Chapter 76: Chapter 76: Verdict
As three crimson sword auras fell, the last Jade Qilin Snake Great Demon wailed and finally was split into two, falling to the ground.
All the Great Demons in Jade Dragon Valley were slaughtered!
Even the Inner Cores of the two Great Demons were extracted, put into the pouches of Qianhe Ascendant and Luoyuan Ascendant, respectively.
The remaining Tier One and Tier Two Spirit Snakes had also become Spirit Beast Materials!
Whoever slew them took them for their own.
On the scene, the Ye Family cultivators reaped quite a harvest.
The Spirit Beasts of the Ye Family charged ahead, unafraid of injuries, striking particularly at those wounded Spirit Snakes.
The two Purple Mansion Great Demons were stored away. Both Luoyuan Ascendant and Qianhe Ascendant took a pill each and sat in meditation right there!
Evidently, slaying the two Great Demons had consumed a lot of their energy.
Meanwhile, the cultivators of the Taiyi Sect swiftly traversed through Jade Dragon Valley with numerous Array Banners in hand, beginning to set up an Array.
Clearly, the Taiyi Sect had more plans than just clearing out the valley.
The Spiritual Energy here was abundant, suitable for establishing a Medicine Garden and even a Spirit Fish Pool at Jade Dragon Pool.
This brought enormous benefits to the Taiyi Sect.
Cultivators from the Four Great Foundation Establishment Clans and the two Purple Mansion Clans also began to meditate, restoring Spiritual Energy and treating injuries.
Prepared Qi Recovery Pills, Qi Blood Pills, and Qi Replenishing Pills were swallowed like beans by the cultivators.
The atmosphere was rather depressing.
This raid was supposed to be a harvest for all the cultivator families, but the Li Family suffered significant losses, with even Qianhe Ascendant sustaining some injuries.
This outcome naturally required Taiyi Sect to make some judgments.
Ye Jingcheng awoke very early, feeding the Golden Scale Beast with a Spirit Nourishing Pill while observing the surroundings.
He noticed an enormous Spirit Shield had appeared over the whole forest at some unknown time.
This Spirit Shield’s aura bore some resemblance to the Grand Array of Ye Family’s Lingyun Peak but was more profound and complex, giving him a feeling of even greater profundity and invincibility!
Evidently, it was akin to a Mountain Protection Array.
The intense sunlight under the Grand Array softened, giving the feeling of a soothing winter morning sun.
The speed of the Taiyi Sect cultivators surprised Ye Jingcheng. If he remembered correctly, less than half an hour had passed since the Array was set up.
At this time, all cultivators had gathered here.
Even though some areas remained unexplored due to the serpent tide, the current order was for all families and Loose Cultivators to assemble here.
The unexpected appearance of Demon Beasts required an explanation, as did the need for one from the Li Family, and certainly from the Ye Family.
At this moment, Ye Xingliu’s evil aura was no less than Li Muhe’s from the Li Family.
The cultivators of the Ye Family and the Li Family stood in opposition, equally enraged.
Even as they meditated for recovery, they were seated opposite each other. The other family cultivators had put away their Magical Artifacts, but the Ye and Li Families had theirs ready beside them, and the Ye Family Spirit Beasts were not yet stowed away.
Many cultivators arrived from afar, and finally, with those coming from the depths of Jade Dragon Pool, the two Purple Mansion Ascendants had more or less recovered.
Luoyuan Ascendant and Qianhe Ascendant exchanged a glance, and Luoyuan Ascendant spoke up:
"Speak, step forward yourself, who released the Snake Ape Pill!"
"Elder Luoyuan, I suspect the Snake Ape Pill was released by the Ye Family. They have always been at odds with our Li Family, and this time it led to the tragic death of my Li Family’s Foundation Establishment kin. The Ye Family stands to gain the most!"
