Chapter 1: The Court of Justice

Wu Wang was dressed in a long blue robe, respectfully greeting the four great elders who held real power within the inner court with clasped hands.

Without begging for a response, Wu Qi leaped towards Shangguan Ye, his palms moving like swallows darting through the forest, densely and repeatedly striking at Shangguan Ye's entire body.

With a long sigh, Le Xiaobai spoke in a tone filled with compassion: "However, there is a principle even in thievery. The rules established by the founder of our sect dictate that even if we face poverty or hardship, we must not lay a hand on good and virtuous people"

Shang Guanye's body trembled slightly, and with a turn of his eyes, he looked at the stern-faced Elder in charge of the punishment hall and coldly laughed, "What place is this? The Punishment Hall! What crime have I, Shang Guanye, committed that warrants the opening of the Punishment Hall to deal with me? Esteemed Elders, what virtue or capability do I possess that deserves such treatment?"

Wu Wangting straightened his chest and looked at the many disciples in the courtroom, saying calmly: "Disciples of the Wind Hall, go investigate where the items stolen by Shangguanye have gone. Other items can be disregarded, but the heirlooms of the six families must be retrieved without fail"

Do not beg for a few light laughs, as both palms raise a few remnants of shadows, and both arms twist as if they have no bones, silently approaching Shangguan Ye

Amidst the lush green forest lie several ancient Tang-style buildings, exuding a sense of antiquity. The bronze-colored beams and columns, the greenish-brown roof tiles, the lofty eaves and ridges, and the three-colored ceramic guardian beasts standing proudly atop the roofs—all contribute to an atmosphere that is both mysterious and solemn

Wu Wangsu respectfully bowed to Shangguan Ye and said with great seriousness: "Shangguan Senior Brother, you have violated the sect rules, and this is the punishment you must face! I will always remember the kindness Master showed to Wu Wang. From now on, you can rest assured and enjoy your retirement at the Stealing Heaven and Changing Sun Sect, and all expenses will be personally covered by me!"

Elder Zhangxing cast a glance at the smiling Wu Wang, and suddenly stamped his foot heavily, shouting angrily: "Impudence! Shangguan Ye, do you see clearly what kind of place this is?"

June, on an island in Indonesia, the blazing sun is resplendent

Seven years ago, my father exhausted the last bit of "Heaven-Mending Ointment" left within wwwhetushucom.com to repair your damaged tendons. Today, your disciple has rendered me powerless! Wu Wang, I, Shangguan Ye, will not rest until one of us is dead!

As a dozen explosions rang out, Shang Guanye's body trembled, and the tightly bound cowhide ropes around him snapped one after another. His arms, like two agile snakes, swiftly emerged from under his armpits, carrying a chilling breeze as they aimed towards Wu Qi's abdomen

The acting sect leader, the token of the Sect of Stealing Heaven and Changing Day is here. Aside from Shangguan Ye, no one else has any objections to the position of sect leader

Master, you have worked hard coming and going through wind and rain, it is time for you to take a good rest

Shangguanye struggled desperately, looking up to the sky with a grim smile and said: "Wu Wang, Le Xiaobai, Wu Qi, I will not let you go! Hahaha, you are doomed, you are seeking your own death! And you four old bastards, I will not spare you either; I, Shangguanye, will annihilate your entire clan!"

Shangguan Ye's fierce cries continued to echo from afar

The courtroom was silent as a grave, with everyone gazing at Le Xiaobai and Wu Wang.

Wu Wang smiled faintly, standing with his hands behind his back and remaining silent

Wu Wangwei smiled faintly and took a few steps back

Elder Zhangxing took a deep breath, stood up, and shouted angrily: "Come! Shangguan Ye violated the sect rules first, and then brazenly attacked in the Hall of Punishment. His crimes are unforgivable. Considering he is the only son of the former sect leader Shangguan Tianzheng, his cultivation will be abolished, and he shall be confined within the sect for life"

He looked at Wu Qi with approval and said, "Wu Qi, you also have a heart of filial piety, but after all, Senior Brother Shangguan is an elder of our sect. How can he spend the money of you younger ones? From now on, Senior Brother Shangguan will live in my private residence for his retirement, and you all must take good care of him"

The main hall of the Stealing Heaven and Changing Day Sect, known as the Punishment Hall, is responsible for all matters of punishment and discipline within the sect. All disciples of the sect are filled with dread at the mere mention of the Punishment Hall.

