"I'm sorry, Elder, I haven't made my decision yet," Lian Rougang replied, his voice carrying a hint of apprehension as he met Elder Qiao's piercing gaze.

"A pity then," Elder Qiao said with a dismissive wave of her hand before shifting her attention back to Ji Wuye. The sunlight filtering through the pavilion cast intricate patterns on her silk robes, accentuating the embroidered clouds that seemed to drift with her movements.

"Let me ask you something, Little Brother. Instead of harming Elder Xia, you could have simply demonstrated your power. And instead of attacking the disciples, you could have just revealed the underhanded tactics used by the Emei disciples. Why go to such lengths?"

As she spoke, her slender fingers tapped a rhythmic melody against the glazed ceramic pot cradled in her palm, the dull thumps punctuating her words.

Her full lips curved into an inviting smile, directed at Ji Wuye, and she even leaned forward slightly, the fragrance of sandalwood wafting from her robes.

Yet, despite her outward amiability, her eyebrows remained furrowed in disapproval, creasing the delicate skin of her forehead.

The wrinkles around her frown deepened as she noticed Ji Wuye silently holding her gaze without uttering a word—or even attempting to answer her question.

The wind carried the melodic trill of songbirds from the surrounding gardens, filling the tense silence between them.

Amid the brief lull, Ji Wuye gave a subtle gesture, and one of Elder Qiao's disciples, Wei Xun, stepped forward with a fluid grace. She stood by Ji Wuye's side, deftly pouring the fragrant oolong tea into the simple ceramic pot before her.

The amber liquid steamed invitingly, its earthy aroma mingling with the floral notes wafting through the pavilion.

Elder Qiao observed this with furrowed brows and a confused tilt of her head, which quickly morphed into mild annoyance as she took in Ji Wuye's calm, indifferent expression.

His handsome features remained inscrutable, betraying no emotion, and his crimson eyes, while striking in their vibrancy, held an unfathomable depth that seemed to mirror the vast, unknowable cosmos itself . Her irritation grew with his stoic demeanor until she noticed a peculiar action from him.

Ji Wuye began to subtly stir the teacup with deliberate movements, causing gentle ripples to disturb the freshly poured tea's glassy surface.

The liquid sloshed precariously close to the rim, a few droplets escaping to trace glistening trails down the cup's sides.

When he brought the teacup to his lips, as if to take a sip, nothing reached his mouth—either by deliberate design or because the tea had splashed out wastefully, leaving the cup effectively empty.

The only sound was the faint tinkling of ceramic against ceramic as the cup met the saucer once more.

Elder Qiao's sharp eyes followed his deliberate actions, her gaze flickering between the empty cup and Ji Wuye's inscrutable expression.

Slowly, realization seemed to dawn on her as the tension eased from her features. Her furrowed brows relaxed, and the creases on her forehead softened as understanding blossomed across her elegant countenance.

"Exactly," Ji Wuye said at last, his deep voice carrying a weight that belied the single word. He spoke as if patiently waiting for her understanding to catch up, allowing the profound implication behind his symbolic gesture to sink in.

The analogy was clear: Ji Wuye was like the empty cup, now brimming with profound power.

He was trying to blend and harmonize with his surroundings, represented by sipping the tea. Yet, the ripples that formed and spilled over symbolized the inevitable disturbances his profound actions would cause.

'Senior Brother Xia,' Elder Qiao thought inwardly, her mind swiftly piecing together the implications behind Ji Wuye's symbolic gesture.

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If he had not injured Xia Zhenkang, the stubborn elder would have behaved just like Elder Mu and Elder Ma—yet another immovable obstacle, insisting on punishing Ji Wuye rather than appreciating his monumental accomplishments.

So that's why he chose the excuse of "self-defense" instead of exposing the underhanded tactics of the Emei disciples...' Her brow furrowed as she pondered, replaying the events in her mind's eye.

She stole a glance at Ji Wuye, whose full lips now tugged ever so slightly at the corners, forming a faint, enigmatic smile that seemed to hold secrets deeper than the east river.

Kunlun was well aware of the true nature of Emei Sect's fabled martial arts, which often relied on charming, manipulating, and ensnaring opponents through guile.

This was the very reason the controversial Emei Sect hadn't been formally invited to this gathering.

However, banning such martial practices outright would have been tantamount to denying the very existence and heritage of the Emei Sect itself.

It was precisely this precarious position that prevented anyone in the esteemed Hall of Insight from openly questioning Emei's unorthodox methods.

The tense silence that followed Ji Wuye's wordless reply seemed to reverberate through as Elder Qiao continued her contemplation.

'And that's why Little Brother claimed self-defense. Even if he tried to openly expose their underhanded methods, it would have been futile...,' she realized, a heavy sigh parting her lips.

The faint fragrance of orchids carried on the warm breeze only amplified the weight of her thoughts.

The Emei Sect's charm-based techniques, so often intertwined with their formidable martial arts, had significantly contributed to their success and survival in the last great war—just as Kunlun, Wudang, and other major factions had made their own unique, pivotal contributions on that bloodied battlefield.

But then, a disquieting notion took root in her mind as she studied Ji Wuye's inscrutable expression. Her eyes narrowed slightly, searching his countenance for any flicker of revelation as her thoughts grew heavier.

