txolops Chapter 164 Face-to-Face Confrontation, Cleansing the House
Chapter 164 Face-to-Face Confrontation, Cleansing the House
A fierce wind swept across the giant flying ship of the Flowing Cloud Sect, causing the blue array flags on the mast to flutter loudly.
No one on deck dared to speak again.
Shen Youwei's clear and resolute voice still echoed in everyone's ears.
Everyone's gaze, as if it were tangible, pierced Zhao Wuji in the corner.
The clouds in the sky moved slowly, obscuring the golden sunset that had been shining on Gu Yan, plunging the entire airship into a cold, dark shadow.
The smile on the face of Qingyunzi, the sect leader of Liuyun Sect, froze. He slowly turned his head and looked at Shen Youwei kneeling on the deck, and then at Nangong Yue and Su Hongxiu, whose faces were equally cold.
Qingyunzi's breathing gradually became heavy.
If it were any other time, if a disciple dared to publicly contradict or even falsely accuse the sect's Grand Elder, he would have arrested and punished him immediately.
But now the situation is completely different.
Gu Yan has just saved the elite of the entire Dongzhou and won an unprecedented first place in the competition.
This is not only an unprecedented glory for the Liuyun Sect in a century, which should be treated with utmost care, but also because there is an unfathomable Nascent Soul expert standing behind him.
All these factors combined mean that if a scandal involving the murder of a meritorious official were to occur within the Flowing Cloud Sect at this critical juncture, it would become a laughingstock throughout the Eastern Continent's cultivation world.
"Sect Master, your disciple Nangong Yue swears with her Dao heart that everything Junior Sister Shen said is true."
Nangong Yue stepped forward, lifted the hem of her tattered purple-gold Taoist robe, and knelt on one knee.
"Disciple Su Hongxiu is also willing to guarantee with her life."
Su Hongxiu unsheathed the long sword from her back and placed it beside her, then knelt down next to Shen Youwei.
The three core female cultivators of the Liuyun Sect, who usually have very different personalities and sometimes compete with each other openly or secretly, are now kneeling in a row in unison, accusing the sect's Grand Elder.
Such visual impact is enough to destroy any doubt.
Zhao Wuji felt his legs go weak, and cold sweat soaked through the back of his robe.
He never expected that the self-proclaimed invincible Blood Swordsman would not only fail to kill Gu Yan, but also release those three girls.
Now, in front of all the bigwigs of the major sects in the entire Eastern Continent, these three girls have directly exposed the truth.
"Nonsense!"
Zhao Wuji suddenly snapped out of his shock. He knew that if he confessed now, he would only face death.
He forcibly squeezed out the power of his golden core to try to cover up the trembling in his body, and roared loudly at the three women on the ground.
"As the Grand Elder of the Flowing Cloud Sect, I have devoted myself to the sect for over a hundred years. You three young girls, have you been bewitched in the secret realm, daring to spout such nonsense and slander me!"
Zhao Wuji turned his head to look at Qingyunzi, tears streaming down his face.
"Sect Master, please understand. I have no grudge against Gu Changsheng, so why would I hire someone to kill him? Someone must be secretly sowing discord and trying to ruin the reputation of my Flowing Cloud Sect!"
Hearing Zhao Wuji's sophistry, the elders from various sects who had not yet left narrowed their eyes, looking on with amusement.
"No enmity or grudge?"
Nangong Yue sneered, raised her head, and her gaze was like two icicles.
"Zhao Wuji, your纨绔子弟 (wán kù zǐ dì, spoiled brat) son, Zhao Lingfeng, was always arrogant and domineering. After he died at the hands of demonic cultivators, you vented your hatred on Junior Brother Gu. Not only did you target Junior Brother Gu at every turn within the sect, but you also took advantage of this Eastern Continent Grand Competition to spend a fortune bribing demonic thugs. Do you dare say you didn't do it?"
"You're slandering me! What evidence do you have?!"
Zhao Wuji, like an old cat whose tail had been stepped on, jumped up and cursed.
He was gambling in his heart that since the Blood Swordsman had been blasted into ashes, there would be no way to prove his innocence.
Unless there is irrefutable evidence, given his status as the Grand Elder, even if Qingyunzi had some suspicions, he would never execute him in public.
