The Prodigies War-Chapter 2712 Unending Turmoil

Xu Wen made no move to stop him. His eyes were ice-cold, laced with faint pity. The Origin Sky Pavilion oversees all enforcement of rules and punishment and holds immense authority, yet this kid actually believes that going there will spare him from danger?

Before Lin Xun could leave, he was stopped once more. Outside the hall stood a white-haired man in a green robe, his posture calm and his eyes carrying the weight of endless years.

“Since this incident occurred within the Origin Emptiness Pavilion,” the man said calmly, his voice resonant like morning bells and evening drums, “there is no need to alarm the Origin Sky Pavilion.”

“Elder Jiang Ye!”

Gasps rang out from within the Heavenly Treasure Hall. Everyone instantly recognized the man. Jiang Ye was one of the most legendary elders of the Origin Emptiness Pavilion. His cultivation was unfathomable and his strength beyond measure. For countless years, he had guarded Scripture Mountain and was known as the right-hand man of Deputy Pavilion Master Dugu Yong!

“How should this matter be resolved then?” Lin Xun asked.

Jiang Ye replied calmly, “According to the rules.”

As he spoke, his gaze shifted to Chao Zonglin, still captured in Lin Xun’s hands. “Do you admit your guilt?”

Chao Zonglin had been beaten tragically by Lin Xun, and his heart burned with rage. All along he had been imagining how he would vent that fury once they reached the Origin Sky Pavilion. Despite that, before Jiang Ye’s calm, ageless eyes, all his anger froze into ice. A shudder ran through him, and he cried out, “Elder, you saw it yourself. It was Lin Xun who struck first!”

At this moment, Xu Wen stepped forward, cupping his fists. “Brother Jiang, I saw everything with my own eyes. It was indeed Lin Xun who started the fight, behaving outrageously with no regard for the rules.”

However, Xu Wen was only a deacon. Jiang Ye was an elder! Ignoring Xu Wen entirely, Jiang Ye’s gaze remained fixed on Chao Zonglin. His voice was calm, yet sharp as a sword piercing the heart, “I will ask you one last time. Do you admit your guilt?”

Chao Zonglin’s face went pale. His eyes darted instinctively toward Xu Wen.

Xu Wen said coldly, “Why look at me? If you were in the wrong, then admit it. If not, then stand firm! The sect will naturally uphold justice!”

Chao Zonglin drew a deep breath, gritted his teeth, and said, “Elder Jiang, I have not broken any sect rules. I truly don’t know what crime I am guilty of. But Lin Xun...”

Before he could finish, Jiang Ye cut him off, “Bring him away. Escort Chao Zonglin to Origin Sky Pavilion and hand him over to Deacon Tao Leng for interrogation.”

At once, a tall, broad-shouldered man entered from outside the hall. His expression was cold and stern. Another stir of commotion rippled through the hall. It was none other than Elder Jiang Ye’s closed-door disciple Wei Fang! He was also a peerless figure, having only stepped into the Immortal Stage less than a thousand years ago.

Long ago, Wei Fang, as a core successor of the First Peak, was personally chosen by Jiang Ye and brought to the Origin Emptiness Pavilion to cultivate. In under a thousand years, he smoothly broke through and stepped into the Immortal Stage!

“Junior Brother Lin Xun, please hand him over,” Wei Fang said in a deep, steady voice.

Sensing the shift in the situation, Lin Xun didn’t hesitate. He handed Chao Zonglin over and said, “Thank you, Senior Brother.”

Wei Fang gave a nod, seized Chao Zonglin, and strode away.

“Lord Xu Wen, you must speak for me!” Chao Zonglin’s desperate cries echoed back. However, his voice soon faded into the distance.

Silence fell upon the Heavenly Treasure Hall. Everyone could see that with Jiang Ye’s arrival, the balance of the situation had completely shifted!

“Elder Jiang, Chao Zonglin is a disciple of our Origin Emptiness Pavilion, and he was also a core successor of the Second Peak. Was it not too hasty to simply hand him over to Origin Sky Pavilion?”

