Chapter 108 Succession - 6 Upon hearing Elder Yu's question, the Zou family...

Upon hearing Elder Yu's question, the Zou family members' faces turned indescribably grim.

Elder Zou roared furiously, “Elder Yu, I know you’re on the same side as Wu Chen. But how dare you slander the High Priest? Don’t you all know what kind of person the High Priest is? Wu Chen is so eager to ascend to the throne that he’s fabricated these baseless accusations against the High Priest. Why is your Yu family aiding and abetting this evil? What has the High Priest done to wrong the Yu family? What has our Zou family done to wrong the Yu family? Aren’t you afraid of retribution for your actions?”

Even on the verge of death, he still spouts such lies. Lu Qing was utterly disgusted and couldn't help but speak sarcastically, "Retribution? Your Zou family believes in retribution?" She suddenly remembered something and laughed, "Others' retribution may come later, but yours has already arrived."

"Kill this witch!" Elder Zou roared, pointing at Lu Qing.

Wu Chen reached out and pulled Lu Qing behind him, saying, "If killing could solve problems, I wouldn't be standing here today. You accuse me of slandering the High Priest. Why not invite the High Priest out for a face-to-face confrontation? Can't even such a serious accusation disturb the High Priest's rest?"

Elder Zou was trembling with anger, but he couldn't think of any new words.

"Since you have nothing to say, then I will speak. I'm sure everyone wants to know where this fight tonight started. The origin of this fight tonight is not due to any personal grudge between me and the High Priest or the Zou family. The origin of this fight lies in the Fruit of Spirit Communication. The legend of the Fruit of Spirit Communication has been circulating in the Shrine for a long time. No one is not curious about this magical fruit, and I am no exception. In the notes of many Shrine elders, there are more or less records of what they once knew. But the more you read, the more you find the hidden hints, and the more doubts you have."

Some of the elders, upon hearing his words, seemed to recall something and couldn't help but frown.

"As for this winter hunt, I originally thought you just wanted to infiltrate the Divine Palace disciples to cover your tracks and seize the Spirit Fruit, so I didn't take it seriously. I traveled with Divine Attendant Yu, and we deliberately chose a secluded road to enter the Western Wilderness. Because that road was treacherous and difficult to travel, we were delayed for quite some time, but by sheer chance, we saw someone committing a crime. By the time we arrived, the murderer had already left, the victim's face had been disfigured, and the body had been buried deep..."

Elder Zou was extremely impatient. "People who go to places like that kill for profit. What's so strange about them dying?"

Upon hearing this, Yu Jitang raised an exaggerated brow, his gaze towards Wu Chen becoming complex, but ultimately only filled with mockery. He said nothing, waiting for Wu Chen to continue.

"And someone had tampered with my body, so I had no choice but to change my route with Yu Shenshi. But we discovered that the person responsible for the ambush and tracking me was actually Qi Zhi, a disciple of my Nukun Peak. And after Qi Zhi was exposed, he actually went to Zou Shenshi to report back."

Elder Zou scoffed, "Wu Chen, you're unpopular, are you going to blame that on the High Priest?"

"But then, Qi Zhi actually led a large number of Zou Shenshi's men to hunt down me and Wu Chen. What do you say about that?" Yu Jitang interjected from the side.

Elder Zou sneered, dismissing the matter entirely. "Words are meaningless; what do I need to say?"

Yu Jitang chuckled again, without arguing.

Wu Chen continued, "Only then did we discover that the Divine Palace disciples who entered the Western Wilderness winter hunt were being chased and killed by unknown individuals who had followed them, and were even subjected to torture, resulting in heavy casualties. We rescued many along the way, but the Western Wilderness is too vast, and the two of us alone could not possibly rescue all the disciples. Therefore, we decided to immediately stop the winter hunt and have the disciples reunite and return."

Many elders behind them were deeply distressed, but then someone asked, "Witch God Attendant, if that's the case, those disciples died at the hands of unknown people. What does that have to do with the High Priest?"

Wu Chen nodded. "At the time, I didn't understand either, and I never even considered that this matter would be related to the High Priest. It wasn't until most of the Divine Palace disciples began to withdraw, leaving only cultivators who had come upon hearing the news and those unknown individuals in the Western Wilderness, that we finally entered the Western Abyss. There, we encountered the Spirit Communication Clan. And unexpectedly, the clan leader of the Spirit Communication Clan also recognized the High Priest. The High Priest's injuries weren't due to problems with his cultivation at all, but rather injuries he sustained several years ago when he entered the Western Abyss to steal the Spirit Communication Fruit, and was attacked by demons from the Western Abyss." It was during that time that the High Priest discovered the Spirit Fruit had long lost its former divine power. Even if he waited for it to ripen and obtained it, it would be of no use to him. At that time, the Spirit Fruit was still some time away from ripening. Perhaps thinking that if it could nourish pregnant women, the High Priest should do the same, he devised a brilliant method: to send all the elite disciples of the Divine Palace to the Western Wilderness to die, serving as fertilizer for the Spirit Fruit. With the nourishment of thousands of people's spiritual power, when he were to drink the blood of the Spirit Fruit again, it might be even more effective.

