The ground before the Ancestral Shrine was a scene of devastation.
The energy of the ferocious beast's remnant soul, once bound by the formation, now spilled out in a frenzy, rising into the sky like black signal smoke and churning the wind and clouds. At the stele's base, precious soul-soothing spirit jade lay shattered across the ground, turbulent spiritual energy shooting in every direction.
Before the Soul-Suppressing Stele, two groups of clan youths stood sharply divided, swords drawn and bows bent. Spiritual light flickered between them; clearly, a fierce clash had already taken place.
Yun Shuo stood sheltered behind Yun Li, Yun Yao, and several other children of concubines who were usually close to him. His small face was deathly pale, and dust clung to his robes; clearly, he had gotten the worse of it. Opposite him, Yun Hao stood surrounded by children of the legitimate line, his face arrogant and resentful. Pointing at Yun Shuo, he cursed, "A mere bastard, and you dare defy me! Can you bear the consequences of disturbing the Soul-Suppressing Stele?!"
Just then, an indescribably vast pressure descended without warning, as though the nine heavens had come crashing down!
Everyone, from the bickering youths to the stewards trying to mediate, fell instantly silent, as though an invisible hand had seized their throats. The noisy scene turned deathly still. Even the beast's energy surging skyward seemed to freeze for a moment.
At some point, a figure had silently appeared at the entrance to the Ancestral Shrine.
Yun Huang!
His gold-embellished brocade robes gleamed like molten gold. In stark contrast, his face was expressionless, his golden eyes sweeping coldly over everyone. Without a single word, he made every youth's soul tremble. Legitimate and concubine-born alike lowered their heads, finding even breathing unbearably difficult.
Yun Huang's gaze fell on the crack in the Soul-Suppressing Stele. That fracture seemed etched into the depths of his eyes, his bone-chilling hostility almost taking physical form. His gaze passed over Yun Shuo and the others with undisguised disgust, finally settling on Yun Qing, who stood quietly to one side, seemingly detached from the turmoil.
"You handle it." The few softly spoken words echoed above the Ancestral Shrine.
"Yes, young lord." Upright in his green robe, Yun Qing smiled and saluted with clasped hands.
Swish!
Every gaze instantly converged on that green-robed figure.
Yun Qing's broad sleeves stirred gently in the breeze raised by the spiritual pressure. He looked like an elegant scholar out for a spring excursion, utterly out of place amid the Ancestral Shrine's murderous tension and devastation.
His face was as calm as still water. Without looking at either side of the conflict, he fixed his deep Double Pupils directly on the savage crack in the stele.
Where others saw only rampaging energy, he clearly detected a faint thread of sinister energy coiling around the crack's edges like a festering sore clinging to bone. This was certainly not something an ordinary impact of spiritual energy could have left behind.
Someone did tamper with it, just as I thought. Yun Qing sneered inwardly. Killing with a borrowed blade-the method was fairly well concealed. Unfortunately, it could not escape his eyes.
Under everyone's watchful gaze, Yun Qing took a step forward, raised his right hand slightly, and drew two fingers together like a sword, casually tracing a light stroke through the air.
"Clang-!"
A clear, stirring spear cry suddenly tore through the deathly silence, as though rising from the depths of the Nine Netherworlds or echoing from antiquity. A black spear radiance, condensed to the utmost and wreathed in the essence of primordial chaos and annihilation, appeared out of thin air at the center of the grounds.
The spear radiance had no physical substance, yet it exuded a terrifying aura that devoured all light and heat, as though it could tear apart space itself.
Thud!
With a soft sound, the spear radiance drove precisely into the raging pillar of energy.
The instant the raging energy touched the black spear radiance, it was devoured and annihilated! The surrounding turbulent spiritual energy, and even light and sound, were swallowed clean by that single point of spear radiance.
An uncanny silence fell outside the Ancestral Shrine.
The spear radiance dissipated. A gentle yet irresistible force separated the two sides, sending them stumbling several steps backward, their faces filled with horror.
Yet Yun Qing remained where he stood, his green robe neat, his sleeves hanging lightly. The jade pin securing his hair had not shifted, and the jade ornaments at his waist had made not the slightest sound. It was as though that strike which had settled heaven and earth had not come from his hand.
Making the heavy seem light-nothing could have embodied it better.
Only then did he look at the pale-faced Yun Shuo and the incredulous Yun Hao. His voice was not loud, but it reached every ear clearly. "Go to the Discipline Hall and give a truthful account of what happened. For damaging a vital treasure of the Ancestral Shrine and engaging in an unauthorized armed fight, you will be dealt with under the third and seventh clan rules. Anyone who dares provoke trouble here again-"
He paused. A dark gleam flashed through his double pupils, and icy killing intent instantly enveloped the grounds. "Will be punished without mercy!"
His green robe remained unruffled, his jade ornaments silent. The stark contrast between his effortless elegance and his overbearing methods shook everyone present to the core.
Yun Qing had shown neither favoritism nor indulgence. His judgment had struck precisely the right balance.
Among the crowd, Yun Li's pupils abruptly contracted, his emotions tangled and difficult to fathom.
"I'm a legitimate son!" Yun Hao suddenly sprang up like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, his face twisted with fear. "Yun Shuo is a bastard! How is he worthy of receiving the same punishment as me? You're nothing but..." Anxiety burned within him. He absolutely could not let the Discipline Hall investigate this matter thoroughly.
Standing at the edge of the grounds, Yun Huang took everything in. At the word "bastard," he finally cast Yun Hao a glance, but his eyes were bone-chillingly cold, as though he were looking at something dead.
Yun Huang did not erupt in anger. He merely waved a hand, signaling for the stewards to take everyone away. After all, he had already made it clear that Yun Qing had full authority over today's affair.
The stewards nearby hurried forward and efficiently escorted away Yun Hao, Yun Shuo, and every other youth involved.
Yun Huang walked up to Yun Qing, quietly withdrawing that intimidating pressure. Clear appreciation and gentleness flashed through his golden eyes. His gaze settled on Yun Qing's green robe, now lightly dust-stained, and he said meaningfully, "Even clad in a green robe, you can quell unrest. It seems clothing is no obstacle."
Yun Qing's heart tightened. He knew there was no escaping what was bound to come. He raised his eyes to Yun Huang, a trace of helplessness flashing through his double pupils, though acceptance outweighed it. "You flatter me, young lord."
"In that case," Yun Huang said, turning and striding toward the Perching Phoenix Hall, his gold-embellished robes snapping in the morning light. His voice carried a certainty that brooked no refusal. "Come back to the Martial Arena with me. It's time to honor my earlier invitation."
Yun Qing watched his tall, straight back, his green robe billowing gently in the wind. Fighting spirit ignited in his double pupils, and his eyes shone. To cross hands with a reincarnated Immortal Emperor would be an honor even in defeat.
"Yes." He answered and strode steadily after him.
The faint morning light stretched their shadows along the ancient stone path. One was like a blazing sun high in the heavens, radiating boundless brilliance; the other was like a deep, cold abyss, still waters running deep.
The long-delayed sparring match was already an arrow on the bowstring.
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