"What do you think you're doing?"
Yangg Qing'er scanned the surrounding disciples, a wary look appearing on her pretty face.
"Ye Wushuang has committed a monstrous crime, one that cannot be forgiven! By order, I am here to apprehend him. All irrelevant personnel, stand aside." Just as Yangg Qing'er's voice fell, a majestic and frigidly loud voice boomed from the great hall.
Following the voice, three more people walked out.
'A monstrous crime?'
Ye Wushuang's eyes narrowed. 'They slapped me with the label of a "monstrous crime" right off the bat and want to apprehend me. Looks like they haven't come with good intentions.'
His brow furrowed as he turned to look. He saw three men walking forward through a path in the crowd. Among them, to his surprise, was Chen Kun.
To Chen Kun's left was a pot-bellied youth in yellow robes. He was greasy-faced, with shifty, rodent-like eyes. The moment he reached the front, his gaze fell upon Yangg Qing'er, and a lecherous light flashed in his eyes.
To Chen Kun's right was a youth dressed in purple. This young man was handsome and imposing, with an air of arrogance about him, always carrying himself with a hint of superiority.
His gaze toward Ye Wushuang, in particular, held a hidden killing intent.
What weighed on Ye Wushuang's mind was that both of these youths were Qi Vortex Realm experts. The coldness in the purple-robed youth's eyes, especially, sent a chill deep into his heart.
"Ye Wushuang, surrender without a fight!"
Chen Kun approached with the other two youths, his face grim and murderous.
"Chen Kun!"
Looking at Chen Kun before him, Ye Wushuang instantly understood without even needing to think. This aggressive display was undoubtedly Chen Kun's doing. He said, "Steward Chen, this disciple has not committed any crime. Why should I surrender?"
"Hmph! Don't play dumb. Are you telling me you don't know what crimes you've committed?" Chen Kun rebuked him sharply, drawing the attention of the disciples and prisoners in the grand plaza.
"Those are disciples from the Law Enforcement Hall!"
Seeing the group dressed in light-blue uniforms, the disciples from the Fierce Demon Cave halted in their tracks, even taking a few steps back.
"I really don't know."
Ye Wushuang's gaze was calm as he secretly sized up the people surrounding him.
Among them, aside from Chen Kun and the other two youths, the rest were all at the Body Tempering Tenth Layer.
Three Qi Vortex Experts and more than twenty at the Body Tempering Tenth Layer. This lineup made his heart sink, and a sense of foreboding washed over him.
"Insolent Ye Wushuang! Still refusing to confess!"
"Before, you disrespected an elder, which was already a crime. But considering your youth and ignorance, we did not punish you, only sending you to the Fierce Demon Cave to repent and reflect.
"But not only did you fail to repent, you've become even worse."
"You not only disrespect your elders!"
"You also practice an Evil Skill!"
"What's more, you've brutally murdered your fellow disciples!"
"And you lured Fierce Demons to trap and kill the Invincible Disciples and the prisoners!"
"Are these not crimes?"
"Someone has already reported you, and everyone present can testify to it. What else do you have to say for yourself?"
Chen Kun's voice was loud and resonant as he roared self-righteously. With each crime he listed, his tone and expression grew more severe, and his words turned sharper, as if these things had truly happened.
"Execute the Evil Demon Ye Wushuang and restore peace to the Sect!"
Hearing Chen Kun list one crime after another, the men surrounding Ye Wushuang understood his intent. SHING! SHING! They drew their longswords in unison, took a step forward, and pointed them at Ye Wushuang, their expressions cold and their killing intent palpable.
Yangg Qing'er's expression changed. She knew that if these crimes were proven true, even dying ten times wouldn't be enough for Ye Wushuang.
She immediately stepped forward and said, "Lord Steward, Brother Ye has absolutely not practiced any Evil Skill, nor has he murdered disciples, and he certainly hasn't lured anyone to their deaths! You must have made a mistake."
"Insolence! Who do you think you are to question me?" Chen Kun instantly snapped.
"How could you..."
Yangg Qing'er was anxious and about to step forward to argue, but Ye Wushuang held her back. Chen Kun was dead set on killing him; nothing she could say would be of any use.
"What's wrong? Cat got your tongue?" Seeing Ye Wushuang's action, Chen Kun sneered. He desperately wanted to eliminate Ye Wushuang, root and stem.
