537: Chapter 527 Oh, so you still respect me as the sect leader?

"Sect Leader Xiao! Sect Leader Xu!"

Yun Hezi walked quickly to Xiao Nianyin and cupped his hands, his voice full of flattery.

"Those opportunistic villains have all been killed by us; not a single one escaped.

The mountain gate has also been cleaned, and we were just waiting for you to return and take charge."

Sect Leader Qing Fengzi and Mingyuezi also crowded around, all smiles and extremely attentive.

"Sect Leader Xiao, you've worked hard!

You must be tired from the journey, right? We've already prepared a place for you to stay. Why don't you go and rest first?"

Sect Leader Qing Fengzi squeezed to the front, Face beaming with smiles.

"Sect Leader Xiao, rest assured, not a single one of those small Sects that occupied our mountain gate escaped. We've vented this grievance for you!"

Mingyuezi also hurriedly chimed in, for fear of falling behind.

They surrounded Xiao Nianyin, talking all at once, completely ignoring Xu Ruyu who stood to the side.

In their eyes, Xu Ruyu was just a waste at the Qi Refinement Stage who had become the Sect Master by luck.

The truly powerful one was Xiao Nianyin.

She was a great expert of the True Immortal Realm and the stabilizing force of the Hehuan Sect.

As for Xu Ruyu? He could just stay to the side.

They didn't take him seriously at all, not even giving him a second glance.

Xiao Nianyin looked at these former traitors, a flash of coldness in her eyes.

She naturally remembered what they had done back then.

Betraying the Hehuan Sect, selling Sect secrets, and nearly causing the Hehuan Sect's destruction.

Now that they saw she had reached the True Immortal Realm and the Hehuan Sect's power had grown, they wanted to come back and show their loyalty? In their dreams.

She was about to speak, but Xu Ruyu reached out and stopped her.

He shook his head slightly, signaling her not to speak.

Xiao Nianyin glanced at him, hesitated for a moment, and ultimately kept her mouth shut.

Xu Ruyu stood there with his arms crossed, coldly watching Yun Hezi, Sect Leader Qing Fengzi, and Mingyuezi flatter Xiao Nianyin.

He didn't speak, nor did he even move.

He just stood there with a faint smile on his lips, as if watching a good show.

His gaze was very calm, so calm that there wasn't a single ripple, but no one knew what emotions were hidden beneath that calmness.

Yun Hezi flattered her for a long time, but seeing that Xiao Nianyin remained silent, he felt a bit uneasy.

He stole a glance at Xu Ruyu and found that Xu Ruyu was looking at him coldly, causing his heart to tighten. He realized he might have overlooked something.

"Um... how has Sect Leader Xu been lately?" Yun Hezi forced a smile and cupped his hands to Xu Ruyu, his tone carrying a hint of reluctance. "Sect Leader Xu is young and promising. Leading these Disciples back to their old home is truly a case of a hero emerging from the youth."

Sect Leader Qing Fengzi and Mingyuezi also hurriedly chimed in, but the disdain in their eyes could not be hidden.

"Yes, yes, Sect Leader Xu is wise and martial. We've long heard of your feat of outlasting Tian Jianzi of the Tianshu Sword Sect!"

Sect Leader Qing Fengzi said this, but his eyes were still on Xiao Nianyin.

"Sect Leader Xu, it's truly remarkable that you could lead the Hehuan Sect to where it is today!"

Mingyuezi also perfunctorily cupped his hands.

Xu Ruyu looked at them and smiled.

In that smile, there was mockery, disdain, and an indescribable... coldness.

"Oh? Is that so? You actually still recognize me as the Sect Master? Then why didn't you think about me being the Sect Master when you betrayed the Hehuan Sect? Why didn't you think about me being the Sect Master when you sold the information about the Hehuan Sect's internal vulnerability to the Meiying Sect?"

Yun Hezi's Face instantly turned pale.

His smile froze on his Face. He opened his mouth to say something, but not a single word came out.

Sect Leader Qing Fengzi and Mingyuezi also lowered their heads, not daring to look at Xu Ruyu.

They hadn't expected Xu Ruyu to expose their wounds so directly.

They thought that since they had driven away those small Sects for the Hehuan Sect and performed a service, Xu Ruyu would at least give them some Face.

They were wrong.

Xu Ruyu didn't look at them again.

He turned around and said to the people of the Hehuan Sect, "Let's go in and take a look."

He strode toward the mountain gate.

Xiao Nianyin followed behind him.

Leng Ningshuang, Zhao Yan, Ning Caihe, Qingyan, and the Disciples of the Hehuan Sect all followed behind.

No one spared a glance at Yun Hezi and the others.

Yun Hezi stood there, his Face turning from blue to white.

He knew that if he left now, he could forget about ever coming back in this lifetime.

He had no way out.

He gnashed his teeth and, leading Sect Leader Qing Fengzi and Mingyuezi, followed at the very end of the group.

Xu Ruyu walked into the mountain gate, his gaze sweeping over the dilapidated Palatial Halls and abandoned Herb Gardens, a complex feeling rising in his heart.

This place was once the foundation of the Hehuan Sect for hundreds of years.

There had been laughter, tears, struggle, and hard work here.

This was the root of the Hehuan Sect.

"From today on, we are back." Xu Ruyu's voice was soft, but every word was like a mountain. "This place is ours once again."

The people of the Hehuan Sect stood behind him, their eyes filling with tears.

They were finally back. They finally didn't have to wander anymore.

They finally had a home of their own.

Xu Ruyu turned around and looked at Yun Hezi and the others following behind, saying indifferently, "Do you have anything else to say?"

Yun Hezi hurriedly stepped forward and cupped his hands. "Sect Leader Xu, we know we were wrong.

Back then, we were possessed and did things that wronged the Hehuan Sect.

We are willing to make up for our mistakes and serve the Hehuan Sect.

Please give us a chance."

Sect Leader Qing Fengzi and Mingyuezi also knelt down one after another, kowtowing repeatedly.

"Sect Leader Xu, please take us in!"

"We are willing to go through fire and water for the Hehuan Sect, without hesitation!"

Xu Ruyu looked at them and remained silent for a moment.

Then, he smiled.

"Make up for your mistakes?" His voice was very soft, but every word was like a knife. "If I remember correctly, when I left back then, I told you to guard the ancestral land, didn't I?

But you let the Hehuan Sect's ancestral land fall into the hands of others. How do you plan to make up for that?"

Yun Hezi's Face turned completely ashen.

Sect Leader Qing Fengzi and Mingyuezi knelt on the ground, not daring to look up.

Xu Ruyu didn't speak again.

He just looked at them, his gaze as calm as water.

In front of the mountain gate, the wind blew, carrying the scent of blood.

The people of the Hehuan Sect stood behind Xu Ruyu, coldly looking at the traitors kneeling on the ground.

No one spoke.

There was only the sound of the wind and the chirping of birds in the distance.