Master Xia and everyone else was utterly dumbfounded.

Especially Xia Qi, who had met the Honorable Poison Master once before. He was so shocked upon seeing a smile on that cold, eerie, and gloomy face that he was rendered speechless. His mouth gaped open in shock.

"Little girl, I've fulfilled my promise to visit the Xia Family home in half a month."

This was the promise he had made to her half a month ago.

So now, he had arrived to fulfill that promise.

"Little Gu Girl, you..." Master Xia's eyes widened in shock as his gaze swept towards Gu Ruoyun before falling onto the Honorable Poison Master. Suddenly, he slapped his thigh and cried out in realization, "That's right, who else would have nurtured such a little monster besides the Honorable Poison Master himself? Little girl, are you a disciple of the Honorable Poison Master?"

He had long suspected that this little girl was somehow related to one of the Three Great Authorities, otherwise, she could not possibly have become such a genius. While the Honorable Poison Master was not a part of the Three Great Authorities, he was a Martial Honor and would certainly have the power to nurture a genius like herself.

The Honorable Poison Master laughed gloomily, "This honored one and that fellow from the Spirit Sect have indeed taken an interest in this little girl. Unfortunately, the little girl has no interest in us and had rejected both our offers to become our apprentice."

Hong!

A sudden clap of thunder struck from the heavens, everyone was dumbstruck by his proclamation.

What did the Honorable Poison Master say? The crowd thought in unison. Both he and the Martial Honor from the Spirit Sect had taken an interest in this young lady yet both were rejected by her? Heavens, how much boldness would one have to have in order to reject an offer of an apprenticeship from two Martial Honors?

"Honorable Poison Master, you've arrived just in time," Gu Ruoyun rose and smiled, "I would like to ask you to identify someone."

"Oh?"

The Honorable Poison Master cocked an eyebrow and tried his best to speak in an extremely friendly manner, "Who would you like me to identify?"

Upon witnessing the familiar manner in speaking between the Honorable Poison Master and Gu Ruoyun, Xia Qi's face drained of color and turned as white as sheet. He unconsciously stumbled a few steps back and gulped forcefully as he looked at the young woman's half smiling face.

"Honorable Poison Master, could you take a look and tell me if you gave the parasite dragon and the soul-snatching parasite to this man?"

The smile on Gu Ruoyun's face grew more pronounced but it was a smile that did not reach her eyes.

Her eyes glared frostily at Xia Qi.

The Honorable Poison Master's gaze slowly followed her line of sight onto Xia Qi's face. He gently wrinkled his brow and turned silent. Within half a heartbeat, he seemed to have remembered something and nodded his head.

"There's no mistake about it. Years ago, I was heavily injured and he was the one who saved me. As a token of my gratitude, I gifted him a parasite dragon and a soul-snatching parasite. Many years have gone by ever since but his general appearance has not changed. I can still recognize him."

This revelation was like a bolt of lightning which had struck from the clear skies. The elders in the meeting hall could not believe their ears.

In their eyes, Xia Qi had always appeared cultured and refined, he respected his older brother and loved his nephew. How could he have done such a thing? Furthermore, the reason behind the Little Master's inability to cultivate was all because of him.

The soul-snatching parasite consumes human life, causing the body to become extremely weak and unable to cultivate, ultimately resulting in death.

While they did not know how the Little Master had managed to recover, Xia Qi's actions would deserve the wrath of God and the resentment of men.

"Xia Qi, so it was you!"

Hong!

Master Xia seethed in anger and he grabbed Xia Qi's lapels in one swoop before fiercely throwing him out. Xia Qi's body crashed into door panel with a loud thump. He spat out a mouthful of blood and glared maliciously, "You're lying! You are acquainted with Gu Ruoyun and helped her lie so that she can take my Xia Family! Father, how can you believe the babbling nonsense of these people who are trying to frame your own son? Your actions will disappoint our forbears!"