4067-chapter-75
Chapter 75
In the Phoenix Hall, Jinyao solemnly presided at the head, with the three immortal lords and Elder Fengyun standing below.
The leaders of various immortal sects and Beichen were positioned to the left, while Zhen Yu lounged lazily on the right, with Fu ling standing behind him.
Hua Hong’s expression was grave, her gaze frequently drifting toward the hall’s entrance.
Mu Jiu also frowned as he watched the scene unfold within the hall.
Lightning continuously flashed across the hall, and Jinglei hovered mid-air, wielding a thunder whip that lashed down repeatedly.
“Ten whips!”
“Eleven whips!”
The voices of the immortal guards echoed through the hall.
In the center of the hall, Songfeng, clad in his Taoist robes, endured the thunderous whips with unwavering resolve, his expression firm and unyielding.
No one had expected that Songfeng, the leader of a prominent immortal sect, would willingly take the punishment in place of his disciple.
However, since Jinyao had granted permission, none of the other sects dared to oppose.
“Twenty-seven whips!”
Another thunderous lash struck, causing Songfeng’s body to tremble slightly.
Jinglei paused for a moment, his hand holding the whip hesitating.
“Uncle!”
“Sect Leader!”
Not far away, the disciples of the Piaomiao Sect were overcome with grief and indignation.
Eryun, tears streaming down his face, rushed toward Song Feng.
“Eryun! Do not interfere!”
Amidst the lightning, Songfeng shouted weakly, taking a deep breath before turning his gaze to Jinglei.
“My Lord, the punishment is not yet complete. Piaomiao still stands, and I do not shirk my responsibility. I beg you to continue.”
Jinglei nodded, a flicker of respect in his eyes.
With a flick of his wrist, the thunder whip descended once more.
Streaks of blood stained Songfeng’s Taoist robes, yet his figure remained as steadfast as a mountain, his spirit unyielding.
Both immortals and demons within the hall were moved by his resilience.
“Thirty-five whips!”
“Thirty-six whips!”
As the final lash fell, Jinglei descended to the ground, holding a porcelain vial in his hand.
He immediately approached Songfeng.
“Sect Leader Songfeng, this is the Snow Spirit Pill I crafted, specifically for healing thunder injuries…”
Before Jinglei could reach him, the red mark on Songfeng’s forehead suddenly shattered. Jinglei’s expression changed.
“Thank you, my Lord, but… it is unnecessary.”
Songfeng could no longer hold on, falling to his knees as he spat out a mouthful of blood.
The immortals and demons in the hall were shocked, with the exception of Zhen Yu, who merely smirked.
“Uncle!”
Eryun was frozen in place, her cries filled with grief and anger.
At that moment, someone rushed into the hall.
“Uncle master!”
At the entrance of the Phoenix Hall, Chong Zhao came to an abrupt halt, his pupils contracting as he took in the scene before him.
Songfeng knelt on the ground, his gray hair disheveled, countless bloody streaks crisscrossing his Taoist robes.
Bright red blood dripped from his limp hand onto the floor.
No one had expected Chong Zhao to burst in at this moment.
Hearing his voice, Songfeng looked up, and only then did everyone notice that the light in his eyes had faded, and the spiritual core on his forehead had shattered.
He was on the verge of death!
The sect leaders were all stunned, unable to believe what they were seeing.
The leader of the Piaomiao Sect had ascended to the rank of Immortal Lord many years ago.
Even after enduring thirty-six thunder lashes, he should have been able to recover after a decade or so of rest.
How could his spiritual core have shattered, leading to his imminent demise?!
For a moment, everyone exchanged glances, and the hall fell into complete silence.
At that moment, a flash of immortal light appeared, and Qing Yi descended into the hall with Bai Shuo.
Bai Shuo was covered in blood, startling the little fox.
Hua Hong instantly appeared before Bai Shuo.
“Little Bai?!”
But Bai Shuo had no time to spare.
Seeing Songfeng’s lifeless expression, she was filled with grief and anger, but she was even more worried about Chong Zhao.
Since the fall of the Chong family, Songfeng had been more than just a master to Chong Zhao—he was like a father.
Bai Shuo had finally convinced Chong Zhao to let go of his old grudges, but if something happened to Songfeng, she had no idea how Chong Zhao would react.
In the hall, Songfeng looked at Chong Zhao with a relieved smile before collapsing to the ground.
“Uncle master!” Chong Zhao stumbled forward, catching Songfeng as he fell.
Jinyao also appeared beside Songfeng in an instant, reaching out to examine his spiritual core.
