Chapter 6586: The Sacred Mansion’s Voices

Jie Tianran nodded in satisfaction. “Good. That is how our Sacred Mansion sentences traitors. Anyone willing to punish the traitor, regardless of position or cultivation, is free to make a move.”

The crowd fell silent.

Even if Shuang Xue deserved death, who would dare to touch Jie Nianqing’s aide? No one would be able to bear Jie Nianqing’s wrath.

But a roar could suddenly be heard from the sky. “Shuang Xue, how can you betray the Seven Realms Sacred Mansion after accepting its grace? You deserve to die a thousand times over!”

It was a middle-aged woman with a savage face reminiscent of a demon. She unleashed a punishment formation at Shuang Xue, but her spirit power was so weak that she was unable to inflict the slightest damage on the latter’s body.

Shuang Xue was unharmed, but her heart was bleeding. The middle-aged woman who had just attacked her was so humble that most people wouldn’t recognize her, but she did. She had once helped the other party in the spur of the moment, changing her life.

That middle-aged woman had been so grateful to her then, kowtowing to her and vowing to serve her for life. Shuang Xue thought that her intervention was worthwhile then.

Little did she expect the middle-aged woman to be the first one to turn against her as soon as she was in trouble.

The middle-aged woman might be weak, but her action set a precedent.

More people attacked Shuang Xue. Countless formations rained down on her, killing her in a heartbeat and completely obliterating her corpse. Even so, more people continued to join the commotion.

Eventually, it was the minority who didn’t attack Shuang Xue. The crowd understood that this exercise was not a simple gesture to punish a traitor; more than that, it was a way to signal their unyielding loyalty to Jie Tianran.

If they refrained from attacking Shuang Xue, they could be cast under suspicion of betraying the Seven Realms Sacred Mansion as well.

Even so, several people still chose not to make a move. Ling Xiao was one of them.

“Ling Xiao, you should at least launch an attack to make your stance clear. She’s already dead anyway.”

The people around Ling Xiao tried to persuade him, but he still refrained from making a move. He didn’t think that Shuang Xue deserved death. Neither Chu Feng nor Shuang Xue had done anything wrong.

Had Jie Tianran declared Shuang Xue innocent, not a single person would have voiced their objection. But the moment Jie Tianran pronounced Shuang Xue guilty, everyone turned their backs on her, including those whom she had once helped.

Ling Xiao couldn’t accept this. This was not how the Seven Realms Sacred Mansion should be.

Jie Nianqing felt terrible as well. She had seen the people whom Shuang Xue had once helped baring their fangs at her, as if they had a deep-seated grudge against her. Her expression slowly turned impassive as she realized that it was not just Jie Tianran whom she didn’t understand; she had also never understood the Seven Realms Sacred Mansion, either.

“Enough,” Jie Tianran announced.

The ridiculous corpse-whipping farce finally came to an end.

“Shuang Xue deserves to die, but the mastermind behind her has received more help from the Seven Realms Sacred Mansion. Don’t you think she deserves death even more?” Jie Tianran asked.

“Of course!”

“She should be severely punished!”

The crowd voiced their agreement and bared their anger despite being unsure about whom Jie Tianran was talking about.

Jie Tianran raised his hand toward the sky and pulled a figure down onto the square. The clamorous square immediately fell silent.

Ling Xiao and the others widened their eyes in disbelief.

The person whom Jie Tianran had apprehended was none other than his wife, Jie Nianqing!

“Lord Nianqing?”

The crowd couldn’t believe their eyes. Jie Nianqing was tightly bound like a sinner, and she had been introduced as the other person who had betrayed the Seven Realms Sacred Mansion.

“What’s wrong? You said she deserves death earlier. Why are you backing down now? Is it because she’s Jie Nianqing, a meritorious subject of the Seven Realms Sacred Mansion and my wedded wife?” Jie Tianran asked.

“Lord Mansion Master, could there be a misunderstanding?” an elder asked.

