Most of the elders and devotees present at the Holy Spirit Cult were unaware of the specific past relationship between Vice Leader Feng Ling and Yan Shaozhe of the Shrek Academy.
But the cult leader Zhongli Wu's furious reaction, as if his tail had been stepped on, is enough to tell the story; there must be some untold tales behind it.
A series of gazes swept back and forth between Zhongli Wu, whose face was ashen, and Feng Ling, who remained expressionless, creating a complex atmosphere in the air that was a mixture of curiosity and a little awkwardness.
Feng Ling glanced coldly at her husband, her eyes filled with a hint of mockery and a distant indifference that showed she was too lazy to argue.
Her meeting with Yan Shaozhe was by no means Zhongli Wu had imagined.
But at this moment, she had neither the will nor the energy to explain this old grievance in front of everyone.
"Shut up!"
Ye Xishui's icy gaze was like two ice spikes, piercing towards her son.
The terrifying pressure from the Limit Douluo was like a tangible mountain, choking back the roar that was on the tip of his tongue. He could only stare at Feng Ling with a flushed face and his bloodshot eyes fixed on her.
Zhongli Wu had always been afraid of his ruthless mother. Even though he was blinded by jealousy and anger, he could only suppress his almost explosive emotions and shut his mouth tightly under Ye Xishui's absolute authority.
His entire being was immersed in the pain of "betrayal," and he did not notice at all that, deep in Ye Xishui's cold eyes, there was a very brief and subtle change the moment she heard the name " Yan Shaozhe."
Ye Xishui turned her gaze back to Feng Ling, but a careful observer might have noticed that the violent rage around her seemed to have dissipated somewhat.
She spoke slowly, her voice still icy. "Continue."
Feng Ling remained calm as she spoke, her voice carrying clearly throughout the silent hall.
Yan Shaozhe contacted me through the Xishui Alliance and told me something.
"During his exchange at the Shrek Academy, Kong Xuan, with his cultivation level of Six-Ring Soul Emperor, defeated an opponent at the level of Eight-Ring Soul Douluo in a head-on confrontation. Such combat power is unprecedented!"
She paused briefly, allowing the shocking news to settle in everyone's minds.
Seeing the look of surprise on the faces of some elders, she continued, her tone becoming more serious. "You should all understand that Kong Deming of the Worship Hall has always opposed any association between the royal family and our Holy Cult, and is filled with hostility towards our Holy Cult, regarding us as a major threat."
"If a prodigy like Kong Xuan is allowed to grow up smoothly, given his displayed talent and strength, he will undoubtedly become Limit Douluo in the future, and Limit Douluo at that!"
"At that time, will there still be a place for my Holy Cult Church within this Sun Moon Empire?!"
That final rhetorical question struck everyone like a hammer blow.
A deathly silence fell over the meeting room.
The crowd's previous anger or mere amusement instantly turned into serious consideration. This matter indeed concerned the future of the Holy Spirit Cult, and they could not afford to ignore it.
Feng Ling's words were clearly an attempt to justify her unauthorized actions, trying to elevate her personal decision to a strategic level that considered the future of the Holy Cult.
However, it cannot be denied that the threats she pointed out do exist and should not be underestimated.
Seeing everyone deep in thought, and some even nodding slightly, Feng Ling knew that her words had had an effect.
She pressed her advantage and revealed the whole plan. "It was on Yan Shaozhe's advice that I finally made up my mind to have Nangong Wan secretly contact the original Douluo Three Kingdoms."
" The Star Luo Empire and the Worship Hall have a cooperation on Battle Armor and were not involved in this matter. However, the Heavenly Soul and Dou Ling Empires dispatched four Titled Douluo to join forces to intercept and kill Kong Xuan."
"I thought that with four Titled Douluo taking action, everything would be foolproof."
"Unexpectedly... in the end, all our efforts were in vain!"
"And Kong Deming traced it back to my Holy Cult so quickly!"
His tone carried a hint of resentment and frustration, as he observed the expressions on everyone's faces and noticed that many people also wore expressions of regret.
"Oh."
A cold laugh, clearly tinged with sarcasm, broke the silence.
