Chapter 50: Disturbance at the Law Enforcement Hall, Elder Ding Backs Down

"Li Wudao, the sect will never let you get away with what you have done today. Just you wait!"

Sun Qian's voice was hoarse and she looked like a maniac, her eyes fixed on the young man with the malice of a vengeful ghost.

The observing disciples sighed inwardly.

Although they did not know what deep hatred lay between the two parties, Li Wudao's actions were far too extreme. Not content with crippling one person, he had actually destroyed the other's dantian right on the spot.

With these two grave offenses compounding each other, even though he was a direct disciple and had Yang Lin and the other two to share the blame, the consequences would undoubtedly be severe.

Stoppage of stipends and demotion of status were both highly likely.

It certainly felt satisfying, but the cost was simply too high. It was not worth it for the sake of an outer sect disciple.

"I'll wait, and we shall see."

Li Wudao smiled indifferently, his expression calm and composed.

With the groundwork he had laid earlier, he could bear the brunt of it even if the sect decided to punish him severely.

However, if blood had not been drawn today, his state of mind would have suffered a fracture. To ensure his thoughts remained clear and unobstructed, he had to resolve the matter as soon as possible.

To be honest, the feeling of revenge was truly quite wonderful.

Li Wudao took a deep breath, feeling as though the air had grown noticeably fresher and his mood became exceptionally pleasant.

He glanced at the disciples still lingering nearby, and a thought flickered in his mind.

"I'm in a good mood today, so consider these spirit stones my treat for everyone to have some tea."

Immediately afterward, with a grand wave of his sleeve, he produced five thousand lower-grade spirit stones.

He was not short on money anyway, and he could treat these as hush money; gaining some favorable impression was still a very profitable trade.

Although there was no airtight wall in this world, as long as these people did not add fuel to the fire or smear his reputation behind his back, that would be enough.

Li Wudao unleashed his "Dispenser of Wealth" skill, and the effect was extraordinary!

In an instant, the dozens of observing disciples lit up, their eyes glowing as they excitedly danced with joy.

Some even cupped their fists right on the spot and shouted their respects.

"Senior Brother Li is truly magnificent!"

"Ah? There's a share for us too?"

"Respected benefactor above, please accept this junior's bow!"

No one would ever turn down money, especially for the outer sect disciples present; even a small portion of this distribution amounted to several years' worth of their regular stipends.

"Fellow apprentice brothers, blocking the middle of the road easily leads to trouble. If there's nothing else, you should all disperse."

Li Wudao said with a pointed meaning.

"Right, right, right. We'll leave right now."

These disciples responded in unison, fully grasping his intent. After dividing up the spirit stones, they smartly took their leave.

Before long, the onlookers departed one after another, and not a single person lingered.

From beginning to end, not a single person stepped forward to support Sun Qian and Ruan Fei; they all chose to treat them with indifference, as if nothing had happened at all.

"Three days. Either you leave the Profound Heaven Sect of your own accord, or... I will send you away!"

Before leaving, Li Wudao dropped these chilling words and walked away without looking back.

Beside his sleeping couch, he would not tolerate the existence of a single seed of threat, not even the slightest trace of a sprout.

The street was vast and desolate, and Ruan Fei remained unconscious as he lay in a pool of blood.

Sun Qian shakily dragged herself up, her eyes bloodshot as she stared fixedly at the young man's retreating back, and said through clenched teeth:

"I will definitely make you pay the price, I swear it..."

Along the way.

Li Dabao and Li Xiaoyu followed behind with worried expressions plastered across their faces.

"Young Master, was that perhaps a bit too excessive? I'm worried..."

"It's fine. It's not a big problem."

Li Wudao waved his hand, his tone exceptionally calm, revealing no trace of emotional ripples.

The two chatted briefly, knowing they could not sway this matter, and departed with fluttering hearts filled with apprehension.

The next day, just as the sky began to brighten.

Sun Qian stormed over to the Enforcement Hall, wildly exaggerating and distorting the events between herself and Ruan Fei.

As it happened, the elder in charge of Enforcement Hall affairs today was once again Elder Ding Hui.

"Such appalling audacity! Rest assured, this Elder will certainly demand justice for you!"

Upon hearing this, Ding Hui slammed his palm down on the table in anger.

Destroying someone's dantian was no different from taking a life, and such a vicious act had not occurred within the Profound Heaven Sect for decades.

Moreover, the perpetrator had even severely beaten an inner sect disciple, which showed utter lawlessness and a total disregard for sect rules and disciplines.

Severe punishment—it must be severely punished!

"Tell me that scoundrel's name, and this Elder will immediately send men to capture him and punish him without leniency!"

Ding Hui demanded in a deep voice, portraying the image of someone who loathed evil like a mortal enemy.

Joy flashed in Sun Qian's eyes, and she quickly replied: "His name is Li Wudao, a direct disciple who just entered the sect this year. I humbly beg your lordship to uphold justice for this disciple."

"Li... Wudao? Why does that name sound so familiar..."

Ding Hui frowned, feeling as though he had heard the name somewhere before, yet failing to recall it at the moment.

