Bai Mei's courtyard was packed to the brim, with countless pairs of fervent eyes fixed on the golden radiance emanating from her body inside the room. Not a single person moved.
"I've never seen her before."
"Is she really a disciple of our Yunjie Sect?"
"Right, is she even one of us?"
Someone shouted, "I recognize her! She's a new inner disciple named Bai Mei, formerly from the Fengyun Sect."
As soon as these words were spoken, the crowd erupted in an uproar.
"Is she really a disciple of the Yunjie Sect?"
Everyone was thrilled and buzzing with energy.
After all, having such a prodigious talent among their ranks meant that the entire sect could rise in prominence alongside her.
"Of course, she's a disciple of our Yunjie Sect," the disciple who had spoken earlier declared with utmost seriousness.
"This is truly fantastic!"
"Yes, our Yunjie Sect is destined to flourish!"
Nearby, several elders of the Yunjie Sect were trembling with excitement.
Initially, Bai Mei's arrival had caused internal strife within the sect, with many firmly opposed to her joining.
They believed that offending the Fengyun Sect over Bai Mei simply wasn't worth it.
Some even insisted that Bai Mei would bring nothing but trouble to the Yunjie Sect.
But now, looking at her, they realized she wasn't trouble at all—she was a heaven-sent opportunity!
With Bai Mei's Supreme Golden Bones, offending even ten Fengyun Sects would be worth it.
The elders' hands shook with excitement, and some were on the verge of tears.
Suddenly, they shuddered as a thought struck them.
The Fengyun Sect was currently pressuring them at the sect's gates, and no one knew if Guan Ling would cave under the pressure and hand Bai Mei over.
That couldn't happen.
The elders scrambled, rushing out in a flurry of urgency.
Guan Ling stood with a grim expression, locked in a standoff with the Fengyun Sect's spirit vessel.
To be honest, his initial decision to accept Bai Mei into the sect had been a mistake born of his affection for Su Yu'er. It had been impulsive.
But even now, knowing he had acted rashly, he couldn't simply take it back.
After all, Bai Mei was already a disciple of the Yunjie Sect.
By both reason and principle, he couldn't just cast her out. Doing so would turn the Yunjie Sect into a laughingstock.
Yet, in the current situation, he had no idea how to resolve the conflict.
"Guan Ling, don't push your luck! Are you really willing to gamble with the lives of countless Yunjie Sect disciples?" The Fengyun Sect elder's voice echoed coldly from the spirit vessel.
Guan Ling's face was icy, but he still couldn't make a decision.
Just as he and his people were at a loss, still locked in the standoff, he noticed a group of elders rushing out from the sect.
Seeing this, Guan Ling's expression darkened.
These were the very elders who had opposed Bai Mei's entry and had even pressured him to expel her.
For them to appear at such a critical moment was not a good sign.
If they contradicted him in front of the Fengyun Sect, the standoff would lose all meaning.
Guan Ling let out a heavy sigh.
But just as he was about to stop the elders and send them back inside, he heard them shouting first.
"Hand her over? Over our dead bodies! Who do you think you are, ordering us around?"
"Exactly, who do you think you are?"
"Let me make this clear—we're not handing anyone over. Turn your ship around and go back where you came from."
The elders' voices were firm and unyielding, leaving everyone present utterly stunned.
Especially Guan Ling.
He blinked in disbelief.
What? These guys were even more defiant than he was?