The Grand Sky Sect suddenly had a new rule... Chu Xinghe was so furious he almost died on the spot.
What the... wasn't today supposed to be my trial assembly?
Elders, Sect Master... you may look intimidating with those stern faces, but have you listened to the nonsense you're spouting?
Didn't you write a script yesterday?
Could you at least pretend to act it out?
You're making this really difficult for me...
The Great Elder was also fuming...
This wasn't how the script was written yesterday...
According to the original script, today the Sect Master would hold someone accountable, and I would step forward to announce Chu Xinghe's execution. Then Elder He would jump in to stop it, followed by Elder Yu stating that the law of the land and the rules of the family must be upheld, and Chu Xinghe must be executed.
Only then would the elders personally intervene to persuade, leading to a series of heated discussions, and finally, this new rule would be introduced. The Great Elder even had his lines prepared.Something like, "Xinghe, even though so many elders plead for you today, your life is still on the line, and you must never act recklessly again."
It was a complete process to scare Xinghe.
But right from the start, Elder Yu, that traitor, forgot the script, and now Elder He isn't following it at all...
The Great Elder looked helplessly at Sect Master Gu Mingchao, and the two exchanged nods.
The Great Elder was secretly pleased; indeed, it had to be the Sect Master, calm and composed in the face of danger. With the Sect Master holding the fort, things should stabilize.
"Chu Xinghe! Since there is a rule, it shall be enforced accordingly. However, the death penalty can be avoided, but the living penalty cannot be spared! I hereby decree, strip Chu Xinghe of his title as a personal disciple and demote him to an ordinary inner disciple as a warning to others!"
The Sect Master's words left the Great Elder dumbfounded!
What the... Sect Master, this punishment wasn't in the script we discussed yesterday!
We never said we would strip Xinghe of his personal disciple title...
Are you punishing Xinghe? Why does it seem like you all have ulterior motives?
What the... Sect Master, your calculations are hitting me right in the face, aren't they? So, is Xinghe going to be made a personal disciple of the Sect Master tomorrow just because he stepped into the Grand Sky Palace with his left foot first?
Even though it's just a matter of title, the Great Elder felt like today's punishment assembly seemed more like a punishment for him.
Look at the Sect Master and the heads of the palaces... are you sure you're not here to snatch disciples today?
"This punishment is quite appropriate... quite appropriate indeed..."
"Sect Master is wise!"
At this moment, all the elders chimed in one after another, completely ignoring the Great Elder, the only victim here.
The Great Elder was so frustrated he wanted to hit someone... I thought you were just not following the script, but now I realize you have your own unique script... are you all acting against me today?
Ma Liang was dumbfounded...
When they mentioned executing Senior Brother Xinghe earlier, Ma Liang was genuinely terrified... even though he knew it was impossible, it still sounded quite scary.
But this chaotic mess that followed left Ma Liang even more bewildered, so today, the only one targeted was the Great Elder, right?
But thinking about it, it makes sense... look at how the Great Elder usually flaunts... always mentioning that Xinghe is his personal disciple and how he's not very promising... did you think your mockery only affected outsiders?
All the elders of the Grand Sky Sect, including the Sect Master, have been hurt, haven't they?
Now it's settled... Senior Brother Xinghe has been stripped of the Great Elder's personal disciple title, so how can the Great Elder flaunt in the future?
Chu Xinghe was also confused... wasn't this trial assembly supposed to judge me, Chu Xinghe?
How did it end up judging the Great Elder?
What did the Great Elder do to deserve this?
Without giving the Great Elder any chance to react, Gu Mingchao continued, "Besides, Xinghe, you'll be confined for six months, and you'll be confined in my Grand Sky Palace, where I'll personally guide your cultivation!"
As soon as Gu Mingchao spoke, the entire hall was in an uproar!
Sect Master!
Isn't this punishment a bit too harsh?
The Great Elder was the first to jump out, "Sect Master, this punishment is simply insane! I personally think it's too severe!"
"Indeed! What heinous crime did Xinghe commit to deserve such a heavy punishment? I oppose it!"
"Xinghe has contributed so much to the sect, why must he suffer such a heavy penalty this time? This is unacceptable!"
"Sect Master, I officially oppose this punishment!"
Ma Liang was dumbfounded... earlier, when they mentioned stripping the personal disciple title and demoting to an ordinary inner disciple, all the elders agreed it was appropriate, but now they're saying six months of confinement is too harsh?
Ma Liang felt like his brain wasn't working...
What the... which is heavier, six months of confinement or stripping the personal disciple title?
Can someone explain this?
Ma Liang didn't understand, but the elders did, especially the Great Elder, who was now indicating that Sect Master, your little calculations are hitting me right in the face, you know?
Are you really confining Xinghe?
You just want to make Xinghe your personal disciple, don't you?
After six months, if Xinghe performs exceptionally well, are you planning to take him as your personal disciple?
This trick might fool ordinary people, but not us, right?
Sure enough, this time all the elders stood by the Great Elder, stating that Xinghe merely used the Grand Sky Token... how could he receive such a heavy punishment?
This punishment is insane, and if the outside world finds out, they'll think our Grand Sky Sect has gone mad!
Gu Mingchao watched as each elder jumped up in anger and officially opposed, and he could only sigh helplessly. What the... was my intention that obvious just now?
Actually... what's wrong with Xinghe becoming my personal disciple?
Is it necessary for you all to react this way?
