Volume One, Chapter 10: Kneel Before Heaven, Earth, and Your Parents

Sword Punishment Peak rises over a thousand fathoms high, shrouded in immortal mist throughout the year. On the gilded plaque, the three characters for "Law Enforcement Hall" are written in a bold, sweeping calligraphy.

The plaza of the Law Enforcement Hall is currently packed with a sea of people. Disciples from every peak have gathered, craning their necks in anticipation. A lowly sword spirit girl, who supposedly crippled two generations of prodigies from Sword God Peak—the headline alone is enough to draw a crowd. Many disciples who were in seclusion received notifications from friends and rushed over to watch, the air filled with incessant chatter.

An inner disciple from Sword Sun Peak cursed angrily, "I never expected that such a beautiful girl would have such a viper’s heart. Returning kindness with malice, ambushing two geniuses from Sword God Peak—she is nothing but a white-eyed wolf!"

His words sparked dissatisfaction among several female disciples from Fallen Moon Peak, who immediately retorted:

"Shut your mouth! The truth has yet to come to light, so do not speak nonsense!"

"Heh! A piece of trash sword spirit—if she didn’t use a sneak attack, are you suggesting Senior Brother Xu and Junior Sister Luo are masochists who crippled themselves?"

"Exactly!"

"..."

Seeing so many disciples agreeing with him, the man laughed and looked toward Yao Xi, who stood in the Law Enforcement Hall, saying, "Look, everyone says she’s trash, a waste. It seems your Fallen Moon Peak won't be able to protect her."

"Hahaha!" Another man from Sword God Peak joined in, sneering, "Who would bother protecting a piece of trash? No wonder they say everyone at Fallen Moon Peak is useless."

Gu Qingli, the senior sister of Fallen Moon Peak, swept a glance at the man, walked up to him step by step, and said, "Useless, do you want me to spar with you?"

"..."

The man who spoke immediately fell silent; everyone knew that Gu Qingli, the senior sister of Fallen Moon Peak, was a formidable expert.

...

Inside the Law Enforcement Hall, Yao Xi’s three thousand strands of hair cascaded over her shoulders. Her features were breathtakingly beautiful, her skin pale, and her eyes slightly reddened, yet her face was set with stubbornness. At this moment, she was kneeling on the cold floor, her snow-white knees already bruised.

"Get up!" Ye Wuchen commanded.

"No!" Yao Xi gritted her teeth, clenching her fists. She did not want Ye Wuchen to stir up any more trouble.

On the high platform, Jian Wubei was blunt, his tone severe: "Yao Xi, do you know your crime?" He sat on high, looking down on everything.

"I... know..."

Just then, Ye Wuchen reclaimed control of the body. He rose abruptly, his chest heaving as he stood straight. "May I ask the Peak Master, what crime have I committed?"

This sudden question left the elders and peak masters stunned. They looked at Yao Xi in unison, their eyes filled with speechlessness. *Sister, are you crazy? What time is it, and you're still being so arrogant?*

Seeing Yao Xi, who was just about to admit her fault, suddenly stand up from the ground, Jian Wubei was incensed. He stared at her without a word, his formidable pressure erupting from his body, crushing down upon her in an attempt to suppress her by force. He shouted, "Wicked girl, kneel!"

Leng Qiuyue, seeing Jian Wubei trying to use his status to bully others, immediately unleashed her own aura to shield Yao Xi. She warned, "Senior Brother, you have gone too far. Aren't you afraid of losing the face of Sword God Peak by attacking a junior? Perhaps I should accompany you for a few moves instead."

Seeing that a conflict between Leng Qiuyue and Jian Wubei was imminent, the Elder of the Law Enforcement Hall stepped in to mediate, telling them to be mindful of the juniors outside to avoid unnecessary gossip.

Ye Wuchen asked in a low, cold voice, "I have committed no wrong; why should I kneel?"

"Hmph!" Jian Wubei snorted, his gaze returning to Yao Xi with a flash of complexity in his eyes. He continued, "Yao Xi, you ambushed and crippled Luo Qinghan and Xu Changsheng of my Sword God Peak for their spirit bones. The evidence is as solid as iron—what do you have to say for yourself?"

"If I said you slept with Auntie Hu, would you admit to that too?" Ye Wuchen retorted.

*Pfft!*

The moment these words were spoken, the entire hall erupted in laughter. Everyone knew that Auntie Hu was a middle-aged servant at the Sword Soul Sect who weighed three hundred pounds and had but one lifelong desire: to one day have her rusted gate opened just once.

