"This has nothing to do with Master. Not long ago, when people from Yunxiang City tried to stop us, Master was the one who saved me!"

"Junior Sister Ye, after you escaped, Master was with me the entire time. It’s impossible for her to have done this!"

"Even if there really is a Demon Cultivator, it has nothing to do with her."

It seemed to take a great deal of effort for him to say those words, and he couldn’t quite meet Ye Chuxue’s eyes.

’Master is already growing distant. If I don’t do anything, she’ll only get angrier.’

’The situation will become impossible to salvage.’

’As for Junior Sister Ye, I’ll explain everything to her later. She’s always so understanding; surely she’ll see my side of things.’

The moment Bai Yang spoke, the expressions on An Ze’s and Ye Chuxue’s faces changed dramatically. For a long moment, neither of them could process what they had heard.

"Brother Bai, you—how could you defend her?"

An Ze’s quick temper flared. In that instant, he felt betrayed by Bai Yang!

’Brother Bai is supposed to be on our side!’

"I’m not defending Master. I’m stating a fact. She was with me the entire time, so she can’t be the one behind all this."

Bai Yang straightened his back. Every word he said was true. He could understand Junior Sister Ye’s desperation, but she couldn’t just falsely accuse their Master.

"Bai Yang..."

Ye Chuxue stared at Bai Yang, her expression stunned and filled with disbelief. Her eyes overflowed with disappointment.

’Bai Yang has changed. I’ve sensed it for a while now, but I never thought he’d betray me so openly.’

An indescribable wave of heartache and disappointment washed over her. Tears welled in Ye Chuxue’s eyes, but she forced them back.

’I will never show any weakness in front of Song Wanning.’

’I won’t let Song Wanning have her way!’

Seeing Bai Yang defend her, Song Wanning raised a delicate eyebrow, a hint of mockery surfacing in her eyes.

’So spineless. How pathetic.’

’Still, this proves my plan is unfolding, one step at a time.’

’The bond that held them together so tightly in their past life will be unraveled, piece by piece, until they fall apart.’

’It would be best if they turned on each other, butcher knives in hand. That’s the outcome I’d most like to see.’

"Enough. You’re Song Wanning’s disciple, so of course you’d take her side."

Ling Wushuang snorted. "Hand him over now, or we’re going to the Song Family to demand him ourselves!"

"Yeah, hand him over!"

The crowd started shouting again. Their aggressive posturing made Bai Yang’s heart sink.

He was about to speak again, but Song Wanning suddenly laughed.

"How interesting. All of you, so fascinated by a mere clerk from my auction house. Fine. If you want to see him, you can see him."

"Go and bring him out. Don’t want these people acting like rabid dogs, snapping at anyone they see."

"Yes!"

The Shopkeeper immediately withdrew, his expression perfectly calm.

The others, having been called rabid dogs, looked as if they had just eaten shit.

A moment later, the man was brought out.

Ye Chuxue’s heart leaped. She rushed to the front of the crowd, pointed at the figure, and declared, "That’s him! He’s the one who stole my Storage Ring! He’s a Demon Cultivator!"

"Is that so?"

The Sect Master, who had finally found his chance to act, immediately extended his Divine Sense toward the man. Ling Wushuang, just as eager, did the same, thoroughly scanning the man from head to toe, inside and out.

Overjoyed, Ye Chuxue shot Song Wanning a triumphant glance.

’The proof is right here. Let’s see how she talks her way out of this one!’

’I’ll make that fool Bai Yang see exactly who’s been pulling the strings!’

But a moment later, the Sect Master shot her a dark look and asked in a low voice, "Are you certain this man is a Demon Cultivator?"

"Yes, I’m certain! He definitely used Demonic Qi!"

Ye Chuxue nodded again and again. But, sharp as she was, she keenly sensed something was wrong with the Sect Master’s expression, and her heart gave a heavy thud.

She quickly looked at the man again.

He had the same build, the same clothes, even the mark on his face was identical. The mask was the same, too.

’It’s him!’

’But why does the Sect Master look so grim?’

"Well? Did you find anything?"

Song Wanning casually picked at her fingernails, a mocking smile playing on her lips.

"I told you. There are no Demon Cultivators in my auction house. But you insisted on believing her side of the story."

She shook her head and sighed. "So stupid, and so much trouble."

"Song Wanning!"

Having failed to get any leverage on the Song Family, Ling Wushuang’s face flushed red with anger. He felt utterly humiliated.

’It’s all this idiot’s fault, spouting nonsense without a shred of proof.’

"What? Was I wrong?"

Song Wanning sneered. "Ye Chuxue’s master holds a grudge against me, so she deliberately tried to frame me. And a fool like you just had to get involved. Are you satisfied now?"

Though her words were aimed at Ling Wushuang, she was, in fact, insulting everyone present, including the crowd at the door.

Everyone looked embarrassed, but no one could find the words to refute her.

They could only take the mockery, and they began to blame Ye Chuxue for it.

’What was all that shouting for? Now we’re all getting an earful because of her.’

"Song Wanning, you’ve gone too far!"

Ling Wushuang had never been insulted so blatantly. He was so furious he wanted to attack.

Fortunately, he had enough sense to know he couldn’t beat Song Wanning. In the end, he could only storm off, flicking his sleeves in a huff.

He had arrived full of aggression but left in utter disgrace, becoming nothing more than a laughingstock.

Song Wanning’s expression was nonchalant. She shot a glance at the Sect Master, who looked as if he were constipated, but decided to spare him some face. Instead, she turned her attention to Ye Chuxue.

"Ye, shouldn’t you be apologizing to us now?"

She crossed her arms, her eyes filled with blatant provocation.

Provoked, Ye Chuxue squeezed her eyes shut. When she opened them again, her gaze was firm.

"I was telling the truth! What did I do wrong? This man isn’t the same announcer from before!"

"Song Wanning, you arranged all of this, didn’t you? You set this all up from the beginning! You have the Heavenly Yuan Nourishing Heart Pill, but you refused to use it to save him. You deliberately lured us here and had someone steal my Storage Ring!"

"You did all of this just to get revenge on my master and me, right?"

The more she spoke, the more convinced she became that this was the truth. Her gaze toward Song Wanning filled with horror.

’How could anyone be so malicious?’

"Brother Bai, look closely! He has to be a fake! Song Wanning must have sent him to throw us off!"

Ye Chuxue turned to Bai Yang, wanting to give him one last chance.

’Bai Yang is exceptional in every way—aptitude, character, you name it. A true dragon among men. And with every interaction, my heart has been stirred a little more.’

’I can’t bear to just give up on him like this.’

"Is that so?" Song Wanning said. "Bai Yang, why don’t you take a good, long look? Is this the same man you saw before?"

Song Wanning deliberately called his name with a hint of intimacy, causing Ye Chuxue’s face to pale with rage.

She glared at Bai Yang, waiting for him to make his final decision.

With both of them staring at him so intensely, Bai Yang furrowed his brow, troubled. He turned and looked carefully at the man in question.