Chapter 182: Ruthless Law, The Absurd Price and Abolished Dantian

( Big Chapter+ )

Hearing Yu Liang’s question, the hall fell into a deathly silence.

Elder Qian cleared his throat, his previously sycophantic demeanor instantly replaced by the solemn, authoritative gravity of a high ranking sect elder. When it came to the laws of the Cloudwater Sect, his tone was as unyielding as iron.

"Honorary Disciple Yu Liang is correct," Elder Qian said. "According to the 73rd decree of the Sect Master, inscribed in the Ancestral Hall. To maliciously frame, slander, or bring armed forces against an Honorary Core Disciple is equivalent to rebelling against the sect itself. The law dictates that the instigator’s main family shall be exterminated, their cultivation abolished, and all assets confiscated by the sect to compensate the disciple!"

As Elder Qian recited the ruthless sect law, out of nowhere a chilling wind seemed to blow through the restaurant.

Yu Liang tapped his fingers on the wooden table, his expression calm but his eyes gleaming with a playful light. "Exterminate the main family? Confiscate all assets? That sounds perfectly reasonable. Then it shouldn’t be a bad idea to just execute them all right here and right now, right? It would save the sect the trouble of sending an execution squad later."

Swish!

Hearing this, everyone in the restaurant felt their scalps violently tingle. A wave of cold washed over the Cloudwater Sect disciples and the onlookers.

Exterminating the main family that too a Tier 4 inner city clan? That was too harsh! It was too bloody! If the Cloudwater Sect allowed an Honorary Core Disciple to wipe out an entire prominent family just because of a dispute, it would make the sect look like a tyrannical, bloodthirsty demonic path organization. It would severely damage the Cloudwater Sect’s righteous reputation and cause panic among all the affiliated families in the Jade City!

Patriarch Zhao Feng’s face turned completely gray. He finally realized that Yu Liang wasn’t just threatening him, he was fully prepared to slaughter every single member of the Zhao family.

"Honorary Disciple Yu! No, No, Ancestor Yu!" Zhao Feng completely abandoned his dignity. He crawled forward on his knees, kowtowing so hard his forehead smashed against the stone floor, leaving bloody marks. "I beg for your mercy! The Zhao family has served the Cloudwater Sect for three hundred years! My father, Elder Zhao Wuji, has contributed countless resources to the sect! If you exterminate the main family, the Zhao family’s roots will be completely severed! Have mercy! Have mercy! I am willing to give you anything!"

Yu Liang looked down at the weeping, pathetic Patriarch. His eyes were like frozen ice reflecting absolutely zero mercy.

"Mercy?" Yu Liang’s voice was soft, but it carried a piercing tone. "When your son was harassing my waitress, where was your mercy? When your elder burned his life force to strike me from behind, where was your mercy? When you brought fifty armed guards to my door to flatten my restaurant, did you show my people any mercy?"

Zhao Feng choked on his own words, his body trembled violently. He looked into Yu Liang’s eyes and saw only the cold, unyielding gaze of a supreme predator.

There was no room for negotiation.

Seeing that Zhao Feng was about to be executed on the spot, Elder Qian finally stepped in. He couldn’t let Yu Liang actually slaughter the entire Zhao family here, the political fallout would be a nightmare.

"Young Master, please calm down," Elder Qian said, putting on a pleading smile, though his eyes remained sharp. "Killing them all would indeed dirty your hands and cause unnecessary gossip. The sect’s reputation is paramount. Let’s find a middle ground. How about we just cripple the young master and fine the Zhao family a sum of spiritual stones?"

Yu Liang didn’t budge. He just looked at Elder Qian calmly. "Elder Qian, the law is the law. If the sect’s law is just a piece of paper to be bargained with then why did you rush here the moment the signal was crushed? If you want to protect them, you can. But I will personally report this to the Sect Master and ask why the Cloudwater Sect’s laws only apply to the weak."

Elder Qian’s smile froze. He was a cunning fox, but he couldn’t force Yu Liang. Why? Because Yu Liang was 100% in the right according to the sect’s rules, and more importantly, Elder Qian knew that the mysterious backing behind Yu Liang was far too terrifying. If he forced Yu Liang and Yu Liang’s hidden backers found out, it would be Elder Qian that would be the one getting exterminated!

After another ten minutes of desperate, tearful pleading from Zhao Feng and subtle mediation from Elder Qian, Yu Liang finally "relented." He let out a soft sigh, as if he was doing them a massive favor.

"Fine," Yu Liang said. "Since Elder Qian is speaking for the sect’s reputation, I will spare the main family’s lives. But the punishment must stand. I have two conditions."

Zhao Feng looked up as his eyes filled with a desperate hope. "I accept! I accept any condition!"

"First," Yu Liang said, his gaze shifting to the unconscious young master on the floor. "Zhao Kuang’s cultivation must be completely abolished. He will be a mortal for the rest of his life."

Zhao Feng’s heart bled, but he gritted his teeth and nodded painfully. "I... I.... I accept."

