CHAPTER 218: CHAPTER 86: RONG YUANQIAO PUNISHED

Ever since Rong Yuanqiao arrived, Rong Ye had been observing coldly from the sidelines. He spoke now only because he didn’t want to waste time on Rong Yuanqiao.

"During the twenty-odd years you’ve been the Family Head, the Rong Family has been on a decline. Although its status in Rong City hasn’t been overtaken, the other two families have grown increasingly strong. Rong City is only so big, and there is only so much interest to go around. Over time, the Rong Family is bound to be suppressed. Will you have the face to meet the ancestors of the Rong Family then?" Having decided to tear apart the facade with Rong Yuanqiao, Rong Ye spoke bluntly, hitting where it hurt, causing Rong Yuanqiao’s expression to turn ugly.

"What do you know? Is this all my fault? It’s..." Rong Yuanqiao, seeing the other elders looking at him critically, snapped his words in a reprimand.

"Of course, it is all your fault. But if that were all, it could only be said that you are mediocre. Don’t forget how you got the position of Family Head. After taking someone else’s belonging for so many years, do you really think it’s yours? In the dead of night, have you never dreamt of my parents?" Rong Ye interrupted Rong Yuanqiao’s defense, speaking coldly.

His demeanor was markedly different from usual. Though normally Rong Ye appeared arrogant, acting as if nobody else mattered, he was not truly cold; he was cool outside but warm inside. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have taken Gu Qingqing back to Spirit Hidden Mountain after she saved him.

But this time, his expression was calm, seemingly even more approachable than usual. In reality, his eyes were full of coldness, and he looked at Rong Yuanqiao as if he were looking at a dead man.

As soon as he spoke, the expressions of the other elders, including the Great Elder, changed drastically. Rong Yuanqiao’s face turned very unpleasant as well. He glanced at the five elders and, before the Great Elder could speak, he said, "What nonsense are you spouting? Why would I dream of your parents?"

"Rong Ye, what do you mean by what you just said? Your parents have been gone for so many years, what have you discovered?" the Great Elder asked Rong Ye sternly, glancing at Rong Yuanqiao who was somewhat panic-stricken.

"Yes, Rong Ye, are you saying that your parents’ deaths truly have something to do with the Family Head?" the Second Elder looked from Rong Yuanqiao to Rong Ye, asking suspiciously.

The other three elders didn’t speak, but their expressions suggested they probably shared the same thoughts as the Great Elder and the Second Elder, all watching Rong Ye closely, wanting to know what he meant.

"My parents were killed by Rong Yuanqiao. He was envious of my father’s exceptional talent. Knowing that Grandfather wanted to pass the Family Headship to my father, he grew jealous. Egged on by his wife, he sent people to murder my parents. I’ve been investigating this for over a decade, and I’ve finally found a clue recently. That’s why I was determined to enter the Trial Land!" Rong Ye, no longer hiding the truth, spoke with a cold face.

Hearing this, Rong Yuanqiao’s face changed, a trace of panic flashing in his eyes, but he quickly composed himself. "Your father has been dead for over twenty years. You’re accusing me of killing your parents now? What evidence do you have?"

Those involved back then had been dealt with by him. Only he and his wife knew what happened then. Rong Yuanqiao figured that Rong Ye was just trying to bluff him and wasn’t afraid.

Seeing Rong Yuanqiao’s reaction, how could Rong Ye not understand his thoughts? He let out a cold laugh and spoke slowly, "Just because my father has been gone for over twenty years doesn’t mean nobody knows what you did. Heaven has eyes. If you don’t want people to know, don’t do it. You think you cleaned up everyone involved, so nobody knows you killed my father? Then let me show you your old acquaintance."

Early on, after coming out of the Trial Land and preparing to make a move against Rong Yuanqiao, Rong Ye had already notified his loyal follower, Tie Yan, who arrived just in time.

Upon seeing the newcomers, Rong Yuanqiao’s face changed immediately. Without thinking, he moved to attack them but was blocked by Rong Ye.

"Uncle, there’s no need to be so agitated upon seeing an old acquaintance. All the elders are watching you. You’re so intent on silencing someone—it’s not advisable." Rong Ye’s face bore a slight smile, but his eyes were ice-cold as he spoke with a sarcastic tone.

Rong Yuanqiao, held by the wrist by Rong Ye, was about to lose his temper. Hearing his words and realizing they were in the Rong Family’s council chamber with the elders around, he had to suppress his urge to deal with the people in front of him along with Rong Ye.

