The next morning, Song Changsheng sat high upon his seat in the great hall. Two rows of Law Enforcement Disciples, clad in tight-fitting black uniforms, radiated a murderous aura. Outside the hall, a large crowd of Song Clan Members had already gathered.

However, to the confusion of many, not a single one of the clan’s Elders was in attendance. Even Xia Yunxue, the Law Enforcement Hall Master, was nowhere to be seen.

"The time has come. Bring the traitor Song Xiandu before me." Song Changsheng tried his best to make his voice sound more authoritative.

Soon, Song Xiandu, his acupoints and meridians sealed, was brought into the hall. Many in the crowd glared at him with fury. After all, if he hadn’t betrayed the Clan Leader back then, how could the clan have fallen into such a dire state?

Feeling the gazes of disgust and hatred from the crowd, Song Xiandu laughed unrestrainedly. "Good, very good! You’ve all come. All come to watch a wet-behind-the-ears brat humiliate the direct son of the first branch. How wonderful."

Song Changsheng snorted coldly and rebuked him, "You’re a traitor who has forgotten his ancestors! What right do you have to even mention the first branch? The Yungui Ancestor was renowned and illustrious, dedicating his entire life to the clan, only to have a disgrace of a son like you. Are you even worthy of the Ancestor?!"

Song Xiandu sneered at him, saying disdainfully, "What right does a snot-nosed brat like you have to lecture me? If Song Xianming hadn’t stolen my position as Clan Leader back then, would things have ever gotten to this point? He forced my hand!"

"The position of Clan Leader goes to the capable, while the incompetent step down. This was decreed by the Yungui Ancestor himself and passed by a resolution of the Elder Council. Even the Yungui Ancestor agreed to it. What grounds do you have to question it?"

"’Capable’? Capable of what? He was nothing more than a usurper who abused his power for personal gain and suppressed dissent."

Song Changsheng was so furious he laughed. "Abused his power for personal gain? Suppressed dissent? What personal gain did he seek? Who did he suppress? The Clan Leader dedicated decades of his life to the clan. How dare a shameless degenerate like you slander him?"

"He didn’t seek personal gain? You’re not even thirty, are you? Not only did you receive a Foundation Establishment Pill to reach Foundation Establishment, but you also became the first Young Clan Leader in a hundred years! He didn’t seek personal gain? The Foundation Establishment Pill that was originally mine, he gave it to his own son, Song Luyan!

"Fifteen years ago, in the batch of Foundation Establishment Pills that came from the main family, one was supposed to be for my son, Lusheng! And what happened? He gave it to that outsider, Xia Yunxue! That bitch! What right did she have?!" Song Xiandu roared maniacally in the hall.

Song Changsheng felt his blood boil. He wished he could slap Song Xiandu to death. The man had not only slandered his grandfather but also insulted his parents. If he weren’t sitting in this position today, he would have torn him to shreds!

"Utterly ridiculous! My father earned his Foundation Establishment Pill in the clan competition. Your skills were inferior—you didn’t even make it into the top four. Since when was that pill yours?

"My mother made great contributions to the clan, exchanging 30,000 Clan Contribution Points—saved up over decades of brewing wine—for that Foundation Establishment Pill. Song Lusheng only had a little over 10,000 Contribution Points. What right do you have to claim it was his?

"As for the Foundation Establishment Pill the clan gave me, that was a decision made by the Elder Council. What does it have to do with my grandfather? Besides, I felt unworthy of it and did not take it." Song Changsheng stood up, gazing coldly at Song Xiandu.

"What?"

Song Changsheng’s words were like a giant boulder dropped into a calm lake, instantly setting off a tidal wave in the hearts of the crowd.

"That’s impossible! Without taking a Foundation Establishment Pill, how could you have reached Foundation Establishment?" Song Xiandu bellowed, his eyes bloodshot.

Song Changsheng gave him a faint look, as if observing a ridiculous clown. "Could it be that you’ve never heard of the Ancient Cultivator Foundation Establishment Method?"

"I don’t believe it!"

