Yang Gehu’s handsome face faltered as the ghost of a frown briefly flashed past. What Chen Wentian proposed was the most punishing penalty for him. It was perhaps even worse than death. The woman he desired most would be denied and it would directly affect his future.
Even if he didn't have Long Yifei, a person of his stature might have nurtured three or four Sacred Daughters in the span of a hundred years. They would help improve his Dao and assist him in breaking through to the Spirit King Realm. If he suffered Chen Wentian’s punishment, his future would be destroyed. His talents would go to waste and his clan would cast him aside.
But it was still just an idea at the moment. It still had to be approved by the council.
Yang Gehu glanced around at the gathered abbotesses and landed on a particular one. She returned his look with a brief nod. She was known as Immortal Archivist of Waves Yang Mengshi. She was as her surname suggested, a member of the Yang Clan of Great Waves and Yang Gehu’s greatest supporter within the council.
Pa!
Abbotess Yang slapped her armrest, drawing everyone’s attention.
“This punishment is unacceptable, pick another one!” She snapped, “Yang Gehu of the Yang Clan has the potential of becoming the patriarch of the clan. His future is immeasurably bright, unlike this surnamed Chen from the subcontinents. Yang Gehu cannot be ruined by such an unreasonable punishment, I will not allow it!”
Chen Wentian resisted the urge to roll his eyes. He knew about Yang Mengshi, a vile woman who held great influence at the school and across the whole continent. Her logic had glaring flaws but it was pointless trying to argue with a pig-headed person like her.
He also disliked verbal spats that spun round and round the drain, leaving nobody satisfied. His status was the weakest in the whole grand banquet hall, even lower than the mortals. He was an independent cultivator with nobody backing him. His words wouldn't sway anyone.
But this wasn’t the case for Long Yifei. She was a Sacred Daughter so her status was naturally higher than his. Also, just by standing on the stage, she was already attracting many people with her sheer beauty.It couldn’t be understated the amount of influence she had on those gathered. She was tall and slender, curvy without being obscene. She was the epitome of pure beauty, everything that Virtuous Order and their affiliates looked for.
Long Yifei’s brilliance shone through even as she stood before seven abbotesses who could be considered the most powerful and beautiful creatures at the school. She was a long-stemmed rose amongst a field of weeds. Her beauty could even shake the heart of a blue dragon. It was far from ordinary, it was divine.
So, when she spoke, she captivated everyone, men and women included.
“Abbotess Li, Abbotess Yang, respected abbotesses of the executive council, may I?” She asked.
The room quieted down so that not even a rustle could be heard. After cultivating the Dao of song, her voice was much more potent than before. It was magnetic, it was irresistible. Her voice was a honed knife slicing through their minds and touching their spirit. It was an indisputable sign of her astonishing genius and for many, it took their breaths away.
Abbotess Li gave a genuine smile, “Go ahead.”
“Thank you Abbotess Li,” Long Yifei said and turned to Yang Mengshi, “Abbotess Yang, your words just now were illogical and unfair.”
“You…” Yang Mengshi blurted but a wave of spiritual energy from Li Shishi cut her off.
Li Shishi’s smile remained, encouraging Long Yifei to continue. Even though it was an executive council of abbotesses, her status was a step above the rest.
“As I was saying, how can Abbotess Yang claim that banishing Yang Gehu from the Order for a hundred years is unfair when the same punishment will be applied to Chen Wentian. How is that fair? How is that logical? Both sides having the potential for the same punishment should be the only standard. The bond between a Sacred Daughter and her acolyte is a blessed one. It is a core foundation of the Order and it cannot be broken in such an unjust way.”
Across the banquet hall, many heads nodded involuntarily, compelled by her voice and her appeal filled with emotion. Even some immortals aligned with Yang Gehu and the Seven Potentates found it difficult to resist.
“What would you suggest then?” Li Shishi asked.
“Abbotess, the Order is supposed to uphold virtue and righteousness. This includes honesty and justice as well. I am willing to accept any challenge against my acolyte as long as it is fair and equal. Otherwise, the challenge is invalid, it goes against everything this Order is about. I cannot accept a challenge like this, I refuse!”
Long Yifei’s voice reverberated through the air, filled with spiritual energy and firm intent. She was perhaps the only mortal who could talk like this in front of a gathering of a thousand immortals. She was the only person who didn’t fear the council. She was a divine daughter. The Order needed her far more than she needed them.
This was what she and Chen Wentian had decided beforehand. When push came to shove, she would do all the talking. As long as her words were reasonable, she would find support. It wouldn't be a lot but hopefully, it would be enough.
Abbotess Yang frowned heavily, revealing deep wrinkles that marred her previously perfect complexion. “You… fine! What do you want? Speak quickly, we don’t have all day. We still have to judge the actual challenge.”
Long Yifei smiled gently, making her appear even more angelic and pure, “I think there is no need for so much animosity between us. My acolyte and I are simple cultivators from the subcontinents. I have no quarrel with the Yang Clan of Great Waves or the Seven Potentates of Jiannan. Since this is the Gift Giving Ceremony, I assume Immortal Bamboo Wave Yang Gehu has brought gifts to the challenge. If so, how about this? Nobody needs to suffer a one-hundred-year banishment, not my acolyte, not Lord Yang. Instead, the loser will simply relinquish all their gifts to the other party and we will all leave it at that.”
Murmurs of assent greeted her idea. They could find no fault in her words which were filled with kindness. Even in the face of a difficult challenge, they were impressed with how she could remain so benevolent. This was indeed a perfect example of womanly virtues.
Despite this shifting tide, the instigators of the current situation remained firm. A rapid series of spiritual messages passed between Yang Gehu, Yang Mengshi, and several other abbotesses. Out of the seven on the council, three others were also direct descendants of the Seven Potentates. Together with Yang Mengshi, they had a clear majority to reject any development that went against their goals. And giving Chen Wentian such a light punishment directly went against their goal of kicking him far away. He could never return to the Order or else their goal of obtaining Long Yifei would be almost impossible.
Abbotess Yang let out a harsh laugh and shook her head, “Your idea is unacceptable. An acolyte being negligent and negatively affecting the future growth of a talented Sacred Daughter, this is an incredibly serious matter that demands serious punishment. We don’t care about something like forfeiting gifts. Chen Wentian must be banished from the Order for a hundred years!”
Chen Wentian glanced at Long Yifei. There was a trace of sadness in her eyes. They had already talked through all the scenarios and this was one they had already prepared for. However, what would happen afterward was unknown.
Long Yifei took his hand and squeezed it. She found comfort in his warmth and it swept away the last of her uncertainty. She looked back at the seven abbotesses, her sparkling sapphire orbs filled with determination.
“In that case… I was mistaken. The Virtuous Order does not align with my values and my goals after all. There is no need to move forward with this challenge, this so-called Gift Giving Ceremony.”
She paused to let her words sink in. Nervous energy arose as people caught on to her meaning.
“I have read all of the covenants and laws of the Virtuous Order of Chunzhen. Nowhere does it say that a Sacred Daughter cannot withdraw from the Order. We are not disciples. We are not bound by oath. We are students and followers of a virtuous ideal. But now, that ideal is leading down a different path than my own. I now stand before this junction and I have already chosen.”
“I, Long Yifei, will withdraw from the Order!”
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