"All the elders should recognize this man, right? He is Rong Jia, the captain of Rong Yuanqiao’s guard back then, a confidant of Rong Yuanqiao. That year, he led the team to kill my parents. Afterward, Rong Yuanqiao tried to poison him to keep the incident a secret. Fortunately, he overheard a conversation between the Family Head and his wife and pretended to be poisoned to escape death. He has been lying low all these years. It took me a great effort to find him." Rong Ye pointed to the incoming man, speaking to Rong Yuanqiao.

The Great Elder and the others examined the man’s face closely. It had been so long that they almost couldn’t recognize him. But Rong Yuanqiao’s reaction already indicated that he likely knew this person, suggesting he was probably Rong Yuanqiao’s guard.

"Rong Jia, is what Rong Ye said true?" The Great Elder stared intently at Rong Jia, not missing any expressions on his face.

"Returning to Great Elder, everything Young Master Rong Ye said is true. That year, it was the Family Head who sent subordinates to kill Young Master Rong Ye’s parents. Then the Family Head, fearing exposure, poisoned me. Luckily, I overheard a conversation between the Family Head and his wife, pretended to die, and avoided disaster. These years, I haven’t dared to show myself, fearing the Family Head would discover me and strike again." Rong Jia glanced at Rong Yuanqiao, speaking with a composed expression.

Being selected by Rong Yuanqiao for this task, Rong Jia was naturally a confidant. However, he was deeply hurt by Rong Yuanqiao’s attempt on his life. To avoid exposure, he had endured many hardships over the years, living alone. Moreover, his conscience tormented him, with constant regret day and night. Therefore, he agreed to testify for Rong Ye once approached by him.

"Rong Jia, how dare you do this to the Family Head!" Rong Yuanqiao looked at Rong Jia with eyes filled with rage, his expression twisted as if he wanted to devour Rong Jia alive.

The idea of poisoning Rong Jia back then was suggested by his wife. Originally, he was reluctant, given Rong Jia’s loyalty. But as his wife argued, the fewer who knew, the better. So he acquiesced to her plan, poisoning Rong Jia. The men he sent back then watched Rong Jia die from poison with their own eyes. Who knew Rong Jia would still be alive and found by Rong Ye.

Seeing Rong Yuanqiao’s reaction, what else was unclear to the Great Elder and the others? They fell silent.

None of them had expected Rong Yuanqiao to be so ruthless, killing his own brother. Remembering how Rong Yuanqiao had ignored and suppressed Rong Ye for so many years, their gazes towards Rong Ye were filled with sympathy.

"Rong Yuanqiao, do you have anything else to say?" Rong Ye addressed Rong Yuanqiao once more, "The Family Head was rightfully my father’s. I merely took it back from you. What’s wrong with that? Additionally, as the Family Head of the Rong Family, you’ve betrayed your duty, giving the Rong Family’s treasures, the Substitute Talisman and Great Xuan Thunder Talisman, to Rong Yan. With this alone, you have no right to the position of Family Head."

Speaking, Rong Ye took out the Great Xuan Thunder Talisman he had previously snatched from Rong Yan from his Qiankun Ring, and said coldly.

Rong Yuanqiao’s face changed, staring blankly at the talisman in Rong Ye’s hand, somewhat incredulous. He hadn’t expected Rong Ye to know about even this.

The Great Elder and the others were also shocked as they looked at the talisman in Rong Ye’s hand, equally incredulous. The Great Elder stepped forward, took the talisman from Rong Ye’s hand, looked at it, and found it to be the Rong family’s treasure, the Great Xuan Thunder Talisman. A sharp gaze immediately shot towards Rong Yuanqiao.

"Rong Yuanqiao, what’s going on here? Did you really steal our family’s treasure to give it to that kid, Rong Yan?" By now, the Great Elder was not only disappointed in Rong Yuanqiao but also somewhat disgusted. He didn’t even want to call him Family Head anymore, directly addressing him by name.

Rong Yuanqiao shrank under the Great Elder’s gaze. He suddenly thought of something and looked at Rong Ye with a grim expression, "How did the Great Xuan Thunder Talisman end up in your hands? Did you kill Yan’er?"

He considered that Rong Yan had his Substitute Talisman and the Great Xuan Thunder Talisman, so how could he have died in the Trial Land?

Now seeing the Great Xuan Thunder Talisman in Rong Ye’s hand, he immediately thought that Rong Ye might have killed Rong Yan. The enmity of a son’s murder is irreconcilable, and his eyes were filled with murderous intent as he looked at Rong Ye.