The one who spoke was Zhang Peng, the second elder of the Holy Spirit Cult and the Scorpion Tiger Douluo.
He cultivated by absorbing the blood of Soul Beast, making him one of the more morally upright members of this Evil Soul Master.
He curled his lip, his face full of disdain. " Shrek Academy has always prided itself on being righteous and honorable, and touted itself as a model for the continent. I never expected that they would secretly 'cooperate' with my Holy Spirit Cult to commit such despicable acts as intercepting and killing young people. This Dean Yan Shaozhe has certainly broadened my horizons."
These words earned a slight nod from some of the elders. They knew they weren't exactly good people, but they clearly also looked down on the Shrek Academy's behavior.
Meanwhile, the cult leader Zhongli Wu's gaze was practically spitting fire as he stared intently at Feng Ling.
His previous rage was replaced by a more sinister and malevolent aura. His voice was hoarse as he said, "Such a matter concerning the survival of the Holy Cult, and you actually acted on your own!"
Anyone could hear the righteous indignation beneath his accusation, a torrent of personal grudges stemming from the perceived "betrayal."
Faced with Zhongli Wu's emotionally charged accusations, Feng Ling merely glanced at him coldly, her eyes devoid of any emotion, only utter icy indifference remained.
She stopped looking at him, her voice clear and calm, carrying a resigned resolve. "This matter is my fault."
She raised her head slightly, looking directly at Ye Xishui: "No matter how the Supreme Master punishes me, I, Feng Ling... will continue!"
Feng Ling felt a chill in her heart; she knew better than anyone the enormity of her crime.
The Holy Spirit Cult headquarters was destroyed, nearly half of the high-ranking elders were lost, and the elite disciples who had been painstakingly cultivated, those "seeds" that symbolized the future of the Holy Cult, were almost all killed or injured!
Such a heavy loss will likely take much longer to recover, let alone hundreds of years.
Based on her understanding of the cold-blooded nature of the Supreme Sect Leader Ye Xishui, this ruthless Limit Douluo would not show any mercy just because she was her "daughter-in-law".
She had already resigned herself to death!
However, Ye Xishui's calm words that followed caused Feng Ling, who was awaiting her final judgment, to suddenly raise her head, her eyes filled with disbelief and astonishment.
"This time, you have indeed made a grave mistake."
Ye Xishui's voice remained devoid of emotion, but the tone suddenly shifted. "But your purpose and initial intention were also for the sake of the Holy Cult's future."
What?!
Everyone wondered if they had misheard.
The Supreme Master's words... could it be that he's not planning to punish them severely? How could that be?!
Just as everyone was filled with doubt and uncertainty, Ye Xishui's subsequent words confirmed their suspicions.
"However, this matter has had a terrible impact and cannot be easily dismissed, otherwise it will be difficult to convince the public." Her gaze calmly fell on Feng Ling, and she said, "You should no longer hold the position of vice leader."
Everyone held their breath, awaiting even crueler punishments to come, such as having their cultivation destroyed or being imprisoned until death.
But Ye Xishui's next words left everyone speechless once again.
"After that, you will leave headquarters and travel to various parts of the continent to secretly search for promising individuals with the potential for Evil Martial Soul, and bring them back to the sect for careful cultivation."
"The sect is currently suffering from a severe shortage of talent and urgently needs to replenish its ranks with fresh blood. This matter can be considered your atonement for your mistakes and compensation for the losses you have caused."
An eerie silence fell over the entire hall.
Everyone listened in stunned silence, their faces filled with bewilderment and disbelief.
This punishment is far too lenient, so lenient that it completely contradicts Ye Xishui's consistent ruthless and merciless style of taking lives at the drop of a hat!
Even Zhongli Wu looked like he'd seen a ghost, staring wide-eyed at his mother sitting in the main seat.
He screamed inwardly, "Is this still my mother who treated human life like dirt and killed without blinking an eye? She has never been so lenient with her own son!"
Feng Ling herself was completely stunned. She had imagined countless tragic endings, but she never expected it to turn out like this.
She stared blankly at Ye Xishui, momentarily at a loss for words.