The heavy doors of the Punishment Hall creaked open.
Everyone turned in unison.
Elder Qinglan walked in, her azure robes flowing like water—cold and graceful, every step light yet firm.
And behind her—Lin Xuan.
The same Lin Xuan who should’ve been locked away in cultivation, riding the high of his Heaven-grade Dao Resonance result.
Yet here he was, face serious, eyes sharp, striding just a half step behind Elder Qinglan like he’d personally dragged her over.
The crowd instantly buzzed again, whispering like cicadas.
Even Elder Shen’s face stiffened.
Bai Zihan, meanwhile, simply smirked a little, raising his chin a fraction.
Bai Zihan thought casually.
He hadn’t asked for help nor shared anything with him.
But Lin Xuan had obviously heard about his arrest somehow and immediately gone to Elder Qinglan—who, as Bai Zihan’s Peak Master, couldn’t ignore it.
It wasn’t a huge favor... but Bai Zihan appreciated it.
This would further help him later and make things easier for him.
Elder Qinglan’s jade-like eyes swept over the hall once, cold and sharp, freezing the whispers dead in their tracks.
She didn’t even spare Elder Shen a greeting.
Instead, she went straight to the heart of the matter:
"Severing a disciple’s hand over such an accusation? Reflection Cave imprisonment for a year? Expulsion on top of it? I don’t think you can solely decide that on your own."
Her voice was calm—but layered with an undercurrent of authority.
After all, deciding the fate of a disciple of her Peak without even informing her was akin to directly provoking her—which Elder Shen had done.
Moreover, everyone knew Elder Qinglan was overprotective of her disciples, and without her permission, was akin to asking for trouble with her.
Elder Shen’s expression turned ugly.
He had wanted to finish things up quietly, without Elder Qinglan finding out. After all, things always got messy when she was involved.
But of course, even with her here, he had no intention of backing down—especially not in front of so many disciples watching.
"Peak Master Qinglan," he said, voice strained, "the Punishment Hall is under my jurisdiction. I hope you won’t interfere without understanding the full details."
The words were polite enough on the surface.
But the meaning was clear: Stay out of my damn business.
Elder Qinglan’s lips curved slightly—though not into anything remotely resembling a smile.
"If your ’full details’ result in crippling a Core Condensation disciple—one from the Bai Clan no less—over a pile of undergarments," she said codlly, "then perhaps it’s your judgment that needs reflecting."
Any sane person could see that while there should be fitting punishment for a crime, they should also consider the consequences.
Maybe the Heaven Sword Sect could get away with it if it were any other disciple—but Bai Zihan? The heir to the strongest clan in the Heaven Sword Sect?
That would plunge the Sect into chaos, with war against the Bai Clan practically guaranteed.
Perhaps even the Chu Clan and other clans allied with the Bai Clan—like Bai Zihan’s mother’s clan, which was also among the strongest—would get involved.
Murmurs broke out again—louder this time.
Who could have expected that in the Punishment Hall where they came to look for fun, two Elders would be on the verge of clashing?
Elder Shen gritted his teeth.
He couldn’t blow up at Elder Qinglan.
She wasn’t someone he could beat in a fight, at least, but he thought he could defeat her with logic.
Before Elder Shen could snap back, another voice rang out:
The entire hall stiffened.
From the side door, two figures entered at once.
The first was a man in simple white robes, carrying a calm yet oppressive presence—the Sect Leader of Heaven Sword Sect himself.
And next to him, matching step for step—
An old man in silver-gray robes, his sharp eyes sweeping across the hall like an unsheathed sword.
The only Grand Elder of the Bai Clan still active.
The other Grand Elders were in seclusion, cultivating—an act that normally lasted for years.
But one Grand Elder would always remain outside to oversee matters, and right now, it was Bai Ren.
He was the one who had overseen the matter when certain Bai Clan elders wanted to strip Bai Zihan of his heir position.
The two of them stood side by side.
Bai Ren had clearly been informed.
He had come personally.
Well, Bai Zihan had indeed asked the clan for support, citing that he was being schemed against by certain elders of the sect and needed backup.
The evidence—and how he knew the date of the so-called ’trial’—could all be attributed to Fang Jinyan, who had informed him in detail.
Maybe he was trying to kiss ass, just like Kong Zhanhong had after being rewarded by Bai Zihan.
In any case, Bai Zihan hadn’t expected his father to send a Grand Elder... but this was even better.
Grand Elder Bai Ren was, after all, stronger than the Sect Leader of the Heaven Sword Sect—and the only ones capable of stopping him would be the Ancestors themselves.
With such powerful backing, Bai Zihan had no reason to fear anyone.
Not that he ever did.
Elder Shen’s pupils shrank slightly.
Elder Qinglan... and now even the Sect Leader?
Although he wasn’t exactly sure who Bai Ren was or how strong he was, it was obvious the man wasn’t someone simple if he could stand side-by-side with the Sect Leader.
Tian Yuheng’s steady gaze swept across the hall. Even Elder Qinglan and Elder Shen lowered their heads slightly in greeting.
"Two Elders of our sect," the Sect Leader said, voice steady but carrying a faint edge, "arguing like street vendors in front of disciples. How unbecoming."
Neither Elder answered.
Tian Yuheng gave a small sigh, then turned his gaze to Bai Zihan—pausing just briefly, his brows furrowing, as if contemplating the situation.
At the same time, Bai Ren took half a step forward, his voice cold and cutting:
"If anyone believes they can cripple a direct heir of my Bai Clan over flimsy accusations and gossip, then they may step forward now and explain themselves."
A beat of heavy silence.
"And if they cannot—"
Bai Ren’s voice sharpened like a blade.
"Then today, I will make sure the Punishment Hall learns the true cost of provoking the Bai Clan."