"Why do you think it ended up in my hands?" Rong Ye showed a mocking smile, "Your good son tried to use the Great Xuan Thunder Talisman to kill me, but I snatched it away. As for how your son died, I really don’t know. After all, the Trial Land is so dangerous; those protecting him either died or were offended by him. It seems quite difficult for him not to die." Rong Ye approached Rong Yuanqiao, a cold smile on his face.

Rong Yuanqiao went crazy at once. Rong Yan was his only proud son; knowing Rong Yan had died had already made him sorrowful. Now learning that Rong Yan’s death might be related to Rong Ye, how could he bear it? He was about to kill Rong Ye on the spot.

Unfortunately, he was no match for Rong Ye. Although his cultivation was at the ninth-rank peak, Rong Ye’s cultivation had already reached the Half-step Immortal Rank. As soon as he raised his hand, it was caught by Rong Ye.

"What? Are you angry and embarrassed? Don’t worry, this is just the start." Rong Ye wore a faint smile, looking somewhat like Yue Zhao, but his words were extremely cold.

For some reason, a chill ran through Rong Yuanqiao as he looked at Rong Ye’s face. He finally realized that the person before him was no longer the boy who used to be bullied by them but wouldn’t resist. Now he possessed greater strength, and Rong Yuanqiao was no match for him!

This realization changed Rong Yuanqiao’s expression dramatically, making it very unpleasant to see.

While Rong Ye conversed with Rong Yuanqiao, several elders had already decided on the punishment for Rong Yuanqiao.

"Listen, Rong Yuanqiao. Twenty years ago, you harmed your brother and seized the position of Rong Family Head. Thereafter, you achieved no merit and even engaged in theft, misappropriating the family’s treasure. After deliberation by the Elder Council, the punishment is as follows: removal from the position of Family Head, subjected to thirty strikes of the Soul Whip, and your entire family will be removed from the Rong family genealogy. From now on, Rong Yuanqiao’s family has no ties to the Rong family!" The Great Elder announced Rong Yuanqiao’s punishment expressionlessly after glancing at his ashen face.

Rong Ye passed the Trial Land, making it impossible for Rong Yuanqiao to remain as Family Head. The Soul Whip was a stipulated punishment in the Rong family rules for wrongdoers. Typically, one couldn’t bear more than ten strikes, but the severity of Rong Yuanqiao’s mistakes necessitated a demonstration for the Rong family’s disciples. Hence, he was sentenced to thirty strikes. Excluding his entire family from the family genealogy was even harsher.

Over the years, Rong Yuanqiao’s family had heavily offended many people due to his position as Family Head. While they had the Rong family’s protection, those people may not have dared to act. But now, being stripped of the family’s name, they had become ordinary people—easy targets to be dealt with.

Clearly, Rong Yuanqiao knew this outcome as well. He wanted to plead for leniency but realized from the elders’ expressions that they wouldn’t listen to him, and neither would Rong Ye forgive him. He could only collapse to the ground, shaking with despair.

Watching Rong Yuanqiao like this, Rong Ye felt little joy. He simply looked at Rong Yuanqiao calmly, his gaze icy.

After the five elders announced the judgment, someone was promptly sent to inform the other members of the Rong family. Outraged, the five elders didn’t wait for Rong Yuanqiao to be ready before calling the clan members to the ancestral hall to witness the penalty.

Rong Yuanqiao was tied up with specially made ropes to prevent escape.

An hour later, at the front of the Rong family’s ancestral hall, the notable members of the Rong family were gathered.

Since this was a Rong family affair, it was inappropriate for Gu Qingqing and the others to be present, so they returned to Rong Ye’s courtyard to wait for his return.

In front of the Rong family members, the Great Elder announced the deeds Rong Yuanqiao had committed and the punishment imposed.

Upon hearing that Rong Yuanqiao had killed his brother for the position of Family Head and had stolen the family’s treasure, the Rong family members’ expressions towards him changed—some were incredulous, others looked on coldly, and some were extremely indignant.

The Great Elder and the others ignored these reactions and proceeded with Rong Yuanqiao’s whipping punishment.

The executioners were specially trained to inflict pain while keeping the person awake. The power of the Soul Whip was severe; even someone like Rong Yuanqiao at the ninth-rank peak couldn’t endure many strikes.

After thirty lashes, Rong Yuanqiao’s back was a mess of blood and flesh, and he had already become muddled, being carried back to his courtyard by the servants of the Rong family without any mercy.