22: Elder Tang Zhen, you've suffered a setback, just you wait and see!

When Grand Elder Tang Zhen entered, his Face was as black as the bottom of a pot.

He was quite old, with graying hair, but his figure remained burly. His eyes shone with sharp light, and at this moment, they burned with an irrepressible rage.

As the Grand Elder of the Canglan Sacred Sect, his power was second only to the Sect Master. Usually, who wouldn't be respectful upon seeing him?

But today, his precious grandson had his arm broken and his internal organs injured on the Sect's Yanfa Terrace in front of everyone, carried back like a dead dog!

How could he swallow this anger!

"Sect Master!"

Tang Zhen didn't even bother to perform the basic etiquette. His voice was like muffled thunder, filled with interrogation.

"My grandson Tang Wu was maliciously and severely injured by that brat Lu Yu of the Heavenly Evolution Immortal Sect during a fair spar, damaging his Foundation. The Sect Master must give me an explanation for this matter!"

"Otherwise, where is the Face of our Canglan Sacred Sect? Where are the rules?!"

He immediately characterized the matter as malicious and severe injury.

A fair spar? He directly ignored it, as well as the fact that Tang Wu had initiated the provocation and Lu Yu had broken through and undergone his tribulation on the spot. He even kept silent about Tang Wu's Ghost Head Shield, which carried a strange demonic Aura.

Leng Qingshuang sat upright on the jade couch, her expression indifferent, as if she didn't see Tang Zhen's fury.

She picked up a cup of clear tea by her side, blew on it gently, took a sip, and then slowly raised her eyes.

"What kind of explanation does the Grand Elder want?"

"Immediately take down that brat Lu Yu and handle him according to the Sect rules! Abolish his cultivation and expel him from our Sect!"

"If the Heavenly Evolution Immortal Sect is dissatisfied, I will personally go and reason with them!"

Tang Zhen spoke with absolute certainty, as if it were already a settled conclusion.

"Take him down?"

Leng Qingshuang put down her teacup, making a soft clinking sound that was exceptionally clear in the empty pavilion.

"Tang Wu took the initiative to challenge him in front of everyone. Lu Yu broke through during the battle and successfully underwent his tribulation, then counterattacked. Where is the malice?"

"As for the severe injury... in a spar of skills, damage is inevitable. Tang Wu is at Nascent Soul Perfection, while Lu Yu has just entered the Nascent Soul stage. If you call Lu Yu malicious, then what is Tang Wu's use of a higher Realm to suppress others?"

"And... you mentioned abolishing Lu Yu's cultivation..."

Speaking of this, Leng Qingshuang laughed to herself and sized up the Grand Elder before her.

"Putting aside his extremely protective Revered Master, Yun Mengli, and his status as the Divine Son, and how the Heavenly Evolution Immortal Sect would deal with our Sect afterward—just consider Ling Feiyan, who has the title of Female Slaughter God and is currently fighting in the Demon Realm right next to our Canglan Domain. Can you deal with her?!"

"If you abolish her Junior Martial Brother's cultivation, it would be lucky if she didn't come over and exterminate your entire family!"

Her tone was calm, yet every word was like a knife, stabbing at Tang Zhen's sore spot.

Ling Feiyan of the Heavenly Evolution Immortal Sect, the Eldest Senior Sister of Grand Elder Yun Mengli's lineage, was at the Late Stage of the Mahayana Stage. Although she hadn't reached Perfection, her strength was publicly recognized as being among the ranks of the strongest Mahayana Stage experts in the Lower Realm!

Her strength was fully sufficient to rank in the top five among the Mahayana Stage Cultivators in this Lower Realm, and she could even vie for a spot in the top three.

If she broke through to the Mahayana Stage Perfection, she would be the undisputed number one Mahayana Stage expert in the Lower Realm!

With such strength, even with his Mahayana Stage Late Stage cultivation, if he were to Face Ling Feiyan now, she might be able to kill him in just a few moves!

At the thought of this, the Grand Elder's Face looked as uncomfortable as if he had eaten dog feces. That was his most beloved only grandson, the kind he feared would melt if held in his hand. Now, one of his arms had been crippled and he was so severely injured, yet he couldn't even seek revenge!

He had never been so frustrated!

"Furthermore."

Leng Qingshuang changed the subject, her ice-blue eyes looking directly at Tang Zhen with a coldness that saw through everything.

"The shield Tang Wu used at the end to defend himself had a sinister Aura and is definitely not a righteous object of our Sect. Grand Elder, shouldn't you first explain to me where your grandson obtained such a demonic artifact?"

