Chapter 264 - 66: I Killed Him!
Bang! The Cold Moon Sword once again swept across the sky as Liou Zhen shot towards Liou Hongjun; he aimed to first kill the most gravely injured among the three, Liou Hongjun.
Liou Le Yao and Liou Xie appeared to be pushed back by Liou Zhen’s sword, yet they were unharmed. How could they let Liou Zhen fulfill his wish?
The two surrounded him from left and right, intending to seal off Liou Zhen’s retreat.
Facing their attacks, Liou Zhen didn’t spare them a glance. The Cold Moon Sword carried with it a mighty force, directly slashing at Liou Hongjun.
"Liou Zhen has gone mad; he wants to trade his life with Liou Hongjun’s."
Zhao Zhuoran, watching from the side, understood Liou Zhen’s intentions instantly.
At the very moment of crisis.
Clang!
A mountain-like giant bell appeared out of nowhere, blocking behind Liou Zhen.
Deflecting all attacks from Liou Le Yao and Liou Xie, it resolved Liou Zhen’s predicament.
"That was close!" Liou Yuan let out a big sigh of relief, seeing the one who came to his elder brother’s rescue.
It was a burly old man with silver hair, a large sword tied at his waist, with a torrent of blood energy emanating from him like an oven.
It was none other than Qiu Ming’s great-grandfather, the old patriarch of the Qiu Family.
"Great-grandfather." Qiu Ming wore a look of grievance, blaming his ancestor for taking action only now.
Meanwhile, Liou Zhen’s attack also did not land on Liou Hongjun.
Instead, it was blocked by the shaft of a long halberd.
A stern-faced middle-aged man shielded Liou Hongjun from this fatal blow.
This was Mr. Chen, the deputy hall master of the Law Enforcement Hall.
The seniority of Chen Zeyang was undoubtedly higher than Liou Zhen, who was just an Inner Sect Disciple. Looking at the young man in front, he spoke in a low voice: "Enough, Liou Zhen; going on would truly result in deaths."
"In the end, it’s nothing more than mutual destruction, leaving both you and the Liou Family suffering."
Liou Yuan thought the Disciplinary Hall had given up on handling the matter.
It turned out they were waiting until both sides were exhausted before intervening.
He secretly cursed the Disciplinary Hall’s people for being sly.
But upon closer thought, it made sense.
"Had they intervened when both sides were at full strength, it might not have stopped anything; after all, none of the ones involved are simple characters."
However, as long as the Disciplinary Hall intervened, this crisis was half resolved.
The gaze returned to the battle arena in the skies.
Although there was intervention from the old patriarch of the Qiu Family and the Disciplinary Hall,
obviously, the tense and confrontational atmosphere between Liou Zhen and the three from the Liou Family hadn’t diminished at all.
Liou Zhen sheathed his sword, yet his gaze at Liou Hongjun was still sharp, causing Liou Hongjun, who narrowly escaped death under Liou Zhen’s sword, to retreat several steps.
Even among those at the Foundation Establishment level, there’s a disparity in strength; clearly, Liou Hongjun is the weakest among the three from the Liou Family.
Liou Zhen’s prowess is almost on par with the most formidable from the Liou Family, Liou Le Yao.
"The prodigy of the Liou Family perished in Erosion Land; shouldn’t there be an explanation for this?"
Liou Le Yao’s venomous voice echoed across the skies.
With her hair disarrayed, her current appearance even caused the old patriarch of the Qiu Family at the forefront to mutter in disbelief, secretly cursing that he had seen a ghost.
At this moment, two more Foundation Establishment members from the Disciplinary Hall followed Mr. Chen to the center of the battlefield, intentionally or unintentionally standing between Liou Zhen and the Liou Family.
Mr. Chen turned slightly, speaking indifferently: "When does an outer sect training expedition not result in deaths?"
"Anyone can die, but why can’t the Liou Family members?"
"Moreover, how do you know Liou Yuan acted? Without any evidence, you acted and sealed the Holy Spirit Platform."
"Liou Le Yao, your Protector demeanor is getting increasingly audacious."
