325: The Chen-Xue Dispute

[These are all the Heaven And Earth Treasures you obtained previously, for example:]

[enlightenment fruit—after a Cultivator consumes it, they can temporarily enter a state of Epiphany. Low-level Cultivators can instantly increase their cultivation, while high-level Cultivators can also achieve twice the result with half the effort in their comprehension of Laws.]

[void flower—after refining, it is of great help to the Divine Soul. High-level Cultivators can also enhance their perception of spatial fluctuations.]

[demon kings inner core—taken from a Transformed Great Demon, it contains vast Demon Essence and helps in breaking through Realms.]

[divine wood spirit peach—its effect is second only to the enlightenment fruit. It is one of the best Heaven And Earth Treasures for a Nascent Soul Cultivator to Cultivate. If given to a Golden Core Cultivator, the effect is even more startling.]

[great void illusion grass—can be used to refine various high-level Medicinal Pills. It is considered a sacred object for Cultivators who practice illusions or the path of the Divine Soul.]

[five elements lingzhi—possessing all Five Elements, it can harmonize the spiritual energy within the body and provide significant assistance when breaking through minor Bottlenecks.]

[azure sky marvel fruit—after consumption, it can slightly strengthen the Physical Body Origin, aiding in the union of the three bodies and increasing the probability of a Breakthrough to Soul Transformation.]

[Each of these Heaven And Earth Treasures is something that can save a Nascent Soul Cultivator at least several years of bitter cultivation. Following the principle of equal distribution, you give ten stalks to each of them.]

[Some of them are even treasures that Spirit Transformation Cultivators, or even Spirit Transformation Cultivators, would fight over desperately. One can imagine how precious they are.]

[It is estimated that with these ten stalks, they will soon be able to easily step into the Nascent Soul Realm.]

[However, you did not give them the Heaven And Earth Treasures and resources you obtained during your recent trip—because once given, they would truly be gone.]

[Protector Qiao suppressed the excitement in her heart, carefully put away the qiankun ring, and then led you toward the depths of the mountain range—to the Pavilion Master's Immortal Cave.]

[Halfway through the flight,]

[In the distance, on a mountain peak that had been neatly leveled, a bustling scene of voices attracted your gaze.]

[In the center of the square at the peak, a stone platform about a hundred meters in diameter stood tall, its surface covered in dark, blood-colored runic patterns.]

[A person was kneeling on the platform, their entire body tightly bound by layers of Magical Artifact chains engraved with runes, unable to move.]

[Surrounding the stone platform were no fewer than several thousand Disciples packed closely together. More than a dozen Golden Core Elders stood solemnly at the front, the atmosphere heavy.]

[You pointed toward that place and asked, "What place is that?"]

["In response to the Pavilion Master, that is the Zhu Xian Terrace of Immortal Slaying Peak," Protector Qiao explained in a low voice. "It is usually used to deal with those within the pavilion who have committed grave sins and are beyond redemption."]

["Let's go take a look." As soon as the words left your mouth, you had already changed direction, transformed your appearance, and descended toward Immortal Slaying Peak.]

[A moment later, the two of you quietly landed on the periphery of the crowd. You did not squeeze in but watched quietly from a distance, not attracting any attention—]

[After all, your face was unfamiliar, and the token hanging from your waist was that of an ordinary Disciple. Protector Qiao's face was covered by a light veil; such attire was common among female Cultivators in the pavilion.]

[Everyone was more focused on the person on the Zhu Xian Terrace and how Chen Yuanyuan would handle the situation.]

["Now there's a good show to watch. I want to see how the Acting Pavilion Master will deal with her own Chen family member," someone said gloatingly.]

["That Chen Yuanyuan just has good luck. I don't know why the Vice Pavilion Master values her so much," another person chimed in.]

["Shh, keep your voice down," someone nearby whispered a reminder.]

["What's there to be afraid of? Saying a few words about her doesn't violate the pavilion's immortal regulations."]

["Exactly. She said it herself: as long as one speaks out for justice, regardless of status or position, everyone is equal and there is freedom of speech. As long as the immortal regulations aren't broken, why fear her?"]

["Indeed. Doesn't she consider herself impartial and selfless? This time, I want to see how she deals with her own father."]

[Listening to the crowd's discussion, you roughly understood.]

[It turned out that the person on the Zhu Xian Terrace was actually Chen Yuntao—who was also Chen Yuanyuan's father.]

[Chen Yuntao had now also entered the Golden Core Realm and was an Elder of the Fengyun Pavilion.]

