Chapter 714 - 713: Sophistry

Chapter 714: Chapter 713: Sophistry

"So it really was you who ambushed us. We were already planning to leave the Sealing Heaven Divine Kingdom for good, yet you still hunted us down without mercy..."

Jiao Linghe’s eyes were red-rimmed. If it weren’t for these two beasts, she and Yi Xingchen would have been living happily in the Lower Mortal Realm long ago, and Yi Tianyun would never have had to suffer so much.

It was all because of these two beasts! They tore a mother from her son, forced Yi Xingchen into a deep slumber, and caused his cultivation to plummet. So much time has been wasted.

Now that the truth was out in the open, Jiao Linghe trembled with rage. Even though she had long suspected it, hearing it confirmed still filled her with uncontrollable fury.

"Betraying your own kin... To think you would plot against your own clansmen just for this position!" Su Kaifeng stared at them coldly, his voice sharp. "Do you think any of this is meaningful? Without powerful experts to protect the Sealing Heaven Divine Kingdom, even as Clan Leader, you would only be able to watch as others seize our domain!"

"Of course, I know what you truly want from this position. You want nothing more than to cultivate the strongest Absolute Skill, the supreme Cultivation Technique! But tell me, are you even worthy?"

Su Kaifeng’s aura erupted. He no longer seemed like a man on the verge of death. Instead, he radiated the power of a man in his prime, utterly invincible.

The terrifying pressure weighed down on everyone, making them tremble inwardly. It had been a long time since the Clan Leader had made an appearance, but his power was as fearsome as ever.

The First Elder’s expression was grim. The Third Elder had scrambled to his feet, clutching the spot where he had been kicked, his head bowed, not daring to look up. They were terrified of the Clan Leader. With their level of strength, how could they possibly resist?

"Besides, even without becoming the Clan Leader, you can still cultivate the Supreme Martial Arts! There is no rule that says otherwise," Su Kaifeng said coldly.

"What!?" The two elders looked up in astonishment. The others also stared at Su Kaifeng, equally surprised and confused.

They had desperately wanted to become the Clan Leader precisely for those esoteric Supreme Martial Arts, which were effectively the inheritance of the Sealing Heaven Divine King. It was said that only the Clan Leader could obtain them, but now Su Kaifeng was saying otherwise. Was this some kind of cruel joke?

"Your desire to cultivate the Supreme Martial Arts is not wrong in itself. There has always been a rule: anyone whose contributions are great enough and whose abilities are sufficient is permitted to learn them. The main reason it was denied to you is that your Dao Hearts are not firm. With the state of your Dao Hearts now, how could you possibly cultivate them?" Su Kaifeng’s voice turned frigid. "Harming your own kin... The Sealing Heaven Divine Kingdom has a rule for that. Do you remember what it is?!"

A tremor ran through both of them, and terror filled their eyes.

"Clan Leader, we were wrong! We were truly wrong... We were out of our minds! Please, give us one more chance! We can cure Yi Xingchen! We’ll find whatever it takes, we swear!"

"That’s right! We don’t want our cultivation crippled! That’s no different from being dead!"

Fear crawled across their faces. Who would want their cultivation crippled? It would make them no better than a common cripple. They were elders; without their cultivation, what status would they have left? Their promising futures would be utterly destroyed.

Their sons’ faces were grim, but they were powerless to stop what was happening.

"For harming your own kin, your cultivation will be crippled, and you will be imprisoned for life!" Su Kaifeng declared, his voice like ice. "There can be no order without rules. You must pay the price for your actions!"

"No, no! When Yi Xingchen fled, it was an act of treason against the Sealing Heaven Divine Kingdom! He can’t be considered one of our kin!" the First Elder argued frantically. "We were merely punishing them, showing them the consequences of betraying the Sealing Heaven Divine Kingdom!"

He had twisted the situation to his advantage. The crowd was taken aback, but upon reflection, they realized he had a point. Yi Xingchen had eloped with Jiao Linghe, so how could he still be considered a member of the Sealing Heaven Divine Kingdom? If the elders had eliminated him on those grounds, they hadn’t technically broken any rules.

Su Kaifeng was taken aback. For a moment, he was speechless. If Yi Xingchen was considered to have betrayed the Sealing Heaven Divine Kingdom, then killing him truly wouldn’t have been a crime against their own.

"A fine-sounding excuse! Do you really think they would have stayed away forever? Would he have left if you hadn’t hounded him relentlessly?" Yi Yuanlong said coldly. "If you consider him a traitor, then I’ll be the one to avenge Xingchen and cripple your cultivation!"

"Hahaha, but we *are* your clansmen! If you cripple our cultivation, wouldn’t you be the one breaking the rules?" the Third Elder sneered. "Whatever the reason, Yi Xingchen betrayed the Sealing Heaven Divine Kingdom, which means he was no longer one of us!"

To think that at this critical juncture, they would find a loophole that left even the Clan Leader speechless.

Yi Yuanlong froze, his expression darkening as he clenched his fists. If he were to act, it would be just as they said. Though they had committed a great wrong, they were still members of the clan.

This was a rule established by the Sealing Heaven Divine King himself; no one could defy it, which was why the Clan Leader had been prepared to pass such a harsh sentence. But now, they had exploited a massive loophole, leaving Yi Yuanlong so furious he could have coughed up blood.

The First Elder and Third Elder got to their feet, their eyes filled with smug triumph after having been interrogated so intensely. When they thought about it, Yi Xingchen was no longer a disciple of the Sealing Heaven Divine Kingdom, so what did it matter if they killed him?

This sudden reversal left many onlookers dumbfounded. While the elders had undeniably deceived everyone, from a purely technical standpoint, they hadn’t broken the clan’s most sacred rule. Jiao Linghe wasn’t a member of the Sealing Heaven Divine Kingdom either—she had never officially married in—so attacking her wasn’t a crime against their kin.

"Then allow me to deal with you and avenge my father." Yi Tianyun calmly stepped forward. With a flick of his wrist, the Evil Spirit Divine Sword appeared in his hand. A sinister, bewitching aura coiled from the blade and wrapped around his arm as he said coldly, "I am not a member of the Sealing Heaven Divine Kingdom. There will be no punishment if I deal with you."

"What a joke! You aren’t a member of the Sealing Heaven Divine Kingdom, so attacking us means making an enemy of the entire kingdom! Can you bear those consequences?" the Third Elder sneered, his eyes filled with ridicule. ’All their grandstanding had come to nothing,’ he thought, feeling immensely satisfied.

"Make an enemy of the Sealing Heaven Divine Kingdom?" Yi Tianyun replied calmly. "I don’t mind. If the Sealing Heaven Divine Kingdom insists on coming after me, I’ll spare them once out of respect for the Sealing Heaven Divine King. The second time, I won’t be so merciful."

His words stunned the entire assembly. No one could believe he actually dared to say such a thing. This was a Divine Kingdom, not some common sect.

Jiao Linghe, standing beside him, was also stunned. She had warned her son not to be so impulsive, yet here he was. Nevertheless, she stood her ground with him. She could not bear to see these two men escape justice.

"However, I’d rather not drag the entire Sealing Heaven Divine Kingdom into this. After all, my father was once a member, and my grandfather is still here. I have to show them some respect," Yi Tianyun said calmly. "So how about a duel to the death? If the two of you can defeat me, this set of armor is yours, and the matter will be considered closed. What do you say?"