At the sound of that voice, everyone present stirred, their faces filled with respect.
"Welcome, Prefecture Lord!"
"Welcome, Prefecture Lord!"
The deafening cries echoed through the clouds. Everyone bowed low, not daring to utter a word.
The Black Eagle Prefecture Lord wore a dark expression as his gaze swept across the crowd. An inexplicable pressure rolled over them, and wherever his eyes passed, hearts trembled and souls quaked.
This was undoubtedly the stillness before the storm.
Those present had not felt such pressure from the Black Eagle Prefecture Lord in many years...
By the end, they did not even dare to breathe.
The entire scene fell silent, the oppressive atmosphere lingering for a long while.
Liu Benlian's eyes darted rapidly. She was the first to break the silence, swaying her seductive figure as she approached him. "Prefecture Lord, what happened to make you so furious?"
The Black Eagle Prefecture Lord did not respond, his expression cold and indifferent.
That made Liu Benlian realize that something was wrong. The Black Eagle Prefecture Lord had never acted like this before.
Although she sensed trouble, Liu Benlian remained composed and even feigned a coquettish anger. "Prefecture Lord, if you keep ignoring me, I'll get ang—"
Slap!
Before she could finish speaking, the Black Eagle Prefecture Lord struck her across the face with a backhanded slap.
Liu Benlian was sent flying, crashing down below the main hall.
Silence!
The scene instantly sank into dead silence once more. Everyone's eyes widened in disbelief at what they had just witnessed.
Who in the entire Black Eagle Prefecture did not know? The person the Black Eagle Prefecture Lord cherished most was Liu Benlian.
And now?
He had actually struck her?
What great disaster had occurred to make their Prefecture Lord so enraged?
No one noticed that Sun Baitan, standing amid the crowd, was trembling like a leaf. He, too, seemed to have realized something, and his eyes were filled with terror.
Cough, cough...
Liu Benlian coughed twice and slowly rose to her feet, wiping the blood from the corner of her lips. "Pre... Prefecture Lord... what did I do wrong to provoke such fury from you?"
"Shut up!" the Black Eagle Prefecture Lord roared. "This is all your doing."
"Pre... Prefecture Lord..." Liu Benlian staggered before him. "I... I don't understand... What... what did I do wrong?"
"What did you do wrong?" A fierce glint flashed through the Black Eagle Prefecture Lord's eyes. "Do you still not know your mistake?"
"My mistake?" Liu Benlian looked utterly innocent. "Prefecture Lord, I truly do not know what I did wrong. Please enlighten me."
"Fine!" The Black Eagle Prefecture Lord nodded. "It seems you will not shed tears until you see the coffin. Then let me ask you—what happened with the Black Eagle Guard?"
"The Black Eagle Guard?" Liu Benlian's eyes were misty and bewildered. "Prefecture Lord, what happened to the Black Eagle Guard? Mobilizing them requires your Black Eagle Token."
"That's right!"
"The Black Eagle Token?"
Liu Benlian began searching herself. "Where is the Black Eagle Token? I clearly remember putting it here."
"Prefecture Lord!"
Liu Benlian suddenly dropped to her knees. "I know my mistake. It was my fault—I lost the Black Eagle Token you gave me. Now I know why you are so angry."
She had lost the Black Eagle Token?
The Black Eagle Prefecture Lord had clearly not expected Liu Benlian to say that.
Whether her words were true or false, the Black Eagle Prefecture Lord knew better than anyone.
"Prefecture Lord, I know my mistake. The Black Eagle Token is such a precious thing. If it fell into the hands of someone with ulterior motives, it would surely cause great chaos. I know my mistake."
As she spoke, Liu Benlian began to weep. "Prefecture Lord, it is all my fault, all my fault. Punish me, please punish me."
In the end, Liu Benlian began slapping herself. The crisp sounds struck directly at everyone's hearts, leaving them completely unable to look at her.
Losing the Black Eagle Token was absolutely no small matter. No wonder their Prefecture Lord was so furious.
Very soon, blood appeared at the corner of Liu Benlian's lips. Even so, she did not stop.
Liu Benlian knew very well what consequences would follow from arbitrarily mobilizing the Black Eagle Guard.
All she could do now was punish herself as a warning to others, so that the Black Eagle Prefecture Lord might take pity on her.
To be honest, if Liu Benlian had not done this, the Black Eagle Prefecture Lord might truly have dealt her a lethal blow. Now, however, he was somewhat hesitant.
At the same time, he understood exactly what Liu Benlian was thinking.
"Pre... Prefecture Lord..." Seeing Liu Benlian's face already battered and bloody, yet still continuing to strike herself, Second Elder Pan Sen could not help saying, "Losing the Black Eagle Token surely was not Second Madam's intention. Please forgive her this once."
"That's right!" With Pan Sen pleading for her, the other elders also chimed in. "Prefecture Lord, please spare Second Madam this time."
These people all belonged to the Second Young Master's faction. As the saying went, when the lips were gone, the teeth grew cold. If anything happened to Liu Benlian, they would fare no better.
