"Grand Elder Sun, it's too early to say that. There's still a chance to fight for more years of life. We cultivators walk against the heavens—how could we resign ourselves to fate so easily?" Yu Zhirong chuckled, then looked toward Xu Xianhe and said with a smile, "Grand Elder Xu, let's settle this matter as agreed. I still have something to handle for the Pavilion Master, so I won't stay here any longer."
Sun Yu wore a smile at the corner of his mouth. Xu Xianhe, however, had gone green in the face. He stared wide-eyed and tongue-tied, and even after Yu Zhirong had left through the doors, he still hadn't recovered. Chen Taicang cautiously hurried to ask, "Grand Elder Xu, then what about this matter concerning Yun Mu...?"
"Get out..." Xu Xianhe's face was dark, and his voice was barely audible. Chen Taicang seemed intent on asking more, but the word "Get out" suddenly exploded with volume, frightening him into rolling and crawling out of the palace doors. As for Ma Qing, he was naturally scared witless too, standing frozen in place without managing to say a single word.
Sun Yu slowly rose to his feet and said, "Today's hearing is concluded. Regardless of whether Yun Mu was right or wrong, his merits outweigh his faults. For now, he will neither be rewarded nor punished. If the investigation proves that he had merit and no fault, he will be rewarded separately. As for Ma Qing's accusation against Yun Mu, we'll wait until the investigation is complete before reviewing the matter again. Since the investigation concerns whether Ma Qing participated in the attack, he will be imprisoned first while we await the results. Zhou Yao, as a witness, is suspected of giving false testimony and will be imprisoned as well."