Chapter 1361: Punishment

The purple-gold dragon claw slowly dissipated, but the massive pit on the ground remained glaringly prominent. The entire Dragon Head battlefield fell silent, everyone watching the scene in shock, their minds reeling.

No one had expected that Zhou Yuan would actually kill Xu Beiyan.

He was a top-tier third-stage Law Domain expert, and behind him stood three Saint masters!

Even with such a background, his life couldn't be saved?!

Many gazes, filled with complexity, settled on Zhou Yuan's figure. In those eyes, there was more than a little admiration.

At the heart of today's events, it was Xu Beiyan who first harbored malicious intent. Yet, for the sake of his teammates' lives, Zhou Yuan, in a fit of rage and in the presence of all the Saints, dared to kill Xu Beiyan. This level of audacity and character earned him their profound respect.

After all, the identities and strengths of the fallen teammates were vastly inferior to Xu Beiyan's. If a choice had to be made between the two, many would likely choose Xu Beiyan.

Befriending a prodigy with such a background would clearly yield greater benefits than avenging some dead individuals.

Although everyone also understood that Zhou Yuan's insistence on killing was likely more because Xu Beiyan had primarily targeted him, this did not diminish the undeniable passion and immense courage Zhou Yuan displayed.

This young man possessed a spirit so fierce it could pierce the heavens.

Perhaps this was one of the reasons he always maintained such zealous progress.

The moment Zhou Yuan obliterated Xu Beiyan, the Saints outside the Stone Dragon Secret Realm were momentarily stunned.

Presumably, even they had never witnessed such audacity.

Ancient Venerable Jinluo had already spoken, yet Zhou Yuan still seized the opportunity to kill Xu Beiyan.

As they were stunned, a vast, mighty power suddenly erupted, causing the starry sky to tremble. The Saints looked and saw Green Willow's face was ashen, his eyes seemingly spewing flames.

“How dare he! How dare he!”

Green Willow trembled with rage, an overwhelming aura surging around him. His gaze pierced through the void, locking onto Zhou Yuan’s figure, the fury in his eyes seemingly capable of incinerating the latter.

“Green Willow, what are you trying to do?” A low voice resonated. Cang Yuan's sharp gaze locked onto Green Willow, and sacred light condensed at his shoulders, forming two slowly rotating sacred lotuses, each seemingly containing a world.

“What do I mean?!” Green Willow roared, “Cang Yuan, are you blind?! He dared to kill my disciple right in front of me?!”

Cang Yuan's eyes darkened. “What were you doing,” he countered, “when your disciple plotted against Zhou Yuan in front of me?”

Green Willow’s surge of power faltered. He gnashed his teeth and said, “But Zhou Yuan didn’t die, did he?! Yet now, Xu Beiyan has truly been obliterated, body and soul!”

“He didn't die because Zhou Yuan was fortunate,” Cang Yuan retorted coldly. “Xu Beiyan is dead now, which only means his life was worthless, and he deserved this calamity.” It was clear that anger was also rising within him, for if Zhou Yuan hadn't been so resilient, Xu Beiyan truly would have killed him this time.

“You!”

“Even if Xu Beiyan was guilty, the Return to Ruin Divine Hall should have been the one to judge and punish him,” Green Willow raged. “How dare he, a mere Law Domain expert, overstep his authority?! Furthermore, Ancient Venerable Jinluo had clearly given an order, yet he disregarded the Saint's decree and insisted on killing. Is this arrogance not a complete disrespect for the Return to Ruin Divine Hall?!”

“Old Green Willow, your mind remains as sinister and vicious as it has been for years.”

“Xu Beiyan plotted against Zhou Yuan,” Cang Yuan said calmly, “not only severely wounding him but also causing his protected teammates to die tragically before his eyes. Zhou Yuan is full of passion; how many battles he has fought for the heavens over the years is something everyone here knows perfectly well. Therefore, your accusation of arrogance is nothing more than your own wishful thinking, old ghost.”

The Saints sighed inwardly. Indeed, today's matter could have been dealt with after the fact, but no one had expected Zhou Yuan to be so resolute. However, the Saints present were certainly well aware of Zhou Yuan's contributions and would naturally not be genuinely swayed by Green Willow's words alone.

