Ling Su was seething with rage, but when faced with Chu Xinghe, he dared not act rashly. Killing Ma Liang a hundred times over wouldn't be too much, but harming Chu Xinghe was another matter entirely.
Looking at the calm Chu Xinghe, Ling Su slowly spoke, "Chu Xinghe... as a disciple of the Grand Sky Sect, you should know what punishment Ma Liang deserves for his actions today, right?"
"Senior Brother Xinghe is young and ignorant, please enlighten me, Elder Ling."
"Heh... Chu Xinghe, your Grand Sky Sect disciple acted recklessly today, using the Feng City Formation to destroy the Great Moon Palace and slaughter so many innocent people. Is this the conduct of the righteous path? Ma Liang has fallen into the demonic path and deserves to be killed by everyone!"
Listening to the constant talk of righteousness and demonic paths, Chu Xinghe replied indifferently, "Elder Ling, I find it a bit hard to understand your words. Innocent people? Although I arrived a bit late today, I do know a bit about the cause and effect of this matter. Why can't I understand the words 'innocent people'?"
As Chu Xinghe finished speaking, a member of the Great Moon royal family angrily shouted from afar, "Chu Xinghe! Today, Ma Liang killed our Great Moon Empress, such reckless behavior..."
Before the royal family member could finish, Chu Xinghe's arm flashed with purple light, and in the next moment, a bolt of lightning struck down from the sky!
Purple Lightning Flash!
The lightning struck, and the royal family member who hadn't finished speaking was instantly reduced to ashes by the Purple Lightning Flash!
The scene erupted into chaos, as no one expected Chu Xinghe to be so brazen, killing someone just like that?But before the Great Moon royal family could recover from their shock, Chu Xinghe spoke again, "Where did that mad dog come from? Elder Ling, I heard you're from the Great Moon Nation, and now the Great Moon Nation is also your descendants. What? Can't your descendants even keep their dogs in check? What was that thing just now, daring to bark here?"
The scene fell into a dead silence, everyone staring wide-eyed at Chu Xinghe.
Was Ma Liang wild enough?
He single-handedly demolished the Great Moon Palace, causing rivers of blood.
But at this moment, those present felt that compared to Chu Xinghe, Ma Liang wasn't that wild...
The royal family member who spoke earlier might not have been from the main family, but they were certainly a branch... To directly reduce a branch family member to ashes in front of Ling Su, that was too wild!
Ling Su was also extremely angry at this moment, but in truth, Chu Xinghe's words weren't without reason.
From the moment Chu Xinghe appeared, the battle was over, and it was time for everyone to talk.
But there were rules to these talks, and Chu Xinghe stood here representing the Grand Sky Sect, while Ling Su represented the Cloud Soar Sect. If any random person could jump out and shout during their conversation, what rules would there be?
Chu Xinghe's actions were domineering, but the guy who opened his mouth to accuse Chu Xinghe was really asking for it.
Were you accusing Chu Xinghe? Chu Xinghe now represents the Grand Sky Sect, so you were accusing the Grand Sky Sect! What status do you have to accuse the Grand Sky Sect?
The surroundings quieted down, and no one dared to speak recklessly!
"Chu Xinghe!" Ling Su still felt a bit humiliated.
"Elder Ling, no need to shout so loudly, I can hear you!"
"The cause and effect of today's events are clearer to you and Elder Tian than to anyone else. Why Ma Liang killed, I don't need to explain further, do I?"
"Chu Xinghe! Ma Liang killed my beloved daughter right in front of me today, is this the righteous conduct of your Grand Sky Sect?" Tian Qingquan glared at Chu Xinghe.
"Then did your daughter deserve to die for killing my junior brother Ma Liang's sister? Do you, as her father, truly not know what your daughter has done over the years? Is this the righteous conduct of your Cloud Soar Sect?"
Chu Xinghe showed no courtesy to Tian Qingquan, as today was already a day to tear off the facade, so why leave any face?
Sure enough, as Chu Xinghe spoke, Tian Qingquan's face turned extremely ugly, but he was unable to refute. What could he say? That he didn't know?
Stop joking, does it matter whether you know or not at this point? Is Chu Xinghe here to reason with you?
Everyone here is a damn thousand-year-old fox, who doesn't have some tricks up their sleeve... So there's no need for any nonsense, everyone knows what's going on.
Ma Liang avenged his sister today, and even Tian Qingquan couldn't argue with that.
Your daughter killed someone's sister, and they killed your daughter. Is that not fair?
Your daughter just happened to hit an iron plate this time, and no matter how dissatisfied you are, you have to accept it!
"Ma Liang's revenge is understandable, but what about the others? How do we account for them?" Ling Su pointed to the countless dead around them. Although everyone Ma Liang killed today was involved in his sister's matter, saying they all deserved to die might be a bit much.
As Ling Su finished speaking, Chu Xinghe spoke, "Ma Liang... kneel!"
Ma Liang knelt down with a thud in front of Senior Brother Xinghe.
"Ma Liang, as a disciple of the Grand Sky Sect, it was only right for you to avenge your sister, but killing so many people goes against the righteous name of our Grand Sky Sect. Today, by the order of the sect, you are stripped of your status as a personal disciple, expelled from the inner sect, and demoted to the outer sect, never to be promoted to the inner sect again in this life!"
Ma Liang knelt silently on the ground.
As Chu Xinghe announced this punishment, the surroundings erupted into chaos.
Because from the moment Chu Xinghe appeared today, Ma Liang's life was already spared, and even Ling Su could not possibly kill Ma Liang in front of Chu Xinghe.
Many died at Ma Liang's hands, but Ma Liang acted only after the Soul Devouring Formation identified them. If their deeds were detailed, they wouldn't be considered innocent, and in the eyes of someone like Ling Su, those lives were worthless...
