Chapter 509 519: Various Punishments

Hua Lie looked at Liu Mingliang with a puzzled expression. "Then what does Elder Liu propose?"

Liu Mingliang thought for a moment before saying, "I believe exiling Wen Qingye to the Desolate North Evil Land would be a fine choice."

A chill ran through the hearts of everyone from the Celestial Profound Sect upon hearing Liu Mingliang's words.

The Desert North was in the far northwestern reaches of the Eastern Profound Domain. It was a boundless wasteland, home to only a handful of sects. Within the Desert North lay several mysterious, perilous places—veritable death traps known as the Desolate North Evil Land.

Even experts at the Life and Death Realm who wandered into the Desolate North Evil Land had only a slim chance of survival. The sects in the Desert North would only exile their disciples there for the most egregious violations of their rules.

Exiling Wen Qingye to the Desolate North Evil Land was, for all intents and purposes, a death sentence.

Even Gao Changtian's brow furrowed slightly upon hearing Liu Mingliang. He naturally agreed with the proposal, but he also knew the Celestial Profound Sect would never accept it.

After all, the two sects had a thousand-year-old relationship, and the Flowing Cloud Sect had long benefited from the Celestial Profound Sect's patronage.

Ji Hai's voice was grave. "Elder Liu, how is this any different from what Master Xia proposed?"

Liu Mingliang looked Ji Hai straight in the eye. "I'm giving Wen Qingye a sliver of a chance to live, am I not?"

For a moment, everyone in the hall fell silent.

The members of the Celestial Profound Sect did not want to sour relations with the Flowing Cloud Sect, yet they were unwilling to completely bend to their will. The Flowing Cloud Sect, on the other hand, was determined to see Wen Qingye severely punished and would not let him off easily. It appeared neither side was prepared to back down.

SWISH!

As everyone stood in silence, a small white piece of paper flew in from outside the hall entrance and landed on Ji Hai's desk.

Ji Hai looked closely and saw the four words written on the white paper: Ancestral Hall, six months.

Ji Hai recognized the handwriting on it, and his brow furrowed slightly. He muttered under his breath, 'Sect Leader, is this your decision?'

Yum Tianyang walked to Ji Hai's side. Looking at the white paper, his expression changed. "The Ancestral Hall? Does the Sect Leader mean for Wen Qingye to guard the Ancestral Hall? But six months... that's so long! It's hardly any better than the Desolate North Evil Land."

The Ancestral Hall was filled with countless Yin Spirits. Its chilling qi could seep into one's very bones and assault the Primordial Spirit. It was common for those with a weak will to die inside if they stayed too long.

Six months was the longest anyone had been sentenced to, wasn't it? In the entire history of the Celestial Profound Sect, only four people had ever stayed inside for six months or longer, and all four of them were masters at the Life and Death Realm Third Layer Heaven.

Gao Changtian and Liu Mingliang exchanged a glance, a hint of delight in their eyes, and nodded simultaneously.

Gao Changtian said slowly, "I believe we should proceed according to your esteemed Sect Leader's wishes. The Flowing Cloud Sect is in complete agreement."

Hua Lie also rose and nodded. "Since the Sect Leader himself has spoken, Junior Brother Ji, let us proceed. If he is meant to die, he will not live; if he is meant to live, he will not die. Wen Qingye is a true genius. He should be able to survive for six months."

Chuu Qi nodded as well. 'I know Wen Qingye's potential better than anyone. It ends here. That being the case, why offend a powerful ally for a genius with no future?'

Ji Hai sighed deeply in his heart.

"Fine. If that's the case, the Ancestral Hall it is." Ji Hai looked at the others subtly nodding around him, contemplated for a long moment, and spoke with resignation.

....

「Zhang Zhilin's Cave Mansion, Life Peak」

"Your body is truly formidable, as is your regenerative ability. I can't believe your injuries are already halfway healed in the short time it takes for an incense stick to burn. It's simply incredible," Zhang Zhilin exclaimed in amazement upon seeing the state of Wen Qingye's injuries.

Wen Qingye had cultivated both the Five Elements Body Refining Technique and the Longevity Technique, which held the mysteries of the Dao of Longevity. It was only natural for his injuries to heal this quickly.

This was just a moderate injury. In his past life, as long as he had his vital organs, he could have regenerated completely.

Such was the power of mastering the Dao of Longevity. Of course, the Dao of Longevity had far more profound uses than this; this was merely one of its many wonders.

And there were Daos even more powerful when it came to regeneration, like the Immortal Dao. A practitioner of the Immortal Dao could not be killed as long as a single drop of their blood or a single strand of their hair remained.

"The people from the Three Realms Sect and the Flowing Cloud Sect have left, but I feel that this matter isn't so simple," Wen Qingye said after a moment of thought.

He had found Wu Shuangying's sudden attack moments ago strange. He'd also overheard parts of the conversation outside the Law Enforcement Hall. Putting the two together...

At first, he'd only thought Liu Mingliang was overly eager. But then he realized Wu Shuangying was even more so. Both of them clearly wanted him dead.

'Experts aren't always sly old foxes. Their cultivation was clearly high, but their composure was lacking, and they'd revealed a few clues.'

'There must be someone pulling the strings behind them. Who could it be?'

Zhang Zhilin said slowly, "The people from the Flowing Cloud Sect probably don't want you dead, not like the Three Realms Sect. But in my opinion, you won't be able to avoid a harsh physical punishment."

Hearing Zhang Zhilin's words, Wen Qingye's eyes snapped open. For an instant, they were like two beams of starlight piercing the void, profound and distant.

"Zhilin!"

Suddenly, Ji Hai's voice echoed from outside the Cave Mansion.

Zhang Zhilin and Wen Qingye exchanged a look, then both rose and walked toward the entrance of the Cave Mansion.

Ji Hai gave Zhang Zhilin a wry smile and sighed heavily. "Zhilin, I'm afraid I couldn't help you this time."

Zhang Zhilin's heart tightened at his words. "Is the punishment very severe?"

Suddenly, Ji Hai snapped his head up to look at Zhang Zhilin, his gaze intense. "If you decide to do something... I won't stop you."

Standing nearby, Wen Qingye couldn't help but raise an eyebrow.

"What is the punishment, exactly?" The more Zhang Zhilin heard, the tighter his heart clenched. He had rarely seen Ji Hai speak to him with such a grave and solemn expression.

Ji Hai took a deep breath and said with resignation, "The punishment is for Wen Qingye to guard the Ancestral Hall for six months! It was decided by the Sect Leader himself."

"What? Six months?" Zhang Zhilin cried out in disbelief.

When Wen Qingye heard Ji Hai's words, a sharp glint flashed in his eyes, and inwardly, he began to laugh.

Zhang Zhilin said agitatedly, "No! I have to go see the Sect Leader! Isn't this just sending Qingye to his death?"

"You know the Sect Leader's temperament. He never changes a decision once it's made," Ji Hai said, frowning.

Zhang Zhilin froze and fell silent.

Neither of them spoke, and an eerie silence fell between them.

"It's fine. Six months in the Ancestral Hall. I can handle it."

Wen Qingye's voice broke the stalemate, echoing in their ears.

Zhang Zhilin shook his head and said helplessly, "Do you have any idea how dangerous the Ancestral Hall is? Forget you—even I would struggle to endure six months of its Yin Qi invading my body and the assaults on my Primordial Spirit."

Wen Qingye raised his head, his bright eyes meeting Zhang Zhilin's. "I'll be fine."