Ye Wuchen’s mockery of Jian Wubei left everyone dumbfounded. This girl was truly fearless.

"Quiet! Quiet!" Jian Wubei hurriedly changed the subject. "This girl has no regard for the law! Someone, if she won't kneel, make her kneel until she does!"

As he finished speaking, a handsome youth in the crowd stepped forward with a murderous glint in his eyes. Wielding a weapon that shimmered with treasure-light, he approached, lifting his sword to stab at Yao Xi’s delicate knees. This person was none other than Lin Chen.

"Stop..." Leng Qiuyue tried to intervene, but it was too late.

*Smack!*

A crisp sound echoed through the hall.

Lin Chen, along with his sword, flew backward like a kite with a broken string, slamming into a pillar without warning.

"Kneel?" Ye Wuchen sneered. "I kneel only to the heavens, the earth, and my parents. Have you remembered that now?"

Lin Chen was stunned, his soul nearly jolted out of his body. His face was already swollen, three teeth sprayed out mixed with blood, and blood flowed from the corners of his mouth. He stared with wide, fearful eyes at the furious Yao Xi.

The disciples: "..."

Silence. A deathly silence. The entire plaza was suddenly devoid of sound.

Arrogant! Too damn arrogant!

"Yao Xi, you dare to treat me as nothing and strike someone in front of everyone? You... your crimes are doubled!" Jian Wubei’s eyes spewed fire, his fingers trembled, and he was so angry he could practically see smoke rising from his hair.

"Heh! You’ve already gathered the entire sect for a trial assembly; I assume in your heart, my guilt was already decided. Why waste time?" Ye Wuchen’s gaze swept over the elders, peak masters, and the disciples who had been out on the expedition, and he said in a deep voice:

"Everyone says I ambushed Luo Qinghan and Xu Changsheng. I’d like to see who saw it with their own eyes!"

"If you have the guts, stand up! Let me see how many eyes you have—enough for me to gouge out!"

Ye Wuchen’s words were powerful and piercing, every syllable striking at the heart.

"????"

The moment these words fell, it was like a thunderclap exploding over everyone’s heads. They all stood frozen in place. Never before had a disciple been this arrogant in the Law Enforcement Hall! To openly threaten to gouge out someone’s eyes in front of the entire sect—how did she dare?

Was Yao Xi crazy, or did she just not want to live anymore?

The disciples immediately erupted.

"Mad woman, too wild."

"I thought she was gentle and virtuous before; I never imagined she was putting on an act!"

"Peak Master, you must not let this mad woman go!"

The disciples were filled with righteous indignation, angrily condemning Yao Xi’s actions.

Leng Qiuyue, who had been meditating with her eyes closed, opened them. She had watched Yao Xi grow up and this was the first time she had seen her behave so out of character. *Could it really be that she crippled the disciples of Sword God Peak? If so, even I would find it hard to protect her.*

"Elder, Junior Brother Lin seems to be losing his breath."

"What?"

Jian Wubei’s expression shifted instantly. He jumped from his seat and barked, "Yao Xi, give me a reasonable explanation!"

"Why should I, Yao Xi, explain my actions to anyone else!"

Facing Jian Wubei’s aura and questioning, Ye Wuchen stood his ground.

"You!"

Jian Wubei slammed his palm down, causing the objects on the table to jump violently, and the entire desk turned to powder.

Elder Ji, who had led the expedition to the Spirit Hunting Mountains, sighed and shook his head: "Yao Xi, girl, admit your guilt. There is still a chance for leniency."

Hearing Elder Ji’s personal testimony, those disciples who had been wavering became even more convinced of Yao Xi’s guilt in harming her peers.

"Little girl, if you refuse to repent, don’t blame this old man for being ruthless!"

Other peak masters and elders also spoke up, urging Yao Xi to admit her fault. If her attitude was sincere, she might still save her life after the Sword Burial.

Luo Qinghan, seeing Yao Xi being denounced by everyone, felt a surge of secret joy, her eyes glinting with mockery. *Don't blame me for plotting against you; blame yourself for not knowing how to read the situation. Once the Peak Master sends you to the Sword Burial, even if you survive, you will be a cripple. Per the rules of the Sword Soul Sect, which does not keep the useless, you will certainly be expelled. Then, that three-thousand-year-old spirit beast will be mine to use. Once I fuse it to complete my sword spirit, I will leap to become the new top prodigy of Sword God Peak!*