Faced with Murong Xi's attempt to change the subject, Daoist Qianhe stepped forward at the opportune moment, stroking his beard and chuckling, "Palace Master Murong, you are mistaken. Precisely because Junior Sister Ning is a leading figure in our righteous path, and her reputation is of utmost importance, it is all the more necessary for her to clarify things! Palace Master Nie, why don't you invite Junior Sister Ning up here to ask her clearly? If she has truly been deceived by evil magic, we can then uphold justice for her and clear her name..."
"..."
These words were quite vicious. If Ning Yuyao responded to this question in public, it would seem like she was pointing the finger at Zhu Dachang, but in reality, it would be an admission that she had been "insulted." It would not help to protect her reputation at all, but would only make everyone remember this incident.
Especially given Ning Yuyao's recent brilliance at the Kendo Tournament, this effect will be amplified infinitely!
But since they had already said so much, if Nie Qingshuang were to forcefully stop them, it would make it seem as if Guanghan Palace was too guilty.
After all, Ning Yuyao was the only one present who had clearly dealt with Zhu Dachang.
After a long silence, the beautiful woman in palace attire took a deep breath, suppressing her overwhelming anger. Her icy gaze swept over Meng Qidong and Daoist Qianhe, and her voice, as cold as ice, resounded throughout the entire hall:
"Where is Ning Yuyao? Come here immediately!"
As the sound spread throughout the world, Ning Yuyao below frowned slightly.
Shen Yunhao's prediction was indeed correct; the fire was definitely going to burn them...
However, at this pace, she could easily shift all the blame onto the fictitious "Zhu Dachang." Although this would have some impact on her own reputation and that of Guanghan Palace, it was obviously nothing compared to the safety of Mo Yan and Shen Yunhao.
Just then, Shen Yunhao suddenly stepped forward and said, "Yao'er... just go up and tell the truth in a moment!"
Upon hearing this, not only Ning Yuyao, but also Guan Yingying, who was standing next to her, widened her eyes.
"Are you out of your mind? You want Junior Sister to admit that you are Zhu Dachang? And then be wanted by all the righteous sects? If that happens, the entire Guanghan Palace will be implicated!"
Shen Yunhao shook his head.
"I didn't stand up for Yao'er back in Tanghuo City, which put her under immense pressure. How can I continue to run away this time..."
He stepped forward, gently squeezed the girl's small, fair hand, his eyes gleaming. "Yao'er... since I am your husband, and since I have done such a thing, I must stand up and bear the consequences, unless..."
At this point, he smiled and leaned closer, "Unless Yao'er dislikes me as her husband, fearing it would lower the prestige of the Guanghan Palace's elite..."
"snort!"
Unexpectedly, the girl pouted upon hearing this, shook off Shen Yunhao's hand, and flew up on her sword.
"hehe……"
After Ning Yuyao left, Guan Yingying immediately stepped forward and sneered, "What's this? You enjoyed spanking her last time, so this is how embarrassing it is, isn't it?"
"..."
Shen Yunhao scratched his head, knowing that the other party was still angry about Mu Shuangshuang, and dared not refute.
"However... this time you did show some responsibility by admitting your mistake. But choosing this moment was far too foolish. Zhu Dachang has already been completely labeled a demonic figure of the Demonic Sect..."
"Does Senior Sister Guan think I belong to the Demonic Sect?"
Guan Yingying's expression froze for a moment, then she raised her head and said, "What good is my opinion? It has to be those big shots who think it matters. Besides... you dare to go after a scorpion and you still say you're not from the Demonic Sect?"
Shen Yunhao coughed twice, not continuing her line of thought, but simply said, "Since I'm neither a member of the Demonic Sect nor the culprit behind this calamity, what do I have to fear... But there's one thing: Zhu Dachang was indeed an imposter. If I deny it now, and those old dogs produce substantial evidence..."
Upon hearing this, Guan Yingying suddenly paused.
Yes, if Zhu Dachang's lies are exposed, then Guanghan Palace will be unable to defend itself even if it is in the right.
“So, Senior Sister Guan…” Shen Yunhao raised his head and looked at Daoist Qianhe in the sky with a deep gaze, “Although we don’t know what the other party is planning, they have dug a pit for us to fall into, so we must not fall in… That is the most important thing!”
Guan Yingying nodded, then felt something was wrong, frowned and slapped Shen Yunhao on the head.
"Ouch! What are you doing?!"
"You're just putting on an act. In the end, it's all because you publicly flirted with your junior sister back then!"
"..."
...
As Nie Qingshuang finished speaking, silence fell over the surroundings.
A moment later, a figure as serene and aloof as the moon rose gracefully from the crowd below, her robes fluttering as if frost were flowing around her.
Ning Yuyao stepped lightly onto the Cloud Frost Sword and landed gracefully in the center of the Sword Inquiry Platform. She bowed to the seniors above and said in a clear and melodious voice, "Disciple Ning Yuyao greets Master and seniors."
Countless eyes instantly focused on her.
The girl was dressed in white, her figure was tall and straight, and her beautiful face showed no emotion, as if the people had not been talking about her at all.
Seeing Ning Yuyao's reaction, Nie Qingshuang felt slightly relieved, but her tone remained icy: "Yao'er, what Master Meng just said—that you were publicly humiliated by a rogue cultivator named Zhu Dachang outside Tanghuo City—is that true?!"
She found it hard to associate the words "spanking" with the girl in front of her, who was as clear as a spring.
At that moment, everyone held their breath; you could hear a pin drop.
Everyone pricked up their ears, waiting for Ning Yuyao's answer.
Ning Yuyao raised her head, her gaze clear and calm. She first glanced at Meng Qidong, her eyes undisturbed, then turned to Nie Qingshuang and Ouyang Jingfeng, her voice ringing out clearly:
"Reporting to Master, this disciple has never been humiliated!"
Upon hearing this, the crowd erupted in uproar. The cultivators below who had witnessed the event wanted to speak, but were too intimidated by the solemn atmosphere to utter a sound.
However, Meng Qidong sneered inwardly, thinking she was still trying to argue, and stepped forward, saying, "All the seniors are here to witness, so Junior Sister Ning, don't speak recklessly. Didn't you get beaten by that Zhu Dachang back then... cough cough, bullied with such despicable means?"
He really wanted to say those three words directly, but he was afraid that Nie Qingshuang, whose face was ashen, would rush over and kill him with her sword. In the end, he said it more tactfully.
"Yao'er, is this true or not? Tell me, your master is here, and I will definitely stand up for you!"
Ning Yuyao lowered her eyes and remained silent for a moment, as if she were considering something or recalling something.
When she looked up again, a faint tenderness flickered in her eyes. Her voice was soft, yet each word was clear, like a vow:
"Zhu Dachang did indeed overstep his bounds with his disciples, however..."
She paused slightly, a glint of light appearing in her eyes that only appeared when that person was mentioned, and continued:
"That was not an insult. It was only because Zhu Dachang was actually my husband, Shen Yunhao, in disguise. Since we are husband and wife, how could there be any talk of usurpation?"
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