Several days later, in the Soul Household's council hall.
The palace doors were tightly shut, and the atmosphere was somber.
Hun Qianxue's expression was calm, but his eyes were piercing.
Behind him stood several guards with deep, imposing presences.
In the center of the hall, three people knelt on the ground, their hands bound by chains of spiritual energy, their clothes disheveled and in a sorry state.
Hun Zangfeng knelt at the front, his back ramrod straight, his face showing no fear, only resentment and anger.
Hun Qianchen knelt behind him, trembling all over, not daring to even lift his head.
The guest elder knelt at the very back, his face ashen and his eyes vacant.
He was a close friend of Hun Zangfeng. Although he was an outsider, he had used Hun Zangfeng's name to gain many benefits in the clan over the years. However, after Hun Qianxue took over, his underhanded actions were quickly discovered and he was punished.
He agreed to participate in the decapitation plan without much hesitation. The plan failed, and he didn't know what happened to Hun Qianchen and Hun Zangfeng. He only knew that he was probably doomed.
On both sides, dozens of clan elders sat in rows.
The Blood-Burning Ancestor's gaze was deep, and his face was ashen.
" Hun Zangfeng."
Hun Qianxue spoke, his voice not loud, yet it clearly reached everyone's ears.
"You colluded with the Heavenly Martial Sect, intending to assassinate the family head and seize his position."
Do you know your crime?
Hun Zangfeng raised his head, looked at Hun Qianxue, and a mocking smile appeared on his lips:
"Knowing one's crime? The victor is king, the loser is villain; what crime is there to be guilty of?"
I lost, I admit it, but I don't regret it.
An uproar erupted inside the hall.
"Unrepentant!"
An elder of the clan slammed his fist on the table and stood up.
" Zangfeng, I watched you grow up, how could you be so foolish!"
"Colluding with outsiders to murder the head of the family is a capital offense!"
"Oh."
Hun Zangfeng sneered but remained silent.
After a long while, he slowly said:
"I want to know, how did you know all this? Has someone betrayed me?"
Hun Qianxue didn't speak, but slowly said:
"I'll let you be a fool then."
Then, his gaze turned to Hun Qianchen:
" Qianchen, do you know your crime?"
Hun Qianchen shuddered, abruptly raising his head, his eyes filled with tears:
"Big brother... big brother, I was wrong! I didn't mean to, it was Elder Zangfeng... he forced me to do it!"
He told me that as long as I cooperated, the position of family head would be mine... I was confused for a moment, I...
That's enough.
Hun Qianxue interrupted him, her tone icy.
"As the son of the family head, instead of serving the Lineage, you collude with outsiders to plot to usurp the throne. How can your father view you?"
Hun Qianchen's crying stopped abruptly, his face ashen.
He opened his mouth, as if to say something, but found that he couldn't utter a single word.
Finally, Hun Qianxue's gaze fell on that guest elder:
What about you? Do you have anything to say?
The guest elder raised his head, glanced at Hun Qianxue, then looked at the clan elders on either side who had once called him brother, and finally lowered his head, uttering two hoarse words. "Confess your guilt."
The hall fell silent for a moment.
The Blood-Burning Ancestor spoke slowly, his voice aged and majestic:
"According to clan rules, what is the punishment for treason?"
An elder stood up and said in a deep voice:
"Traitors shall die."
The Blood-Burning Ancestor nodded, his gaze sweeping over the three kneeling figures in the hall, his tone as indifferent as if he were discussing a trivial matter:
"Then let's do it according to the clan rules."
The Hun Zangfeng its eyes.
Hun Qianchen suddenly struggled to his feet and shouted hoarsely:
"Big brother! Big brother, spare me! I'm your own brother! You can't kill me! You can't kill me!"
Two guards stepped forward and pinned him down.
His shouts grew louder and louder until they disappeared outside the palace gates.
The guest elder neither struggled nor cried out.
He simply lowered his head and silently followed the guard out.
The palace doors closed again.
Inside the hall, the clan elders looked at each other, and no one spoke for a moment.
Hun Qianxue stood up, his gaze sweeping over the crowd, his tone calm:
" Zangfeng and Qianchen have been brought to justice, but this matter is not yet over. Heavenly Martial Sect must pay the price."
