The Three Clans' Old Grudges Erupt, Guixu Nearly Falls into Internal Chaos

After the three clans' tokens entered Guixu, Guixu's reputation soared once again.

The Ancestral Dragon's Reverse Scale suppressed the aquatic clans.

Yuanfeng's cold feather gave rise to the Frostflame Parasol Tree.

The Primordial Qilin Earth Vein evolved into Mysterious Peak Mountain.

The three tokens outside Dragon-Suppressing Pass had practically become symbols of Guixu's standing.

More and more small refugee clans believed that Guixu could truly protect a sliver of hope during the Great Tribulation.

But problems followed.

Branches of the Dragon Clan, Phoenix Clan, and Qilin Clan entered Guixu one after another. Their old grudges could not possibly vanish overnight.

They had already slaughtered one another in the outside world for many years.

Their clansmen had died by each other's hands.

Spirit mountains, water palaces, and earth veins had all been contested between them.

Much of that hatred ran so deep that it had been carved into their bloodlines.

When Ao Lie had been the only Dragon here, it had not been much of a problem.

Later, when the Frost Phoenix Lineage entered the city, both sides had remained restrained due to the rules of Dragon-Suppressing Pass.

But after a branch of the Water Qilin joined, the three clans' branches truly found themselves living in the same city for the first time.

The allocation of outer-city resources, cultivation seats at the academy, use of the Northern Darkness Sea's water veins, and the division of Mysterious Peak Mountain's cave abodes all became potential sources of conflict.

Lan Shuang had anticipated this long ago.

She dispatched additional Bureau of Cause and Effect cultivators to patrol and ordered the Realm Guard to strengthen patrols in the outer city.

But suppression could only hold things down for a while.

On this day.

Outside Guixu Academy.

A member of the Dragon Clan Young Lineage got into a conflict with a young member of the Frost Phoenix Lineage.

The cause was trivial.

It was merely that, during a rotation of cultivation grounds, they 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 having destroyed Cold Roost Island's water veins in the past.

The Dragon Clan Young Lineage cursed back, accusing the Phoenix Clan of slaughtering Dragon kin in the Southern Sea.

A Water Qilin disciple nearby tried to break up the fight, only to be dragged into it by both sides.

Before long, young cultivators from all three sides had gathered.

Their tempers grew hotter and hotter.

"When the Dragon Clan conscripted our clan back then, why didn't you care about rules?"

"The Phoenix Clan burned down our water palace, and you still dare to act pitiful in Guixu?"

"The Qilin Clan occupied the earth veins and drove away countless weak clans. How do you have the nerve to talk about escaping 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 were already fighting.

Icy blue frostflame, phantoms of Water Dragons, and earthen-yellow Qilin patterns erupted together before the academy gates.

Han Jue's expression darkened.

"Everyone, stop!"

The Realm Guard immediately formed an array.

The phantom of the Black Tortoise Formation descended, separating the cultivators of the three sides.

But this conflict was more complicated than any before it.

That was because many of those involved were young prodigies from the three clans' branches.

Their bloodlines were extraordinary to begin with, and stirred by old hatred, their emotions were exceedingly difficult to restrain.

A young Dragon cultivator roared.

"Han Jue, who are you protecting?"

Han Jue's eyes turned cold.

"I protect Guixu's rules."

"Whoever makes another move, I'll beat them first."

Feng Li, Ao Lie, and Lin Yue arrived almost at the same time.

The three of them looked at the scene before them, and none wore a pleasant expression.

Ao Lie looked at the Dragon Clan Young Lineage.

"Stand down."

The young Dragon cultivator gritted his teeth.

"Third Prince, they insulted the Dragon Clan!"

Ao Lie said coldly, "This is Guixu."

"Guixu's rules come first."

Feng Li also looked toward the young Frost Phoenix.

"Put away the 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.

"Withdraw first."

The Water Qilin disciple lowered his head.

The three of them each restrained their clansmen, but the atmosphere remained icy.

The young members of the three clans looked at one another with undisguised hatred in their eyes.

After receiving the news, Lan Shuang soon arrived at the academy.

Looking at the devastated plaza, her expression was grave.

This could not be resolved simply by 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 chaos within Guixu at a more critical moment.

She immediately sought Lu Chen's instructions.

