Even the guards looked confused by Ye Zhenyu’s order but they obliged nevertheless.
...
"So, you’re unable to see that a stranger I don’t know has intruded into my courtyard at night?" Ye Yaming commented, his voice full of ridicule.
It was obvious the old man was trying to settle some past grudges and had a bias against Ye Yaming. Could it be any more obvious?
"Shut that ominous mouth, boy. Did you think I didn’t see how you used your Beast Soul to painfully kill the attacker?" Ye Zhenyu turned his head to the boy being dragged away by the guards and muttered with disgust.
All the clan members including guards who had arrived late and did not know the full context looked at Ye Yaming with disgust and fear. The rumours were indeed true.
The boy was not right in his head and had a bad personality. The people around him muttered and even the guard’s reaction changed from pity to apprehension.
Ye Yaming, however, did not react to his words. His head had gone blank after hearing Ye Zhenyu mention the Beast Soul.
"You should have let him live if you wanted to prove your innocence." Closing the eyes of the dead Ye Feng, Ye Zhenyu spoke loudly.
’So, Ye Zhenyu can really see something with his eyes.’ He thought. He didn’t know how but the old man was aware of the pain his Beast Soul had inflicted on the attacker.
’Is that why he kept calling me ominous?’ The dots connected but something was amiss. If Ye Zhenyu knew that he could increase his talent this way then he would not have reacted like this.
’Perhaps, he just sees me as a cruel vindictive boy?’ That seemed to be more in line with Ye Zhenyu’s personality.
’I better not speak. He wouldn’t admit that he sent them here, anyway.’ He shut his mouth. No matter whether the man knew about his Beast Soul being able to devour the other Beast Soul’s or not.
There was little point in arguing with the Elder in front of everyone. He was the victim here, even if he killed someone in self defence, it would be justified.
....
Morning of the next day,
"Imprison the boy for ten years!" Elder Zhenyu slammed his fists on the table as he gave a verdict. He was the most senior of Elders present in the meeting.
The Elders looked at each other, not wanting to be the first to object to Elder Zhenyu’s orders.
Ye Canglan, however, shook his head and openly rejected the punishment. "Elder Xuanming is not here."
A punishment so severe. putting a talented boy like Ye Yaming into the jail wasn’t something they could decide without Elder Xuanming.
Also, there was no justification for putting the boy into jail. Jail him for what? Doing self defence?
Wouldn’t that put their clan’s honour in dust?
"He is busy with the demonic faction. If he comes back then we’d be leaving our backs open to the enemies. Let’s start without him." Another one of the Elders reminded that it wouldn’t be possible for the Elder to come and attend. They would have to continue without him.
"We cannot punish him. It was self defence." Ye Canglan openly defended the boy.
Even the other Elders seemed to nod, agreeing with Ye Canglan.
"Self defence ended when the opponent was incapacitated." Ye Zhenyu spoke, fixated on his decision.
"What he did was cold blooded murder." He added.
"He is going to kill. He is not a farmer. All our fighters have killed and will kill." Ye Canglan spoke. They were a marital artist clan with constant battles against the demonic faction, not scholars.
"Not our own clan members. He is too young to be a cold blooded killer." Ye Zhenyu didn’t appear to be backing down.
"Still, he is going to the Azure Sky Sect in a few months." One of the Elders mentioned. The boy had even accepted a technique as a gift from the eldest disciple of that elder.
How could they imprison him? Wouldn’t that be a direct slap to that cultivator’s face?
Even Ye Zhenyu paused for a second at the mention of the cultivator before speaking. "Not anymore. We can’t waste our precious spot on someone like him."
They didn’t need to give the boy anymore power. What would happen if he goes on to become a powerful cultivator?
"I think Elder Zhenyu is right here." One of the Elders nodded, agreeing with Ye Zhenyu. It was not worth it send a boy who didn’t have any emotional connection with the clan to such a place.
"I think so too." Another one agreed. If the kid were to get stronger then they would not have any gains. It would be better to let another boy take his place instead.
"We have found the two other members who tried to ambush the boy." A group of guards entered and spoke to Ye Canglan. They had brought the other two men who had gone with Ye Feng.
Ye Zhenyu’s eyes seemed disappointed at the capture of those two.
"So, he survived against three of them and even killed one?" One of the elders seemed genuinely surprised and commented.
"Of course. You know his lineage." Another elder added. It was obvious that the boy would inherit the talent in combat.
"We cannot punish him." Ye Canglan once again spoke. He even presented two men as evidence.
"Alright, you’re right. We can’t severely punish him. But we need to give him a warning." One of the elders spoke, not wanting to let the clan meeting go for long.
There was no way Canglan and Zhenyu could come to terms without mediation.
"He is so strong so a year in the Beur jail should be a good enough punishment." The elder gave a suggestion, the others nodded except for Ye Canglan and Ye Zhenyu.
"But that jail is filled with criminals." Ye Canglan spoke, arguing that the punishment was too harsh for a seven year old boy.
"Criminals that he should be able to kill easily." Ye Zhenyu scoffed before leaving his chair and getting out of his room. He did not like the decision but the majority of the elders seemed intent on not going any further.