Meanwhile, Elder Rui, who had been sitting composedly at the head of the hall, moved with unbelievable speed the moment he heard the voice...
He dropped and rolled, prostrating himself fully on the floor. His voice choked with emotion as he cried out in grief, "Great Ancestor... is that you? Are you punishing this humble descendant?"
The change was so sudden that it was impossible to reconcile the high-and-mighty living fossil from moments ago with the man now groveling on the floor.
"What a disgrace!" The icy voice rang out, yet no one in the entire assembly hall could pinpoint its source.
But following Elder Rui's lead, the other senior figures—the living fossils who formed the bedrock of the Honglou Sect—all rose from their seats, knelt, and respectfully cried out, "Ancestor."
The Sect Leader and the others naturally knelt as well.
In the entire assembly hall, the only one still standing was Elder Li, who, having narrowly escaped death, had yet to fully recover his wits.
