329: Processing results

[At the same time,]

[Qing Ming also told Chen Yuanyuan about the "Charm Technique."]

[Upon hearing this, Chen Yuanyuan's brows furrowed tightly.]

[She had already felt that something was amiss—]

[No matter how foolish or arrogant Xue Yunhao was, he wouldn't go as far as to openly provoke her father.]

[Thinking this way, she immediately understood most of it: behind this, someone likely wanted to stir up trouble to profit from the chaos.]

[She took a deep breath, her gaze slowly sweeping over Elder Xue and Xue Miaoyun before turning to the entire audience, her voice cold yet clearly carrying through:]

["Elders and fellow disciples, today's dispute is no longer just a private grudge between the Chen and Xue families."]

["It concerns the Foundation of the Fengyun Pavilion's laws and, even more so, the peace of the entire Tianhuang Continent."]

[She paused briefly, her tone deepening:]

["As the Acting Pavilion Master, I, Chen Yuanyuan, should be impartial. But at this moment, I am also someone's child."]

["My father, Chen Yuntao, violated the immortal regulations by executing Xue Yunhao, causing the people of the Xue Clan Imperial Dynasty to suffer—this is a great crime, beyond dispute."]

[She turned to Elder Xue and Xue Miaoyun, bowing respectfully:]

["Elder Xue, Junior Sister Miaoyun, I am here to apologize on my father's behalf."]

["Although my father acted out of a desire to uphold justice, his momentary impulse has led to a great disaster."]

["He has confessed and is willing to accept punishment. However, I know well that the Xue Family's loss of a loved one and the wounds of the Imperial Dynasty's collapse cannot be mended by a mere confession."]

["I, Chen Yuanyuan, swear today: I am willing to bear all consequences for my father, only asking that the Xue Family gives us a chance to make amends."]

[She raised her head, her voice rising:]

["Xue Yunhao committed many evils, murdering the loyal and tormenting the commoners; his crimes deserved death."]

["However, the immortal regulations are like a ship, and the Heavenly Dao is like the sea—a ship rots without the sea, and the sea becomes chaotic without a ship."]

["My father acted outside the rules; though he held a heart for the Righteous Path, he caused the masses to suffer. This is no longer divine justice, but a man-made calamity."]

[Her gaze swept across the crowd:]

["The iron laws of the immortal regulations must punish those who violate them. My father is willing to undergo the Punishment of Heavenly Thunder and have his cultivation base stripped to atone for his sins."]

["As the Acting Pavilion Master and his daughter, I will personally go to the Xue Clan Imperial Dynasty to quell the internal strife, appease the people, and do my utmost to return a peaceful realm to the Xue Family."]

[Finally, she looked at Elder Xue and Xue Miaoyun again, her words sincere:]

["I empathize with the Xue Family's pain."]

["If you are willing to set aside this grudge for now, I am willing to sign an Atonement Covenant: with my life as collateral, I will help the Xue Clan Imperial Dynasty reunite within ten years."]

["If I fail, I will cripple my own cultivation base, be removed from office, and be imprisoned forever."]

["This is not a deal, but the only way I, as a daughter, can atone for my father's sins."]

[Her voice was firm and rang out clearly:]

["Today's situation is clearly being manipulated from behind the scenes. I swear on my life to find the true culprit and never let the Xue Family's blood be shed in vain."]

[As her words fell, silence reigned around the Zhu Xian Terrace. Thousands of gazes fell upon Elder Xue and Xue Miaoyun.]

[The grief and indignation on Elder Xue's face had not completely vanished; after all, his younger brother was dead.]

[But Chen Yuanyuan spoke sincerely and was willing to guarantee atonement with her life, while also pointing out the possibility of manipulation behind the scenes, which finally eased the blockage in his heart.]

[He remained silent for a long while before finally letting out a long sigh, his voice filled with exhaustion and helplessness: "Sigh..."]

[He looked at Chen Yuntao with a complex gaze, then at Chen Yuanyuan: "Since you have put it this way, I have nothing more to say."]

["Since you are willing to take responsibility and have signed an Atonement Covenant... if I were to continue clinging to this, it would make me seem unreasonable and disregardful of the bigger picture."]

[Though he didn't explicitly state his forgiveness, his meaning was clear: he accepted Chen Yuanyuan's resolution.]

[At this moment, Xue Miaoyun stepped forward. She first looked at Chen Yuntao kneeling on the stage, then at Chen Yuanyuan, her eyes clear and calm: "I have no objection."]

["My second uncle's actions were indeed excessive. Even if I had seen them with my own eyes, I could not have tolerated him."]

["I can also understand Elder Chen's uprightness and anger to some extent."]

["But causing so many commoners to suffer and leaving countless people displaced... this consequence is truly too heavy and irreversible."]

[She changed the subject, looking at Elder Xue and the others present: "However, is stripping his cultivation base really necessary? Isn't that punishment too severe?"]

["Elder Chen's cultivation was not easily attained. Such a punishment might damage the Foundation of our Fengyun Pavilion, and it's not a result our Xue Family truly wishes to see."]

["I suggest changing it to ten years of imprisonment for reflection."]

["Moreover, the great mistake has already been made; even killing Elder Chen won't bring those lives back."]

["Ten years of imprisonment is enough for him to reflect deeply and serve as a warning to those who come after."]

[Xue Miaoyun's gaze swept over the Elders present, her tone becoming serious: "But this matter also serves as a reminder to all of us!"]

["Our immortal regulations likely have loopholes and areas they cannot reach."]

["The root of today's disaster lies in the intricate power and Family ties our respective families hold in the mortal Dynasties!"]

["Elders, shouldn't you consider letting go of your families' authority in the mortal world?"]

["Wouldn't it be better to have your relatives move to Longyang City, live as wealthy commoners, and stay away from power struggles?"]

[Her voice gradually rose: "Otherwise, why is it that we've never heard of the Pavilion Master or the Vice Pavilion Master's families controlling any Imperial Dynasty?"]

["They saw through the hidden dangers long ago, so they set an example themselves."]

["Shouldn't we... also learn from them?"]

[Xue Miaoyun's words hit right on the fundamental issue that Elder Cheng Wenbo had previously pointed out, and which Elders Chu and Duan had been incessantly arguing about—]

[The profound contradiction between Elders' kin holding imperial power and the enforcement of immortal regulations.]

[Her proposal was both a compromise on Chen Yuntao's punishment and an important idea for how the Fengyun Pavilion should be managed in the future.]

[Elder Xue was silent for a moment before slowly nodding: "My daughter... has a point."]

[He knew in his heart that if it weren't for his own Bloodline presiding over the Imperial Dynasty, Xue Yunhao's misdeeds wouldn't have gone unchecked, ultimately leading to such a disaster.]

[Letting go of this mortal authority might truly be a relief for the Family itself and for the Sect's long-term future.]

[Elders Chu, Duan, and Cheng looked at each other, none of them speaking for a moment.]

[They were all once the Old Ancestors behind their respective Imperial Dynasties, and they understood best what it meant to give up this behind-the-scenes control.]

[But today, with the scene of the Xue Clan Imperial Dynasty's collapse before them and Chen Yuntao's example as a bloody lesson, they couldn't help but think deeply.]