Chapter 61

Li Xuan and several other true disciples fell into deep thought.

Could this be the iron-faced judge Elder Hai spoke of? He's not easy to deal with.

Getting along with inner sect disciples, laughing and chatting, harmonious spring breeze—too harmonious, isn't it?

However, seeing the captured Qi Yu and the blue-robed elder, Elder Hai's eyes showed a solemn color as he spoke lowly: "This newly promoted inner sect disciple is probably not as simple as you think; he likely knows the vice hall master, his background is extraordinary."

Elder Hai's words stirred up huge waves in Li Xuan's heart.

A mere first-layer Foundation Establishment disciple actually has ties to Li Haoran, who oversees the Punishment Hall?

Too absurd.

Now I also understand why Qin Yu was so calm in the alchemy room—he had a backup plan.

Li Xuan increasingly regretted not intervening to stop the Punishment Hall people in the alchemy room.

"I increasingly feel that I have lost the support of an Earth-rank alchemist; Qin Yu is probably not as simple as we imagine." Li Xuan couldn't help but show a bitter smile, after all, he missed the opportunity.

The richly dressed youth beside him also fell silent, not knowing how to comfort.

Earlier he even advised Li Xuan not to rescue them, but it turned out the other party had connections and an extraordinary background.

This proves the saying: in the Punishment Hall, even begging to get out is impossible; that steward probably lost his head.

"This matter isn't that simple; keep watching. Qi Yu's background isn't simple—not only is he a respected elder of the Punishment Hall, he also has a clan uncle who was once a core elder of the sect, earned great merit, high seniority, his strength may have reached the peak of Heavenly Origin, ranking among the top seven in Profound Yang Sect. Moreover, Qi Yu is the left and right hand of Dongfang Yuan; saving him is inevitable, otherwise it would chill the hearts of those below. However, if you need it, I can intervene at a critical moment." Elder Hai spoke with slight confidence, noting he is a Spirit Formation Master; apart from him, Profound Yang Sect has only one Earth-rank Spirit Formation Master, whose status rivals a core elder—if not for insufficient strength, he would have been promoted long ago.

While they were talking, a clear voice rang out: "Hall Master Li, is it a bit excessive to seize our sect's true disciple without cause?" Everyone looked over and saw a white-clad youth, refined and elegant, with a face as pure as jade, like a handsome young gentleman—it was Dongfang Yuan. Apart from the senior sister Lin Xue, he enjoys the highest prestige; in the sect he is called the future pillar. Dongfang Yuan was followed by several elders, their expressions solemn; one among them had an aura like an abyss, pressure spreading out, sweeping over the entire Punishment Hall.

"These few have framed and plotted to harm our sect's disciples—how can they claim innocence? The main culprit is dead, the accomplices shielded, the penalty reduced by one degree, but they cannot escape a living sentence." Li Haoran said with hands behind his back, eyelids slightly lifted, expression calm. He doesn't care who will be the next young sect master, because for the entire Profound Yang Sect, nothing is more important than Qin Yu now. With heavenly-tier talent, given time to grow, in a hundred years Profound Yang Sect will welcome back its former glory.

"Senior brother, could you grant this old man a thin favor? Release him; Qi Yu is a descendant of Qi Tai. If we truly crush his flesh, later on we'll have trouble seeing each other. I've already sent word—Senior Brother Qi Tai is on his way and will arrive soon; you'd better think twice." The elder behind Dongfang Yuan stepped forward, a faint threat in his move.

Li Xuan and Elder Hai, etc., again sank into heaviness; on Dongfang Yuan's side, he actually moved a core elder, the Sixth Elder, the Profound Origin Ancestral Master—his strength is great, having reached late Heavenly Origin, once a renowned heaven's pride who challenged eighteen peers of the same realm and was called invincible. In that era, Profound Yang Sect's heaven's prides emerged in abundance, radiant and glorious; although all were suppressed by Lin Wu Ren, they were still invincible among their peers. However, it's a pity that after entering the Heavenly Origin realm, their cultivation slowed; Lin Wu Ren, who once swept a domain, is now stuck at the pinnacle of Heavenly Origin, unable to take that step, as if cursed.

Upon hearing this, Qi Yu raised his head and puffed his chest, his expression unshaken, very confident—his clan uncle had arrived, so naturally there would be no suspense; this trivial matter could be settled with a flick of the wrist.

"Threatening me? Fine, then let's wait for Qi Tai!" Li Haoran's mouth curled slightly, showing no panic. As for the outer sect grand elder, his face twitched—this Sixth Elder has messed up this time; looking at Qi Yu, a flicker of pity passed through his eyes: this kid probably doesn't know what's coming next.

"Who dares move my descendant?" an angry shout rang out from outside the hall, deafening, shooting straight to the clouds, terrifying power shaking outward. Qi Tai landed outside the crowd, full of anger, gazing at Qi Yu outside the hall; at this moment he was extremely disheveled. But when his gaze swept over, he saw Li Haoran and Qin Yu, his brows slightly furrowed, inwardly feeling uneasy. However, that side only told him his descendant had been seized by the Punishment Hall and faced a life‑or‑death crisis, saying nothing else—since Qi Tai's mind is too upright, they dared not reveal the whole truth, only able to mislead.

"What happened?" Qi Tai's gaze went straight over, hoping for Li Haoran's answer. In just a few words, Li Haoran laid out the whole affair: from framing the new inner sect disciple in the alchemy room, extorting high‑price spirit stones to trick him into becoming a Yellow‑rank alchemist, etc., to later joining forces with Punishment Hall personnel to forcibly coerce Qin Yu into signing a confession, merely because they fancied his talent and wanted him to assist Dongfang Yuan.

Upon hearing this, Qi Tai nearly spat out a mouthful of old blood, his eyes reddened; his decades‑long layout in Profound Yang Sect was almost ruined by this little brat—damn it, isn't this courting death? To actually set his sights on Qin Yu, who is the hope of the entire Profound Yang Sect!

"Do you know who he is?" Qi Tai strode up to Qi Yu, grabbed his messy hair, and shouted in a low, angry voice, "Do you know what disaster you will bring upon the Qi family? Keeping your cultivation will only harm people; if so, then you are stripped of your status and expelled from Profound Yang Sect! Moreover, hand over all your spirit stones as compensation to the inner sect disciples."

"Boom!" As the words fell, a palm strike blasted out, following the meridians, directly shattering Qi Yu's dantian. Originally full of confidence, thinking Li Haoran wouldn't dare do anything to him, Qi Yu now felt a bit dazed—he didn't understand why his clan uncle would suddenly strike him and say he would bring disaster upon the Qi family; Qin Yu is merely a worthless first‑layer Foundation Establishment cultivator, already eighteen and still not even mid‑tier among inner sect disciples. But there was no time to think; pain burst from his abdomen and he fainted outright.

The field fell into silence; no one expected that Qi Tai's first act would be to abolish his own descendant, and what did those words mean—is Qin Yu really that formidable?