The crowd was stunned, then erupted in cheers. Generations of enslavement by the Gu worms had not been easy, and hearing that the Gu had been tamed by the powerful figure before them, they rejoiced.
"Gu King! Gu King! Gu King!"
People rushed forward, kneeling at Ye Tian's feet. Some of the elders wept uncontrollably.
Just then, a discordant voice rose from the crowd.
"Since the Gu King has tamed that spirit Gu, can you show us the Gu King's abilities?"
The speaker was a middle-aged man, blind in his left eye, with a sallow complexion, sparse hair, and clad in a grey robe. He stood amidst the crowd, exuding an air of leadership.
San Chong looked at the man and said coldly, "Elder Hei, the Sect Master will naturally show you. Since you were the first to propose, let Protector Hei come out and cooperate."
This Protector Hei held considerable power in the Spirit Gu Sect. Had it not been for the Gu choosing San Chong, he would have likely replaced him as the Sect Master. San Chong had always been wary of this man. Now that he had stepped forward, San Chong decided to put him in his place.
Protector Hei showed no fear and stepped forward, saying plainly, "Very well."
Ye Tian nodded and said, "This Gu has the ability to control a person's mind. Protector Hei, prepare yourself."
As he spoke, a golden light entered Protector Hei's brow. He trembled, and his muscles relaxed.
Ye Tian asked, "Protector Hei, have you ever done anything detrimental to the Spirit Gu Sect or violated its rules?"
Protector Hei nodded. "Yes. Thirteen years ago, I caused the death of Protector Bai, who held more power than I."
Upon hearing this, the crowd was enraged.
"So you were the one who killed Protector Bai!"
"Alas, Protector Bai was a good man. Thirteen years ago, he vanished without a trace, and it turns out he was murdered by this man."
"Sect Master, please punish this person!"
Ye Tian looked at San Chong and asked, "Vice Sect Master San Chong, how should one be punished for murdering a Sect Protector or Elder?"
San Chong stated, word for word, "One who kills a Sect Elder shall be subjected to the punishment of a hundred Gu devouring the body!"
Ye Tian nodded. "You carry it out."
San Chong nodded, took Elder Hei, and walked to a distance. Influenced by the Xianji Gu, Elder Hei had no will to resist. Soon, piercing screams could be heard.
Returning, San Chong's face was etched with a murderous aura. He knelt before Ye Tian and said, "Sect Master, Elder Hei has been executed on the spot!"
Ye Tian replied, "Indeed. As Sect Master, I must display some of my abilities."
He asked, "Are there any fierce beasts here?"
San Chong said, "Three days ago, we captured a wild boar king and a black panther."
Ye Tian said, "Take me there."
A group of people arrived at a cave. Through thick iron bars, a ferocious black panther lay within. Its physique was clearly larger than that of an ordinary black panther, weighing over a hundred kilograms, as majestic as a tiger.
Seeing people approach, the black panther slowly rose. Its pair of eerie green eyes stared at Ye Tian and the others through the bars, as cold as knives, sending a chill down their spines.
Upon seeing the black panther, Ye Tian praised it inwardly, saying, "This is a king among panthers. How did you capture it?"
San Chong explained, "Capturing it was pure luck. It accidentally fell into a trap. Because it was too powerful, we starved it for ten days before attempting to capture it, and finally confined it here."
Ye Tian said, "Open the gate."
The people around exchanged glances. This black panther was immensely dangerous. Were they not afraid it would eat someone if released?
San Chong did not hesitate. He personally walked to the bars, opened them, and quickly moved away.
As the gate opened, the black panther looked confused, then slowly stepped out. The moment its paws touched the ground, the Xianji Gu took effect. Ye Tian's consciousness, transmitted through the Gu, echoed in the black panther's mind.
"Submit to me, or I shall kill you immediately!"
The black panther was startled. It understood Ye Tian's words. After a moment of愣, it suddenly let out a low growl, crouched, and lunged at Ye Tian.
It seemed the black panther viewed Ye Tian's words as an insult and intended to kill him on the spot.
As the black panther lunged, its vision blurred. Suddenly, its tail was grabbed, and it was violently thrown to the ground.