Chapter 385: Sin and Punishment

Chapter 385: Chapter 385: Sin and Punishment

Yi Xiaoyao held the Pill Child Order, proclaimed himself the Pill Child of the Holy Pill Hall, and declared he would execute the Grand Elder.

The hall remained deathly silent.

At this moment, they finally understood why Yi Xiaoyao, despite having long seen through their objective, had still dared to come here, confront them so fearlessly, and even reject their offer.

It was because Yi Xiaoyao was their Young Master. He had likely come here to turn their own scheme against them, intending to test and intimidate the elders.

At this thought, the eyes of the red-browed, red-bearded elder instantly lit up.

’When Yi Xiaoyao asked if anyone would save him, that was actually a test. Back then, only I tried to dissuade the Grand Elder. It seems I’ve likely passed Yi Xiaoyao’s test.’

"Zhu Tong greets the Pill Child!"

Elder Hongmei strode before Yi Xiaoyao and bowed with his fist clasped in his hand.

Yi Xiaoyao nodded, his gaze sweeping over the other elders.

Immediately, four more elders stepped forward, bowed, and moved to his side.

Aside from the Grand Elder, who stood frozen in place, three other elders hesitated, making no move. Because they had just helped the Grand Elder threaten Yi Xiaoyao, they were naturally in an awkward position.

"Let us verify the authenticity of this Pill Child Order."

One of them reached suspiciously toward Yi Xiaoyao, intending to take the Pill Child Order.

"Who do you think you are to question my identity?" Yi Xiaoyao said coldly.

Another man said in a heavy voice, "Our Holy Pill Hall hasn’t produced a Pill Child in centuries. For one to appear out of thin air today is naturally suspicious. You must explain your identity and how you obtained this Pill Child Order."

"Ridiculous. Why would I need to explain my identity or the origin of the Pill Child Order to you?"

Yi Xiaoyao sneered. "If you don’t believe me, you’ll understand everything when I pass judgment on you."

The expressions of those few elders changed.

But after a moment, a cold smile spread across the Grand Elder’s face. "You dare not explain your identity and origin because you forged the Pill Child Order and are impersonating the Pill Child! Now you even want to kill an elder? How could we let you succeed!"

"Today, I will execute you, an imposter, on the spot!"

With that, the Grand Elder’s Spiritual Power erupted as he charged at Yi Xiaoyao, intent on killing him.

The man understood. ’Even if Yi Xiaoyao’s identity is real, I have to kill him. Otherwise, I’m a dead man either way.’

The elders beside Yi Xiaoyao were alarmed. They all moved at once to shield him. Having chosen their side, they had to protect him.

With a loud BANG, the Grand Elder’s attack clashed with the elders’, and both sides retreated.

"You lot, are you going to help this villain do his evil work?" the Grand Elder roared, glaring at Zhu Tong and the other elders.

Zhu Tong and the others replied, "Grand Elder, this matter is of the utmost importance. We must wait for the Saint Witch to handle it personally."

The Grand Elder snorted heavily and said to the three men beside him, "What are you waiting for? Help me kill this scoundrel!"

Hearing that Yi Xiaoyao intended to pass judgment on them, the three men felt they had no way out. After a moment’s hesitation, they all moved to the Grand Elder’s side, intent on killing Yi Xiaoyao.

’Once Yi Xiaoyao is dead,’ they thought, ’even if he truly was the Pill Child, the Red Butterfly Saint Witch would likely consider other factors. She won’t punish us too severely for a dead man.’

The expressions of Zhu Tong and the others by Yi Xiaoyao’s side changed. It was clear the Grand Elder and his cronies were determined to kill. Furthermore, the Grand Elder’s cultivation and strength far surpassed theirs. With the four of them joining forces, their group of five might not be a match, to say nothing of protecting Yi Xiaoyao.

"Zhu Tong, get the Pill Child out of here! We’ll hold them off!"

The four elders in front of Yi Xiaoyao stepped forward, while Zhu Tong smashed through the roof, trying to escape with Yi Xiaoyao.

Instantly, the sound of clashing attacks and explosions erupted from below. The Grand Elder sent one man flying and shot into the sky after Yi Xiaoyao.

But in the next moment, the Grand Elder let out a pained scream and was sent flying back down. He crashed to the ground, clutching his chest and violently coughing up blood.

"Insolence! Are you all trying to rebel?"

A deep, powerful roar echoed from the sky. Hearing the voice and seeing the grievously wounded Grand Elder, everyone fighting in the hall froze, their faces paling.

Meanwhile, Yi Xiaoyao, who had been carried into the sky by Zhu Tong, saw an expert with a terrifyingly powerful cultivation aura punch the Grand Elder, sending him flying and leaving him severely wounded. Then, he spotted a graceful figure in red beside this expert, and a faint smile touched his lips.

"Miss Huo Wu, what are you doing here?" Yi Xiaoyao asked with a smile, looking at Flame Sacrifice Fire Dance.

Flame Sacrifice Fire Dance snorted softly. "If I hadn’t come, you’d have been in real trouble!"

Yi Xiaoyao immediately realized something. "The Red Butterfly Saint Witch sent you, didn’t she?"

"Master sent me to help you punish the traitors. I’ve been waiting here for quite a while."

As Flame Sacrifice Fire Dance spoke, she turned to the man who had just punched the Grand Elder. "Elder Man, this is the Pill Child."

