912: Chapter 913 The Storm Is Brewing!

His face remained calm, but his heart was already churning with tumultuous waves.

At the edge of the crowd, Elder Chen, who had originally welcomed the five into the Sect, suddenly changed expression and blurted out:

"Xiao Ruobai? Could it be those five new Inner Sect Disciples I personally welcomed into the Sect just a few days ago?"

Everyone's gaze turned in unison toward Elder Chen.

Elder Chen looked grave and recalled, "A few days ago, five new Disciples did indeed come to handle their entry procedures.

I remember very clearly that the leader was named Xiao Ruobai, but the Realm they registered at the time was only Tongtian Realm Stage 1!"

Tongtian Realm Stage 1?!

As soon as these words were spoken, the whole place was in an uproar!

"Tongtian Realm Stage 1 killing Tongtian Realm Stage 9? How is that possible!"

"Are you misremembering? A Tongtian Realm Stage 1 couldn't even block a single finger from Zhao Qian!"

"But that Disciple just said the leader was Xiao Ruobai..."

Just then, a cold light flashed in the Third Elder's eyes, and the image of Zhao Kun returning to complain a few days ago suddenly flashed through his mind.

A few days ago, Zhao Kun had complained to him that some newcomers without eyes had offended him.

One of them seemed to be named something like 'Bai'.

At the time, he hadn't taken it to heart, assuming it was just friction between juniors and letting Zhao Kun handle it himself.

Could it be these very people?

The Peak Master of Xuanwu Peak had a ferocious expression; he gripped the reporting Disciple tightly and demanded sternly:

"Tell me in detail! Do not hide a single thing from beginning to end.

How could that Xiao Ruobai, a mere Tongtian Realm Stage 1, kill Zhao Qian, who was at the Late Stage of Tongtian Realm Stage 9?"

The few severely injured Disciples dared not hide anything and tremblingly recounted the standoff in the mountain forest, Zhao Kun initiating the ambush.

They told the whole process of Zhao Qian burning his essence blood to activate the Xuanwu True Form, only to be ultimately killed by a single strike of Xiao Ruobai's halberd.

As their voices fell, the entire place exploded; the uproar was so loud it almost tore the sky apart!

"Tongtian Realm Stage 2 killing a Tongtian Realm Stage 9 after a blood sacrifice? Fighting across seven entire major Realms—where in this world does such a monster exist!"

"So they were just newcomers who had just joined the Sect, with no one even knowing their names, yet their combat power crushes the Xuanwu true Disciples!"

"To think they dared to take the storage rings of all the fallen right in front of thousands of people, and even asked the whole crowd who else wanted the Origin of the Wanxiang Spirit Spring.

This child has such great courage and such ruthless methods!"

Countless people in the crowd whispered to each other; shock, heartache, disbelief, and schadenfreude intertwined, and the crowd was in chaos.

The Killing Intent in the eyes of the Peak Master of Xuanwu Peak completely erupted, and the ground beneath his feet cracked layer by layer.

He raised his hand, intending to mobilize his portable Earth-element supreme treasure to forcibly tear through the light screen and break into the Secret Realm:

"I will go in now and grind those five wretches into dust!"

"Stop!"

Sect Master Liu Zhenshan instantly blocked the front of the light screen, his majestic Sect Master authority spreading out with a boom, directly confronting the Earth-element pressure of the Peak Master of Xuanwu Peak without yielding an inch.

He had already made up his mind that no matter what, he would protect these Disciples today, even if it meant becoming completely opposed to the Third Elder and the Xuanwu lineage.

"The spatial structure of the Secret Realm is fragile. Forcibly breaking in could cause the Secret Realm to collapse, and the tens of thousands of Disciples still inside will be buried with it.

If you insist on forcing your way in, you will be committing a heinous crime, and do not blame the Sect rules for being ruthless!"

The Third Elder's Heavenly King pressure leaked out completely, the clouds were pressed down by the heavy Earth Qi, and he roared hoarsely:

"My two grandsons and hundreds of my Disciples have all died miserably! How can the lives of mere innocent Cultivators compare to my blood feud?

Liu Zhenshan, I respect you as Sect Master, but if you insist on stopping me today, it means you are locked in a death feud with me and the entire Xuanwu Peak!"

At this moment, the Grand Elder, who had been sitting quietly to the side, walked out slowly.

A gentle Dao Rhyme slowly spread from him, separating the two who were confronting each other, and he advised gently:

"Third Elder, do not let anger cloud your judgment.

