After the three clans' tokens entered Abyss, Abyss's prestige soared once more.
The Ancestral Dragon's Reverse Scale suppressed the Water Clan.
Yuanfeng's Frost Feather gave rise to the Frostflame Parasol Tree.
The Primordial Qilin Earth-Vein Seal evolved into Mysterious Peak Mountain.
The three tokens outside Dragon-Suppressing Pass had nearly become symbols of Abyss's standing.
More and more small clans seeking refuge believed that Abyss could truly preserve a sliver of hope amid the Great Tribulation.
But problems came with it.
Branches of the Dragon Clan, Phoenix Clan, and Qilin Clan entered Abyss one after another. Their old grudges could not possibly vanish overnight.
They had slaughtered one another in the outside world for years.
Their clansmen had died by each other's hands.
Spirit mountains, water palaces, and earth veins had been fought over between them.
Much of that hatred ran so deep it had been carved into their bloodlines.
When Ao Lie had been the only dragon at first, it had not been much of an issue.
Later, when the Frost Phoenix Lineage entered the city, both sides had remained restrained by Dragon-Suppressing Pass's rules.
But after the Water Qilin Branch joined, the three clans' branches truly found themselves sharing the same city for the first time.
The allocation of outer-city resources, cultivation seats at the Academy, use of Northern Darkness Sea's water veins, and the division of cave abodes on Mysterious Peak Mountain all became potential sources of conflict.
Lan Shuang had anticipated it long ago.
She dispatched more Bureau of Cause and Effect cultivators to patrol and had the Realm Guard strengthen its inspections of the outer city.
But suppression could only hold things down for so long.
This day.
Outside Abyss Academy.
A young member of the Dragon Clan Young Lineage clashed with a young clansman of the Frost Phoenix Lineage.
The cause was minor.
During a rotation of cultivation grounds, the two sides exchanged a few words over the clash between Frostflame and water arts.
But the moment someone said, "The Phoenix Clan only knows how to launch sneak attacks," everything changed.
The young Frost Phoenix angrily accused the Dragon Clan of destroying Cold Roost Island's water veins in the past.
The young dragon retaliated, cursing the Phoenix Clan for slaughtering dragonkin in the Southern Sea.
A Water Qilin disciple nearby tried to break up the quarrel, only to be dragged in by both sides.
Before long, young cultivators from all three sides had gathered.
Tempers flared hotter and hotter.
"When the Dragon Clan conscripted our clan back then, why didn't you talk about rules?"
"The Phoenix Clan burned down our water palace, and you still dare play the victim in Abyss?"
"The Qilin Clan seized earth veins and drove away countless weaker clans. How dare you talk about evading tribulation now?"
One old grievance after another was dragged into the open.
The atmosphere outside the Academy swiftly spiraled out of control.
By the time Han Jue arrived with the Realm Guard, people had already started fighting.
Icy-blue Frostflame, phantom water dragons, and earthen-yellow Qilin markings erupted simultaneously before the Academy gates.
Han Jue's expression darkened.
"Stop fighting, all of you!"
The Realm Guard immediately formed a formation.
The phantom image of the Black Tortoise Formation descended, separating cultivators from all three sides.
But this time, the conflict was more complicated than before.
Many of those involved were young prodigies from the three clans' branches.
Their bloodlines were already extraordinary, and stirred by old grudges, their emotions were exceedingly difficult to restrain.
A young Dragon Clan cultivator roared.
"Han Jue, who are you protecting?"
Han Jue's gaze turned cold.
"I'm protecting Abyss's rules."
"Whoever attacks again, I'll deal with first."
Feng Li, Ao Lie, and Lin Yue arrived almost at the same time.
When the three saw the scene before them, none looked pleased.
Ao Lie looked at the Dragon Clan Young Lineage member.
"Stand down."
The young dragon gritted his teeth.
"Third Prince, they insulted the Dragon Clan!"
Ao Lie said coldly, "This is Abyss."
"Abyss's rules come first."
Feng Li also looked toward the young Frost Phoenix.
"Put away your Frostflame."
The young Frost Phoenix's eyes reddened.
"Cousin, they mentioned Cold Roost Island..."
Feng Li fell silent for a moment.
"I know."
"But private fighting is forbidden here."
Lin Yue walked over to the Water Qilin disciple.
"Step back first."
The Water Qilin disciple lowered his head.
The three each restrained their own clansmen, but the atmosphere remained frigid.
The young members of the three clans looked at one another with undisguised hatred in their eyes.
After receiving the news, Lan Shuang quickly came to the Academy.
She looked at the wrecked plaza, her expression grave.
This matter could not be settled by simply punishing a few people.
The old grudges had already been dragged out into the open.
If they were not dealt with, they would erupt again in the future.
They might even trigger internal strife within Abyss at a more critical moment.
She immediately sought Lu Chen's instructions.
Deep within Abyss.
After hearing the report, Lu Chen felt a headache coming on.