Pan Tu narrowed his eyes as he watched them. He would never let go of such a fine opportunity to suppress them...
Just as Pan Tu was about to speak, the Black Eagle Prefecture Lord spoke first.
"Enough..." He stopped Liu Benlian. "We will discuss your matter later."
"Where is Elder Sun?"
The instant those words fell, Sun Baitan collapsed limply to the ground.
The moment Liu Benlian claimed that the Black Eagle Token had been lost, he had already anticipated the outcome. She was preparing to make him shoulder all the blame alone.
"Pre... Prefecture Lord..." Sun Baitan's voice trembled. "I know my mistake."
Since the Black Eagle Prefecture Lord was questioning him about this matter, it proved one thing—the Black Eagle Guard had already told him everything. Lying would only worsen his punishment.
"It... it was I who found the Black Eagle Token..." Handing over the Black Eagle Token, Sun Baitan could only continue down this path. The reason he dared to do so was because of his status. Though privately mobilizing the Black Eagle Guard was an unforgivable crime, he was still an elder.
Even if the Black Eagle Prefecture Lord knew whom the Black Eagle Guard had been mobilized against, Qin Jishi was merely an ordinary man. Would he severely punish an elder over an ordinary man?
Obviously not!
Furthermore!
He belonged to the Second Young Master's faction. Would Second Elder and the others simply stand by and do nothing?
"It was you?" The Black Eagle Prefecture Lord narrowed his eyes. "Tell me, why did you mobilize the Black Eagle Guard?"
"I..." Sun Baitan glanced at Liu Benlian.
"Answer me." That furious shout made Sun Baitan's body shake violently.
"I... I'll speak... I'll speak..." Not daring to conceal anything, Sun Baitan explained the entire sequence of events. He only hid the part about Qin Jishi's connection to Pan Xu, changing it to say that a mysterious person had intervened.
"Prefecture Lord... I have said everything I needed to say. That is what happened. Qin Jishi forced me to kneel, which was a provocation against the dignity of our Black Eagle Prefecture. I originally intended to report the matter to you, but I happened to find the Black Eagle Token, so I acted on my own initiative..."
Sun Baitan did not see that after hearing his words, the Black Eagle Prefecture Lord's entire body was already shaking violently.
Damn it! Do you know what a colossal disaster you have caused?
Second Elder Pan Sen saw this and caught Sun Baitan's pleading gaze.
"Prefecture Lord... actually, I do not think Elder Sun can be blamed for this matter. After all—"
"Shut up!" The Black Eagle Prefecture Lord immediately snapped. "Were you involved in this matter as well?"
"N... no, I was not involved..." Pan Sen shuddered violently, able to feel the Black Eagle Prefecture Lord's intense killing intent.
"Sun Baitan!" The Black Eagle Prefecture Lord turned his gaze toward him. "As the Eighth Elder of the Black Eagle Prefecture, not only did you fail to set an example, you even sought to bully others by relying on your power. Now, knowing full well that it was wrong, you committed the offense anyway and privately mobilized the Black Eagle Guard. This crime cannot be forgiven."
"Great Elder!"
"Strip him of his position as Eighth Elder. Subject him to death by a thousand cuts, to serve as a warning to others."
Pan Tu froze, thinking he had heard wrong.
"What? Did you not hear what I said?"
"Yes!" As someone from the Young Prefecture Lord's faction, Pan Tu was naturally more than willing to comply.
The instant the order was given, Sun Baitan was seized by panic.
He thought he had heard wrong. "N-No... Prefecture Lord... please spare me... spare me..."
"Second Elder, plead for me... We are both people of the Second Young Master..."
Pan Sen cursed inwardly, wishing he could make him shut up. Anyone could see the situation before them—the Black Eagle Prefecture Lord was thoroughly enraged. Who would dare speak now?
"Second Madam... Second Madam... I did everything according to your instructions..."
"Prefecture Lord, this was all Second Madam's idea... Prefecture Lord... give me a chance... Prefecture Lord... please, give me a chance..."
Sun Baitan struggled and roared, but it was all futile.
Watching Sun Baitan being dragged away by Pan Tu, everyone from the Second Young Master's faction broke out in cold sweat, terrified that they would be implicated as well.
"Listen carefully!" the Black Eagle Prefecture Lord said coldly. "From now on, whoever dares rely on power to bully others or violate the sect's rules, Sun Baitan will be their fate."
"Dismissed!"
The elders nodded repeatedly. None of them dared linger, and they quickly departed.
After they left, the Black Eagle Prefecture Lord walked over to Liu Benlian, his tone cold. "Do not think you can deceive me. This time, Sun Baitan took the blame for you. If there is a next time, do not blame me for being ruthless and merciless."
"Prefecture Lord... I..."
"Listen carefully!" The Black Eagle Prefecture Lord interrupted her. "Let the Liu Family matter end here. They brought it upon themselves. From this day onward, without my orders, you are not to take a single step out of Yihe Hall."
"Hmph!"
With a sweep of his sleeve, the Black Eagle Prefecture Lord turned and left...
Before you continue