Chapter 304
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Chapter 304: Fierce Debate
"I don’t know, Master!"
Su Ling knew she couldn’t avoid it. Taking deep breath, she stepped forward.
Ye Yun frowned slightly, attempting to pull her back but failed. He then strode forward himself, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with her.
"Sect Leader, this matter was indeed strange. Ling’er is my daughter, raised among us since childhood. How could she bear the Demon Race Bloodline?" Su Hao’s voice sounded calm, lacking expected urgency.
"Peak Master of the Shadowless Peak speaks wrongly. The Demon Race Bloodline may lie dormant for centuries or awaken within years. Undetected until awakening – this we all know." Elder Shi stepped forward, tone gentle yet firm.
"Elder Shi’s words hold truth. Proper examination should occur. Once Bloodline Awakening happens, the demon essence blood becomes detectable." Ouyang Wentian declared loudly.
Su Hao’s eyebrow twitched. "Ling’er is my daughter. I’ll question her first and conduct thorough inspection. Any findings will be immediately reported."
"Are you jesting, Peak Master? The Demon Race has been humanity’s eternal foe. Should her bloodline awaken, Su Ling might lose humanity entirely, becoming demon. Though we’ve never witnessed demonic power firsthand, ancient records describe it clearly." Elder Shi’s voice turned icy.
"Elder Shi errs. Changes in Ling’er might stem from other sources. The Immortal Realm’s bloodlines also exist in our world. Why assume demonic origin?" Su Hao scoffed, contempt evident.
"Immortal bloodline? Bold imagination, Su Hao. Immortals are myths unseen for millennia. Demons have historical proof – ten thousand years ago they nearly eradicated humanity. Only divine intervention saved us." Elder Shi retorted with cold snort.
"Elder Shi’s long tenure as Tian Shen Peak’s Supreme Elder must have clouded his memory. Heavenly Sword Sect matters aren’t yours to decide." Su Hao laughed, eyes glimmering with excitement.
"What? Seeking combat, Peak Master? Think I fear you?" Murderous intent solidified in Elder Shi’s gaze.
"Silence!"
The Sect Leader of Heavenly Sword Sect’s voice thundered as tension peaked, vibrations shaking the air.
"I’ve led this sect decades, watched Ling’er grow. Regardless of bloodline presence or awakening – even awakened, what chaos could her power cause under our watch?"
"Wise judgment, Sect Leader." Su Hao bowed slightly.
"Peak Master of Shadowless Peak, take Ling’er for examination. Murong Wuqing will assist. Should the Demon Race Bloodline prove false, let it rest. If real… you know proper measures." The Sect Leader’s calm tone held unyielding authority.
Su Hao nodded sharply. "Naturally!"
Murong Wuqing approached, face impassive as glacial ice. His emotionless stare lingered on Su Ling before turning away.
Ye Yun and Su Ling felt arctic chill radiating from the man, bone-deep coldness piercing their hearts from meters away.
Sensing Su Ling’s trembling, Ye Yun clasped her hand. "Fear not. I accompany you."
The whispered words worked magic – her shivers subsided. Turning, Su Ling met his gaze with starry eyes clouded by confusion and dread.
"Sect Leader, why permit Su Hao’s removal? Immediate inspection here would suffice. Our late Foundation Establishment cultivation levels ensure safety and clarity." Ouyang Wentian’s voice echoed suddenly.
Ye Yun and Su Hao snapped stares towards him, eyes sharp as daggers.
"Ouyang Wentian! Presuming victory? Already acting as Heavenly Sword Sect’s next leader?" Su Hao’s barbed words struck home.
Ouyang Wentian paled. "Baseless accusation! I merely suggest—"
"The Sect Leader decided. Would you have him break word like dawn becomes dusk?" Su Hao interrupted coldly.
"You—!" Face white with rage, Ouyang Wentian retreated.
"Sect Leader, Wentian speaks sense. Our presence guarantees safety. Immediate inspection could clear Ling’er." Elder Shi seized the opening.
"What? Elder Shi deems my decrees weightless? Alterable at whim?" The Sect Leader’s eyebrow arched, voice frost-laden.
Though Supreme Elder, Elder Shi’s late Foundation Establishment cultivation paled before the Sect Leader’s Golden Core stage aura. He fell silent, cowed by implicit threat.
"Murong Wuqing, accompany the Peak Master of the Shadowless Peak to investigate thoroughly. If Ling’er truly has Demon Race Bloodline within her, you and Su Hao shall take her to my divine hall," the Sect Leader of the Heavenly Sword Sect said slowly, his gaze fixed on Su Ling’s face.
Murong Wuqing nodded. Despite his exceptional cultivation level and arrogant nature that made him disdain most interactions, he still showed basic courtesy before the Sect Leader.
"Junior Brother Wuqing, your help is appreciated." Su Hao cupped his hands. He stepped before Su Ling, studying his daughter with solemn eyes before sighing. "Ling’er, I’ll uncover the truth about this."
Su Ling remained silent, nodding as crystalline tears welled up but didn’t fall.
"Let’s set aside the Demon Race Bloodline matter for now. First, let’s reward disciples who survived the Soul-Cutting Mountains trial." A middle-aged man stepped forward, bowing to the Sect Leader before speaking.
"Rewards for this trial?" Duan Chenfeng’s eyes brightened.
"The Peak Master only emphasized survival before entering. Rewards should follow." Yu Minghong whispered, still shaken by their near-death experience yet excited.
"Who’s that man? I don’t recognize him." Ye Yun murmured.
Before Su Ling could answer, Su Yinxue’s voice came from behind. "That’s Quan Xingqing, Hall Master of the Trial Hall."
"How does his cultivation compare to Master’s?"
"Slightly inferior. Peak of Foundation Establishment stage five. At full power, he might barely reach sixth level of Foundation Establishment." Su Yinxue answered after consideration.
Ye Yun nodded. The trial had clarified his own capabilities – though at third level of Qi refining, his true strength matched peak Foundation Establishment stage four. The promised rewards held little interest for him now.
"Five teams entered. All Tian Zhu Peak disciples perished, but others survived – the highest survival rate in centuries!" The middle-aged man gestured excitedly.
He waved his hand, summoning four jade bottles emitting gentle glow that hovered mid-air.
"Murong Wuhen, Jiang Shui Ning, Ye Yun, Jun Ruolan – come forth." Hall Master Quan Xingqing commanded.
The disciples’ bodies jerked forward involuntarily, compelled by magical force in the voice.
Suddenly, Ye Yun felt pure stream of energy erupt from his heart, icy clarity dispelling mental fog. The compulsion vanished.
He saw Murong Wuhen stagger after three steps, eyes flashing as he halted. Jun Ruolan stopped after four steps, brows furrowed. Only Jiang Shui Ning remained controlled, kneeling before Quan Xingqing.
"Why this test, Hall Master?" Murong Wuhen demanded coldly.
"More evaluations after surviving?" Jun Ruolan added sharply. As genius disciples nearing Golden Core stage, they showed no deference despite Quan Xingqing’s position.
Ye Yun stayed silent, cold eyes fixed on Quan Xingqing. This display required higher-ups’ approval. What were Sect Leader and Heavenly Sword Sect’s leaders plotting? His gaze swept across them, devoid of reverence.
