Chapter 936 — The Plea and the Refusal

"On your feet! The Palace Master of the Dark Night Palace, dropping to her knees at the slightest word—what sort of disgraceful conduct is this?" The Supreme Elder, seeing Palace Master Wan'er's display of weakness, flew into a rage. "How is your temperament so utterly unlike your grandmother's when she was young? If you want to leave the mountain, then show me your strength! What great deed was ever accomplished by weeping and wailing? When you kneel before an enemy, do you think he will spare you?"

"But you are not an 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 gave a cold laugh. "Do not waste your dreams on it! If they are in danger, all the better if they die—then that bastard seed will be gone from this world, and the Dark Night Palace will not suffer the mockery of the Xuandan Sect!"

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

"Hmph, a fine husband—your husband is the second young master of the Xuandan Sect! He is the one who sent the betrothal gifts!" The Supreme Elder spoke coldly. "And look at that Gu Pengzhan—he cannot even handle a few trifling clowns; he is a complete worthless wretch. What is there in such a man worth your lingering attachment? Now do you see how correct and wise my judgment was? What use is such a spineless man? He might as well die early and be done with it!"

Though the Shadow Group was under Elder Li's command, several of its other overseers were the Supreme Elder's people, and so any news the Shadow Group relayed reached the Supreme Elder's ears at the very first moment.

Before departing, Wan'er's grandmother had entrusted the Dark Night Palace to the Supreme Elder. She had devoted her life's energy to making the Dark Night Palace flourish, yet never had she imagined that an alliance by marriage with the Xuandan Sect—which had brought the Dark Night Palace such glory—would produce the scandal of Wan'er fleeing her wedding!

The former amity with the Xuandan Sect had soured into tension, and overnight the Dark Night Palace had become the laughingstock of the martial world! The Supreme Elder secretly resented Wan'er's disobedience; yet though she was harsh with her, even unreasonable, she had never once thought of taking the Palace Master's seat for herself—she wanted only to help Wan'er break through to the Heaven Rank!

From this, too, one could see that the Supreme Elder was selfless—except that she placed the interests of the Dark Night Palace on a height above even affection and life itself!

The Shadow Group, too, had not existed in the Dark Night Palace before. It was only after Wan'er fled her wedding, and in order to search for her, that the Shadow Group had been founded, jointly overseen by the Supreme Elder and Elder Li!

This was also why the Dark Night Palace had only recovered her after Wan'er had already married and borne a daughter in the secular 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 that little bastard are dead, you will get up soon enough." The Supreme Elder spoke with indifference.

"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 affect her progress—and even affect our Dark Night Palace's ranking at the Heaven Rank Assembly..."

"Once those people are dead, she will naturally settle her heart! All these years without progress—is it not precisely because her passions are unexhausted?" The Supreme Elder remained unmoved, her voice cold.

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

"Ah..." Elder Li was taken aback, then gave a bitter sigh, helplessness rising in his heart. My lady, even if you mean to leave the mountain, you should at least come back and plot it out with me first—to charge out so rashly, 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 join her in this foolishness?"

"I..." Elder Li gave a bitter smile. "I will escort the Palace Master back at once. She is merely a little overwrought; I will talk some sense into her!"

"That will not be necessary!" The Supreme Elder waved a hand. "Somebody, seize the Palace Master and keep her under watch until I say she may be released!"

"Yes!"

No sooner had the Supreme Elder finished speaking than two women dressed like Elder Li came forward and took hold of Palace Master Wan'er, one on either side.

"Forgive us, Palace Master!" These two were elders of the Dark Night Palace as well, and their skill was on par with Wan'er's; for two of them to restrain one was a simple matter indeed...

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

She knew that she would never be allowed to leave now, and in her heart she regretted her rashness of a moment ago... Yet even had she said nothing just now, could she ever have gone down the mountain? Most likely she would have been found out by the Supreme Elder before she could even make her break...

Elder Li sighed. He felt that he had to do something now! He knew the young lady's character well: she seemed fragile, but in truth her heart was strong and powerful! Otherwise, she could never have suddenly fled her marriage without the slightest warning, catching everyone completely off guard!

If anything truly happened to Gu Pengzhan and Gu Mengyao, the young lady likely would not be able to go on living!

A barking dog does not bite, and a dog that bites is not one that never barks. Crude as the saying is, the principle behind it is sound, and that is exactly the young lady's character!

"Supreme Elder, this Li will take his leave first!" With that, Elder Li 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 reckless and extreme, leaving them all caught unprepared, and so she had sent Elder Li to keep an eye on Wan'er!

On the other hand, the Supreme Elder also feared that Elder Li might make some private decision of his own, acting on his own authority to arrange matters...

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

With the other two elders watching him, Elder Li truly had no opportunity 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 regarded your appearance as the chance for the young lady and the little miss to meet! Although I have not yet gotten to the bottom of your background, that does not hinder my intuition for reading people...

I hope you can change the current situation in Songshan City and bring some pleasant surprises to me and the young lady! RO