Clang, clang, clang.
On this day, the bell tolled.
It rang thrice, and with each toll, cultivators on Purple Sun Mountain made their way to the meeting hall.
Half a day later, aside from those on missions outside, most had gathered here.
In the meeting hall, the Lu Family's patriarch sat in the central northern seat, with many Foundation Establishment Elders seated on either side.
As for the Qi Cultivation Stage cultivators, they stood to the sides, with no seats available to them.
Lu Fuming spoke, "I am going into seclusion to heal my wounds and reverse life and death. If successful, I shall borrow another fifty years of life from heaven; if I fail, I will turn to dust. Whether I succeed or fail, my Cave Mansion can be opened twenty years later. Before I enter seclusion, I have a few things to say."
"First, the family still has eighteen Foundation Establishment cultivators. It's time to rearrange their rankings and assign responsibilities."
"Second, some of our family's businesses need to be appropriately downsized, and some benefits in the marketplace should be allocated to the Wu Family, Ye Family, Qian Family, Sun Family, etc."
"Third, the selection of a new clan leader."
"Fourth, restating the family rules."
Lu Fuming stood up, exuding a terrifying aura that imposed pressure on those present.
"A flower does not bloom for a hundred days, and a person is not prosperous for a hundred days. Not to mention that our Lu Family is just a Purple Mansion Clan, even Golden Core and Nascent Soul Clans experience cycles of rise, decline, and extinction. Successful clans have their unique stories, but failed ones are similar: the elders are unjust in handling affairs, the family's internal environment is chaotic; or the family disciples act arrogantly, offending enemies outside and bringing calamity home; or the family encounters powerful foes, unable to resist, and are annihilated on the spot."
"The reason the Lu Family has endured for a hundred years is due to our strict family rules, refraining from deeds that defy heaven and reason, and acting with principles... as long as the family maintains its principles, I tend to favor kin over reason... but some people have acted with extreme malice. Malicious acts I can no longer tolerate."
Lu Fuming said, "This time during my seclusion, with life or death uncertain, I intend to purge some pests from the Lu Family."
"Lu Xuance, you managed the marketplace and operated shops for the family, yet you did not follow the rules. After guests left the marketplace, you repeatedly went out to hunt them down, killing people for treasures and tarnishing the family's reputation. At the Eighth Layer of Qi Cultivation, you assassinated eight guests; at the Ninth Layer, you assassinated twelve guests, amassing Foundation Establishment Pills through murder to reach the Foundation Establishment Realm."
"After entering the Foundation Establishment Realm, you continued to kill guests—many have died at your hands."
"You are cunning, initially not touching members of the Qingshui Commandery's cultivation clans, nor those powerful cultivators, instead targeting loose cultivators without backgrounds... and when you hunted guests, you didn't assassinate directly at the gate but followed for three days, striking only when far from the market."
"Lu Xuance, do you confess your guilt?"
The Purple Mansion patriarch roared sharply, murderously, as his terrifying aura exerted pressure.
Lu Xuance stepped forward, trembling, "Patriarch, I confess."
He knelt directly on the ground.
To plead innocent would only add to the offenses.
"Since you confess, take your own life, lest I must act," Lu Fuming said coldly, "According to the family rules, colluding with the Demon Race is punishable by death, becoming a demon cultivator is punishable by death, murdering clan members is punishable by death, killing marketplace guests is punishable by death, selling out family interests is punishable by death."
"The five capital offenses are unforgivable, and even a Foundation Establishment cultivator must be killed."
"Slit your own throat."
With that, he tossed over a sword.
"Patriarch, I admit guilt, but I am not reconciled?"
Lu Xuance stubbornly responded, "My father died for the family; he made great contributions. When I reached the peak of Qi Cultivation at forty-five, I was eligible for the Foundation Establishment Pill. Combining both, I should have received the family's Foundation Establishment Pill, yet it ultimately went to Tianming."
"At that time, I was already fifty; the family had no Foundation Establishment Pill for me, so I had to fend for myself."
"Over the years, I have achieved military merits for the family and have been injured many times. It's just a few loose cultivators killed, not a big deal. Would the death of a few loose cultivators really affect the family's business? That's impossible. For a few loose cultivators, if the patriarch insists on killing me, I admit guilt, but I'm not reconciled.
"Patriarch, Xuance is guilty, but not to the point of death. I request leniency," Lu Tianyi pleaded, "Send Xuance to the frontier for severe punishment."
"Our Lu Family must act with integrity, yet you flagrantly ambushed guests, violating the rules and deserving death. Since you refuse to take your own life, I shall end it," Lu Fuming said coldly, Spirit Sword in hand, murderously.
"Patriarch, you are ruthless."
Lu Xuance said, "I am not reconciled."
"Not reconciled?"
Lu Fuming sneered, "Why do I need your reconciliation? I only need to answer to the ancestors. As for you, just an arrogant scoundrel, today you kill guests for a few Spirit Stones, tomorrow you'd betray clan members for a Foundation Establishment Pill, and the day after betray the family for a piece of Purple Sun Jade."
"I will kill you, using your head as a warning, to see if your head is harder than my sword."
With a slash.
A destructive Sword Qi tore through Lu Xuance's body, and the Foundation Establishment cultivator fell dead on the spot.
"Bring Lu Xuance's descendants here; expel them down the mountain for three generations, and for nine generations, they shall not test for Spirit Roots, nor hold office in the Mortal World; leave them to their fate."
Witnessing this scene, the crowd shivered inwardly.
Lu Xuanji, watching this scene, was also shaken.
"Lu Yanping, during a chance encounter, you acquired a demonic cultivation technique named the 'Six Desires Joyful Technique,' using female cultivators as furnaces to improve your cultivation. Over the years, you captured and kept thirty-eight Qi Cultivation female cultivators and two Foundation Establishment female cultivators in your mountain villa. These female cultivators were drained and died, while you reaped great benefits."
"At merely one hundred and twenty years old, you're at the Fifth Layer of Foundation Establishment, quite a rapid advancement, yet you have entered the Demon Dao and must be killed."
"I intend to kill you; do you admit guilt?"
Lu Fuming spoke again, looking at a family cultivator.
"Please spare my life, Patriarch."
Lu Yanping knelt, trembling, and said.
"Ha, Heaven's sins can be forgiven, self-inflicted sins are inescapable," Lu Fuming sneered, directly executing him with a sword.
Lu Yanping's head shattered, and he died instantly.
"Lu Xiuxin, you oversaw family trade, but in recent years you've colluded with the Demon Race, supplying White Sun Rice, various elixirs, magical treasures, cultivation books, etc., to the Demon Race for high profits. But the materials you supply to the Demon Race strengthen their demon beasts, posing a danger to humans."
"Do you confess your guilt?"
"Patriarch, I confess,"
Lu Xiuxin said calmly, "You do not need to act, I will handle it myself."
With that, she activated her True Qi, severing her meridians, and died on the spot.