Target: Li State

Wu Xiu pursed her lips, but instead of resorting to sarcasm as usual, she knew from her experience that she could tell whether someone's words were sincere or insincere.

Moreover, how could one persist in doing something for over two hundred years without a sufficiently firm will and determination?

Everyone shared the same view, so no one spoke up. Even if they disagreed with the saintess's actions, they had to admit their loyalty to the Mohist School ideology.

However, after a long silence, Tu Wangyue remained motionless.

Wu Xiu grew impatient and couldn't help but say, "That's enough, hurry up and get on with the rest..."

"Wrong!"

Si Ming sensed something was wrong, and in a flash, he appeared beside Tu Wangyue, grabbed her wrist, and found that her pulse had stopped and she was not breathing.

"What happened?"

The crowd asked questions, and having vaguely guessed the outcome, their expressions varied.

"The Holy Maiden severed her own heart meridian with hidden force and is gone."

Cang Baiyi- faced, he threw down the mountain of documents in his hand and rushed out. After knocking Si Ming aside, he caught Tu Wangyue, who was falling backward, and tried various first aid methods, but none of them worked.

"Why? Why give up? Even if you made a mistake, you can make up for it with the rest of your life. Why give up on yourself!" The Cang Baiyi held Tu Wangyue's corpse, gritting his teeth and roaring in a low voice.

The documents that had flown into the sky drifted down one by one, scattering onto the two of them.

"What is this? What is this all about...?"

Outside the venue, Xia Guanxue dropped her sword to the ground, muttering in a daze, unable to accept what was happening before her.

Ying Zhou opened his mouth, but in the end, he shook his head helplessly.

Xia Guanxue's eyes suddenly narrowed. She rushed into the hall, grabbed Tu Wangyue's corpse, and roared at his face, "What right do you have to die so righteously? You were nothing but an executioner and a schemer. What right do you have to commit suicide like a martyr? Come back to life!"

The Cang Baiyi sent Xia Guanxue flying with a single palm strike, and snapped, "She's already dead. What else are you dissatisfied with?"

"Ha, ha, ha... You actually ask me what else I'm dissatisfied with? My parents and sister were all killed by her, and she just brushed it off with an apology, never regretting it until her death. Why would you think I'm satisfied?"

Xia Guanxue's eyes were filled with tears as she roared, "She died easily, all behind closed doors, but what about all my years of revenge?"

I've suffered so much, endured so much pain, and finally found the real culprit, but she won't even give me a chance for revenge. Is my life just a joke, something to be fooled at will?

Come back to life! I will bring her to justice, expose her crimes to the world, and ruin her reputation!

"I understand your grief, but she is dead, and I will not allow you to desecrate her corpse any further."

"What gives you the right to understand this? What right do you have to advise the victim to forgive the murderer?!"

The two got into a fight over a disagreement, and 70% of the time it was to vent their uncontrollable emotions rather than out of resentment towards each other.

Si Ming didn't intervene to separate the two. After all, with so many experts watching, there was no need to worry about any accidents. He glanced at Tu Wangyue's corpse and sighed, "This is the least bad outcome, I suppose."

Chapter 874 Target Li State

The public trial ended with the saintess's suicide on the spot. Although Xia Guanxue shouted that he would ruin Tu Wangyue's reputation, he ultimately said nothing. His venting dispute with Cang Baiyi also ended with each of them throwing One Sword and a stick at each other.

The grudges of the martial world vanish with death. Just as Si Ming commented, the Holy Maiden's suicide may not have been the best outcome, but it was the least bad one. After all, dealing with her was a very thorny issue. Even within the Mohist School, there was endless debate about whether her actions were right or wrong. Once the news leaked out, it would surely cause a huge uproar. But all these conflicts disappeared with Tu Wangyue's suicide.

Although the Mohist School did not emphasize respect for the dead, they also had little interest in desecrating corpses. The death penalty was the highest punishment, and punishments such as dismemberment by chariot, waist-cutting, and slow slicing had long been abolished. There was also no concept of scattering bones to ashes.

The final decision reached by the group was to first release the news that the Holy Maiden had suffered hidden injuries in the battle with the Demon Emperor, and then, after a period of time when most of the people were aware of the situation, to release the announcement that the Holy Maiden had to retire because her injuries were difficult to heal.

As for the truth, it was kept as a confidential document within the Mohist School, with the highest level of access allowed only to the Grandmaster. The restriction period was one hundred years, after which the Grandmaster would decide whether to release it based on the circumstances.

