Qiu Liu timidly glanced at Lu Hengge with innocent eyes. Even though she was hiding behind her master Lu Sheng, she could still feel the cold killing intent radiating from her senior brother. For a moment, Qiu Liu felt a bit aggrieved. The senior brother who had always doted on her was now looking at her with such icy eyes. But… she hadn’t done anything wrong. Lu Hengge’s collusion with the demon race and his atrocities against the human race were already confirmed facts. It was their junior brother who had said so personally—how could that be false? That kind, sincere junior brother would never lie.
Thinking of this, Qiu Liu couldn’t help feeling a bit resentful. Senior brother was so annoying! He did something wrong, and yet he still had the nerve to act this way. The gentle, courteous senior brother from before was much more likable.
“Don’t be afraid, Liu’er,” Lu Sheng gently took Qiu Liu’s delicate hand. A vast yet gentle stream of spiritual Qi flowed into her body, and in an instant, her fear and panic completely vanished. Lu Sheng had the confidence to say such words. In the entire Three Thousand Dao Sect, there were no more than five people who could rival her cultivation. In their previous life, Lu Hengge had stood at the peak of all cultivators in this world, just one step away from ascending to immortality—but that was five hundred years in the future. Right now, Lu Hengge couldn’t even defeat Lin Xing, let alone someone like Lu Sheng.
After soothing Qiu Liu’s emotions, a cold glint flickered in Lu Sheng’s beautiful eyes. It seemed her eldest disciple’s Dao heart had been severely damaged, unable to suppress even his inner killing intent. She said, “Elder Lin, from the looks of it, Lu Hengge is close to falling into madness. Just send him to the Sword Prison.”
The Sword Prison was bitterly cold, not only isolating all spiritual Qi but also filled with countless strands of sword energy capable of cleansing demonic aura. Once the demonic aura was purified, Lu Hengge would naturally return to his former self.
Lin Xing frowned slightly. “Elder Lu, shall I hand over the position of Hall of Justice master to you then?”
Lu Sheng was momentarily stunned, her expression turning somewhat unpleasant. Seeing this, Lin Xing snorted coldly and cast a deep, chilling gaze at the girl hiding behind Lu Sheng, “Qiu Liu, I’ll ask you one more time—did you personally witness Lu Hengge colluding with the demon race and harming his own people?”
A terrifying aura swept over, leaving Qiu Liu gasping for breath. Lu Sheng instinctively wanted to shield her from the pressure, but before her spiritual Qi could surge, Lin Xing’s sharp words echoed by her ear, “Elder Lu, I advise you to think before you act.”
After a brief hesitation, Lu Sheng withdrew her spiritual Qi. Though calm on the surface, Lin Xing was inwardly full of disdain. Lu Hengge, standing below, was also Lu Sheng’s disciple. Yet earlier, when he pressured Lu Hengge with his aura, Lu Sheng didn’t react at all. If she wasn’t an elder of the Three Thousand Dao Sect, he would’ve already called her a two-faced hypocrite.
Punishment within the Hall of Justice followed only right and wrong, not personal feelings. Even if the sect master of the Three Thousand Dao Sect were present, they’d still have to follow Lin Xing’s rules.
“Speak!” Lin Xing grew impatient. This Qiu Liu truly was useless—just a little pressure left her panic-stricken and trembling. In contrast, Lu Hengge, even with broken bones and hunched posture under his full pressure, showed not the slightest fear. He truly deserved the title of Holy Son.
Qiu Liu cast a pitiful look at Lu Sheng, who pretended not to see her. Just then, a young man who had remained silent finally spoke gently, “Senior Sister Qiu, just speak the truth.”
Qiu Liu looked at the young man beside her, eyes filled with gratitude and affection.
Below the stage, Lu Hengge licked his bloodied lips. His black pupils danced with bloodlust and madness as he stared at his “dear” junior brother, baring his teeth in a smile.
Ye Feng! Heaven’s Chosen! The one blessed by the heavens and bearer of a mysterious treasure called the system!
Lu Hengge didn’t yet know what this system was truly capable of, but Ye Feng’s cultivation had been skyrocketing in short bursts—clearly due to this system.
“What a worthless piece of trash,” Lu Hengge sneered inwardly. In his past life, he had contended with Ye Feng in both open and secret struggles thousands of times. Yet every time, Lu Hengge had managed to suppress him. Even with a system, this man had never shaken off the label of trash. If not for the Heavenly Dao and that system, someone like Ye Feng wouldn’t even deserve to utter Lu Hengge’s name.
Ye Feng appeared calm, casually sweeping his gaze over Lu Hengge’s face, though his expression stiffened slightly. For some reason, he felt that Lu Hengge had changed. Especially the way Lu Hengge looked at him—it was deeply unsettling. But he had to maintain a sorrowful facade, even squeezing out a few tears, “Senior Brother, why have you fallen into the demonic path! It must have been that demon race witch who corrupted your mind with her vile enchantments. I’ll help Master kill that witch and restore your Dao heart.”
His words sounded heartfelt—flawlessly convincing. Cultivation was all about navigating the complexities of human relationships. Ye Feng’s green tea persona made Lu Hengge understand something very clearly: the one who cries gets the attention.
Just like now.
Lu Sheng opened her eyes. The guilt she once felt toward Lu Hengge vanished instantly, replaced by boundless coldness. “It’s my fault for being too lenient with you. That’s why you’ve ended up like this.”
Lu Hengge didn’t respond. Why bother with a hypocrite?
Seeing that Lu Hengge had completely ignored her, Lu Sheng’s expression turned grim. In the past, even one harsh word from her would make Lu Hengge kneel and apologize anxiously. Without her permission, he wouldn’t even dare stand. But now… he outright ignored her.
Lu Sheng took a deep breath, comforting herself—it must be the result of the demonic aura and the damaged Dao heart. Once the demonic aura was removed and the Dao heart repaired, her obedient, well-behaved disciple would surely return.
Qiu Liu had just opened her mouth, ready to recount what she knew…
But in the next second, Lu Hengge cut her off with a thunderous statement.
“I admit guilt.”
“I did practice demonic techniques. I did collude with the demon race. I did slaughter the human race.”
The great hall fell deathly silent—you could hear a pin drop. Everyone stared in disbelief before whispers began spreading like wildfire.
Lu Hengge restrained his killing intent, straightened up, and stood tall amidst the bloodstains. He didn’t want to waste time dealing with this group of trash. If he wanted to kill freely and without restraint, he needed enough cultivation. Lu Hengge’s desire to cultivate was burning with urgency—and he had to get into the Sword Prison immediately.
Right now, his body was still of flesh and blood, far too fragile. He needed to reforge his sword bones and copper skin, and also rediscover the true meaning of the sword heart.
The sword path was centered on slaughter—capable of fighting across realms. Once he mastered the sword heart, Lu Hengge would have countless ways to kill. Even someone like Lu Sheng, he had confidence he could take down in secret.
In this life, aside from the sword path and medicine path, Lu Hengge would walk two more paths: the demonic path and the path of body refinement.
Body refinement would temper his muscles and bones, greatly aiding the reforging of sword bones and copper skin. As for the demonic path…
Since everyone already believed he had fallen into the demonic path, Lu Hengge naturally wouldn’t disappoint their expectations.
Everyone in the hall seemed to forget—Lu Hengge was the Holy Son of the Three Thousand Dao Sect. All three thousand Dao paths resided in his heart, and among them… was the so-called demonic path.