Akiyoshi introduced them, “Master, these are Junior Sister Ryu Hanabi and Junior Sister Hirai Hikaru. Remember, I had mentioned them earlier?”

Kenja and Hanabi bowed apologetically.

“Disciple greets First Elder.”

“Disciple greets First Uncle.”

“This isn’t your palace, Disciple Ryu. You have yet to undergo the formal ceremony with Fifth Sister. Until then, I am not your uncle,” his stare was grim, and his words suffocating.

Hanabi stammered embarrassingly, “D-d-disciple has erred. Disciple greets First Elder.”

His next words besieged Kenja, “And you, what are your qualifications for being here?”

Kenja gulped, unsure how to respond.

Truthfully, he was not sure what his qualifications were for attending the present meeting, especially since the First Elder had discarded his relationship with Fifth Elder Kazane until the formal ceremony was completed.

After a few seconds, the First Elder’s gaze and awkward silence in the room made it difficult for him to breathe. The only one left that was not staring intently at him was the Second Elder who was focused on drinking his tea.

A small hand grasped his own to reassure him.

“Hikaru is my big sister. She’s with me.”

Her fiery gaze fought against the First Elder’s momentum.

“Speaking out of turn, disrespecting your elders, Disciple Ryu has overestimated herself. Do you believe you’re any different from your ‘big sister’?” He let out a laugh that was one part condescending and one part mocking. “Half a decade late in opening your meridians, you deviated your qi and nearly died all because you were sad, letting your emotions run rampant. Worse than both your elder siblings, your family abandoned you here in hopes we could recycle such trash.”

Kenja felt Hanabi’s grip tremble and her back shrink. It was apparent to everyone that having her painful secrets revealed so plainly to everyone had weakened her resolve.

“Ho, this person dare bully my disciple’s No. 3. Just say the word, disciple, and I’ll strip him completely naked in an instant.”

Sakura agreed with Snail’s proposal by single-tapping Kenja’s side several times.

Kenja shared the sentiments of the angry snail tugging at his earlobe and sword moving on his side.

The First Elder’s vicious words towards the little princess angered him.

Snail was right. This person was neither kind nor generous; in fact, ‘sinister’ was putting it lightly.

Kenja firmed his own resolve and squeezed Hanabi’s hand. He stepped forward in front of her.

“Immortal Zhang Guolao did not open his meridians until the age of one hundred and seven, and he took only a decade to become undying and eternal.”

Zhang Guolao was a well-known myth whose entire biography destroyed the stereotypes and shared beliefs towards the arduous path of cultivating.

Advancing to Qi Flourishing at the age most mortals would have entered the grave, taking ten years to accomplish what others had failed to do after several hundreds, his story was a testament for the notions that it was never too late to cultivate, that early success did not determine whether one would succeed in the end, and that the journey’s length was not the same for everyone.

Kenja’s words were clearly said to encourage Hanabi and reduce her feelings of humiliation.

After he said this, Hanabi’s hands stopped trembling. She stared at Hikaru’s back with admiration and gratitude.

“Fifth Sister’s eyes are blind to have picked up such unruly disciples. Even if you wish to defend her, you should not speak out of turn when facing your elders.”

With such scathing words directed towards Hikaru and Hanabi, his aura filled the cave, making it difficult to breathe for the two Qi Flourishing disciples.

Although he felt a weight on his head and shoulders, Hikaru did not falter. “First Elder is mistaken. I wasn’t defending little sister. I was replying to First Elder’s question.”

The First Elder tilted his head warily while the elders, and others stared at Hikaru curiously. They all thought her words were said for the purpose of comforting the little princess, but Hikaru claimed it was a reply for the question directed at her earlier concerning her qualifications.

“A century to reach Qi Flourishing and a decade to become a deity. Based off this, little sister and I are ahead of Zhang Guolao. How many of you can say that? In this way, aren’t we the most qualified to be here?”

Everyone other than Hanabi stared dumbly at her.

This was an insult.

It was an indirect and subtle insult but an insult nonetheless.

Because most of the elders had exceeded the age of one hundred, their standing when compared to Zhang Guolao was absolutely inferior. But because Hikaru and Hanabi had not even reached the age of twenty while being at the Qi Flourishing, claiming they were better than the legendary Zhang Guolao was technically not wrong.

Using such a scale, the elders were indeed less qualified than the two young disciples. In fact, their direct disciples would be considered ahead of them as well.

Sparks of electricity blew out of the First Elder’s nose with a huff. “Trash with a silver tongue is still trash. Since you little girls require discipline, I’ll take responsibility for showing you how high the heavens are.”

Power surged out of the First Elder and enveloped the two little disciples.

Anxiety.

Horror.

Fear.

Extreme fear.

Kenja felt all the words he knew previously were insufficient for describing the dread he felt right now.

A feeling of terror had assaulted him and the princess, causing them to take several steps back in fear.

A copper smell filled his nose and a warm liquid dripped from his upper lip. His gaze was locked on his feet as he watched drops of blood splatter on the ground in between his shoes.

He had trouble raising his head to look at the First Elder because his body instinctively knew that man was the source of danger.

Escape!

Flee!!

I must run away!!!

If I don’t, I’ll die here and now!

Kenja felt a painful sting on his ear that broke him out of his panic-stricken hysteria.

“It’s just a little killing intent. It can’t hurt you, so stop cowering so easily. You’re this Supreme One’s disciple. Act like it!”

A comfortable warmth radiated from the side of his head, calming him down. Snail’s encouraging words helped him regain lucidity.

He thought about what had just happened the past few seconds and felt annoyed with himself for behaving so cowardly without realizing it.

Over the past week, he had felt many different auras, powers, majesties, and other similar things, but even when he felt the situation was hopeless or impossible to overcome and that running was the appropriate action, he had never lost himself to the fear.

If he had to run away, it should be a conscious decision to run!

Not a cowardly instinct for self-preservation!

Some might argue there was no difference between the two, but for Kenja, they were as different as night and day.

A tactical retreat belonged to the wisdom of men while one thoughtlessly fleeing for his life was akin to rats and chickens.