17: Crime! Outrage!

Those flushed faces full of excitement, and those bodies trembling involuntarily, all attested to the deep respect the entire Lin Family held for the three Old Ancestors who had silently guarded the Family for over ten thousand years, shielding them from countless calamities.

In the hearts of the Lin Family members, the status and prestige of the three Old Ancestors were supreme; no one could surpass them, not even the Clan Chief, Lin Tianhai!

The deeds of the three Old Ancestors and their contributions to the Family were things Lin Family members had to learn and understand from the moment they entered the Family school.

How many times had the Family encountered crises, only for the three Old Ancestors to eventually turn the tide, fight bloody battles against strong enemies, and defeat them, allowing their Lin Family to continue its Legacy to this day?

There was even one time when the Lin Family was on the verge of annihilation...

At that time, the Lin Family's Saint Emperor Realm ancestor had exhausted his Lifespan, and the Family had no Saint Emperor Realm powerhouse to hold the fort. Seeing this, the Lin Family's hostile forces gathered three Saint Emperor Realm powerhouses to besiege the Family, instantly plunging the Family into a crisis of annihilation, with countless members killed or injured.

Fortunately, in the end, Great Ancestor Lin Changxiao broke through his realm in time, forcibly undergoing the Lightning Tribulation right under the eyes of the three hostile Saint Emperors. He survived safely, then fought one against three, engaging in a bloody battle across the firmament!

Ultimately, with the shocking record of killing one and severely wounding two, he repelled the enemies. However, he himself was severely injured and on the verge of death. It was only after the Lin Family exhausted most of their foundation that they managed to trade for a Quasi-Emperor grade healing pill from an Emperor-level force in the Central Plains for Great Ancestor Lin Changxiao to take, which saved his life.

Even so, Great Ancestor Lin Changxiao had to recuperate for a full three years before fully recovering.

The Second Ancestor and Third Ancestor were the same; every time the Family faced a crisis, they would follow the Great Ancestor to stand at the very front of the Family, fighting bloody battles against strong enemies!

It was precisely because of the three Old Ancestors that the Lin Family had its current status and peace.

Therefore, how could the Lin Family members not respect the three Old Ancestors who had given so much for the Family!

Many members even regarded the three Old Ancestors as idols and goals, hoping that one day they could support the future of the Family just like them...

"Rise..." Lin Changxiao looked at the Lin Family members below and nodded with satisfaction.

"Thank you, Old Ancestor!"

"You are all very good. I believe that in the future, with your joint efforts, our Lin Family will surely become better and better..." Lin Changxiao continued to speak slowly.

Before everyone could be happy, Lin Changxiao immediately added: "However... in the process of everyone working together, there are always a few black sheep who betray the Family and betray their kin..."

"This Old Ancestor knows that this situation is inevitable, but... I did not expect that our Lin Family would have so many Family scourges!"

"This is also the reason for holding this trial assembly, which is to judge these Family scourges in front of all the clansmen..."

"And those scourges, as you can see, are exactly the people in front of you!"

"If the scourges are not removed, the Lin Family will not be at peace!"

After speaking, Lin Changxiao signaled to Lin Tianhai that it was his turn.

He, along with Lin Changxue and Lin Changfeng, each condensed a golden lotus platform in the Void Realm, sat cross-legged, and quietly looked down.

The various Lin Family Elders who had appeared in the void behind them at some unknown time stood quietly behind the three, also looking down with serious expressions.

At this moment, the clansmen below began to discuss in hushed tones.

"How is this possible... How could my brother betray the Family? He is usually so good to me and the other clansmen..."

"Isn't that Deacon Lin Zhongqing? I never expected that someone who always looked so upright would be a Family scourge. Truly, one can know a person's face but not their heart!"

"Hiss, a dignified Elder of the Pill Hall is actually a Family traitor. He can be considered middle management of the Family. Fortunately, he is the highest-ranking person among them, otherwise, I don't know how much damage our Lin Family would have suffered."

"Hmph, these people deserve to die. They are simply wolf-hearted and dog-lunged; they should just be killed directly!"

"Exactly, bah! A bunch of dogs who bring shame to our Lin Family!"

Receiving the signal, Lin Tianhai also spoke slowly to the crowd:

"Just as the Old Ancestor said, those in front of you whose cultivation has been abolished are the scourges of our Lin Family!"

"Some of them may be your own brothers and sisters, or clansmen you are usually on very good terms with, who act intimately with you. Therefore, you might say, 'Who acts like this or that, they could never betray the Family'..."

"But this Clan Chief can tell you clearly that not one of these people is wrongly accused."

Subsequently, Lin Tianhai looked at the Grand Elder on the side and said: "Grand Elder, read it out!"

The Grand Elder nodded, then took out a booklet recording all the crimes of these people, and began to read them out one by one according to what was written...

"Lin Qiang, captain of the Family caravan guard, profited by selling Family information to hostile forces, causing several shipments of Family resources to be robbed, resulting in the death of 80 clansmen and a loss of over 10 million High-Grade Spirit Stones."

"Lin Jiazhen, colluded with other forces to murder 5 clansmen."

"Lin Shi, passed information about the movements of clansmen to hostile forces, causing 15 clansmen to be ambushed and killed, and 6 clansmen to have their path of Cultivation severed forever."

"Lin Make, privately sold Family resources for profit, amounting to over 100 million Low-Grade Spirit Stones."

"Lin Zixu, under the inducement of hostile forces, secretly practiced Demonic Techniques. In the five years of practicing Demonic Techniques, he murdered 130 clansmen and 20,000 members of affiliated forces."

One by one, names and shocking deeds were spoken from the mouth of the Grand Elder, leaving the uninformed crowd in shock.

But what followed was endless anger!

How dared these people do this, and how could they bring themselves to do it!

Those were their own relatives, brothers, clansmen, and friends... These people were simply no longer worthy of being human...

"Hmph! These people are wolf-hearted and dog-lunged, completely devoid of humanity. I truly wish I could tear them into ten thousand pieces to console the spirits of those clansmen in heaven!"

"That would be letting them off too easily. We should light lamps with their Divine Souls and torture them for a hundred years!"

"It's you! So it was you, Lin Qiang, you pig-and-dog-like thing, who killed my father! Give me back my father's life!"

"Xiao Sheng, calm down, calm down... The Clan Chief will naturally not let him off easily. Let's watch first..."

"Second Uncle, let go of me! I want to kill him and avenge my father! I want to kill him..."