"You still haven't memorized the Sect Rules, have you? You only read the beginning and skipped the end. According to Rule 994 of the Sect Rules, the Mission Elder has the right to issue temporary missions based on the situation. What you just refused to comply with was a temporary mission I issued."
Zhu Xiaosuo was left speechless.
Indeed, he had missed that part of the Sect Rules.
From Rule 900 to 1000, the rules were all about the privileges and constraints of the elders, which were of little use to him.
So he always skimmed over these hundred rules when flipping through the Cultivator's Beginner Guide.
He didn't expect to stumble here.
What to do?!
He furrowed his brows in anxiety.
Seeing Zhu Xiaosuo's silence, Ba Shanyue also became worried.
Ba Mingyang was desperately praying in his heart.
"Heh, kid, if you have nothing to say, then I'll have to punish you for disrespecting an elder!"
Zhu Xiaosuo was still pondering, feeling something was amiss.
"Stop wasting your efforts. In your next life, choose a better birth."
Just as Sun Qingde was about to make a move, Zhu Xiaosuo suddenly realized and quickly said:
"Wait! Elder Sun, the charge you’re giving me doesn’t match the reasoning you cited."
"You’re just stalling for time! Prepare to die!"
With that, he was about to kill Zhu Xiaosuo.
Ba Shanyue immediately intervened:
"Elder Sun, there's no need to rush. The appeal isn't over yet! Let him finish his reasoning before you act!"
"Elder Sun, you said the reason for my disrespect was violating the mission, right?"
"So what if it is?"
"But my exact words at the time were..."
He couldn't remember what Ba Mingyang had said out of turn, only that it was unrelated to disobeying orders.
The one who tied the knot must untie it.
Zhu Xiaosuo looked at Ba Mingyang.
Ba Shanyue immediately released the restriction on Ba Mingyang.
Finally able to speak, Ba Mingyang quickly replied:
"What I said earlier was, 'Elder Sun, according to the Sect Rules, if more than twenty cultivators fall during a mission, the person primarily responsible is dismissed. If there's really such a big problem with the spirit collapse, you'd better worry about your elder position first!' There was nothing in my words that violated your mission!"
Ba Shanyue's face twitched upon hearing this, not expecting his son to come out and take the blame.
To prevent Ba Mingyang from saying something he shouldn't in a moment of heat, Ba Shanyue immediately restrained his son again.
But Zhu Xiaosuo didn't mind and took the responsibility upon himself:
"Yes, that's exactly what I said. I was merely stating the Sect Rules, not defying Elder Sun's orders! If Elder Sun wants to charge me with disrespect, please find another basis!"
Sun Qingde thought Zhu Xiaosuo was just making a futile struggle.
He didn't expect his foundation to be undermined.
His attempt to add a non-existent meaning to Ba Mingyang's words was exposed.
Although Ba Mingyang hadn't said anything about not executing the mission, who could remember in such a tense situation?
The Metropolis was led by the nose.
This tactic of muddying the waters had been used by Sun Qingde many times, always successfully, even against cultivators at the Honoring the Ancient Stage.
It was one of his major tricks.
He didn't expect to be thwarted today by a small Rebirth Stage cultivator.
Zhu Xiaosuo actually managed to spot this loophole in a critical moment.
Had he been any slower, Zhu Xiaosuo would have been a ghost under his command.
Sun Qingde then realized that Zhu Xiaosuo wasn't a bug he could easily crush, but a slippery eel.
Zhu Xiaosuo let out a long sigh of relief.
He had narrowly escaped danger.
Fortunately, Ba Mingyang hadn't used any insulting words when he spoke.
Otherwise, he wouldn't have survived.
Ba Shanyue urged:
"Elder Sun, if you have no new evidence, I'll have to declare Zhu Xiaosuo's appeal successful and him innocent!"
Sun Qingde's tactic of muddying the waters was seen through, and he had no backup plan.
But he just smiled and said:
"Interesting. It's been a long time since I've met a kid who struggles as much as you. We'll meet again in the mountains and rivers. I can't control you in the mundane realm, but when you reach the Immortal Sect, we'll discuss the rules again!"
"Yes, Elder Sun."
Sun Qingde's expression became even more unpleasant.
Now his authority had hit rock bottom.
All the cultivators present knew that if more than twenty cultivators died in the spirit vein, he wouldn't be able to keep his elder position.
Thus, the talk of stopping the ten-year examination no longer held.
At this point, threatening the cultivators to help him find the spirit vein was no longer feasible.
He had to bleed a little.
For someone like Sun Qingde, who was like the Brave Troops, only taking in and never giving out, giving away wealth to Rebirth Stage cultivators was more painful than death.
But he had no choice.
If he didn't save people, he wouldn't be able to save himself.
"Immortal Sect Mission Order: The first cultivator to find the spirit vein location will be rewarded with a pair of Cloud-Walking Boots. Saving a cultivator will earn twenty Spirit Stones."
Then, all the cultivators present received a Sound Transmission Talisman from the Immortal Sect.
Everyone was in disbelief.
The stingy Sun Qingde had actually compromised.
The crowd was stunned for a moment before they plunged into a frenzy to find the spirit vein.
Many used the Crumbling Stone Force on the ground beneath their feet, hoping to find the sunken spirit vein.
Some cultivators believed the spirit vein would move to another location and immediately flew in the direction they thought was right.
Ba Mingyang hurried to Zhu Xiaosuo's side.
"Brother Zhu, are you alright?"
"I'm fine. Elder Sun didn't make a move, so I narrowly escaped death."
"I'm sorry, it's all my fault for speaking out of turn and dragging you into this."
"The matter is resolved, Brother Ba. No need to dwell on it."
"Ah, if it weren't for my father restraining me from speaking, you wouldn't have offended that old bastard Sun Qingde."
Seeing Ba Mingyang's remorse, Zhu Xiaosuo didn't blame him much.
"If Guardian Ba hadn't restrained you, you might have lost your life. It's just that I read a lot, so I managed to get through by luck."
Both having narrowly escaped death, they spoke with a sense of relief.
Ba Shanyue approached Zhu Xiaosuo and cupped his hands.
"Young friend, you saved Mingyang's life, and I repaid kindness with enmity. I'm truly ashamed."
"Guardian Ba, there's no need to blame yourself. A father's love for his child is understandable."
Ba Shanyue glanced disapprovingly at Ba Mingyang, who was dressed like a beggar:
"Ah, my old face has been lost because of this boy. I didn't expect that after two years out, his brain hasn't developed much, and he's ended up in this sorry state."
"I didn't ask you to save me! I said I could handle it myself!"
Ba Mingyang still looked defiant.
Ba Shanyue didn't argue further with his immature son, not wanting to add to the laughter.
He took out a red pill from his pocket:
"Young friend Zhu, as compensation, please accept this Meridian Soothing Pill."
Ba Mingyang snorted:
"You can actually give away such junk?"
Ba Shanyue immediately slapped Ba Mingyang on the head, burying half his body in the ground.
"You're getting more and more disrespectful! Young friend Zhu was implicated because of you. If you think what I'm giving isn't good enough, why don't you pay up yourself?"
"I don't have anything now, but in the future..."
"The future? You almost lost your life, and you're talking about the future?!"
"Then you could give Brother Zhu a Marrow Cleansing Pill! A Meridian Soothing Pill is only worth a few thousand Spirit Stones!"
...