Chapter 120: A Supreme Sect's Arrogance (2)

  The elders from the Verdant Sky Hall descended one by one to each of the sects. Xu Mo didn’t know what was happening, but he heard the flattering tones of the elders from the various sects toward the Verdant Sky Hall elders who had just arrived.

  Since almost everyone around him was the same height, he couldn’t see clearly, and he didn’t dare to spread his senses to check what was really going on. From time to time, Xu Mo turned his head to glance at the empty spot beside the Head Elder, Long Bai. He wasn’t the only one curious as to why no elder had descended to their sect yet.

  “You are quite different.”

  Xu Mo heard a low voice near him, almost like the buzzing of a fly, but he thought the voice sounded like Xue Lingxi’s. He stiffly turned his head in the direction of another elite group from the Hidden Dragon Sect, where Xue Lingxi—top performer of the outer sect competition—was the only one who had secured a spot on the elite team.

  Xu Mo heaved a sigh when he saw Xue Lingxi happily talking with her team members.

  He shook his head. Maybe he was imagining things. Maybe he had become too self-conscious of her without realizing it.

  Cough—

  A light cough came from the corner where Long Bai stood. Xu Mo, along with everyone else from the sect, turned to look—and saw a handsome young man with sharp, well-defined features and a straight, prominent nose bridge. A golden-colored hairpin held up his long black hair, which had a few strands of grey tied into a topknot. The grey didn’t make him look old; rather, it gave him a strangely mature charm, contrasting with his almost youthful face. A jade belt buckle was fastened at his waist, lending him an air of nobility. Even though not a trace of Qi could be sensed from him, the otherworldly aura he gave off made others instinctively keep their distance. He felt unapproachable.

  “How have you been, junior?” asked the elder from the Verdant Sky Hall who had suddenly appeared behind Long Bai, poking his firm cheek in a playful manner.

  Gasp—

  Everyone gasped, including many disciples from other sects. They were stunned to see this interaction and turned to look at their own sect elders—elders who had been busy flattering the Verdant Sky Hall elders. And yet, none of those elders had even received a single word of welcome or greeting in return. Instead, they had simply handed over expensive gifts. While the disciples had calmed down after realizing similar scenes were unfolding around them, they still couldn’t help but notice one peculiar thing: one sect stood out. No elder from the Verdant Sky Hall had yet descended to them.

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  “This junior, Long Bai of the Hidden Dragon Sect, humbly greets the esteemed elder of Verdant Sky Hall,” Long Bai said.

  He bowed deeply, lowering his posture even further. “To stand upon the sacred grounds of your honored Hall is a privilege not lightly taken. We are grateful for your hospitality and for the rare opportunity to witness the grandeur of Verdant Sky firsthand.”

  He paused, waiting for the elder’s acknowledgment before continuing. “Your Hall’s guidance over this Secret Realm expedition is an honor to all who are present. We shall conduct ourselves with the utmost decorum and entrust our disciples to your wisdom and arrangements.”

  A soft exhale followed. His voice was clear and humble, yet carried the dignity of someone who knew how to show respect without groveling.

  “If there is any fault or misstep from our disciples during this exchange, this Long Bai shall bear full responsibility. May the elder’s path be ever clear, and your Dao shine like the heavens above.”

  “Are you done?” the elder from the Verdant Sky Hall asked—not kindly, but with a mocking tone and expression loud enough for all to hear. Many disciples of the Hidden Dragon Sect, who idolized Long Bai, clenched their fists. Seeing their idol being humiliated despite his respectful words stung deeply.

  Xu Mo felt something was off. The elder’s expression suggested condescension, as if looking down on Long Bai and everyone here—but Xu Mo couldn’t quite put his finger on it.

  The elder chuckled, though the sound was dry, like wind scraping stone. “Strange… Back then, you couldn’t say three words without calling me ‘Senior Brother.’ Now you act like we’ve never sat beneath the peach trees, watching the blossoms fall.”

  And with that, Xu Mo finally understood.

  From the elder’s words, it was clear that the two had once shared brotherhood—or perhaps still did.

  Hurt beneath courtesy.

  That was the phrase that best described this situation.

  The elder, who called himself Senior Brother, wrapped an arm around Long Bai’s shoulder and leaned casually against Long Bai’s broad back. He smiled as he looked over the crowd of Hidden Dragon Sect disciples.

  “Welcome to the Verdant Sky Hall,” he said warmly, trying to bridge the distance between himself and the disciples who might still be tense in his presence. “I am Elder Qin Jian. I’m the Vice Peak Master of Sword Peak and also the senior brother of your Head Elder here.”

  Qin Jian playfully gave Long Bai a light slap on the back of the head.

  Long Bai kept silent, but his eyes revealed a storm of emotions. He never liked currying favor with friends or family—but when it came to Qin Jian, he had no choice. Qin Jian had always been like this. When Long Bai heard that the True Successor and the Saintess of their sect would be coming to Verdant Sky Hall, Qin Jian had immediately messaged him, saying he would personally greet them upon their arrival at the docking mountain.

  Excited to finally be able to show off his power in front of his juniors.

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