To cast the Demonic Dissolution Art on him and abolish his cultivation, he had to be suppressed first!
"Eldest Senior Brother! I'm sorry, I never expected things to reach this point!"
Chu Yuan suddenly felt his back grow soft as Han Renxue embraced him from behind.
Han Renxue was utterly grief-stricken. Hearing that Chu Yuan's cultivation was going to be abolished and that he would be sealed away in the forbidden grounds of the back mountain, she seemed heartbroken.
"Get lost!"
Her only response was a slight shudder of Chu Yuan's shoulder, releasing a surge of Heaven Realm pressure.
Han Renxue was blasted backward, tumbling onto the ground.
"Eldest Senior Brother..."
Her expression was one of astonishment. She had never expected that when she spoke up for him, Chu Yuan's attitude toward her would be so cold, and he had even struck her for the very first time.
In her memory, the Eldest Senior Brother was always upright, hardworking, kind-hearted, and infinitely tolerant of her.
How could he be so cold now? And why would he strike her?!
"Senior Brother! How could you hit Senior Sister Han?! She is your most beloved junior sister!"
"Besides, she just apologized to you of her own accord! It's one thing not to accept it, but how could you actually hit her?! I really misjudged you!"
Third Junior Sister Jiang Wanqing ran over to help Han Renxue up, then glared at Chu Yuan with a furious expression and shouted angrily.
"That's right, Senior Brother! Master punishing you has nothing to do with Senior Sister Han. Isn't it because you chose to practice the demonic path?!
If you hadn't turned to the demonic path, how could Master possibly punish you?!"
Sixth Junior Sister Yu Qiuqiu immediately chimed in, looking at Chu Yuan with deep dissatisfaction.
Chu Yuan had completely shed his previous honest and gentle demeanor, which made her very uncomfortable.
Compared to the arrogant and ruthless Chu Yuan standing before her now, she much preferred the old Eldest Senior Brother who used to obey their every whim and constantly fawn over them.
Right after that, another voice rang out from behind Chu Yuan—it was that of his youngest junior brother, Jiang Fan.
"Eldest Senior Brother, we are all righteous cultivators. When we entered the sect, we all took an oath never to taint ourselves with the demonic path! Since you broke the rules of the sect and practiced the demonic arts, you deserve to be executed."
"However, since Master has given you a chance, you should cherish it. Having your cultivation abolished means you can simply retrain and build it back up, but once you lose your life, it's truly gone forever."
Hearing these words, Chu Yuan glanced sideways and saw Jiang Fan standing ramrod straight, looking down at him with a condescending gaze.
He looked completely like a petty person who had achieved success, acting as if everything was under his control and within his master plan.
"You all seem to have a lot to say, don't you?"
Chu Yuan's voice was icy cold.
An invisible wave of pressure descended upon Jiang Fan and his junior sisters.
The terrifying Heaven Realm pressure was far beyond what Earth Realm experts could endure, instantly forcing them to the ground where they struggled to resist.
Yet the next moment, an even more terrifying force emerged, neutralizing Chu Yuan's power.
Without a doubt, Xiao Junmo, the super powerhouse of the Peak Saint Lord Realm, had made his move.
"Chu Yuan! Your junior sister and junior brothers are only in the Earth Realm, while you are in the Heaven Realm! Do you not have an ounce of tolerance? You actually bully those below your level and attack them directly?! What they said is the truth! They did not slander you in the least!"
"I truly misjudged you! Not only have you taken up demonic practices, but your character is also utterly atrocious!"
Xiao Junmo shook his head repeatedly with a look of remorse, then glanced sideways at Elder Fokong. "Elder Fokong, what are you waiting for? He is already bound by the Divine Locking Chains and cannot resist."
Hearing this, Elder Fokong nodded helplessly as he channeled his energy into the Demonic Dissolution Art. It transformed into a pure, transparent pillar of light that descended from the sky, enveloping Chu Yuan.
The next instant—
Boom!
