Chapter 252: Do You Admit Your Fault?
Yuwen Wuji turned his head. His pupils shrank abruptly when he saw Yuwen Jianchi’s headless corpse. With a THUD, he flung aside the disciple he was holding and strode forward.
"Jianchi!" Yuwen Wuji cried out, clutching Yuwen Jianchi’s body.
"Where is that bastard now?"
Yuwen Wuji spun around, glaring viciously at the crowd. His eyes blazed with a fury that seemed ready to devour everything in his sight.
The surrounding disciples of the Profound Celestial Sacred Land couldn’t help but take a step back in fear, shaking their heads in confusion.
Yuwen Wuji exploded with rage. "All the main roads around Ancient Moon City were locked down by our Sacred Land in layers! It’s impossible for him to have escaped! How could you not know where he is?"
Wang Mingxuan stepped forward to comfort him. "Wuji, don’t be angry. I know you’re heartbroken over your brother’s death, but our Sacred Land has already cast an inescapable net around the area. Shen Daoxing couldn’t have escaped. He must just be hiding somewhere nearby."
Suddenly, Yuwen Wuji roared, "Shen Daoxing, I swear I will kill you with my own hands!"
In that instant, the ground beneath his feet began to crack. K-K-KRAK! In the blink of an eye, it was covered in a spiderweb of countless fissures.
"You..."
Suddenly, Yuwen Wuji’s gaze fell upon Shangguan Yiran. "Wasn’t that Shen Daoxing staying at your residence before? Since you found him so long ago, why didn’t you report it?"
Yuwen Wuji took a single step and instantly appeared before Shangguan Yiran. A massive hand shot out, seized her by the neck, and lifted her up like she was a helpless chick.
Shangguan Yiran’s face flushed crimson, and her feet could only dangle and kick uselessly in the air.
"Speak! Why was Shen Daoxing living at your residence? Why did you never report him?"
Yuwen Wuji’s eyes bulged with fury.
"I... I didn’t know before... that he... he was the Celestial Slaughter Star!"
Shangguan Yiran’s face was beet red, and she couldn’t breathe. She stammered, her feet kicking helplessly in the air.
"Hmph. You didn’t know?"
The hand gripping Shangguan Yiran’s neck suddenly tightened. "Did you really not know? Or were you just pretending?"
"Gah...!"
Shangguan Yiran cried out in pain and spat out a mouthful of fresh blood. Her face turned deathly pale.
Fu’s face grew anxious, and he hurried forward to explain, "The Commandery Princess truly didn’t know that Shen Daoxing was the Celestial Slaughter Star the Sacred Land has been looking for!"
Yuwen Wuji whipped his head around and glared coldly at Fu. "Get lost! This is no place for a mere servant like you to speak!"
As he spoke, he struck out with his palm. Before anyone could even register what had happened, Fu was already sent flying.
BOOM!
He crashed through a wall, his fate unknown.
Suddenly, a glow emanated from Yuwen Wuji’s hands as they gripped Shangguan Yiran’s neck, and he squeezed again with immense force.
"Aaargh...!"
Her miserable cry echoed throughout the grand hall.
With a retch, Shangguan Yiran coughed up another mouthful of blood. Shocking trickles of red streamed from the corners of her eyes and mouth, a truly gruesome sight.
’Sigh, Yuwen Wuji, you really are too crude...’
Watching from the side, Wu Feihua found it a bit hard to watch. He took a step forward, as if to say something, but ultimately held his tongue.
Wang Mingxuan promptly added, "Wuji, our Sacred Land truly did not know the Celestial Slaughter Star’s real identity before this."
But even so, Yuwen Wuji didn’t loosen his grip. "Let’s just say you didn’t know his identity before. But what about later, outside Ancient Moon City? Why did you deliberately let that Shen Daoxing go?"
This time, Shangguan Yiran said nothing at all.
"So that’s how it is, you..."
