950: Chapter 951 The Ling Family is Finished

Su Xiaoxiao stood in the center of the arena, taking everything in.

She had originally prepared to refute Ling Xuan's accusations, even running through what she wanted to say in her mind several times, but before she could even open her mouth, the situation took a drastic turn.

Ling Xuan jumped out to question her, Ling Yuan seconded, and a crowd of deacons chimed in, leaving her condemned by all.

Then, the nine Elders on the high platform fell silent, and after that, Pavilion Master Danchenzi's expression changed.

Then Ling Yuan's expression changed from confidence to confusion, and from confusion to panic.

At this moment, on the high platform, Pavilion Master Danchenzi slowly stood up.

He did not speak, just quietly looking at Ling Yuan; those usually gentle eyes were now as cold as two blocks of millennial glacial ice.

Throughout the entire arena, not a single person dared to make a sound.

Ling Yuan's legs began to go weak. Ever since he joined Tiandan Pavilion, he had never seen the Pavilion Master look at him with such a gaze. He knew he had kicked an iron plate—an iron plate he simply could not afford to provoke.

He opened his mouth, wanting to say something to salvage the situation, only to find his throat felt as though it was blocked by something, unable to spit out a single word.

"Elder Ling."

Pavilion Master Danchenzi's voice finally rang out, neither high nor low, yet clearly transmitted into every single person's ears:

"Su Xiaoxiao's Medicinal Pill was refined in full view of the public, witnessed by the pavilion's Elders and deacons throughout the entire process. Are you saying that a Diyuan Realm lass like her could cheat right under the noses of so many Heavenly Sovereigns and Heavenly Kings?"

He paused, his gaze carving across Ling Yuan's Face like a knife:

"Or are you saying that what you truly want to question is whether the invigilation system of my Tiandan Pavilion is a mere formality, and whether the pavilion under my, Pavilion Master Danchenzi's, governance cannot even manage a fair competition?"

As soon as these words came out, Ling Yuan felt as though he had been struck by lightning. With a thud, he dropped to his knees, cold sweat pouring down:

"Pavilion Master, please discern the truth! This old man has no such intention! This old man was just... just..."

"Just what?" Pavilion Master Danchenzi said coldly, "Just feeling that your grandson failed to enter the top ten, making you lose Face, so you needed to find a Diyuan Realm maiden to act as a scapegoat?"

Ling Yuan's Face instantly turned pale. "Pavilion Master, this subordinate wouldn't dare..."

"Wouldn't dare?" Pavilion Master Danchenzi sneered, "I think you dare quite a lot."

"Do you think that as the Law Enforcement Elder of the pavilion, you can arbitrarily bully a Diyuan Realm maiden, smearing her innocence and ruining her future?"

"Do you think that as long as someone from your Ling Family is wronged, the entire Tiandan Pavilion must make way for you?"

"Do you think that a Diyuan Realm maiden shouldn't have refined a Calm Heart Nourishing Spirit Pill with six pill patterns?"

Three sentences, each heavier than the last, each more heart-piercing than the last.

Ling Yuan knelt on the ground, his entire body trembling like a sieve, his forehead pressed against the floor, lacking even the courage to raise his head.

Every single sentence was like a knife, precisely stabbing into the place where he felt most guilty.

He truly had thought that way. As the Law Enforcement Elder in a high and powerful position, what did dealing with a backgroundless Diyuan Realm lass amount to?

Even if he truly wronged her, casually apologizing afterwards, who would dare pursue the matter?

Yet he never expected that for the sake of this lass, the Pavilion Master would uproot these petty thoughts of his in front of everyone under heaven, laying them out to dry in the sunlight.

Ling Yuan opened his mouth, unable to speak out.

"Then I will ask you a question." Pavilion Master Danchenzi looked down at him condescendingly.

"How many Alchemy Dao geniuses have you seen in all your years of living?"

Ling Yuan was stunned, reflexively answering, "This old man has managed the Law Enforcement Hall for many years, and the geniuses I've seen are countless..."

