Because of the self-importance and insolence of these seven disciples from Green Cloud Peak, a series of dire consequences ensued. The Xuanyin Soul Nurturing Spring was lost, and more than a dozen Sect Disciples perished. Instead of repenting, they stirred up internal strife, even dragging Chen ngze and Ming Yu into their feuds. All of this crossed Shen Mo's bottom line and demanded severe punishnt!
After the Green Cloud Peak disciples were taken away by the Law Enforcent Elder, and the Ascending Lake disciples had paid their respects and departed from the main hall, Shen Mo's gaze once again fell upon Chen ngze and Ming Yu.
They had co to blows, partly to support the disciples of their respective lineages, and partly because of deep-seated grudges accumulated over the years. They couldn't stand the sight of each other, each wanting to teach the other a harsh lesson.
But regardless, they both violated the sect rules!
Ostensibly, the harm caused was not extensive. Neither Red Fla Sect mbers nor the secular mortals residing in the Mountain-River Zone suffered casualties from their fight; rely so mountain peaks and dicine gardens were damaged.
However, the hidden danger within the sect was, for the first ti, blatantly manifested at the Peak Master level, and its negative impact was undeniably severe.
In light of this, Shen Mo increased the severity of the punishnt for the two won. Not only did he confiscate Chen ngze's and Ming Yu's respective monthly stipends for three years, but he also ordered them to restore the mountain terrain and spiritual plant and dicine gardens in the Mountain-River Zone within a set ti limit!
During the era of the Riverside Sect, Golden Core Realm cultivators within the sect were figures at the level of Supre Elders or patriarchs. Even if conflicts arose between them, resulting in dire consequences, they would not have faced any punishnt.
Thus, the sentencing for the two won was benchmarked against "the corresponding penalties for private combat among high-ranking officials of the forr Riverside Sect resulting in losses to the sect."
Three years' worth of monthly stipends for a Red Fla Sect Peak Master was an astronomical sum. Without other sources of inco, it could even affect the daily cultivation of Chen ngze and Ming Yu.
As for restoring the damaged mountains and dicine gardens in the Mountain-River Zone, it was also an arduous task. They would first have to move mountains from other locations, and then expend considerable ti and energy replanting flowers, grasses, and spiritual plants.
Most importantly, their actions of moving mountains and planting dicinal herbs would be witnessed by everyone in the Red Fla Sect, from top to bottom, achieving the effect of "making an example of one to deter a hundred." This would allow other high-ranking mbers and Sect Disciples to understand the consequences of crossing his bottom line!
This heavy blow struck Ming Yu so hard that even she, who had been beaming with joy monts before, could no longer smile. Her small face imdiately fell, and she gazed at Shen Mo sowhat resentfully.
And Chen ngze, though still expressionless, exuded an icy aura that clearly intensified by several degrees!
Yet, this alone was not enough. Shen Mo rang the Daoist bell suspended in the Longevity Hall, summoning all high-ranking mbers of the Sect for a eting. He intended to seize this opportunity to make a significant statent and suppress the increasingly prominent hidden dangers within the Sect.
Before long, the Peak Masters, Deputy Peak Masters of the Nine Peaks and One Lake, the Hall Masters and Deputy Hall Masters of various halls, Purple-Robed Elders, core disciples, and other high-ranking personnel had all gathered in the Longevity Hall.
Aside from those who had left the Fairyland for Five Dragon Mountain in the Outer Realm, those in secluded cultivation at critical junctures, and those stationed to guard the Mountain Protection Array outside the Fairyland, almost all high-ranking mbers were present. Nearly a hundred individuals stood in positions corresponding to their status and Cultivation Realms. Yuan Heming, Situ Huo, and Ming Cang—the three Deputy Sect Masters—along with Chen ngze and Ming Yu, stood at the forefront, below Shen Mo.
"Today, I have summoned you all primarily for two matters..." Shen Mo's gaze swept over the assembly before he announced in a clear voice.
First, he inford everyone of the dispute between the Green Cloud Peak and Ascending Lake lineages, and the punitive asures decided for the involved disciples and the respective leaders of the peak and the lake.
Following that, drawing on this topic, he spoke bluntly about the internal conflicts and hidden dangers within the Red Fla Sect, clarifying his own stance to the assembled high-ranking officials so they would understand his intentions and bottom line!
