"Senior Sister Lu, the sect leader requests your presence."

Lu Zhaozhao was stopped halfway by someone. She looked in the direction of the voice and saw that it was a disciple of the Qinghui Sect in front of her.

The sect leader? Yunxian? What does he want with me?

Unable to figure it out, Lu Zhaozhao simply asked.

"This..." The disciple was somewhat embarrassed and did not know how to start. He only said, "The sect leader only told us to come and find my senior sister and asked her to go there as soon as possible. He didn't say anything else, but... the sect leader seemed extremely angry."

Having said all that the disciple had to say, Lu Zhaozhao knew that this trip was more of a curse than a blessing. Although she did not know the specifics, she could guess the general idea. She immediately changed direction and followed the disciple's lead.

Yunxian's residence was arranged by Wenyuan Academy in a secluded spot with winding streams and floating wine cups. There was hardly anyone outside, not even Ying Che. Lu Zhaozhao understood that Yunxian intended to cover up this inquiry.

The disciple led her outside, knocked on the door, and then withdrew.

"Enter."

A deep voice came from inside the room. After years of being master and disciple, Yun Xian's voice was very familiar to her, and she could naturally tell from his voice that he was not in a good mood at the moment.

Lu Zhaozhao carefully pushed open the door, stepped over the threshold, and looked up. Yun Xian was standing with his hands behind his back in front of a painting, his back to her, so her expression was not visible.

After closing the door, Lu Zhaozhao stood at a distance that was neither too close nor too far. Although Yun Xian had her back to her, she still bowed respectfully and greeted her.

Yunxian didn't speak, so she couldn't get up and remained bent over in a bowing posture, unable to move.

After a long silence, Yunxian spoke: "You've been my disciple for almost fifteen years now."

Lu Zhaozhao didn't know why he suddenly asked this, but she nodded. Then, remembering that he had his back to her and couldn't see her actions, she said, "It seems so."

Yunxian slowly turned around, her sharp gaze falling on Lu Zhaozhao, as if trying to see through her.

"Ying Che said you went down the mountain for training before the Golden Palace Banquet began. Where did you go?"

Under Yun Xian's scrutinizing gaze, Lu Zhaozhao felt immense pressure. She knew Yun Xian had seen through her, and there was no point in trying to hide it any longer, so she simply admitted it directly.

“I heard that strange phenomena had occurred at East Lake, and out of curiosity, I went there.”

"I was also at East Lake then, why didn't I see you there?"

Yun Xian's tone was tinged with anger. He had watched the competition between the two disciples today, and Lu Zhaozhao's sudden disappearance and reappearance during the competition, along with the aura emanating from her spells, were exactly the same as what he had sensed in East Lake. But he had never seen Lu Zhaozhao in East Lake before; what was her identity there?

Lu Zhaozhao bit her lower lip. She was unwilling to implicate Yaotong, but she couldn't think of a good excuse for the moment, so she could only remain silent.

Yunxian frowned, looking at Lu Zhaozhao with displeasure, and said, "Why don't you answer the questions your elders ask? Where have you learned your manners all these years?"

Lu Zhaozhao took a breath and replied, "This disciple only went to East Lake out of curiosity to find out what was going on. I don't know where I offended Master."

The atmosphere inside was tense, with the two facing off in silence.

Just as the suffocating silence reached its peak, there was a knock on the door.

"not see!"

Yunxian was a little annoyed, thinking that the person knocking on the door was a disciple guarding the gate.

"Master, I have something to say. May we discuss it in detail?"

It was Ying Che's voice, which surprised Yun Xian. He had deliberately sent Ying Che away when he went to see Lu Zhaozhao today, because he was worried that if the two were too close, Ying Che would stop him from asking questions.

But for some reason, Ying Che still noticed it and went outside.

"Come in."

The door was pushed open again, and Ying Che walked in, but he wasn't alone.

Lu Zhaozhao was still bent over in the same position as before, and only the sound of two footsteps could be heard as she entered.

"Master." Ying Che walked to Lu Zhaozhao's side and stood beside her, bowing to Yun Xian.

The person who came in with him stopped half a step behind him and bowed to Yunxian from afar.

"What is it?"

Yunxian asked calmly.

Ying Che, being extremely courteous, replied respectfully, "I heard that Master summoned Junior Sister to inquire about the arrangements for descending the mountain before the Golden Palace Banquet. Junior Sister's descent was approved by this disciple, so I thought I should also come."

"Why did you bring Master Bu Lu's disciple with you? Is this matter related to Wen Yuan Academy?"

When Yunxian asked the question, Lu Zhaozhao realized that the person who came in with Ying Che was actually Bai Yuanshi.

Her pupils contracted slightly. Her identity had already been exposed by Bai Yuanshi during her trip to East Lake. Could it be that he came here today to report her?

Lu Zhaozhao bit her lip even tighter. She dared not think about how she would explain herself if Bai Yuanshi really implicated her.

“This matter is indeed related to Wenyuan Academy,” Master Bai Yuan said. “I happened to meet your junior sister Lu at East Lake at the time.”

It's over.

Lu Zhaozhao closed her eyes and sighed softly.

The attention of the three people present was focused on Bai Yuanshi.

He said, "At that time, Junior Sister Lu used the name of a disciple of Wenyuan Academy to enter Donghu."

Lu Zhaozhao suddenly opened her eyes, somewhat incredulous, but her body did not move at all.

"really?"

Yunxian didn't believe it.

"Absolutely true."

Bai Yuanshi answered with certainty.

"Zhaozhao, is what he said true?"

Yunxian turned his gaze to her again.

"Senior Brother Bai, what you say... is true."

Lu Zhaozhao agreed, following Bai Yuanshi's lead.

"If that's the case, why didn't you say so from the beginning?"

Yunxian still didn't quite believe it, and all the doubt in her eyes was directed at Lu Zhaozhao.

Lu Zhaozhao was about to answer when Bai Yuanshi interrupted her.

“After all, Junior Sister Lu is not a disciple of Wenyuan Academy, so this matter cannot be publicized and must be kept secret. The Master was also present at the time and must know that only three disciples from Wenyuan Academy entered the water cave. Besides Yue Cong and me, the others were spies planted inside. At that time, Junior Sister Lu was waiting outside the water cave to enter.”

His explanation was reasonable and well-founded, which dispelled most of Yunxian's doubts, but the aura of power within the ruins on Lu Zhaozhao's body remained unexplained.

However, there were too many people in the room at the moment, so Yunxian couldn't ask them directly. She could only wave them out.

Lu Zhaozhao, who had retreated outside, rubbed her sore shoulders; she hadn't dared to move at all just now.

Ying Che cupped his hands in thanks to Master Bai Yuan, who returned the gesture, leaving only the words, "This is what I promised Junior Sister Lu," before departing.

Lu Zhaozhao and Ying Che walked side by side outside, neither of them speaking a word along the way.

When they reached the fork in the road and were about to part ways, Lu Zhaozhao couldn't help but call out, "Senior Brother."

Ying Che looked at her, his gaze as gentle as ever. He ruffled Lu Zhaozhao's hair and said softly, "If you don't want to talk about it, then you don't have to. You're very sensible, and I trust you completely."

"Senior brother." Lu Zhaozhao's eyes were filled with tears. She could only utter this one word, but she didn't know what else to say.

"Alright, go back and rest now. The battles ahead are fierce, so you need to conserve your energy."

Lu Zhaozhao looked at him, nodded, and responded softly.

Ying Che stood there watching Lu Zhaozhao's departing figure until she was out of sight before turning and leaving.