Zhao Lei looked at the dozens of Deacon Elders surrounding him, despair written across his face.
He knew that today, death was certain. Taking Forbidden Medicine to raise his cultivation had always been strictly forbidden by the sect. Added to that was the theft of the sect's Spiritual Medicine—those two crimes together were enough to leave him dead without even a burial ground.
"Hmph! You want to capture me? It won't be that easy!" A flash of madness crossed Zhao Lei's eyes. He abruptly circulated the remnants of spiritual energy within him and lunged at the Chief Deacon Elder leading the group.
"You don't know whether you're dead or alive!" The Chief Deacon Elder snorted coldly and waved a hand. A fierce Sword Qi instantly sent Zhao Lei flying.
Zhao Lei crashed heavily to the ground, vomiting blood. Several bones throughout his body had shattered. He struggled to rise, only to discover that he no longer had the strength to move even a finger.
The Chief Deacon Elder slowly walked up to Zhao Lei and looked down at him with icy eyes. "Zhao Lei, do you know your crimes?"
Zhao Lei gave a miserable laugh. "What crime have I committed? I only wanted to raise my cultivation, to become stronger! In this Cultivation World, the weak are meat for the strong, and the victor is king!"
"Insolence!" the Chief Deacon Elder roared. "How dare you trample the sect's rules as you please? You stole the sect's Spiritual Medicine and took Forbidden Medicine to raise your cultivation. Your crimes are monstrous, and you deserve to die!"
He paused, then said, "Men, drag Zhao Lei away. Cripple his cultivation and expel him from the sect!"
Two deacon disciples stepped forward and dragged Zhao Lei away. His miserable screams echoed through the entire Dense Forest, gradually fading into the night.
Shen Hao stood at the back of the crowd, watching the scene with countless emotions stirring in his heart. He knew that Zhao Lei had brought this fate upon himself. With a crooked heart, he had tried to take a shortcut, and in the end, he had only harmed others and himself.
"Enough, disperse." The Chief Deacon Elder waved a hand. "What happened today is not to be spread outside. Beginning tomorrow, strengthen the guards around the Medicine Garden and prevent anything like this from happening again."
"Yes, sir!" the elders replied in unison.
The Deacon Elders gradually dispersed, and Shen Hao also turned toward his residence.
Back in Room C, Shen Hao could not calm his heart for a long while. Sitting before the table, he gazed at the moonlight outside the window and sank into thought.
This Cultivation World truly was fraught with danger on every side. One careless step, and one could fall into eternal ruin. Zhao Lei's talent could hardly be called poor. A high-grade Single Spirit Root was among the finest even within the Outer Sect Disciples. Had he devoted himself to cultivation, he would certainly have become a powerhouse in the future. Sadly, his heart had been crooked, and he had tried to take a shortcut, ultimately ending up with his cultivation crippled and himself expelled from the sect.
"It seems that on the path of cultivation, one must cultivate not only talent, but also one's character," Shen Hao murmured.
He knew that his talent was far inferior to Zhao Lei's. But he had the assistance of the Companion Jade Pendant, as well as a calm and steady heart. So long as he cultivated diligently and took one step at a time, he would certainly surpass Zhao Lei someday and become a true powerhouse.
Shen Hao put away his thoughts, took out the Companion Jade Pendant, and poured a thread of spiritual energy into it. Pure spiritual energy streamed endlessly into his body. He sat cross-legged on the bed and began cultivating.
With Zhao Lei's fate as a warning, Shen Hao cultivated even more diligently. He knew that only by becoming stronger could he protect himself and those around him in this danger-filled Cultivation World.
The night deepened, and the moonlight flowed like water. With the Companion Jade Pendant's assistance, Shen Hao's aura steadily rose. His cultivation was advancing toward the middle of Qi Refining Second Layer
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