Mr. Chen, deputy hall master of the Disciplinary Hall, stood equal to Liou Le Yao in rank.
In terms of prowess, the two were well-matched, and given his duty, Mr. Chen naturally showed no mercy in speech.
Indeed, the Liou Family’s actions were overbearing, and Mr. Chen’s words were relatively fair.
Liou Le Yao didn’t explain, only sneered: "Simple enough, given the many disciples on the Holy Spirit Platform, ask and the truth will be known."
"If it turns out Liou Yuan was the perpetrator, what will be done then?"
"Should his cultivation be abolished according to Disciplinary Hall’s laws?"
"Ridiculous." Liou Zhen’s cold voice sounded from behind, still tainted with blood at the corner of his mouth, as he viewed Liou Le Yao and enunciated clearly: "Earlier, your Liou Family attacked multiple disciples on the Holy Spirit Platform. If it wasn’t for Protector Zhao Zhuoran’s intervention to activate the array, how many disciples would have died?"
"According to the Five Extremes Mountain rules, isn’t this deemed massacre of sect members?"
"By the rules, shouldn’t you, Liou Le Yao, be sentenced to severe punishment in the Inner Sect?"
Liou Le Yao was stung by Liou Zhen’s words, angrily retorting at him: "How dare you address this Protector by name, Inner Sect Disciple Liou Zhen!"
"No matter if this Protector is slightly at fault, it’s not for an Inner Sect Disciple like you to intervene; your actions are insubordination!"
"Enough!" Mr. Chen’s voice interrupted the confrontation between Liou Zhen and Liou Le Yao.
"So many Outer Sect disciples are watching."
Chen Zeyang carried the reputation of the Disciplinary Hall and also served as the Vice Hall Master of the Inner Sect Disciplinary Hall. Though he had refrained from intervening earlier, now appearing before the two, even Liou Le Yao dared not act too presumptuously.
Liou Le Yao merely snorted coldly and ceased speaking.
Chen Zeyang moderated his tone, glancing at the Holy Spirit Platform below, then continued, "The death of Liou Tao from the Liou Family is quite suspicious; we still need to clarify the facts before making a decision."
"If it was indeed done by a disciple, since the Disciplinary Hall has intervened, we will surely enforce the law with fairness."
"Now bring the Outer Sect disciple, Liou Yuan, up here to confront face to face."
Saying this, Chen Zeyang glanced at Liou Zhen.
The latter understood, gently wiping the bloodstains from the corner of his mouth, and descended to the Holy Spirit Platform below.
On the Holy Spirit Platform, Liou Yuan looked at the bloodstain still lingering at the corner of Liou Zhen’s mouth, and asked concernedly about his injury, "Big brother! Are you alright?"
"It’s just a minor wound; no big deal." Liou Zhen had maintained a cold and dignified expression previously, but his demeanor slightly softened when facing Liou Yuan.
He whispered softly, instructing, "Say what you need to say, but keep silent about what you shouldn’t."
"Don’t be afraid, follow me up, your big brother’s got your back."
Chen Zeyang had Liou Zhen come down to bring the person, rather than sending someone from the Disciplinary Hall directly, the intention behind this was obvious.
He also understood that the Liou Family’s Ice Vein had been weak at Five Extremes Mountain for a long time; even if Liou Tao’s death was related to Liou Yuan, there were surely complications involved.
"Hmm!" Liou Yuan gently nodded, then deeply inhaled, looking up at the top of the Holy Spirit Platform.
There were three Foundation Establishment cultivators from the Disciplinary Hall, three from the Liou Family, the elder from the Qiu Family, along with his own big brother, eight Foundation Establishments in total.
Plus, Zhao Zhuoran was watching like a bystander from the Holy Spirit Platform.
So many Foundation Establishments were waiting for him to provide an explanation.
"Then I shall give you all an explanation." Liou Yuan’s mood instead became relaxed.
Liou Zhen waved his long sleeves, and True Essence enveloped Liou Yuan, lifting him into the air.
Beside them, Qiu Ming and countless disciples below the Holy Spirit Platform watched the two brothers depart.