The Saints pondered briefly, their gazes all turning to Ancient Venerable Jinluo. The final conclusion regarding today's events would ultimately depend on this most esteemed Ancient Venerable.

Ancient Venerable Jinluo's face was as placid as still water, betraying no hint of his thoughts. He, too, was gazing at the young figure within the Stone Dragon Secret Realm. After a long silence, he slowly stated: “Xu Beiyan’s prior attempt to harm Zhou Yuan led to this outcome, which is self-inflicted. However, Zhou Yuan also bears responsibility for defying orders and unilaterally killing him. Therefore, all final rewards from this Stone Dragon Secret Realm will be stripped from him.”

With these words, the matter was definitively concluded.

The Saints' eyes flickered, and they all nodded, except for Green Willow, whose face was grim. This punishment was practically toothless for Zhou Yuan, as the young man had already secretly refined a considerable amount of Ancestral Dragon Soul Marrow within the Stone Dragon Secret Realm. Now that he had even entered the Law Domain realm, what further rewards could he possibly need?

Thus, this deprivation was utterly meaningless!

“Ancient Venerable, this punishment is unfair!” Green Willow gnashed his teeth.

Ancient Venerable Jinluo’s gaze, fixed on Green Willow, held a chilling intensity that made one’s heart palpitate. “Green Willow,” he stated, “stop being so unreasonable. Earlier, only Cang Yuan and I detected Xu Beiyan’s scheme, but we said nothing at the time because we sensed that Zhou Yuan had not truly lost all vitality.”

“Let me be utterly frank with you now: if Zhou Yuan had truly died here, I would have personally obliterated Xu Beiyan, and yes... that includes you.”

A chill ran through Green Willow. He stared blankly at Ancient Venerable Jinluo. This Ancient Venerable, the most senior in the heavens, commanded the respect of all Saints, and in the past, he had always displayed a demeanor of profound peace. This was the first time Green Willow had ever seen him reveal such terrifying eyes.

The other Saints remained silent. Given their status, they naturally understood the profound implications of Ancient Venerable Jinluo’s words.

Perhaps one Zhou Yuan was not truly that important in the eyes of the Saints, and even with Cang Yuan, they might not be able to shake the Return to Ruin Divine Hall. However... behind Zhou Yuan, there was more than just Cang Yuan.

There was also the Third Sequence God!

That was the hope for which the Return to Ruin Divine Hall had planned for tens of thousands of years.

While these Saints found the emotional connection between that entity and Zhou Yuan somewhat incredible, the truth remained: the Goddess and Zhou Yuan indeed shared a profound bond. If Zhou Yuan had truly died here, they could not imagine what that entity would do.

Throughout these years, that entity had merely engaged in seemingly casual acts, appearing innocuous. Yet, only these Saints truly understood the terrifying power of the so-called Third Sequence God.

Therefore, if Zhou Yuan had indeed perished here due to Xu Beiyan’s scheme, Ancient Venerable Jinluo would have unhesitatingly slain Xu Beiyan, and even Green Willow. He would have to use the lives of both master and disciple to quell the entity’s monstrous fury.

“Green Willow, you should consider yourself fortunate that Zhou Yuan did not truly die at Xu Beiyan’s hands.”

“As for Xu Beiyan’s outcome, you, his master, bear significant responsibility. He might not have grasped the terror and importance of that entity, but surely you knew? Or did the arrogance of a Saint make you disregard everything? Do you intend for the hope of all our heavens to be destroyed by your hands?!”

Ancient Venerable Jinluo’s low voice, like an angry clap of thunder, resonated in Green Willow’s ears, causing him to stumble back two steps, his face gradually paling.

At that moment, Green Willow felt as if he had been struck by lightning.

Over the years, he and Xu Beiyan’s other two masters had formed a small faction, securing them a position within the Return to Ruin Divine Hall. Thus, he had never feared Cang Yuan, a Twin-Lotus realm expert. However, what he had never anticipated was that this alliance, capable of looking down upon all of the heavens, would prove utterly ineffective when confronted by Zhou Yuan, a young man he had previously dismissed as insignificant.

At that moment, Green Willow understood a feeling he had never experienced before: utter self-humiliation.