916: Chapter 917 The Second Elder's Defection

Before the words faded, he fiercely waved his hand!

Two equally formidable auras surged into the sky from the depths of the back mountain of the Tianyuan Sect!

Although not the high stage of the Heavenly King Realm, those were unmistakably auras of the Heavenly King Realm!

Two figures pierced through the void and landed behind the Third Elder.

Yet their gazes simultaneously pierced through the crowd, locked firmly onto Xiao Ruobai below!

Those eyes were bone-chillingly cold, carrying deep-seated hatred, sinister and stern.

In their eyes, Xiao Ruobai at this moment was already a dead man!

In just a split second, the two withdrew their gazes and bowed in unison:

"Father!"

"Father!"

Those were two middle-aged men whose faces bore some resemblance to the Third Elder, their surrounding auras robust and formidable, impressively also powerhouses of the Heavenly King Realm!

Although only at the First Layer, a Heavenly King was still a Heavenly King!

The pupils of tens of thousands of Disciples shrank abruptly, their bodies turning cold and their minds going completely blank!

The originally bustling square became so quiet that a pin drop could be heard!

Everyone's complexion turned pale as death, and monstrous waves churned in the depths of their hearts!

"Double... Double Heavenly Kings?!"

"Weren't the two sons of the Zhao family stuck at the Peak of the Heavenly Monarch Realm for tens of thousands of years? How could they Breakthrough to the Heavenly King Realm at the same time?!"

"Twin Heavenly Kings overnight? This is simply impossible! Without the accumulation of massive divine materials and a Heaven-Defying Foundation, it is absolutely impossible for both of them to break through!"

The crowd trembled, and an uproar broke out everywhere!

In front of the high platform, the Grand Elder's expression changed drastically, his body shaking violently, his eyes staring fixedly at the two sons of the Zhao family, his face turning ashen to the extreme!

Countless dust-laden, fragmented memories instantly flooded crazily into his mind!

Over the years, he had noticed more than once that the consumption of resources in the Sect's treasure vault was abnormal.

Whenever a major Secret Realm opened, the Sect cultivated a Prodigy, or refined supreme treasures of the Sect, the required divine materials inexplicably became scarce, and the inventory thinned year by year.

He had privately asked Third Elder Zhao Wuji several times about the reasons for the resource depletion.

Yet every time, Third Elder Zhao Wuji calmly prevaricated and perfectly fooled him with various reasons such as massive consumption in Cultivate, excessive losses in Secret Realm, and heavy expenses in Sect cultivation.

Back then, although he had doubts, he never deeply investigated!

After all, Third Elder Zhao Wuji had managed the treasure vault for millions of years, always diligent and low-key, non-contentious and flawless!

But at this moment, looking at the two Heavenly King offspring who had risen out of nowhere from the Zhao family, the Grand Elder instantly understood everything completely!

All the suspicions, all the abnormalities, all the resource vacancies!

All matched up!

Hundreds of thousands of years!

Third Elder Zhao Wuji had always secretly misappropriated the Sect's top-tier Foundation!

Using the resources of the entire Sect to support his Zhao family lineage!

Using the ancient accumulation of the Tianyuan Sect to pave his own path to ascend to the heavens!

It was just that he hid too deeply, disguised himself too well, and his methods were too steady!

Over the years, the suspicions were scattered, with no one connecting them and no one seeing through them!

The Grand Elder's chest heaved violently, and an unprecedented chill surged straight from the soles of his feet to his crown!

What great forbearance!

What deep scheming!

What a ruthless layout!

The Third Elder forcing the palace today, daring to challenge the Sect Master, daring to subvert the Sect!

Was simply not him going crazy from losing his grandson!

He had been plotting for a long time! He had been prepared long ago! A layout spanning eternity!

Beside them, Ziyang Peak Master, Tianjian Peak Master, and Biluo Peak Master also flickered their gazes slightly at this moment, their thoughts heavy.

Although they were not as well-informed as the Grand Elder about the inside story of the treasure vault, at this moment they also vaguely guessed seven or eight parts of the truth.

Sect Master Liu Zhenshan sat upright on the high platform, his eyes chillingly cold, golden light slowly rising around his body.

The vast power of the Peak of the Sixth Layer of the Heavenly King Realm slowly awakened, as if he would make a strong move in the next moment.

Third Elder Zhao Wuji took everyone's expressions into his eyes and naturally captured the anger and sudden realization churning at the bottom of the Grand Elder's eyes.

