"Junior Sister Song, what are you doing? He’s your disciple!"

It was just one thing after another.

The Sect Master thought Song Wanning was being incredibly difficult.

She wasn’t acting like an elder at all!

"What? I am disciplining my own disciple. Does the Sect Master mean to interfere?"

Song Wanning scoffed and raised an eyebrow. "As it happens, he’ll be free in a moment. Why don’t I just give him to you, Sect Master?"

"After all, you seem to enjoy sticking up for him so much."

Hearing this, the Sect Master’s brow furrowed in anger. "What is that supposed to mean?"

He wanted to rebuke Song Wanning, but from the side, Liu Lan Yi glanced over.

Song Wanning simply smiled, not answering. With a grin, she looked down at An Ze, who was pinned under her foot and completely immobile. Slowly, she ground her heel into him.

"As a disciple of I, Song Wanning, An Ze has not only failed to care for his sect-siblings, but has instead taken the lead in framing his junior sister. This is a betrayal of compassion."

"He has received my favor and support for many years, yet he has repeatedly defied and insulted his own master. This is a betrayal of loyalty."

"A man so devoid of compassion and loyalty is, from this day forward, formally expelled from my tutelage!"

"I, Song Wanning, no longer have such a disciple from this day on!"

Her powerful, ringing voice instantly silenced the surroundings. You could have heard a pin drop.

’Grandmaster Song is actually going to expel An Ze from her tutelage?’

’How is that possible?’

Ever since joining the sect, An Ze had caused plenty of trouble with his loose tongue.

But every single time, Grandmaster Song would step in to clean up his messes, fiercely protecting him.

He was the envy of countless people.

For her to suddenly act like this... everyone found it unbelievable.

"Master?"

An Ze himself was the most shocked of all, as if he’d just heard the biggest joke in the world.

He struggled to lift his head, ignoring the foot pressing down on his skull, and asked in shock, "Master, what did you just say? You’re going to expel me?"

Panic instantly seized his heart.

"Yes."

Song Wanning slowly lifted her foot off him, her voice chillingly indifferent.

"From this day forward, you have nothing more to do with me, Song Wanning, or with Yunxiao Peak!"

"You’re on your own now."

"No..."

An Ze instinctively reached for the hem of her dress, but his hand closed on empty air.

"Master, you can’t! I’m your disciple! I’ve been under your tutelage for almost twenty years..."

"I know you’re just joking, Master! You must be!"

’Master had always doted on him, cherished him completely. How could she bear to expel him?’

’Yes, she must be joking.’ An Ze tried to comfort himself, but his heart was pounding in a panicked rhythm, and his chest felt so tight it was hard to breathe.

Bai Yang panicked too, his heart pounding against his ribs.

"Master, An Ze may be at fault here, but his crime doesn’t warrant this punishment! Please, take back your decree!"

"I’ll be sure to discipline An Ze more strictly in the future. Master, you—"

"Enough."

Song Wanning cut him off impatiently. "I don’t want to hear your useless platitudes."

"If I hadn’t shown up, Li Rao would have already undergone a Soul Search! Her bright future would have been destroyed in an instant, leaving her with nothing!"

"And you, as the Eldest Disciple, dare to say his crime doesn’t warrant this?"

Her brow furrowed coldly. "If you think I’m in the wrong, then you can get the hell out with him! I won’t stop you!"

"Master—"

Bai Yang was struck dumb by her rebuke. He opened his mouth but only stammered, unable to form a rebuttal.

’He knew that this time, his master was determined to get justice for Li Rao.’

’Senior Uncle Gu, Junior Sister Ye, An Ze—they had all become targets for her wrath.’

’Master was still the same person she’d always been—fiercely protective of her own. She hadn’t changed at all.’

’It was just that the one she was protecting was no longer one of them.’

Bai Yang silently clenched his fists, swallowing the jealousy and bitterness rising in his heart.

"Junior Sister Song, this is a serious matter. Don’t make such a rash decision in a fit of pique. You will surely regret it later!"

The Sect Master took a deep breath, trying his best to soften his tone.

"An Ze is indeed at fault, but as his master, you should be teaching him a lesson, not simply casting him out and abandoning him."

’Junior Sister Song was always like this—willful and reckless, never thinking of the consequences.’

An Ze, as if he’d just found his pillar of support, quickly chimed in, "That’s right, Master! It’s my fault! I’ll change..."

’No matter how much he disdained Song Wanning on a normal day, he had never imagined being expelled and severing his connection to her.’

’He was a True Disciple of Yunxiao Peak. If he were thrown out, how could he ever show his face again?’

’Besides, it wasn’t as if he had no feelings for his master at all. He just couldn’t stand her methods sometimes.’

"It’s too late for regrets."

Song Wanning’s expression darkened, her gaze sweeping over An Ze with disgust.

’In her previous life, he always used to say, "I am ashamed to have a master like you..."’

’Back then, she had been scorned by the whole world. Her beloved disciple hadn’t just refused to lend her a hand; he had pushed her into the abyss.’

’The ones closest to her were the ones who hurt her the most.’

’She remembered every single transgression.’

’This was only the beginning. She was looking forward to watching them get what they deserved, piece by piece.’

"You are such a disappointment."

"I have no disciple like you."

With a wave of her hand, she sent An Ze flying.

Her expression was utterly cold.

"Uncle Song! I know you’re angry with me, but you can’t treat Junior Brother An like this!"

Ye Chuxue, having held her tongue for as long as she could, finally stepped forward indignantly.

She clutched Gu Qingyuan tightly, her eyes glaring at Song Wanning, full of reproach and resentment.

"If you’re angry, take it out on me! This has nothing to do with Junior Brother An. Don’t drag an innocent person into this!"

’An Ze’s panicked heart suddenly found an anchor.’

’As expected, Senior Sister Ye was still the one who treated him best!’

’He was incredibly moved.’

’In the future, he would have to repay Senior Sister Ye properly!’

"Oh?"

Song Wanning glanced at An Ze. Seeing his pathetic display, she felt a fresh wave of contempt.

"It’s not impossible for me to take back my decision. If you’re willing to kneel and give me three resounding kowtows, I might just be in a good enough mood to change my mind."

"You two are so close. Surely you can’t bear to see him cast out, can you?"

She gave a knowing smile, her captivating gaze daring anyone to meet it.

Ye Chuxue’s face fell at her words, her cheeks flushing with anger.

Bai Yang also frowned deeply. ’Master is going too far,’ he thought.

"Master!!"

Before either of them could react, An Ze shot to his feet and roared furiously, "Don’t you go too far!"

"So what if I’m expelled? Do you really think I can’t survive without Yunxiao Peak? With my talent, there are plenty of people who would be lining up to take me as their disciple, even without you!"

’His master could humiliate him all she wanted, but she couldn’t humiliate Senior Sister Ye!’

’Senior Sister Ye was the kindest, most wonderful person in the world.’

’So what if he was being expelled? Big deal.’

’He would make Song Wanning regret this!’

’When that time came, even if she got on her knees and begged him to return, he would never look back.’

"Good."

This was exactly what Song Wanning had been waiting for him to say.

She crossed her arms, looking An Ze up and down.

"I’ll let the Elixir Pills you’ve consumed slide, but everything on your person must be stripped off."