Currently, the Red Fla Sect had as many as thirty thousand inner disciples. Including the outer disciples at the Body Tempering Realm (Class I), the total number of disciples exceeded one million.
Shen Mo had to dedicate the vast majority of his energy to his own cultivation, making it impossible for him to oversee every single matter personally. Yet, the normal operation and flourishing developnt of the Red Fla Sect were intrinsically linked to the various top-grade spiritual items and Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures he required for his cultivation.
Therefore, he could neither completely relinquish control and allow the Sect to regress to the disorganized state of the Red Fla Zone era, nor could he personally manage everything. He could only guide the overall situation concerning Sect affairs and establish the general direction for its progress.
The more specific and trivial matters would require these high-ranking mbers to manage them on his behalf, alleviating his burdens!
This also applied to the increasingly prominent hidden dangers within the Sect. Should similar incidents occur in the future, Shen Mo would not personally intervene. He needed these roughly one hundred high-ranking Sect mbers to implent his will from the top down, eliminating these nurous hidden dangers as much as possible.
"We shall firmly rember your instructions!" Once Shen Mo finished speaking, all the high-ranking Sect mbers cupped their fists and responded in unison.
After everyone dispersed, Shen Mo sat alone in the Longevity Hall for a long ti.
Then, through his five senses and spiritual sense, he perceived that Ming Yu had returned to the Ascending Sea Zone with her mother, Demon Lord Ming Cang, while Chen ngze had returned to her cultivation mansion in the Vacuous Zone.
In the next instant, Shen Mo's figure flashed, and he completely vanished from the hall.
Although the Green Cloud Cave had been refined into a forbidden land, it was, in essence, still Shen Mo's cultivation ground.
Within the Green Cloud Cave, aside from secret locations isolated by Formations, Prohibitions, Spells, and Skills, he could appear anywhere with a re thought. It was just like the Heaven Abandoned Ghost King of yore; within the borders of the Abandoned Ghost Country, that Ghost King could traverse unimpeded, arriving wherever his thought reached!
Compared to a conventional Escape Skill like the 'Ride the Cloud' magic, or the [Cloud Thunder Wing] Skill usable in thunderstorms, this ability was far superior!
Even the [Sword Escape], capable of traversing a thousand li with a single sword movent, could not compare.
After all, although Skills did not consu Mana, they still placed a burden on the soul, making it impossible to endlessly teleport by channeling a sword. Moving within the Green Cloud Cave, however, was different; the Mana consumption was negligible.
Of course, this was not a personal Escape Skill or divine ability of Shen Mo's, but rather an advantage conferred by the inherent nature of the cave paradise itself.
If he encountered an irresistible opponent of the sa Realm, once he returned to the Green Cloud Cave, he could leverage the "arrival with a thought" territorial advantage to contend with them and seek an opportunity for the kill. He just needed to ensure that any enemy who intruded into the Green Cloud Cave didn't shatter it entirely!
When Shen Mo's figure materialized again, he was already in the Ascending Sea Zone. The phantom of the Canshui Monkey exotic beast manifested around him, preventing the seawater from soaking his robes.
Ming Yu and other Class IV Marine Race experts, who were also high-ranking Sect mbers, each possessed their own Water Palace at the bottom of Ascending Lake, constructed for them by their marine kinsn and subordinates. Unlike other Golden Core Realm cultivators or Spirit Sea Realm Sect mbers holding Purple-Robed Elder status, whose cave mansions were built in the Vacuous Zone, the Marine Race generally preferred to reside within the water.
However, Ming Yu, possessing the [The Smallest and The Largest] Skill, actually spent little ti in the Ascending Sea Zone. She preferred to reside in her cultivation mansion in the Mountain-River Zone or stay at Shen Mo and Zhao Lingyin's GuanYun Mansion.
Her return on this occasion with Ming Cang and other Class IV Marine Race mbers was to implent Shen Mo's directives from the eting of high-ranking officials. After all, most disciples of the Ascending Lake lineage, comprising both inner and outer disciples of the Marine Race, resided here and seldom ventured into the Sect's heartland except when undertaking Sect missions!
Shen Mo had co precisely for this reason, and also, incidentally, to console Ming Yu, as well as Ming Cang and the other powerful experts of the Marine Race.
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