Bright Flame True Person Steps In

Xiao Chen almost wanted to laugh. He had never expected the Sect Grand Elder to make such a muddleheaded decision.

Wasn't it just because he was an ordinary disciple with no background? And he still had the nerve to put on such a righteous, awe-inspiring act. Fucking shameless.

Still, the other party's words—"better to wrongly harm"—made him feel the cruel side of the Cultivation World with exceptional clarity.

Most of the time, a single thought from someone important could decide the fate of those below.

Yet Xiao Chen remained exceptionally calm at this moment, because he could fully prove that his Cultivation Breakthrough had been reasonable and well-founded.

Over this period, he had happened to acquire several spiritual treasures that aided cultivation: Purple Peach Blossom, Azure Wood Spiritual Liquid, Bone Tempering Spring, and Qi Gathering Pills.

Every one of these could serve as one reason for his rapid breakthrough.

That included the Yang Qi Breathing Technique he had chosen at the start. This cultivation method's sole effect was precisely to reduce the difficulty of breakthroughs and help disciples with ordinary aptitude break through more effectively.

Although Xiao Chen had actually received a tenfold boost from the cultivation method, such a thing could not truly be quantified.

Who could prove that he was not simply more perceptive and had achieved better results?

As he finished introducing the five different reasons one by one, the elders present began discussing them.

"Indeed, the primary effect of our sect's Yang Qi Breathing Technique is to target disciples with poor spiritual roots and reduce the obstacles to breakthroughs."

"Purple Peach Blossom can help cultivators solidify their foundations, thereby accelerating their cultivation speed."

"I recall from the records that Xiao Chen has a Low-Grade Wood Spiritual Root. Refining Azure Wood Spiritual Liquid can help him improve his cultivation efficiency."

"That Su Family child was actually willing to use Bone Tempering Spring to curry favor with someone. What excellent judgment—and what generosity!"

"After returning from the Trial, he consumed two bottles of Qi Gathering Pills in total. That is equivalent to cultivating at the 6th level of Qi Refining for five months. Calculated this way, the timing becomes much more reasonable."

This final point immediately sparked further discussion.

Back then, that patriarch with the Fire Heavenly Spirit Root had taken ten months, but throughout the entire process, he had not relied on any pills or spiritual treasures.

Xiao Chen appeared to have taken seven months, but in truth he had borrowed the aid of numerous spiritual treasures. Once converted accordingly, he was still not cultivating as quickly as someone with a Heavenly Spirit Root.

With that, everyone suddenly felt that it seemed acceptable.

Only Jiang Shiyou still insisted on opposing it. "Not enough! Replace him with another disciple—even one with Dual Spirit Roots—and have them use these same spiritual treasures. They absolutely would not be able to do it this quickly!"

He was actually right. These spiritual treasures alone could not have made it happen so quickly without Hextech.

But with things having developed to this point, to everyone else, it merely sounded as though Elder Jiang was stubbornly refusing to admit defeat.

Elder Qi of Azure Water Peak could not help speaking up in support. "Senior Brother Jiang, Xiao Chen has already provided several reasons, all reasonable and well-founded. Why must you keep making things difficult for him?"

The moment she spoke, her cool, clear voice and exceptional beauty drew the attention of the entire hall.

The Neutral Faction elders who had remained silent did not originally wish to speak, but seeing Elder Qi state her position, they too spoke up in support.

They all said that with spiritual treasures providing assistance, such a result was not impossible to understand. There was no need to keep hounding the matter.

Yet Jiang Shiyou still refused to yield in the slightest. "Don't let this brat's glib tongue fool you. Although gathering these things is somewhat difficult, it can be repeated."

"For the sect's safety, lock Xiao Chen up first. Use the same method to find other disciples for testing. Once the testing is completed seven months later, it will not be too late to make a decision."

Elder Chen immediately retorted, "Utter nonsense! With no evidence whatsoever, you want to imprison my disciple for seven months. Why not lock him up for seven years? Or seventy years?"

"Does the sect still have Sect Rules? Or has the Law Enforcement Hall become your, Jiang Shiyou's, personal domain where your word is law?"

