137: Chapter 137 The message was blocked, and everyone had their own agenda.

Hehuan Sect, Elder Council Hall.

The Grand Elder sat in the main seat, an old man with white hair and beard, gaunt features, wearing grey robes, his aura as deep as the sea.

He was one of the oldest Elders remaining in the Hehuan Sect, his cultivation having reached the Nascent Soul Stage Great Perfection, only a hair's breadth away from the Soul Transformation.

At this moment, he held the ice soul ningyin hairpin in his hand, his brows furrowed tightly.

Before him, Leng Ningshuang stood with her hands hanging down, repeating Xiao Nianyin's verbal order word for word.

"The Sect Master's meaning is… to activate the full array, using this hairpin as the Formation Eye, to block Situ E for three days, and ignore him?" The Grand Elder spoke slowly, his voice hoarse.

"Yes." Leng Ningshuang nodded, "The Sect Master said that after three days, she will personally emerge from seclusion to settle this."

The Grand Elder was silent for a long time before sighing:

"Since the Sect Master has given the order, this old man will naturally comply."

He stood up and instructed the Disciple standing outside the hall:

"Pass the order down, ask the Second Elder, Third Elder, Fourth Elder, Fifth Elder, Sixth Elder, and Seventh Elder to come to the Council Hall immediately. Just say… there is a change at the mountain gate, and the Sect Master has an order."

The Disciple accepted the order and left.

Seeing the task was complete, Leng Ningshuang intended to take her leave, but the Grand Elder called her back:

"Junior Martial Sister Leng, wait. Since this hairpin is the Formation Eye, it still needs to be sent to the formation hub by you personally. Once the Elders have arrived, this old man will take you there."

Leng Ningshuang had no choice but to stay.

During the wait, the Grand Elder closed his eyes to rest, speaking no more.

Leng Ningshuang also dared not speak, just standing quietly on the side, though she felt a faint sense of unease in her heart.

She always felt that… this matter seemed not so simple.

About the time it takes to burn an incense stick, footsteps came from outside the hall.

The first to arrive was a middle-aged Daoist wearing green Daoist robes with a refined appearance—the Third Elder, Yun Xuzi.

He was one of the few Elders in the Sect who did not participate in factional struggles and focused solely on the Dao; his cultivation was at the Mid-Nascent Soul Stage, and he was upright and had a good reputation among the Disciples.

"Grand Elder." Yun Xuzi cupped his hands in greeting and nodded to Leng Ningshuang, "Junior Martial Sister Leng is here too."

"Third Elder." The Grand Elder opened his eyes and pointed to a seat nearby, "Sit, wait for the others."

Yun Xuzi sat down as instructed and did not ask further.

After a while, a fragrance drifted from outside the hall.

A young woman wearing a goose-yellow dress, with a slender figure and charming appearance, walked in gracefully; it was the Fifth Elder Hua Xunhuan.

She looked to be only twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old, her brows and eyes full of affection, corners of her mouth smiling, every gesture revealing the charm of a mature woman, forming a sharp contrast with the cold and aloof Xiao Nianyin.

"Yo, what wind blew everyone here today?" Fifth Elder Hua Xunhuan said with a smile, her gaze sweeping across the hall before landing on Leng Ningshuang, "Even our Sect Master's precious Disciple is here; it seems something big has really happened?"

As she spoke, she sat down below the Grand Elder, crossed her legs, and a section of her fair calf was exposed under her skirt.

"Fifth Elder, stay calm, we will talk when everyone is here." The Grand Elder said indifferently.

Hua Xunhuan curled her lips and stopped talking, but took out a small jade comb from her sleeve and began to comb her hair as if no one else was there.

Time passed bit by bit.

The Second Elder, Fourth Elder, Sixth Elder, and Seventh Elder… were long overdue.

The Grand Elder's brows furrowed tighter and tighter.

After another half an hour, a Disciple finally returned to report:

"Reporting to the Grand Elder, the Second Elder says… he is currently in seclusion comprehending a secret technique and has reached a critical moment, so he really cannot emerge."

"The Fourth Elder says… he went astray in his Qi during cultivation the day before yesterday, injured his Meridians, and is currently recuperating, so it is inconvenient to move around."

"The Sixth Elder says… he received a Sect mission yesterday and went out on patrol, so he is not in the Sect."

"The Seventh Elder says… it is his Revered Master's death anniversary, and he needs to fast for three days and will not see any guests."

One by one, the reasons were high-sounding and impeccable.

The Grand Elder's expression gradually darkened.

