I have seen the sovereign!

"Master!"

Not knowing who shouted first, everyone quickly bowed and saluted, "Greetings, Master!"

Qin Ai and Gu Jingqing exchanged glances; neither of them expected the Master to suddenly return.

Before this moment, none of them were aware of this news.

Xiao Hongzhen and Jiang Yi's faces instantly turned unsightly. They could hardly believe what they were seeing—the Master had actually returned!

It had been four years since they last received any news about the Master. They had inquired for a long time, but it seemed as if the Master had disappeared from the world after leaving.

Initially, they had been very concerned about the Master's departure. However, as time passed, they gradually forgot about it.

Now, they simply hoped that the Master would never return. After all, there was always a certain amount of risk for cultivators in search of breakthrough opportunities. It was not uncommon for some powerful individuals to perish during their pursuit of a breakthrough.

They never expected the Master to suddenly come back, especially right after they uttered such words. In an instant, Xiao Hongzhen and Jiang Yi understood that this was all a trap set by Emperor Beichen!

Emperor Beichen's previous attitude was meant to provoke them and make them say such excessive words. With the Master appearing at this moment, he would undoubtedly be furious upon hearing what they said!

Xiao Hongzhen and Jiang Yi stared at Emperor Beichen with icy gazes, surprised by how cunning he had become during their time apart.

Ji Yangxia's look of satisfaction quickly vanished, replaced by intense fear. She was almost the same age as Emperor Beichen and knew how much the Master doted on him.

When the Master was absent, their masters did not promote her to the position of Young Master. Now that the Master had returned, she had no chance of becoming the Young Master anymore.

Initially, she didn't take Emperor Beichen's words seriously because there were two Hall Masters present, making it impossible for Emperor Beichen to expel her from Tian Gang Sect. However, with the Master's return, he might have seen through her previous behavior as well.

In such a situation, even her own master couldn't guarantee her safety, let alone her.

Situ Yan slowly walked over, his steps unhurried. Even without saying anything, his aura as a superior figure enveloped the surroundings. Many disciples of Tian Gang Sect saw the Master in person for the first time and curiously sized up Situ Yan.

After Situ Yan approached Emperor Beichen and the others, the four Hall Masters saluted together, "Greetings, Master."

"Master," Emperor Beichen spoke up.

Situ Yan waved his hand slightly and then glanced at Xiao Hongzhen and Jiang Yi. His weathered and dignified face revealed a faint smile.

"I didn't know that during my absence from Tian Gang Sect, the two Hall Masters were so concerned about me."

Although Situ Yan's words seemed casual, Xiao Hongzhen and Jiang Yi could sense the anger behind them. They quickly knelt down and pleaded, "Master, our previous words were spoken out of recklessness. They were not true. We hope the Master can overlook them."

Xiao Hongzhen and Jiang Yi were both drenched in sweat. They dared to show such an attitude towards Emperor Beichen, but they would never dare to act the same way in front of Situ Yan.

Situ Yan glanced at the two of them with indifference. "Words spoken out of recklessness?"

The surrounding cultivators remained silent, their mouths shut in complete silence.

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