Yuwen Wuji flew into a rage. "Shangguan Yiran, you let the Celestial Slaughter Star go free! That is an unforgivable betrayal of our Sacred Land! As the head of the Steward Hall, I will execute you right now as a warning to others!"
As he spoke, the light emanating from the hand gripping Shangguan Yiran’s neck flared brilliantly.
"Stop!"
Just then, a sharp female voice rang out as Dongfang Wan’Er’s figure descended.
"Yuwen Wuji, even if Junior Sister Shangguan has done wrong, her crime doesn’t warrant death! Besides, she is the Direct Disciple of the Yuqing Mountain Master. Even if she were at fault, it’s not your place to punish her!"
After landing, Dongfang Wan’Er rushed forward and declared indignantly.
However, Yuwen Wuji just turned his head and shot a cold glare at Dongfang Wan’Er. "Are you telling me what to do?"
With that, he struck out with his palm.
Instantly, a large, palm-shaped hole appeared in the wall behind Dongfang Wan’Er. With a cry of alarm, she spat out a mouthful of blood and was sent flying backward.
Yuwen Wuji looked coldly at Shangguan Yiran, his gaze as frigid as ice. "Shangguan Yiran, do you admit your fault?"
But Shangguan Yiran remained utterly silent.
"Fine! Fine! You refuse to admit your fault, even to the bitter end!"
Yuwen Wuji’s fury erupted. "Then I’ll execute you right here, today! I’ll make an example of you!"
As he spoke, the light from Yuwen Wuji’s palm flared intensely. He raised his hand high, about to bring it down on Shangguan Yiran’s forehead.
But just as his palm was about to strike Shangguan Yiran’s forehead, he abruptly stopped.
Then, Yuwen Wuji’s mouth split into a savage grin. "To just kill you with a single palm strike... would be letting you off far too easily."
With a THUD, Yuwen Wuji brutally slammed Shangguan Yiran onto the ground and commanded, "Go! Hang Shangguan Yiran from the walls of Ancient Moon City! Let everyone see the consequences of betraying my Profound Celestial Sacred Land."
The Profound Celestial Sacred Land disciples at his side were stunned. Not a single one moved forward. "Senior Brother Wuji, she’s our Junior Sister Shangguan..."
Yuwen Wuji flew into a rage. "What ’Junior Sister Shangguan’?! She has betrayed the Sacred Land! She is no longer one of us, no longer a member of the Profound Celestial Sacred Land!"
"Wuji is right!"
Wang Mingxuan slowly walked out, a faint smile on his face, his demeanor as gentle and refined as ever. "You heard him. Do as he says. Shangguan Yiran is no longer a disciple of our Profound Celestial Sacred Land."
Wang Mingxuan then paused before adding, "Oh, and after you’re done, spread the news of what happened. Make sure that everyone in the surrounding regions knows. Not a single soul should be left in the dark."
The Profound Celestial Sacred Land disciples standing by were stunned. Although they didn’t understand the reasoning, they still complied. "Yes, sir."
With that, they dragged the barely conscious Shangguan Yiran away, leaving a trail of dark red blood staining the floor in their wake.
Wu Feihua squinted, watching Shangguan Yiran’s slender figure being dragged away. He couldn’t help but click his tongue. ’What a shame about that fine body. Would’ve been nice to let me have a taste first. Such a waste!’
He even ran his tongue over his lips as he thought it.
He seemed to have anticipated this outcome all along, showing not a shred of surprise at Shangguan Yiran’s fate.
Only after Shangguan Yiran had been taken away did Yuwen Wuji turn to Wang Mingxuan. "Will Shen Daoxing really show up for her?"
A smile graced Wang Mingxuan’s refined features, making him appear quite amiable. "Shen Daoxing and Shangguan Yiran’s relationship is anything but ordinary. Don’t worry. He’ll definitely come. All we have to do is wait."