Hua Xunhuan let out a "pfft" laugh, put the jade comb back into her sleeve, and said lazily:

"It seems this meeting today cannot be held?"

Yun Xuzi's brows furrowed slightly, and he said in a deep voice: "There is a powerful enemy at the mountain gate. Situ E is a Saint Stage Cultivator. If we really let him break the Mountain Protection Array, the consequences will be unimaginable. For the Elders to shirk their duties at this time is somewhat…"

"Third Elder, that is not right."

A soft, feminine voice suddenly came from outside the hall.

A middle-aged man in black robes with a sinister Face walked in slowly; it was the Personal Disciple under the Second Elder—Zhao Wumian.

He cupped his hands in greeting to the Grand Elder, his tone respectful, but his eyes carried a hint of arrogance:

"My Revered Master is indeed in seclusion comprehending the final level of the 'Nether Ghost Hand'. If this technique is completed, it will be of great benefit to the strength of our Hehuan Sect.

If he were to be forced out of seclusion now, not only would his previous efforts be wasted, but he might also damage his Foundation. I ask the Grand Elder to understand."

After he finished speaking, he looked at the ice soul ningyin hairpin in Leng Ningshuang's hand, a strange look flashing in his eyes:

"Furthermore… since the Sect Master has already bestowed such a secret treasure, she must have made arrangements long ago.

Using the ice soul ningyin hairpin as the Formation Eye to activate the full array and block Situ E for three days should not be difficult.

Why bother the Elders to act personally?"

These words were airtight; they gave the Grand Elder Face while pushing all responsibility away.

Hua Xunhuan covered her mouth and chuckled: "Junior Martial Nephew Zhao is right. What kind of person is the Sect Master? Since she has already made arrangements, those of us who are subordinates should just listen obediently, why cause trouble?"

As she spoke, she stood up and gave a graceful bow to the Grand Elder:

"Grand Elder, Xunhuan is willing to obey orders. It is just… with only me, the Third Elder, and you, plus one ice soul ningyin hairpin, I am afraid we lack the power to maintain the full array for three days."

This sounded like "I am willing to help," but in reality, it was pointing out—there are not enough people, this cannot be done.

The Grand Elder was silent.

How could he not see the thoughts of these people?

Situ E came for Xiao Nianyin.

Yet Xiao Nianyin would not show up and wanted them, the Elders, to stand in the front—who would want to do such a thankless job?

Moreover…

The Grand Elder's gaze fell on the ice soul ningyin hairpin again.

The ice soul ningyin hairpin was one of Xiao Nianyin's Lifebound Treasures, immensely powerful, but she had never let it leave her side.

Now she had bestowed this hairpin as the Formation Eye… This in itself was very abnormal.

Recalling when Liu Rurao caused trouble earlier, Xiao Nianyin had actually used the ice soul ningyin hairpin to suppress her—did she need to use a Lifebound Treasure to deal with a Nascent Soul Stage Liu Rurao?

Unless… Xiao Nianyin was already unable to suppress her with her own strength at that time.

The Grand Elder's thoughts raced.

He suddenly understood.

Today's "order" was ostensibly to deal with Situ E.

In reality, it was Xiao Nianyin testing—testing how many people in the Hehuan Sect would choose to disobey her orders at such a critical moment.

It was also the Elders who made excuses not to come testing—testing if Xiao Nianyin had really encountered an accident, which was why she used this "borrowing strength to strike" method to deal with a powerful enemy.

Everyone was hiding hundreds of schemes.

"Forget it."

The Grand Elder slowly stood up and took the ice soul ningyin hairpin from Leng Ningshuang's hand:

"Since the other Elders have important matters to attend to, then the three of us—this old man, the Third Elder, and the Fifth Elder—will preside over the array."

He looked at Yun Xuzi and Hua Xunhuan:

"Are you two willing to go with this old man?"

Yun Xuzi nodded without hesitation: "Protecting the Sect is a duty that cannot be shirked."

Hua Xunhuan rolled her eyes and laughed charmingly: "Since the Grand Elder has spoken, how could Xunhuan dare not comply? It is just… if the Sect Master asks afterwards why there were only the three of us, the Grand Elder must explain for us."

"Naturally."

The Grand Elder nodded.

The three of them said no more, walked quickly out of the Council Hall, and headed towards the formation hub of the Mountain Protection Array.

Leng Ningshuang followed behind, looking at the backs of the three Elders, her sense of unease growing stronger.

She suddenly felt that this Hehuan Sect… did not seem as united as it looked on the surface.

Outside the mountain gate, Situ E's wild laughter and insults were still endless.

And within the Sect, the undercurrents were already surging.