But Ye Wushuang had Elder Yunn looking out for him. If he were to kill Ye Wushuang without reason, he would certainly be punished. But now, by pinning these major crimes on him, he had a just cause. Killing Ye Wushuang would leave no loose ends.
Therefore, he had to make these charges stick to Ye Wushuang today.
"If you're determined to condemn someone, you'll never be short of a pretext," Ye Wushuang said calmly. "Practicing an Evil Skill? Murdering disciples? Which eye did you see that with? This is all just your side of the story."
"As for this 'disrespecting an elder' you mentioned, wasn't that just me slapping you across the face? Have you forgotten? I asked you first, and you agreed. Only then did I slap you. Who's to blame for that?"
"More importantly, even though I slapped you, my hand hurt for three or four days afterward."
As he finished, a meaningful smile blossomed on Ye Wushuang's otherwise unruffled face.
I slapped you, and my hand hurt for three or four days afterward.
Upon hearing this, no matter how serious the onlookers were, the corners of their mouths couldn't help but twitch. From the sound of it, it was as if Ye Wushuang was the injured party.
'And this guy is still provoking Chen Kun at a time like this? He's practically courting death.'
But then, as if they'd thought of something, the crowd's gaze shifted to Chen Kun's face. Even the two youths beside him looked at him with a strange expression.
"Bastard!"
His sore spot having been poked by Ye Wushuang, Chen Kun's face darkened. He nearly ground his teeth to dust as the killing intent on his face surged.
"What, am I wrong? Elder Yunn saw it with his own eyes. Why don't you go ask him to corroborate?" Ye Wushuang gave a faint smile, showing not a trace of fear or panic, completely at ease.
This composure even made the purple-robed youth frown.
"Ye Wushuang, don't expect Elder Yunn to save you! He's already left the Sect and won't be coming here. Give up that hope!" Chen Kun said through gritted teeth.
"Steward Chen, no more nonsense. Ye Wushuang has committed a monstrous crime and deserves to be executed. On behalf of the Law Enforcement Hall, I order you to kill him on the spot. Don't let him live."
Seeing that Chen Kun had yet to make a move, the purple-robed youth also spoke, his voice cold.
'Kill him on the spot?'
A chill glinted in Ye Wushuang's eyes. 'With a single sentence, this purple-robed youth wants me killed, leaving no chance for survival. His tone brooks no argument. How tyrannical.'
"If you have the guts, then try it!" Ye Wushuang said coldly.
"You think I don't dare? A mere ant at the Body Tempering Eighth Layer. Killing you requires only one hand." A murderous glint flashed in the purple-robed youth's eyes, and he took a step forward, about to strike.
"Senior Brother Ba Ziyun, he's just a grasshopper. Killing him would only dirty your hands. Allow this junior brother to do it for you."
A Law Enforcement Hall disciple at the Body Tempering Tenth Layer suddenly stepped out from the crowd. He raised a longsword wreathed in True Qi and shot through the air in an instant, aiming straight for Ye Wushuang's chest.
Wisps of cold intent emanated from the blade's edge, chilling one to the soul.
"You've gone too far...!!"
Yangg Qing'er, standing to the side, was also quite furious. She strode forward, preparing to block the disciple.
"Little beauty, you belong to me, Anx Jun."
Seeing Yangg Qing'er make a move, the yellow-robed youth who hadn't spoken, his eyes fixed on her, rushed over with a wicked smile and blocked her path.
Although the yellow-robed youth was pot-bellied, his speed was astonishing. As he closed in on Yangg Qing'er, a pair of groping hands reached for her.
Taking advantage of the opportunity, the Law Enforcement Hall disciple arrived before Ye Wushuang as expected.
"Brother Ye, be careful!" Yangg Qing'er warned anxiously.
"Little beauty, you should worry about yourself first." With a lewd look in his eyes, the yellow-robed youth pounced on Yangg Qing'er.
Chen Kun and Ba Ziyun watched this behavior with cold indifference, as if it were a common sight. Their eyes remained fixed only on Ye Wushuang.
"Xia'an, hurry up and erase this ant!"
"Yeah, I don't want to stay in this wretched place for another second."
Watching the youth named Xia'an rush toward Ye Wushuang, the other Law Enforcement Hall disciples clamored amongst themselves. Given the huge disparity in strength, they already knew the outcome of this fight and felt little anticipation.
"Did you hear that, you ant? Now I... grant you death." Xia'an gave a cold smile. With a flick of his longsword, he unleashed its Killing Power, looking as if he would finish Ye Wushuang in a single strike.