"Then which Genius have you ever seen reach today by cheating?" Pavilion Master Danchenzi's voice suddenly rose sharply, exploding like thunder.

"What has Tiandan Pavilion relied on for hundreds of millions of years since its founding? Fairness! Rules! Giving every talented alchemist a chance to stand out!"

He took a step forward, his Late Stage Heavenly Sovereign coercion releasing without reservation, and the air across the entire plaza seemed to solidify.

All the Elders, deacons, and participating Disciples held their breath, not daring to let out a single heavy breath.

Pavilion Master Danchenzi's gaze swept across the entire audience like a blade, his voice deep and majestic:

"During this Alchemy convention, the Medicinal Pill's quality, the number of pill patterns, and the purity of medicinal properties have all undergone strict inspection, without a shred of falsehood."

"Whoever has objections again will be questioning the judgment of this seat and the nine Elders."

These words were spoken with absolute certainty, leaving no room for maneuvering. Those deacons and Elders who had chimed in just moments ago shrank their necks one by one, wishing they could bury their heads into the ground.

Ling Yuan's complexion was even ashen; he knew he was completely finished.

"Im... Impossible..."

Ling Xuan's Face turned pale as he muttered to himself, staggering half a step back. "There must be something wrong with her... There definitely is..."

"Enough."

Pavilion Master Danchenzi's voice was as cold as a knife, interrupting his incoherence. Without giving Ling Xuan any chance to defend himself, he directly pronounced sentence:

"Ling Xuan, for publicly questioning the fairness of the competition without producing any evidence, his results and ranking in this grand competition are stripped away, and he is expelled from Tiandan Pavilion, never to be hired again."

"Ling Yuan's position as Law Enforcement Elder is dismissed starting today. Step down."

In just a few short sentences, the fate of the Ling Family's grandfather and grandson was decided.

Two law enforcement deacons stepped forward, supporting Ling Yuan's limp body from left and right, dragging him toward the outer side of the plaza.

When passing by Ling Xuan's side, Ling Yuan's turbid gaze locked tightly onto his grandson, boundless regret and despair surging within the depths of his eyes.

Ling Xuan froze in place, his legs trembling violently and uncontrollably. The arrogance, defiance, and reluctance from just moments ago vanished completely, leaving only a piercing chill creeping through his limbs and bones toward his Divine Soul.

The position of Law Enforcement Elder that his grandfather had operated for millions of years was completely abolished overnight, and his fond dream of using the Alchemy convention to advance further was now completely shattered.

The immense gap crushed all his heart-Qi. Sour regret instantly rushed to his throat, his eye sockets turned red, and hot tears rolled down uncontrollably.

If he hadn't momentarily acted out of jealousy to attack abruptly just then, and if his grandfather hadn't momentarily protected his own and stood up to back him, the Ling Family could still steadily occupy the mid-to-upper echelons of Tiandan, holding countless Alchemy Dao resources. How could they have fallen to today's fate of losing both wealth and people, with their futures completely ruined?

Yet this regret only lasted for a moment; deep within his heart, unwillingness bred intense resentment and malice.

On what basis? On what basis could this lass with such low cultivation win the Pavilion Master's favor? On what basis could she, a Diyuan Realm cultivator, suppress him?

If Su Xiaoxiao hadn't surpassed him, he wouldn't have lost his composure and caused trouble in public, and the Ling Family wouldn't have ended up in this state.

All the surrounding Elders, deacons, participating Disciples, and even the visiting envoys from various factions in the spectator stands simultaneously raised a single thought at this moment.

The Ling Family is done.

Although Pavilion Master Danchenzi only announced dismissal and expulsion today, and did not utterly exterminate the Ling Family's massive Family force, no one was a fool.

Today, for the sake of Su Xiaoxiao, the Pavilion Master publicly dealt with Ling Yuan and stripped him of his Elder position; this had already made his stance clear.

There would no longer be any place for the Ling Family to stand in Tiandan Pavilion. When a wall collapses, everyone pushes it...