"Where's the evidence? If you can't produce any evidence, I'll risk my old life today to punish you for the crime of betraying your master and ancestors, according to the clan rules!"
Zhao Wuji pressed closer, intending to unleash his oppressive aura to oppress the three women on the ground.
Just then.
Gu Yan, who had been leaning on Shen Youwei's shoulder and looked extremely weak, suddenly let out a violent cough.
"Cough cough cough..."
Gu Yan was pale and struggled to stand up straight.
He reached out and gently patted Shen Youwei's shoulder, signaling her not to get angry.
"Senior sisters, please rise quickly. After all, the Grand Elder is a senior of the sect. There may be some misunderstanding here."
When Gu Yan said this, everyone around him was stunned.
The ancient monsters who had lived for hundreds of years looked at Gu Yan with increasing admiration.
What is perspective?
That's what you call vision!
Despite suffering immense injustice and nearly losing his life, he still prioritized the sect's reputation and tried to appease everyone.
Such a broad mind, coupled with his status as a disciple of a powerful and compassionate deity, leaves no room for criticism.
"Chang Sheng, you're just too kind."
Qingyunzi sighed deeply, his eyes filled with heartache and guilt.
Gu Yan waved weakly, his gaze slowly shifting to Zhao Wuji.
His eyes were calm, without anger or hatred, as if he were looking at a lifeless, inanimate object.
"Elder, our three senior sisters were frightened in the Wasteland of Bones. If their words were offensive, please forgive them."
Gu Yan paused, then pulled out a storage bag stained with dark red blood from his wide sleeves.
"However, when I killed that Blood Swordsman, I was fortunate enough to save his storage bag amidst the flying dust."
This statement came out.
Zhao Wuji's pupils suddenly contracted, his heart felt as if it were being gripped tightly by an invisible hand, and he even stopped breathing.
Gu Yan pinched the bottom of the storage bag with his long, slender fingers and gently tilted it.
With a "click".
An exquisite jade box landed on the deck.
The lid of the brocade box was shaken open when it fell, and a strong smell of blood mixed with the pure fragrance of medicine instantly filled the entire airship.
Inside the brocade box lay a lotus flower, its entire body as translucent as red agate.
"It's a seventh-grade blood lotus!"
Among the elders of the various sects around, someone let out a gasp of surprise.
Such top-grade natural treasures that nourish yin and replenish blood are extremely rare in the entire Eastern Continent, and each one is priceless.
Gu Yan looked puzzled, squatted down, and picked up the blood lotus with two fingers.
"Elder, the Blood Swordsman is a demonic cultivator who practices the way of killing with swords. This Blood Lotus is of little use to him; it's more like a down payment for a job that someone else gave him."
Gu Yan raised her head, a perfectly timed look of confusion flashing in her clear eyes.
"Furthermore, there seems to be a spiritual energy mark at the bottom of this brocade box, used to seal the medicinal properties. The aura of this mark... I feel it originates from the same source as the cultivation technique you, Elder, usually practice."
No sooner had Gu Yan finished speaking than Qing Yunzi appeared before him like a whirlwind.
He snatched the jade box and thrust his divine sense into the sealing array at the bottom of the box.
In just a moment, Qingyunzi's originally refined and kind face slowly became distorted and deformed.
No further explanation or tedious verification is needed.
The residual aura on this brocade box is none other than the Flowing Cloud Purple Qi, a unique skill passed down only within the inner sect of the Flowing Cloud Sect, and which only Zhao Wuji has cultivated to the point of mastery.
"evil creature!"
Qingyunzi let out a roar that was suppressed to the extreme.
He turned around abruptly, his eyes turning bloodshot with extreme anger.
"Zhao Wuji, do you have anything else to say?"
With witnesses and physical evidence at hand, the seventh-grade blood lotus shattered Zhao Wuji's last illusions.
His knees buckled, and he collapsed onto the deck, his face ashen.
"Sect Master, Sect Master, spare my life! I was confused for a moment, I was blinded by greed. I am willing to hand over all my property and resign from my position as Grand Elder. I beg you, Sect Master, to spare my life in consideration of my hundred years of hard work!"
Zhao Wuji, like an old dog that had lost its spine, tumbled and crawled on the deck, kowtowing and begging for mercy to Qingyunzi.
At this moment, Zhou Chongyue, the Grand Elder of Law Enforcement of the Cangxuan Sect, who was standing not far away, coldly snorted.
