The Reckoning!

The great bells and chimes resonate with a vast and profound sound.

The sound rose from the depths of the Great Void Hall, piercing through clouds and splitting rocks, vast and mighty, sweeping across the more than three hundred Spirit Vein and thousands of cave abode and pavilions of the Wuji Sacred Sect.

The nine chimes of the bell represent the highest ritual for summoning the True Person to discuss matters.

Streaks of light, some dazzling, some obscure, some sinister, rose from various mountain peaks, streaking across the still gloomy northwest sky, and descending towards the core of the Holy Sect— the Great Void Hall.

The palace is majestic, with its frame made of ancient black iron and its tiles made of black jade from the underworld. Its eaves point to the sky like swords, and its entire structure exudes a cold and heavy demonic aura.

True Person entered one after another.

Footsteps echoed in the vast, empty hall.

It was faint, yet clearly audible.

Everyone's expression is different.

Those with curious expressions were mostly recent appointees or those True Person had always been neutral and far removed from the vortex of power, their eyes scanning the surroundings.

Finally, the focus shifted to the Xuanjin Sect Leader's Throne, high above the nine-tiered black jade steps deep within the hall, and the deep blue figure currently seated upon it.

Among them, those with high spirits and barely suppressed joy in their eyes, led by True Person Qianxin, with True Person Qingli slightly behind, along with True Person Yang Cuan, True Person Chiyang, and others, stood at the right front of the formation.

Their backs were ramrod straight, their eyes burning as they gazed at the head of the table, as if witnessing a long-awaited vindication.

Some had gloomy expressions, evasive eyes, and a deep sense of unease.

Most of these people stood on the left rear of the line, trying their best to shrink into the shadows of others, their auras concealed to the extreme, wishing they could become a pillar in the hall.

They are centered around True Person Fushan Black Mountain True Person and True Person Jinyun, who were once disciples of Heishan Zhenren.

However, Black Mountain itself was not present at the time.

It is said that the Black Mountain True Person has been ordered by the Wudao Extreme Dharma True Lord to remain in seclusion in the "Silent Devil Cave" to reflect on his mistakes, and is not allowed to leave without being summoned.

The atmosphere was silent and tense, like a fully drawn bowstring.

The golden and white light inside the hall flowed across everyone's faces, reflecting complex and indescribable expressions.

After the last True Person entered, the palace door was slowly pushed shut by two Law Power dressed in heavy black iron armor and wearing demon masks, producing a muffled bang that shut out all outside sounds.

Inside the hall, you could hear a pin drop.

True Person Qianxin took a deep breath, stepped forward first, bowed, and said loudly, "We pay our respects to the Sect Leader!"

The sound echoed and reverberated between the palace walls.

The other True Person, as if waking from a dream, regardless of their inner thoughts, all bowed in unison, their voices, some high and some low, merging into a unified and resounding wave. "We pay our respects to the Sect Leader!"

The sound waves swirled in the empty hall, causing the lamps to flicker slightly.

Qi Yun, seated on the Xuanjin Sect Leader's throne, remained unchanged in his dark blue Daoist robe.

He was only covered by a black robe with gold trim, symbolizing the authority of the sect leader, on which the emblem of the Wuji Sacred Sect was embroidered with dark gold thread.

He lowered his eyes slightly, looking down at the figures bowing below.

Once upon a time, he was also one of those people bowing down.

No, even earlier, he didn't even have the right to step into this hall.

She was just an ant who was sold into the Demonic Sect by a child for a few pieces of silver and used as the lowest-ranking "talent".

A century has passed in the blink of an eye.

The cold, foul stench of the mine, the chilling infighting among fellow disciples, the perilous steps beneath the Spirit Mountain Buddhist mountain—

Countless images flashed through my mind, too fast to grasp, leaving only a coldness and hardness that settled deep within my Divine Soul.

Now, he sits here.

He holds the reins of the Northwest Demonic Path and the power of the Wuji Sacred Sect.

The world changes, and that's just how it is.

