedly reminding them to return to their flying boats as soon as they left the secret realm and not to delay.
The flying boat Sang Ying and the others rode was a high-grade Law Artifact, far faster than an ordinary flying Law Artifact. Its speed had not been apparent on the journey there, but on the way back to the sect, Elder Yanhua deliberately increased it, though no one knew why.
He forcibly shortened a journey that should have taken three days to a day and a half.
Along the way, Su Fuyun tried several times to find Sang Ying and plead with her, but Sang Ying simply set up a soundproofing array. No matter how Su Fuyun called out from outside, Sang Ying would not open the door. The room also had an array of its own: as long as its occupant did not open the door, no one outside could get in, no matter what they did.
The day and a half soon passed. When Sang Ying disembarked with the others, Su Fuyun went out of her way to walk up beside her and complain, "I came looking for you several times yesterday, junior sister. Why did you keep ignoring me?"
"I was cultivating. Did you fail to see the do-not-disturb sign again, senior sister?" Sang Ying shot back coldly. "Besides, there are still some things between us that we haven't settled. If you have something urgent to say, senior sister, please wait until we've seen the sect master!"
She had already decided to go straight to the sect master as soon as she disembarked. Her break with Crimson Snow Peak would begin today!
Su Fuyun did not understand what Sang Ying was thinking. Seeing how determined she was, Su Fuyun assumed she wanted to use this to steal Gu Huaiwei's affection for her.
That was absolutely unacceptable. Su Fuyun might have been willing to give Sang Ying other things, but Gu Huaiwei was the reason Su Fuyun worked so hard at immortal cultivation. She would not allow anyone to take her master's love and attention from her, even if that person was Sang Ying!
"Surely you don't think these baseless guesses can make Master turn against me, junior sister?" Su Fuyun lowered her voice, revealing her dark side to Sang Ying for the first time. "If that's what you think, you're far too naive. Master won't believe you. I'm the one he cares about most!"
Sang Ying turned to look at her. Su Fuyun no longer looked innocent and adorable as she usually did; her eyes were full of malice.
With an obsession this deep, it was no wonder Su Fuyun later developed a heart demon and fell to the devil.
"I don't care about any of that. I told you long ago, I have no use for Immortal Venerable Yanchen's affection. All I want is to expose the truth." With those quiet words, Sang Ying left Su Fuyun behind and paid her no further attention.
She did not see Su Fuyun clutch the jade pendant at her chest and silently mutter something after she left her behind.
With her status as an elder's daughter, Sang Ying soon gained an audience with the sect master.
Zhou Chengyi, the sect master of the Flowing Light Sword Sect, had the Daoist title Chenshan and practiced the Evil-Slaying Sword. Although he sometimes did unfair things because of his position as sect master, he could still be considered a good man.
Ordinarily, Sang Ying's matter would not have troubled the sect master; it would have been enough to hand it over to the Discipline Hall, which was responsible for judging disciples' cases and regulating their conduct. But Sang Ying and Su Fuyun were both Immortal Venerable Yanchen's disciples, and their status was out of the ordinary. The matter also involved many people, so the sect master reluctantly took it on.
Before long, the disciples who had just disembarked from the flying boat were brought into the Flowing Light Sword Sect's grand hall. Sang Ying was already standing to one side, waiting for them.
Those who had thought she was only talking were startled. They had not expected Sang Ying to actually bring the sect master in.
"Su Fuyun, Lin Shu, step forward!" the sect master called out.
Su Fuyun and Lin Shu could only obediently step forward. Since Sang Ying stood on the left side of the hall, the two of them moved to the right without being told.
The two sides stood plainly opposed.
"Su Fuyun, Lin Shu, Sang Ying came here today to accuse you both of framing her, deliberately pushing her into the ice flood dragon's jaws, and slandering her reputation. Do you have anything to say?"
The sect master's voice rang through the grand hall, and everyone seated inside heard him clearly.
When they learned what Sang Ying had accused them of, everyone was shocked. According to Sang Ying, Su Fuyun's actions had violated the Flowing Light Sword Sect's rules! If it was all true, Su Fuyun would be expelled from the sect!
Although they did not believe Su Fuyun would do such a thing, Sang Ying had already brought the accusation, so they might as well stay and watch the spectacle.
Naturally, Su Fuyun and Lin Shu denied Sang Ying's accusations.
Lin Shu immediately retorted, "I never framed junior sister Sang Ying. I only said a few unpleasant things about her. If I upset her, I can apologize to her."
"No need!" Sang Ying refused before the sect master could speak. "You stood before everyone and spoke as though you'd seen with your own eyes things I never did. When the ice flood dragon knocked me into the fissure and no one knew whether I was alive or dead, you said I'd gotten what I deserved... You might think those words meant nothing, but have you ever considered what kind of person I would become in our fellow disciples' eyes if everyone believed you?"
"I don't believe I've ever had a grudge or grievance with you, senior brother Lin. Why did you smear my name like that?"
Lin Shu met Sang Ying's clear eyes, and all the words he had prepared caught in his throat. He could not get them out.
The sect master was no fool; he naturally knew how Sang Ying had conducted herself over the years. Hearing her repeat Lin Shu's words, he shook his head, deeply disappointed in him.
This child was so easily swayed by others' words that he would not even make inquiries himself. It would be difficult to entrust him with great responsibilities in the future!
"Fuyun, do you have anything to say?" the sect master asked.
Su Fuyun's eyes reddened, and her face was full of grievance and helplessness. "Sect master, this is all a misunderstanding!"