“Get away!”
Chong Zhao unleashed a burst of immortal energy, angrily slashing at Jinyao as he shielded Songfeng behind him, his eyes bloodshot.
The meager immortal energy he had left was no threat to Jinyao, who simply waved it away.
“Zhao’er! No, you must not be rude!”
A torrent of blood poured from Songfeng’s mouth, but he weakly yet firmly stopped Chong Zhao.
“Uncle master!”
“Zhao’er, help me up.”
Chong Zhao turned back in panic, carefully supporting Songfeng as he struggled to stand.
Despite his condition, Songfeng still carried himself with the grace of an immortal, his expression free of any resentment.
“My foolish disciple is impulsive. I beg the Lord not to hold it against him.”
“Sect Leader Songfeng, how could this have happened…?”
Jinyao naturally would not hold a grudge against Chong Zhao.
Seeing Song Feng’s condition, he could not hide his shock.
With his demigod abilities, he could clearly see that Songfeng’s spiritual core had shattered, and his life force was nearly extinguished.
“This humble one recently underwent a tribulation in the East Sea, where my spiritual meridians were shattered under the thunder tribulation. My immortal fate has already dissipated.”
Chong Zhao’s hands trembled as he held Songfeng.
No, Songfeng’s injuries were because of him.
After returning from the Yi city, Chong Zhao’s spiritual meridians had been damaged by the evil dragon.
To ensure Chong Zhao could enter the Heavenly palace and receive spiritual guidance, Songfeng had forcefully healed him, causing his own spiritual energy to leak and his old wounds to flare up.
“Then why did the Sect Leader still take these thirty-six lashes in Chong Zhao’s place?”
Jinyao’s question trailed off as he fell silent.
Songfeng had done this for Chong Zhao.
Chong Zhao’s spiritual meridians were already damaged, and if he had endured the thirty-six thunder lashes, he would have lost all chance at the Great Dao, his immortal path forever ruined.
Songfeng was using his life to secure Chong Zhao’s immortal future.
A master’s love for his disciple is akin to a father’s love for his son.
Jinyao asked no more, his silence filled with sorrow.
Song Feng, however, smiled calmly.
“What this humble one has in mind, the Lord surely already understands. There is no need for further words.”
“The Sect Leader’s compassion is something I cannot match.”
Jinyao let out a long sigh. In the distance, Fu ling clenched his fist, a mocking glint in his eyes.
“My Lord, has my disciple’s punishment been fulfilled?” Songfeng’s voice was weak, his eyes filled with hope.
“Indeed.”
“And the crime of my disciple assassinating the Ziwei…”
“Since the punishment has been carried out, this matter shall never be mentioned again within the immortal realm.”
“Good, good.”
Songfeng repeated the word twice, then turned to Chong Zhao.
It seemed he wanted to say something, but there was no time left.
With a smile on his lips, he closed his eyes.
Old turtle, your two turtle shells never lied.
If this old man’s fate was truly meant to be this way, then it is enough that I could secure a chance at life for my disciple.
“Uncle!”
“Sect Leader!”
Eryun and the other Piaomiao disciples rushed forward in grief and anger, but they stopped short.
The emaciated figure beneath the Taoist robes began to dissipate, and before the eyes of all the immortals and demons in the hall, Songfeng turned to dust.
In an instant, all that remained in Chong Zhao’s hands was a blood-stained, empty Taoist robe.
“Master.”
The fall of an immortal was not uncommon, but for a sect leader to meet such a tragic end was exceedingly rare.
Chong Zhao’s cry of “Master” was filled with profound sorrow.
For a moment, the hall was silent, the immortals’ faces filled with pity and unease.
Bai Shuo stood to the side, her eyes red and at a loss for what to do.
A sigh echoed through the hall as Jinyao turned to the assembled crowd and spoke in a solemn voice.
“The fall of Sect Leader Songfeng is my responsibility. Although I stripped Chong Zhao of his title as the champion of the ‘Wutong Martial Banquet’ yesterday, I have decided that after the three-year mourning period for Sect Leader Songfeng, I will allow Chong Zhao to enter the heavenly palace once more to receive spiritual guidance.”
“My Lord, this cannot be!” Xi Yun’s expression changed, and he spoke urgently.
“Enough! My decision is final. Sect Leader Xi Yun, is the Heavenly Palace under my rule, or is it your personal domain?!” Jinyao’s face turned cold as he glared at Xi Yun, his authority palpable.
“This humble one has overstepped. Please calm your anger, my Lord.”
Having ruled the Heavenly palace for a century, Jinyao had never shown anger before.
