“Lu Hengge, do you understand what admitting guilt means?” Lin Xing asked solemnly, trying to warn him.
Colluding with the demon race.
Practicing demonic techniques.
Slaughtering his own race.
These three charges, each individually, warranted death. Even if Lu Hengge was the Holy Son of the Three Thousand Dao Sect, he could not escape punishment. In fact, as the leading sect of the Immortal Path, their punishments would be even harsher, never more lenient.
Lu Hengge’s expression was calm, “Imprisonment in the Sword Prison for a hundred years.”
In his past life, Lu Hengge had refused to admit guilt, and the punishment was the same. This time should be no different.
To ordinary disciples, the Sword Prison was a terrifying place of torment. But to Lu Hengge, it was an ideal place for cultivation. Give him a hundred years, and when he emerged, he would be powerful enough to slaughter anyone. He had that confidence.
Even someone like Ye Feng, the so-called Heaven’s Chosen, would be nothing more than a speck in his rearview—unworthy of being called a lifelong rival.
Lin Xing fell silent, pondering. Lu Hengge’s calm demeanor made him feel something was off, but with Qiu Liu’s testimony, the lingering demonic aura on Lu Hengge, and Lu Hengge’s own confession, everything was already settled. There didn’t seem to be any misunderstanding.
Should he… consult the sect master?
No.
The sect master had been in seclusion for over ten years and was likely at a critical moment. Disturbing his cultivation for this matter wasn’t worth it.
As he thought through it, Lin Xing suddenly recalled Lu Sheng’s two-faced hypocrisy. “Lu Hengge may be the Holy Son of the Three Thousand Dao Sect, but he is still your disciple. I will let you decide how he should be punished.”
Lu Sheng stared down at Lu Hengge with a complicated expression. Hengge… if you would just ask for mercy… the punishment of the Sword Prison could still be reconsidered.
Unfortunately, Lu Hengge had no intention of even looking at her. Just the thought of laying eyes on Lu Sheng disgusted him.
Ye Feng’s eyes gleamed with joy. As long as Lu Hengge was locked in the Sword Prison, unable to cultivate for a hundred years, he could use his system to catch up. By then, he would become the Holy Son of the sect.
“Lu Hengge, your only mistake was being too talented,” Ye Feng thought. “Even with my system, I couldn’t match your cultivation speed. Once I become Holy Son, I’ll give you a dignified death.”
He could barely suppress the grin tugging at the corners of his mouth. In order to frame Lu Hengge, he had schemed for a long time—transferring his own demonic aura to Lu Hengge and subtly using the system’s tools to alter how others perceived him.
Today’s successful framing was thanks to the system.
Ye Feng glanced subtly at Lu Sheng’s back, eyes burning with lust. That beautiful body would soon be his toy.
The system had given him a dual cultivation technique—the higher the cultivation level of the female cultivator he practiced with, the greater the benefit he would receive. And in the entire sect, no woman had higher cultivation than Lu Sheng.
Just the thought of pressing Lu Sheng beneath him made Ye Feng feel his pants tighten.
Qiu Liu was also delighted. Lu Hengge had admitted guilt. She had been right all along. Her junior brother had been right too. The corners of her lips curled up with pride as she put on her usual haughty tone, “Senior brother, when you come out of the Sword Prison, you better not act so willful again. Be obedient, alright?”
Lu Hengge glanced at Qiu Liu. My dear junior sister, I’ll be out in a hundred years—but you might not live that long.
Killing others might take some effort.
But to kill Qiu Liu?
Lu Hengge wouldn’t even need to draw his sword. Poison alone would suffice.
Then came Lu Sheng’s cold voice echoing through the great hall, “Lu Hengge, do you have nothing to say to me?”
For some reason, Lu Sheng unconsciously clenched her hands. A wave of panic surged in her heart, as if something important was slipping away.
Lu Hengge looked up at his master. This was the second time Lu Sheng had called his full name.
The first time had been when she picked him up and brought him back to the sect, gently stroking his head and softly murmuring the name “Lu Hengge.”
Today, in the Hall of Justice, was the second time.
