Wayfarer

Chapter 284: The Traitors' Public Trial

Xiao Nanfeng and the elder returned to the Mortal division's Hall of Immortals in Taiqing Island, whereupon Xiao Nanfeng rang the Mortal division's bell and summoned all Mortal disciples present on Taiqing Island. Disciples from the other three divisions also showed up to figure out what was going on.

Zhao Yuanjiao stood beside Xiao Nanfeng, staring coldly at the elder whom Xiao Nanfeng had brought back to the sect.

"Elder Cang Xi, do you need me to speak on your behalf?" Xiao Nanfeng prompted.

Everyone turned to the Mortal elder. His cultivation appeared to have been sealed; his aura was weak.

Elder Cang Xi frowned. Was this meant to be a public trial?

"Don't worry. As I've promised, if you tell the truth, I'll spare your life," Xiao Nanfeng reiterated.

Elder Cang Xi's heart sank. What Xiao Nanfeng's words implied was that, if he were to lie or dissemble, he would be put to death.

"I'll tell the truth. I swear it. I've committed a grave crime and colluded with others to trick the division leader into leaving the island. We were attempting to assassinate the division leader," Elder Cang Xi began.

"What? You dare!"

"Elder Cang Xi, have you forgotten the sect laws?!"

"Attempting to assassinate a division leader is a crime punishable by death!"

The Mortal disciples all began to criticize Elder Cang Xi.

"Who were your accomplices?" Xiao Nanfeng asked.

Elder Cang Xi stiffened. He was reluctant to speak.

"As I said, you'll have to reveal everything you know for your life to be spared. Furthermore, I'm aware of your accomplices. If you divulge their identities publicly, I'll spare them. If you don't, and I ferret them out, they'll be put to death," Xiao Nanfeng warned.

The plaza fell silent as the disciples watched on with bated breath. Many were shocked and resentful at Elder Cang Xi, but several cultivators suddenly had a look of fear about them.

"I'll do it, I will! I'll reveal the identities of my conspirators," Elder Cang Xi replied. "There are four elders and twenty Ascension-realm disciples involved. They are..."

"Elder Cang Xi, don't malign me! When did I ever become your accomplice?" one named elder shouted in fear.

Elder Cang Xi gave him a wry smile. "It's useless to try to defend yourself now. The division leader knew everything from the beginning. The Sanyuan sect master and Sage Hong'e turned traitor. You won't be able to hide your involvement. Furthermore, you still have the letters and writs from the second prince on your body, don't you? Will you be able to destroy that evidence while everyone's attention is on you? I'm saving your lives right now."

"What?!" the elder exclaimed.

Indeed, in his storage ring was a letter from Nalan Yunhai that described what they had to do after killing Xiao Nanfeng and even included a description of the benefits and guarantees they would receive upon doing so. That evidence would be found from just a cursory search.

"Are you trying to destroy evidence, Elder Cang Ming?!" a voice suddenly yelled out.

One elder had turned away from the crowd and had retrieved a letter from his storage ring. Qi flared from his hands as he made to destroy the letter, but a fellow cultivator beside him snatched the letter away.

"Return that to me!" Elder Cang Ming cried out.

However, the cultivators all around him had drawn their blades and were pointing them at him. They were enraged by the shocking crime that they had just heard about.

It turned out that Xiao Nanfeng had long since assigned his subordinates to surround the cultivators that Elder Cang Xi had pointed out. They wouldn't have a chance to hide or resist at all.

"Not only have you colluded with outsiders to kill me, you've prepared all manner of false evidence that you intended to plant on Ye Dafu and Ye Sanshui. You would then claim that they were in collusion with Xiang Pojun and were ultimately responsible for Division Leader Hong Lie's death. That would prevent them from being candidates for the next Mortal division leader. You really have prepared for all these scenarios, haven't you?" Xiao Nanfeng accused.

"Elder Cang Xi, what's this? Why have you been talking nonsense?!" one named elder shouted.

"I didn't reveal anything! The division leader found out all this information himself!" Elder Cang Xi shouted back.

Zhao Yuanjiao shook his head. "Do you still refuse to admit to your crimes? Do you need me to detail what all of you have been doing over the past few days?"

The named elders and disciples blanched. They suddenly recalled that Zhao Yuanjiao was in control of the blackguards, and they had surely been under surveillance for quite some time. Their 'secrets' were nothing but a joke.

"Division Leader, I was corrupted by others and committed a grave crime as a result. Please forgive me."

"Division Leader, we've made a horrible mistake. Please spare us!"

The disciples and elders knew that there would be no point to arguing any longer.

The Taiqing disciples in the plaza stared at them angrily. Some even spat at the named culprits.

Some of the more thoughtful disciples had pieced together yet more information. Although Xiao Nanfeng hadn't named Nalan Yunhai as the mastermind, that was an obvious conclusion based on what had been revealed to date. Nalan Yunhai was trying to kill Xiao Nanfeng and claim the title of division leader for himself!

Indeed, if not for Xiao Nanfeng, many would have thought Nalan Yunhai the natural choice for division leader. However, Xiao Nanfeng's fame and reputation within the Taiqing Sect was sky-high, and no one would be able to challenge him on those fronts.

"According to sect law, those who conspire against their division leaders and attempt to prey on other sect disciples are to be put to death," Xiao Nanfeng began.

"Division Leader, you promised not to kill us!" Elder Cang Xi cried out in fear.

