"Just now, many thanks to Little Elder Bai for stepping in to save me. Only then was this disciple able to retrieve the jade pendant."
Otherwise, Ye Shiyuan had no confidence that he could defeat Pan Yi, and if Pan Yi realized how important this jade pendant was to him, he might have destroyed it outright.
"This was his fault to begin with. Hurry and pack up your own things and put them into this storage ring. It's going to rain soon, and I don't want to get soaked."
Even flying on a sword was already somewhat difficult for him; trying to avoid the rain mid flight would be even harder, and he might even fall off.
"Little Elder Bai may rest assured. When we fly on the sword, I will support you, and I absolutely won't let you get rained on."
This could be considered a small repayment for Bai He helping him retrieve the jade pendant.
Bai He nodded slightly, clearly satisfied. "Then you pack up first. I'll go out and take a look, see whether they're still kneeling properly."
After walking out of the room, the few of them were indeed kneeling properly.
Although they were unconvinced, there was nothing they could do.
Perhaps someone had seen their situation and secretly went to report it to Yao Xiangli, because he actually came striding rapidly in this direction.
"Master…"
"Greetings, Sect Master."
The few of them seemed to see hope.
Although Bai He was an elder, did he not still have to listen to the Sect Master?
"Bai He, why did you suddenly come to Yaoxing Peak without informing me?" Yao Xiangli asked.
"I came to pack up some things and will be leaving shortly, so I didn't want to trouble you, Senior Brother," Bai He replied.
Yao Xiangli swept a glance over the people kneeling on the ground and asked, despite already knowing the answer, "I wonder what mistake they committed that Little Junior Brother would punish them by making them kneel?"
"They overstepped their status, insulted the first disciple Ye Shiyuan, and even discussed an elder behind his back! Senior Brother, tell me, should they be punished or not? If they were merely talking about me, I could let it go. But Senior Brother, Ye Shiyuan is, at least in name, still your disciple. Below the elders, he is the first disciple. For them to insult him like this, doesn't that mean they are not taking you seriously at all?"
Yao Xiangli's gaze instantly sharpened, his eyes landing on Pan Yi. "Pan Yi, as the second senior disciple, not only did you fail to set an example, you even led other disciples to loiter here and waste time. Do you acknowledge your mistake?"
"This disciple acknowledges his mistake."
"After Little Elder finishes punishing you, copy the sect rules one hundred times. You are not allowed to sleep until you are done writing."
"Yes." Pan Yi could only agree obediently.
Ye Shiyuan had already packed all the items he intended to take with him into his spatial ring.
Upon seeing Yao Xiangli, he immediately stepped forward and performed a salute.