CHAPTER 240: CHAPTER 240 GUO XUN_1

For some inexplicable reason, Shen Mo felt a bone-chilling cold!

Among the hundred thousand disciples of the Riverside Sect, some unpleasant incidents were bound to happen each year.

The Enforcement Hall existed to deter miscreants and maintain the sect law, to prevent the immortal sect from degenerating into a haven for Evil Sects and Demonic Sects.

Figures who had committed extremely heinous crimes were subjected to brutal punishments and displayed along the path all disciples had to travel...

It was hard to say if this wasn’t intended as a warning to Sect Disciples who committed minor infractions!

Upon entering the inner hall, Elder Shentu summoned an inner deacon responsible for recording the cause, process, and outcome of the incident.

He then coldly snorted, "Speak. Why exactly did this private fight occur?"

「...」

Shen Mo and the other three began to state their cases one after another.

Tian Kang didn’t exactly hide anything; after recounting the incident, he simply tried his best to conceal their true motives.

He only mentioned that he had kindly offered Shen Mo a task, but Shen Mo had mocked him in return. Only then, Tian Kang claimed, had he been unable to resist attacking first.

He then emphasized how Shen Mo had humiliated them, throwing him and Shi Xiaoqian into the Lancang River and forcing them to gather river mussels.

Guo Zhao maintained his previous attitude and objectively recounted the facts, not deliberately siding with any party.

What was somewhat unexpected for Shen Mo was Shi Xiaoqian.

She surprisingly admitted that she and Tian Kang had approached Shen Mo with the intent to provoke him.

However, their initial motivation, she claimed, was merely to test Shen Mo’s capabilities, as his reputation had been flourishing recently.

Elder Shentu had been in the Enforcement Hall for many years. Having handled no fewer than a thousand similar matters, he had long since developed a pair of sharp eyes and an exceptionally clear mind.

After a moment’s thought, he immediately understood all the intricacies of the matter.

With an icy expression, he pronounced the sentences.

"Inner disciple Tian Kang, harboring malicious intent and instigating the fight, is fined twenty Merit Points and five hundred Lower Grade Spirit Stones."

"Inner disciple Shi Xiaoqian, harboring malicious intent and aiding in wrongdoing, is fined ten Merit Points and two hundred Lower Grade Spirit Stones."

"Inner disciple Guo Zhao, for witnessing fellow disciples engaged in conflict without attempting to stop it, nor informing the Enforcement Hall, is fined five Merit Points and one hundred Lower Grade Spirit Stones."

"Inner disciple Shen Mo, for not reporting to the Enforcement Hall when provoked and instead resorting to force, thereby injuring a fellow disciple, is fined twenty Merit Points and five hundred Lower Grade Spirit Stones."

"If your Spirit Stones are insufficient, you may compensate with corresponding magic artifacts, Elixirs, or talismans!"

"Do any of you have objections?"

It had to be said, Elder Shentu’s judgment was rather harsh!

Even Guo Zhao, who had merely been standing by and watching, was fined a considerable number of Merit Points and Spirit Stones.

However, as Elder Shentu had explained the reasons, Guo Zhao couldn’t even voice a grievance if he wanted to.

Shen Mo naturally had no objections.

In any case, he wasn’t the one who had suffered a loss during the earlier fight.

Tian Kang was clearly unconvinced, but after being swept by Elder Shentu’s stern gaze, he resentfully lowered his head.

"Now that the large-scale invasion of the Heavenly Demons is imminent, instead of thinking about slaying demons and earning merit, you use your abilities for instigating private fights!"

"Is this how you repay the sect for nurturing you? Is this how you regard the billions of citizens of the Red Flame Country?"

"If there is a next time, the punishment will be severe and without leniency!"

Elder Shentu, his face stern, unleashed a harsh reprimand.

Shen Mo and the others naturally dared not retort and dejectedly endured the scolding.

An inner deacon stepped forward, took their Identity Tokens, and deducted the corresponding Merit Points.

Afterward, everyone handed over their Spirit Stones and left the Enforcement Hall.

Only then did Elder Shentu let out a long sigh, his tone somewhat helpless, yet also grimly resolute. "Even in such circumstances, some people are still engaging in petty schemes! They better not be caught by me, or else..."

