Chapter Thirty-Two: Bowing in Apology

The three elders exchanged glances, the aura around them gradually swelling. What an unbearable humiliation! This was an utter disgrace! Each of them had cultivated for four or five centuries, reaching the pinnacle of the Six Spirits Realm, and held the esteemed positions of elders in the Profound Qi Sect. How could they possibly apologize to a mere disciple who had joined just four or five days ago? Even more outrageous, the heads of the three great families were not only to be stripped of their positions, but expelled from their clans entirely! As the patriarchs and pillars of their families, they would never agree to such terms so easily.

“Sect Master! After so many years of dedication and contribution, does all that count for less than a single spirit stone vein?”
“Sect Master, must we really bow to such a lowly disciple?”
“Sect Master, what of the tens of thousands in our families—how are we to face the future?”

Their powerful spiritual pressure nearly burst forth uncontrollably, their voices echoing with accusation throughout the grand hall.

“The Liu family refuses to accept this!”
“The Mu family refuses to accept this!”
“And the Huang family... we refuse as well!”

Among the crowd outside the hall, the family heads, words choked in their throats, finally shouted out their defiance.

Seventy or eighty thousand cultivators stared, mouths agape, their minds reeling in confusion.

Was a fight about to break out?

Su Yizhao stood unmoved, his gaze fixed quietly on Xuan Wuji.

“Three breaths!” Xuan Wuji, perhaps recalling the scene of the other two sects already mining spirit stones, grew all the more impatient. “When three breaths have passed, if you have not abolished their positions and apologized, you will be executed on the spot!”

“Forefather, you cannot agree! Our three families hold almost all the high positions in the halls—!”

Bang!

Staggering footsteps followed. Outside the grand hall, a cultivator's head suddenly exploded, his body dropping lifeless to the ground in an instant.

The abrupt turn of events threw all disciples into terror, forcing them back three steps in shock.

“The Liu family—the Liu family head...!”

Cries of astonishment rose around the hall.

No warning, and in a flash—a shattered head!

It was the head of the Liu family, a true cultivator of the Six Spirits Realm, even if only at its early stage. He should not have died so swiftly, without even time to react.

The crowd was stupefied, the reality too sudden to grasp.

“High positions in the halls? Hah! So, have you made your decision?” Xuan Wuji laughed with mocking amusement.

“We... we apologize!” Elder Huang Ren of the Huang family no longer hesitated. He turned, cupped his hands, and bowed deeply to Su Yizhao. “We were in the wrong before. From this moment, Huang He Shui will no longer serve as family head and is expelled from the clan!”

Elder Liu Qiang’s face was bitter as he bent in apology. “We were in the wrong before! Liu Nengbang of the Liu family is already dead and naturally ceases to be family head...”

The second elder, his courage spent, also bowed and apologized, abolishing the family head and expelling him.

Every disciple wore a dazed expression, as if refusing to believe what had just happened. Rubbing their eyes, they saw the headless corpse still lying on the ground. Only then did the truth strike, shaking them to their core.

That high and mighty Liu family head, a cultivator of the Six Spirits Realm, truly lay dead before their eyes—and in such a bizarre manner.

Su Yizhao straightened his back. He had never imagined the sect master would be so forceful, so ruthless.

Of course, he would not press his advantage any further. A family head dead, three elders conceding and apologizing publicly—this was more than enough.

He drew a deep breath and said, “Let this matter end here. I am a law-enforcing disciple by origin and naturally put the affairs of the sect first.”

The three elders straightened, all trace of their earlier disdain and disregard gone, replaced by an emotionless calm, their eyes vacant as they stared ahead.

Though Su Yizhao declared the matter closed, it was clear this would not be the end of it. Still, he did not fear them. With over two million spirit stones in his storage pouch to convert into cultivation and power, this was hardly a concern.

He turned to Xuan Wuji, bowed, and said, “The Profound Body Sect and the Profound Soul Sect are likely already on their way. Sect Master, we must hurry and be prepared for battle!”

A look of admiration flickered in Xuan Wuji’s eyes, but he did not reply. Instead, he turned to the three elders.

“Merit? Hardship? Have you truly forgotten, or do you choose to forget? Since the founding of our sect, through all the trials and tribulations, none of you played any part at all!”

The three elders seemed at a loss.

“You have been elders for more than a century, but what of a century ago? Who managed the affairs of the sect? Who fought and struggled against the other two sects?”

The assembled elders remained bewildered.

The seventy or eighty thousand disciples were even more confused.

“Since I joined the sect, it seems only the sect master has managed its affairs!” Elder Huang replied helplessly.

Xuan Wuji smiled faintly. “Then let you meet the brothers who once fought at my side to found this very sect! Brothers, is it not time to emerge from seclusion?”

Seventy or eighty thousand cultivators were shaken to their core!

There were others in the sect?

“Haha, when the bell rings, we know it is time to emerge. Junior brother, is there some great matter once again?”

“Senior brother, is it possible you cannot hold out after only so few years?”
...

As the crowd reeled in shock, one figure after another shot out from the surrounding peaks. In just a few breaths, ten more cultivators appeared in the hall.

A vast and overwhelming aura filled the hall.

Each one bore profound eyes and an imposing presence.

Only now did everyone understand: the true foundation of the Profound Qi Sect was not the Liu, Huang, and Mu families, nor the seventy or eighty thousand disciples present, but these people.

Su Yizhao was equally stunned.

With his mid-Five Spirits Realm cultivation and mastery of all kinds of techniques, he could face and even slay those at the peak of the Five Spirits Realm. Even against an early Six Spirits Realm cultivator, he dared to fight with all his might.

But these people were all like Xuan Wuji himself—he could not even discern their true cultivation.

His experience was still too shallow!

He sighed inwardly.

When Xuan Wuji saw that everyone had assembled, a look of joy appeared on his face. He cupped his hands and announced, “Elder Feng of the Profound Battle Hall, summon the disciples of your hall to their posts! Elders of the Profound Pill Hall, Profound Tool Hall, Profound Arts Hall, and Profound Talisman Hall, return to your posts!”

“At your command!” The ten replied in unison, one of them raising his right hand to send out a transmission talisman.

Xuan Wuji looked to the heavens. After a moment, he declared resolutely, “Three centuries have passed, the disciples of the Profound Battle Hall have grown stronger, and the supplies of all halls are prepared. Let us set out once again and contend with the Profound Body Sect and Profound Soul Sect!”

“At your command! Ten thousand disciples of the Profound Battle Hall have already assembled at Gravel City!”

“Good!” Xuan Wuji laughed heartily. “Su Yizhao, you may now lead the way!”

Emboldened by Xuan Wuji’s heroic spirit, Su Yizhao straightened and replied, “At your command!”

With that, he took Li Xiyue by the hand and soared into the sky, racing toward Gravel City.

“We depart for battle! Elder Cheng Jiaojiao will oversee the sect’s affairs, with the other elders assisting!” Xuan Wuji’s voice rang out behind him.

But Su Yizhao did not look back, nor did he wait. He knew that even if he flew with all his might, those others could overtake him in a single breath if they wished.

“Brother Yizhao, is there really a spirit stone vein?” Li Xiyue, flying beside him, still had shock lingering in her eyes.

“There really is. I just never imagined that a single spirit stone vein would spark a war among three sects!”
...