Pure and Bright Elder

  "Yè Dào Yǒu..."

  After being rejected by her, Tang Shen still didn't give up, but he wasn't good with words and couldn't come up with any reason, so he could only circle around Mo Tian Ge to the left and right.

  Mo Tian Ge said helplessly: "Tang Dao You, you'll get me killed like this."

  "What?" Tang Shen's face was puzzled.

  The situation is getting more and more helpless. If others see this and spread it around, the admirer of the Tang family's young master will definitely hate her to the bone, and may even resort to violence. With their jealous temperament, things will be hard to explain later on.

  "Brother Tang!" Just as they thought this, the two of them heard a voice.

  Moy Tian Ge turned his head to take a look, and his eyebrows furrowed. It was actually that Huashi Mei, the crazy admirer of Tang Gongzi. Good things don't work out, but bad things do, being seen by this person is like asking for her life, isn't it?

  This Huashi sister was alone, but she approached with a fierce momentum, staring at Ye Daoyou with her eyes wide open, and asked condescendingly: "Ye Daoyou, what were you talking to Tang Dage about?"

  It was clearly him who said it, not me... Mò Tiān Gē thought to herself, looking at Huá Shī Mèi who was half a head taller than her, in a flat tone: "Nothing. If Huá Dào Yǒu wants to know, she can ask Táng Dào Yǒu."

  "Really?" A gaze as sharp as a knife cut across Mo Tian Ge's face.

  Mo Tian Ge had no doubt that this woman wanted to cut off her face with a knife, piece by piece. She smiled bitterly in her heart, although the female cultivators of Bi Xuan Pavilion were powerful, but after all, this was not a world where women were revered. Even someone like Tang Shen, who was so soft and weak, would probably still prefer the coquettish appearance of Yun Shi Mei from the Zi Wei Palace. Of course, strong-willed women also had their own unique charm, but when that strength turned into coercion, it became completely unlovable.

  Having done nothing wrong, Mo Tian Ge wasn't afraid of her either. Without taking a step back, his voice was cold and detached: "Does Huahua have any further instructions?"

  This Huashi sister seems to have no conscience at all, her eyebrows raised: "Ye Daoyou, I'd like to ask you what do you want to do? Why not study alchemy with Xia Qing Shimei, but instead talk to Tang Dage?" Seeing Mo Tian Ge didn't respond, this Huashi sister took another step closer, "Ye Daoyou, let me remind you, don't covet things that don't belong to you!"

  Under her gaze, Mo Tian Ge didn't feel weak at all, but instead felt an increasing urge to laugh. Thinking that he would be leaving anyway, there was no need to hold back, so he also curled up the corners of his mouth and revealed a cold smile: "This sentence is better suited for you to remind yourself."

  This Huashi sister obviously didn't expect Mo Tian Ge to refute her, and still be so rude. So she was stunned for a moment, before realizing what was going on, suddenly furious: "Ye Xiao Tian! You're shameless!"

  The angrier she got, the calmer Mo Tian Ge became, even smiling: "Hua Dao You, didn't you want to teach me a lesson long ago? Why haven't you made a move until today? Let me advise you too, a frog at the bottom of a well shouldn't talk about the ocean. Hua Dao You, this surname, if it stays in Lin Hai for a lifetime, that's fine, but if one day you go to Kun Wu... humph!"

  "You..." The Huashi sister's face changed greatly after hearing Mo Tian Ge's blunt words, the entire Bi Xuan Hall, except for the three elders, no one dared to speak to her like this! However, Mo Tian Ge's icy expression made her feel a little guilty, and she remembered what her elder had said a few months ago.

  "Want to teach Ye Xiaotian a lesson? San Yatou, you really are ignorant of the heights and depths!"

  She was indignant: "Too much, just a disciple of Kunwu, what's the point of teaching her? She still needs us now. And she actually gave me attitude!"

  Her aunt, Qing Miao, an elder with a clear and profound understanding, heard this and flung her long sleeve, coldly snorting: "You dare to say you don't know the height of heaven and the thickness of earth? You still won't admit it! You were spoiled by your mother since childhood! Are you just a disciple of Kun Wu? When your senior sister reported to the master, you were also present. Didn't you hear that she was a disciple of Xuan Qing Men?"

  "But she's just a Foundation Establishment cultivator, what's so impressive about that..."

  "But she also said that she was ordered by her master to come down the mountain and travel!" Qing Miao's eyes widened in anger, "Xuan Qing Men only accepts disciples above the Dan stage, her master must be a Dan-stage cultivator! If she is favored, her status within the sect is not lower than yours! There are more Yuan Ying cultivators than us Dan-stage cultivators, we can't afford to offend them!"

  She was stunned for a moment, forgetting to respond. From the moment she was born, she was a direct descendant of the Danxiu sect's lineage, spoiled and pampered, never expecting that an outsider cultivator could possibly have a status not lower than hers...

  She recalled her senses and looked at the stranger, Tian Ge, who was gazing at her with an arrogant expression. This was a look she usually reserved for others, but no one had ever dared to use it on her before. Her anger flared up irrationally as she shouted: "Who do you think you are? How dare you speak to me like that!"

  "So you think you're who?" Mo Tian Ge smiled slightly, calm and composed. "Your cultivation isn't great, and you don't have any special talents. But just because you have a senior with a condensed dan, you really think you're impressive? Sister, with an attitude like yours, this lifetime you won't even need to think about condensing a dan, just dream about it until you die in the initial stages of foundation building!"

  "You——" Without saying another word, he drew out his flying sword and was about to stab.

  "Mò Tiān gē hòu tuì yī bù, kàn zhe jiǎo luò yǐ jīng kàn dāi le de Táng Shèn: 'Táng dào yǒu!'"