Deep within Guixu.

After hearing the report, Lu Chen felt a headache coming on.

He had long been worried about this problem.

The Dragon, Phoenix, and Qilin Clans had fought for so many years. How could they possibly become one big happy family the moment they entered Guixu?

And now, it had exploded just as expected.

The system's voice sounded.

"Detected: old grudges between the three clans' branches have erupted. Please choose."

"First: expel the three clans' branches and prevent internal chaos. Reward: ten Tribulation-Evasion Talismans."

"Second: favor one side and establish Guixu's authority. Reward: one Clan Fortune Suppression Talisman."

"Third: establish the Calamity-Resolution Hall. Record old grudges and judge cause and effect. Reward: increased completion of the Book of Cause and Effect."

Lu Chen looked at the third option and made his decision at once.

"Third."

"Congratulations, Host. The completion of the Book of Cause and Effect has increased."

Lu Chen's voice carried into the academy.

"Old grudges may be recorded."

"New killings are forbidden."

"All who enter Guixu may register old grudges, which will be judged by the Calamity-Resolution Hall."

"Whoever dares use old grudges as an excuse for private fighting will be expelled from Guixu."

The moment those words fell, silence descended outside the academy.

The expressions of the young cultivators from the three clans changed at once.

Expelled from Guixu.

That punishment was far too severe.

They had struggled to escape here. No one wanted to return to the battlefield of the Great Tribulation.

Lan Shuang's heart trembled.

She immediately understood the Emperor's intent.

Old grudges could not be treated as though they did not exist.

That would only bury them deeper and deeper.

But neither could old grudges be allowed to be settled through private vengeance.

So they had to be recorded.

They had to be judged.

Clear rules had to be established through the Book of Cause and Effect.

"The Calamity-Resolution Hall will be established under the Bureau of Cause and Effect."

Lan Shuang announced on the spot.

"From this day onward, all old grudges between the various clans within Guixu may be registered with the Calamity-Resolution Hall."

"Cases involving killing will be revealed by the Book of Cause and Effect."

"Those who can offer compensation will compensate."

"Those who can atone will 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 Guixu."

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, get out of Guixu."

His tone was harsh.

But this time, no one argued back.

The light of the Book of Cause and Effect descended.

The causes and effects of both sides in the recent conflict were revealed one by one.

The young Dragon cultivator who had started the trouble first truly had a grandfather who had died at the hands of a Frost Phoenix Lineage battle unit.

That young Frost Phoenix's aunt had also died during a Dragon Clan campaign.

As for the Water Qilin disciple's father, he had died after being caught up in a battle between Dragons and Phoenixes.

Everyone seemed to have a grudge.

And behind every grudge lay even more slaughter and calamity.

As everyone 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 long since swept far too many clans into its currents.

The Calamity-Resolution Hall's first case was ultimately judged personally by Lan Shuang.

Both sides of the conflict were sentenced to the academy's meditation chambers, where they would cultivate the Guixu Stillness Art for a hundred years.

Those involved in old grudges were entered into the Calamity-Resolution Register.

After the Book of Cause and Effect determined the specific responsibilities, compensation, atonement, or severing of cause and effect would be decided.

The outcome could not be said to satisfy everyone.

But at least no one continued fighting.

Guixu Academy was preserved.

For the first time, the three clans' branches also realized that within Guixu, 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 to mediate the three clans' old grudges.

Han Jue was responsible for keeping order.

Whoever argued too fiercely, he would haul them off to the Martial Practice Arena and beat them up.

The results were surprisingly good.

Deep within Guixu.

Watching the Calamity-Resolution Hall begin to operate, Lu Chen finally breathed a sigh of relief.

"Finally got it under control."

"These grudges among the three clans were truly troublesome."

He did not notice.

In a corner of the outer city, a gray-robed cultivator quietly watched in the direction of the academy.

A trace of dark demonic light flashed in the man's eyes.

"Guixu had actually managed to suppress the old grudges of the three clans."

"Interesting."

"Yet recording old grudges did not mean they had vanished."

"As long as hatred remained in their hearts, the demonic path would have a crack to exploit."

The gray-robed cultivator lowered his head, a cold smile curling at his lips.

"Then let their inner demons ignite on their own."