It's not that Chu Xinghe didn't want to call for someone to chop Ling Su up along with the others, but our Grand Sky Sect is the righteous path, not the Demonic Sect, we have to have a bottom line. Ma Liang, don't worry, there will be plenty of opportunities to deal with Ling Su in the future.
So today, Chu Xinghe's handling of Ma Liang was to give the world of righteousness an explanation in the name of the Grand Sky Sect. As for giving the Cloud Soar Sect and the Great Moon Nation an explanation?
Do they deserve it?
And in the eyes of those around, Chu Xinghe's punishment was indeed the most severe.
Ma Liang was the personal disciple of the Deputy Sect Master of the Grand Sky Sect, stripped of his status, demoted to the outer sect, and never allowed to be promoted to the inner sect again in this life. For many, this was almost a career-ending punishment.
So this punishment was already extremely severe.
In the eyes of normal people, this punishment meant Ma Liang's life was ruined.
But Ma Liang wasn't worried at all!
Ma Liang knew that Senior Brother Xinghe's punishment today was just for show. As part of the righteous path, we can't act as recklessly as the Demonic Sect. Today, as long as I, Ma Liang, walk out of the Great Moon Nation alive, the Cloud Soar Sect's face is already lost.
In the world, only our Grand Sky Sect can make the Cloud Soar Sect suffer such a loss.
Stripped of the personal disciple title... demoted to the outer sect?
For ordinary people, this would definitely be a severe punishment, but for Ma Liang? I, Ma Liang, am Senior Brother Xinghe's closest confidant, does it matter if I'm in the inner or outer sect?
As long as I have the Feng City Formation in hand, isn't the difference between the outer and inner sect just a matter of title?
I, Ma Liang, am destined to become the Great Elder of the Grand Sky Sect in the future!
What? You say an outer sect disciple can't become a Great Elder? Is there a rule in the sect that says outer sect disciples can't become Great Elders?
Ma Liang, having thoroughly studied the sect rules, knew there was no such rule!
"Elder Ling, you know better than anyone the rights and wrongs of today, and why my junior brother is here. A life for a life, isn't that reasonable?"
Ling Su, though trembling with anger, also knew that Chu Xinghe's actions today were indeed flawless.
He knew why Ma Liang came today, and he knew even better what Tian Wenxin had done. Saying Tian Wenxin deserved to die a thousand times over would not be an exaggeration.
As for the others Ma Liang killed... calling them innocent would make even Ling Su feel ashamed. Although Ma Liang was ruthless, he didn't kill indiscriminately; he only killed those deemed guilty by the Soul Devouring Formation. So there was no flaw in Chu Xinghe's punishment.
But if Chu Xinghe were to leave with Ma Liang today, where would Ling Su's face go? What of the Cloud Soar Sect's reputation?
Before Ling Su could speak, Chu Xinghe moved again. He flashed into the crowd of the Great Moon royal family, grabbing a fat, pig-headed man. The man's clothing already indicated his identity; he was the current crown prince of the Great Moon Nation, also Tian Wenxin's precious son.
Grabbing the fat man, Chu Xinghe's hand flashed with white light, and the Hanging Shears Sword Wing slashed through the air. Amidst the splattering blood, the man's head was separated from his neck.
"Chu Xinghe! Are you courting death? Killing my grandson, are you trying to start a war between the two sects?"
Tian Qingquan never dreamed that Chu Xinghe would kill again, and this time it was his grandson.
This scene not only stunned Tian Qingquan but also left Ling Su dumbfounded. He never expected Chu Xinghe to kill again!
"Elder Tian... why such anger? A life for a life, my junior brother's sister's life for your daughter's life, but what about her child? Naturally, your grandson should pay with his life!"
"Elder Tian keeps talking about starting a war between the two sects? Fine... today, I, Chu Xinghe, on behalf of the Grand Sky Sect, accept your Cloud Soar Sect's challenge! But I ask, Elder Tian, do you have the authority to decide a war with the Grand Sky Sect?"
As Chu Xinghe spoke, the scene fell silent.
No one expected Chu Xinghe to actually accept a sect war.
Elder Tian and Elder Ling had been using the threat of a sect war as a bluff.
But they never imagined that Chu Xinghe would actually dare to accept!
And they knew that with Chu Xinghe's status and position in the Grand Sky Sect, he indeed had the authority to do so!
"I, Chu Xinghe, accept the sect war on behalf of the Grand Sky Sect. Be it chaotic battle, challenge, duel, or any other form, the Cloud Soar Sect can propose, and the Grand Sky Sect will accept them all. But I ask the two elders, are you serious? If you say yes, I will crush the Grand Sky Token now, and the Grand Sky Sect will respond! I, Chu Xinghe, guarantee that today, someone will not walk out of the Great Moon Nation alive!"
Silence... the scene was silent, even Ma Liang was wide-eyed, staring at Senior Brother Xinghe.
No one thought Chu Xinghe was joking, nor did anyone doubt his authority.
Elder Tian remained silent... because he never imagined things would escalate to this point.
Ling Su also calmed down. Earlier, he only considered his own face, but he forgot that Chu Xinghe represented the Grand Sky Sect.
Where was the Grand Sky Sect's face?
This matter was no longer about the relatives of the two sects; it had escalated to the reputation of the two sects. The Cloud Soar Sect wanted face, but was the Grand Sky Sect's face worthless?
Chu Xinghe wasn't afraid to escalate the situation, in fact, he wanted to escalate it, to send a message to the entire world.
In the future, whoever dares to harm the family of a Grand Sky Sect disciple, you can try and see if you can afford the price!