He sneered in his heart, knowing that the Grand Elder had already guessed most of the truth.

But so what? Without solid physical evidence, all speculations were ultimately just empty talk.

He no longer concealed his ambition, his loud voice resounding across the entire square:

"Everyone need not be alarmed or suspicious. This old man has lain dormant for millions of years, painstakingly accumulating Foundation and carefully cultivating my offspring. Today is the time for harvest!"

As the words echoed, the four robust Heavenly King auras completely intertwined, transforming into a thick spiritual energy canopy shrouding the sky above the Cultivators of Xuanwu Peak.

Third Elder Zhao Wuji, Peak of the Fifth Layer of the Heavenly King Realm;

Ji Linyan, Late Stage of the Fourth Layer of the Heavenly King Realm;

The eldest and second sons of the Zhao family both stepped into the First Layer of the Heavenly King Realm.

The Xuanwu lineage had a full four Heavenly Kings holding down the fort!

Monstrous coercion swept across all directions, and countless Disciples with low cultivation felt their legs go weak.

They involuntarily retreated backward, looking with panic and unease at those four towering figures.

Until this moment, everyone on the square truly understood what Third Elder Zhao Wuji relied on to dare to force the Sect Master to abdicate in public and shake the order and Foundation of the Tianyuan Sect for tens of thousands of years.

This was never an impulse triggered by temporary grief and indignation, but a heaven-shaking plot prepared over a long period of time.

The Third Elder's gaze suddenly turned, falling upon the Second Elder, the smile on his face meaningful:

"Second Elder, you are the head of the Law Enforcement Hall, holding the Sect's laws for millions of years. Regarding today's matter, your opinion is of utmost importance."

He said these words in a high-sounding manner, as if he were merely seeking the opinion of a senior and respected colleague.

But just when everyone thought he was merely making a routine inquiry, a voice transmission as refined as silk quietly drilled into the Second Elder's ears:

"Second Elder, you are a smart person. Regarding today's matter, right and wrong are no longer important.

You have already spoken out to question the ruling, and what is done cannot be undone.

Even if you back down now, will Sect Master Liu Zhenshan have no lingering resentment in his heart? Sect Master Liu Zhenshan will definitely settle accounts with you after the battle.

If you are willing to walk with us, the status of the Law Enforcement Hall in the future will only be higher than now. Weigh it yourself."

The voice transmission came fast and went just as fast.

The Second Elder's body stiffened slightly, and his mind sank heavily!

He understood Third Elder Zhao Wuji's meaning, and even more, he understood the hidden threat in his words.

Questioning the Sect Master's partiality in public, he had long been branded with disloyalty by the Sect Master.

Involving the change of power in the Sect, he dared not gamble on Sect Master Liu Zhenshan's magnanimity.

Retreat, and after autumn settlement, he would have nothing;

Advance, and gamble on the grand situation, with monstrous authority!

A brief silence.

Tens of thousands of gazes on the square stared at the Second Elder, waiting for his answer.

Finally, the Second Elder slowly raised his head, cast a complex look at Sect Master Liu Zhenshan on the high platform, and then—

He stepped forward and said in a deep voice:

"This old man seconds the motion. Please ask the Sect Master to abdicate and retry this case."

Boom——!!

The entire audience exploded!

But this was not the end.

The moment the Second Elder's words fell, all around the square, those Peak Elders and enforcers who had secretly depended on the Third Elder for many years looked at each other, gritted their teeth, and stepped out!

"We second the Third Elder! Please ask the Sect Master to abdicate!"

"The Disciples of Xuanwu Peak have debts of blood, and this can never be glossed over!"

"Please ask the Sect Master to re-adjudicate!"

One figure after another walked out from the crowd. Within just a few breaths, dozens of Elders and hundreds of enforcers appeared on the square!

Although their cultivation was far inferior to the Heavenly Kings, these people represented the tilt of the Sect's middle-tier power!

The Disciples who were still watching saw this scene, and their hearts turned half-cold.

The five Heavenly Kings of the rebellious faction gathered together: Third Elder Zhao Wuji, Second Elder, Peak Master of Xuanwu Peak, the eldest son of the Zhao family, and the second son of the Zhao family.

Over a hundred Elders and enforcers from various Peaks seconded the motion!

The situation instantly became clear. The five Heavenly Kings connected into one piece, their auras intertwining, distantly confronting the orthodox faction in front of the high platform!