Zhang Kuang, who had been watching the show from not far away, knew that if he did not step forward now, Yuan Shanhu would likely face more than mere punishment. His cultivation might truly be crippled, leaving him an idiot before he was expelled from the sect.
Taichu had sect rules. Ordinarily, without a sect travel permit, no one could leave the sect. But violating the rules did not simply mean having one's cultivation abolished. They would certainly use spells to turn the offender into a fool before allowing them to leave, ensuring that all of Taichu's secrets remained protected.
"Senior Sister, could you investigate the cause before passing judgment?" Even Zhang Kuang did not dare act overly arrogant before the enforcement team. He hurried forward, cupped his fists, and said, "Senior Brother Yuan Shanhu is my friend. I saw what happened just now as well. Could you hear a word or two from me?"
Huang Li knew that Zhang Kuang was a Supreme Purple Seed. She also knew that an old hand like Yuan Shanhu had surely gone to flatter him. Still, she had no choice but to give a Supreme Purple Seed some face, even if he was merely a new disciple who had just entered the sect and had not yet been guided into the Dao by a senior brother.
"Junior Brother Zhang, speak." Huang Li had already reached her own conclusion. No matter how Zhang Kuang explained things, even if Yuan Shanhu could not have his cultivation abolished and be expelled from the sect, he would still have to be punished. Because... this was Taichu! And she was part of the enforcement team!
"My fellow villager Qin Haoxuan offended Senior Brother Yuan Shanhu and refused to apologize. The two sides exchanged a few words, then Qin Haoxuan injured Senior Brother Yuan Shanhu as well as Senior Brothers Zhang San and Li Si. That is the full story!" Once Zhang Kuang finished speaking, he no longer looked at Huang Li. Instead, he looked toward the enforcement elder beside her, Elder Xuyunzi.
Compared with Huang Li, Zhang Kuang understood an elder's authority better. At the same time, he could sense Huang Li's determination to uphold Taichu's rules, while elders viewed matters from a loftier position. That was, which side held greater value!
A Purple Seed against a weak seed? Did that even need saying? One could figure out whose value was greater with their knees! Zhang Kuang's face gained several more traces of confidence.
Huang Li nearly laughed at what she heard. Though she had personally seen Yuan Shanhu and the other two lying heavily injured on the ground while Qin Haoxuan stood to one side as though nothing had happened, only someone with a broken brain would believe that a disciple who had just entered Taichu would deliberately provoke senior brothers who had been in the sect for over twenty years.
Seeing Huang Li's expression, Elder Xuyunzi spoke before she could. "If that is the case, then bind Qin Haoxuan."
Huang Li was startled and hurriedly wanted to speak up for Qin Haoxuan. Then she felt Elder Xuyunzi's warning gaze and immediately understood... value... In the elder's eyes, this was merely Zhang Kuang causing trouble in the rashness of youth. A few private words afterward would suffice. There was no need to offend a Purple Seed disciple and make him lose face for the sake of a weak seed disciple.
"Who dares!" Several white-robed enforcement disciples were about to step forward when Xu Yu could no longer hold back. She rushed out in two quick strides and planted herself between Qin Haoxuan and the enforcement disciples. Her eyes blazed with fury as she cast aside her usual timid, reserved demeanor. Staring directly at Elder Xuyunzi without the slightest fear, she said, "Elder Xuyunzi, I am also a Purple Seed!"
Those simple words made Elder Xuyunzi's expression exceedingly awkward. He had just supported one Purple Seed, only for another Purple Seed to jump out moments later and back Qin Haoxuan, a weak seed!
"If you do not get to the bottom of this today, none of you will touch so much as a finger of Senior Brother Qin's! Not unless I am dead!"
Xu Yu swept her gaze across the room, her tone resolute and unyielding. When a Supreme Purple Seed disciple erupted in anger, the entire scene fell deathly silent. Elder Xuyunzi inwardly cried that things were bad. Even as an elder, how could he dare offend Purple Seed disciples like Xu Yu and Zhang Kuang?
Although Xu Yu was normally quiet and reserved, whenever Qin Haoxuan was involved, she sprang up like a rabbit whose tail had been stepped on. The onlookers looked at Qin Haoxuan with envy laced with jealousy. Why did they not have a Supreme Purple Seed beauty willing to defend them with her life?
Mixed within the crowd, Li Jing, who had watched the entire spectacle, secretly sighed in regret. He hated that he had been too snobbish back then and had overlooked the most inconspicuous Xu Yu. Otherwise, if he had left a good impression on her and drawn her to his side instead of letting her stand with Qin Haoxuan, would defeating Zhang Kuang and ascending to the seat of Taichu Sect's sect master not have been as easy as turning over his hand?