The four elders exchanged glances at hetushucom.com and simultaneously let out a long sigh

Le Xiaobai and Wu Qi exchanged a glance, simultaneously breaking into smiles

You all wait, I will settle accounts with each of you one by one

The four elders of the Stealing Heaven and Changing Day Sect had solemn expressions. The Elder in Charge of Punishments glanced at Wu Wang, waved his left hand gently, and cleared his throat: "Acting Sect Leader, where is Shangguan Ye?"

One hand pressed on Shangguan Ye's shoulder, Wu Qi smiled gently and said, "Shangguan Shibo, my master is now acting as the sect leader"

The four elders simultaneously bowed to Wu and said: "We kindly request the acting sect leader to officially take charge of the Stealing Heaven and Changing Sun Sect"

With a light sigh, Wu Qi looked at Shangguan Ye very seriously and said, "Rest assured, everything you need for the rest of your life, I will take responsibility for!"

Glaring at Wu Wang, Shangguan Ye shouted furiously: "Wu Wang, do you dare to have someone capture me?"

The numerous disciples in the hall of judgment all knelt down on one knee

He grabbed Shangguan Ye and tossed him onto the floor of the execution hall, then, with a smile, pinched his mouth a few times to extract the walnut from his mouth

Looking at Wu Qi, who smiled bitterly a few times, Shangguan Ye nodded repeatedly and said, "Good, good, you little bastard worth only one hundred dollars, you are quite something!"

With his neck held high, Shangguan Ye coldly laughed and said: "Yes, and so what? Our Stealing Heaven and Changing Sun Sect is precisely engaged in such underhanded dealings, isn't it?"

Do not beg to take two steps forward, and with a swift kick, send Shangguan Ye flying. Do not beg smiled and said: "Shangguan Master, as the son of the former sect leader, you disregard the sect rules and recklessly take action in the punishment hall, which warrants an additional threefold penalty! You might as well bow your head and admit your guilt, right?"

Shangguan Ye stared wide-eyed at the many fellow disciples in the courtroom, and he shouted hoarsely, "You, you!"

The elder of the gate, trembling, took out a palm-sized gilded box from the hidden pocket of his chest and solemnly handed it over.

Wu Wang and the librarian sternly shouted, "You all remember this clearly: any disciple of the Stealing Heaven and Changing Sun Sect who dares to violate the sect rules will have Shangguan Ye as a cautionary example!"

Shang Guanye barely managed to block several rounds of attacks from Wu Qi with his palm, blood continuously gushing from his mouth. Ultimately, exhausted, he was struck by Wu Qi with a series of eighteen palm strikes to his dantian. The force of Wu Qi's palm, infused with dark energy, penetrated directly into Shang Guanye's dantian, shattering the internal energy he had cultivated for over a decade.

Wu Wangsen smiled faintly and kicked up with one foot, forcing Shangguan Ye to kneel on the ground.

Shang Guanye's body trembled as he attempted to leap up, but Wu Qi forcefully pressed down on his shoulder, restraining him.

Although Shangguanye was bound tightly like a zongzi, his figure remained as agile as that of a monkey. Just as Wu Qi had removed the walnut from his mouth, he shifted his body and sprang up, lightly standing in the center of the courtroom

In the final courtyard of this building, there stands a stone structure entirely coated in black paint. A crimson plaque, as red as blood, hangs horizontally above the entrance, prominently engraved with the two characters '刑堂'.

On both sides of the hall, nearly one hundred disciples of the Stealing Heaven and Changing Sun Sect stood solemnly. They varied in height, weight, beauty, and appearance, with an array of distinctive features. Some were dressed in suits, some exposed their chests and bellies, others wore long robes and jackets, while some resembled street thugs, their attire equally bizarre.

Wu Wang lightly coughed, and Le Xiaobai immediately turned her head, glaring fiercely at the four elders.

The four elders tightened their palms on the armrests of the grand chair, crushing the rosewood armrests into pieces.