Every word the Sect Master said is true. If the Secret Realm collapses, countless people will die. Even if you get your revenge then,

your hands will be stained with the Karma of innocent Cultivators, and the loss will outweigh the gain.

It is better to endure for now. Wait until the Secret Realm closes and hold a public trial in the main hall; the Sect will certainly give Xuanwu Peak justice."

The Grand Elder was in charge of Sect personnel appointments and Disciple recruitment; he was always impartial and held in high esteem.

Most people in the Sect believed his words, and many Elders nodded in agreement.

But the Second Elder on the other side stepped forward with a cold face. He was in charge of Sect punishments and had always been iron-faced and ruthless; his tone was sharp and solemn:

"Grand Elder, that is inappropriate. The Sect laws clearly state that harming fellow Disciples and slaughtering hundreds of Sect members is a heinous crime that cannot be lightly postponed.

In my opinion, we should immediately mobilize the Sect's defensive Heavenly Soldiers to guard every exit of the Secret Realm.

Once the five step out, we will capture them on the spot, imprison them first, and then convict them. We must not allow them any chance to escape!"

As soon as the Second Elder finished speaking, the square instantly split into two camps.

The Grand Elder's faction advocated restraint and waiting for the joint trial, prioritizing the big picture.

The Third Elder and the Elders of Xuanwu Peak firmly demanded strictness and immediate arrest; the two sides argued, and the square became increasingly chaotic.

The three Peak Masters of Ziyang, Biluo, and Tianjian hurriedly stood up to mediate.

Peak Master of Ziyang Peak followed the Grand Elder's words to persuade peace:

"This matter was not a one-sided slaughter. As the Disciple said before, it was Zhao Kun and Zhao Qian who first surrounded and hunted down the five, pressing them step by step and refusing to stop.

Life and death in the Secret Realm are one's own responsibility; who is right and who is wrong cannot be generalized."

These words directly stung the Third Elder. The Third Elder turned his head sharply to glare at the Peak Master of Ziyang, his Killing Intent surging directly toward the other's face:

"My grandson died miserably, hundreds of my people were wiped out, and yet you speak for the murderous juniors? Could it be that you are colluding with those five in secret?"

Both sides were at loggerheads, the major Peaks and Elder factions were implicitly opposed, and the atmosphere in the square was strained to the breaking point.

"Enough!"

Sect Master Liu Zhenshan's gaze swept over the arguing Elders, his voice, deep as a booming bell, suddenly suppressing the restlessness of the entire crowd.

The pressure of a Heavenly King at the Peak of the Middle Stage swept out without reservation, and the entire square instantly fell silent.

All arguments, questions, and accusations were extinguished by this single shout.

His gaze was calm, but it carried the majesty of a Sect Master that no one dared to question:

"I have my own considerations regarding the rights and wrongs of this matter. But before the Secret Realm ends, no one is allowed to act rashly."

He paused, his voice deepening:

"As for the side that initiated the hunt and set up the ambush, if it is verified to be true, I will certainly not let them off lightly either."

As soon as these words were spoken, the faces of the Third Elder and the Peak Master of Xuanwu Peak changed simultaneously.

Sect Master Liu Zhenshan did not look at them; he turned and walked back to the main seat, flicked his robes, and sat down. His tone was flat but unquestionable:

"After the Secret Realm passage closes and all Disciples come out, I will convene a full Sect joint trial.

By then, who is right and who is wrong will be judged fairly."

"Before that—"

His gaze swept lightly across the crowd, carrying an invisible pressure:

"Whoever acts without authorization is showing contempt for the Sect laws, and do not blame me for not showing mercy."

No one in the crowd dared to reply.

The Third Elder's chest heaved violently, his fists clenched so tightly his knuckles bled, and the hatred in his eyes almost solidified.

But hindered by the dual restraint of the Sect Master and the Grand Elder, he ultimately could not force his way into the light screen.

The Peak Master of Xuanwu Peak gritted his teeth fiercely, flicked his sleeves heavily, and sat back in his seat, the violent Earth Dao Qi around him lingering for a long time.

Seeing this, the Second Elder immediately turned to order the Heavenly Soldiers to deploy defenses, his eyes cold and sharp, refusing to relax for a moment.

The Grand Elder shook his head gently and sighed, his gaze fixed on the bronze light screen of the Secret Realm, full of worry about the subsequent turmoil.

The entire square was deathly silent, a heavy oppression shrouding everyone.