Elder Qi also questioned him. "Every disciple's cultivation situation is different. It is connected to each person's talent, comprehension, and state of mind."

"If only one disciple is tested, the result will inevitably be inaccurate. If many disciples are tested, who will be responsible for these resources?"

Another elder immediately chimed in. "Testing is simple enough, but who will provide the resources? And who will take part in the tests? Are we supposed to have the sect spend resources helping Jiang Family disciples break through?"

Jiang Shiyou shot Elder Qi a resentful glance.

As one of the newly risen Five Great Families, the Jiang Family's foundation was still not deep enough to influence Neutral Faction members like Elder Qi.

Now that she had spoken up repeatedly in support of Xiao Chen and had even brought others along with her, he was placed in an extremely passive position.

Had Jiang Shiyou known from the beginning that things would turn out this way, he definitely would not have waded into these muddy waters.

But as the conflict intensified, it was no longer merely his own problem. Before everyone's eyes, it had become a struggle over status between the Jiang Family and the Chen Family.

Branch 12 of the outer sect had already been alerted, the entire Law Enforcement Hall had been alerted, and the various elders had been alerted.

Since the earlier investigation, the matter had grown so large that from top to bottom, Li Fire Sect had countless eyes watching to see how it would end.

If he gave way now, it would not only be his own dignity that suffered, but also the Jiang Family's prestige.

Once word spread, outsiders would all think that the Chen Family had crushed the Jiang Family by a head.

At this point, Jiang Shiyou felt like a man riding a tiger—unable to get off.

Elder Chen let out a breath of relief. He truly had not expected Jiang Shiyou to be so stubborn, refusing to give an inch over what had clearly been a minor matter and making everything far more complicated.

Fortunately, Elder Qi had helped. The situation had now clearly tipped to one side.

Seeing this, the Grand Elder also prepared to speak and mediate, bringing this conflict to an end.

He looked at Jiang Shiyou. "Since—"

"I will invoke the Special Ordinance!" Jiang Shiyou gritted his teeth and interrupted the Grand Elder.

"Under the Law Enforcement Hall Special Ordinance, disciples who pose a significant potential threat to the sect may be subject to special detention. I will now detain Xiao Chen for investigation under the Special Ordinance."

"As for the specific investigation results, I will naturally make them public in the Sect Hall within seven days at the latest."

Now the elders could not understand it at all. Xiao Chen's past experiences were extremely simple—what else was there to investigate?

What they did not know was that Jiang Shiyou had already made up his mind.

So long as he locked Xiao Chen up, whether or not Xiao Chen had originally committed any crime, he now had to become a spy sent by another sect.

He had not worked in the Law Enforcement Hall for all these years for nothing. When it came to framing and slandering others, he could be said to have gained considerable expertise.

"There is no need for such trouble. I will inspect him."

A deep, resonant voice suddenly rang beside everyone's ears.

They turned and saw a stern-faced middle-aged man approaching slowly, wearing a Crowned Hat and a broad, round-collared robe.

Xiao Chen's gaze instantly sharpened as he looked beneath the man's Ruyi Cloud-Head Shoes.

Walking through the air!

Walking through the air alone was not difficult, but with the man's effortless stride covering a hundred zhang at once, crossing several li from a cloudbank in merely three breaths to arrive before them, there was only one possibility.

The newcomer was a Golden Core True Person!

The Grand Elder immediately bowed. "Greetings, Bright Flame True Person."

The other elders and disciples also bowed in greeting. "Greetings, Bright Flame True Person!"

Bright Flame True Person raised his right hand slightly, and everyone present was immediately supported upright by a current of Spiritual Power.

The Grand Elder immediately replied, "Reporting to True Person, this disciple here is Xiao Chen."

At once, everyone turned their eyes toward Xiao Chen again.

Who would have thought that an unknown Outer Sect Disciple with merely a Low-grade Spirit Root would ultimately alarm a Golden Core True Person enough to personally step forward?

Hearing this, Xiao Chen drew half a breath and offered his respects again. "This disciple, Xiao Chen, greets True Person."