Shen Qing's face suddenly darkened.
True Lord Honghua's expression stiffened. Embarrassed, he said, "My disciple is of mediocre aptitude. She's not fit to enter the Main Shrine. I'm afraid she'll disgrace our Azure Cloud Sword Sect and cause inconvenience to the Main Shrine."
The great hall fell completely silent in an instant.
Hearing True Lord Honghua's refusal, the two shrine guardians' faces immediately turned gloomy.
Caught in the middle, Shen Qing felt the undercurrents surging.
Beside her, Lin Yibai, with her mouth sealed by a spell - talisman, couldn't utter a single sound. She could only glare at Shen Qing with hatred in her eyes.
Pei Xuanjing and Shen Chuyun looked complex, while He Yu and Nan Zhijin's faces were extremely ugly.
Nan Zhijin clenched his fists tightly. Jealousy towards Shen Qing welled up in his heart.
That was the Main Shrine! The very place he had been longing to enter for so long!!
The Main Shrine was established by various sects during the battle against the Demon Realm ten thousand years ago. The allied forces of the sects were called the Shrine Army.
The Shrine had eight leaders, who were selected from each sect at that time. They were outstanding both in cultivation and prestige.
Now, those eight leaders had become the masters of the Main Shrine, but no one knew how many of them were still alive.
The Immortal Huiyan was one of those eight leaders.
The Shrine Army was divided into thirty - six teams, each led by one person. Ten thousand years ago, these thirty - six people were called the Shrine Guardians.
During the great war, those thirty - six Shrine Guardians led the Shrine Army against the demons. Although half of them died, they brought ten thousand years of peace to the world.
Nan Zhijin admired such people very much. So, besides ascending to a higher realm, entering the Main Shrine and becoming a guardian was another lifelong wish of his.
However, over the past ten thousand years, the demons had disappeared. The few remaining demon cultivators and demon beasts were taken care of by each sect. So, the Main Shrine had gradually drifted away from the world of immortality.
Now, only a few people knew about the existence of the Main Shrine.
Many people didn't know that Nan Zhijin's father had once been a member of the Shrine Guardians.
It was a pity that he died unfortunately while sealing the Demon Abyss a thousand years ago.
At that time, Nan Zhijin was still in his mother's womb. He never got to see his father even after he was born.
But from his mother, he learned about his father's deeds with the Main Shrine and yearned for it ever since. Now, hearing that the Main Shrine wanted to take Shen Qing in, how could he not be jealous?
Although True Lord Honghua clearly refused, Immortal Huiyan was still extremely insistent.
"You've become stingy since you became the sect master. You weren't like this a thousand years ago."
Mentioning this, the elders in the great hall had different expressions. Especially True Lord Hengling and Elder Yaoyue looked extremely ugly.
True Lord Honghua barely managed to maintain his smile. Only a fake one remained on his face.
"Immortal Huiyan didn't come here today just to recruit guardians, right? We should first figure out the situation of the demon beasts."
But Immortal Huiyan obviously didn't accept True Lord Honghua's attempt to change the topic. He still brought the conversation back to Shen Qing.
Immortal Huiyan looked at Shen Qing and asked with a smile, "Shen Qing, do you want to enter the Main Shrine and become one of the shrine guardians? I can see that you have extraordinary aptitude. You'll surely have great fortune if you follow the Main Shrine."
Before Shen Qing could answer, Elder Yaoyue rushed out and stood in front of Shen Qing.
She looked ugly, but still firmly refused on Shen Qing's behalf.
"Immortal Huiyan! This girl Shen Qing can't endure hardships. Just let her stay in the Azure Cloud Sword Sect."
Shen Qing was still kneeling. She could clearly see Elder Yaoyue's fingertips trembling slightly. Her wrinkled brows and tense body told Shen Qing that she was scared.
