Having received Lingxiao Zhenren's approval, Shen Zhaozhao seemed to have made a huge decision. She gritted her teeth and said in a reckless tone, "Although this disciple does not know how Junior Sister Wan'er determined that Junior Uncle is deeply in love with Senior Sister Liu!"

"But! There's another piece of evidence to prove that Junior Uncle is gay!"

"I once overheard my junior uncle whispering to someone that he... he said he personally pulled down Senior Brother Gu Xuanchen's underpants in Yuntai Immortal Market! And he even commented... that Senior Brother Gu's buttocks were... extremely ugly!"

"boom--!"

These words were like a thunderbolt from the heavens, striking the very top of everyone inside and outside the main hall!

Everyone's gaze, as if pulled by invisible threads, slowly turned to Yan Qiubai, who had just finished feeding Qingxuan his medicine and was still half-holding him.

His eyes were filled with unprecedented, extreme shock, bewilderment, and... a hint of horror and inquiry.

So... Junior Uncle... has this kind of taste?!

It's even getting reviews?!

Yan Qiubai: "!!!"

Yan Qiubai froze on the spot, his arm around Qingxuan frozen in place.

His mind went blank for a moment, and he almost choked, following in Qingxuan's footsteps!

Damn it!!!

Shen Zhaozhao, you heartless bastard!!!

That's not you!!!

Didn't you force me to dig it up?!

How did it all end up being his fault?!

And her buttocks are really ugly?!

When did he ever say such nonsense?!

Yan Qiubai chuckled listlessly, his mind buzzing and completely blank.

Or... should he just die now?

If I die, will this absurd and ridiculous mess finally end?

However, just as Yan Qiubai had given up all hope and begun to seriously consider which way of dying would be more dignified—

Lingxiao Zhenren, who was sitting at the top, could no longer withstand the continuous onslaught of this wave of information that was stronger and more shocking than the last.

He abruptly waved his hand, forcefully interrupting the increasingly out-of-control situation: "Enough! Someone come here!"

Master Lingxiao's face was ashen. He didn't even glance at the mess below the stage and directly ordered, "Take Qingxuan to the water dungeon and keep him under guard. No one is allowed to visit him without my order! As for the rest, we'll discuss it after I've investigated!"

A water prison?!

Upon hearing those three words, Yan Qiubai's suicidal thoughts vanished instantly. He abruptly raised his head, no longer caring about pretending to be gay: "Ling Xiao! Have you gone mad?!"

"Can't you see what's wrong with Senior Brother Qingxuan right now?! His spiritual veins are trembling, and his aura is so weak that it's almost undetectable!"

"What's the difference between locking him up in that chilling, bone-chilling water dungeon and killing him outright?!"

"You're not investigating, you're trying to kill him!!"

Lingxiao Zhenren glared at Yan Qiubai with an icy gaze, his Nascent Soul stage aura slamming down on him like a tangible force. His voice was filled with undisguised disgust and disdain: "Yan Qiubai!"

"Since you have already betrayed the sect, what makes you think you have the right to interfere in the affairs of the Tianyan Sect?!"

"I have spared your life until now only because of my master, showing you extraordinary mercy! Do not dare to challenge my bottom line again!"

"For your master's sake?!"

Yan Qiubai was so angry at these words that he laughed out loud. He gently put down the unconscious Qingxuan, stood up abruptly, and met Lingxiao Zhenren's cold gaze without fear.

"Ling Xiao! How dare you mention your master?!"

"If Master knew that you had beaten your own junior brother half to death for a venomous woman who's full of lies, and then thrown him into a water dungeon to die—"

"If our master knew this in the afterlife, he'd probably be so angry he'd crawl out of his grave on the spot! He'd be the first to cleanse the sect of evil, and beat you to death, you heartless, ungrateful wretch!"

"presumptuous!!!"

Lingxiao Zhenren was thoroughly enraged by Yan Qiubai's words, and the entire hall trembled!

His spiritual energy surged, his eyes revealed murderous intent, and he stared intently at Yan Qiubai. His voice was as cold as ice, carrying the unquestionable absolute authority and anger of a Nascent Soul cultivator.

"Yan Qiubai! Who do you think you are?! You dare to judge my right and wrong?!"

"He's nothing but a traitor who, relying on his master's favor, has become arrogant and ignorant! If it weren't for..."

His gaze swept over "Lu Renjia" with extreme subtlety, forcibly swallowing back the words he was about to say. His chest heaved violently a few times, and finally he abruptly flicked his sleeve, issuing an order to leave.

"What we are dealing with right now is the internal affairs of my Heavenly Evolution Sect!"

"'The two of you'—"

Lingxiao Zhenren practically gritted his teeth as he forced out the two words, "I'm afraid I won't see you off any further!"

Upon hearing this, Shen Zhaozhao's heart skipped a beat.

As expected, the old man noticed the abnormality under her disguise. Now, it seems he's determined to clear the area and deal with "family matters" behind closed doors.

Before she and Yan Qiubai could react, several inner disciples, clearly Ling Xiao's confidants, quickly stepped forward, their movements seemingly respectful but in fact leaving no room for refusal, blocking the two from the unconscious Qing Xuan, and making a perfectly standard "please" gesture towards the outside of the hall.

His posture was humble, but his eyes were cold and resolute.

Yan Qiubai was so angry that his eyes turned red. He wanted to argue again, but Shen Zhaozhao grabbed his arm tightly.

Shen Zhaozhao shook her head at him very quickly.

The moment their eyes met, Yan Qiubai understood the meaning in Shen Zhaozhao's eyes—in the current situation, a direct confrontation would be futile.

Ling Xiao was clearly stubborn and determined to protect Yun Wan'er. With one of them at the Golden Core stage and the other at the Nascent Soul stage, on someone else's territory, in front of the Nascent Soul stage sect leader and a large group of disciples, there was no way he could forcibly take Qing Xuan away.

Continuing to make trouble will only drag you down and make the situation worse; it will serve no purpose other than causing more harm than good.

Yan Qiubai clenched his fists tightly, his eyes stinging as he looked at Qing Xuan, who was being roughly lifted up by two disciples and was unconscious.

In the end, he was half-dragged and half-pulled out of the suffocating main hall by Shen Zhaozhao.

Only after walking a long way away, completely away from the hustle and bustle of the main hall, did Yan Qiubai suddenly shake off Shen Zhaozhao's hand. His voice was extremely hoarse, filled with an uncontrollable irritability and despair.

"What do we do now?! Are we just going to stand by and watch them throw our senior brother into the water dungeon to die?!"

"That old bastard Ling Xiao is clearly—"

"We can't save them."

Shen Zhaozhao interrupted him, but her voice was unusually calm. She raised her hand and touched the disguise on her face that was about to expire: "It doesn't mean... other 'people' can't be rescued either."

Yan Qiubai was startled and didn't react for a moment: "...Who?"

Who in this sect would dare to risk angering Ling Xiao to rescue someone from the water dungeon?