Elder Man, his bearing proud, gave Yi Xiaoyao a slight nod but said nothing more.

’So this Elder Man must be the expert from the Holy Pill Hall,’ Yi Xiaoyao realized, ’sent by the Red Butterfly Saint Witch to help me take control of the Holy Pill Academy.’

Yi Xiaoyao didn’t mind the man’s attitude. ’My current strength is nowhere near enough to control the Holy Pill Hall. Even as the Pill Child, I don’t yet have the right to demand respect from an expert of his caliber.’

By now, the commotion in the sky had attracted the attention of the entire Holy Pill Academy. All eyes turned toward the space above the Elder Hall.

Then, Elder Man roared at the elders still inside the Elder Hall, "Get up here, now!"

The Grand Elder and the others immediately shot out from the hall, appearing before Yi Xiaoyao and his party.

"Pill Child, how do you wish to deal with these people?" Elder Man asked Yi Xiaoyao.

Yi Xiaoyao looked at the Grand Elder, a cold smile touching his lips. He then raised a hand and pointed.

"This man tried to seize my inheritance and sought to kill me. Even after learning my identity, his murderous intent did not wane."

Having listed the crimes, he roared the sentence: "Execution!"

Elder Man nodded. His figure flashed, and he shot toward the Grand Elder.

The Grand Elder’s face twisted in terror. "Man Zhan!" he screamed. "You’re an elder of the Holy Pill Hall, and I’m an elder of the Holy Pill Academy! We are equals! You have no right to punish me!"

The Holy Pill Academy focused on Alchemy, while the Holy Pill Hall focused on combat. The Grand Elder was naturally no match for Man Zhan, but in terms of official standing, it was difficult to determine who was superior.

The next moment, an enchanting yet icy voice rang out.

"Then do *I* have the right to punish you?"

With the voice, a Fire Butterfly Flower Carriage appeared above the crowd in the blink of an eye.

Everyone was stunned and bowed in unison. "Greetings, Red Butterfly Saint Witch!"

Seeing the Red Butterfly Saint Witch appear in person, the Grand Elder knew he could not escape his fate. He immediately fell to his knees, prostrating himself.

"It seems that after a few centuries of my absence, some people have stopped listening to my words."

The Red Butterfly Saint Witch’s icy voice reached the Grand Elder’s ears.

"This old slave wouldn’t dare!" the Grand Elder cried in terror.

The Red Butterfly Saint Witch snorted. "You dare to scheme against and even try to kill the Pill Child of my own choosing. Is there anything you *wouldn’t* dare to do?"

"This old slave has been wronged! I only wished to betroth my granddaughter, Yi Lu, to the Pill Child..."

Before the Grand Elder could finish his excuse, the Red Butterfly Saint Witch sealed his mouth with her Spiritual Power.

"For years, you have used your title as Grand Elder of the Holy Pill Academy to abuse your power for personal gain and bully others, earning the dissatisfaction of the great Alchemy Families!"

"Today, in my own Alchemy Dao Arena, you blatantly coerced and bribed members of other families to help your granddaughter seize my inheritance!"

"You led the world to believe that my Alchemy Dao Arena was opened solely for your Yi Family, tarnishing my reputation!"

"And now, you attempt to seize the Pill Child’s inheritance and even try to murder him. Such audacity!"

Each charge that fell from the Red Butterfly Saint Witch’s lips made the Grand Elder turn pale and tremble uncontrollably.

The crowd below was in an uproar. So this was how despicable the Grand Elder truly was.

"Xiaoyao, you are the Pill Child I have chosen. I leave the affairs of the Holy Pill Academy in your hands. Man Zhan will carry out your judgment," the Red Butterfly Saint Witch said, handing all authority to Yi Xiaoyao.

Yi Xiaoyao understood. The Red Butterfly Saint Witch wanted him to make an example of these people to solidify his status as the Pill Child.

"Kill him."

Yi Xiaoyao’s voice had barely faded when a flash of Man Zhan’s blade split the Grand Elder in two. His body fell limply toward the ground below.

"And as for you three."

Yi Xiaoyao’s gaze swept over the other three elders. He had intended to kill them as well, but a quiet message from the Red Butterfly Saint Witch reached his ears, making him pause.

Having witnessed the Grand Elder’s death with their own eyes, the three elders were now terrified, desperately begging for mercy.

"You three are hereby stripped of your positions as elders. You will spend the rest of your lives cleaning the Pill Record Pavilion!"

Yi Xiaoyao announced impassively. The Red Butterfly Saint Witch had her reasons for not letting him kill these three, but he had no intention of letting them off easily.

"Yi Lu is to be demoted to a Pill Slave!"

Hearing this, Yi Lu’s delicate body trembled, and her face went deathly pale. She, a prodigy of the Alchemy Dao, was now reduced to a Pill Slave. It was all because of her and her grandfather’s selfish desires. They had truly brought this upon themselves.

This scene left everyone from the Holy Pill Academy utterly dumbfounded.

Yi Xiaoyao had actually become the Pill Child, and the Red Butterfly Saint Witch herself had appeared to back him.

With a few words, the Grand Elder was dead, three elders were reduced to janitors for life, and a once-proud prodigy was demoted to a Pill Slave.

From this day forward, no one in the Holy Pill Academy would ever dare to disrespect Yi Xiaoyao again.

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