Jiang Ye looked at Xu Wen. “If he has done no wrong, he will return safely. Or do you not trust the Origin Sky Pavilion?”

Xu Wen’s expression stiffened, but he quickly pointed at Lin Xun instead. “Then what about this boy?”

“Come,” Jiang Ye said. “Give Lin Xun his monthly allowance.”

A figure immediately came over and presented a storage pouch to Lin Xun. Xu Wen’s face flushed red with rage, nearly coughing blood. Lin Xun had used violence in the Heavenly Treasure Hall, but instead of being punished, he was actually rewarded with his allowance?

It’s obvious that Elder Jiang Ye has no intention of disciplining Lin Xun!

Taking a deep breath, Xu Wen said coldly, “Elder Jiang, Chao Zonglin is a disciple of our Origin Emptiness Pavilion, yet you personally handed him over to the Origin Sky Pavilion. But Lin Xun is merely a newcomer who has just entered the sect, and yet you shield him so blatantly. If word of this spreads, it will surely cause considerable dissatisfaction.”

Jiang Ye said, “Are you dissatisfied as well?”

He remained calm throughout, yet his bearing was incomparably forceful.

Xu Wen’s expression shifted. “I just think it’s unfair.”

Jiang Ye said indifferently, “If you’re not convinced, you may go to the Origin Sky Pavilion and lodge a complaint against me. Have them come and speak with me directly.”

At this, Xu Wen understood that Jiang Ye was firmly set on protecting Lin Xun. He could only suppress his frustration and say coldly, “Elder Jiang, if you insist on handling things this way, it will surely stir up considerable dissatisfaction.”

With that, he turned and left. Jiang Ye remained completely unbothered, his expression calm and unchanged throughout. He then looked at Lin Xun. “When you collect your monthly allowance in the future, no one will dare to make things difficult for you. You may leave now.”

“Elder, I am deeply grateful that you righteously stepped in and helped me clear my name.” Lin Xun bowed deeply.

Jiang Ye gave a small nod, saying nothing further. Lin Xun did not linger and turned to leave. From beginning to end, he never once looked at Zheng Qian again.

At this moment, Zheng Qian’s face was stiff with humiliation, his heart in turmoil. He could only watch helplessly as Lin Xun escaped danger and left with ease. It felt like being struck heavily in the chest, leaving him stifled and suffocated.

“As an elder of the Ninth Peak, he actually acted like this...sigh, what an eye-opener today.”

Murmurs of discussion spread through the Heavenly Treasure Hall. Zheng Qian felt a wave of discomfort, then, with an angry flick of his sleeve, he stormed out. Inwardly, he swore that next time he would seize the opportunity to utterly crush Lin Xun.

......

Origin Emptiness Mountain, Little Pavilion Retreat. This was the cultivation residence of Deputy Pavilion Master Dugu Yong.

“Lord, the matter has been taken care of.” Jiang Ye appeared and reported calmly.

Seated beneath a pine tree, gazing at the rolling sea of clouds, Dugu Yong gave a slight nod. “I troubled you to make this trip.”

Jiang Ye hesitated, then said, “Lord, I fear the way we dealt with Chao Zonglin today may provoke Deputy Pavilion Master Fei Peng’s displeasure. After all, it was he who personally recruited Chao Zonglin into the Origin Emptiness Pavilion.”

Dugu Yong’s expression remained calm. “No need to worry. We only acted in accordance with the rules. If Chao Zonglin is willing to be someone else’s cannon fodder, then he must also be prepared to pay the price. As for Deputy Pavilion Master Fei Peng...no need to worry.”

Jiang Ye nodded and quickly departed.

“Granduncle, thank you.” Dugu Youran appeared, clad in a long pale-blue dress. Her slender waist graceful, and her whole being shrouded in an aura of elegance. Her beautiful face was exquisite beyond comparison.

