34: Chapter 34 Law Enforcement Elder

Heavenly Sword Sect.

Inside the Law Enforcement Hall.

A middle-aged Cultivator wearing deep purple Daoist robes sat there, his expression majestic. His eyebrows and eyes bore a slight resemblance to Lin Hao, and his body was surrounded by the heavy Spiritual Qi unique to Golden Core Cultivators.

This person was Lin Hao's father, the Sect's Law Enforcement Elder, Lin Zhentian.

A large part of the reason why Lin Hao could be so arrogant and domineering within the Sect was because of Lin Zhentian's protection.

“Father...” At this moment, Lin Hao hurried inside.

Lin Zhentian was looking down, flipping through documents. Seeing Lin Hao's disheveled state, his tone carried a hint of impatience: “Panicked and flustered, where is your decorum! Instead of Cultivating in the Outer Sect, what are you doing running here to me?”

Seeing his father, the grievances and anger Lin Hao had accumulated for days instantly flooded his heart. He fell to his knees with a thud, his voice choked with sobs and resentment: “Father! You must seek justice for your son!”

He raised his head and recounted everything that happened in the Spirit Creek Secret Realm in detail.

The entire process: guarding the exit to rob the harvest, being ambushed by a mysterious Cultivator under the cover of thick fog who stole his bag, chasing him to the Youlin Lake only to see the opponent jump in, and the desperate battle with the Netherworld Giant Python that ultimately allowed the Storage Pouch to escape with the Yao Beast.

He thought his father would feel sorry for his plight, send people in a rage to search for the thief, or even mobilize the Sect's power to besiege the Youlin Lake to help him recover the Storage Pouch.

But as his words fell, Lin Zhentian not only showed no sympathy, but instead slammed the documents shut. His gaze instantly became as sharp as a blade, and the Spiritual Qi around him suddenly surged as a majestic Pressure swept toward Lin Hao.

“Slap!” A crisp and loud slapping sound echoed in the hall. Lin Hao's head was knocked to the side, a clear finger mark instantly appearing on his right cheek as a trace of blood seeped from the corner of his mouth.

He was stunned, looking up at his father in disbelief, his eyes full of shock and confusion: “Father... you?”

He never imagined that after coming for help with a heart full of grievances, what he would receive was a slap from his father.

“Kneel!” Lin Zhentian roared. The anger in his tone almost swallowed Lin Hao whole, and the Golden Core Pressure bore down like Mount Tai, making Lin Hao's entire body stiffen.

Even though he was confused, he didn't dare to resist in the slightest. He could only obediently straighten his back, kneel on both knees, and lower his head, not daring to look at his father again, his heart filled with shock and fear.

Lin Zhentian stood up and paced the hall with his hands behind his back, his footsteps heavy.

He stopped and stared down at Lin Hao, saying: “You think I hit you for no reason? Do you know that during this trip to the Secret Realm, you committed three fatal mistakes? If you weren't my, Lin Zhentian's, son, these three things alone would be enough to have your cultivation base abolished and be expelled from the Sect!”

Lin Hao trembled, his heart full of confusion. He subconsciously asked in a low voice: “Father, I... your son doesn't know where I went wrong? I was ambushed, and my Storage Pouch was stolen...”

He really couldn't understand; he was clearly the victim, so why was he being scolded by his father for committing great errors?

“You don't know your mistakes?” Lin Zhentian sneered, his tone full of disappointment and anger, “You rebellious son, you are truly stupid to the extreme! Today, I will tell you one by one exactly where you went wrong!”

“The first mistake: bullying the weak and losing your status! As the Outer Sect Eldest Senior Brother and my, Lin Zhentian's, son, you actually personally appeared at the Secret Realm exit to rob fellow Disciples!”

“Robbery is a shady business that shouldn't see the light of day, yet you insisted on showing your face, letting everyone know it was you, Lin Hao, who did it! Couldn't you have hidden behind the scenes and let subordinates like Wu Feng and Zhao Hu handle it? You would have gained the benefits without bearing the infamy. Do you not even understand such a simple principle?”

Lin Hao trembled, his mouth twitching, but he couldn't say a single word.

Previously, he had only thought about seizing Opportunities and showing off his power. He had never considered the issue of status and reputation. Now that his father had pointed it out, he realized that his actions had not only shamed himself but also tarnished his father's reputation.

“The second mistake: acting recklessly and without any precautions!” Lin Zhentian continued his scolding, the anger in his tone not diminishing at all. “If you wanted to rob them, why didn't you send someone to scout the surroundings beforehand?”

“Whether there were ambushes, hidden dangers, or Disciples from other factions secretly watching—you knew nothing! Relying solely on your arrogance to guard the exit, only to be ambushed and robbed under the cover of fog, was entirely your own doing!”

