"You all want to make a mess of things? Fine, go ahead and make a mess." Zhao Wuji's face darkened, his tone laced with barely restrained fury.
Did they really think they could escape his control and rule themselves now?
Just wait.
He would see if they truly had the ability to defy the heavens!
Yun Jin smiled faintly and suddenly turned her gaze toward Ye Danxia.
Ye Danxia, already trembling with fear, flinched as soon as Yun Jin's eyes met hers. Her legs gave out beneath her, and she collapsed to the ground in panic.
Yun Jin shifted her eyes away, her voice calm. "Sect Master, shouldn't there be a conclusion to Ye Danxia's crimes? She slandered her sect mates and tried to bring about their deaths."
Until now, everyone had watched the events unfold between Yun Jin and Ye Danxia, but no one apart from the disciples of Tianjian Peak had dared to speak up for the truth.
Now, that silence was beginning to crack.
As Yun Jin opened the subject, a quiet voice followed. It was Fang Mingyue.
"Since her entry into the sect, Ye Danxia has caused incident after incident. Every time, someone else took responsibility for her actions. This time, no one is left to take the fall. It's time she faced the consequences herself."
Ye Danxia's face turned pale as ash. Instinctively, she looked toward Zhao Wuji.
Nothing she said now would matter.
Only Zhao Wuji could save her.
Her master adored her. He wouldn't let her die.
Zhao Wuji's expression was unreadable.
In truth, he would never have agreed to that absurd wager if not for the sake of saving Ye Danxia's life. Because of her, he accepted the gamble. And because of her, he lost his rightful control over the sect's spiritual fields.
He should have been furious with this disciple. But strangely, Zhao Wuji couldn't bring himself to feel that way. He couldn't even explain it. He had cultivated for hundreds of years and accepted many disciples. Even with others like Ruan Jun, he had punished them without hesitation.
If any of them had acted as recklessly as Ye Danxia, he would have cast them aside long ago.
But Ye Danxia... always managed to soften his heart.
Perhaps it was because she was his first female disciple.
Or perhaps it was because of her extraordinary talent.
Zhao Wuji spoke slowly, "Danxia has certainly made mistakes, but I believe she is not truly malicious at heart."
The moment he finished, Yun Jin gave a soft snort of laughter.
Zhao Wuji turned to glance at her.
"Sect Master, please, continue with your—oh, no, not story—your explanation," Yun Jin said with a gentle tone.
She had a gut feeling that Ye Danxia wouldn't die so easily.
After all, she was the heroine of a novel. A daughter of destiny.
How could the protagonist die before the male lead had even shown up?
If she did, the whole story might as well be canceled.
Yun Jin was simply curious.
Even now, what was it that could keep Ye Danxia alive?
Zhao Wuji's tone remained cold. "Regardless, Danxia possesses an extremely rare Heavenly Spirit Root. She is a once-in-a-century genius. If properly nurtured, she may very well be accepted into a Holy Land in the future. Moreover, Huo Lie has recently discovered that she shows great potential as an alchemist. At her age, she could become a first-grade alchemist within just a few years. Do you understand what that means?"
"Oh? And what does it mean?" Yun Jin asked, genuinely curious.
Zhao Wuji shot her a disdainful look, but he still answered.
"Alchemy is a mysterious and vital path. Whether healing, improving one's cultivation, or solving various problems, all of it relies on pills refined by alchemists. An alchemist may not be strong themselves, but their pills can attract the protection of peerless cultivators. Among the four Holy Lands, the Kunlun Sword Sect may be the strongest in offense, but the one that no one dares to provoke—without question—is Xuandan Gate."
"Within Xuandan Gate, there are even Saint-grade alchemists. A single casual refinement from them can yield a Saint-grade pill, something that even Mahayana cultivators would fight over. Offending Xuandan Gate is tantamount to offending the entire upper echelon of the cultivation world. That's no idle warning."
Zhao Wuji lifted his chin with pride. "And my little disciple here, she has top-tier talent. If she enters Xuandan Gate in the future, the benefits she brings to Tianxing Sect will be immeasurable.
I propose we make an exception. For a peerless genius like Ye Danxia, we should show mercy. Only then can she contribute fully to the sect."
Zhao Wuji had once kept up appearances, but Yun Jin had torn down each layer of his pretense. Now, he no longer cared about hiding it. He was openly shielding Ye Danxia, even at the expense of sect law.
Ye Danxia's eyes lit up with hope.
She knelt before Zhao Wuji, bowing repeatedly. "As long as everyone is willing to give me another chance, I swear to work hard, to cultivate diligently and study the art of alchemy. I will repay the sect and all of you for your kindness."
She was truly terrified. She kowtowed again and again, not daring to stop.
By the time she raised her head, her forehead was torn and bleeding, red trickling down her face.
Zhao Wuji's heart ached at the sight. "Danxia, that's enough. To admit one's faults and change is the greatest virtue. I believe everyone can find it in their hearts to forgive you."
Only then did Ye Danxia stop, her face wearing a pitiful expression.
Zhao Wuji kept speaking.
He failed to notice the stillness that had overtaken the arena.
The crowd stood in silence, but deep in their hearts, they had all memorized the faces of this master and disciple pair. bSo this was the Sect Master who had claimed fairness and justice for decades. At last, they understood what "fairness and justice" truly meant.
Gu Jinghong let out a soft, scornful laugh and lowered his gaze.
What Zhao Wuji did with Ye Danxia no longer concerned him.
From now on, he would only follow his master's orders.
"Sect Master," Yun Jin said with a smile, "are you announcing your decision, or is this a discussion with everyone? From your words, it sounds like talent alone is enough to exempt someone from any consequences."
Zhao Wuji's eyes narrowed slightly. "Yun Jin, I've already returned the control of the spiritual fields. Do not push your luck."
"She falsely accused me and tried to kill both me and Gu Jinghong. I am simply asking for a punishment equal to her crime. And now that makes me the villain?" Yun Jin lifted her chin. "What kind of absurd logic is that?"
"Sect Master, her talent may be exceptional, but her character is not. Will she truly repay the sect in the future? That's far from certain." Another peak lord spoke up.
"That's right. The sect rules exist for a reason. If we start ignoring them just because someone is gifted, then what's the point of having rules at all?"
"You cannot disregard the law of the sect for the sake of one disciple. Sect Master, we ask that you act with fairness. Do not chill the hearts of those who still believe in this sect."
Yun Jin's earlier victory had given her the leverage to bring this matter forward—and now that advantage was showing.
In the past, no one outside of Tianjian Peak had ever spoken up for her.
Now, others were beginning to take a stand.
With the small flame she had lit, people were finally stepping out of the shadows to help change Tianxing Sect.
"Sect Master, please reconsider!"
A disciple suddenly shouted.
Zhao Wuji turned to glare.
But the next moment—
"Sect Master, please reconsider!"
"Sect Master, please reconsider!"
The cry rose and swelled, turning into a tidal wave of voices that roared across the arena, surging and unstoppable.
Zhao Wuji's expression darkened completely.