Hearing Xiao Yu's tearful act, Divya smirked, her lips curling upward as if she were amused by the sheer audacity of it all. "Ha! Excuse me, my lady," she began, her tone dripping with sarcasm. "But do you seriously think the world revolves around you? And—wait, let me get this straight—did you just say that I'm… what? Bringing everyone into this? Hmm. Funny. Because last I checked, I didn't accuse anyone here of stealing my lunch or robbing me blind."
She paused for dramatic effect, letting her words settle as her sharp gaze swept across the room. "Did I say anything about dragging people into this mess? No, right? I was just stating a fact, plain and simple. Or… is it that stating facts these days feels like an attack on your fragile little bubble?"
The disciples shifted awkwardly, some glancing at each other with uncertainty, while others nodded imperceptibly, realizing Divya hadn't, in fact, involved them in anything.
Divya turned her attention back to Xiao Yu, her voice now laced with mock politeness. "And another thing—since when is it your turn to talk? Hmm? I thought when two people were having a conversation, the polite thing was to wait your turn. Or… do you think you're higher than the elder?" She tilted her head, her smirk widening. "Or worse, do you think you're lower than me?"
Xiao Yu's expression froze, her mouth slightly agape, and for a moment, the room was thick with tension. She was stunned—speechless, even. This Pang Pang, this once-quiet, harmless girl who could barely speak up for herself, was suddenly running verbal circles around her. Xiao Yu couldn't help but wonder, Did she hit her head on the way back from the Demon Napadd? Where did she get this sharp tongue all of a sudden?
The disciples around them murmured, their earlier inclination to side with Xiao Yu faltering as realization dawned. Pang pang was right. She had never pointed fingers at them or even dragged them into the argument. So why had Xiao Yu so dramatically played the victim and tried to implicate them all?
The elders, who had once treated Xiao Yu like their own precious child, their 'seed of heaven', would never stand by and let her suffer such a grievous fate. The Grand Elder's voice thundered through the hall, "Enough! Xiao Pang!" With those words, he sprang from his seat, his fury evident on his face. The mere sight of his anger made Divya bite down on the edge of her tongue. She needed to control her laughter, or else she might burst into a fit of it right then and there. The happiness that bubbled up within her was almost palpable, her thoughts whirling like a storm. But on the outside, she wore the calmest mask.
She raised her eyes and met the elder's gaze directly. Her rude behavior only made him angrier. His voice cracked as he shouted once more, "Very good, very good. As your elders, we have tried to forgive you again and again, but you just refuse to understand. You, who have only held your position because your father was an elder and we respected him, you have not only disrespected your sister but disrespected me and the Grand Hall!" His words cut through the air like a knife.
From the side, Xiao Yu's father rushed forward, his voice trembling with panic, "No, no, Grand Master, we have nothing to do with her. From today on, Xiao's family will expel this girl. We have no connection to her!" Divya barely suppressed a scoff at his words. She could practically hear the old man's true intent—he wanted to sever ties with her. He'd wanted this for so long, and if not for the fear of being labeled a cruel father who abandoned his weak child, he probably would have drowned her in her infancy. It was clear to Divya that Xiao Yu was his prized, godly daughter, while Pangpang, in his eyes, was nothing but a speck of dust—insignificant and disposable.
Xiao Yu, standing off to the side, lowered her head, her face clouded with a strange mixture of emotions. Divya, however, could see the amusement tugging at the corners of her lips. She didn't care. The mockery in her eyes was enough. Pangpang wasn't about to waste any more energy on these people. She couldn't speak out; after all, this wasn't the time to do so. She had to play her part, endure, and stay alive—because one wrong move and these people could do more than just throw her out. They could end her.
She should just zip it and give him the look. Yeah, the look. Because in this modern world, where one wrong word can get you fired or suspended with a simple change in tone, the key to surviving is knowing how to keep your mouth shut. No words, just letting your anger simmer beneath the surface. And Divya? She's an absolute queen at it. She stared at the elder, her eyes cold, her lips barely twitching.
As the elder's rage continued to boil, his words came sharper, his anger growing with every passing second. "Listen, I, the Grand Elder, hereby expel Xiao Pang from the Heavenly Sect. From this moment on, she is no longer tied to us!"
Divya's gaze never wavered from him, her face an unreadable mask. Inside, though, she couldn't help but smile.
The Grand Elder gritted his teeth and hissed, "Xiao Yu is also appointed as the direct disciple of the Heavenly Sect."
After delivering this bombshell, he turned on his heel, not even bothering to spare a glance at Xiao Yu or anyone else.
"Thank you, Master."
Xiao Yu clenched her jaw so hard that it looked like she might snap her teeth. She was trying so hard to keep the tremor out of her voice, but she wasn't fooling anyone.
With a forced, sweet smile, she respectfully saw the Grand Elder and the other elders off, though her eyes were ice cold. Her direct disciple position had been handed to her so casually, so carelessly, it was almost laughable.