It must be said that Elder Feilu and the others had played a clever hand.
With so many of them simultaneously bowing and saluting, shouting slogans about avenging the dead disciples and eradicating a scourge for the Great Northwest, their stance appeared utterly righteous and awe-inspiring.
This left Ancestral Patriarchs like Fenghua in a dilemma—to act or not to act.
As Ancestral Patriarchs of the Yao Yue Palace, their own sect's direct disciples, elders, and even their junior brother Feng Lie had been killed. Although Han Dong was not the one who did the killing, she could not escape involvement. By reason, by sentiment, and by law, Ancestral Patriarchs like Fenghua had the obligation and responsibility to seek justice for the deceased disciples.
If it were anyone else, Ancestral Patriarchs like Fenghua would not have hesitated.
But the problem was that this person was Han Dong.
That alone wasn't the critical issue.
The crucial point was that Han Dong was Daozun Feiyan's only disciple.
And Daozun Feiyan was the palace master personally appointed by Lady Zhuyue back in the day. Under such circumstances, how could Elder Fenghua bring himself to strike?
"Those who kill shall be killed in turn, Ancestral Patriarch," Daozun Feiyan said calmly, kneeling on the ground. "Our Yao Yue Palace disciples were killed by Young Lord Chiyan because they coveted the Xuanwu in his possession first. Their deaths were deserved, and we cannot blame Young Lord Chiyan."
"Young Lord Chiyan was already exceedingly merciful, exceedingly merciful...
I believe it was only out of regard for Her Ladyship's face that he showed restraint. I implore the Ancestral Patriarch not to pursue this matter further. Otherwise...
If we anger him, the consequences that follow will be something none of us can bear..."
No one had expected Daozun Feiyan to say such things.
She was, after all, the palace master of the Yao Yue Palace.
Her own sect's disciples had been killed, yet she called their deaths deserved?
Not only that, but she also claimed Young Lord Chiyan had been exceedingly merciful?
And that he showed restraint out of regard for Lady Zhuyue's face?
Even more perplexing was her warning not to let the Ancestral Patriarch pursue the matter, saying that if Young Lord Chiyan were angered, the consequences would be unbearable?
This...
Was truly incomprehensible.
No one understood why Daozun Feiyan held such an almost fanatical reverence and fear for that Young Lord Chiyan, whose true identity remained unknown. It was one thing not to reveal the truth earlier, but now that the truth was out, why did she still cling so firmly to this belief?
Moreover, her words were filled with awe and respect for that Young Lord Chiyan.
Setting aside the question of his authenticity for a moment.
Even if he truly were Young Lord Chiyan and the genuine heir to the Lord, was there a need for such profound reverence?
Han Dong could not understand it. Neither could Ouyang Ye, Qian Shan, or anyone present.
"That Young Lord Chiyan...
Just who is he?" Ancestral Patriarch Fenghua asked, shocked and suspicious.
Daozun Feiyan shook her head slightly and replied softly, "Who Young Lord Chiyan is is fundamentally unimportant. What matters is that his surname is Gu. He said he could represent the Lord. Everything else is already unimportant... Unimportant..."
"But...
But he even killed Junior Brother Feng Lie!"
"No!
Impossible!" Daozun Feiyan insisted firmly. "He values sentiment and righteousness. Ancestral Patriarch Feng Lie had shown him kindness before. He would not, and could not, have killed Ancestral Patriarch Feng Lie."
"Ancestral Patriarch!
Do not listen to her sophistry! She is clearly being deliberately mysterious, trying to deceive us!" Feilu stepped forward and shouted angrily. "When that impersonator of Young Lord Chiyan killed Ancestral Patriarch Feng Lie, Daozun Xuanxin was present. If you don't believe it, you can ask Xuanxin."
Ancestral Patriarch Fenghua looked over. Among the crowd from Five-Color Mountain, Daozun Xuanxin's expression changed slightly. After a moment of contemplation, he still stepped forward and said, "That day in the swamp, I did indeed witness with my own eyes that Young Lord Chiyan kill Senior Feng Lie."
"Hmph!
