173: Chapter 173: Lu Guhuai's Choice of Sides

The air pressure in the main meeting hall of the Qingheng Sect was so low today that it made it hard to breathe.

The long table that had borne the "false glory" of Lingjian Peak was now covered in cracks, much like data that had just collapsed.

The Elders stood on both sides, the atmosphere tense and ready to snap.

Although the Elders of Lingjian Peak looked ashen, they were still putting up a final, desperate struggle, attempting to reframe "concealing reports" as "tactical withholding" and "death" as "missing and pending investigation."

"This is not just a matter of numbers!"

An Elder from Lingjian Peak slammed the table, spittle flying, "This is for the Sect's morale! If we make a big fanfare every time a few people die, who would dare to go to the front lines? We are protecting everyone's peace of mind!"

"Protecting peace of mind?"

The deacon from Hengchuan Peak sitting opposite sneered, "You treated people like trash and threw them away, not even leaving them a reputation after death! Is this what you call protection?"

The arguments rose and fell, as noisy as a wet market.

At this critical juncture, no one dared to easily take a stand.

After all, Lingjian Peak had once been the main combat peak with a deep Foundation; no one wanted to be the one to completely burn bridges.

Until a dull "bang" abruptly cut through all the noise.

Law Enforcement Elder Lu Guhuai stood up.

This Disciplinary Elder, who was usually stern and whom Shen Xingzhou had always regarded as a "guardian of the old System," now had an ashen face.

He did not look at anyone, but slowly pulled a thick booklet from his wide sleeves, its edges even stained with sweat.

"Clap."

He slammed the booklet heavily onto the center of the long table with such force that the teacups trembled slightly.

"Stop arguing."

Law Enforcement Elder Lu Guhuai's voice was not loud, but it carried the unique pressure of the Disciplinary Hall, "It's all here."

The hall fell silent instantly.

"What is this?" someone asked, leaning forward in confusion.

"This is what I have copied down one by one over the past half month in that cold, secret chamber behind Lingjian Peak."

Law Enforcement Elder Lu Guhuai's fingers pressed against the cover of the booklet, his knuckles white, "These are the Disciples you called 'missing,' 'retired,' or 'absent without leave.'"

He slowly turned the first page.

There were no earth-shattering Spell light effects, only names written in neat regular script, with brief, heartbreaking notes beside them:

"Zhang San, died on the flank of Rift Abyss Valley, body lost."

"Li Si, heart shattered by a Yao Beast, no rescue before death."

"Wang Wu, thrown into the mass grave after being severely injured, confirmed dead."

As Law Enforcement Elder Lu Guhuai turned the pages one by one, those once-vibrant lives were reduced to lines of cold text, exposed nakedly before everyone.

In Shen Xingzhou's field of view, the System's scanning beam instantly covered the entire roster.

[Data Synchronization: Roster of the Dead]

Scan Object: Hand-copied roster by Law Enforcement Elder Lu Guhuai

Data Volume: 127 entries

Calling: Yellow Springs temporary port / Soul residue database / Official casualty list...

On the screen, green checkmarks jumped rapidly, moving with dizzying speed.

[Result: All Matched]

Recorded time of death: 100% match with the time of Soul departure.

Location of death: 100% match with the residual Spiritual Pressure fluctuations on the battlefield.

Judgment: True and reliable (Irrefutable Evidence).

The System's red text flickered above the long table, like a silent verdict.

Law Enforcement Elder Lu Guhuai looked up, his gaze passing over the crowd to stare fixedly at the Elders of Lingjian Peak who were still quibbling.

His eyes were red, and his voice was hoarse, as if filled with grit:

"Is this your 'protection'?"

He pointed to a name on the roster, his hand trembling slightly, "I watched this Disciple join the Sect. He was at the third level of Qi Refining with mediocre Aptitude, but he practiced the sword harder than anyone. You say he was 'absent without leave'?"

"This is a corpse dug out from a mass grave! His spirit tablet has been gathering dust in that dilapidated shack behind the mountain where no one goes!"

"You call this 'retired due to minor injuries'?!"

Every word was like a slap in the face, striking hard against those sanctimonious Elders.

The hall was dead silent.

Some lowered their heads in shame; others avoided Law Enforcement Elder Lu Guhuai's scorching gaze, pretending to look at the ceiling.

Those excuses that were once regarded as "elite maneuvering" appeared so pale and ugly in the face of this undeniable list of the dead.

Sect Leader Ning Chenzhou, who had been sitting in the head seat and had not said a word, finally moved.