Immortal Huiyan waved his sleeve. Instantly, Yaoyue knelt on the cold floor. A clear sound of bone cracking came from her knees.
"I remember you, girl. When I took that boy Lingzhou away back then, you stood in front of him like this. Now... you're still the same..."
Immortal Huiyan sighed, as if looking at an ignorant child.
Shen Qing was shocked.
So, her master was taken away by someone from the Main Shrine back then.
Pain appeared on Yaoyue's face, but she still gritted her teeth and said, "Immortal Huiyan... still remembers... this disciple. It's really an honor for this disciple..."
Although she said so, the disgust in Elder Yaoyue's eyes was almost tangible.
Seeing Yaoyue injured, Elder Zhushi suddenly stood up and was about to speak.
But before he could utter a single word, Immortal Huiyan just moved his finger, and Elder Zhushi's mouth was sealed.
He covered his neck tightly. His face turned bright red, as if he couldn't breathe.
Seeing this, True Lord Honghua got anxious. "Immortal Huiyan! The younger generation's rudeness deserves punishment, but considering their unintentional mistakes, please be magnanimous and spare them."
Immortal Huiyan didn't respond to True Lord Honghua's plea at all. The compassionate smile still remained on his face.
At first, Elder Zhushi could still hold on, but as time passed, his face turned as red as pig liver. His nails unconsciously scratched bloody marks on his neck.
True Lord Hongdie couldn't sit still anymore. She also stood up and was about to take out her weapon. But in a flash, the two shrine guardians appeared in front of True Lord Hongdie.
They each held a magic tool, pointing at True Lord Hongdie's neck and heart. It seemed that if she made any move, she would be killed on the spot.
Seeing that Immortal Huiyan's eyes never left her, Shen Qing knew that he was waiting for her answer.
"This disciple doesn't want to!"
Hearing this, the smile on Huiyuan's face paused for a moment. The corner of his mouth curled up. That compassionate smile looked extremely strange.
Nan Zhijin's face became even uglier.
How could Shen Qing be favored by the Main Shrine and then so shamelessly refuse the shrine? Did she even know how many people dreamed of this opportunity?!
"Oh? You don't want to?"
Immortal Huiyan raised his hand. The pain on Yaoyue's face intensified. Elder Zhushi's face was so swollen that it seemed about to explode.
Shen Qing frowned and said loudly, "Immortal Huiyan, are you threatening this disciple?"
Everyone's hearts tightened. They were afraid that Immortal Huiyan would twist Shen Qing's neck off the next second.
But Immortal Huiyan let out a soft laugh and put his hand down. Only then could Elder Zhushi finally breathe. Yaoyue's body tilted and she slumped to the ground weakly.
The two shrine guardians also returned behind Immortal Huiyan in an instant.
"If you don't want to, that's fine. It's a pity for such a good talent. Since that's the case, let's get back to the main topic."
Hearing Immortal Huiyan say this, everyone secretly heaved a sigh of relief.
"The matter of the Sea Coral City is of great importance. It has already alerted the Main Shrine. With the demons declaring war so boldly, we have to be on guard."
Shen Qing frowned tightly. What did Immortal Huiyan mean by this?
Those demon beasts had become so crazy because of Lin Yibai.
But the people from the Main Shrine should know that the seal of the Demon Abyss hadn't been broken yet. The demons couldn't come to this world through the Demon Abyss.
Immortal Huiyan directly regarded this as a declaration of war from the Demon Realm, as if he was deliberately creating panic.
"Is that kneeling female disciple the one you all call the one who has fallen to the demonic path?"
Immortal Huiyan turned his gaze to Lin Yibai. He moved his finger slightly, and the talisman paper on Lin Yibai's mouth fell to the ground.
Lin Yibai took a deep look at Shen Qing. She knelt and kowtowed three times to Immortal Huiyan. Then she pointed at Shen Qing and shouted,
"This disciple is wronged! All of this was framed by Shen Qing!"