[Some time ago, Chen Yuntao led a team of Disciples down the mountain for training. For some reason, he actually killed the emperor of the Xue Clan Imperial Dynasty—Xue Yunhao.]

[With Xue Yunhao's death, the Imperial Dynasty immediately fell into internal strife. War broke out, people were displaced, and countless died or were injured. To this day, the people's livelihood is still desolate, and all living beings are suffering.]

[This Xue Yunhao was Xue Yuntao's younger brother and also Xue Miaoyun's uncle.]

[The Xue Clan Imperial Dynasty was originally founded by Xue Yuntao in his earlier years after overthrowing the Great Jin Dynasty—this time, although you did not help, he had the assistance of Xue Miaoyun and Protector Qiao.]

[However, after reigning for several years, Xue Yuntao passed the throne to his younger brother, Xue Yunhao, while he himself joined the Fengyun Pavilion and embarked on the path of immortality.]

[Now, Xue Yuntao is also a Golden Core Elder within the Fengyun Pavilion.]

[Actually, Xue Yunhao also intended to enter the Dao, but unfortunately, he had no Spiritual Root and could only remain a mortal emperor in the end.]

[Just then—]

[Several streaks of light shot over from different directions, landing in front of the Zhu Xian Terrace at the same time.]

[The ones who arrived were the Chen and Xue families, such as Chen Yuanyuan, Chen Yu, Elder Xue, and Xue Miaoyun.]

[Chen Yuanyuan, currently acting as the Pavilion Master, descended lightly onto the Zhu Xian Terrace.]

[Her gaze slowly swept across the scene, finally stopping on her father, Chen Yuntao, who was kneeling in the center of the stage. A nearly imperceptible trace of struggle flashed through her eyes.]

[Before she could speak, Elder Xue stepped forward, his voice clear but every word as hard as iron: "Chen Yuntao, you have violated the immortal regulations—"]

["Article Four: Interfering in the succession of mortal dynasties without accepting a Sect mission..."]

["Article Seventeen: Due to your individual fault, hundreds of thousands of innocent civilians have lost their lives..."]

["Article One Hundred and Thirty-Six: Slaying a secular emperor and plunging a Dynasty into turmoil..."]

[He paused, his tone turning heavy: "For these multiple crimes, according to the rules, your cultivation should be stripped, and you should be bound to the Zhu Xian Terrace to undergo the Heavenly Thunder Punishment..."]

[Qin Han on your shoulder nodded seriously, his small face full of gravity:]

["This Chen Yuntao is actually so wicked! Daddy, I didn't expect there to be such scum in the Fengyun Pavilion? He must be executed!"]

[You did not respond to him, but simply watched the stage quietly, your gaze focused.]

[Chen Yu took a step forward and said loudly, "Elder Xue, that Xue Yunhao deserved to die! My father was acting on behalf of the heavens; what crime has he committed?"]

["Presumptuous!" Elder Xue rebuked sharply. "When this Elder is questioning a crime, when is it a junior's turn to interrupt?"]

[His gaze was like lightning as it swept across the field, and his voice suddenly sank: "Moreover—immortals have Immortal Laws, nations have National Laws, and families have Family Rules."]

["How can you be allowed to act willfully under the name of 'acting on behalf of the heavens'?"]

[Hearing this, Chen Yu laughed toward the sky: "Hahaha... What a fine set of Immortal Laws, National Laws, and Family Rules!"]

["Immortal Laws bind Cultivators, National Laws bind the common people, and Family Rules bind kin... All of these, I acknowledge."]

[He stopped laughing and looked directly at Elder Xue, saying word by word: "But has Elder Xue ever considered—the heavens have the Heavenly Dao, and humans have the Human Dao!"]

["As a mortal emperor, Xue Yunhao enjoyed the support of ten thousand people, yet he did not strive for progress. He partiality believed in treacherous officials and persecuted the loyal and good, causing the land to wither and the people to live in misery."]

["For such a muddled, incompetent person who has abandoned the Human Dao, has the National Law ever dealt with him?"]

[Chen Yu stepped forward, his voice shaking the sky: "What my father did was in accordance with the Heavenly Dao above and the Human Dao below—what wrong did he do?!"]

[Qin Han on your shoulder nodded seriously, with a solemn expression:]

["Hmm, saying it like that, that Xue Yunhao really did deserve to die."]

["That guy called... whatever-Tao, he killed well, he killed right."]

[You rolled your eyes at him and didn't respond.]