It wasn't just Qiu Ran—even Chen Qian's beautiful eyes went wide, her small hand covering her red lips as she stared at Gao Xueting in shock.
The same was true for all the Sovereign Emperors. They were all dumbfounded.
Even the Sovereign Emperors who could face mountains collapsing without flinching were struck speechless, so the disciples were naturally even more stunned.
One by one, they sat slack-jawed, eyes practically bulging from their sockets, every gaze fixed on Gao Xueting.
"Everyone... why are you looking at me like that? Is there a flower on my face?" Gao Xueting asked mildly, the corner of her mouth curving up slightly into a charming smile—but her beautiful eyes were brimming with frigid light.
An inexplicable chill descended, plunging everyone into an ice cellar. Cold seeped through their entire bodies.
Gulp...
The sound of swallowed saliva rang out one after another.
"I'm not seeing things, am I... Elder Gao... actually smiled?" someone's voice suddenly cut through.
"She really did smile! Heavens, I've been a disciple of Lingxiao Pavilion for decades and never once saw Elder Gao show a smile. To finally witness it today—I can die without regret."
"This isn't real, this isn't real, this isn't real... it's an illusion, it's an illusion, it's an illusion..."
A group of Dao Source Realm disciples were thrown into utter disarray, none of them able to believe what they'd just witnessed—all because Gao Xueting had smiled.
"It seems you all have quite the opinion of me!" Gao Xueting's smile remained plastered on her face, though for some reason it looked stiff and forced. Hearing the disciples' murmuring, she whipped her head around.
The disciples didn't dare meet her gaze, averting their eyes one by one for fear of being singled out.
"Sister Gao..." Chen Qian stepped forward, asking with concern, "Are you alright?"
"What would be wrong with me?" Gao Xueting smiled sweetly through gritted teeth, her eyes locked on Wen Zishan the entire time. "I'm perfectly fine!"
"Oh..." Chen Qian didn't know what to say, her heart in complete turmoil.
Never mind those Dao Source Realm disciples—even she, a sect elder who spent considerable time around Gao Xueting, was seeing her smile for the very first time. And that smile seemed like it would never go away, making her feel both uneasy and terrified. A chill ran down her spine.
"E-Elder Gao!" Qiu Ran really couldn't watch any more. While Gao Xueting's rare smile was ostensibly something to be pleased about, this terrifying expression was worse than her usual icy demeanor. As a Vice Pavilion Master, he felt obligated to step in and offer some counsel. After a moment of deliberation, he said, "There's no need to push yourself too hard!"
Gao Xueting turned to look at him, still wearing that full smile. "Push myself? I'm not... What, Lord Qiu, do you think my smile is ugly?"
"Absolutely not!" Qiu Ran was startled and hurriedly denied it, quickly changing the subject. "The disciples are all assembled. Perhaps Elder Gao has something she'd like to say to them?"
"What is there to say?" Gao Xueting swept her gaze over the twenty Dao Source Realm warriors and said crisply, "I'll tell them on the road. Now... let's move out!"
As she spoke, her delicate mouth opened and she spat out a miniature tower ship. With her hands forming seals, the ship suddenly grew, expanding to well over a hundred feet in length before slowly coming to a stop.
The tower ship had a sleek design and was exquisitely crafted, its surface adorned with carved dragons and painted phoenixes—clearly far superior to the one Yang Kai had obtained before.
After all, this was an artifact produced by a Sovereign Emperor. It had to be a Dao Source-grade, superior-quality flying artifact!
"All aboard!" Gao Xueting said.
The Dao Source Realm warriors didn't dare hesitate. They activated their movement techniques one after another, leaping onto the tower ship. Yang Kai mixed in with the crowd and boarded as well, finding a random spot to sit cross-legged.
Once everyone was in position, Gao Xueting's lithe form swayed as she arrived on the deck.
Then she slowly turned around, her face twisted into a sinister and terrifying grin, eyes locked on Wen Zishan who had been trying to hide among the crowd. Through gritted teeth, she said, "When I get back... we're going to have a nice long talk!"
She looked as though she'd suffered some unspeakable humiliation, practically declaring that this score would be settled or she wasn't human.
"Have a... safe trip!" Wen Zishan waved, his body inexplicably trembling.
"Hmph!" Gao Xueting let out a cold snort, channeled her source energy, and the tower ship immediately accelerated, streaking out beyond the Green Sun Mountain Range.
Once the ship had gradually vanished from view, a long, unrestrained burst of laughter suddenly erupted.
Wen Zishan was laughing so hard tears were about to stream down his face, both hands clutching his stomach as he wished he could roll on the ground to ease the discomfort. Between gasps, he said, "Did you all... did you all see little Xueting's face? Hahaha, that was just too good..."
"Sigh, have you no dignity!" Qiu Ran wore the expression of a man silently questioning the heavens, shaking his head in exasperation. With a sweep of his sleeve, he rode the wind away.
"Pavilion Master... please have some self-respect!" Another Sovereign Emperor really couldn't stomach it any longer, feeling thoroughly ashamed to be associated with the man.
"You're dead!" Chen Qian glared at Wen Zishan with contempt. "Just wait until Sister Gao gets back from the Land of Four Seasons—see if she doesn't teach you a proper lesson!"
With that, everyone departed one by one, leaving Wen Zishan standing alone.
Laughing and laughing, he eventually found it less amusing, and his expression grew serious. He straightened up and murmured with a touch of melancholy, "It feels like it's been years since I last saw little Xueting smile... I really do miss it. She was such a playful, clingy child when she was little—how did she become so independent and cold once she grew up? Hmm, I guess it really is true that a girl changes completely as she matures."