Xi Yun’s face twitched, and he quickly apologized.
Songfeng’s fall was, in a way, forced by the immortal sects.
Now that things had come to this, the situation was irreversible.
“Chong Zhao, take Sect Leader Songfeng back to Piaomiao. From now on, your crimes are forgiven, and this matter will not affect Piaomiao. Three years from now, I will await you in the celestial palace.”
Jinyao’s voice was calm, but no one in the hall responded.
Everyone couldn’t help but glance toward the center of the hall, where Chong Zhao stood, holding Songfeng’s Taoist robe, his eyes downcast.
“Chong Zhao! The Lord has shown you great mercy. Why aren’t you thanking him?!”
Among the sect leaders, someone shouted.
“Forgive my crimes? Spare Piaomiao? Heh…”
A cold, disdainful laugh rang out, sharp and abrupt.
“Lord Jin Yao, your Heavenly Palace… truly has boundless mercy.”
In the center of the hall, Chong Zhao slowly turned to face Jinyao.
His eyes were bloodshot, filled with cold mockery.
“Ah Zhao…”
Bai Shuo’s heart tightened, and she moved to step forward, but Hua Hong grabbed her arm with a frown.
“Girl, don’t go over there. That boy isn’t right…”
Not far away, Zhen Yu’s smile widened.
Finally… the time had come.
“Chong Zhao, how dare you!”
Before Jinyao could speak, Xi Yun roared in anger.
But Chong Zhao didn’t even glance at him, his gaze fixed on Jinyao.
The blood in his eyes deepened, now tinged with a dark aura.
“Evil energy! My Lord, this boy is filled with resentment and has fallen into the path of demons. He cannot be allowed to live!”
Everyone was shocked by the dark aura in Chong Zhao’s eyes.
Xi Yun’s expression hardened, and without warning, he swung his sword at Chong Zhao.
A divine light flashed, and Xi Yun’s sword was knocked away.
It was Jinyao who had intervened, shielding Chong Zhao.
“My Lord!”
Xi Yun’s face flushed red.
“Chong Zhao! Do not act recklessly!” Jinyao’s voice was heavy.
“Your master died for you. If you fall into the path of demons, how could Sect Leader Songfeng rest in peace?!”
“To have caused my master’s death, I no longer dare to call myself his disciple. I must sever myself from the sect.”
Chong Zhao looked at the Piaomiao disciples, his eyes devoid of emotion.
“Listen well. From this day forward, I, Chong Zhao, am no longer a disciple of Piaomiao. I have no further connection to the sect.”
“Junior Brother!”
“Senior Brother!”
Eryun and the other Piaomiao disciples were filled with anxiety and grief, but their status was too low to intervene.
“Junior Brother, Uncle is already gone. You… you mustn’t…” Eryun choked on his words, unsure of what to do.
“My immortal techniques and spiritual meridians all stem from the immortals. My immortal bones bind me to their laws, to their commands, to their justice. These bones are shackles, these meridians are chains. Today, I will return these immortal bones to you!”
Chong Zhao leapt into the air, his immortal sword shattering into countless fragments.
With a long cry, the hall was filled with a dazzling light as the shards of the sword pierced his body.
“Ah Zhao!”
Bai Shuo’s pupils contracted as she leapt forward to stop him, but the spiritual energy released from Chong Zhao’s shattered meridians instantly reached the peak of an immortal Lord’s power.
Waves of energy surged from his body, flooding the hall.
The energy was violent and filled with killing intent, harming both immortals and demons alike.
The sect leaders quickly moved to suppress the rampaging energy.
Bai Shuo was thrown back by the energy before she could get close, but Hua Hong swiftly pulled her back, shielding her.
As the energy dissipated, a loud crash echoed through the hall.
Chong Zhao fell heavily to the ground, his immortal bones completely shattered.
Covered in blood, he stood unsteadily, as if held up by sheer willpower alone.
Though his bones were broken and his spiritual energy gone, the dark aura in his eyes was ten times stronger than before.
This was the act of shattering one’s bones to return to immortality, a method of falling from grace into demonhood!
“My immortal bones are shattered, my immortal meridians severed. From this day forward, I, Chong Zhao, am no longer an immortal. If you do not kill me today, I swear that one day, I will personally slaughter every immortal who forced my master to his death!”
The once righteous and immortal youth now resembled a demon risen from hell, his cold gaze sweeping over the immortals in the hall.
Even Jinyao, who had cultivated for millennia, was horrified by the resentment and killing intent in Chong Zhao’s eyes.