Those in the hall were horrified, unable to believe that the High Priest could have done such a shocking thing. Even some members of the Zou family were hearing the inside story for the first time, staring at Elder Zou in disbelief.

Elder Zou's facial muscles twitched uncontrollably. "Wu Chen, how dare you spout such nonsense and fabricate such absurd charges to slander the High Priest!"

Wu Chen sighed, "Elder Zou, your Zou family has planned everything meticulously, yet you've overlooked many things. First, at the time of the incident, not only were Ji Tang and I present, but also Jin Hua, the young master of Jin Man Lou, the people from Zhan Yan Tai, and many top experts from various cultivation sects, all of whom survived. These people are already on their way back, and some may even be on their way to the Divine Palace to settle accounts. You can say that everything I've said is a lie, but what if what these people say is the same as what I've said?"

Why did the High Priest allow these people to live? Elder Zou's mind was buzzing.

Wu Chen's gaze grew even deeper. "Secondly, High Priest Zou and the Zou family went to great lengths and killed so many people. Unfortunately, the Spirit Fruit did not grow into a tonic as you wished. After it ripened and fell to the ground, it was just a pretty little girl with no divine power. Everyone present at the time can testify to this."

Yu Jitang glanced sideways and saw Lu Qing smiling sweetly. He couldn't help but wipe his face, afraid that his expression would give him away.

Elder Zou's face immediately fell: The Spirit Fruit was useless?! Even if the High Priest wasn't dead, he wouldn't last much longer. All of the Zou family's Blazing Sun Pills had been taken by the High Priest to ensure his power could fight against the demons of the Western Abyss. Now… he looked blankly at the crowd before him. How could the Zou family possibly contend with these people?

“Thirdly,” Wu Chen looked directly into Elder Zou’s eyes, “After entering the Western Abyss, Zou Shenshi was able to use the High Priest’s ultimate sword technique, ‘Liaotian,’ which was even more powerful than when the High Priest was at his peak. It was only thanks to the Spirit Clan that we realized that the person in front of us was not Zou Shenshi at all, but the High Priest.”

"What?" Some of the elders who came later were a little confused. "You said the High Priest is disguised as Zou Shenshi, then where did Zou Shenshi go?"

Yu Jitang had been holding back for a long time, and this was the moment he had been waiting for. "Elder Zou, do you remember what you said just now, 'Killing for profit, what's so strange about dying?'"

Elder Zou was momentarily stunned, not quite understanding what Yu Jitang had said. "What did you say?"

Yu Jitang looked at him mockingly and repeated, "Killing someone for profit, what's so strange about them dying?"

Elder Zou's vision went black, and he swayed. "This, this is impossible, impossible! Who did this? Who did this?"

"See for yourself." Wu Chen flicked his sleeve and tossed out a spirit pouch. A corpse landed on the steps.

Elder Zou stumbled down and, with trembling hands, turned the body over. The corpse was like a block of ice, cold and stiff, perfectly preserved in its death state. Looking at the unrecognizable face and the familiar figure, Elder Zou felt a sharp pain in his heart, blood trickling from the corner of his lips. He collapsed beside the corpse, utterly exhausted.

Wu Chen looked down at him. "On our way back, we brought his body back with us. You should be more familiar with his fatal wounds than any of us." He tossed out a spirit pouch. "This is the body of Luo Shenshi, also killed by the High Priest with a single sword strike. I imagine the people from Zhan Yantai will soon come to you asking about Luo Shenshi's whereabouts. You can explain it to them as well."

Elder Zou stared at his eldest son's stiff corpse, his heart breaking. He had no mind to care about Luo Heqing anymore. He had schemed and plotted for the Zou family, yet he hadn't expected the High Priest Zou to show no mercy even to his own bloodline. Unable to think further, he took a deep breath and, with the help of those around him, stood up. "Wu Chen, now that things have come to this, what do you intend to do?"

Wu Chen looked at him, "The Zou family must give an explanation to the disciples of the Divine Palace and the people of the world for what they have done. Otherwise, how can the disciples of the Divine Palace stand in this world? How can a place that harbors filth and corruption win people's hearts?"

Elder Zou's youngest son suddenly appeared at the side door and looked at Elder Zou.

Elder Zou seemed to sense something, glanced over there, and then took a deep breath. "Wu Chen, things have come to this. I will lead the Zou family to leave the Divine Palace, live in anonymity, and never concern ourselves with worldly affairs again. This whole affair will be covered up and never mentioned again. What do you think?"