Feiyan, what more do you have to say?"
Faced with Daozun Xuanxin's testimony and the accusations from Feilu and the others, Daozun Feiyan did not even glance their way. Instead, she asked, "Daozun Xuanxin, let me ask you this: did you personally witness Ancestral Patriarch Feng Lie perish that day?"
"This..." Daozun Xuanxin shook his head. "At that time, that Young Lord Chiyan used extremely cruel methods to kill Senior Feng Lie. Knowing I was no match and powerless to intervene, I could only flee in panic."
"So, you're saying you neither saw Ancestral Patriarch Feng Lie's body shattered to pieces, nor his soul scattered to ashes, correct?"
"That...
Is indeed the case."
"Since that's so, how can you be certain that Ancestral Patriarch Feng Lie is definitely dead?"
Daozun Xuanxin was left speechless by the question, unable to refute it.
Feilu berated again, "What an utter joke! At death's door, you still dare to quibble! That fraud impersonating Young Lord Chiyan used cruel methods—ten thousand ants gnawing bones, leeches drinking blood, maggots devouring flesh—to torment Ancestral Patriarch Feng Lie like that. If it wasn't murder, could it possibly have been to help Ancestral Patriarch Feng Lie achieve sudden enlightenment?"
Indeed.
Since Daozun Xuanxin had testified, it meant this matter was true.
Although he hadn't personally seen Feng Lie's body and soul destroyed, with ten thousand ants gnawing bones and leeches drinking blood, one only needed to think with their toes to know that fraud intended to torture Senior Feng Lie to death.
"We implore the Ancestral Patriarch to hesitate no longer! Seek justice for the dead disciples and elders of our Yao Yue Palace, and for the tragically slain Ancestral Patriarch Feng Lie!"
Elder Feilu, Zhong Yulong, and other Yao Yue Palace elders and disciples bowed and saluted once more.
However, at that very moment, a strange voice rang out.
"This old man isn't even dead! What justice are you seeking for me?!"
Hmm?
Who?
The crowd within the hall looked around for the source of the voice. They saw a gray-robed elder who had somehow walked into the center of the gathering.
The elder had disheveled hair, an unkempt beard, and a wine gourd hanging at his waist.
When he appeared, everyone present was greatly shocked, as if they had seen a ghost or deity.
Because the elder was none other than one of the Yao Yue Palace's Ancestral Patriarchs—Feng Lie!
Upon seeing Ancestral Patriarch Feng Lie, Feilu and the others from Yao Yue Palace were dumbfounded. Qingxi, Qian Shan, Ouyang Ye, and even Ancestral Patriarch Fenghua—everyone stared wide-eyed, unable to believe it was real.
Wasn't it said that Ancestral Patriarch Feng Lie was dead?
Wasn't it said he was killed by that fraud impersonating Young Lord Chiyan using cruel methods?
His body was gnawed by ten thousand ants, his blood drunk by leeches, his flesh devoured by maggots...
Why was he still alive?
Not only was he alive, but there wasn't the slightest sign of injury on his entire body.
How was this possible!
Could it be that Daozun Xuanxin had lied?
The crowd looked toward Daozun Xuanxin. And at this moment, Daozun Xuanxin was even more shocked and disbelieving than anyone else.
He truly could not understand. That day, Ancestral Patriarch Feng Lie had clearly been tormented by Young Lord Chiyan to the point of wishing for death, his flesh being bit by bit consumed by maggots. Why...
Now he was alive and well, appearing here as if nothing had happened.
"Junior Brother...
You! You're not dead?"
When Ancestral Patriarch Fenghua and the others saw Feng Lie, their hearts were filled with both shock and joy.
"Well...
It's a bit of a long story. At first, I also thought I had died...
But later, I don't know how, I came back to life. It was like having a sound, refreshing sleep. When I woke up, not only were my old injuries healed, but my mind seemed to have cleared up, and even my cultivation..."
Ancestral Patriarch Fenghua fixed his gaze and exclaimed in shock, "When I saw you a few years ago, your Primordial Spirit had not yet taken form. How...
How have you now...
Already condensed a Dao Heart..."