327: Each holds their own opinion

[Elder Chen, who was once Marshal Chen of the Chu Dynasty and is now an Elder of the Pavilion, stepped forward, his voice impassioned:]

["Hmph, a man-made disaster?"]

["Elder Xue, the Heavenly Dao is not some ethereal concept; it is a chain of Karma."]

["Xue Yunhao sowed evil seeds and reaped evil fruit; my son cutting down that evil cause is in accordance with the Heavenly Dao."]

["You say the immortal regulations are a boat, but you forget that a boat needs a helmsman—if the helmsman is muddled and incompetent, the boat will surely sink."]

["As a mortal emperor, Xue Yunhao strayed from the path of humanity. The immortal regulations did not punish him, and the Heavenly Dao tacitly allowed it."]

["Could it be that the immortal regulations of the Fengyun Pavilion are meant to protect a dim-witted ruler who slaughters the loyal and torments the people?"]

["Does this not reduce the immortal regulations to an accomplice of evil?"]

[He paused and glanced at the various Elders: "Furthermore, Elders, which of your Imperial Dynasty descendants has never had a blemish?"]

["If the immortal regulations only protect one's kin, is that not like destroying our own Great Wall?"]

[What Elder Chen said was indeed reasonable—most of the immediate descendants of the Elders present occupied major Dynasties and held prominent positions.]

[Who would dare assert that among their own Bloodline, there would never be someone who transgressed the laws?]

[Elder Chu Tianqi, who was once the Old Ancestor of the Chu Dynasty, suddenly spoke, his tone profound:]

["Your debate touches upon a deeper question: Is justice absolute, or is it relative?"]

["In my view, justice is relative!"]

["Elder Xue, you view the immortal regulations as an absolute, ironclad law, yet they failed to prevent Xue Yunhao's atrocities."]

["Elder Chen, you view the Heavenly Dao as absolute, but the Heavenly Dao transcends human desires to punish evil and promote good."]

["Today on the Zhu Xian Terrace, Xue Yunhao's crimes deserve death; Chen Yuntao's actions deserve execution, but this was the direction of his true heart!"]

["The Heavenly Dao is clear, and Karma is a cycle: Xue Yunhao's death is not just Chen Yuntao's fault, but also the result of you, Elder Xue, being in seclusion for years and ignoring worldly affairs."]

["If you had noticed the chaos in the Imperial Dynasty earlier, how would it have come to this?"]

["Chen Yuntao is willing to plead guilty, but this is an inevitability of Karma!"]

["Elder Xue, you went into seclusion and ignored the world; was it truly only to seek the Dao?"]

[Chu Tianqi scanned the crowd, his words carrying deep meaning: "I fear it is just a secret compromise by each Family to preserve their Imperial Dynasty Bloodlines."]

[Elder Xue's expression changed slightly, a flicker of pain flashing in his eyes as his voice turned cold: "Elder Chu, are you implying this was my negligence?"]

["I entered seclusion to seek the Dao and improve my strength to protect the Fengyun Pavilion. The Heavenly Dao rewards the diligent; what fault is there in that?"]

["If everyone were distracted by mundane trifles, where would the immortal path remain? This instead shows the cruelty of the Heavenly Dao—a Cultivator pursuing the Dao must abandon worldly ties."]

["Chen Yuntao's interference in the mundane world is precisely an act of going against the heavens!"]

[Elder Xue's voice suddenly became sharp: "On the contrary, your Chu Dynasty has been implementing continuous harsh policies in recent years. Why don't you act on behalf of Heaven?"]

["Could it be that the immortal regulations are merely a tool for you to restrain others?"]

[Elder Chu smiled, his gaze like a torch as he looked directly at Elder Xue: "Elder Xue, the Heavenly Dao is not about rewarding diligence and punishing laziness, but about balancing all things!"]

["You were eager to seek the Dao, and the Heavenly Dao did not blame you; however, the law of Karma is heartless: your neglect of the Imperial Dynasty indirectly led to Xue Yunhao's evil, while Chen Yuntao's impulsive action directly ended the tyranny."]

["Both are within the web of Karma; who can remain untainted?"]

["You all come from the backgrounds of Imperial Dynasty Old Ancestors; you should know that an emperor's faults involve tens of thousands of people."]

["Chen Yuntao killing Xue Yunhao is precisely the practice of this Dao, using his true heart to maintain balance and save the common people from fire and water!"]

["While arguing for Chen Yuntao today, have you ever wondered—if the one who committed the offense was your own child or grandchild, would you choose the immortal regulations or your true heart?"]

["Furthermore, Chen Yuntao has already pleaded guilty; why waste more words?"]

[Ye Hong, who was once the Old Ancestor of the Xuanwu Dynasty and is now an Elder of the Fengyun Pavilion, couldn't help but interject, his tone impatient: "This discussion is far too metaphysical!"]

