"This is bad! After them, quickly! Don't let Junior Brother Gu do anything rash!"
The Sect Master was alarmed and hurriedly led a group to follow.
Nearly all the elders followed, leaving Bai Yang and the other two standing there, dumbfounded.
"Senior Brother, what do we do? Is Junior Sister Ye going to be okay?"
Lu Nanfeng strode over to Ye Chuxue's side. Seeing her in such a state, his hands began to tremble.
He wanted to help her up but was afraid of hurting Junior Sister Ye.
Bai Yang strode over, the corners of his eyes flashing crimson as killing intent surged within him.
"Song Wanning... she definitely did this on purpose!!!!"
"I'm going to find her to save her life! You and Third Junior Brother stay with Junior Sister Ye and wait for me!!"
He gave Ye Chuxue a pained look, then turned and quickly left the room, immediately stepping onto his Flying Sword and speeding away.
'I have to find Song Wanning immediately. Absolutely nothing can happen to Junior Sister Ye!'
'Absolutely nothing!'
"Song Wanning, you stop right there!"
A flash of sword light split the clouds, slashing straight down at Song Wanning.
Song Wanning raised her eyes, a cold glint flashing within them. With a wave of her hand, a colossal palm shot forward to collide with the phantom sword.
"BOOM—"
The massive explosion made the clouds roil and the Array flicker, as if it would tear a hole in the sky.
A figure tore through space and stepped out, descending from the sky and radiating a palpable killing intent.
The aftershock of the explosion began to dissipate. Song Wanning and Gu Qingyuan stood in the center, letting the air currents whip at their robes, their eyes glinting with cold light.
The two who had loved, understood, and accompanied each other for over a hundred years had now come to this.
"Song Wanning, give me the antidote!"
Gu Qingyuan held out his hand, his gaze as sharp as a blade, cutting into Song Wanning with every look.
Song Wanning reached up, tucked a strand of hair back, and smiled wickedly.
"What antidote?"
"Don't you dare play dumb!!"
Gu Qingyuan lowered his voice. The Spiritual Energy around him vibrated and swirled restlessly with his aura, ready to erupt at any moment.
'He'd never wanted to kill someone so badly!'
"Hah. Gu Qingyuan, you're hilarious. Rushing over here for no reason demanding an antidote from me? How would I know what antidote you're talking about?"
She crossed her arms, a sneer playing on her lips.
"What, wasn't your precious little disciple's Dantian just damaged? Don't tell me she was poisoned, too?"
Her schadenfreude was written plainly on her face. Song Wanning curled her lip, her captivating eyes staring straight at him.
"You did this on purpose!"
Gu Qingyuan desperately suppressed the malice in his heart, his hands trembling uncontrollably.
"If you weren't my Junior Sister, I'd kill you right now!"
'Chuxue should never have been dragged into this. She's innocent!'
"Hahaha!"
Hearing this, Song Wanning burst into uncontrollable laughter, doubling over as she cackled.
"Gu Qingyuan, you're ridiculous. Are you sure you can still beat me?"
'Ever since Gu Qingyuan took on this disciple, he's poured all his attention into Ye Chuxue. He's even taken several risks for her sake, damaging his Cultivation in the process. His combat strength now... he might not even be a match for me!'
"Junior Sister Song!"
The Sect Master and the others rushed over. Seeing the flying sand and swirling stones around the two, their hearts sank.
They quickly came forward to mediate.
Many disciples in the Sect had also noticed the commotion from the explosion and began to gather from a distance.
"Hiss... Grandmaster Song must be jealous again, huh? It looks pretty serious this time!"
"A while back, Master Ye was seriously injured, and the whole Sect was in a panic over it. Grandmaster Gu stayed by Master Ye's side day and night. How could Grandmaster Song stand that?"
"Yikes, isn't Grandmaster Song being a little too petty? Master Ye is Grandmaster Gu's disciple. How can she get jealous over that!"
"She's causing such a huge scene this time. Don't tell me Grandmaster Song is going to turn hostile for real?"
"Tch, how is that possible? Isn't it always the same? Grandmaster Song argues and throws a fit, and then Grandmaster Gu coaxes her a little and she's fine."
"She's always so obedient to him!"
"Why don't we make a bet? How many sentences will it take for Grandmaster Gu to coax Grandmaster Song this time?"
"I'll bet on two sentences!"
"I bet three!"
"..."
From the Sect Master and elders of the Heavenly Inquiry Sect down to the Outer Disciples, everyone knew of Song Wanning's infatuation with Gu Qingyuan.
When Gu Qingyuan said something, it was law, and Song Wanning had always been the compliant one.
This time would naturally be no different.
Everyone was waiting to see when Song Wanning would give in.
"Junior Sister Song, you're being foolish! Hurry up and hand over the antidote. Let's save Chuxue first, and we can talk later!"
The Sect Master of the Heavenly Inquiry Sect looked at Song Wanning with a very stern gaze, his tone commanding. "If anything happens to Ye Chuxue this time, you will bear the reputation of having harmed a fellow sect member. That wouldn't look good if it got out!"
"That's right, Senior Sister Song. Senior Brother Gu only feels the affection of a master for his disciple toward Chuxue. You shouldn't always overthink things!"
"If you hand over the antidote now, no one will blame you. But if you harm Ye Chuxue..."
The elders also chimed in, their words all pointing to the same accusation: that Song Wanning was being insensible and was actually toying with someone's life.
"There has to be a limit to jealousy!"
The Sect Master's eyes showed his displeasure. 'I don't know when it started, but Junior Sister Song has become pettier than a needle's eye. She flies into a rage at the slightest provocation, and now she's even done something like this!'
'She was never like this before!'
"Are you finally done?"
Song Wanning hadn't spoken, waiting for everyone to finish their criticisms, one by one.
Her heart grew colder, bit by bit.
'So this is my Sect. My senior and junior brothers.'
'All of them, running here to accuse me... all for one woman.'
'How ridiculous.'
She tilted her head and said innocently, "A whole crowd of you rushes over to lecture me, but I have no idea what's happened. How truly unfair..."
Her voice rose at the end. "I've already taken the Heavenly Yuan Nourishing Heart Pill. What are you all still pestering me for?"
The provocation in her eyes was completely undisguised.
'Everyone present knew what was really going on, but where was the proof?'
'I wasn't the one who gave her the Elixir Pill, so what does it have to do with me?'
"Even if Ye Chuxue dies right now, it has nothing to do with me."
"Master!!!"
Bai Yang came running over in a hurry.
"You're not even human! Did you swap the Elixir Pills on purpose?"
"You knew Junior Sister Ye was waiting for that Elixir Pill to save her life! How could you do this?"
His righteous, loathing gaze fell squarely on Song Wanning.
She curved her lips. 'And this is just the beginning.'
'Can't they take it already?'
"Bai Yang, do you even remember your place? Showing no respect for your elders, offending your superior... you tell me, which one of us isn't human?"
"Besides, I already told you all that I had used the Elixir Pill. You refused to believe me, and now that something's gone wrong, you want to pin the blame on me."
Her demeanor suddenly shifted, and the corner of her mouth dropped sharply. "Or do you think that I, Song Wanning, am just some easy target?"
The pressure of her Nascent Soul Stage cultivation erupted from her, pressing down on Bai Yang without reserve.
Bai Yang, who had been shouting just a moment ago, fell to his knees with a THUD. The bones in his entire body creaked and groaned, and he couldn't even lift his head.
"A worthless piece of trash like you dares to shout in my presence? How audacious!"