Bibi Dong's oppressive aura swept across the entire hall.
More than half of the senior leaders present focused their gazes on Qian Renxue, their eyes filled with doubt, confusion, and even reproach.
At the same time, they tried hard to hide their displeasure, dissatisfaction, and anger toward Qian Renxue.
After all, Qian Renxue was only 14 years old. Facing such a scene and the scrutinizing looks from the high-level elders, she felt a bit overwhelmed. A bead of sweat appeared at the corner of her face.
Yet, she still stood firmly in the center of the hall, facing everyone directly.
What Qian Renxue needed to do now was to never show weakness or hesitation. If even she lacked confidence, how could she convince everyone else?
Therefore, she had to summon enough strong confidence to respond to the doubts and accusations from all the senior leaders present.
Bibi Dong spoke coldly, "Qian Renxue, now that you've grown wings and your feathers are hard, you dare to make such a huge decision without consulting us? Faking your death to escape, abandoning your covert mission?"
"Good! Really good, Qian Renxue!"
"Do you even know how important this mission is to the Martial Soul Hall? Do you understand that if this plan succeeds, it will be crucial to our Martial Soul Hall's ambition to unify the continent?"
"If you'd come back after years of spying without any results, that would be one thing. But you are so close to securing the crown prince's position, and with just a few more years you could very likely control the Heavenly Dou Empire's throne."
"Yet you act so recklessly, disregarding the Martial Soul Hall's future and ambitions!"
"Do you have any conscience towards the Martial Soul Hall?"
"Is there even a place for the Martial Soul Hall in your heart?!"
Bibi Dong's voice grew louder and angrier, even shouting at Qian Renxue.
In truth, she could have calmly made this speech.
But the more passionate and intense her tone, the more it stirred up emotions in the crowd — that was Bibi Dong's deliberate tactic.
Many of the senior leaders present were swept up in her fervor.
"Yes, young master, you're being reckless!"
"How could you do this, young master!"
"Even if you are the Martial Soul Hall's young master and descendant of the Six-Winged Angel clan, you can't act so arbitrarily and selfishly, ignoring the Martial Soul Hall's grand cause as if it's none of your concern!"
"Is your behavior appropriate? Are you living up to your identity?!"
The hall quickly became noisy and chaotic, with more and more elders stepping forward to verbally attack Qian Renxue.
Almost every voice was a question or accusation directed at her.
As the criticisms mounted, some began to become increasingly harsh and excessive.
"This is outrageous!"
The Conferred Elders could hardly bear it and tried to stand up to calm the hall and support Qian Renxue.
But Qian Daoliu used soul power to send a command to stop them: "Everyone, stay calm and sit down! Let Xiaoxue face this herself!"
This was a serious matter. Until Qian Renxue explained herself, even the Conferred Elders could not intervene at will.
A powerful organization cannot rely solely on brute force to suppress and instill fear so that its members obey out of terror.
The Martial Soul Hall has stood proud atop the soul master world for over ten thousand years because it has rules and a system — it does not act recklessly.
"Young master, please give us a reasonable explanation!"
"Why did you do this?"
Qian Renxue clenched her fists and gritted her teeth: "I have not neglected the Martial Soul Hall's great cause. I have not abandoned my responsibilities to act recklessly!"
Upon hearing this, Bibi Dong pressed even harder: "Good! Then explain why you suddenly abandoned your covert mission!"
"If you can't give us a satisfactory answer today, even with the seven Conferred Elders present, you will face the punishment and consequences you deserve!"
As she spoke, Bibi Dong glanced meaningfully at Qian Daoliu and the other six Conferred Elders, implying: "I trust none of you have any objections?"
"If Xiaoxue is indeed acting out of willfulness, she should be punished," Qian Daoliu said without shielding her. At most, he would try to mitigate the severity of her punishment.
Qian Renxue took a deep breath, enduring immense pressure as she courageously said once more, "I, Qian Renxue, admit that I abandoned the covert mission and returned because I no longer want to live that kind of life."
"The main reason for my decision is that I came back for the Martial Soul Hall! I can still bring great contributions to the Martial Soul Hall's future ambition to unify the continent!"
"I! I can... I can become—"
At this moment, Qian Renxue suddenly realized she had lost her courage and confidence.
"I can! I—"
"Damn it! Why? Why at this critical moment do I no longer have the courage to say those words?" Qian Renxue bit her lip hard, feeling like she was about to break it, tears welling up at the corners of her eyes.
In the end, she had never been 100% certain in her belief that she could become the Angel God.
Because of this, under the pressure and oppression from the middle and high-ranking elders, she lost the courage and confidence to say the one sentence that would have been her strongest explanation to everyone:
I can become the Angel God!
But now, she simply couldn't say it.
"What can you do? Say it!"
"I—" Qian Renxue was on the verge of tears, her eyes swirling with unshed tears.
"Heh!" Bibi Dong sneered, "Qian Renxue, stop making excuses for your recklessness. To me, you're nothing but a useless, ungrateful ingrate!"
Qian Daoliu's eyes instantly turned icy as he was about to step forward to suppress Bibi Dong.
But just then—
Bang! Boom boom!
The main hall's door was suddenly kicked open with a heavy blow!
A youthful but fiercely arrogant voice, full of anger, rang throughout the hall:
"Shut your filthy mouth! Bibi Dong, I think no one suits the name 'ungrateful ingrate' better than you!"
Those words stunned everyone present.
All eyes turned toward the entrance, where they saw Lin Yu's small figure walking in step by step with an imposing aura and domineering presence, his face showing not the slightest fear—only strength.
Lin Yu made a strong entrance, and his very first sentence was a furious defense of Qian Renxue, directly confronting Bibi Dong.
This move shook everyone's hearts.
The Seven Conferred Elders exclaimed, "Xiao Yu!"
Lin Tian shouted, "Son! What are you doing?"
"Lin Lin Yu!!" Qian Renxue suddenly could no longer hold back the tears in her eyes. Seeing the young boy walk in step by step, she suddenly felt immense reassurance, like a beam of light deeply illuminating her heart.
It was as if boundless courage surged up within her in that instant.