Tang Zhen's heart jolted, and his expression became even more unsightly.

He had tacitly allowed Tang Wu to use that Ghost Head Yin Sha Shield; it was a gift from Tang Wu's Revered Master in the Demon Realm. He had thought it would be a trump card, but unexpectedly, it had become a liability!

He argued forcefully, "That was just an ancient artifact Wu'er obtained by chance, its Aura is merely a bit peculiar. How can the Sect Master rashly judge it as a demonic object based only on its Aura? On the contrary, the Cultivation Technique Lu Yu used is extremely Yang and fierce, unheard of. Who's to say it isn't some kind of evil technique?"

"Evil technique?"

Leng Qingshuang almost laughed out loud.

"Can something that triggers the Four-Nine Combined Heavenly Lightning be an evil technique? Grand Elder, your judgment is somewhat biased. And even if it were an evil technique, if you want to go and reason with the Heavenly Evolution Immortal Sect yourself, I have nothing to say."

The Grand Elder's Face turned ashen again, his teeth clenched tightly.

Go reason with the Heavenly Evolution Immortal Sect? Slander their Divine Son for practicing an evil technique?

It would be a mercy if they didn't kill him!

Leng Qingshuang ignored Tang Zhen's unsightly Face and stood up, looking down at him as her Sect Master's pressure was slowly released.

"Hmph! Lu Yu is the Personal Disciple of Immortal Venerable Yun Mengli of the Heavenly Evolution Immortal Sect and carries the title of the Tianyan Divine Son. His tribulation phenomenon was witnessed by thousands of Disciples present; it is a peerless immortal talent seen once in a billion! Such a person is practicing an evil technique in your words?"

"As for Tang Wu's matter, I see it very clearly. He was the one who provoked first and lacked the strength afterward. Lu Yu sparing his life was already taking the big picture into account and showing mercy."

She paused, her tone suddenly becoming sharp: "As for you, Grand Elder!"

"Indulging your grandson to carry an unknown artifact and use it publicly in a vital area of the Sect—I have yet to investigate this matter, and you dare to come and demand accountability first?!"

"Could it be that you truly think this Canglan Sacred Sect is your Tang Family's personal domain?!"

The last sentence contained the awe-inspiring power of a Mahayana Stage Cultivator, sweeping through the entire Tingtao Pavilion like an ice storm!

Tang Zhen was hit by this Aura and staggered back three steps in succession, his blood and Qi churning, a flash of horror crossing his Face.

Only then did he realize that this Sect Master, who seemed to live in seclusion due to old injuries, still possessed unfathomable strength and authority!

To be able to explode with such power even with an injured body, it seemed her cultivation was not far from breaking through to the Late Stage of the Mahayana Stage.

Perhaps when the poison in her body was cleared, her cultivation would break through to the Late Stage of the Mahayana Stage!

The plan must be accelerated.

"Sect Master, please calm your anger!"

Tang Zhen suppressed the humiliation in his heart, knowing that it was impossible to force a confrontation today through strong-arm tactics.

He took a deep breath and forced a stiff expression.

"It was I who was confused by concern and misspoke. My grandson's injury causes me unbearable heartache, and my words have offended the Sect Master. I hope the Sect Master can be magnanimous."

He changed the subject: "However, Lu Yu did severely injure a Core Disciple of our Sect after all. If this matter is just dropped, I'm afraid it will be difficult to convince the masses, and it will also damage our Sect's prestige."

"In my view, why not have him publicly apologize and compensate with corresponding Medicinal Pills and resources to settle the public opinion? What does the Sect Master think?"

This was settling for the next best thing, trying to regain some Face while also testing the extent of Leng Qingshuang's protection of Lu Yu.

Leng Qingshuang sneered inwardly, but remained expressionless: "An apology is unnecessary. Right and wrong are clear for all to see."

"As for compensation..."

She pondered for a moment.

"I will bestow healing Medicinal Pills to Tang Wu in the name of the Sect. This matter ends here. If the Grand Elder has nothing else, you may withdraw. Tang Wu's injury is urgent; take good care of him."

This directly blocked all of Tang Zhen's paths and shifted the compensation to the Sect level, lightly brushing it aside. Once all the Hidden Agents of the Demon Realm within the Sect were identified, that would be the day Tang Zhen was executed!

Tang Zhen's Face turned various shades of red and white. Knowing that further persistence would yield no benefit, he could only grit his teeth and bow.

"Yes, I shall take my leave."

He turned and left, his back radiating intense reluctance and gloom. He would remember today's humiliation!

Lu Yu... and Leng Qingshuang, just you wait!