By the time
"Ziyun, I was just..." Nie Li started to explain.
Ye Ziyun glared at Nie Li with a mix of annoyance and embarrassment. "The reason I asked you here was not to discuss this."
"Ziyun, we really didn't do anything. He just wanted to confirm the mark on my body..." Xiao Ning'er's cheeks were burning, and she couldn't quite meet Ye Ziyun's eyes. The situation earlier had been far too awkward.
"Nie Li, did you just make up an excuse to trick Ning'er?" Ye Ziyun pouted, looking at Nie Li.
"I really was just confirming the mark," Nie Li said, looking pained.
"Hmph, I suppose you wouldn't dare." Ye Ziyun snorted. "Alright, let's get down to business."
Seeing Ye Ziyun's demeanor, Nie Li knew she was no longer angry. Their group had ventured into this Dragon Ruin Domain, their lives hanging by a thread. Behind them lay the fate of the entire
What else could be done now? As for the future, she would just let things take their natural course.
Thinking this, Ye Ziyun felt her heart settle considerably.
" Sect Master Nangong sought me out. She said she wanted to discuss something with you, but it was inconvenient for her to come, so she asked me to pass on the message," Ye Ziyun said.
"Oh? What did she say?" Nie Li raised an eyebrow slightly, his eyes narrowing. He had already guessed roughly what it was about.
"Sect Master Nangong said that with so many of our Feather God Sect members now at the Heavenly Sound Divine Sect, it seems rather... improper," Ye Ziyun said. She had clearly already begun to think of herself as part of the Feather God Sect. After all, the Feather God Sect was now under Nie Li's control, while the Heavenly Sound Divine Sect was merely their temporary refuge.
"Oh? Improper how?" Nie Li blinked, asking.
"She says that the Heavenly Sound Divine Sect has already become... become..." Ye Ziyun's cheeks flushed slightly red.
"Become what?" Nie Li asked with a smile.
"A matchmaking gathering... Ever since the people from our Feather God Sect arrived, while it's true we've protected the Heavenly Sound Divine Sect, privately, it's become utterly chaotic..." Ye Ziyun trailed off, too embarrassed to continue directly. "She asks if we can restrain our disciples."
"Utterly chaotic? What did they do?" Nie Li was taken aback.
"Because you gave the order that if they didn't find their... other half, they shouldn't bother returning to the Feather God Sect. So the Feather God Sect disciples have resorted to every trick in the book. Last night alone, over a dozen were caught climbing walls in the middle of the night, and over thirty were found hiding in the female disciples' rooms. This morning, we discovered that more than sixty female disciples of the Heavenly Sound Divine Sect are pregnant, their bellies showing. No matter how we questioned them, most refused to say who the father of their children was." As Ye Ziyun spoke, she grew so embarrassed she could hardly continue.
"Ahem, Ziyun, go back and tell Sect Master Nangong this. It was she who agreed to let our Feather God Sect move in and protect the Heavenly Sound Divine Sect. Our Feather God Sect keeps its promises, so she can't burn the bridge after crossing it. We absolutely will not agree to that!" Nie Li said earnestly.
Beside them, Xiao Ning'er couldn't help but burst out laughing, her whole body shaking with mirth. Sect Master Nangong had really boarded a pirate ship this time, and getting off wouldn't be so easy. This guy Nie Li was thoroughly rotten! Thinking this, Xiao Ning'er's cheeks flushed red once more.
Ye Ziyun rolled her eyes at Nie Li. "Whatever you have to say, say it quickly. I'm just responsible for passing the message to Sect Master Nangong."
"Ahem." Nie Li was slightly embarrassed. The fact that Sect Master Nangong didn't come to ask him directly, but instead sought out Ziyun to help, meant she understood there were things Nie Li couldn't say comfortably in front of Ziyun.
But
Nie Li paced back and forth, thinking for a moment, then said, "Tell Sect Master Nangong this: withdrawing is out of the question, but our Feather God Sect will dutifully protect the Heavenly Sound Divine Sect. As for those who were caught climbing walls in the dead of night, they're a bunch of useless idiots. Instead of using the proper front gate, they had to climb the wall. Climbing the wall would be one thing, but getting caught is another. It reflects poorly on our Feather God Sect's discipline. We hope Sect Master Nangong will forgive us. However, climbing walls isn't a major offense. A few strokes of the board will serve as a lesson for them. As for those hiding in the female disciples' rooms, there might be reasons for it—perhaps they were invited to visit, or to discuss the Dao of cultivation with the female disciples of the Heavenly Sound Divine Sect, and so on. Why exactly they were caught, we need to investigate thoroughly. Our Feather God Sect will not let a disciple with ill intentions go unpunished, but we also won't wrong an innocent person."
Listening to Nie Li's words, both Ye Ziyun and Xiao Ning'er struggled to hold back their laughter. This guy Nie Li was just full of mischief. After hearing this, Sect Master Nangong would probably explode with rage. It was clear Nie Li was going to cover for the Feather God Sect disciples. Sect Master Nangong naturally couldn't afford to fall out over such minor matters. Moreover, the current Heavenly Sound Divine Sect was no match for the Feather God Sect in strength. If they really did have a falling out, what kind of situation would that leave the Heavenly Sound Divine Sect in? Nangong Xianyin was naturally well aware of this.
"As for the pregnant female disciples of the Heavenly Sound Divine Sect, heaven takes pity on them. Their children don't even know who their fathers are. If the Heavenly Sound Divine Sect's rules are so strict that they would expel these women, our Feather God Sect, out of compassion, is willing to take them in. We hope Sect Master Nangong won't drive them to a dead end." Nie Li thought for a moment and continued.
"This incident has exposed a significant problem. The Heavenly Sound Divine Sect's security is far too poor. So many people were able to openly enter and leave the inner sanctum, bringing such humiliation upon the female disciples. As the Sect Master of the Feather God Sect, I am filled with righteous indignation upon hearing this. In the future, I will send Feather God Sect disciples to assist the Heavenly Sound Divine Sect in guarding their sect. Let the Feather God Sect disciples and the Heavenly Sound Divine Sect's guards eat and live together, sharing weal and woe. If a single person manages to slip into the Heavenly Sound Divine Sect's inner grounds again, I will hold them accountable!" Nie Li huffed a few times.
The Heavenly Sound Divine Sect's guards were all female disciples. If Nie Li sent male Feather God Sect disciples over to eat and live with them, it would be strange if some feelings didn't develop...
Moreover, if the guards were all from the Feather God Sect, wouldn't it be even more convenient for the Feather God Sect's male disciples to come and go from the Heavenly Sound Divine Sect?
But did Nangong Xianyin have the ability to refuse?
She could either turn a blind eye or sever ties with the Feather God Sect. How should Nangong Xianyin choose?