And Great Elder... what's with that look you're giving me?
I, Gu Mingchao, am dedicated to the public good and would never show favoritism!
After another round of intense and brutal discussion, Chu Xinghe was still confined for six months, but when Ma Liang heard where the confinement would be, he almost cried out in frustration.
Excuse me, does being confined in the Grand Sky Sect for six months count as confinement?
Elders, do you even hear yourselves... do you call this confinement?
Although the Sect Master looked displeased, with all the elders officially opposing, Gu Mingchao, who would never show favoritism, had to put away his little calculations.
After handling Xinghe's matter, Elder He also brought news from the Cloud Soar Sect.
The Sect Master of the Cloud Soar Sect personally sent a spirit bird to the Grand Sky Sect, conducting a stern negotiation regarding Ma Liang's incident in the Great Moon Nation.
What? You ask why Chu Xinghe wasn't mentioned?
The Sect Master of the Cloud Soar Sect is negotiating, not declaring war!
He said it was fine for Ma Liang to act recklessly, but the last person who said Chu Xinghe acted recklessly lost their entire family!
If the Cloud Soar Sect really dared to say Chu Xinghe acted recklessly, the only victim here, the Great Elder, who was so angry he could spit blood, would lead an attack on the Cloud Soar Sect tonight!
No one hated the Cloud Soar Sect more than the Great Elder at this moment... he even suspected that this was a conspiracy between the Sect Master, the elders, and the Cloud Soar Sect.
The Great Moon Nation's imperial city might be gone, the Great Elder didn't know, but he only knew that his personal disciple was gone...
"Those filthy matters of the Great Moon Nation still have the nerve to question us? Years ago, I heard that Tian Qingquan, that old dog, went to the Great Moon Nation and took a fancy to two women from the royal family... that night, his shameless daughter arranged for those two women to serve him... those two women called Tian Qingquan's daughter 'Auntie,' if I, an old man, had acted, the Great Moon Nation would have been wiped out long ago!"
The Great Elder was so angry he stomped and shattered the diamond tiles of the Grand Sky Hall!
"The Great Elder is right, Ling Su, that old dog, is no decent person either. He claims the Great Moon Nation is his descendant, but with the things they've done, if they were my descendants, I would have wiped them out long ago..."
"Ma Liang, oh Ma Liang... what were you thinking? When your sister was in trouble, why didn't you report it to the sect? What, did you think the sect wouldn't stand up for you? Or did you think our Grand Sky Sect wouldn't dare to destroy the Great Moon Nation?"
"Indeed! Ma Liang, if you had just mentioned it to me, I would have flattened the Great Moon Nation! Did you really need to risk your life, you little bastard? If it weren't for Senior Brother Xinghe arriving in time, would you still be alive?"
"The sect has its principles, and if your family were to engage in a fair fight with others, win or lose, the sect has no right to intervene. But to poison your sister with such despicable means, how could the sect possibly sit idly by?"
The elders pulled Ma Liang from the side and dragged him to the center, scolding him until he was speechless.
Especially the Great Elder, who was so angry he kicked Ma Liang twice...
In fact, Ma Liang did make a mistake this time. He only thought about the Wan family incident, but that was a clear conflict between the Wan family and the Zhou Medical Hall.
The Zhou Medical Hall's methods, no matter how underhanded, were within the rules.
If the Wan family couldn't compete head-on, what could the Grand Sky Sect do?
It's not like every conflict involving a disciple from the Grand Sky Sect's family has to end in their favor, right?
But this time, Ma Liang's situation was different. His sister was killed in such a vile manner, and if Ma Liang had reported it to the sect, it wouldn't have been as he imagined, with the sect merely asking the Cloud Soar Sect for an explanation. Given the temper of the sect elders, they might have stormed the Great Moon Palace that very night.
If you beat my disciple's family in a fair fight, then it's their lack of skill, and the Grand Sky Sect will remain silent.
But if you harm my disciple's family in secret, how could the Grand Sky Sect ignore it?
Although Ma Liang was scolded harshly and even kicked by the Great Elder, he wasn't resentful at all; in fact, he was moved to tears!
"Inform the sect disciples that if anyone dares to emulate Ma Liang in the future, they will be expelled from the Grand Sky Sect. What, do you think the Grand Sky Sect can't protect the families of its disciples? Anyone who dares to use despicable means against the families of our disciples will be executed without mercy!"
The Great Elder's eyes were bloodshot, whether from this incident or... that incident...
"Elder He, didn't the Cloud Soar Sect ask for an explanation? Have our covert agents spread the truth about the Great Moon Nation to the world, and give the Cloud Soar Sect an explanation!"
"And as for Tian Qingquan, have someone keep a close watch on him. If he shows any sign of wrongdoing, I'll make him regret ever being born!"
After the Great Elder finished speaking, Elder He nodded, indicating that they would indeed give the Cloud Soar Sect an explanation. As for Tian Qingquan, Elder He felt there was no need to watch him so closely; if he dared to leave the Cloud Soar Sect, Elder He had plenty of ways to make him disappear.
At the same time, Elder He cast a sympathetic glance at the enraged Great Elder...
What the... it's best to avoid dealing with the Great Elder recently; he's been particularly irritable...
Chu Xinghe didn't know if the Great Elder was irritable or not, but at this moment, he just wanted to thank the elders...
Because the Compass of Misfortune finally started spinning wildly the moment he was stripped of his personal disciple title...