Xia Guanxue listened to the entire discussion, but he didn't say a word from beginning to end, his face remaining blank as if he were an outsider.

Furthermore, the meeting decided to temporarily seal the Sacred Sword. If it were to be used, it would require the consent of at least five members. After all, each use of the Sacred Sword would accumulate calamity, and until a solution was found, it should be avoided if possible. Moreover, there were no longer any Grandmaster, Dark Maiden, or Holy Maidens who were nominally qualified to use the Sacred Sword.

Si Ming wasn't too concerned about this. The plan to explore the Divine Continent was still a long way off. He had already mastered most of the Swordsmanship in the myriad worlds, and the Sacred Sword's significance to him was now limited to its ability to Stronger Against the Strong. Considering that the Sea Continent was suppressed by the Eternal Barrier, it was unlikely that there would be an opponent like the Netherworld Insect Princess whose cultivation far surpassed his. Opening the Six Heavens Forbidden Sword Formation was not as good as opening the Thousand Buddhas of the Bhadrakalpa Formation, Tathagata Indestructible Body would undoubtedly have a greater effect.

After the meeting, Si Ming approached Yan Jinghong and said, "Master, I plan to go to the Southern Continent to investigate whether there is any connection between the Witch Gu Sect and the Heaven-Defying Society."

Yan Jinghong understood and said, "I will investigate the Great Grandmaster secretly, so you can go without worry. Also, I remember that Fourth Sister's disciple seems to be in the Southern Continent as well, and according to the intelligence from the Mohist Knight Guard, she seems to be encountering difficulties there. If you have time, you might as well go and help her."

Murong Qing encountered difficulties?

After a moment's thought, Si Ming decided to change course. He would first meet up with Murong Qing and Liu Qingqing, and then investigate the Witch Gu Sect. He nodded and said, "I will. There's one last thing. Three years ago, I suggested to the Mohist Academy of Science that instead of passively protecting the Divine Pillar, we should research how to repair Divine Pillar and thus gain the initiative. However, I consulted Dr. Fang Guang before, and the research progress is extremely slow. Even the basic plan hasn't been finalized, and success seems a long way off."

"There's nothing we can do about it. There are only two Divine Pillar left in the world, and neither of them is within our country's borders. Just applying for an investigation involves numerous procedures. In addition, the Divine Pillar only appear in the world at specific times, so there's a lack of physical objects for research. The Mohist Academy of Science is like a skilled cook without rice to cook; relying solely on theoretical research will naturally lead to slow progress."

"I have a solution to this problem. Although I can't produce the Divine Pillar myself, we can learn from the Barbarian Continent. There's a Heavenly Dragon World-Delivering Pagoda in the Barbarian Continent. Its function is similar to the Eternal Barrier, but it lacks the suppression of Technique Method abilities, so it can be considered a weakened version. The Mohist Academy of Science can send people to investigate, and they will surely benefit greatly. Even if the two are completely unrelated and we can't find a way to repair the Divine Pillar, if we can replicate the Heavenly Dragon World-Delivering Pagoda and build several more in the Sea Continent, it will be a good precaution."

In terms of Divine Ability effects, the Eternal Barrier of the Sea Continent is undoubtedly stronger. Not only does it have four layers of protection, but the Divine Pillar also wander through various planes and only appear in the world at specific times. However, this also becomes an obstacle to investigation and research. In contrast, the Heavenly Dragon World-Delivering Pagoda is undoubtedly much more open and aboveboard, just sitting there openly, allowing for investigation however one wishes.

Si Ming then explained how the premature awakening of the world's Extinction Consciousness had led to the impending calamity of the Dharma-ending Age.

"So that's how it is. It seems that the great being who created the Eternal Barrier did so to protect the Sea Continent from being eroded by the final calamity. This explains many of my doubts." Yan Jinghong suddenly realized.

"I've already spoken to the people in the Barbarian Continent beforehand. If the Mohist Academy of Science decides to send someone, they can ask Yu Shuying to coordinate. She knows about spacetime arrays and spatial beacons."

Leave this to me.

Yan Jinghong was about to leave when Xia Guanxue stopped her.

"Why... is she able to go to such lengths, even unafraid of death?"

Xia Guanxue's eyes were filled with confusion, like a drifter at sea who had lost his way.

Yan Jinghong replied without hesitation, "Because, this is the Mohist."