Xiao Nanfeng continued, "That would be your rightful punishment under sect law, but I'm willing to give you a chance. You'll be stripped of your cultivation technique and expelled from the sect instead."

The cultivators bowed gratefully. "Thank you, Division Leader!"

If their cultivation techniques were stripped from them, they could still start over from scratch. As long as they lived, they would have hope.

"Division Leader, thank you for your clemency, but—with our cultivation stripped, what if other Taiqing disciples were to attack us out of anger?" Elder Cang Xi hurriedly asked.

How many disciples of the Taiqing Immortal Sect had benefited from Xiao Nanfeng's largesse? Just one rogue disciple attacking them could kill them all.

"Don't worry. The other Taiqing disciples won't flagrantly violate sect law like all of you. I've promised to spare your lives, and I intend to keep that promise. In addition, I'll have an escort bring you to your master, Nalan Yunhai," Xiao Nanfeng stated.

"Thank you, Division Leader!" the elders and disciples exclaimed.

Within moments, all twenty-five of them had been subdued and had their dantians smashed into smithereens. Their cultivations had been crippled and all their possessions confiscated.

Xiao Nanfeng arranged for a group of Taiqing disciples to escort them away.

"Expel these cultivators. The Mortal division will be free from undue influence after this," Xiao Nanfeng said.

"Nanfeng, are you really going to free them that easily?" Zhao Yuanjiao frowned.

"They won't live for long," Xiao Nanfeng replied, smiling.

"Oh?" Zhao Yuanjiao frowned, perplexed.

Five days later, by the entrance to a large hall within the Tianshu Empire, a group of Taiqing disciples brought the twenty-five crippled cultivators to Nalan Yunhai.

"Nalan Yunahi, here's a record of their testimony. They claim that you were responsible for instigating them to kill the Mortal division leader. Please have a look. The Taiqing Immortal Sect will announce this matter to the world," the Taiqing elder in the lead said.

Nalan Yunhai scanned the testimony. His eyes twitched.

Announce the matter to the world? That wouldn't do at all. It would be the greatest scandal that he, Nalan Yunhai, had been a part of. He was the second prince of the Tianshu Empire, and any scandals involving him would draw the entire world's scrutiny and criticism. Emperor Tianshu would be called an ingrate, and the rogue forces in the empire would spread and distort word of the affair.

"I'm not familiar with these people. How could I have instigated their assault? This is libel!" Nalan Yunhai asserted.

"The division leader considered this possibility and had me ask you how you'd like to deal with them," said the Taiqing elder responsible for the escort.

"For attempting to assassinate the division leader, these cultivators should be killed. How dare they attempt to malign me? They have to be killed to restore the authority and honor of the Taiqing Immortal Sect," Nalan Yunhai proclaimed.

"Your Highness, you were the one who told us to do this!"

"Your Highness, you can't kill us! We were only acting on your orders!"

"We might have been stripped of our cultivation, Your Highness, but we can easily cultivate anew. You just have to provide us with cultivation resources! Your Highness, you can't just cut us off like this!"

The cultivators cried and shouted at Nalan Yunhai, whose eyes flashed with disdain. You don't have any value to me anymore. Why should I waste precious cultivation resources on the likes of you?

The Taiqing elder in charge of the escort continued, "The division leader mentioned that something seemed to be amiss about this incident. As the second prince of the Tianshu Empire, how could you do anything that would damage the honor and reputation of Emperor Tianshu? That's why the division leader said that, if you were to discredit their testimony, you would be free to conduct an independent investigation. These cultivators will be left for you to deal with at your own discretion, and we'll reveal their outcome to the world at large. Conveniently, these cultivators wanted to come find you."

Nalan Yunhai's eyes twitched. If he were to let these cultivators go, wouldn't it be akin to sheltering them? Wouldn't he be advertising that he was, indeed, the mastermind behind the affair?

The Taiqing elder in charge of the escort turned to the twenty-five culprits. "The division leader has kept his word. The Taiqing Immortal Sect is no longer affiliated with any of you."

"We..." The twenty-five conspirators, now suddenly panicking, looked toward Nalan Yunhai hopefully.

"Farewell, Elder Nalan." The Taiqing elder inclined his head slightly toward him before leaving with the rest of the disciples.

Only Nalan Yunhai and the twenty-five conspirators remained by the hall.

"Your Highness, we'll surely serve you well!" Elder Cang Xi pledged tentatively.

Nalan Yunhai glared at the twenty-five crippled cultivators and ignored them. He shouted, "Guards!"

"Yes, Your Highness!" A series of guards marched over.

"These traitors to the Taiqing Immortal Sect have conspired against their division leader and were expelled from the sect as a result. In addition, they've besmirched my name and honor, and are responsible for straining the relationship between the Tianshu Empire and the Taiqing Immortal Sect. They've committed grave wrongdoings and deserve death. Hang them outside the city walls and announce what they've done to the world," Nalan Yunhai commanded.

"You can't kill us, Your Highness!"

"I know of Xiao Nanfeng's secrets! I know how he managed to take down the six Immortal sects. Please, Your Highness, spare us!"

"Your Highness, we were only obeying your orders! Spare us, Your Highness!"

"No!"

The twenty-five conspirators continued to beg and plead for mercy, trying to make Nalan Yunhai understand their worth, but Nalan Yunhai ignored them all. What these cultivators had done would soon be revealed to the world, and he had to sever any remaining ties he had with them before the truth was revealed.