"I hope Elder Luoyuan and Elder Qianhe can make a decision for the younger generation. Otherwise, I will have no face to return to meet the Li Family members!" Li Muhe was extremely pained, tears even spilling from the corners of his eyes.
He then directly kowtowed.
Kneeling before the two Ascendants.
This scene elicited empathy from the other families, who looked toward the Ye Family.
Especially Qianhe Ascendant, who nearly exerted pressure to break the Ye Family.
At this moment, Ye Xingliu stepped forward holding a Tier Two High-Grade Fire Cloud Fan in one hand and a Jade Talisman in the other:
"Elder Luoyuan, Elder Qianhe, please have a look at this Record Jade Talisman!"
The Jade Talisman was not handed over, which made the faces of the two Ascendants slightly gloomy.
However, when they saw that Ye Xingliu’s Fire Cloud Fan did not attack, they recognized it as the famed Magical Artifact of Supreme Taihao from the Taiyi Sect, now in the hands of the Ye Family, which was self-evident.
In the next moment, as Ye Xingliu activated it, the Jade Talisman started to display a scene showing the Li Family instructing the Ye Family to clear out the river at the valley’s entrance!
The display did not stop there and went on to show several Loose Cultivators releasing Snake Ape Grass into the river, attracting countless Spirit Snakes and Spiritual Pythons into the waters.
The Ye Family’s cultivators were seen struggling against these Spirit Snakes!
This was still in the early stage of the clean-up operation.
The Jade Talisman was not activated further and was handed directly to the two elders by Ye Xingliu.
Subsequent scenes included confrontations with footage of the Lizard Lord and the Hanging Eye Tiger but were not displayed by Ye Xingliu.
Despite not being shown, the deterrence was greater, and it couldn’t be fabricated, as there were more informants from the Li Family among the Ye Family’s Loose Cultivators.
As for the injuries, they could be seen directly.
The striking sword cuts were undoubtedly from the Jade Qilin Snake.
"Secondly, Elder Luoyuan, Elder Qianhe, may I ask if you can confirm it is the Snake Ape Pill?"
"Naturally confirmed, do you doubt this old man?" Qianhe Ascendant coldly snorted.
At this moment, his expression was exceptionally grim. It was universally acknowledged that the Li Family had connections with the Taiyi Sect’s Taiyi Dharma Peak, and they deserved their plight!
"Our family’s lineage, including my lineage uncle, currently has a total of two Foundation Establishment Cultivators, and we have never had a Tier Two Alchemist. The family has always focused on managing Spirit Beasts; we cannot refine a Tier Two High-Grade Snake Ape Pill!" Ye Xingliu spoke, statement by statement.
With each word, it was like driving a knife into Li Muhe’s chest.
The blame lay in the fact that only the Li Family could refine the Snake Ape Pill, and indeed it was Loose Cultivators who scattered the Snake Ape Powder made from Snake Ape Grass.
If those Loose Cultivators had not been recorded, they might still try to argue.
But now with evidence, if they dared to quibble, once Luoyuan Ascendant deployed a Spirit Inquiry Talisman to check if these Loose Cultivators had any involvement, they couldn’t explain even if they jumped into the Yellow River.
At this moment, Ye Xingliu again produced a large segment of the Five-Colored Poison Lizard’s vital tongue tip.
The appearance of the tongue tip incriminated the Li Family even more!
"Elder Luoyuan, Elder Qianhe, the Li Family could not possibly harm themselves!"
"Enough, luckily no major disaster occurred this time. If Jade Dragon Valley hadn’t been claimed, all your family names would have to change!" Qianhe Ascendant scolded loudly!
"The Li Family brought this upon themselves; they will bear their own losses!"
"As for the Ye Family, they also suffered losses but contributed to the rescue, and thus more slots will be allocated for their cultivators at the ore vein in Jade Dragon Valley!"
"They will also be allotted more Spirit Fish from Jade Dragon Pool!" Qianhe Ascendant declared his judgment.