Qi Yun's lips slowly curved into a very faint smile. He raised his hand in a gesture of support, his voice calm and gentle, yet clearly reaching the ears of every True Person: "Dear fellow disciples, there is no need for such formalities."

Qi, with his limited experience, has suddenly risen to a high position, truly relying on the favor of the Great Sun Purple Ultimate True Lord and the kindness of the Wudao Ancestor. He is constantly filled with trepidation.

In the future, we will still need your concerted efforts to ensure that the traditions of our Holy Sect are not lost in the affairs of the sect.

His words were humble and appropriate, clearly stating the source of his authority, while also announcing a blatant fact to all the Holy Sect True Person.

The True Lord supports this.

The patriarch approves.

Regardless of what the people below were thinking.

At this moment, their faces all showed expressions of "it should be so" and "the sect leader is too modest," and they all bowed again.

However, in this seemingly harmonious atmosphere, Qi Yun's tone suddenly changed, as if silently breaking through the thin ice on the water's surface. "However, since I have been entrusted with this authority by the Patriarch and the True Lord, I dare not fail in my duty."

A sect is a foundation for millennia, and its strict rules and regulations are the basis for its existence.

Recently, while reviewing the clan records and examining past precedents, I discovered that in recent years, there have been inappropriate aspects in the clan's personnel arrangements, resource allocation, and even the enforcement of precepts. These accumulated problems have gradually taken root, and if this continues, it may damage the foundation of our Holy Sect.

The air inside the hall seemed to freeze instantly.

All the True Person, regardless of their original expressions, felt a jolt in their hearts and a chill flashed in their eyes.

They've arrived.

The liquidation is about to begin.

Qi Yun's gaze calmly swept across the area below, pausing slightly, especially at the dimly lit group of people to his left and behind.

Immediately, he took out a scroll of ancestral laws from his sleeve, which was neither silk nor leather and faintly shimmered with the light of Dharma, and slowly unfurled it.

"Upon investigation, it was found that during the period when True Person Fushan was in charge of the cold iron ore vein, he privately embezzled 700 catties of high-grade cold iron and more than 10,000 catties of medium-grade cold iron, and the evidence is conclusive."

According to the law, he was stripped of his position as mine owner, his salary for one hundred years was confiscated, and he was sentenced to a hundred years of solitary confinement, not to be released unless summoned.

The voice wasn't loud, but every word struck the ground like an iron cone.

True Person Fushan's face turned deathly pale, his lips trembled, and he wanted to argue, but when he met Qi Yun's unfathomable eyes, all the words stuck in his throat.

Two menacing black-robed law enforcement disciples silently appeared behind him.

"True Person Jinyun, during the Yin Wind Valley trial thirty-seven years ago, in order to protect his personal disciple, secretly attacked and severely injured three fellow disciples, causing damage to their Dao Foundation, and concealed the incident from the sect."

According to the law, he is stripped of his status True Disciple master and punished by being confined to the ninth level of "Reflection Cliff.

True Person Jinyun trembled all over, almost losing his balance, and his face turned ashen.

The ninth level of the Reflection Cliff is a place specifically for imprisoning serious criminals and isolating them from all spiritual energy. Facing the wall for three hundred years is almost equivalent to a slow and gradual demise of one's spiritual power.

"Red-Haired True Person ----"

"The Nether Bone True Person ----"

One transfer order after another, one punishment after another, came out of Qi Yun's mouth smoothly.

All those involved were once trusted lieutenants and close associates of the Black Mountain True Person.

Or they could be transferred to guard remote and desolate places on the periphery of the sect's influence, where Spiritual Qi is scarce;

They may be forced to face the wall in silence, have their salaries reduced, or be stripped of their authority due to past violations of the rules, whether overt or covert.

There were no harsh words, no thunderous rage.

Only by adhering to the ironclad laws of the patriarchal clan, with each clause clearly and coldly pronounced, can a verdict be delivered.

With each name read aloud, the atmosphere in the hall grew heavier.