「Outside the Enforcement Hall.」

The Tian Clan and the Shi Family had both sent people to wait outside.

It seemed they intended to relay messages to their clans at a moment’s notice; if Tian Kang and Shi Xiaoqian received severe punishments, they would immediately mobilize their clan connections to help.

Upon seeing his clansmen, Tian Kang shot Shen Mo an arrogant glare before walking towards them.

Shi Xiaoqian, however, did not continue to provoke Shen Mo. Instead, as she passed him, she softly murmured, "My apologies."

As for Guo Zhao, it had unexpectedly alarmed his younger brother, Guo Xun, who had come personally to meet him.

No Spirit Sea Realm experts from the Tian or Shi families made an appearance.

In Guo Xun’s presence, they all appeared somewhat fawning.

Even Tian Kang and Shi Xiaoqian, who had just come out of the Enforcement Hall, made a point of going over to pay their respects to him.

However, judging by Guo Xun’s attitude, he didn’t seem to hold much goodwill towards them.

As one of the Nine Core Disciples of the Riverside Sect, Guo Xun was usually busy with various duties, so this was the first time Shen Mo had actually met him face-to-face.

Although they were biological brothers, their appearances were vastly different.

Aside from a slight facial resemblance, Guo Xun was lean, with sharp, defined features, and his bearing and aura far surpassed those of his elder brother, Guo Zhao.

Guo Zhao, in his presence, seemed somewhat ill at ease, an awkward smile on his face.

Seeing that Guo Zhao was unharmed, a warm smile touched Guo Xun’s lips. He didn’t admonish his elder brother by leveraging his own higher cultivation Realm and strength.

Instead, there was a hint of deep fraternal affection!

After exchanging a few words with Guo Zhao, Guo Xun walked over to Shen Mo and, taking the initiative to bow, said, "Junior Brother Shen, my elder brother is simple and honest, and thus easily taken advantage of. Please do not hold it against him."

His attitude was neither servile nor overbearing, and his words made one feel as if bathed in a spring breeze.

"Not at all!"

Shen Mo returned the bow and replied calmly.

Speaking of "utilization," he too had "utilized" Guo Zhao’s nature to devise plans for him, gaining considerable benefits in the process. However, in his view, this "utilization" was entirely different from Tian Kang’s and Shi Xiaoqian’s. He provided intellectual labor and strategy; his relationship with Guo Zhao was transactional, or perhaps a "mutual utilization" of sorts. There was no deliberate deception or concealment on his part. Tian Kang and Shi Xiaoqian, on the other hand, had concealed their true intentions. They used Guo Zhao’s acquaintance with Shen Mo to approach him, then deliberately provoked and tested him—their actions were far more malicious in nature than his.

However, his relationship with Guo Zhao had never been particularly deep to begin with.

Over the past year, as Chen Mengze had grown increasingly cold towards Guo Zhao, the number of times Guo Zhao sought him out for advice had also dwindled.

He no longer invited Shen Mo to go out on experiences or attend banquets with him.

Now, after this incident, their already not-so-close relationship would evidently grow even more distant.

Ultimately, the two of them were simply not cut from the same cloth!

Their backgrounds, perspectives, and life experiences were too dissimilar.

Unlike Zhao Lingyin, who was also an orphan from the mortal world. Aside from having a doting Master, she shared many common topics with Shen Mo.

Even Lu Ming, though from the Lu Family, which had declined over the years, had been promoted to the Inner Door at the same time as him and was far easier for Shen Mo to converse with than Guo Zhao.

Guo Xun smiled faintly and continued, "Junior Brother Shen, with your talent and strength, it’s not out of the question that you could contend for a core disciple position in the future."

"At that time, we will both be disciples of Stars Peak, and we should become much closer!"

"With an additional ally..."

"One can walk the path of cultivation more steadily!"

Shen Mo’s heart stirred.

From Guo Xun’s words, it seemed that even being a core disciple came with considerable pressure! He had come over to exchange pleasantries with me today, apparently harboring the thought of forming an early connection so we could advance together in the future.

On second thought, even a figure like Zhou Shili had to compete with the other two peaks for outstanding disciples, cultivation resources, and the like. The competition among Guo Xun and the other eight core disciples must also be incredibly fierce.