"Elder Mei, what is the meaning of this?" Elder Guo questioned, his sword pointing directly at Elder Mei's throat. The courtyard had descended into chaos around them, with disciples fleeing in every direction and bodies of the fallen scattered across the ground.
"You actually colluded with outsiders to attack your own people," Elder Huang added, her blade steady as she flanked him from the other side. Her eyes burned with fury. "Martial Uncle treated you so well, and this is how you repay him?"
"Colluding?" Elder Mei's lips curved into a smile. He threw his head back and erupted into laughter that echoed across the courtyard. The sound sent chills down the spines of the remaining disciples who watched from a distance.
Elder Guo and Huang exchanged nervous glances, their grip on their weapons tightening.
"Why would I need to collude with them?" Elder Mei wiped away a tear of mirth. "I was never one of you to begin with."
