Feng Fuling could no longer afford to care, anxiously looking at Chang Yan for help.
Chang Yan's heart sank. Disregarding the obstruction of several elders, he decisively shattered another memory crystal ball.
Qiao Ci, seeing his utter shamelessness in daring to prevent her from presenting evidence in broad daylight, became displeased.
She then produced several hundred more memory crystal balls, ensuring that every disciple and elder present to witness had one!
Chang Yan: …
Feng Fuling: …
Both looked at Qiao Ci in disbelief. So many memory crystal balls, was Qiao Ci a demon?
They couldn't help but wonder if she had even more in her possession.
Chang Yan had already broken two memory crystal balls and had no reason to break a third. Moreover, those elders were not to be trifled with, and he couldn't continue to act so abnormally.
He gave Feng Fuling a comforting look, signaling her to remain calm and that he would take responsibility for anything. Feng Fuling's expression improved slightly.
The memory crystal balls flickered, displaying the events of that time. Qiao Ci and the others had already discovered some information about their second martial uncle. Feng Fuling, by accidentally causing them to be discovered, had led to the disruption of their leads. When they arrived at a bustling market and needed to hide, Feng Fuling saw the handsome and imposing Demon Lord and insisted on going to see him. The others had no choice but to follow her.
In the crowded throng, the spiritual treasure that concealed her physique was jostled loose. Her demonic absorption physique instantly attracted the attention of the Demon Lord. This was followed by scenes of others being killed one by one by the Demon Lord Chi Ming as they tried to save her.
Qiao Ci, being farther away at the time, suffered less damage from the impact and narrowly escaped.
Feng Fuling was terrified at that moment and was captured by Chi Ming, unable to move.
At this point, Qiao Ci's voice rang out, "It can be said that if Feng Fuling hadn't been playful and willful, we would never have been discovered, and my other junior brothers and sisters would not have died. I ask, after Feng Fuling returned, has she shown any remorse or repentance?"
Feng Fuling instinctively retorted, "Why should I feel remorse or repent? I didn't ask you to save me, you insisted on saving me. With my physique, the Demon Lord wouldn't have killed me. You all insisted on rushing forward to die!"
Yes, although the day's events were caused by her, her heart was filled only with sadness for the deaths of her senior brothers and sisters, not guilt. This was because she didn't believe they died for her, but rather to investigate their uncle's whereabouts.
She knew Qiao Ci would blame everything on her. Truly detestable!!!
"Do you think we wanted to save a thankless wretch like you? If Chang Yan hadn't told us to protect you, this useless person, you would have been beaten to death countless times for causing trouble and dragging us down!" Qiao Ci retorted to the self-satisfied Feng Fuling before turning to Chang Yan, "Chang Yan, you think so too? I recall it was you who repeatedly instructed us to protect her."
The fact that Qiao Ci kept calling him by name made him extremely displeased. His gaze darkened as he looked at Qiao Ci, "What do you want to say?"
"I don't want to say anything, I just want to seek justice for the deceased junior brothers and sisters," Qiao Ci stated, meeting his gaze directly. "These people all died because of your beloved Feng Fuling. Tell me, who should take responsibility? Is it Feng Fuling, or you, the master who knew Feng Fuling was trash but insisted on foisting her upon us?"
Feng Fuling was extremely angry and was about to speak when Chang Yan, fearing her unbridled tongue might say something else, sealed her acupuncture points, rendering her mute. "At that time, in that situation, her fear was inevitable. Her playfulness and willfulness in exposing her identity were indeed her fault. As her master, I am willing to accept a lightning strike on her behalf. This time, it was indeed my oversight. I will take three, and will report to the Hall of Punishments afterward to receive them."
"Afterward? How about right now? After all, I fear you might not go privately, and the Hall of Punishments wouldn't dare to pressure you," Qiao Ci said, looking at the elder of the Hall of Punishments.
Chang Yan was not one to evade responsibility. He gestured to the elder of the Hall of Punishments.
Thus, the elder of the Hall of Punishments led everyone to the place where the lightning punishment was to be carried out. The disciples also hurried to follow, but their gazes towards Feng Fuling were filled with blame. Her willful playfulness had caused the deaths of fellow disciples, yet she showed no remorse and even caused her master to be punished in her stead.
Chang Yan's hands were bound, and he stood on a huge stone. A bolt of lightning hurtled towards him, which he endured head-on.
The second, third, and fourth bolts.
After four lightning punishments, aside from his face being slightly pale, he hadn't even spat blood.
At this moment, everyone realized that his cultivation had greatly deepened, allowing him to easily withstand so much. It was known that even one lightning punishment was enough to scatter the soul of a mid-level cultivator.
The elder of the Hall of Punishments was about to step forward to remove Chang Yan's restraints when Qiao Ci spoke again, "Elder, wait a moment. It's likely we'll need to re-bind him later."
???
The elder of the Hall of Punishments looked at Qiao Ci in confusion.
At this moment, Qiao Ci produced another memory crystal ball, revealing the scene of Feng Fuling exposing her position to ensure her own escape, sending her to her death.
"May I ask the elder of the Hall of Punishments, for deliberately exposing a fellow disciple's position in an attempt to increase one's chances of escape, how many strikes should one receive?"
The elder of the Hall of Punishments replied, "Disciples in this situation would not receive lightning punishment, but their cultivation would be abolished, they would be expelled from the sect, and never re-employed."
Due to Chang Yan's injury, Feng Fuling forcefully broke free from her restraints and yelled at Qiao Ci, "Master is the hope of our Hengjian Sect. Sacrificing yourself to save Master from escaping the demon realm is your duty as a disciple!"
"Then why don't you sacrifice yourself? After all, Chi Ming only wanted to keep you back then. If you had stayed, I and Master Chang Yan could have escaped unharmed, right?" Qiao Ci retorted.
"I, I, I... the Demon Lord Chi Ming had other intentions for me. If I had stayed there, I would have been defiled!" Feng Fuling said, her face turning slightly red, appearing somewhat embarrassed to speak of it.
"So you exposed my position to let me die?"
Sometimes, one truly couldn't fathom the thought processes of these people.
"Aren't you still alive and well? Perhaps it was precisely because the Demon Lord Chi Ming spared you out of consideration for me," Feng Fuling said, straightening her back with pride.
Chong Han, who was standing nearby, found this increasingly disgusting and couldn't help but step forward to correct her, "Let me clarify, the Demon Lord of the Demon Realm is not called Chi Ming, his name is Chong Han."
"How is that possible? He personally told me his name was Chi Ming, he wouldn't lie to me! And who are you?" Feng Fuling asked Chong Han with a small frown.
Chong Han ignored her completely and hid behind Qiao Ci to watch the proceedings.
Being ignored, Feng Fuling became huffy.
But the facts were clear. If she was wrong, she was wrong.
Enduring four lightning punishments was already a strain for Chang Yan. For the sake of the woman he loved, he gritted his teeth and said, "A teacher's fault for not educating a disciple. It is my fault for not teaching her properly in this regard. I am willing to receive three more lightning punishments!"