Chapter 192 Apprenticeship Ceremony: It Begins Here and It Ends Here
The next day
Before 9 AM, the area around the Lotus Gate was already crowded with disciples who came to witness the ceremony, making it even more grand than when Su Ying'er first became a disciple.
The altar was set up to honor the heavens, with the Venerable Qingyu seated high above, and Lotus Sect disciples standing guard on both sides.
This scene felt just like the day Ye Li died.
The only change was that Ye Li was no longer a mute soul; she was standing behind Elder Song, taking in everything.
Apart from Elder Ge, who was still on Twilight Cloud Island and hadn't returned, all the other sect leaders were present, which showed just how solemn this apprenticeship ceremony was.
In fact, Su Ying'er had already become a disciple before, and this time it was just a new discipleship. Logically speaking, there was no need to set up an incense table again; she could simply kowtow and offer tea again.
However, Master Qingyu still summoned all the elders. The reason, of course, was to let everyone know that Su Ying'er had returned to the Lotus Sect and that they would no longer look down on her.
Ye Li's gaze followed the tightly packed disciples below and shifted to Qingyu Zhenren in the high position.
It turns out that Master Qingyu knew that direct disciples who did not participate in the apprenticeship ceremony would be neglected.
Ye Li recalled the day she became an apprentice.
After she was found to have an exceptional spiritual root, everyone was eagerly anticipating her apprenticeship ceremony.
Everyone says that a genius like her with two top-grade spiritual roots would definitely have a grand and impressive apprenticeship banquet.
However, before her apprenticeship banquet, Master Qingyu went into seclusion and didn't even leave his cave.
She could only kneel at the door and kowtow to the inside, begging to become a disciple.
The disciples who were watching the spectacle were discussing it extensively.
"This is the first time I've ever seen a direct disciple formally become an apprentice in such a hasty manner."
"If a top-grade spiritual root had emerged from a side sect, it would have been celebrated with gongs and drums, as if everyone wanted to know it."
"So, Master Qingyu is indifferent to fame and fortune and doesn't care about top-grade spiritual roots at all."
"..."
Jealous people are everywhere, and this incident became a tool for them to attack Ye Li.
During a practical training exercise, a senior brother who was more than ten years older than her became enraged after she won three out of three rounds. He said, "No wonder Master Qingyu didn't even show up at the apprenticeship ceremony. You are too arrogant and don't know how to respect your seniors!"
During that period, Ye Li heard countless such words.
It wasn't until she broke through to the Golden Core stage that the doubts subsided and turned into admiration for her cultivation.
Even so, Ye Li never blamed Qingyu Zhenren.
She felt that Master Qingyu was untouched by worldly affairs, and he certainly couldn't have imagined that she would suffer such criticism.
But now...
Ye Li looked around at everything, a mocking smile curving her lips.
It turns out that Master Qingyu wasn't ignorant of these social customs; rather, he understood them all too well.
If he had held a grand apprenticeship banquet for her that day, everyone would have said that every sect wanted a disciple with top-grade spiritual roots, and even Master Qingyu was no exception.
But if they don't do it, they will praise Master Qingyu for being detached from worldly affairs and indifferent to fame and fortune, not caring about spiritual roots at all, and treating all disciples equally.
How ridiculous it is to build his reputation by stepping on her dignity.
...
"Here she comes, Junior Sister Ying'er is here."
Su Ying'er, dressed in an apricot-colored outfit, made her appearance.
When people are happy, they are in high spirits, and a faint blush appeared on her face.
Su Ying'er smiled broadly, in a pleasant mood.
Today she will be able to return to the Lotus Sect and become a respected disciple!
She walked gracefully to the center, first bowing to Master Qingyu, then sweetly saying to Lu Ziting and the others, "Thank you for preparing these, senior brothers."
Mo Hannian: "You are our junior sister, no need to be so polite."
Lu Ziting's face turned ashen. His gaze swept between Su Ying'er and Mo Hannian before he turned his face away sharply.
Wen Yao also remained silent, as silent as a half-dead man.
Su Ying'er was completely unaffected; she glanced at the seats outside the door.
Sure enough, Ye Li was there.
A slight, disdainful smile played on her lips, and her eyes seemed to say something.
Look, I'm a direct disciple again. And you, you're just an outer disciple hiding in someone else's body.
No matter how many times you try again, you can't beat me. You can only watch as I take everything from you!
But Ye Li didn't react with anger and embarrassment as she had imagined. Instead, she smiled at her, a smile that held a deeper meaning and made her inexplicably uneasy.
Did Ye Li discover something?
No, if Ye Li had discovered the evidence, she would have questioned her long ago. Why would she obediently watch the ceremony?
You're scaring yourself.
Su Ying'er then calmed herself down and continued the apprenticeship ceremony.
After paying homage to Heaven and Earth, she knelt on the prepared prayer mat on the ground and kowtowed to Master Qingyu in the high position.
"Disciple Su Ying'er greets Master."
After she finished speaking, she bent down and kowtowed.
After kowtowing three times, she will become Qingyu Zhenren's disciple again.
However, just as she was about to kowtow for the last time, Elder Song, who had been eager to try, stood up and said, "Wait!"
All eyes were drawn to her, and Su Ying'er froze on the spot, unsure whether to kowtow or not.
Master Qingyu frowned slightly. "Elder Song, my disciple is currently in the process of becoming an apprentice. You can speak later."
Elder Song had been waiting for this moment ever since he sat down. He jumped up from his seat and pointed at True Person Qingyu, saying, "I have to say it now!"
Master Qingyu thought Elder Song was going to cause trouble, and his eyes turned cold. "The missing outer sect disciple has not yet been found, yet Elder Song still has time to come to my Lotus Sect to cause trouble. Does he disregard the sect rules?"
Elder Song shook his head and said, "No, no, I stopped this apprenticeship ceremony precisely because of my disciple's disappearance."
She pointed to her side, "Because she's the one who killed three outer sect disciples in succession!"
Su Ying'er's legs went weak the moment she was pointed at, but she reacted quickly and immediately started crying, "Elder Song, what are you saying? How could I possibly harm my fellow disciples?"
"That's right!" Mo Hannian, who had been re-brainwashed, quickly stepped forward to protect Su Ying'er. "How could Ying'er do such a thing! Elder Song, don't make false accusations!"
Master Qingyu went even further, directly questioning, "Elder Song, what is your punishment for slandering my disciple?"
While wiping away her tears, Su Ying'er said, "Master and Senior Brother, please don't argue over Ying'er. Ying'er knows that the missing disciple has not been found yet, and Elder Song is under pressure and unable to explain himself, so he is eager to find a culprit to take the blame. Ying'er can understand."
These veiled remarks nearly made Elder Song furious; he opened his mouth to curse, "You bunch of bastards..."
Ye Li tugged at her sleeve, shook her head, and reminded her that important matters were at hand.
Elder Song barely suppressed his anger. "Ha! Who said I hadn't found my disciple? I found him long ago! Guards!"
Three bodies covered with white sheets were carried up.
In an instant, Su Ying'er, who had been pretending to be pitiful, was completely stunned.
How could that be!
Didn't she throw all three corpses into the Dark Realm?
Could it be... that they've found the entrance to the Dark Realm?
Ye Li took in Su Ying'er's panic. "These three corpses were found during a search of your room, Su Ying'er. What else do you have to say for yourself?"
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