"Fellow Daoist Ye..."
Even after being rejected, Tang Shen was still unwilling to give up. Yet, he was not skilled with words and couldn't articulate any convincing arguments. He could only circle around Mo Tiange from left to right.
Mo Tiange sighed helplessly. "Fellow Daoist Tang, you're going to get me killed like this."
"Huh?" Tang Shen wore a look of utter confusion.
Mo Tiange felt even more exasperated. If others saw him acting like this and word got out, the admirers of this universally adored Young Master Tang would surely hate her to the bone. They might even come at her with swords drawn. Given their jealous temperaments, things would become impossible to explain clearly.
"Big Brother Tang!" Just as she had this thought, the two of them heard a voice.
Mo Tiange turned her head and immediately frowned. It was actually that Junior Sister Hua, the crazed admirer of this Young Master Tang. Speak of the devil. To be seen by this person of all people—wasn't that just asking for trouble?
This Junior Sister Hua was alone, yet she approached with aggressive momentum, her gaze fixed on Fellow Daoist Ye as she asked condescendingly, "Fellow Daoist Ye, what are you saying to Big Brother Tang?"
*He's the one talking, not me...* Mo Tiange thought to herself. Looking at Junior Sister Hua, who stood a good half-head taller than her, she replied in a flat tone, "Nothing of importance. If Fellow Daoist Hua wishes to know, you may ask Fellow Daoist Tang directly."
"Is that so?" A gaze as sharp as a knife blade seemed to slice across Mo Tiange's face.
Mo Tiange had no doubt that this woman wanted to take a knife and slice the flesh from her face piece by piece. She inwardly sighed. Although the female cultivators of the Bixuan Pavilion were strong-willed, this was ultimately not a world where women held supreme authority. Even a man as soft as Tang Shen probably preferred the coquettish manner of that "Junior Sister Yun" they had encountered at the Ziwei Cave Mansion, right? Of course, strong-willed women had their own charm, but when strong-willed turned into domineering, it became utterly unappealing.
Having done nothing wrong, Mo Tiange wasn't afraid of her. She didn't retreat half a step, her voice merely turning cold. "Does Fellow Daoist Hua have any other instructions?"
Seeing that Mo Tiange didn't seem the least bit guilty, Junior Sister Hua's willow-leaf eyebrows shot up. "Fellow Daoist Ye, I'd like to ask what you think you're doing? Instead of properly studying alchemy with Junior Sister Xia Qing, what are you saying to Big Brother Tang?" Seeing Mo Tiange remain silent, Junior Sister Hua took another step closer. "Fellow Daoist Ye, I must remind you, don't covet what doesn't belong to you!"
Under her piercing gaze, Mo Tiange didn't feel intimidated. On the contrary, she found it increasingly amusing. Considering she was about to leave anyway and had no need to hold back, she curled the corner of her mouth into a cold smile. "Fellow Daoist Hua would do better to remind herself of that."
Junior Sister Hua clearly hadn't expected Mo Tiange to retort, and with such disrespect at that. She was momentarily stunned before understanding the meaning, instantly flying into a rage. "Ye Xiaotian! Don't you dare be ungrateful when given face!"
The angrier she became, the calmer Mo Tiange grew, even allowing a smile to touch her lips. "Fellow Daoist Hua, haven't you wanted to teach me a lesson for a long time now? Why haven't you made a move even today? Let me offer you some advice in return. One cannot speak of the sea to a frog at the bottom of a well. With your temperament, Fellow Daoist Hua, it's fine if you stay in Linhai your whole life. But if you ever go to Kunwu one day... Hmph!"
"You...!" Hearing Mo Tiange's utterly disrespectful words, Junior Sister Hua's face changed dramatically. In the entire Bixuan Pavilion, aside from the three elders, no one dared speak to her like this! However, Mo Tiange's icy expression couldn't help but make her feel a pang of guilt, reminding her of what her elder had said several months ago.