He had long worried about this issue.
The Dragon, Phoenix, and Qilin Clans had fought for so many years. How could they possibly become one happy family the moment they entered Abyss?
And now, it had indeed exploded.
"Detected the eruption of old grudges among the three clans' branches. Host, please choose." "First: expel the three clans' branches and avoid internal strife. Reward: ten Tribulation-Evasion Talismans." "Second: favor one side and establish Abyss's authority. Reward: one Clan Fortune Suppression Talisman." "Third: establish the Calamity-Resolution Hall, register old grudges, and render judgment through cause and effect. Reward: increased completion of the Book of Cause and Effect."
Lu Chen looked at the third option and immediately made his decision.
"Third."
"Congratulations, Host. The Book of Cause and Effect's completion has increased."
Lu Chen's voice reached the Academy.
"Old grudges may be remembered."
"New killings will not be permitted."
"Any who enter Abyss may register old grudges, to be judged by the Calamity-Resolution Hall."
"Anyone who dares use old grudges as an excuse for private fighting will be expelled from Abyss."
The moment those words fell, silence descended outside the Academy.
The expressions of the young cultivators from the three clans changed at once.
Expulsion from Abyss.
That punishment was too severe.
They had struggled to escape here. None wished to return to the battlefield of the Great Tribulation.
Lan Shuang's heart shook.
She immediately understood the Emperor's intent.
Old grudges could not be pretended away.
That would only bury them deeper and deeper.
But neither could old grudges be allowed to be privately settled.
So they had to be registered.
They had to be judged.
The Book of Cause and Effect had to establish clear rules.
"The Bureau of Cause and Effect will establish the Calamity-Resolution Hall beneath it."
Lan Shuang announced it on the spot.
"From this day onward, old grudges between all clans within Abyss may be registered with the Calamity-Resolution Hall."
"Any involved in bloodshed will be revealed by the Book of Cause and Effect."
"Those who can compensate shall compensate."
"Those who can atone shall atone."
"Those who provoke private fights without cause will be severely punished."
"Once an old grudge has been registered, no one may seek private revenge within Abyss."
Ao Lie, Feng Li, and Lin Yue lowered their heads at the same time.
"We obey the Emperor's decree."
Han Jue looked at the young cultivators of the three clans.
"Did you hear that?"
"If you want revenge, go to the Calamity-Resolution Hall."
"If you want to fight, go to the Martial Practice Arena."
"If you want to kill, then get out of Abyss."
His tone was harsh.
But this time, no one argued.
The light of the Book of Cause and Effect descended.
The cause and effect of both sides in the recent conflict was revealed one by one.
The grandfather of the young Dragon Clan cultivator who had started the trouble had indeed died at the hands of a Frost Phoenix Lineage battle unit.
The aunt of that young Frost Phoenix had likewise died during a Dragon Clan campaign.
The Water Qilin disciple's father had been caught in the crossfire of the Dragon and Phoenix Clans' war and died as well.
Everyone seemed to have a grudge.
And behind every grudge lay even more calamities of slaughter.
As they watched the scenes reflected by the Book of Cause and Effect, their anger gradually turned to confusion.
They suddenly realized that those they hated might also have been victims in another chain of hatred.
This Great Tribulation had already swept too many clans into its current.
The Calamity-Resolution Hall's first case was ultimately judged personally by Lan Shuang.
Everyone involved in the conflict was sentenced to the Academy's meditation chambers to cultivate the Abyss Stillness Art for a hundred years.
Those involved in old grudges were entered into the Calamity-Resolution Register.
Once the Book of Cause and Effect determined the specific responsibility, compensation, atonement, or severing of cause and effect would be decided.
This result could not be said to satisfy everyone.
But at least no one continued fighting.
Abyss Academy had been preserved.
For the first time, the three clans' branches also realized that within Abyss, old grudges could exist, but they could not stand above the rules.
After that day, the Calamity-Resolution Hall was formally established.
Ao Lie, Feng Li, and Lin Yue were all invited into the Calamity-Resolution Hall as mediators for the three clans' old grudges.
Han Jue was responsible for keeping order.
Whoever argued too fiercely, he would drag them to the Martial Practice Arena and beat them up.
The effect was surprisingly good.
Deep within Abyss.
Watching the Calamity-Resolution Hall begin to operate, Lu Chen finally let out a sigh of relief.
"It's finally under control."
"The enmity among the three clans is truly troublesome."
He did not notice.
In a corner of the outer city, a gray-robed cultivator quietly watched the Academy.
A faint, sinister demonic light flashed in the person's eyes.
"Abyss can actually suppress the old grudges of the three clans."
"Interesting."
"But having those old grudges recorded does not mean they have vanished."
"As long as hatred remains in their hearts, the Demonic Dao will have a crack to slip through."
The gray-robed cultivator lowered his head, a cold smile curling across his lips.
"Then let their Heart Demons ignite on their own."