I saved the entire sect by playing idly by letting things fall apart.

Once all the aristocratic families had entered the venue in turn, Ye Qiao and the others were finally freed to enter the banquet. They found a secluded spot and used it to hide behind the main hall to observe the aristocratic families and their direct descendants who had come to celebrate the victory.

"Where are the people from Changming Sect?" After everyone arrived, Chu Xingzhi searched for a long time but couldn't find Ye Qiao and the others.

"Where are they?" Zhu You pointed to the back of the room, where five people were huddled together, seemingly discussing something. At the celebration banquet, the eight powerful families had given them menacing looks that could pierce through anyone, yet they maintained such a good attitude, which was truly admirable.

Ye Qinghan was slightly surprised, and said calmly, "I thought they would go to the front to show off."

Zhu You shook her head. "They were already in the wrong for swaying so many of their loyal followers, and now they're going to be the first to stick their necks out? Aren't they afraid those old fogies will hold a grudge?"

The fact that the direct descendants of the eight great families were summoned away this time was not solely Ye Qiao's fault. However, the eight great families clearly did not see it that way.

Their faces were all extremely gloomy, as if they were about to slam their fists on the table and launch a tirade of accusations at any moment.

At the victory banquet, besides spiritual fruits and spiritual wine, the table was filled with the five people casually discussing the matter.

"I still can't figure out what the demon race's purpose is. What on earth are they up to?"

If we want to find out the truth, we can only ask Yun Que. But Yun Que was taken away by Junior Uncle, and Junior Uncle won't tell us anything. Ye Qiao precisely stabbed the spiritual fruit with her chopsticks.

Mingxuan poked two holes in the hole with his chopsticks. "If Junior Uncle were reliable, pigs could fly."

Given Xie Chuxue's secretive nature, who could possibly get anything out of him?

Zhou Xingyun calmly stopped the two from committing their evil deeds. "Ye Qiaomingxuan, stop torturing that poor spirit fruit."

Ye Qiao then noticed that the two of them had poked the spirit fruit to pieces.

After they all stopped what they were doing, she paused for a few seconds and asked, "Do you all have any thoughts? What I mean is, things might not be that simple." The demon race would never choose to go to war with cultivators because of so-called romantic feelings.

Unless the Demon Emperor has lost his mind, but judging from his state, he is clearly normal.

Xue Yu lowered his eyes and whispered, "But what is their purpose in doing this? What is it about the cultivator's territory that they would covet?"

Interrogating Yun Que is a matter for the sect; these disciples have no right to interfere.

Xie Chuxue knew everything, but she didn't say anything, which made them feel extremely frustrated.

Ye Qiao began to recall the so-called plot of the novel. The novel was too vague, and this matter had never actually happened. "Perhaps the demon race is looking for something? They have never shown any interest in cultivator territory before."

Mu Chongxi summarized: "They're either looking for something, or they want to cause some trouble."

Mingxuan: "Then what the hell did we analyze for nothing?"

They all slumped onto the table, sighing.

At the celebration banquet, toasts were exchanged, and the elders were arguing with the eight major families about some unknown issue. Their voices were completely cut off and could not be heard at all, until Ye Qiao, who was hiding in a corner, was suddenly called out by name.

"Ye Qiao." The Ye family head's gaze turned icy as he stared at Ye Qiao, who was sprawled out and slumped over, looking utterly pathetic. "I'm asking you. Why did half of the direct descendants of the Eight Great Families disappear at the same time? Did you do it?"

This is downright provocation.

This was the second surprise they received after the sword fight in the Eight Great Families area.

Ye Qiao, who was originally carefree, was already mentally prepared. Upon hearing these words, she straightened up like a spring and smiled, "Hey, that's a good question."

Ye Qiao's smile vanished, and she spread her hands: "But it really wasn't me."

No matter how capable she is, she can't command the Ye family.

As a result, one of the Ye family elders became visibly agitated, "If it wasn't you, who else could it be? Could it be one of our own people who did it?"

What angered them was not Ye Qiao's actions, but the rebellion of her loyal followers, and most importantly, the issue of saving face.