“Misunderstanding? Are you saying I’ve gotten senile?” Jie Tianran questioned.

“I was wrong!” the elder hurriedly replied as cold sweat rained from his face.

Those who wanted to persuade Jie Tianran against sentencing Jie Nianqing swallowed their words. They could tell from Jie Tianran’s attitude that he was determined to kill Jie Nianqing today.

“I won’t malign anyone, especially not my wife. However, I also will not protect anyone who undermines the Seven Realms Sacred Mansion’s interests. Jie Nianqing has obtained the Divine Inheritance Ground’s legacy, advanced to rank five Heavenly Dragon World Spiritist, and obtained heaven-defying battle power to surmount one rank.

“Despite receiving so much from the Sacred Mansion, she still sided with an outsider like Chu Feng and attacked me. Don’t you think she deserves death?” Jie Tianran asked.

“Yes, she deserves to die!”

The first one to voice her agreement was the middle-aged woman who attacked Shuang Xue first. Following her, more people spoke up against Jie Nianqing. It was even more clamorous than when they sentenced Shuang Xue to death earlier.

“Nianqing, you shouldn’t blame me for this. This is the people’s will,” Jie Tianran said.

Jie Nianqing maintained an impassive face, not bothering to speak up for herself.

“Hold on,” a voice suddenly echoed over the crowd.

The crowd turned to Ling Xiao, who was sitting by the corner of the square. He was the one who had interjected.

Ling Xiao stood up and first bowed to Jie Tianran before saying, “Lord Mansion Master, Lord Nianqing has contributed greatly to the Seven Realms Sacred Mansion in the past. Her merits ought to offset her crimes. She doesn’t deserve to die.”

Another elder berated Ling Xiao, “Ling Xiao, what nonsense are you spouting? Jie Nianqing might have contributed greatly to the Seven Realms Sacred Mansion, but anyone who dares to attack the Mansion Master deserves the death penalty!”

More people spoke up to criticize Ling Xiao.

But Ling Xiao paid them no heed and continued vocalizing via an amplification formation, “Lord Mansion Master, even if Lord Nianqing deserves death, our Seven Realms Sacred Mansion is currently undergoing a tumultuous period and urgently requires as much manpower as possible.

“Lord Nianqing wields strength comparable to a rank six Heavenly Dragon World Spiritist. It would be a waste to kill her just like that. I suggest making an exception in view of the current circumstances.”

Ling Xiao looked straight at Jie Tianran, hoping that the latter would spare Jie Nianqing. He knew that the crux of the situation lay with Jie Tianran; as long as Jie Tianran chose to spare Jie Nianqing, no one would object to it.

“I have personally experienced Jie Nianqing’s prowess. She is indeed formidable. If not for my preparations, I might have lost my life to her. However, it’s also because of her formidable strength that it’s dangerous to spare her life. Putting all things aside, who here, other than me, has the power to stop her?” Jie Tianran said.

Fear could be seen in everyone’s eyes. They had just murdered Jie Nianqing’s aide in cold blood, and they had already voiced their agreement to sentence Jie Nianqing to death as well. If Jie Nianqing didn’t die here, they might face her vengeance in the future.

“I have my worries and concerns, but the Seven Realms Sacred Mansion belongs to everyone. Why don’t we hold a vote to decide how we should sentence Jie Nianqing? I’m willing to spare her life if the majority chooses to grant her a second chance. Similarly, I won’t spare her if the majority wants her dead. The procedure shall be fair and square.

“Now, make your stance,” Jie Tianran said.

A buzz broke out in the crowd.

Fearing that Ling Xiao would persuade the crowd to spare Jie Nianqing, many decided to construct voice amplification formations to drown out his voice.

Ling Xiao’s face crumbled in despair. Whether it was to fawn on Jie Tianran or fearing Jie Nianqing’s vengeance, the majority of the people wanted Jie Nianqing dead.