Today, she had also come to collect her monthly allowance, and to pay a visit to Dugu Yong, the granduncle who doted on her most. Who would have thought that while the two were talking, the commotion in the Heavenly Treasure Hall would alarm Dugu Yong, and in turn let Dugu Youran witness the scenes of Lin Xun being bullied.

Dugu Yong smiled warmly, rubbing Dugu Youran’s head with affection. “Even if you hadn’t asked me, I would never have allowed such a thing to happen in the Origin Emptiness Pavilion.”

Dugu Youran nodded.

Dugu Yong’s voice grew gentle. “Youran, now that you’ve entered the Origin Sect, you should focus on your cultivation. With your granduncle here, I won’t let you suffer any injustice here. However, you must keep your distance from that boy Lin Xun.”

Dugu Youran was taken aback. “Why?”

“Even before he set foot in the Origin Sect, undercurrents were already surging here. The reason lies in his unique identity. He is not only a successor of Fangchun Mountain, but he also possesses the innate talent of the Grand Abyss Heaven Devourer.”

Dugu Yong gazed out at the distant sea of clouds, his voice deep and low. “Just for these reasons alone, those old fellows in the Origin Sect from the Ten Immortal Giants will never sit idly by.

“But at the same time, there are others who hope Lin Xun’s arrival will disrupt the balance within the sect, using the turmoil he brings to purge the sect of its deep-seated maladies. In such circumstances, Lin Xun’s every move will be watched, and the slightest misstep could spark a storm.

“Take today, for example. If I hadn’t intervened, he would have been dragged to the Origin Sky Pavilion. Although the Origin Sky Pavilion is tasked with enforcing the sect’s laws, it is rife with factions, and many who already harbor deep hatred toward Lin Xun. If he went there, he would have been condemned to a grave crime without question.”

He mused softly, “Of course, there are also many who don’t want to see him punished, and they would definitely step forward to intervene. But if that happens, it would only make the turmoil grow worse. If it can no longer be contained, then a great upheaval may erupt within the Origin Sect!”

Dugu Youran’s heart pounded in alarm. Only then did she realize how precarious Lin Xun’s situation was!

“Now that the matter has been suppressed and settled within the Origin Emptiness Pavilion, it may leave some dissatisfied, but it will not provoke too great an upheaval. And that, at least, is enough,” Dugu Yong said softly.

“Granduncle, I want to go and visit Lin Xun,” Dugu Youran said softly.

Dugu Yong shook his head. “I’m not telling you to cut ties with him completely, but for your own good, you should limit your contact. Otherwise, you too may be targeted as well and dragged into the turmoil.”

After a pause, he said with a teasing smile, “Besides, even if you’re worried about him, what could you possibly do to help as a new disciple?”

Dugu Youran gave a playful blink and said, “But don’t I still have my Granduncle?”

Dugu Yong was speechless for a moment, then spoke gravely, “Youran, the situation in the Origin Sect is tangled and unclear. I cannot afford to wade into these muddy waters too early. Do you understand?”

Dugu Youran let out a faint sigh, a little dispirited. “I once thought the Origin Sect Ancestral Court was a pure land beyond the mortal world, a place where I could cultivate in peace and freedom. Who would have thought...it’s no different from the outside world?”

“The path of the great dao has always been like this.” Dugu Yong sighed. “And besides, within a hundred years, the position of the Origin Clarity Pavilion Master will become vacant. Who...could possibly remain unmoved?”

......

Origin Sky Pavilion.

Deacon Tao Leng fixed Chao Zonglin with a calm stare that made his scalp tingle and filled him with unease. Within the Origin Sky Pavilion, Tao Leng had long carried a fearsome reputation. Cold-hearted and iron-blooded, he had personally dealt with countless disciples who violated sect rules over the years.

Every single one of them had met a miserable end. How could Chao Zonglin not be terrified? After a long silence, Tao Leng finally uttered a single line, “To let yourself be used as another’s weapon...Fool.”