He slowly reached out and picked up the heavy booklet.

Sect Leader Ning Chenzhou turned the pages very slowly. He spent a long time on each page.

No emotion could be seen on his face, but his originally calm eyes became inscrutable with each turn of the page, like an undercurrent in the deep sea.

Finally, he closed the booklet.

"Elder Lu."

Sect Leader Ning Chenzhou's voice was not loud, but it echoed in the hall, carrying an unquestionable weight, "Thank you for your hard work."

Law Enforcement Elder Lu Guhuai did not speak; he merely nodded slightly and retreated into the shadows, becoming once again the silent enforcer.

Sect Leader Ning Chenzhou stood up, his gaze sweeping across the room and finally resting on the few trembling Elders of Lingjian Peak.

"This account will be recorded in the history of Qingheng Sect's war debts."

Sect Leader Ning Chenzhou said calmly, "Not to punish anyone, but to remember. To remember who traded their lives for every bit of our glory; and to remember how those who tried to erase this glory betrayed the very meaning of 'Cultivation'."

[System Record: Sect Head's Resolution]

Object: Sect Leader Ning Chenzhou

Behavior Analysis:

Accepted the irrefutable evidence provided by Law Enforcement Elder Lu Guhuai.

Rejected the excuse of "concealing deaths for the sake of morale."

Attitude Judgment:

Sect Head's attitude toward "actual combat losses": Firm.

Impact:

Sect's underlying logic corrected—shifting from "pursuing false prosperity" to "respecting the value of life."

With the Sect Head setting the tone, the previously deadlocked situation instantly collapsed.

The Elders of Lingjian Peak looked ashen and slumped in their chairs. They knew that this time, the sky had truly fallen.

And in the System's backend, a series of character profiles were quietly updating.

Shen Xingzhou leaned against a pillar, watching Law Enforcement Elder Lu Guhuai standing in the shadows, his eyes complex.

He had once thought that this rigid Disciplinary Elder would be the greatest obstacle to reform. But now it seemed that obstacles could sometimes become the strongest shields.

The System interface popped up a new window over Law Enforcement Elder Lu Guhuai's name.

[Character Profile Update: Law Enforcement Elder Lu Guhuai]

Original Tags: Guardian of the Old System / Bloodline Supremacy / Rigid Enforcement

New Tags:

Fought for the bottom-tier Disciples at a critical moment

Gives high weight to actual combat losses

Defender of procedural justice

Stance Shift Detection:

Original Stance: Maintaining vested interests.

Current Stance: Slight shift toward the "reform pilot side" (Hengchuan Peak).

Reason for Shift:

Not because he agrees with Shen Xingzhou's philosophy, but because he cannot tolerate the numerical erasure of life.

Judgment: This is an alliance based on "morality," not "interests."

Shen Xingzhou looked at those words, the corners of his mouth slightly upturned.

On the virtual character relationship map, a gray dashed line that originally represented "opposition/alienation" was slowly changing color.

A faint green hue appeared on the line connecting "Shen Xingzhou" and "Law Enforcement Elder Lu Guhuai," and it was slowly thickening.

This did not mean they had become friends, nor did it mean Law Enforcement Elder Lu Guhuai would join Hengchuan Peak.

But it meant that on certain fundamental issues, they were no longer on opposite sides.

Next to the relationship map, the System provided a profound annotation, as if it had seen through all the complexity of human nature in this world:

[System Annotation]

Some people may not accept you, but they will accept "the accounts you have calculated correctly."

As long as the ledgers are consistent, and as long as the truth leads to the same destination, one day, they will stand on the same side.

Sect Leader Ning Chenzhou announced the dismissal, and the Elders walked out of the hall one after another.

When passing by Law Enforcement Elder Lu Guhuai, many cast complex gazes at him—some with respect, some with fear.

But Law Enforcement Elder Lu Guhuai just stood there quietly, looking out the window.

His gaze seemed to pierce through the layers of clouds and mist, seeing the dust-covered spirit tablets in that secret chamber behind the mountain.

He did not feel happy about "taking a stand"; he just felt that the stone named "Disciplinary Law" that had been pressing on his heart had finally become a fraction lighter.

Shen Xingzhou glanced at Law Enforcement Elder Lu Guhuai's back and closed the System interface.

"Once the accounts are calculated correctly, the path will open up."

He whispered to himself and turned to walk toward a place where the sunlight was brighter.

This battle, although not yet completely over, had already broken through the toughest line of defense.