Wu Chen shook his head. "I am not one to kill innocent people indiscriminately. The things the Zou family has done must be accounted for. This matter cannot be left ambiguous. However, we can be lenient towards the Zou family members and their in-laws who are unaware of the matter. If it is found that they are not involved, they can be released from prosecution."

Many elders breathed a sigh of relief.

But Elder Zou was not satisfied at all. "So, you are determined not to let go of the direct descendants of the Zou family, is that it?"

Wu Chen said, "You plotted to take the lives of more than three thousand disciples of the Divine Palace. Your methods were insidious and ruthless, leaving no room for retreat. Where do you get the confidence to ask the disciples of the Divine Palace not to pursue the matter? Moreover, have you not considered what will happen to the future of the Divine Palace, and what will happen to the entire cultivation world, if such heinous crimes are attributed to the Divine Palace?"

"That's your divine palace, not the Zou family's." Elder Zou's smile was strange and sinister. "Since you refuse to let us go, then don't blame me today. The elite disciples of the divine palace have not yet returned, and many elders have also left the divine palace to go and meet them. Now, those standing behind you are the only ones left in the divine palace. But do you see these golden-armored guards? They only obey the orders of the divine officials. No matter how eloquently you speak, they won't listen to you."

Elder Zou's smile was more like a grimace. "Listen to my command, kill all of these people, leave no one alive. I want you all to be buried with my son."

The elders who accompanied Elder Yu had already experienced this on Nukun Peak, and upon hearing this, they immediately engaged the golden-armored guards in battle. However, the other elders and disciples who arrived later upon hearing the commotion could hardly believe their ears, and only when their own disciples were stabbed by the golden-armored guards did they snap out of their daze.

"Elder Zou, have you gone mad?"

"It's never too late to turn back before it's too late!"

Many golden-armored guards poured in from the side hall, turning the entire priest's hall into a sea of ​​blood with flashing swords.

Elder Zou stood atop it, sneering, "This divine palace exists because of my Zou family. If we can create one, we can create a second. As for you, once you're dead, you'll no longer be a problem."

With Wu Chen protecting her behind her, no one could attack her for the time being. A sudden idea flashed into her mind, and she shouted, "Everyone stop! The priest's seal is in my hands!"

The golden-armored guards were all stunned, and actually stopped what they were doing and looked at her.

Elder Zou's youngest son shouted anxiously, "Don't listen to her! The priest's seal is in my hands! Kill them immediately!"

The Taiyi Sword, which had been hovering above the Temple of the Divine Official, transformed into a streak of light and severed the arm of the youngest son of the Zou family who was holding the Divine Official's Seal. The Divine Official's Seal fell instantly, and in mid-air, it was suddenly enveloped by a black mass.

Elder Zou cried out urgently, "Quickly, take it back! Quickly!"

However, the black mass enveloping the priest's seal seemed to be alive, flying rapidly through the air in a strange trajectory, and none of the golden-armored guards could stop it. In just a few breaths, it landed in Lu Qing's hands, carrying the priest's seal.

Lu Qing laughed, "See? I told you it was in my hands." She moved the black thing around and put it into the spirit pouch at her waist, then handed the divine seal to Wu Chen.

Wu Chen took the document and looked at it. "Everyone, capture all members of the Zou family. If they resist, show no mercy."

The golden-armored guards immediately turned against them.

Wu Chen glanced at Elder Yu, "Elder Yu, please have someone supervise this to prevent innocent people from being harmed."

Elder Yu nodded, beckoned to several elders, and led his men towards the Zou family. As they left, he casually killed the envoy with a single sword stroke.

Wu Chen handed the divine seal to Yu Jitang, who jumped three feet away, saying, "I don't want it."

Lu Qing walked between the two and headed towards Elder Zou, her smile anything but naive. "You two can discuss it slowly. I can't wait to settle the score."

Elder Zou and several direct descendants of the Zou family stood below the priest's seat, surrounded by golden-armored guards, futilely holding their weapons and facing the crowd.

Lu Qing stood with her hands on her hips, savoring the despair and helplessness of the Zou family for a while. She was thrilled, secretly grinding her teeth and clenching her fists. The humiliation and calamities suffered by the Spirit Clan over so many years had finally come to an end.

Wu Chen walked behind her and pressed down on her shoulder. "Don't be impulsive. Especially at times like these, we need to act with more order and method."

Lu Qing took a deep breath, suppressing the urge to tear the Zou family to pieces. "What are you going to do?"

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Author's Note: Thank you to all the little angels who voted for me or watered my plants with nutrient solution between 2020-09-21 20:06:57 and 2020-09-22 15:22:46!

Thank you to the little angel who watered the nutrient solution: Someone just passed by with 1 bottle;

Thank you so much for your support! I will continue to work hard!