"Sect Master Qingyun. Your sect has produced such a scoundrel who colludes with the demonic sects and harms meritorious officials of the righteous path. If you cannot bring yourself to do it, the Enforcement Hall of my Cangxuan Sect can take care of it."
Zhou Chongyue's words were not only a warning, but also a gesture of goodwill towards Gu Yan.
This disciple of such a powerful Nascent Soul cultivator was almost killed by his own people on your territory.
If the Liuyun Sect cannot provide a satisfactory explanation today, then the Liuyun Sect should no longer have a foothold in Dongzhou.
Upon hearing this, Qingyunzi trembled.
He knew that Zhao Wuji had to die, and he had to die a horrible death, in order to appease the public's anger and to give Gu Yan, and the Nascent Soul powerhouse behind Gu Yan, an explanation.
"Zhao Wuji! For your own personal vendetta, you disregarded the greater good of your sect, allied with the demonic path, and harmed your fellow disciples. Your crimes are unforgivable!"
Qingyunzi strode up to Zhao Wuji and raised his right hand high.
The raging spiritual power of a fully-fledged Golden Core cultivator gathered in his palm, transforming into a dazzling azure lightning bolt.
"No! Sect Master, you can't kill me!"
Zhao Wuji screamed in despair, trying to circulate his spiritual power to resist.
However, Qingyunzi's cultivation level was already far superior to his, and now he attacked with extreme speed, fueled by anger.
"Bang!"
Qingyunzi slammed his palm hard onto Zhao Wuji's crown.
The violent lightning spiritual power surged down from the top of Zhao Wuji's head, destroying his meridians with overwhelming force, and finally crashing heavily into his dantian.
A dull cracking sound.
The golden core within Zhao Wuji's body shattered into countless dust particles.
Blood gushed from his seven orifices, splattering onto the gleaming wooden deck in a horrifying sight.
"ah--"
Zhao Wuji let out a heart-wrenching scream, his whole body collapsing to the ground like a rag doll.
His century-long cultivation was destroyed in a single day.
He went from being a high-ranking elder in the Golden Core stage to a useless person who was even worse than an ordinary mortal.
This kind of excruciating pain is a hundred times more cruel than simply killing him.
"Guards! Drag this traitor away, sever his tendons and ligaments, and lock him in the sect's death row, never to set foot outside again!"
Qingyunzi turned around, put his hands behind his back, and spoke in an extremely cold voice.
Two disciples immediately stepped forward and dragged Zhao Wuji, who was still convulsing and howling, into the depths of the cabin like a dead dog.
Silence returned to the airship, with only the pool of glaring blood on the deck serving as proof of what had just happened.
The elders from the outer sects nodded in satisfaction when they saw how decisively the Flowing Cloud Sect was in cleaning up its own ranks.
Qingyunzi took a deep breath and suppressed the surging spiritual energy in his heart.
He walked quickly to Gu Yan, his face full of self-reproach and shame.
"Chang Sheng, it is my fault for not managing you properly, which has caused you to suffer. Rest assured, from now on, in the Flowing Cloud Sect, you will be the Holy Son, second only to the Emperor. Anyone who dares to disrespect you will be executed without mercy!"
Looking at the pool of Zhao Wuji's blood on the ground, Gu Yan finally felt relieved.
The old scores in Changning County and the plot in Meteor Abyss have come to a perfect end at this moment.
"Thank you for upholding justice, Sect Master. I still maintain that the Flowing Cloud Sect is my home. A few bad apples can't spoil our good soup."
Gu Yan coughed weakly twice, his smile utterly sincere.
These magnanimous words once again drew praise from the surrounding elders.
A potential crisis was averted through Gu Yan's superb acting skills and swift actions, which in turn elevated his status in the eyes of these bigwigs in Dongzhou.
As the farce came to an end, the flying boats of the various sects began to take off one after another.
According to the competition rules.
Disciples ranked in the top 100 by points do not need to return to their respective sects' residences.
They will board the white jade chariot pulled by nine snow-white dragons of the Cangxuan Sect and head to the Cangxuan Sect, the number one holy land in the Eastern Continent, to enter the legendary Cleansing Pool to cleanse their roots and bones.
This is the best reward for geniuses, and it is also a rule tacitly accepted by all major sects.