"Rest assured, since this child has committed such a grave crime, he cannot escape accountability under sect rules. This Elder will naturally uphold justice for you."

He did not dwell on it further; a mere newly entered direct disciple still had to face punishment for breaking the rules.

Immediately following this,

Ding Hui looked toward the enforcement officers at the side and instructed, "The few of you go post the notices right now, and make sure that scoundrel is brought in to face justice within an hour."

Several enforcement officers acknowledged the order and turned to leave.

In less than the time it takes to brew a cup of tea, the news regarding Li Wudao injuring someone had spread like wildfire, and everyone within the upper and lower tiers of the sect knew of it.

After the span of another incense stick.

Two enforcement officers spotted a young man basking in the sun on a small slope and stepped forward to question him.

"Are you the newly entered direct disciple of this year—Li Wudao?"

A thin-faced enforcement officer asked with a frown.

"It's me. What about it?" Li Wudao feigned ignorance, though he understood clearly in his heart.

"What about it? Do you not know what crime you've committed? Right now, immediately... come with us!"

The thin-faced enforcement officer sneered, preparing to enforce the law with force.

Just at that moment,

The expression of another senior enforcement officer beside him shifted slightly, as if he recognized the youth, and he quickly restrained him.

"Old Mo, what are you doing?"

The thin-faced enforcement officer had a fiery temper and looked at him with some displeasure.

"Monkey, you cannot touch this person, and you cannot resort to force."

The senior enforcement officer advised in a low voice.

On that previous day, it was precisely because of beating a fellow disciple that this youth had been brought to the Enforcement Hall, startling the Sect Leader's direct disciple, and was ultimately released without charge.

They were merely humble enforcement personnel; faced with such a background and status, there was no need to offend the other party.

"Young Master Li, we are merely acting on orders. Please bear with us and accompany us to the Enforcement Hall."

The senior enforcement officer wore a troubled expression.

"Easily done. With nothing better to do, I might as well make a trip there. Lead the way."

Li Wudao nodded, not making things difficult for the two of them.

.........

Inside the Enforcement Hall.

Li Wudao walked in leisurely, his gaze sweeping calmly over the crowd.

When Ding Hui saw the youth below, his eyes narrowed slightly and he instantly recognized him.

He strode quickly into the center of the hall, beckoned the senior enforcement officer forward, and whispered, "Did you guys catch the wrong person? Why did you bring this kid here?"

"No mistake. He is indeed Li Wudao; there is only this one name in the entire sect, so we couldn't have caught the wrong person."

"Ah?!"

Upon hearing this affirmative reply, turmoil stirred within Ding Hui's heart, and he could no longer remain calm.

He still retained fresh memories of the scene from a few days prior.

This youth was not someone easy to trifle with; even the Sect Leader's second direct disciple had lowered her pride to show up for him, and his background was far from ordinary.

Yet, upon recalling the offense Li Wudao had committed this time, it was certainly not something that could be glossed over with a few words; a heavy punishment was inevitable regardless of the circumstances.

"Elder, he is Li Wudao! I beg Elder to uphold justice for this disciple!"

Seeing Ding Hui whispering with a nervous expression, Sun Qian quickly shouted out.

"What are you rushing for? Can't you see this Elder is currently handling the matter?"

Ding Hui cast a cold glance in her direction.

Following that, he walked up to Li Wudao and pressed for details, asking, "Which peak do you belong to, and who is your master?"

"Misty Peak. My master is... Xia Gucheng."

Li Wudao replied indifferently.

Hearing this, Ding Hui's expression shifted subtly.

As far as he knew, the Master of Misty Peak had a mysterious background and unfathomable strength, always disdaining to take on disciples, to the extent that even the Sect Master had no right to interfere.

Yet now, he had actually taken this youth before him as a disciple.

In other words, Li Wudao was the sole successor and direct lineage of Misty Peak!

For a moment, Ding Hui found himself in a difficult dilemma.

With those two layers of relations involving Jiang Churan and Xia Gucheng, he truly had to weigh his options carefully.

Although he was the Elder of Enforcement with the authority to punish disciples, faced with this kind of situation, he was somewhat at a loss as to how to proceed.

"Elder, you cannot shield him!"

Sun Qian panicked slightly, her heart fluttering up and down with anxiety.

"Naturally..."

Ding Hui opened his mouth, but although he spoke the words, his tone was filled with hesitation.

To be honest, he had grown somewhat timid and did not really want to wade into this muddy waters.

"Well said! Today, I'd like to see who dares to shield the little bastard who beat my son!"

Abruptly, a cold and murderous voice echoed from outside the hall.

Immediately thereafter, a short, gray-robed elder walked into the hall with a gloomy and heavy expression.

This person was none other than the Third Inner Sect Elder—Ruan Liangcai.

Upon seeing the tragic state to which Ruan Fei had been beaten into unconsciousness, a raging fire of fury had consumed him, keeping him awake the entire night.

Now, hearing that the culprit had been captured, he hurried straight to the Enforcement Hall, determined to bring the criminal to justice without a shred of leniency!