"Second," Yu Liang continued in his tone casual. "Sixty percent of all property, industries, and assets under the Zhao family’s name must be transferred to my ownership immediately."

Gasp!

The entire restaurant inhaled a sharp breath. The Cloudwater Sect disciples nearly fainted.

Sixty percent?!

This price was utterly absurd! It was practically bleeding the Zhao family dry! The Zhao family had spent centuries accumulating their wealth. Handing over 60% meant they would lose their dominance, their power, and their status as a Tier 4 family. They would be reduced to a mere shadow of their former selves, barely surviving as a Tier 2 or 3 family!

"You... you are robbing us!" Zhao Feng screamed as his face twisted in agony. "Sixty percent? That is the foundation of our family! We will be ruined!"

Yu Liang leaned forward, his eyes locked onto Zhao Feng’s. His voice was calm and utterly ruthless.

"You brought an army to my door to kill me. Now you’re crying about losing some rocks and trees?" Yu Liang sneered. "It’s better than dying. Hand over what you already have, and consider it a massive discount on your lives. If you refuse, I can just take 100% after I exterminate your clan. The choice is yours, Patriarch Zhao."

Zhao Feng collapsed onto the floor once again, his spirit completely broke. He had no choice but to comply with it. "I... I agree. I agree to everything."

Elder Qian quickly pulled out a jade scroll and a blood pen. Zhao Feng, with trembling hands, signed the transfer documents.

The assets being handed over were staggering. It included the controlling shares of the prestigious Cloud Auction House in the inner city, three High Tier Spiritual Ore Mines in the western mountains that produced rare spirit iron, the Blood Lotus pill refinement workshop, and dozens of prime, spiritually enriched herb gardens. It was a treasure trove worth hundreds of billions of Mid Grade Spiritual Stones!

Once the blood contract was sealed and the link was established by the Heavenly Dao, Yu Liang nodded in satisfaction.

He stood up and walked over to Zhao Kuang, who was just beginning to stir from his unconsciousness, his head still wrapped in bloody rags.

"Who... who are..." Zhao Kuang mumbled as he couldn’t see with his blurry vision.

Yu Liang didn’t answer his questions. He simply raised his right hand, his fingers glowed with a azure light. He pressed his palm directly against Zhao Kuang’s dantian.

Crack!

A sickening sound of shattering glass echoed in the silent hall.

"AAAAAARRGGGHHH!!! MY CULTIVATION! MY DANTIAN!"

Zhao Kuang’s eyes bulged out of his skull. He let out a tragic, soul tearing scream as the golden core in his abdomen was instantly crushed into dust by Yu Liang’s water attribute spiritual energy. His hard earned cultivation, the pride of the Zhao family, vanished in an instant. He collapsed, twitching and foaming at the mouth, reduced to a pathetic, crippled mortal.

Zhao Feng watched his son being crippled, his eyes rolled back as he nearly fainted from the sheer emotional and physical shock.

"It’s done," Yu Liang said, wiping his hand casually. "Take your son and get out of my sight. If I see any member of the Zhao family harassing my staff again, I won’t ask for 60% next time. I’ll take your heads directly."

Zhao Feng didn’t dare to say a single word. He weakly picked up his crippled, drooling son, his face looked like he had aged a hundred years in a single day. Surrounded by his terrified, trembling guards, the once arrogant Patriarch limped out of Heaven’s Table, his back hunched in defeat and despair.

Seeing the Zhao family leave, the Cloudwater Sect disciples, led by Lin Feng, were sweating bullets. They realized they had almost died because of their arrogance.

Yu Liang turned his gaze to Lin Feng. The inner disciple’s legs instantly gave out, and he immediately kowtowed. "Senior Yu! We were blind! We didn’t know your identity! Please spare our lives!"

"Get out," Yu Liang said indifferently. "And tell your sect brothers and everyone in the sect that the Azure Merchant Street is under my protection. If anyone causes trouble here, they will answer to me."

"Yes! Yes! Thank you, Senior!" Lin Feng and the disciples scrambled to their feet and fled the restaurant as if their tails were on fire.

Once the hall was finally clear of the trash, Yu Liang’s cold, authoritative demeanor instantly melted away. He turned to Elder Qian, instantly a warm, relaxed smile returned to his face.

Seeing his quick change Elder Qian shuddered. ’He’s even more cunning than me.’

"Elder Qian," Yu Liang said, gesturing towards the ewooden stairs. "You rushed all the way here and helped me clean up this mess. Let’s go to my private office upstairs. I have some spiritual tea, and... I have a new, very profitable business proposal for you."

Elder Qian’s squinty eyes instantly lit up with a greed– ahem joyful light. He rubbed his hands together, his plump face breaking into a massive smile.

"Ah! Young Master is too polite! This old man was just doing my duty! Let’s go, let’s go! I’ve been dying to taste the tea in your office!"

With a cheerful laugh, the elder followed the young master up the stairs, leaving the stunned, whispering staff and customers below to marvel at the ridiculous turn of events.