Chapter 166 Rumors

During the time Ye Fan was in seclusion to recover from his injuries, almost every Sect and Family, large and small, paid a visit to the Joyous Union Sect.

Clearly, they all wanted to take the opportunity to scout out the situation and perhaps strengthen their ties.

Although Murong Longcheng was not a particularly powerful Golden Core Realm Great Cultivator, his origin from the Central Continent gave him an Innate aura of prestige, which in turn made Ancestor's cultivation seem even more unfathomable.

Originally, many people had criticisms about the Joyous Union Sect joining the ranks of the Upper Four Sects, feeling that it was merely riding on Ye Fan's coattails and that its raw strength was far from that level.

However, after Ancestor made his appearance, these rumors immediately vanished into thin air.

As for the disposal of the Murong Family, Ancestor had already made a decision.

He did not choose to exterminate them completely but instead allowed the Murong Family to pay a hefty "ransom" to have their people released.

Ancestor had his own considerations for doing this; although Murong Longcheng was dead, the Murong Family was like a centipede that dies but does not fall—their sheer size meant they were far from finished.

If he truly pushed them to the brink, those people might act out of desperation, and who knows what they might do.

It was better to fleece the Murong Family for a fortune; he believed many in the Central Continent would be happy to kick them while they were down, so there was no need for the Joyous Union Sect to be the one to stick its neck out.

Ye Fan nodded upon hearing this; the outcome was not far from what he had guessed, and the Murong Family's fate could be considered their own doing.

"The Old Ancestor originally wanted to see you, but his injuries are also quite severe. It will likely take some time before he fully recovers."

Ye Fan's expression turned slightly awkward upon hearing this. Ancestor had only been injured because he helped him withstand the self-detonation of a Golden Core, which made Ye Fan feel very guilty.

Qing Mingzi naturally saw what Ye Fan was thinking and quickly comforted him, telling him not to blame himself.

The Old Ancestor's constitution was sturdier than expected, and it wouldn't be long before he was completely healed.

Ye Fan could finally breathe a sigh of relief. He had truly feared that his recklessness would cause the Sect to suffer an unbearable loss, which would have been a crime impossible to atone for even with a hundred deaths.

Qing Mingzi told Ye Fan to focus on recovering from his injuries and restoring his cultivation during this time; the Sect would handle everything else, so he didn't need to be distracted by such matters.

"Then I thank the Sect Head."

Leaving Tongtian Peak, Ye Fan felt refreshed; even he hadn't expected to pass through so smoothly.

Ye Fan originally intended to return directly to Profound Spirit Peak, but after some thought, he decided to visit White Lotus Peak first.

Regardless, You Suyi had decided to "sacrifice herself to save him" at the time, and Ye Fan kept this kindness in his heart.

He couldn't offer himself in marriage as thanks, but giving her a few Magic Treasures was no problem.

Because of his relationship with You Tan, Ye Fan had visited White Lotus Peak more than once or twice, so there was no need for anyone to announce his arrival.

However, what puzzled Ye Fan was that the White Lotus Peak Disciples, who were usually very enthusiastic when they saw him, all had unnatural expressions today, and many were even whispering behind his back.

Ye Fan overheard a few words and finally understood what was happening, his own expression turning somewhat strange.

"The rumors are that outrageous?!"

People's mouths have two lips, and words can be heavy enough to crush a person—these sayings were absolutely true.

That day on Tongtian Peak, when You Suyi took the initiative to step forward and treat Ye Fan, no one thought anything was wrong.

They simply thought she was desperate to save a life and willing to sacrifice herself for the Sect.

But afterward, many rumors began to spread, saying that You Suyi had actually been in love with Ye Fan for a long time and that stepping forward this time was merely taking advantage of the situation.

If You Suyi hadn't intervened, the protagonist of these "rumors" would surely have been Su Ningxue; by some strange twist of fate, she had actually done Ye Fan and Su Ningxue a huge favor.

Although the Sect's upper management had long ago issued a gag order, forbidding anyone from talking nonsense.

But since mouths belong to other people, such things were impossible to prevent.

In the end, almost the entire Sect was talking about it, forcing You Suyi to stay behind closed doors to seek some peace and quiet.

Ye Fan was also speechless after hearing the whole story. He hadn't expected You Suyi to get into so much trouble because of him and felt truly guilty.

"Oh no, if I visit her now, won't it be even harder to clear things up?!"

Ye Fan was in a dilemma; by coming to White Lotus Peak today, the rumors would likely spread even more vigorously.

But things had already come to this; even if he left now, it wouldn't silence the rumors. He could only steel himself and go see You Suyi, at least to repay the favor first.

"Profound Spirit Peak Disciple Ye Fan requests an audience with Peak Master You."

Ye Fan called out three times, but no one in the Peak Master Hall responded, leaving his heart in suspense.

But just as Ye Fan was feeling uneasy, You Suyi's voice suddenly rang out.

"Come in."

Ye Fan walked into the hall and found that only You Suyi was there. Although he had seen her countless times before, this was the first time they were alone together.

You Suyi was still dressed with a light veil covering her face today. Her tight-fitting long dress outlined her proud figure to perfection—a sight to behold from any angle—and her two long, slender legs were adorned with a pair of milky-white silk stockings. This enticing scene made it difficult for Ye Fan to look away.

"What are you looking at?"

You Suyi's tone was somewhat annoyed, and Ye Fan quickly cleared his throat to regain his composure.

"It's nothing, I was just thinking about how to thank Peak Master You for saving my life," Ye Fan said hurriedly.

"Calling it a life-saving favor is a bit of an exaggeration. It was your Master who saved you; it has nothing to do with me," You Suyi said indifferently.

Ye Fan shook his head, saying that it was already very difficult for You Suyi to be willing to step forward. He had also heard the recent rumors and, having nothing else to compensate her, could only offer some Magic Treasures to show his gratitude.

Ye Fan took out three high-grade magic treasures all at once, all of which were spoils of war previously seized from Ye Feng and the others; any one of them was a rare masterpiece.

But You Suyi's expression didn't change at all. She calmly replied that if she accepted these things, the outside rumors and gossip would likely become even more rampant.

"It's just some rumors and gossip. Why should Peak Master You care? As long as we have a clear conscience, it's fine."

Ye Fan spoke with an air of righteousness, and there was nothing wrong with his words, but who knew that You Suyi's next sentence would nearly choke him.

"And what if I don't have a clear conscience?"

As soon as You Suyi spoke, Ye Fan seemed to turn to stone, momentarily doubting if something was wrong with his ears.

The atmosphere in the Peak Master Hall instantly became deathly silent. Ye Fan stood there in a daze, his mind a complete blank. After a long while, You Suyi was the first to speak.

"It was just a joke."

You Suyi accepted the three Magic Treasures, saying that they were now even.

Only then did Ye Fan come to his senses, cursing inwardly that she had scared him to death.

Ye Fan didn't even dare to look back after leaving White Lotus Peak, only letting out a long breath once he returned to Profound Spirit Peak.

He thought about it carefully for a long time; the look in You Suyi's eyes when she spoke didn't seem like a joke at all, which left Ye Fan even more bewildered.

Ye Fan told himself that although he wasn't bad-looking, he wasn't exactly loved by everyone who saw him.

He couldn't understand what You Suyi would see in him, or was it truly just a joke?!