Chapter 78

Chapter 78: Punishment

No one had expected that Lin Xuanfeng would plead for Zhou Luo. Coupled with the thought that he had emerged earlier alongside the family head, could it mean this was the family head’s will?

Thinking this, those who had initially intended to speak further all chose silence.

"How leniently should this be handled?" Lin Tian Xiong inquired.

Lin Xuanfeng seemed to have prepared his statements in advance, replying unhurriedly, "Deduct three years’ stipend, revoke all privileges for three years, and administer twenty lashes."

Three years’ stipend meant that for those three years, he would receive no further support from the family.

As for privileges, this referred to things like cultivation in the spiritual vein and the usual discounts enjoyed when purchasing items.

Furthermore, this implied his whole family would have to relocate from Zhou Garden once more.

The most critical part was the twenty lashes. These were not ordinary lashes, but blows from a thorn whip imbued with spiritual energy. Given Zhou Luo’s weak physique, whether he could endure it truly remained uncertain.

This punishment was neither light nor heavy.

After all, the family had lost a high-tier formation master.

The elders present did not speak up, as they were unsure if this was indeed the family head’s intention.

It was at this moment that the Great Elder, who had remained silent until now, spoke.

"The incident was understandable, yet this penalty is still too severe. If word spreads, who in the future would dare attempt such pioneering experiments?" His voice was calm yet carried significant weight.

As soon as he spoke, the Second Elder followed suit, "I also believe it shouldn’t come to this. After all, no one wished for an accident."

Lin Xuanfeng leaned back in his chair, head bowed, saying nothing.

Other elders aligned with the family head’s faction were just about to voice their rebuttal when Lin Tian Xiong spoke directly, "In that case, let it be only five years’ stipend deducted and ten lashes."

These words seemed to extend the punishment duration but cancelled the privilege penalties. For a Pill Master, this didn’t count as excessively harsh; most crucially, the punishment was reduced from twenty lashes to ten.

Lin Tian Xiong’s words startled the assembled elders slightly; none had anticipated the family head would concede so quickly.

The elders belonging to the main family faction exchanged glances and tacitly accepted.

With the matter resolved, the time came for the Law Enforcement Hall to carry out the punishment. The other elders rose one after another and departed.

Exiting the Meeting Hall, several elders wasted no time in striding purposefully towards the Great Elder.

Among them, the Seventh Elder, Lin Guangping, murmured quietly, "Great Elder, there is something amiss in this matter."

The other elders also nodded in agreement.

This time, the main family clearly intended to deal with it leniently.

Yet Zhou Luo was undoubtedly one of their own. Seizing this opportunity, the main family should have suppressed him harshly.

Unless Zhou Luo had already defected to the main family faction.

Faced with these words, the Great Elder’s expression remained impassive. He merely said, "Zhou Luo is a promising talent. Let’s wait until he returns to discuss it further."

"But…"

The several elders still wished to speak, but the Great Elder clearly disdained further discussion on the matter, silencing them with a look.

Beneath the plaque above the Meeting Hall entrance, Lin Xuanfeng stood with his arms crossed, leaning against the frame, his gaze towards them gloomy.

After a long while, the family head, Lin Tian Xiong, walked out from inside.

"The Great Elder truly has remarkable patience," Lin Xuanfeng exclaimed with a sigh.

According to his initial assumption, once the main family faction supported Zhou Luo, the Great Elder would surely suspect whether Zhou Luo had aligned himself with the main family.

If the poisoning and the poisonous murder of Lin Xianlong hadn’t been arranged by the Great Elder, he certainly wouldn’t have pleaded for Zhou Luo.

Yet he did speak up, even after the main family had already started favoring Zhou Luo.

Could it really be that he masterminded it all?

Lin Xuanfeng couldn’t quite figure it out yet, but this wasn’t over. Even if the other party had planned everything, he could still drive a wedge between those two.

The family head, Lin Tian Xiong, showed no interest in these words, saying expressionlessly, "Tomorrow, I will send Lin Xi and a few others there. If Zhou Luo can’t be won over, tell Tianfang not to show any mercy."

"Yes," Lin Xuanfeng replied, bowing respectfully.

……

As evening approached, Zhou Luo received his punishment from the family.

The outcome took him somewhat by surprise.

Because it felt far too lenient.

This, instead, left him unsure of the family’s true stance.

Based on his calculations, the main family and the Great Elder factions should have been fiercely debating over this incident, leading to a relatively severe penalty.

Yet now, it seemed the two sides had reached an agreement rather quickly.

Could it be the main family wanted to use this opportunity to win him over?

Zhou Luo fell deep into thought.

Joining the main family’s camp might well be advantageous in his current predicament, and it likely meant securing qualification to enter the fourth level too.

But it also meant a complete break with the Great Elder faction.

Unless absolutely forced, Zhou Luo wasn’t ready to take sides.

Marrying Lin Jinxuan back then had been a matter of necessity; this current attitude of wavering made staying alive considerably easier.

"Zhou Luo, these are the potions to be refined tomorrow and the day after."

Before long, Lin Shi walked in carrying a meal box.

Since that earlier incident, Zhou Luo held deep suspicions for this seemingly easygoing fellow.

Here, he could trust no one but himself.

Not even that individual Lin Xianlong had once told him to contact could be trusted.

During the meal, Zhou Luo questioned Lin Shi about the whipping punishment.

Violators usually received whippings; because they used specially crafted spirit whips, each lash carried tremendous force, enough to tear skin and flesh even from a cultivator.

Ten lashes, while not excessive, would undoubtedly leave one bedridden for at least four to five days.

Zhou Luo, however, wasn’t concerned.

He had already completed the first stage of the Bear Body Refinement Technique, his physique now tempered to an exceptionally resilient state, capable even of withstanding attacks below the fifth layer of Qi Refinement.

A mere ten lashes really weren’t much of a problem.

……

The next day, a flying boat landed before the pavilion down the mountain.

Disembarking were a group of young men and women, who eyed their surroundings curiously before being led away. They entered the spiritual mine from a different entrance, leaving behind only one young woman.

She possessed a stunning face, her jet-black hair pulled back with a white jade accessory, loose strands cascading gently beside her cheeks. Pinkish earlobes bore star-shaped earrings, while beneath delicate willow-leaf eyebrows shone a pair of clear, lively eyes.

She was none other than the Fifth Miss, Lin Xi, whom Zhou Luo had seen that day during the banquet.

Today, she wore a white long dress, over which draped a light brown gauzy shawl shimmering with a subtle glow in the sunlight.

The slightly open collar revealed her slender collarbones. Her wide sleeves fluttered gracefully with her movements, ethereal as an immortal.

Lin Xi stepped into the pavilion, proceeding straight up to the second floor.

Pushing the door open, she saw Elder Si, Lin Tianfang.

Lin Xi dipped slightly in a curtsey. "Fourth Grandfather."

Lin Tianfang and Lin Tian Xiong were full brothers. Being the fourth-born, Lin Xi, as Lin Tian Xiong’s granddaughter, naturally addressed him as Fourth Grandfather.

Lin Tianfang looked at her, a kindly smile spreading across his face as he motioned for her to sit. "There are a few matters you need to handle."

"Please make your instructions, Fourth Grandfather," Lin Xi responded politely with a nod.