Disciples who had participated in this Outer Sect mission were quite aware of the true culprit behind Liou Tao’s death.
Especially Zhan Huaping, who had also been involved in that battle.
Watching Liou Yuan’s departing figure, the genius from the Artifact Refining Pavilion who had been despondent since returning from Erosion Land, finally showed a hint of guilty pleasure and thought, "With the Disciplinary Hall intervening, Liou Yuan’s small life should certainly be spared."
"It’s just that Liou Tao’s death is undeniably connected to him; he won’t escape punishment from the Disciplinary Hall."
Others had varying concerns.
Wang Ze Wen, Zhan Huaping, and Zhao Feiyue stood together, having witnessed the entire battle among Liou Zhen and the three from the Liou Family.
They all marveled at Liou Zhen’s remarkable strength just displayed.
Especially Wang Ze Wen, whose eyes blazed with undisguised passion, "Mr. Liou is indeed formidable, taking on three opponents single-handedly, waiting for the Disciplinary Hall’s arrival."
"I observe his Snow Shattering Sword Qi has reached perfection, and among the Inner Sect Sword Dao, only our Sect Leader can surpass him."
"Mr. Chen was forced to intervene; hadn’t he arrived a moment later, today at Five Extremes Mountain, a Foundation Establishment would have surely perished."
"Whether Mr. Liou dies or not is uncertain, but Liou Hongjun is definitely doomed."
Yan Yingsi’s lips curled into a smile, being also from the Disciplinary Hall, she understood the style of the Disciplinary Hall.
If, in front of the Disciplinary Hall, a Foundation Establishment died, Chen Zeyang couldn’t escape responsibility.
"Therefore, as long as Mr. Chen intervenes, Mr. Liou should be safe." Zhao Feiyue was more concerned about whether Liou Yuan could survive.
"He can escape the Liou Family’s ruthless vengeance, but cannot escape the Disciplinary Hall’s impartial law." Yan Yingsi said leisurely, "The matter of Liou Yuan murdering Liou Tao was known to every insider at Erosion Land."
"Even if the higher-ups wish to protect Liou Yuan, they must provide an explanation to block public criticism."
"Do you understand what I mean?" Yan Yingsi slanted her eyes at Zhao Feiyue.
Zhao Feiyue smiled slightly, giving Yan Yingsi a noncommittal expression.
Under the gaze of the crowd, Liou Yuan had already been brought to the Holy Spirit Platform by Liou Zhen.
Not only did the Outer Sect disciples below all fix their gaze on him, but numerous Foundation Establishments present also focused on him the moment he ascended.
Chen Zeyang looked into Liou Yuan’s eyes with inspection, constantly shifting his gaze between Liou Yuan and Liou Zhen; he was seemingly seeing Liou Yuan for the first time.
The three from the Liou Family eyed Liou Yuan with such animosity that they wanted to swallow him alive, of course, such hatred included Liou Zhen within it.
The only one who was somewhat an outsider was the elder from the Qiu Family.
Having blocked an attack meant for Liou Zhen, he now stood aside, silent, watching the unfolding events with interest.
"Outer Sect disciple Liou Yuan, the Liou Family accuses you of secretly assassinating their descendent Liou Tao during your exercise at Erosion Land."
"Do you have any explanation?" Once Liou Yuan was in place, Chen Zeyang’s voice leisurely opened, entering his ear.
Liou Yuan first scanned the Liou Family’s side, seeing the cold and unwholesome looks of the three Foundation Establishments, Liou Yuan grinned, then turned to face Chen Zeyang, respectfully clasping his hands before uttering words that caused a stir among the disciples below the Holy Spirit Platform and the Foundation Establishments above.
"I was the one who killed him."
"I not only killed Liou Tao but also another Qi Cultivation Eighth Layer member of the Liou Family."
"Little beast, how dare you!" Liou Le Yao’s hair stood on end, her form resembling a demon, her True Essence roiling, showing signs of wanting to attack again.
"Hmph!" Liou Zhen at this moment also coldly snorted, standing with his sword in front of Liou Yuan.
The tension was tangible.