  Translation:

  Mò Tiān gē took a step back and looked at Tang Shèn who was already staring blankly into space in the corner: "Brother Tang!"

  "What?" Tang Shen was at a loss.

  "Are you going to let your junior sister attack a guest within our sect?"

  "......Oh." Tang Shen didn't have time to think clearly, hastily pulled out his own magic tool, "Hua Shimei!"

  Seeing Tang Shen wanting to maintain Mo Tian Ge, this Huashi sister's face became even more furious: "Tang big brother, you, you actually dared to raise your hand at me for her?!"

  Tang Shen took a deep breath and finally gathered his courage to say: "But Ye Dao is our honored guest, how can you raise your hand against an honored guest?"

  "'Honored guest?' The maid sneered, 'Have you ever seen an honored guest mock their host? It's her who's mocking me...'"

  "She's absolutely right!" A stern voice sounded from beside him.

  Three people turned their heads and saw a middle-aged woman standing at the entrance of the flower garden, dressed in simple clothes.

  The woman looked about forty years old, with no wrinkles on her face, a stern expression, and an aura that intimidated others.

  Behind her, several maids holding cups and saucers followed quietly, without a sound.

  Seeing this person, Tang Shen and Hua Shi Mei were both stunned for a moment, then the two of them hastily put away their magical instruments and knelt down to pay their respects.

  "Too difficult."

  "Have seen the elder."

  "Hmm." The woman nodded slightly, walking slowly, her sharp eyes fixed on Mo Tian Ge.

  Ye Xiao Tian smiled slightly and raised his hand in a salute: "Junior Ye Xiao Tian, has seen the venerable Qing Miao."

  Upon hearing this remark, a hint of appreciation flashed in the woman's eyes, and she softened her tone: "No need for excessive politeness; you're quite an intelligent child."

  Moyan Ge let go of his hand, half lowering his eyebrows, and didn't say another word.

  The elder didn't look at her again and shifted his gaze to the two younger ones kneeling down: "Shen'er, you can get up now."

  Tang Shen looked up somewhat uneasily and replied in a low voice: "Yes, thank you Elder."

  This girl also wanted to get up, but when she lifted her head and saw the severe gaze cast on her, she didn't dare, bit her lip, and continued kneeling.

  A maid had already come over to tidy up the pavilion, putting down dishes and mats, and then retreated to one side.

  Qingmiao elder walked into the pavilion, sat down, took over the tea that Shi girl had just brewed, slowly drank a mouthful, and then said: "Lin'er, you are also over 40 this year, right?"

  Hua Shi's sister, who was kneeling on the ground, responded with a low "yes".

  Mò Tiān Gē hooked the corner of her mouth. Actually, she had just shouted out "sister" earlier to annoy this woman, but didn't expect that person to take it seriously and be older than her, so what was said earlier wasn't unjust to her.

  Over 40 years old, still so stubborn and unruly. Even if a foundation-building cultivator has lived for over 300 years, with her way of living, she won't make progress even at the age of over 300, let alone achieve enlightenment in this lifetime. It's also difficult to advance to the middle or late stages of cultivation.

  Qing Miao's eyes turned cold as he put down his tea cup: "You're over 40, and you still have the nerve to admit it! I told you before, don't be so ignorant of your place, but you never listened!"

  "But, however..."

  "But what?" Qing Miao Lao broke her off, slapping the table. "Hua Yi Lin, do you think that with me as your backing, you can just swagger around? Your mother didn't teach you well from a young age, and you yourself don't know how to learn! If you had any ability, you would have already formed your dan by now. But what do you have now? You're still at the initial stage of building your foundation, yet you show no signs of improvement!"

  Mo Tian Ge stood by, watching with a detached air. It turned out that this Huashi sister was named Huai Lin. What a pity to waste such a good name.

  Hua Yilin, kneeling on the ground, pouted and didn't say a word.

  The venerable Qing Miao glared at her in anger: "How, do you still feel wronged? I think this little Daoist friend is right! Relying on having a master with a condensed dan, you think you're really something! Can you rely on me for the rest of your life? Is it that from now on you don't want to advance in rank anymore? Last time I sent disciples out, I should have thrown you out, let you go to Kun Wu to gain some experience, so as not to lose face in the future!"

  These words were harsh and severe, really too much. The Huai Yilin in front of her eyes turned red, glared at Mo Tian Ge with anger, but didn't dare to refute.

  The venerable elder became even angrier: "What, not convinced? Alright, since we have guests today, I won't scold you much. Go and reflect on your mistakes, facing the wall! I didn't say you could come out, don't come out!"

  "Aiya!" Huai Yilin was startled and tears fell down, "I..."

  "Go quickly!" Qing Miao elder was ruthless, staring at her.

  She bit her lip and finally stood up, dashing away quickly.

  Seeing her leave quietly, Qing Miao's face finally eased up. He then glanced at Tang Shen: "Shen'er, if there's nothing else, go pay your respects to your great-grandmother. She was just thinking of you earlier."

  Tang Shenru hurriedly made a bow: "Yes." Then he hastily ran away.

  At a glance, except for Mo Tian Ge, there were only Qing Miao Long Lao and her several female attendants left in the hall.

  The stranger's eyes moved slightly, but in the end he chose to remain silent. He took out a set of moves he had used against his seniors at the Xuan Qing Gate and stood quietly on one side, observing with a calm expression.

  The elder Qingmiao did not immediately look at her, but instead took the handkerchief that the woman had handed over and wiped his face gently before looking up at her.

  She looked very carefully and for a long time, but Mo Tian Ge remained calm.

  At last, the venerable elder withdrew his gaze, picked up his tea cup again, and slowly spoke: "Young Daoist friend, you... are truly not simple!"