These words hit Lin Hao's heart like a heavy hammer.

He had always relied on his strong strength and deep background, completely disregarding other low-level Disciples. He didn't even bother with basic scouting, which gave Hu Nan an Opportunity.

If he had sent someone to search beforehand, he would have surely discovered the lurking Hu Nan, and he wouldn't have ended up with his Storage Pouch being stolen.

Seeing his face full of shame, Lin Zhentian still maintained a cold expression: “The third mistake: getting carried away and being negligent! You were lucky enough to obtain treasures like the spirit cleansing grass and Golden Condensation Grass. You should have kept the Storage Pouch close to your person and guarded it strictly. But you, you just casually handed the Storage Pouch to Zhao Hu to look after!”

As the three major mistakes were listed one by one, Lin Hao's head hung even lower.

He finally understood that he was not the victim; all the misfortunes stemmed from his own arrogance, recklessness, and negligence.

If he hadn't made these three fatal mistakes, he wouldn't have ended up in such a miserable state, nor would he have let the treasures he had obtained slip away.

“Father...” Lin Hao's voice was hoarse, filled with deep regret. “I know my mistakes...”

Seeing him like this, the anger in Lin Zhentian's heart lessened slightly, but his face remained majestic: “Knowing your mistakes is your duty; making amends is the key. This matter has caused a huge stir, and there are already rumors within the Sect. If we don't suppress them quickly, not only will we lose face, but it will also give our political enemies an Opportunity.”

Lin Hao's heart tightened. He looked up at his father, his eyes full of confusion: “Father, then what should be done?”

“Hmph, naturally there is a way.” Lin Zhentian sneered, his tone ruthless. “In this matter, we must sacrifice the pawns to save the king.”

Lin Hao's body trembled, his pupils shrinking: “Father, you mean...”

“Exactly.” Lin Zhentian interrupted him, his tone cold. “We will announce to the public that Zhao Hu and Wu Feng secretly colluded with their cronies to rob fellow Disciples at the Secret Realm exit behind your back, attempting to embezzle the treasures for themselves.”

“But...” Lin Hao felt a bit of reluctance in his heart.

“Those who achieve great things do not sweat the small stuff; one must make choices!”

“As for Wu Feng and Zhao Hu, they know too much. Keeping them is a liability. They must be executed as a warning to others. This will both quell the Sect's rumors and shut everyone's mouths, killing two birds with one stone.”

Lin Zhentian spoke.

Stormy waves surged in Lin Hao's heart. Although he knew Zhao Hu and Wu Feng were just chess pieces in his father's eyes, he still couldn't help but feel a shock.

He had no feelings for Zhao Hu.

But Wu Feng had followed him for many years and was loyal to him. Now, he was to be executed as a scapegoat.

At the same time, Lin Hao understood that Wu Feng knew too many secrets.

From the father and son secretly embezzling Sect resources and colluding with outside merchants to resell the Sect's spiritual rice, to selling the blood of Utility Disciples to evil Cultivators—every single case was a capital crime. If the Sect found out, the father and son would have no way to survive.

Every day Wu Feng lived was another risk of exposure. Executing him wasn't being heartless; it was self-preservation.

Thinking of this, the hesitation in Lin Hao's eyes completely faded. He gritted his teeth and replied in a low voice: “I... understand. Neither Wu Feng nor Zhao Hu can be kept.”

Seeing this, Lin Zhentian's expression softened slightly. He added: “As the Outer Sect Eldest Senior Brother, you failed to strictly supervise your subordinates, leading to such a disaster. You are also to blame. Starting today, you will go to Servant Peak to work for three years. Shed your arrogance and reflect well.”

Lin Hao was very unwilling, but looking at his father's resolute eyes, he didn't dare to argue. He could only grit his teeth and say in a low voice: “Your son... obeys.”

Lin Zhentian looked at his submissive appearance and his tone softened a bit as he added: “You don't need to be too upset. Regarding the Storage Pouch, I will personally arrange for people to handle it.”

Hearing Lin Zhentian's words, Lin Hao's heart felt greatly reassured.

He knew that as long as Lin Zhentian took action, he would definitely be able to recover the Storage Pouch.

“Remember, in the future, use your brain more and don't be so reckless and conceited!”

“Let your subordinates handle things like robbing treasures; you must not show your face!” Lin Zhentian warned.

“Your son will remember!” Lin Hao kowtowed heavily.

Lin Zhentian waved his hand and said coldly: “Go now. Set off for Servant Peak today!”

“Manager Liu Cheng is one of ours; you won't be mistreated there!”

Lin Hao slowly stood up and backed out of the side hall with his head lowered.