Elder Xuyunzi looked at Xu Yu, his heart brimming with helplessness. You die? If you killed yourself over Qin Haoxuan, the sect master would not only bury my entire family with you—he would probably dig up my ancestral graves as well!
"Elder, please uphold justice for Senior Brother Yuan Shanhu." Seeing Xu Yu's attitude, Zhang Kuang knew that if he backed down today, Yuan Shanhu and the others might not merely be expelled from Taichu. Their lives could very well be lost. If someone died for helping him, who would work under him in the future? All he could do now was force the issue!
Elder Xuyunzi looked at Xu Yu, then at Zhang Kuang, and secretly groaned. Why did conflicts between Purple Seeds have to make things difficult for an old man like him? Had he known things would turn out this way, he might as well have let Huang Li offend someone just now!
"I believe this matter still requires a thorough investigation." Elder Xuyunzi forced out an awkward smile and said in a tone that was almost consultative, "Before the truth is clear, I will take all four of them away first. What do you two think?"
Watching the enforcement team take Qin Haoxuan away together with Yuan Shanhu and the other two, Li Jing fell into thought. Each side had a Purple Seed disciple backing it. Whichever side he supported now would gain a certain advantage, and he would also be making connections with that side's Purple Seed disciple. So... which side should he support at this moment?
About two or three li from the dormitories lay a vast field planted with countless spiritual herbs. Passing through that expanse of spirit fields, one would find a red-brick, green-tiled building. This was the branch hall established by the Enforcement Hall in Spirit Field Valley. It governed Spirit Field Valley and the nearby Menial Disciples, and was the living palace of Yama in these disciples' hearts.
Fights between disciples were not unheard of. Usually, the offenders would be confined for several days and given a light punishment. If they encountered particularly stubborn cases, Ice Rakshasa Huang Li would personally step in. Everyone she had disciplined would bow their heads and obediently admit their mistakes. It was rare for an enforcement elder to be alerted, yet today, Spirit Field Valley's enforcement elder had been disturbed.
Beneath the plaque reading "Stern and Impartial Justice" in the main hall of Spirit Field Valley's Enforcement Hall sat four great enforcement elders in order: Elder Xuyunzi, Jingyunzi, Yuanyunzi, and Chuyunzi.
Within the main hall, more than twenty enforcement disciples stood along both sides of the chamber all the way to the entrance, like ox-headed and horse-faced underworld guards. They held red-and-white enforcement staffs and wore expressionless faces. Qin Haoxuan, Xu Yu, and Zhang Kuang stood in the center of the hall, while the severely injured Yuan Shanhu and the other two sprawled on the ground. Their bodies and minds had suffered a double blow, and they had yet to recover from their terror. Their faces were drained of all color. Especially in this dimly lit, sinister "living palace of Yama," they trembled in fear and did not even dare breathe loudly.
After Huang Li's extensive investigation, combined with the statements of those involved and Yuan Shanhu's past record, a classic case of someone bullying a newcomer only to be taught a lesson appeared before everyone.
By all rights, everyone already knew who was right and who was wrong. The Enforcement Hall could punish Yuan Shanhu and the other two perpetrators according to sect law, then release Qin Haoxuan without charge. Yet this case, clear as day, made several enforcement elders knit their brows as they nervously discussed how exactly to handle it.
If Yuan Shanhu had merely bullied Qin Haoxuan, the matter would have been simple. Disciples who undermined sect rules like this could simply be killed. It was not as though the Enforcement Hall had never killed anyone before.
But... two Purple Seeds were now entangled in this matter. Though they were still very young and inexperienced, they were Purple Seeds after all. The masters of every hall practically had green light shining from their eyes whenever they looked at them.
Sect rules and doctrines might be dead, but enforcement elders were alive! No matter how this case was judged, one Purple Seed disciple would inevitably be offended. No one wanted to offend a Supreme Purple Seed with limitless potential. If they absolutely had to offend one, then they should offend the Purple Seed disciple with the lower future achievements.
After a round of discussion, Elder Xuyunzi and the others concluded that although both Xu Yu and Zhang Kuang were Purple Seeds, Xu Yu's quiet and mild nature made it unlikely that her future development could surpass Zhang Kuang's. Thus, they decided to give Zhang Kuang some face. While punishing Yuan Shanhu and the other two, they would also severely punish Qin Haoxuan.
Just as they had largely settled the matter and were about to pronounce judgment, an enforcement disciple ran over with a strange expression and reported to the four elders, "Li Jing, one of this year's new disciples, has come to pay his respects to the four elders and requests permission to observe the judgment!"