'Was his true intention to punish and provoke outright war with the Emei Sect?' The possibility made her pulse quicken as she recalled how he had cruelly tortured Xing Shufen, the Emei Sect's prodigious disciple at that spar.

Such vicious retaliation seemed a gross overreaction, even for Ji Wuye's uncompromising manner.

The elusive reasoning behind his choices only deepened her frown as her nails tapped a staccato rhythm against the glazed ceramic pot cradled in her hands. Finally, Elder Qiao decided to shift her line of questioning, her sharp voice cutting through the tension.

"You already knew those stubborn Elders would reject you outright. Why didn't you simply confide in me?" Her piercing gaze remained fixed on Ji Wuye, demanding an answer to unlock the truth behind his enigmatic choices.

Almost as if Ji Wuye had been preparing for this moment all along, he finally broke the weighted silence that Elder Qiao had left unspoken for him to fill.

His deep voice carried a calm resonance as he replied, "Even if you trust me, Big Sister, your bond as part of the Kunlun family ultimately ties you to Elder Xia. You trust his judgment, don't you?"

Ji Wuye's poignant words struck a chord within Elder Qiao, as if he had precisely hit the crux of the matter.

For a brief moment, her inviting smile froze, the amiable warmth draining from her delicate features. She subtly leaned her cheek to one side, her elegantly arched brows knitting together as a thoughtful expression clouded her countenance.

Before Elder Qiao could respond or even draw a proper breath to counter his astute observation, Ji Wuye extended his arm, slender fingers pointing toward the distant koi pond. His voice remained serene yet carried an undercurrent of conviction.

"Just like this pond, and how these two sides are separated by its banks, I need a bridge to unite them. I need a profound cause—and this is the righteous cause I now represent."

The bridge was his claim of "self-defense," and the ultimate goal had been to decisively injure Elder Xia while solidifying his own burgeoning power and establishing his name among the sects.

This was the calculated core of Ji Wuye's strategy, and now Elder Qiao could finally see it with striking clarity. The realization brought forth a deep, weary sigh from her as she took in the weight of his measured reasoning.

She closed her eyes momentarily, the gentle flutter of her lashes casting faint shadows on her high cheekbones as she reflected inwardly.

Deep down, she understood the entirety of Ji Wuye's meticulous plan—except for one perplexing outlier that she still struggled to grasp: why he felt the need to so grievously harm the Emei disciple Xing Shufen to such an extreme, merciless degree.

A terse silence hung in the air, only punctuated by the distant trilling of songbirds .

"Then why are you doing all of this alone, Junior?"

Unexpectedly, it was Senior Sister Lian Rougang who suddenly spoke up, her typically demure voice now carrying an uncharacteristic edge. This time, instead of deferentially seeking permission, her intense gaze turned directly toward Ji Wuye, locking onto him with a fervor that surprised even Elder Qiao.

Ji Wuye instinctively straightened his posture, unable to ignore the visible trembling of Lian Rougang's shoulders and the white-knuckled clench of her jaw as undisguised anger narrowed her eyes into sharp slits—all of her heated emotions now directed squarely at him.

It was a truly rare sight to behold; his Senior Sister Lian regarding him with such a seething expression twisted her usually serene features into something wholly unfamiliar—uncharted territory for their relationship.

Ji Wuye found himself momentarily stunned into stillness by this unexpected turn, struggling to reconcile this fiery side of Lian Rougang that he had never glimpsed before, not even an inkling.

'She's really, truly angry with me...' he realized with a start, unable to mask his own surprise at her unrestrained ire.

Even now, he found himself at an uncharacteristic loss for words, momentarily confounded by this jarring development. His Senior Sister Lian had never before openly displayed anger toward him—certainly not burning with such vehement intensity as this.

"I don't quite understand, but you have made a promise to me, to tell me first and I'm your Big Sister. What is this?"

Joining the weighty conversation was another of Ji Wuye's Senior Sisters, Shen Bi. The delicate features of her heart-shaped face were creased with a mixture of worry and consternation as her searching gaze shifted between Ji Wuye and the still-seething Lian Rougang, who had yet to regain her composure.

But then...

"You've shared so many of your insights with us about that enigmatic Tower," another voice joined,. "You bravely saved me and the rest of us Sisters with your profound hints. And yet now, you're inexplicably acting alone on this perilous path."

As if echoing her sentiment, the last of Ji Wuye's Senior Sisters, Qiu Xia, stepped forward to rejoin the conversation. Her almond-shaped eyes narrowed, fixing Ji Wuye with the same piercing, accusatory stare that Lian Rougang had leveled at him moments before.

'Are we too unreliable to entrust with your burdens?'

If pointed gazes could give voice to unspoken words, this wounded sentiment echoed plainly across the troubled expressions of all three Senior Sisters.

On the other hand, Elder Qiao, who had been silently observing this impassioned scene unfold, finally seemed to arrive at a new understanding. Her full lips curved into a deepening smile, crinkling the corners of her eyes into amused slits as a spark of realization danced within their emerald depths.

'Ah, how interesting. So very interesting indeed!' Her mental epiphany was almost giddy as the final pieces clicked into place. 'Now I understand... why you did that to the girl from Emei.'