He had been a disciple of the Three Thousand Dao Sect for over twenty years. This was his home. Lu Sheng had been like a second parent to him.
But all that gratitude had been erased by the betrayal and pain of his past life.
This life… Lu Hengge would live for himself!
His tragic death in his previous life had taught him well. To walk the Great Dao and ascend the Immortal Path—one must be heartless.
Perhaps this was why Lu Hengge had died miserably while Ye Feng could sacrifice worlds and ascend beyond immortality.
Cutting all ties and severing all karmic bonds… made it easier to become immortal.
Lu Hengge took off his storage ring and laid out all the magical treasures from his body on the floor. “Today, I want to do one more thing.”
Everyone looked on in surprise.
“Elder Lu Sheng,” he said, “From today on, we are no longer master and disciple. We are strangers.”
Lu Hengge had come to the Three Thousand Dao Sect with nothing. Now, he was returning everything. This was to settle their karmic debt. Cutting ties today was to sever that karma. Killing Lu Sheng in the future would be to fulfill his heart’s will. These two things did not conflict.
The entire Hall of Justice fell deadly silent. No one even dared to breathe. The Holy Son was taking things to the extreme. Not only had he admitted collusion with the demon race, now he wanted to sever his relationship with Lu Sheng. It was utterly scandalous.
“Insolence!” Lin Xing roared.
A crushing force broke Lu Hengge’s knees with a loud crack.
Thud!
He fell to his knees, and in the pool of blood, one could vaguely see the shattered pieces of his kneecaps.
Damn it… that hurt!
Lu Hengge lowered his head and spat out a mouthful of blood.
Weakness was a sin.
If he had cultivation in the Integration stage, or even the Ascension stage, no one present today would escape alive.
But reality was cruel. Even someone as unimpressive as Lin Xing could make him struggle to breathe.
The once-glorious Holy Son of the Three Thousand Dao Sect had not only committed the disgraceful crime of colluding with the demon race, but now had the audacity to sever ties with his own master. This kind of disgrace had never occurred in the sect’s history. It was as if Lu Hengge no longer cared about the sect’s honor.
Looking at the blood-soaked, wretched Lu Hengge, a flicker of heartache flashed in Lu Sheng’s eyes—but it was soon replaced by fury.
“Over twenty years ago, I brought you back from a pile of rubble, and now you want to sever our bond! Fine! I allow it. But your cultivation must be taken away!”
She had only wanted him to lower his head and admit fault. Was it really that hard to just say “I was wrong”?
She didn’t believe Lu Hengge could give up on over twenty years of bitter cultivation.
“Holy Son, just yield.”
“Please don’t speak nonsense, Holy Son. Even if you’re angry, don’t make things worse.”
“Holy Son…”
The surrounding people began to speak up one after another.
But in the next instant, all their expressions twisted in fear, and they instinctively stepped back.
A golden light burst forth from Lu Hengge’s body, illuminating the Hall of Justice like brilliant daylight. Spiritual Qi within a ten-kilometer radius began to riot uncontrollably.
The golden light condensed at Lu Hengge’s brow. Then, a tiny golden figure drifted out—identical to Lu Hengge, just younger and more delicate.
It was Lu Hengge’s Nascent Soul.
A golden Nascent Soul nurtured by the Sacred Body of Dao Rhyme.
Since the founding of the Three Thousand Dao Sect, golden Nascent Souls had only appeared three times. Lu Hengge was the third. If not for today’s turmoil, he would have undoubtedly become the sect master in the future.
Under the stunned and horrified gazes of the crowd, Lu Hengge calmly raised his hand and grabbed his Nascent Soul. Then, he forcibly crushed it.
Crack…
Countless golden fragments scattered.
At the same time, all of Lu Hengge’s aura vanished. The pressure unique to a Nascent Soul Realm cultivator disappeared without a trace.
“Is this enough?” Lu Hengge asked weakly, his face pale, his body trembling.
He had returned everything. From this day forward, he was no longer anyone’s senior brother, no longer anyone’s disciple, and no longer the Holy Son of the Three Thousand Dao Sect.