To preserve the fairness of the law, the Enforcement Hall generally permitted others to observe. Yet other disciples feared the Enforcement Hall like snakes and scorpions. Not to mention voluntarily applying to observe, they could not be dragged here even if invited. Now, a newly admitted disciple had actually swaggered in to request observation. This was the first time since the Spirit Field Valley Enforcement Hall branch had been established, so it was no wonder the reporting disciple wore such an odd expression.
Elder Xuyunzi had wanted to tell him to go back where he came from and stop joining in the excitement. But on second thought, was there not a Li Jing among this year's three Supreme Purple Seeds? Could it be him?
"Let him enter." Elder Xuyunzi waved his hand, and amid the reporting disciple's astonished gaze, Li Jing was brought inside.
During the three months of initial training, the new disciples had not yet been issued the sect's standardized robes and still wore their own clothes. Thus, Li Jing still wore that eye-catching golden-yellow robe embroidered with two dragons fighting over a pearl.
There were around thirty steps from the entrance to the main hall. Under the gaze of the cold-faced, imposing enforcement disciples on either side, many people could not even move their feet. Yet Li Jing strode in with a smile on his face and his eyes fixed straight ahead. His golden dragon robe further accentuated the air of a king, making everyone want to slap the table in admiration. What a handsome and elegant young man.
It truly was Li Jing, the Supreme Purple Seed. As he approached, three enforcement elders rose to welcome him as a sign of respect. Only Chuyunzi remained seated, his face dark and gloomy, hatred flickering in his eyes as he glared fixedly at Li Jing.
"This disciple, Li Jing, pays his respects to the elders. I have long heard that Taichu Sect's rules and doctrines are strict, and I have admired them for a long time. Today, I happened to witness the beginning and end of this incident. Curious as to how it would be judged, I presumptuously requested permission to observe."
"Of course, of course. Sit, sit." Elder Xuyunzi wore a smile, but inwardly he was troubled. As the saying went, one did not visit the Three Treasures Hall without cause. Li Jing had certainly not come to observe because he admired Taichu Sect's rules and doctrines; he had to be plotting something. Elder Xuyunzi's gaze swept over Xu Yu and Zhang Kuang. When he saw Zhang Kuang's displeased expression, he immediately understood.
Elder Xuyunzi tested him. "Since you saw the beginning and end of the incident, why not briefly recount it?"
"It is actually very simple. Yuan Shanhu and the other two oppressed and provoked Junior Brother Haoxuan, only to discover that they had rammed into an iron plate. They were beaten badly by Haoxuan instead, giving the other disciples whom Yuan Shanhu usually bullied a chance to vent their anger. How satisfying!"
The several Enforcement Hall elders all cursed inwardly upon hearing this. Satisfying my ass! Satisfying your sister! What did this have to do with you? Why had you run out here to stir things up? We had only just finished discussing the judgment, and now that you had kicked up such a fuss, how were we supposed to rule?
Elder Xuyunzi nodded. Li Jing's words had fully revealed his position. He had thoroughly placed himself in opposition to Zhang Kuang. On the surface, he was speaking for Qin Haoxuan, but in truth, he was targeting Zhang Kuang. It seemed these two Purple Seed disciples had already begun suppressing and excluding each other over the future seat of sect master.
With Li Jing stepping forward to testify for Qin Haoxuan, Qin Haoxuan's side now had two Purple Seed disciples supporting him. Their weight could not be underestimated. It seemed the judgment they had previously agreed upon would need to be changed. Just as Elder Xuyunzi was preparing to discuss things again with the other three elders, Chuyunzi, who had remained seated the entire time, suddenly sprang up and roared, "Bullshit!"
Chuyunzi's violent outburst startled everyone, including Li Jing. Li Jing had noticed the hatred in Chuyunzi's eyes from the moment he entered, and he had been wondering how he had offended him. Ever since he had been tested and found to possess a Purple Immortal Seed, everyone in Taichu Sect had treated him with pleasant expressions and a hint of flattery. This was the first time someone had inexplicably shouted at him.
January 9, 2018, second update: Let me address this once. Taichu has only just begun... so many things have not yet been revealed. More than one person has asked, since Purple Seeds are so precious, why does everyone know about them? Are they not afraid the news will spread? Let me explain. I have said that I want to write a different kind of xianxia. In my world, a sect is not a public latrine that people can enter and leave as they please. It is very difficult for outsiders to find it. Those inside who wish to leave must also possess a Taichu travel permit before they can pass through Taichu's mountain-guarding formation. Otherwise, merely passing through the first layer of Taichu's mountain-guarding formation will alert people, who will then capture them. Even if they detour and avoid capture, the second layer of the mountain-guarding formation can trap them inside. So what I want to say is: if no one can get out, how could information leak? Taichu has many rules, and they will gradually be revealed later.
Lastly, please give me some recommendation votes!
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