"Whether you believe it or not is unimportant. This Foundation Establishment Pill will soon have a new owner, but you won’t be alive to see that day." Song Changsheng waved his hand, signaling for the Law Enforcement Disciples to take him away.

After Song Xiandu was led away, the scene erupted into chaos. Everyone was speculating about the truth of Song Changsheng’s words.

"Hey, do you think what the Young Clan Leader said is true?"

"I think it’s probably fake. Foundation Establishment via the Ancient Cultivator Method? Among all the Foundation Establishment Cultivators in our clan’s history, only the Yungui Ancestor achieved it that way, right? It’s incredibly difficult."

"Exactly! To have a Foundation Establishment Pill and not use it... isn’t that just foolish?"

"But based on what he said, he’s definitely going to produce a Foundation Establishment Pill. He wouldn’t be messing with all of us, would he?"

"I believe in the Young Clan Leader, and I believe in the Clan Elder Council."

...

Some doubted, while others believed, but Song Changsheng paid them no mind. The truth would make everyone shut their mouths.

"Silence! Bring up the others."

Soon, twelve clan traitors, led by Song Lusheng, were brought forward. Most of them were from the first branch.

The ancestor Song Taiyi had wives and concubines in droves, with over a hundred offspring. Because his Cultivation was high, a larger proportion of his children were Cultivators—five in total.

In order of age, they were Song Chuyi, Song Chuer, Song Chusan, Song Chuhe, and Song Chuwu.

Song Xiandu was a descendant of Song Chuyi’s line, the so-called "first branch." However, the clan had never distinguished between main and concubine-born lines, let alone a rule that the Clan Leader must come from the first branch.

As such, the first branch had only ever produced one Clan Leader: Song Yungui.

Perhaps it was resentment from not receiving special treatment, but they were secretly recruited by Song Xiandu and became parasites who sold out the clan’s interests.

With the exception of Song Lusheng, the others began weeping and wailing the moment they were brought up, loudly proclaiming their "grievances" to Song Changsheng. But Song Changsheng was no naive child, ignorant of the ways of the world. How could he be fooled by them?

After a flurry of measures, these people quickly confessed.

The more the crowd heard, the more horrified they became. The phrase "too numerous to list" was insufficient to describe their deeds; they were simply monstrous.

Instantly, the crowd was enraged. The calls for their execution grew louder and louder, frightening the traitors so much that they trembled uncontrollably, their faces pale as death.

Fury burned in Song Changsheng’s heart as well. Killing them ten times over wouldn’t be enough to quell his hatred. Waving for the Law Enforcement Disciples to take them away, Song Changsheng said coldly, "Now, I will announce the clan’s judgment."

The crowd immediately fell silent, their eyes fixed on Song Changsheng.

"Song Xiandu, Song Lusheng, Song Lubai... these seven individuals are guilty of unforgivable crimes. I sentence them to the annihilation of their Divine Souls. All their direct relatives in the Mortal Realm shall be exiled to the Great Barrens as a warning to others.

"Song Changchun, Song Lucheng, and the other six individuals are guilty of numerous crimes. I sentence them to have their Cultivation crippled. They, along with their direct relatives in the Mortal Realm, will be sent to the mines to work, pending further observation." With just a few simple sentences, Song Changsheng decided the fate of nearly a thousand people.

Such a heavy sentence sent a chill through the hearts of everyone present. In their minds, they immediately labeled Song Changsheng as "ruthless."

In that moment, Song Changsheng’s reputation within the clan became equal to that of Song Luyao...

"Was Sheng’er’s judgment a bit too harsh?" In the Wind Language Hall, Xia Yunxue asked Song Luyao with a frown. Although she utterly despised those people, seeing so many implicated had softened her heart.

Holding a wine cup, Song Luyao said faintly, "I think he did very well. Kill one to warn a hundred. In the future, anyone who thinks of committing a similar crime will have to think carefully about the consequences!" 𝗳𝗿𝐞𝕖𝘄𝗲𝕓𝗻𝚘𝚟𝕖𝐥.𝚌𝕠𝕞

...