"Get up! You are the Palace Master of the Dark Night Palace—kneeling at the drop of a hat! What sort of dignity is that?" Seeing Palace Master Wan'er so meek, the Supreme Elder flew into a rage. "How is your temperament so utterly unlike your grandmother's when she was young? If you want to descend the mountain, then show me your own strength. What great thing was ever accomplished by weeping and wailing? In the face of an enemy, if you kneel, do you think he will spare you?"

"But you are no enemy, Supreme Elder... I beg you, let me go down the mountain! I cannot lose Pengzhan and Yaoyao..." Palace Master Wan'er remained on her knees, pleading.

"I said no, and no it is!" The Supreme Elder sneered. "Do not waste your hopes! If they are in trouble, so much the better if they die—it saves that mongrel from living on in this world and bringing the Xuandan Sect's mockery down upon the Dark Night Palace!"

"Supreme Elder, no matter what, Pengzhan is my husband, and Yaoyao is my daughter..." Tears flowed from Palace Master Wan'er's eyes despite herself. "I cannot abandon them!"

"Hmph, a fine husband indeed. Your husband is the second young master of the Xuandan Sect! He is the one who sent the betrothal gifts!" the Supreme Elder said coldly. "And look at that Gu Pengzhan—he cannot even deal with a few clownish nobodies. A worthless good-for-nothing through and through. What is there in such a man to make you cling to him? Now do you see how correct and brilliant my judgment was? What use is a spineless man like that? Better he die early and be done with it!"

Although the Shadow Group was in Elder Li's hands, several of its other leaders were the Supreme Elder's people, so any intelligence the Shadow Group sent up, the Supreme Elder could learn of at the very first moment.

Before Wan'er's grandmother departed, she had entrusted the Dark Night Palace to the Supreme Elder. Her life's energy had been devoted to making the Dark Night Palace flourish, but never had she imagined that the Dark Night Palace—so glorious in its day through its marriage alliance with the Xuandan Sect—would be disgraced by a scandal like Wan'er's flight from her wedding!

The former amity with the Xuandan Sect turned strained, and overnight the Dark Night Palace became the laughingstock of the martial world. The Supreme Elder secretly resented Wan'er's disobedience, and though she was harsh with her, even unreasonable, she had never once thought of taking her place as Palace Master—rather, she was bent on helping her break through to the Heaven Rank!

From this, too, one could see that the Supreme Elder was selfless—only she placed the interests of the Dark Night Palace on a plane higher than affection, higher even than life itself!

And the Dark Night Palace had never before possessed any such organization as the Shadow Group. It was only after Wan'er fled her wedding, in order to search for her, that the Shadow Group was founded and formed, jointly overseen by the Supreme Elder and Elder Li!

This was also why the Dark Night Palace had recovered Wan'er only after she had already married and borne a daughter in the mortal world.

"If the Supreme Elder will not consent, then Wan'er will kneel here and not rise!" Palace Master Wan'er summoned the same stubbornness she had shown when she fled her wedding.

"Oh, suit yourself. When you have knelt until your paramour and your little mongrel are dead, you will rise of your own accord," the Supreme Elder said indifferently.

"Supreme Elder, allow me to say a few words!" Elder Li spoke up now. "Supreme Elder, if something truly happens to Gu Pengzhan and Gu Mengyao, then I believe the Palace Master will have no heart for cultivation at all. It will hinder her progress, and may even affect the Dark Night Palace's standing at the Heaven Rank Assembly..."

"Once they are dead, her heart will settle of its own accord! These many years without progress—is it not precisely because her passions are unexhausted?" The Supreme Elder remained unmoved, cold as ice.

"I... I am going down the mountain! Uncle Li, fight your way out with me!" Hearing the Supreme Elder's words, which left no room for negotiation, Palace Master Wan'er suddenly rose to her feet and spoke with resolve.

"Ah..." Elder Li was startled, then gave a bitter sigh, somewhat helpless at heart. My lady, even if you mean to go down the mountain, you should come back and plan it out with me first. To go charging out so recklessly—is that even possible?

Sure enough, the Supreme Elder looked at Palace Master Wan'er as though watching a joke. "Fight your way out? Elder Li, surely you are not going to play the fool along with her?"

"I..." Elder Li smiled bitterly. "I shall escort the Palace Master back now. She is merely a little overwrought; I will talk her round!"

"That will not be necessary!" The Supreme Elder waved a hand. "Someone! Seize the Palace Master and keep watch over her until I say she may be released!"

"Yes!"

No sooner had the Supreme Elder finished speaking than two women dressed in the same manner as Elder Li came forward and gripped Palace Master Wan'er, one on either side.

"Forgive us, Palace Master!" These two were Elders of the Dark Night Palace as well, like Elder Li, but their skill was on a par with Wan'er's. It was easy enough for two of them to restrain one...

Palace Master Wan'er gave a wan smile, glanced at Elder Li, and, overcome with grief, fainted dead away...

She knew she would never be permitted to go, and in her heart she regretted her rashness just now... Yet even had she said nothing, could she have gone down the mountain? Most likely, before she could fight her way out, the Supreme Elder would already have learned of it.

Elder Li sighed. He felt he must do something now! He knew the young lady's temperament well—seemingly fragile, in truth strong and mighty within! Otherwise she could never have fled her wedding without the slightest warning, catching everyone off guard!

If anything truly happened to Gu Pengzhan and Gu Mengyao, then the young lady likely would not be able to live on.

A barking dog does not bite; a biting dog does not bark. The saying is crude, but the sense is not—and such was the young lady's nature!

"Supreme Elder, then I shall take my leave!" Elder Li said, and turned to go.

"Elder Li, you watched Wan'er grow up. Go keep her company and talk some sense into her..." The Supreme Elder sighed. She too feared that Wan'er might do something desperate and foolish, catching everyone off guard, and so she had Elder Li watch over her.

On the other hand, the Supreme Elder also feared that Elder Li might make some decision in private, taking it upon himself to arrange certain matters...

"This... very well!" Elder Li naturally understood the Supreme Elder's meaning and nodded with some helplessness. It seemed that whatever he wished to do, he could not.

With two other Elders keeping watch, Elder Li truly had no chance to do anything.

Young Master, little miss, I hope the two of you can pass through this calamity safely! Wei Zhao, I think highly of you. I have always taken your appearance as the opportunity for the young lady and the little miss to meet! Though I have not yet puzzled out your origins, that does not hinder my intuition in judging people...

I hope you can change the present situation in Songshan City, and bring me and the young lady some pleasant surprises!

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