The First Immortal of Destiny-Chapter 556: Imperial Decree_1

"Before the ax fell, no one could be certain!"

An Outer Deacon with a full head of white hair and a lean figure, his eyes flashing with Essence Light, spoke to the inner disciple by his side, "In the history of our sect, apart from several factional squabbles which led to the mass execution of high-level members, such incidents have rarely occurred."

"However, I heard that to gather evidence, Patriarch Shen forcefully conducted a Soul Search on Peak Master Tang. For this, he also has to endure the suffering of a thousand swords piercing his heart. In my opinion, I’m afraid Peak Master Tang can’t avoid being struck!"

Upon hearing these words, the Deacons and inner disciples beside him all grew agitated.

They resented this old man for not speaking clearly. A half-step Golden Core Realm cultivator being struck, and an ordinary mortal being struck—are those the same thing? If one has no Mana or magic for protection, being struck would naturally mean certain death. However, Tang Lv’s strength and methods are both considerable. It’s not guaranteed that he couldn’t bounce back after being slashed. Perhaps the high-level sect members had this in mind—a nominal punishment would suffice, thus avoiding the loss of a Peak Master-level figure. Moreover, Tang Lv has held the esteemed position of a Peak Master for many years, accumulating both merits and hardships. To execute him just like this, wouldn’t it make the sect seem too cold-hearted?

「...」

All these voices reached Shen Mo’s ears.

However, he didn’t immediately speak out to announce anything to the assembled Sect Disciples. Instead, he transmitted a mental message to Jin Chinian, who was beside him.

Jin Chinian, upon receiving his order, secretly requested instructions from Supreme Elder Yuan Heming and Sect Master Yuan Qingshi. He then immediately stepped forward and shouted in a voice as resonant as a great bell, "Silence!"

The next moment, nearly one hundred thousand Sect Disciples fell completely silent.

In the vast execution ground, apart from the sound of breathing and the rustling of robes, there wasn’t a single other noise.

Immediately after, Jin Chinian took out a solemn penal decree, black with gold trim, and began to read from it, word for word.

"Rewards must correspond to merit, and punishments must correspond to the crime."

"A reward not corresponding to merit is as good as no reward; a punishment not corresponding to the crime is as good as no punishment. If punishments are unjust, then the multitude of evils will not be rectified. If executions are carried out without prior instruction, then punishments will become numerous, yet wickedness will not be overcome..."

"Shen Mo, Peak Master of Green Cloud Peak, relying on his martial prowess, used the Soul Searching Spell on a fellow cultivator... According to the strict laws of the sect, he shall receive the punishment of a thousand swords piercing the heart!"

As soon as Jin Chinian finished speaking, a blood-stained and ferocious sword appeared in his hand.

This sword was a low-grade spiritual weapon, passed down in the Enforcement Hall for many years, specializing in punishment and slaughter, and had even developed the True Intention of "Execution."

"Rise!"

Jin Chinian formed a seal and pointed at the ferocious sword. Instantly, the sword split into two, two into four, and in the blink of an eye, thousands of sword shadows proliferated, densely covering the sky.

"Go!"

With a low shout, countless sword shadows swirled rapidly, carrying specks of blood-red, chilly light. They converged into a formation, slender at the front and broad at the back, like the long beak of a fierce bird, and thrust towards Shen Mo.

At this moment, Shen Mo had dispelled his Destiny: Indestructible Body and voluntarily dispersed his defenses, such as Mana, True Yuan, external magic, and the Nine-Extreme Crystal Sand within his Chakras. Otherwise, with Jin Chinian’s cultivation, even if Shen Mo stood there and allowed the execution, the ferocious sword would not have been able to shave off even a piece of his Flesh and Blood!

PFFT!

PFFT, PFFT!

One by one, Flying Swords pierced Shen Mo’s left chest, puncturing his heart, and continuously emerged from his back.