Amidst the reluctant gazes of Shen Youwei and her two senior sisters, Gu Yan boarded the extremely luxurious white jade flying boat.
The flying boat shuttles above the sea of clouds.
The surrounding area was bathed in radiant light, and celestial music filled the air.
Instead of befriending the other excited disciples from various sects, Gu Yan found a quiet corner on the deck and sat down cross-legged.
He closed his eyes, ostensibly to rest and recover from his injuries, but in reality, he was silently working through the vast and incomparable laws of the void within his body.
With each breath, the golden core of his divine demonic cultivation circulated more and more perfectly, and his previously suppressed cultivation also showed signs of loosening again.
I don't know how much time passed.
The nine dragons let out a unified long roar, and the speed of the flying boat gradually decreased.
Gu Yan opened his eyes, stood up, walked to the side of the ship and looked down.
Below lies a continuous stretch of celestial mountains and blessed lands, with auspicious seven-colored clouds swirling among the peaks, and countless birds and beasts frolicking in the forest.
In the center of the mountains, there is a huge white jade square.
Behind the square, mist swirled, and a radiant light soared into the sky.
That is the forbidden area of the Cangxuan Sect, the location of the Spirit Cleansing Pool.
The airship landed smoothly.
One hundred of the most outstanding talents in Dongzhou, filled with excitement, walked step by step towards the sea of mist exuding spiritual energy, led by the deacon of Cangxuan Sect.
In the sea of mist, the Cleansing Spirit Pool is not an ordinary pool, but a huge lake formed by the convergence of top-grade spiritual liquid.
The lake was divided into many different areas by the formation. The closer to the center, the higher the purity of the spiritual liquid, and the better the effect of cleansing one's roots and bones.
When everyone arrived at the edge of the Cleansing Pool.
The dense spiritual energy, almost tangible, rushed towards us, causing everyone's pores to open up and making them feel so comfortable that they couldn't help but groan.
"Ladies and gentlemen, enter the pool in order of your ranking in the competition."
The deacon of the Cangxuan Sect loudly proclaimed the rules.
Although the disciples ranked lower coveted the central area, they could only obediently walk to the outer perimeter, find a suitable spot to sit down, and begin absorbing the spiritual liquid.
As the champion of the competition, Gu Yan naturally had the privilege of choosing the best spot.
He strode forward, heading straight for the core area of the Cleansing Pool.
The pool water there was a pure milky white color, and golden lotus flowers formed from spiritual energy floated on the surface.
Just as Gu Yan was about to go into the water.
A faint, delicate fragrance of winter plum blossoms suddenly wafted from behind him.
Immediately afterwards, light footsteps stopped beside him.
Gu Yan turned his head and was slightly taken aback.
Standing beside him was none other than Li Qingge, the senior sister of the Cangxuan Sect, who was usually cold and aloof and never showed any courtesy to anyone.
By this time, she had already changed out of her blood-stained robes and put on a simple, loose white robe, her long black hair casually draped over her shoulders.
In the misty steam, her stunning face lost some of its aloofness and gained a breathtaking gentleness.
"Senior Brother Gu."
Li Qingge bowed slightly, her cold, star-like eyes fixed on Gu Yan.
"The spiritual liquid in the core area of this Cleansing Pool is the most potent, alternating between extreme cold and extreme heat. Senior Brother Gu is suffering from internal injuries, and if he were to forcibly cleanse himself, his foundation might become unstable."
Li Qingge's voice was soft, yet carried an undeniable firmness.
"Qingge's cultivation of the Supreme Forgetfulness Record is just right to harmonize the turbulent spiritual energy in this pool."
She took a step forward, getting less than half a foot away from Gu Yan, and a cool, delicate fragrance wafted into Gu Yan's nose.
"Senior Brother Gu, would you be willing to enter this central jade pool with Qingge and cultivate this cleansing spirit technique together?"
This statement came out.
The geniuses from various sects who had just soaked in the water all stared wide-eyed, their jaws nearly dropping in astonishment.
Li Qingge, who was known as the Iceberg of Dongzhou and was unwilling to say a word to male cultivators, actually took the initiative to invite a man to bathe together in the Cleansing Spirit Pool.
Has the world gone mad?
Currently reading: Chapter 164 Face-to-Face Confrontation, Cleaning Up the House, latest chapters available here.