The pillar of light shattered violently, sending a powerful shockwave rippling outward from the center of the Enforcement Hall, forcing everyone inside to retreat.
The fierce energy pressure lashed against the hall walls like wave after wave of a surging tide.
As the light dissipated, fragments of energy drifted in the air like confetti. Chu Yuan had broken free of the Divine Locking Chains, slowly straightening his back to stand proudly and coldly in the center of the hall.
"What! He actually broke free of the Divine Locking Chains?! Isn't this magical treasure said to be unstoppable even for Saint Lord Realm experts?"
"The Divine Locking Chains were cast by the Sect Master himself! For him to break free by force... doesn't that mean he already possesses the strength to contend with the Sect Master?!"
The head of the Enforcement Hall was utterly shocked.
Chu Yuan's strength had reached such a terrifying level that even Sect Master Xiao Junmo had been nowhere near this powerful when he was a hundred years old!
If Chu Yuan were allowed to grow normally in the future, the Azure Cloud Sect would undoubtedly gain an absolute super powerhouse!
Its position would be firmly secured and elevated to even greater heights.
"Sect Master! Upon further reflection, Chu Yuan hasn't actually done anything to betray the sect. Why don't we investigate thoroughly first? Even if he practices demonic arts, we still have ways to guide him back to the righteous path!"
"We cannot let such an unrivaled prodigy be destroyed in the hands of our Azure Cloud Sect!"
"Hmph! Do I need to repeat what I've already said?"
"As for those mere Divine Locking Chains, I only used one or two percent of my power. Breaking free from them does not mean he can contend with me!"
"If I wished to, I could immediately cultivate Jiang Fan to be even stronger than him!"
"Besides, with me here, the status of the sect can never be shaken! Under my rule, the Azure Cloud Sect will steadily rise to even greater heights and forever secure its throne as the supreme hegemon!"
"As for Chu Yuan, he is merely a disciple I brought up. So what if his cultivation is abolished?"
"This..."
Xiao Junmo's words left the head of the Enforcement Hall with nothing to say.
He had no choice but to step back.
Xiao Junmo was currently at the Peak Saint Lord Realm, and a remarkably powerful one with a deep foundation at that!
He could even be called a Saint Monarch!
He certainly had the strength to utter such words.
Down in the hall, Chu Yuan found him utterly arrogant.
In his past life, after his cultivation was abolished, the younger generation of the Azure Cloud Sect failed to gain any advantage in various grand assemblies, battles, ancient ruins, and secret realms.
It was only thanks to Jiang Fan's presence that they managed to barely squeeze into the upper echelons.
The fresh blood of a dignified hegemonic faction turned out to be inferior to the prodigies of ordinary sects...
"Eldest Senior Brother, if the sect pours all its resources into cultivating me, I might not surpass you, but whatever you can do, I, Jiang Fan, believe I can do as well!"
"I, Jiang Fan, am inferior to no one!"
Jiang Fan added with a passionate and stirring tone.
He sounded modest on the surface, but in reality, his arrogance knew no bounds.
Jiang Fan could do whatever Chu Yuan could do?
They would just have to wait and see in the future.
"Now that is a good disciple of mine! Confident without being arrogant!"
"Unlike you, who always pretended to be humble only to have your true nature exposed as so utterly arrogant!"
"Since Elder Fokong cannot restrain you or cast the Demonic Dissolution Art on you, I shall abolish you myself!"
Xiao Junmo spoke coldly, the formidable power of the Saint Lord Realm enveloping Chu Yuan and sealing off the space around him.
Trapped by such power, Chu Yuan could only struggle with difficulty.
The gap in their strength was thoroughly exposed at this very moment!
Hum—!
A ray of light suffused with golden radiance instantly pierced straight through Chu Yuan's chest.
"Puff—!"
Blood spilled from the corner of Chu Yuan's mouth as he staggered back several steps.
At his chest, his defensive armor was shattered to pieces, and a horrifying, gaping bloody hole had been blasted into his flesh.