The incredibly sharp blades soon mangled the Flesh and Blood of his chest and back, shattered his ribs, destroyed the Chakra in his heart area, and minced his strong, resilient internal organs. A large torrent of fresh blood, mixed with flesh and organ fragments, gushed out like a spring!

As if this were not enough, thousands of terrifying sword intents surged back and forth three times before coalescing back into the ferocious sword amidst a blood mist, returning to Jin Chinian’s hand.

A bloody hole the size of a human head had suddenly appeared in Shen Mo’s chest, its edges a gory mess of Flesh and Blood, with other internal organs faintly visible, squirming.

Even though they knew that with the vigorous vitality of the Golden Core Realm, such an injury could hardly threaten Shen Mo’s life, the sight of such horrifying bloodshed caused a number of outer disciples, who hadn’t been in the sect for many years and hadn’t experienced trials and tribulations, to turn deathly pale.

But the Sect Disciples at the Qi Gathering Realm and above, most of whom had experienced brutal battles, were not shocked by the gore before their eyes.

What moved them most was that a dignified Golden Core Realm expert, the newly appointed Supreme Elder of the sect, was willing to endure such a punishment in full view of everyone, under the gaze of so many Sect Disciples, merely to uphold the sect law!

As for Tang Lv, Tian Zhaoquan, and the other accused, their faces turned even paler.

Shen Mo’s action was undoubtedly a declaration to all Sect Disciples that the law spares no one of high status! Having dealt such a heavy blow to himself, he naturally wouldn’t let them off easily; the situation they had anticipated, where things would be lifted high but set down gently, was practically impossible.

Afterward, Shen Mo took out the robe and crown of a Supreme Elder from his Universe Bag and put them on, covering the bloody hole in his body and the bloodstains all over him.

His gaze turned towards Jin Chinian.

Jin Chinian was momentarily startled but quickly recovered, raising the penal decree once more. The cold words of judgment echoed again in the ears of all sect members present.

"Sunrise Peak Master Tang Lv, since joining the Riverside Sect, has behaved with contempt for Heaven and Earth, acting perversely against the Dao. In the 573rd Year of Yongping, he grievously harmed fellow senior disciples during a joint training expedition... In the 25th year of Qianyuan, he condoned and sheltered disciples from his peak who committed murder..."

Evil deed after evil deed, charge after charge, were continuously read out by Jin Chinian. From the moment Tang Lv joined the Riverside Sect until he was apprehended by Shen Mo, a span of two to three hundred years, there were more than ten heinous crimes deserving capital punishment, and over a hundred other major and minor misdeeds!

With every charge Jin Chinian read, Tang Lv’s face took on a more deathly pallor, while all the Sect Disciples present were in an uproar of shock and horror.

Even Yuan Heming and the others had extremely grim expressions by the time they heard everything!

A few days ago, when I performed the Soul Search on Tang Lv, I merely intended to strip him of his Peak Master title and perhaps severely punish him with the sect’s torture. Who could have imagined that he had committed so many evil deeds and yet managed to keep them so perfectly concealed! Instantly, my mind changed. This fiend had to be ruthlessly exterminated, his very soul annihilated!

When Jin Chinian finished reading the charges, the scene became deathly silent.

Shen Mo walked up to Tang Lv, looking at him with a complex expression.

"Peak Master Tang, before I performed the Soul Search on you, I never thought of taking your life. However, your previous actions were truly too excessive."

Tang Lv lifted his head, his eyes filled with despair and resignation.

However, he still clung to his last shred of hope and asked in an incredibly hoarse voice, "Shen Mo... for the sake of my toil and risking my life for the sect, for the many merits I’ve established, could you implore Patriarch Yuan on my behalf to spare my life?"

Shen Mo shook his head and sighed, "The merits you’ve earned have already been rewarded by the sect."

"Otherwise, you wouldn’t have been able to cultivate to this Realm, nor could you have sat firmly in the Peak Master’s position for so many years, wielding such blazing power and enjoying all glory and honor."

"But the evil you have done has not yet been settled."

"Now that you are facing execution under the sect’s rules, you should accept it!"