" Qianxue is right."
The Blood-Burning Ancestor nodded, " The Heavenly Martial Sect dared to interfere in the internal affairs of my Soul Household. If we don't teach them a lesson, outsiders will think my Soul Household is easy to bully."
"That's absolutely right."
An elder echoed,
" Heavenly Martial Sect was already in decline, barely clinging to life. Now that they've turned around and bitten us, we absolutely cannot let them off easily."
"I propose a complete purge of the Heavenly Martial Sect."
Another elder stood up, his tone sharp.
"Eliminate them completely, as a warning to others."
Hun Qianxue raised his hand, signaling everyone to be quiet.
"Suppressing Heavenly Martial Sect is imperative."
His tone was calm and unhurried, "But this matter requires careful consideration. Although Heavenly Martial Sect has declined, it still has some foundation, so we cannot be careless."
Moreover, this matter should not be blown out of proportion, lest it attract unnecessary attention from the outside world.
He paused, then added, "I already have a plan for this matter. I've gathered everyone here today for two reasons: first, to deal with the traitor, and second, to inform you of this matter."
"I'll discuss the specific action plan when I get back."
The clan elders nodded in agreement, offering no objections.
One month later.
The news quickly spread throughout the entire Thousand Souls City.
The Soul Household's public statement was strongly worded. " Heavenly Martial Sect, the leader of the Wu Tianqiong Sect, led a group to attack the Soul Household's patriarch with malicious intent. He was killed on the spot. The Soul Household reserves the right to pursue this matter further."
Anyone with eyes can see that this is just the Soul Household's excuse.
As to the truth, although people Taiqing about the inside story, they do know that some members of the Soul Household are missing.
Of course, no one would be foolish enough to ask further.
The Heavenly Martial Sect has been operating in the Nine Mysteries Prefecture for many years. Although it has been declining in recent years, it is still a powerful force with many businesses in Thousand Souls City.
As soon as the Soul Household issued their announcement, the Heavenly Martial Sect Soul Household Sect's properties in the city. The disciples either switched to other sects or fled to other places; the sect collapsed and its members scattered.
The Soul Household's announcement made no mention of the deaths of Hun Zangfeng and Hun Qianchen.
Internal Lineage feuds are always kept secret.
Thousand Souls City returned to its usual tranquility, as if nothing had happened.
Time passed slowly.
Purple Soul Grotto-Heaven.
When Han Xuanji emerged from the cultivation room, a year had passed.
He stood at the entrance of the cave abode, hands behind his back, gazing at the distant horizon, and exhaled a long breath.
"It's time to go to the Life and Death Ravine."
Han Xuanji glanced at the jade talisman bearing the ownership of the Purple Soul Grotto-Heaven in his hand again, and couldn't help but feel a sense of emotion.
He had made such a great contribution, but Hun Qianxue couldn't openly publicize it. So he could only compensate him by first opening the Life and Death Ravine as soon as possible to meet Han Xuanji's various requests, and secondly by directly gifting the Purple Soul Grotto-Heaven to Han Xuanji.
As a high-class cave abode, it was priceless and originally a fixed asset of the Soul Household, but now Hun Qianxue has given it directly to Han Xuanji.
This grotto-heaven covers a vast area, rich in Spiritual Qi. The formations and restrictions were all personally set up by the powerful members of the Soul Household throughout the ages, making it invaluable.
After giving it to him, if Han Xuanji leaves the Soul Household, the Soul Household has no right to dispose of the cave abode dwelling. If Han Xuanji no longer wants it, the Soul Household will need to buy it back.
Of course, Hun Qianxue knew that this was nothing, just a token of his goodwill.
The communication token lit up, and Hun Qianling's message popped up:
"The arrangements for the Life and Death Ravine have been made. When will you depart?"
Han Xuanji glanced at it and replied with two words:
"Immediately."
Cultivators who follow the Dao of Principle must condense their own Eternal Dao Principle to break through. The further they go, the more difficult it becomes. They not only need to consider the compatibility of various Dao Principles, but also their own abilities.
"If I can succeed in the simulation, then it'll be no problem for me with cheats..."
Han Xuanji wasn't worried about failing.