The Last Dregs (5)

True Person Yu Qing watched the expressions of those below the dais shift from shock to silence before he finally spoke. A trace of weariness lay beneath his voice, almost imperceptible, but every word was clear—

"Yulan has committed monstrous crimes. Every one of them strikes at the sect's most sacred principles, and they threaten the safety of the entire cultivation world. How do you think we should deal with him?"

Yu Qin True Person slammed a hand onto the sandalwood armrest. The muffled bang made the candle flames tremble. She shot to her feet. "A traitor like him deserves ten thousand deaths! Spare his life, and we undermine the sect's discipline and chill the hearts of everyone in it! I say we execute him at once, as a warning to others!"

Her voice rang through the hall. Even though she tried to restrain herself, fury still poured from every word. Several older elders frowned but did not dare speak.

Before she had finished, the mild-tempered Yu Xuan True Person shook their head and objected. "Senior Sister, please calm yourself."

"Yulan's crimes are heinous, but his cultivation has been destroyed. We were fellow disciples and worked together for centuries. To wipe him out entirely would be too ruthless. Why not make his crimes public, then imprison him in the Black Prison for life to repent day and night? It would teach him a lesson while honoring our old ties."

"What damned ties?" Yu Qin True Person wheeled around and glared, her eyes nearly blazing. "When Yulan murdered his teachers and junior sister for his own gain, where were his thoughts of old ties? Leave him a whole corpse today, and tomorrow a second Yulan, then a third, will climb over the sect's bones to rise!"

"Senior Sister! Because he had