The group of people to the left rear, like autumn grass swept by an invisible cold wind, all bowed their heads, their spirits waned, and some even trembled slightly uncontrollably.

Meanwhile, on the right front, Qianxin, Qingli, and the others tried their best to maintain a solemn expression.

But the triumphant gleam in his eyes was impossible to conceal.

They had waited too long for this day.

The Black Mountain faction, relying on the implicit support of the True Lord Wudao, has been operating within the sect for many years. Its power is deeply entrenched, it suppresses dissidents, and controls resources, making it a major concern for many.

Now, this seemingly solid mountain is beginning to crumble amidst this calm yet undeniable pronouncement.

No one dared to voice their doubts.

The new leader's authority comes from the endorsement of the two True Lord.

What he is doing now, seemingly a reckoning, is in fact every single thing is in accordance with the sect's rules and regulations, occupying the righteous pretext of "rectifying the discipline."

Although the Holy Sect is Devil Dao Sect.

However, the more powerful the demonic sect is, the stricter its internal laws are.

Otherwise, if these demonic True Person were allowed to act recklessly, the Heavenly Capital surely be torn apart, and how could the sect possibly maintain its operation!

Qi Yun's voice continued, issuing command after command, like a precise scalpel, stripping, transferring, or sidelining the Black Mountain faction's forces in key positions within the sect.

After the last instruction regarding the "change of stewards at the Black Water Peak spirit medicine Garden" was announced, Qi Yun closed the iron scroll of clan laws in his hand.

Inside the hall, there was a deathly silence.

The only sound was the faint crackling of the lamplight.

Qi Yun placed the iron scroll on a side table, raised his eyes, and scanned the entire room once more.

This time, his gaze was much calmer.

"The prosperity of a sect lies in clear laws and regulations, and unity of purpose among its members." He spoke slowly, his voice regaining its original gentleness.

"Past events shall be judged according to the law, and this matter shall end here."

May all fellow disciples take this as a warning, and from now on, be selfless and dedicated, diligently cultivate the Great Way, and together glorify our Holy Sect sect.

"I will obey the Sect Leader's decree!"

This time, the response from below was uniform and loud, without a trace of noise.

Whether or not they are completely subdued in their hearts, at least at this moment, everyone knows—

The heavens of the Wuji Sacred Sect have changed.

The cave is unnamed.

There is no light in it, nor is there any need for light.

In the center there is a small pool, about three zhang in circumference. The water is deep and dark, the color of black ink, yet strangely clear to the bottom.

The water surface was as calm as an ancient ice sheet, without a ripple.

The Wudao Extreme Dharma True Lord then sat cross-legged three feet above the center of this pool.

He was still wearing that simple black robe, his face as cold and hard as ever, and there was not a trace of aura emanating from him.

Suddenly, a barely perceptible ripple spread silently across the calm, mirror-like surface of the dark ink.

Ripples spread to the edge of the pool, then turned back, overlapping and intertwining, gradually brightening the water's surface and revealing a hazy, clear glow from within.

In the moonlight, the outlines of four figures slowly emerged, gradually becoming more prominent.

The figures were all blurry, making it difficult to discern details of their features; one could only sense that some were tall or short, some upright or hunched over, yet the vastness was like a sea of stars.

The profound and majestic aura of the True Lord, like the Ruins of Return, still shines through the water, adding a heavy pressure to this absolutely silent cave.

"Is it alright to take in such a madman?"

A voice came from the surface of the water.

The sound was peculiar, neither male nor female, neither old nor young, with a texture like metal rubbing against stone, and like the hollow sound of wind blowing through countless orifices, resounding directly in the "silence" of the cave, rather than in the air.

True Lord Wudao spoke in a calm, unwavering voice, as if stating a fact unrelated to himself. "Madness has its uses."

"Oh?" Another voice chimed in, this one more elusive, as if countless echoes overlapped, carrying an air of inquiry.

