505: Chapter 505 Everyone's here, should your mother help you arrange the marriage?

Sect Leader Shen's gaze fell upon Leng Ningshuang, and she spoke slowly: "Your Master, Xiao Nianyin, and I are old acquaintances."

"Back in the day, we adventured and traveled together; our friendship was not shallow."

"She came to ask for my help, and logically speaking, I should not refuse. However—"

She paused, her voice becoming serious.

"I have heard about the affairs of your Hehuan Sect."

"The situation over at Tianyin Mountain is in an uproar; the Taihu Clan has driven you out, and the Jile Sect and Tianshu Sword Sect are hunting you down."

"You have nowhere else to go, which is why you came to find me, right?"

The Grand Elder's expression shifted slightly, but he did not deny it.

He knew that what Sect Leader Shen said was the truth.

The Hehuan Sect truly had nowhere else to go, which was why they came to find her.

He lowered his head, his voice somewhat hoarse: "Sect Leader Shen, Sect Leader Xiao said that as long as you are willing to take us in, when the Hehuan Sect is rebuilt in the future, we will certainly repay you handsomely."

Sect Leader Shen waved her hand: "Whether you repay me handsomely or not, I do not care."

"What I care about is, what benefit does taking you in bring to my Tianyan Sect?"

"Come to think of it, your Hehuan Sect is viewed by the world as demonic and heterodox, while my Tianyan Sect is a major Sect of the Righteous Path."

"Since ancient times, the Righteous and the Demonic cannot coexist. If I take you in and word gets out, what will others say? How will other Righteous Path Sects view me? Will the Disciples of my Tianyan Sect be ostracized because of this?"

The Grand Elder opened his mouth, but could not say a word.

Of course, he knew that what Sect Leader Shen said was the truth.

Taking in the Hehuan Sect brought no benefits to the Tianyan Sect; on the contrary, it would bring a great deal of trouble.

The relationships between Righteous Path Sects were complex; one move could affect the whole situation.

If the Tianyan Sect took in the Hehuan Sect, how would other Righteous Path Sects view them? Would they think the Tianyan Sect was colluding with the demonic and heterodox? Would they unite to ostracize the Tianyan Sect? Sect Leader Shen was the Sect Master and had to consider the entire Sect; she could not let emotions dictate her actions.

Leng Ningshuang stood up, walked before Sect Leader Shen, and bowed deeply.

Her waist was bent very low, her head almost touching her knees. This was a posture she had never assumed before.

"Sect Leader Shen, this Junior knows that taking in our Hehuan Sect is a great burden for your esteemed Sect."

"But this Junior implores you, for the sake of my Master, to give us a place to settle."

"We will not stay for free; we can help your esteemed Sect with tasks—cleaning, cooking, tending herbs, Artifact Refining, anything is fine."

"As long as we have a place to stay, we will be content."

Her voice trembled slightly, but every word was spoken clearly.

Sect Leader Shen looked at her and remained silent for a moment. Her gaze lingered on Leng Ningshuang for a long time, as if she were contemplating something.

"Sit down first," she said.

Leng Ningshuang straightened up, sat back down on the chair, and waited for her to speak.

Sect Leader Shen stood up and paced back and forth in the hall.

Her footsteps were light, making faint sounds as they stepped on the bluestone floor. Her purple Daoist robes trailed on the ground like a moving cloud.

The Grand Elder and Leng Ningshuang's gazes followed her, their hearts filled with anxiety.

The hall was very quiet, with only the sound of Sect Leader Shen's footsteps and the occasional "crackle" of the eternal lamps.

After pacing back and forth a few times, Sect Leader Shen stopped, turned around, and looked at Leng Ningshuang.

"Call Shen Ao in," she said to the Grand Elder.

The Grand Elder was stunned for a moment, glanced at Leng Ningshuang, and then stood up and pushed the door open to leave.

Before long, Shen Ao followed the Grand Elder inside.

His Face wore a look of confusion, his gaze shifting back and forth between Leng Ningshuang and Sect Leader Shen.

"Mother, did you call me?"

Shen Ao stood in the hall, looking at Sect Leader Shen, then at Leng Ningshuang, his eyes full of confusion.

Sect Leader Shen did not answer him, but instead looked at Leng Ningshuang and smiled.

That smile caused a sense of foreboding to well up in Leng Ningshuang's heart.

That smile was too warm—unnaturally warm.

It was like a cat watching a mouse, or a fox watching its prey.

"You are Leng Ningshuang? The Leng Ningshuang who is hailed as the number one Disciple of the Hehuan Sect in this generation, under Xiao Nianyin?"

Sect Leader Shen asked again, but this time, her tone was completely different.

It was no longer the scrutiny from before, but a kind of appraisal filled with a smile.

Leng Ningshuang stood up and cupped her hands: "Those are just empty titles given by my fellow Disciples; this Junior dares not accept them."

Sect Leader Shen smiled and looked at Shen Ao, speaking slowly: "Ao'er, I remember you once said that in this life, you would marry none other than Leng Ningshuang of the Hehuan Sect?"

Shen Ao's Face turned red instantly.

The tips of his ears were burning red, as if they had been scorched by fire.

He lowered his head, not daring to look at Leng Ningshuang or Sect Leader Shen, and stammered: "Mother, why... why are you suddenly saying this?"

His hands were trembling, clutching the hem of his clothes until his knuckles turned white.

Sect Leader Shen ignored him and continued: "Now that she has finally come to our doorstep, shall I settle this marriage for you?"

The hall fell silent.

Shen Ao was stunned; his mouth hung open, his eyes wide, and the expression on his Face shifted from surprise to bewilderment, and then from bewilderment to utter helplessness.

He looked at Leng Ningshuang, then at Sect Leader Shen, his lips trembling, not knowing what to say.

His mind was in chaos, countless thoughts surging, but not one could take shape.

Leng Ningshuang was also stunned.

She had not expected Sect Leader Shen to bring this matter up at such a time.

She had originally thought that Sect Leader Shen would agree to take them in, out of consideration for Xiao Nianyin.

She had not expected Sect Leader Shen to set a condition, and that this condition would be for her to marry Shen Ao.

Her heart sank abruptly, as if she had been thrown into an ice cellar.