["The immortal regulations clearly list the terms; how can they allow for sophistry?"]

["If every matter involves old Family business, how can our Fengyun Pavilion stand in this world?"]

["One must know... the rise and fall of successive dynasties are mostly not due to external threats, but are actually caused by internal collapse..."]

[He took a deep breath and did not continue.]

[In fact, most of the people present had once been the rulers of a country. Having seen many Dynasty changes, they naturally understood the meaning behind his words.]

[Duan Canghai, who was once the Old Ancestor of the Great Yan Dynasty and is now an Elder of the Fengyun Pavilion, sneered in rebuttal: "Metaphysical?"]

["No, this is the foundation of cultivation!"]

["If a Cultivator only cultivates strength and not the heart, they are like certain Imperial Dynasty emperors—great in power but thin in virtue."]

["Elder Ye, your Xuanwu Dynasty has been plagued by frequent wars in recent years, yet you have not emerged from seclusion. Could it be that you have a guilty conscience?"]

[He smiled and continued: "If the Heavenly Dao has a heart of benevolence, can Chen Yuntao's actions be considered benevolent?"]

["Xue Yunhao's death ended the tyranny and may save even more commoners in the long run."]

[Elder Cheng Wenbo shook his head and sighed: "Short-sighted!"]

["Chen Yuntao's actions have already caused chaos to appear; how can we talk about the long term?"]

[As he spoke, he glanced at the various Elders: "Ask yourselves... if the immortal regulations become a protective talisman for families, how are we any different from that Xue Yunhao?"]

[Beside Cheng Wenbo, Cheng Rongrong, whose face was veiled, pulled his arm and whispered: "Grandfather, this matter seems off. Do not say more."]

[Cheng Wenbo looked at his granddaughter, nodded, and spoke no more.]

[However, his final sentence once again sparked heated discussion.]

[Fang Yanbo, who was once the Old Ancestor of the Fang Family of the Great Yan Dynasty, also nodded: "Elder Cheng has a point!"]

["Mortal emperors are not subject to national laws, and the issuance of missions within the Pavilion requires review by the Elder Council... Who would proactively issue a mission to capture an emperor?"]

[This Fang Yanbo was precisely the father of the Great Yan Dynasty's Duke of Zhenguo, Fang Tianhao, and also Fang Chen's grandfather.]

[Many people heard this and chimed in one after another, their words tinged with helplessness and indignation.]

["Yes, national laws can't control them, and the immortal regulations have become a mere decoration. Those dim-witted rulers act recklessly, and in the end, it's our Family members in the various Dynasties who suffer."]

["That's right. Since they hold high positions in the Fengyun Pavilion, they shouldn't let their Family and relatives enjoy the power and wealth of the mundane world anymore."]

["Elder Cheng and Elder Fang are right. Almost every one of those emperors sitting on dragon thrones is related to some Elder of the Fengyun Pavilion."]

["Yes, the Pavilion's missions also need to be reviewed by the Elder Council. The Elders look out for one another and must save some face, so naturally, they won't easily issue missions targeting each other's kin."]

[Many Disciples also had Family members who had been oppressed by imperial power. At this moment, they felt the same way, and the sounds of indignation gradually rose, making the scene quite clamorous for a time.]

[The fact was indeed so—]

[The entire network of top-tier power and nobility in the Tianhuang Continent was actually a web of relationships woven by this group of Elders in the Fengyun Pavilion.]

[Of course, there were a few Genius Disciples who could rise against the odds. However, in the end, they too became one of them.]

[This matter was directly exposed by Cheng Wenbo and discussed in front of thousands of Disciples, immediately stirring up waves of controversy.]

["Enough!"]

[Chen Yuntao, standing on the Zhu Xian Terrace, raised his head and spoke with a resonant voice: "Elders, please stop arguing."]

["Some believe in the immortal regulations as a shield of destiny; others seek freedom as a sword of the Heavenly Dao."]

["Cultivators have the right to choose within Karma."]

["When the immortal regulations fail, I choose to act according to my true heart!"]

["All of you Elders have descendants in the Dynasties, don't you?"]

["What about you?"]

["Will you choose to intervene, or to go into seclusion?"]

["Freedom is not acting recklessly; it is practicing the Heavenly Dao through humanity within the framework of order."]

["By killing Xue Yunhao, I was precisely exercising my right to choose."]

["This is the reason why I am willing to plead guilty without regret!"]

[For a time, the Elders and the Disciples below the stage discussed animatedly, each sticking to their own arguments.]

[Some felt that Chen Yuntao's killing was satisfying and that it should be so; others felt he was too reckless and disregarded the consequences.]

[The crowd gradually split into three factions—one supporting Chen Yuntao, one opposing his actions, and another with no opinion of their own, leaning toward whoever seemed more reasonable.]