"That Great Sun Purple Ultimate is clearly using that Qi Yun as a springboard to hide in my Holy Sect. He has offended so many people in Spirit Mountain. If it weren't for the protection of my Holy Sect, those Buddhist cultivators would definitely not let him go."

The corner of True Lord Wudao's mouth twitched almost imperceptibly, a half-smile playing on his lips, "So what? He wants to borrow the Holy Sect for temporary refuge, I'll borrow his—stubbornness."

"Stubborn?" a third voice rang out, tinged with amusement.

"Hmm." True Lord Wudao said slowly, his gaze seemingly fixed on the reflection of a certain figure on the water.

"This person appears gentle and peaceful, with a compassionate and enlightening demeanor, but in reality, he is extremely ruthless and cunning, with a ruthless streak that disregards everything."

Having just ascended to the throne, his footing was not yet firm, yet he dared to Fruition Status Collision with the Wrathful Wisdom King who had attained the status of long-standing bodhisattvas, risking his life to fight for the Dao, and forcefully tearing off a strand of the opponent's Golden Nature.

These kinds of tough guys are afraid of the tough ones, and the tough ones are afraid of the reckless.

Ordinary True Lord cherish their lives and the Way, and inevitably weigh matters carefully before acting.

With his name prominently displayed within the sect, the others, whether it's that sword madman Qingyuan or that old ghost Nine Nethers, will have to think twice before trying to take advantage of my Holy Sect.

Is it worth completely falling out with a madman who might overturn the table and smash the Dao Fruit at any moment?

The water remained silent for a moment, its surface rippling gently in the moonlight.

A moment later, a fourth voice rang out, conveying an indifferent detachment. "That Qi Yun, by leveraging his influence, ascended to the position of Vice Sect Leader, taking charge of the Holy Sect's secular affairs and purging the Black Mountain faction—and you don't care about any of this?"

"Tube?"

The True Lord Wudao countered with a question, his tone remaining calm.

"The Holy Sect has existed for ten thousand years, with the leadership Lunzhuan like the seasons and factions rising and falling like the tides."

Today it's Black Mountain, tomorrow it's Qi Yun.

As long as it doesn't damage the sect's fundamental fortune or disrupt our resources for enlightenment.

What difference does it make who sits in that position and who wields those powers?

He paused, his voice growing even colder, as if he were talking about something completely unrelated to himself. "To us, a sect is nothing more than a slightly larger cave abode, a group of servants who take care of miscellaneous tasks."

In times of prosperity, offer more sacrifices; in times of peace, reduce noise.

It's decaying—just move to another place.

"Throughout the myriad realms, where can't the Dao be found?"

These words were incredibly blunt and incredibly cold.

They regarded the prestigious Wuji Sacred Sect, the leader of the Northwest Demonic Path and with an orderly lineage, as a dispensable temporary refuge.

The auras of the four figures on the water fluctuated slightly, but none of them uttered a word of rebuttal, clearly agreeing with the statement.

At their level, worldly power and sect honor and disgrace are nothing but fleeting clouds.

The only thing that can truly stir the heart is that vast, unpredictable, yet incredibly alluring path ahead.

Silence returned to the cave, with only the clear light and reflections on the surface of the dark ink testifying that this conversation across the void was not over.

After a long silence, the True Lord Wudao spoke again.

This time, his tone, usually as icy as ice, was unusually tinged with a faint yet unyielding solemnity. "The matter of Spirit Mountain —though ultimately shattered by the Sword Intent left behind by the Sword Pavilion's founder, and the golden light dissipated—you should understand its implications."

The outlines of the four figures on the water seemed to become clear for a moment.

He paused, then True Lord Wudao's voice, so low it was almost inaudible, yet clearly imprinted in every divine thought, "Judging from the events at Spirit Mountain this time—"

"Dao Lords----"

"It seems... there are signs of 'waking up'."

On the water's surface, the clear light suddenly condensed.

The four vast projections simultaneously fell into absolute stillness.

The deep pool reflected a silent solemnity.