Bei Bei met Elder Xuan’s eyes and continued, “If one person has to be blamed for this, then I am the one to blame, because I was the one who approved this operation. Elder Xuan, I’m not trying to take their responsibility away from them, but I will not attempt to lessen my own. No matter how and why this thing happened, I was still the one who made the final decision. The outcome and consequences have far exceeded our judgments and expectations, and it’s true that we have taken many lives. Nobody wished to see this happen, because these citizens are innocent even though they reside within our enemy’s territory. We will take full responsibility for this. I can only say that over at the Academy, the entire Tang Sect will pull out of the inner courtyard except for Huo Yuhao. This way, the Tang Sect can take full responsibility if word of this incident does get out, and the Academy’s reputation won’t be affected.

“However, Huo Yuhao cannot leave the academy. You should remember that Elder Mu has instructed us that Yuhao is to be the subsequent generation’s Master of the Sea God’s Pavilion. This...