"I see that your Changming Sect has become increasingly arrogant since you won first place this year...!"

Before he could even utter the words "lawless and unruly," Ye Qinghan's next words choked him up.

"I did it."

The young man suddenly stepped forward, dressed in a white, proper sect robe, befitting a member of a prestigious and upright sect.

Ye Qinghan?

A few seconds of silence followed. The Ye family head, slightly taken aback, looked at Ye Qinghan who had stepped forward, and, as if finding it absurd, uttered a single, questioning word: "You?"

Ye Qinghan, the righteous one who upholds the rules?

"Qinghan, some things shouldn't be said carelessly." The Ye family head's voice deepened, carrying an air of authority. "If this matter has nothing to do with you, then don't get involved."

Ye Qinghan didn't understand his implication and said expressionlessly, "It's related to me."

He frowned after saying that, "Otherwise, I wouldn't bother getting involved."

Two sentences left the Ye family speechless.

"Alright." Elder Ye didn't want to argue about this with his own direct descendants. "Even if you took the Ye family members with you, the other aristocratic families are still connected to the Changming Sect, aren't they?"

No.

It was indeed Ye Qiao who provided the idea, but in reality, the people were taken away by their own people.

Song Hansheng looked at Ye Qinghan stepping forward and curled the corners of his lips, "So this is really the Sword Inquiry Sect that prides itself on justice."

"So you mean the Moon Cleansing Sect isn't as daring and responsible as our Sword Inquiry Sect?" Chu Xingzhi, sitting next to him, understood the implication and laughed sarcastically, "So you're saying the Moon Cleansing Sect is selfish and self-serving?"

He wouldn't allow anyone to mock his senior brother in front of him!

Song Hansheng: "Who are you calling selfish?"

"You guys," Chu Xingzhi retorted, glaring back at him, "Did I say something wrong? Isn't it normal for the Moon Purity Sect to have a bad reputation?"

Seeing that the two sides were about to start arguing, Ye Qiao was eager to try. If she threw a spiritual fruit at them, it would immediately turn into a three-way melee.

Ye Qinghan frowned, about to say something, when Song Hansheng, who had been repeatedly mocked by Chu Xingzhi, suddenly fell silent and stood up.

"And me. I took the Song family with me." He paused, then added, a cold laugh seemingly directed at Chu Xingzhi: "Are you satisfied now?"

Holy crap, that's amazing.

He's so bold to speak directly to the Eight Great Families.

In an instant, the two became the center of attention. Ye Qiao raised an eyebrow.

Given Song Hansheng's personality, keeping to himself would be the best option for him, but at this moment, for some reason, he was staring at Chu Xingzhi without showing any weakness.

The two disciples exchanged barbs, and Mingxuan raised his hand, "Um, may I interrupt for a moment?"

"Speaking of which, how's my brother?"

He belatedly remembered the eldest brother of the Ming family by Daming Lake. After the other man helped him steal the warehouse key, he seemed to have disappeared without a trace?

"They've been locked up in solitary confinement." The Ming family head was so angry he was practically spitting fire from his nostrils. They had all tacitly prepared to stand by and watch, but the next day, their entire house was raided. Who would have thought that there would be thieves in their house!

"It's alright." Mingxuan wasn't surprised at all. He said solemnly, "I'll bring him food every day from now on!"

The head of the Ming family: "..."

The eldest brother, who was far away in solitary confinement, shed tears of emotion.

"Then who among the Zhou family's direct descendants did it? Zhou Xingyun?"

Some people denied it: "Impossible, where would he get such a skill?"

Zhou Xingyun lowered his head and drew his sword from its sheath, revealing the two small seal characters "Duan Chen." He said calmly, "The Zhou family members have been transferred. Any further questions?"

Okay, the doubts disappeared in an instant.

With Duan Chen present, there's nothing more to say.

Xue Yu proposed a solution: "How about we lock us all up? We can all have a reunion in the dungeon then?"

To be honest, almost every direct descendant of every clan participated this time, and no one could escape it. Let's lock them all up, as long as the eight great families don't regret it.

Seeing the row of his trusted disciples standing out in perfect unison, the Ye family head's expression was quite interesting.