Elders, the reckless Shangguan Ye, who has violated the sect rules, has been captured. I request Elder Zhangxing to impose punishment in accordance with the sect regulations

Without allowing Shang Guanye to let out a cry of despair, a remarkably thin black blade appeared seemingly out of nowhere between his fingers. It swept past the joints of Shang Guanye's wrist and elbow with the speed of a whirlwind. The blade pierced the flesh, and its edge trembled slightly, severing several crucial tendons in Shang Guanye's arm in the blink of an eye

In the main hall of the court, there are spirit tablets honoring the Heavenly Sovereign, Earthly Sovereign, the Emperor, and the ancestors of the Stealing Heaven and Changing Sun Sect. Beneath these tablets, four large chairs are arranged horizontally, where the four esteemed elders of the Stealing Heaven and Changing Sun Sect—responsible for punishment, command, transmission of teachings, and guarding the gate—are seated uprightly on the chairs

Amidst the sounds of mocking laughter, Shangguan Ye was forcibly dragged out of the courtroom

Wu Wang took the box into his hands without any hesitation or pretense, nodding firmly in acknowledgment

The folding fan struck heavily on Shang Guanye's shoulder, and Le Xiaobai pointed at him and reprimanded, "But Shang Guanye, he has robbed seventeen wealthy families, among which six families had their treasured heirlooms stolen. And those six families are all virtuous people known for their charity and good deeds!"

We kindly request the esteemed leader to officially take charge of the Stealing Heaven and Changing Sun Sect

Do not hastily bow and greet, but respond with utmost respect.

Shang Guanye struggled wildly, shouting fiercely: "The acting sect leader is full of nonsense, absolute nonsense! Wu Wang, I refuse to accept you, I refuse to accept you! My father was the previous sect leader, this position of sect leader should belong to me, to me!"

Shang Guanye let out a terrible scream, as a large amount of blood continuously seeped from his arms

Wu Wang smiled faintly, turned around and waved his hand. Mo Qi, along with several other young men as fierce as wolves, strode in, dragging a middle-aged man securely bound with fine cowhide ropes. The middle-aged man, tied up like a zongzi, had two walnut shells stuffed in his mouth, glaring at Wu Wang and making muffled sounds of "wu wu," yet unable to utter a single word.

All the disciples stood solemnly in the hall, their eyes fixed on their noses and their noses on their hearts, not daring to show the slightest negligence. They even refrained from breathing heavily, fearing that they might disturb the grim atmosphere of the court and provoke a stern reprimand from the elder in charge of the punishment.

Do not beg to continue laughing and said: "This time you have violated the rules of the gate, it must not have been your intention. Surely it was an unintentional mistake on your part. However, regardless of the circumstances, the rules are the rules. For the Stealing Heaven and Changing Day Sect to endure in this world, this regulation cannot be broken"

His internal energy has been depleted, and the tendons in both arms have been severed; Shangguan Ye has become a cripple.

Inside the courtroom, numerous disciples of the art of deception applauded in unison: "The Elder in charge of punishment is clear in rewards and penalties, and all disciples are convinced and compliant!"

This is the headquarters of the Heavenly Exchange Sect.

Le Xiaobai took a few steps forward, waving a large folding fan, and said with a cold smile: "Yes, what we do at the Stealing Heaven and Changing Sun Sect is precisely the business of the gentleman on the beam."

In the midst of the frantic struggle of Shangguan Ye, a paper crane folded from yellow paper suddenly ignited spontaneously, turning to ashes in an instant

Wu Wang glanced at the four elders and said calmly: "The rules of the Stealing Heaven and Changing Day Sect must not be destroyed in our generation"

With great effort, Wu Qi spat out a mouthful of blood. Shang Guanye turned his body and, trembling, cast a glance at the four elders whose faces were ashen, letting out three cold laughs in succession. Cursing fiercely for a few moments, Shang Guanye ultimately turned his gaze towards Wu Wang

The heavy blow completely destroyed Shangguan Ye's cultivation, yet Wu Qi still wore a gentle, kind, and even affectionate smile on his face

A muffled sound echoed, and Wu Qi stood still without moving an inch, while Shangguan Ye was knocked to the ground, rolling repeatedly, with blood dripping from the corner of his mouth.

Gazing in shock at Wu Qi, Shangguan Ye shouted sternly: "You little bastard, you have only been in the door for less than three years, how can your palm strength surpass mine?"

Do not beg, as he concealed the small blade between his fingers, signaling to several disciples behind him to drag Shangguan Ye out.

With a long sigh, the Elder of Punishment said in a deep voice: "Shangguan Ye, three months ago, did you not lead your disciples to consecutively rob seventeen households?"

Elder Zhangxing stamped his foot and shouted angrily, "Where are the disciples of Zhangxing?"

Le Xiaobai suddenly clapped loudly and shouted in approval

The four elders furrowed their brows simultaneously, their peripheral vision sweeping towards Le Xiaobai, who stood behind Wu Wang, with long hair cascading over her shoulders and a slender figure resembling a ghost.