*"Want to teach that Ye Xiaotian a lesson? Third child, you truly don't know the immensity of heaven and earth!"*
*She had been indignant. "Great-Grandmother, she's just a cultivator from Kunwu. What's wrong with teaching her a lesson? She still needs our help right now. And she actually gave me attitude!"*
*Her great-grandmother, Elder Qingmiao, upon hearing this, flicked her long sleeve and snorted coldly. "I say you don't know the immensity of heaven and earth, and you still refuse to admit it! You've been spoiled rotten by your mother since childhood! 'Just a cultivator from Kunwu'? When your Sect Leader Senior Sister reported, you were present. Didn't you hear she's a disciple of the Xuanqing Sect?"*
*"But she's just a Foundation Establishment cultivator. What's so great about that..."*
*"But she also said she's traveling on her master's orders!" Elder Qingmiao glared at her, exasperated at her lack of progress. "The Xuanqing Sect only allows Core Formation cultivators and above to take disciples. Her master is undoubtedly a Core Formation cultivator! If she's favored, her status within the sect might not be lower than yours! They have more Nascent Soul cultivators than we have Core Formation cultivators. We can't afford to provoke them!"*
*She had been dumbstruck, momentarily forgetting to reply. From birth, she had been the direct descendant of a Core Formation cultivator, showered with doting affection. She never imagined an outsider cultivator could potentially have a status no lower than hers...*
Pulling her thoughts back to the present, she looked at Mo Tiange, who was gazing at her with an arrogant expression. This was the expression *she* always used on others. When had anyone ever looked at *her* like this? Her anger flared uncontrollably, and she lashed out irrationally. "Who do you think you are? How dare you speak to me like that!"
"Then who do *you* think you are?" Mo Tiange smiled faintly, perfectly composed. "Your cultivation is nothing special, you have no particular talents, you merely rely on having a Core Formation elder as a relative, and you truly think you're something great? Sister, with your mindset, you can forget about forming a Core in this lifetime. Just keep dreaming in the early Foundation Establishment stage until you die!"
"You—!" Without another word, she drew her flying sword, ready to strike.
Mo Tiange took a step back, looking towards the corner where Tang Shen stood dumbfounded. "Fellow Daoist Tang!"
"Huh?" Tang Shen was at a loss.
"Are you going to stand by and watch your junior sister attack a guest within the sect?"
"...Oh." Tang Shen didn't have time to think it through clearly. He hurriedly drew his own magical tool. "Junior Sister Hua!"
Seeing Tang Shen preparing to defend Mo Tiange, Junior Sister Hua's face grew even more furious. "Big Brother Tang, y-you would actually raise your hand against me for her?!"
Tang Shen's courage wavered, but he finally mustered it up and said, "But Fellow Daoist Ye is our honored guest. How can you attack an honored guest?"
"Honored guest?" Junior Sister Hua sneered. "Have you ever seen an honored guest who mocks and ridicules their host? It was she who mocked me..."
"She is correct!" A stern voice rang out from the side.
The three of them turned to see a middle-aged woman dressed in simple, elegant clothes standing at the garden entrance.
The woman appeared to be around forty years old, her face without a single wrinkle, her expression stern and imposing.
Behind her followed several maidservants holding trays and cups, all quiet and not making a sound.
Seeing this person, both Tang Shen and Junior Sister Hua were stunned. Then, the two hurriedly put away their magical tools and knelt to pay their respects.
"Great-Grandmother."
"Greetings, Elder."
"Hmm." The woman nodded slightly and walked over slowly, her sharp gaze fixed on Mo Tiange.
Mo Tiange smiled faintly, neither subservient nor arrogant as she raised her hands in a respectful salute. "This junior Ye Xiaotian pays her respects to Elder Qingmiao."
Hearing this, a trace of appreciation flashed in the woman's eyes, and her tone softened. "No need for such formalities. You are quite a clever child."
Mo Tiange lowered her hands, her gaze half-lowered, and did not speak further.
Elder Qingmiao no longer looked at her, turning her gaze to the two juniors kneeling on the ground. "Shen'er. You may rise."
