Looking at the five people whose expressions had changed drastically, Sun Yi did not wait for them to speak before changing his tone. “However, considering the new sect rules have only just been announced, I will give you one chance.”
When the five people below heard there was still a turn for the better, they all looked at Sun Yi expectantly.
Sun Yi continued, “Today, all you need to do is return twice the resources you extorted to their original owners in front of everyone here and offer sincere apologies. Then the thirty days of soul refining punishment will be waived.”
When the five heard Sun Yi’s decision, their faces changed again and again. They found it rather hard to accept. They were Foundation Establishment cultivators, deputy hall masters of the Law Enforcement Hall, and three of them were Elder Jin Jue’s disciples. Having them apologize in front of everyone was simply unacceptable.
Jin Lun, Xu Bo, and Zhang Dahai all looked toward Elder Jin Jue behind Sun Yi with expectant gazes, hoping Elder Jin Jue would speak on their behalf.
Elder Jin Jue merely snorted coldly. “Hmph. You wicked disciples, have you forgotten what I said earlier? Anyone who dares disobey the sect leader’s orders will be severely punished without exception, and that includes you. If you do not want to carry this out, I will personally escort you to undergo the soul refining punishment.”
Hearing Elder Jin Jue’s heartless words, Jin Lun and the other two even wondered whether this was really their master.
But Elder Jin Jue had already spoken. How could they dare have the slightest objection? Losing face was losing face. Were they really going to be sent to suffer the soul refining punishment?
“Elder Jin Jue, please bring the five of them up.”
As soon as Sun Yi finished speaking, Elder Jin Jue casually waved his hand. True qi swept up Jin Lun and the other four below the platform, and they instantly landed on the high platform.
Then Sun Yi faced all the members and disciples in the central plaza and said loudly, “Do you see? The five of them are standing right here. Any member or disciple who was bullied or extorted by them in the past may come up and have them return all resources and apologize.”
“Do not worry. I will act on your behalf as the new sect leader. Behind me are the five Golden Core elders, and Patriarch Qingxuan will also act on your behalf. None of you need to be afraid.”
After the central plaza was quiet for a moment, someone finally could not hold back and flew up, riding a streak of light that instantly landed on the platform.
This was a thin outer disciple with only the fourth level of Qi Refining. He first clasped his hands toward Patriarch Qingxuan, the five Golden Core elders, and Sun Yi, then said with a face full of respect, “This disciple Wang Xiaolong had three Qi Gathering Pills taken by Senior Brother Jin Lun three months ago. Please, Sect Leader, uphold justice for me.”
“You bastard! You even robbed a fourth level Qi Refining disciple of his Qi Gathering Pills? I truly want to split you apart!” Elder Jin Jue’s fiery temper nearly slipped out of control.
Jin Lun trembled all over. He very much wanted to deny it, but he did not dare. He could only nod and admit it, then take six Qi Gathering Pills from his storage bag and respectfully hand them over. He apologized sincerely, “Junior Brother Wang, I offended you in the past. I apologize to you here. Such a thing will never happen again.”
Wang Xiaolong put away the Qi Gathering Pills Jin Lun handed him, clasped his hands, and flew down from the platform.
With Wang Xiaolong taking the lead, the people below became lively. One after another, people flew onto the platform. Under Sun Yi’s supervision, the five deputy hall masters returned the resources they had extorted over the years. When they did not have enough, they could only borrow from their own masters, and they sincerely apologized to the disciples they had bullied.
There was no other way. With the Golden Core elders and Patriarch Qingxuan watching, even if their hearts were not sincere, their faces had to put on sincerity.
After quite some time, no one else came onto the platform. By now, Jin Lun and the other four had pale faces, and their hearts were bleeding. In this short span, not only had they returned everything they had extorted over the years, they had also paid out their own resources. Their losses were extremely heavy.
“Go wait at the side for now.” Sun Yi waved his hand, telling them to wait nearby. Then he called out again in a clear voice, “The five deputy hall masters of the Internal Affairs Hall, come up to the platform at once.”
The five deputy hall masters of the Internal Affairs Hall flew up to the platform with faces ashen as death. They had already foreseen their fate. Sure enough, Sun Yi directly announced, “Over these years, you used the convenience of your positions to bully members, withhold resources, and seize sect resources. According to the sect rules, you will receive the same punishment as Jin Lun and the others. Do you accept it?”
“We accept!” the five answered in unison. How would they dare show the slightest refusal?
Sun Yi waved his hand. “Same as before. Any disciples who had resources withheld or were bullied by them may come up and receive double compensation. I will act on your behalf!”
With the previous example, this time everyone immediately climbed onto the platform and lined up to have the deputy hall masters of the Internal Affairs Hall compensate and apologize to them.
The members and disciples who received compensation and apologies all wore joyful expressions and clasped their hands toward Sun Yi in thanks. It was not only them; at this moment, the looks that the members and disciples in the plaza gave Sun Yi had also changed.
Afterward, the deputy hall masters of the External Affairs Hall, Transmission Hall, and Miscellaneous Arts Hall all followed the pattern and returned their ill-gotten gains and apologized on the platform. The entire process went on for a full two hours.
Only when no one else came onto the platform did Sun Yi sweep his gaze over the twenty-five deputy hall masters there and say loudly, “As the sect leader of Qingyun Sect, I announce that as long as a disciple under our Qingyun Sect carries justice in their heart and obeys the sect rules, no one may bully them. When I say no one, that includes the sect’s management, and it also includes every cultivator outside the sect.”
“All of you must remember that Qingyun Sect is one whole that does not divide between you and me. All past grievances end today.”
“You must also remember that as long as you obey the sect rules and do more good deeds, I, your sect leader, along with the Golden Core elders, Patriarch Qingxuan, and even the entire sect, will be your firmest backing. If you are bullied while traveling outside, remember not to be afraid. We will uphold justice for you!”
In a short time, these members and disciples had gone from unfamiliarity to respect and admiration toward Sun Yi. From the bottom of their hearts, they began to recognize him as the new sect leader. At the same time, after hearing Sun Yi’s words, the twenty-five former deputy hall masters on the platform felt a little more ashamed.
Behind him, the five Golden Core elders and Patriarch Qingxuan looked at Sun Yi speaking in a clear voice and sensed the change in the emotions and spirit of the disciples in the plaza. All of them felt happy from the bottom of their hearts.
“Good! The sect leader spoke too well!”
“Sect Leader, thank you for upholding justice for us!”
“The sect leader is excellent. You are a good sect leader!”
“The Patriarch is wise to have appointed such a good sect leader!”
“Sect Leader, rest assured. From now on, I will strictly obey the sect rules!”
“Me too. From now on, whenever the sect leader has an order, I, Wang Dachui, will obey without question!”
“This is wonderful. From now on, when we travel outside, we no longer need to be afraid!”
“With the sect and the elders as our backing, I feel much more secure.”
“Yes. It feels like a dream. Only today do I feel that being a disciple of Qingyun Sect is truly wonderful!”
“I am also proud to be a disciple of Qingyun Sect!”
…
The central plaza instantly filled with cheers. Everyone was excited, thrilled, and could not help cheering loudly. Even more members recognized Sun Yi as the new sect leader. In truth, ordinary disciples were very easy to satisfy, but this was still far from enough.