Once the tournament concluded, Ji Ran wasted no time rushing back to find Xi Meili and the others to notify them of the situation. 𝘧𝓇ℯ𝑒𝓌𝑒𝑏𝓃𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭.𝒸ℴ𝓂 "WHAT?!" Xi Meili’s voice rang out in sheer disbelief as she processed the news. Lan Yingying, on the other hand, was so stunned that words completely failed her. She simply stood there, wide-eyed, unable to form a response. Meanwhile, Tan Songyun furrowed her brows, her expression more puzzled than shocked. Unlike the others, she wasn’t just overwhelmed—she was trying to make sense of the situation. "He deliberately killed a disciple and even admitted to it? Why would he do such a thing?" Tan Songyun wondered out loud. "I don’t know, and we won’t be able to find out until he leaves confinement in two years," Ji Ran sighed. "You mean we won’t be able to contact him for two whole years?" Lan Yingying finally spoke, her voice trembling from worry. Ji Ran shook his head, "Unfortunately, we won’t. Once someone enters confinement, nobody is allowed to contact them besides the Sect Leader. We can’t sneak him out even if we want to since the boulder that seals the place is protected with formations." "I don’t know why Yuan killed that disciple, but I’m sure he had a good reason for doing so," Xi Meili sighed, showing her unconditional trust in him. "I also trust he wouldn’t kill someone randomly, but even if he had a good reason, the sect wouldn’t care about it. Regardless of his reason, he killed a disciple, and in the presence of the Sect Leader, no less. The disciples also seemed like they wanted to rip his throat out," Ji Ran said. "Will he be able to cultivate while in confinement?" Lan Yingying then asked. "No, the confinement chambers also prevent the prisoners from cultivating by depriving them of spiritual energy. The Young Master will have to spend the next two years doing mental cultivation or training his martial techniques." "So we’ll have to make sure we’re powerful enough to protect him when he emerges in two years?" Xi Meili wondered out loud. "I don’t think we’ll be able to catch up with the Young Master’s progress even with two years, but we can try," Ji Ran said. Meanwhile, in the Sect Leader’s office, an old man stood trembling before the Sect Leader. His eyes were bloodshot, tears still streaming down his weathered face, yet his sorrow was eclipsed by the sheer fury burning within him. His expression was a storm of anguish and rage, his fists clenched so tightly that his knuckles had turned white. This old man was Elder Bai, Bai Zhan’s grandfather. Although he had been outside the sect for business, he rushed back to the sect after learning about his beloved grandson’s death. "Sect Leader! Please let me avenge my grandson, who did nothing wrong and was unjustly murdered by some psycho!" Elder Bai roared, his voice filled with anguish and anger. He had also heard about the Sect Leader showing favoritism to Yuan by giving him a lenient punishment, which is why he didn’t go straight to the confinement chamber to find Yuan. As much as he was enraged about his grandson’s death, it did not cloud his judgment. "I am willing to step down from my position as the Grand Elder as long as I can avenge my grandson!" The position of Grand Elder stood at the pinnacle of the sect’s hierarchy, second only to the Sect Leader. After listening to Elder Bai’s impassioned plea, the Sect Leader finally spoke, his voice calm yet weighted with authority. "I won’t say you are forbidden from seeking vengeance for your grandson," he said, his gaze steady. "But as the Grand Elder, you must carry yourself with grace and dignity—even in the face of vengeance. Do not let your grief cloud your judgment, nor let your wrath taint the honor you have upheld for so long." His words were not a denial, nor an approval, but a warning—a reminder that even vengeance had its own path to follow. Elder Bai’s eyes gleamed with newfound determination as he realized the Sect Leader hadn’t explicitly forbidden him from pursuing Yuan. However, despite his burning desire for revenge, he knew that as a Grand Elder, personally executing a disciple—especially in a fit of rage—would bring severe consequences. Losing face before the sect’s disciples was of little concern to him, but his reputation outside the sect was another matter entirely. His standing in the wider cultivation world was not just his own—it was tied to the Immortal Monastery itself. A reckless act of vengeance could tarnish not only his name but also the sect’s prestige, drawing unwanted scrutiny from outsiders. Clenching his fists, Elder Bai understood that he needed to tread carefully. If he wanted justice—or vengeance—he would have to be smart about it. Elder Bai left shortly after to begin planning his revenge. At the same time, Elder Jing and Elder Sun were having a conversation on a similar subject. "So, what are you going to do? Will you try to protect that disciple from Elder Bai?" Elder Jing asked Elder Sun. Elder Sun let out a dry chuckle before shaking her head. "Who are you talking to? Me? I’m just an ordinary sect elder who can’t even follow the rules," she said, her voice laced with self-mockery. "Elder Bai, on the other hand, is the Grand Elder—the second most powerful figure in the entire sect. If he decided to kill me just to get to Xiao Yang, he wouldn’t even blink. Protecting that boy? That would be nothing short of suicide." Despite her words, there was something unreadable in her expression, as if she wasn’t entirely convinced by her own words. Elder Jing raised an eyebrow and said, "While you may be an ordinary sect elder on the surface, your real background is something else entirely… With a single command, you could have even the Sect Leader bow to you, much less a mere Grand Elder." Elder Sun’s expression darkened the moment her background was brought up. A sharp frown creased her beautiful face as she snapped, her voice laced with anger, "You know I don’t like my background being mentioned. I will die before I ask them for help!" "S-sorry," Elder Jing quickly apologized after realizing her mistake. Discover stories with freewebnovel