Tang Shen looked up somewhat uneasily, replying in a low voice, "Yes, thank you, Elder."
Junior Sister Hua also wanted to get up, but upon raising her head and meeting the stern gaze directed at her, she lost her nerve. Biting her lip, she remained kneeling.
Maidenservants had already come forward to clear the miscellaneous items from the pavilion, setting down trays and cushions before retreating to the side.
Elder Qingmiao entered the small pavilion and sat down. She accepted a cup of freshly brewed light tea from a maidservant, took a slow sip, and only then spoke. "Lin'er, you're over forty this year, aren't you?"
The kneeling Junior Sister Hua responded softly in affirmation.
Mo Tiange curled the corner of her mouth slightly from the side. Actually, when she had called her 'sister' earlier, it was just to anger the woman. She hadn't expected her to genuinely be older. Well, those words earlier weren't entirely unjust then.
Over forty years old and still so spoiled and unreasonable. Even though Foundation Establishment cultivators had a lifespan of over three hundred years, living like this, even reaching three hundred without any progress meant she could forget about forming a Core in this lifetime. She'd be lucky to even advance to the mid or late stages.
Elder Qingmiao set down her teacup, her gaze turning cold. "Over forty, and you have the nerve to admit it! I've told you long ago not to be so ignorant of the immensity of heaven and earth. You clearly haven't taken my words to heart!"
"But, Great-Grandmother..."
"But what?" Elder Qingmiao cut her off, slapping the table. "Hua Yilin, do you think just because you have this old woman as your backer, you can do as you please? Your mother failed to raise you properly since childhood, and you yourself don't know how to behave! If you had the ability and formed your Core on your own, that would be one thing. But what do you have now? Merely early Foundation Establishment, and already so lacking in ambition!"
Mo Tiange stood to the side, watching dispassionately. So this Junior Sister Hua was named Hua Yilin. What a pity for such a nice name.
Hua Yilin, kneeling on the ground, pursed her lips and said nothing.
Elder Qingmiao glared at her angrily. "What, you still feel wronged? I think what this little Fellow Daoist said is absolutely correct! Relying on having a Core Formation elder as a relative, you truly think you're something great! Can you rely on me your whole life? Do you not want to advance any further in the future? Last time we sent disciples out, I should have thrown you out there! Let you go to Kunwu and broaden your horizons, so you don't make a fool of yourself later!"
These harsh, severe words truly cut deep. Hua Yilin's eyes reddened. She shot a furious glance at Mo Tiange but didn't dare to retort.
Elder Qingmiao grew even angrier. "What, not convinced? Fine. Since we have a guest today, I won't lecture you further. Go to the Reflection Chamber and face the wall yourself. Don't come out until I say you can!"
"Great-Grandmother!" Hua Yilin was shocked, tears falling. "I..."
"Go now!" Elder Qingmiao showed no mercy, glaring at her.
She bit her lip, finally stood up, and ran off.
Seeing her leave obediently, Elder Qingmiao's expression finally softened. Then, she glanced at Tang Shen. "Shen'er, if there's nothing else, go attend to your great-great-grandmother. She was just mentioning you."
Tang Shen felt as if granted a great reprieve. He hurriedly bowed. "Yes." Then he hastily scurried away.
In the blink of an eye, aside from Mo Tiange, only Elder Qingmiao and her several maidservants remained present.
Mo Tiange's gaze shifted slightly. In the end, she chose silence, adopting the method she used to deal with elders back in the Xuanqing Sect—eyes observing the nose, nose observing the heart—standing quietly and obediently to the side.
Elder Qingmiao didn't look at her immediately. Instead, she accepted a wrung-out towel from a maidservant, carefully wiped her face, and then looked up at her.
She looked very carefully, and for a long time, but Mo Tiange's expression remained calm throughout.
Finally, Elder Qingmiao withdrew her gaze, picked up her tea again, and slowly spoke. "Little Fellow Daoist, you—are truly not simple!"