18: New family system

The Grand Elder's voice continued for a long time, and the anger of the Lin Family did not diminish in the slightest; if anything, it only intensified.

Every single act these people had committed was truly heinous and detestable!

The relatives and friends of the victims were completely overcome with emotion. If not for the fact that the assembly was currently in progress and other Family members were holding them back, they likely would have rushed up and torn these scourges of the Family to pieces long ago.

They could accept it if their fathers, brothers, or friends had been harmed by enemies; in that case, they would only hold endless hatred for the enemy and would simply Cultivate harder to avenge their loved ones in the future!

They would not be as furious as they were now...

The feeling of having your closest kin betrayed and murdered by someone you spent every day with... it was too painful...

Who could understand this feeling if they hadn't experienced it themselves...

And accompanying that heart-wrenching pain was endless rage...

Whenever they thought of those bastards who had murdered their loved ones yet continued to act as if nothing had happened, deceiving them while living alongside them, that anger would surge uncontrollably from the depths of their hearts.

That rage was like a flood or a ferocious beast, instantly drowning their reason.

...

It was not just the Family members below; even the Elders and the three Old Ancestors, including Lin Changxiao, who were in the Void Realm, had lost their previous stern expressions. Instead, they all wore deep frowns, their faces filled with rage.

They had previously only known that there was such a group of scourges, but because they had been eager to Cultivate at the time and trusted Clan Chief Lin Tianhai to handle it personally, they had not delved deeply into what these people had done.

They had assumed the situation would not be so severe, but it now appeared to be quite the opposite.

These people had betrayed the Family, acted as spies for hostile forces, sold out Family information, profited from Family intelligence, and privately trafficked Family resources. Most importantly, they had even directly or indirectly murdered their own kin and practiced Demonic Technique.

While the other acts might not threaten the foundation of the Family, practicing Demonic Technique could potentially plunge the Lin Family into an irredeemable abyss!

One had to understand that the overall landscape of the Central Plains was divided into three factions—the Human Race Righteous Path, the Yao Race, and the Demonic Path—forming a tripartite balance of power.

Because Demonic Path Cultivation Technique was bloodthirsty and cruel, and easily corrupted the mind, Demonic cultivators often slaughtered entire cities or clans on a whim. Therefore, both the Human Race Righteous Path and the Yao Race had zero tolerance for anything related to the Demonic Path. Once anyone was discovered practicing Demonic Technique, regardless of who they were, they would be killed without exception, and it could even implicate the forces behind them.

Thus, if the matter of someone in the Lin Family practicing Demonic Technique were to be maliciously publicized and exploited by hostile forces, the Lin Family would be in grave danger.

Those Emperor-level forces would not care whether you had been framed by other factions; they only believed what they saw. Even if the faction were innocent, what did it matter?

In their eyes, a mere Sacred Clan was just an ant. If they destroyed it, they destroyed it; it wouldn't affect the overall landscape of the Central Plains.

...

The Grand Elder's reading continued, and as time passed, his voice involuntarily carried a hint of anger.

Even though he had read it many times, the anger in his heart surged uncontrollably whenever he saw this information again.

The entire reading lasted a full half-hour before it concluded.

By this point, all the Family members knew the full extent of what these scourges had done.

It could be said that according to the Family rules, any single act committed by these people would be enough for the Family to execute them immediately.

If it hadn't been for the Family leadership wanting to hold this judgment assembly to warn the rest of the Family, these people would have been executed on the spot the moment they were discovered; they would not have lived until now.

Lin Tianhai, who was beside the Grand Elder, looked at the crowd and spoke again:

"These are the deeds of these beasts... It is no exaggeration to say that killing them ten thousand times would not be enough. When I, as Clan Chief, first saw this booklet recording all their evil deeds, I wanted to execute them on the spot..."

"However, the Old Ancestor wanted to hold this judgment assembly, and I understand the Old Ancestor's intentions..."

"Because some of you have never experienced the difficult times of the Family, and have long forgotten the Family's honor, knowing only your own interests and pleasures, and have even forgotten the fundamentals of being a member of the Lin Family..."

"This time, we are only dealing with these beasts who have severely harmed the Family and are no longer worthy of being Lin Family members. However, there are still many among you who are usually arrogant, domineering, and greedy for pleasure, making no contribution to the Family. The Family has spared you this time out of consideration for your status as Lin Family members, but this is your last chance."

"Hmph! If, from today on, these people continue as before, the Family will show no more mercy. When the time comes, we will execute those who should be executed and cripple the cultivation of those who should be crippled! You had best behave yourselves!"

Lin Tianhai's cold, stern voice spread across the entire plaza, like freezing arrows piercing deep into the hearts of everyone present, causing the entire plaza to fall silent instantly.

Those who were usually arrogant, domineering, and greedy for pleasure felt a chill in their hearts, as if they had fallen into an ice cellar. Their bodies trembled uncontrollably, their backs were soaked in cold sweat, and they were filled with panic.

They knew that the Family was determined to rectify the entire clan this time. If they continued as before, they realized that no one would be able to protect them when the time came...

Lin Tianhai's sharp gaze swept across the crowd, observing the varied expressions of the Family members. He did not say anything more, but instead announced a decision of the Family:

"Taking this opportunity, I, as Clan Chief, announce a decision of the Family: starting this month, the Family will implement an annual assessment system!"

"This will be divided into annual assessments and decennial assessments. The assessment content includes cultivation benchmarks, mission benchmarks, and various other indicators. Everyone's assessment benchmarks will differ. Completing 80% of the required benchmarks for this assessment will be considered passing. If you fail the assessment once, your Family benefits and resources will be halved; if you fail twice, all benefits and resources will be revoked, and the Elder Council will directly question and punish you; if you fail three times, your cultivation will be directly crippled, and you will be expelled from the Lin Family, never to be a member of the Lin Family again!"

"Gasp!"

Hearing this, everyone instantly gasped, shocked beyond measure. They had not expected the Family to suddenly promulgate such a new system, and with such strict assessment standards...

It seemed they could no longer slack off in the future...

Of course, this was only the thought of those usually lazy Family members. For those who usually Cultivated diligently, worked hard to complete missions, and contributed to the Family, this assessment made no difference to them.

"The Elders and I have already discussed the content of the assessment, and the Law Enforcement Hall will be fully responsible for the review of every assessment!"

"Hall Master Lin Tianmo, I will have to trouble you from now on!"

After Lin Tianhai finished his announcement, he said to the Hall Master of the Law Enforcement Hall standing to the side.

As the Hall Master of the Law Enforcement Hall, he immediately cupped his hands and responded:

"Yes, Clan Chief! The Law Enforcement Hall will certainly not let the Family down; we will be fair, just, and transparent, and we will conduct strict reviews!"

Lin Tianhai nodded in satisfaction.

"I, as Clan Chief, believe that Hall Master Lin Tianmo will not let the Family down!"