Chapter 3315 — Accepting Punishment

"Who... who sent us? We brothers came to loot and plunder, that's all—we just took a fancy to this place, the Dark Night Palace, and wanted to seize it..." Xiao Si's heart lurched. Could Wei Zhao have seen through something? Still, he would never admit it—if he did, and Wei Zhao learned they were disciples of Ancestor Xuanchen, wouldn't he immediately unleash his ruthless hand and wipe them all out?

After all, the enmity between Wei Zhao and Ancestor Xuanchen was no secret—it was out in the open for all to see!

Wei Zhao had even dared to torment Ancestor Xuanchen's own daughter, Little Eleven, until she was barely human. To say nothing of a few disciples who had come to stir up trouble—would Wei Zhao ever let them off? So he absolutely must not admit it!

Whether to keep the secret or to keep his life, he could not say a word.

A faint trace of mockery flickered at the corner of Wei Zhao's mouth. He had known they would not talk. But it did not matter—he knew perfectly well who had sent them, and he needed no proof at all.

Yet just then, as Wei Zhao was about to say something more, hurried footsteps suddenly echoed from the side door of the reception hall! It was the Grand Elder, supported by Elder Su, arriving at the reception hall!

The moment the Grand Elder stepped through the door and saw Wei Zhao, Gu Mengyao, and that gang of robbers standing off against one another in the hall, she assumed swords were drawn and a fight was about to break out—and she was startled half to death!

"Heroes, please, let us talk this over—this old woman has come late..." The Grand Elder had misread the situation entirely, still thinking the Dark Night Palace was the weaker party. Seeing blood all over the floor, she assumed some disciple had been wounded, so the moment she entered, she lowered her posture and spoke in the most ingratiating tone!

There was no help for it—when you live under another's roof, you must bow your head. This was the principle the Grand Elder had always lived by: while there is green mountain, there is no fear of running out of firewood. If the Dark Night Palace was destroyed, everything would be destroyed with it; if there was even a thread of hope, it had to be fought for!

"Heroes, isn't it the Dark Night Palace's territory you want? Fine—today this old woman will have all the disciples withdraw and clear this land out for you, so that you heroes may establish your own sect here!" the Grand Elder continued without pause.

"Huh?!" Xiao Si and Xiao Wu were baffled. What had the old hag come running out for now? Could it be that, seeing someone backing her up, she had come deliberately to say the opposite of what she meant and put on airs?

It had to be that! In the current situation, how would Xiao Si and Xiao Wu dare covet any Dark Night Palace territory? Wasn't that just courting death? The moment they moved in, Wei Zhao would slaughter them all. Anyone with half a brain would not do something so suicidal!

So in Xiao Si's and Xiao Wu's eyes, the Grand Elder, that old thing, was a textbook example of putting on airs. But even knowing she was putting on airs, they dared not voice a single complaint—could they not see Wei Zhao still standing there glaring at them like a tiger eyeing its prey?

Did they really want to die, daring to go head-to-head with Wei Zhao?

So although Xiao Si's expression was somewhat ugly, he still cautiously spoke with a pleasant face: "Elder Grand Elder... we brothers failed to recognize the mountain when we saw it—we had no idea the Dark Night Palace had such a formidable patron now. Please don't make fun of us brothers..."

"Yes, yes—and Palace Master Chu, we didn't know your boyfriend was this formidable. If we had known, we wouldn't have dared come and make trouble even if you gave us a hundred times the courage. We were wrong—we'll leave right now!" Xiao Wu chimed in, his heart pounding with fear.

"Right, right, we'll leave right now!" As Xiao Si spoke, he made to collect Xiao San's corpse from the floor...

"Ah?" It was only then that the Grand Elder abruptly realized the dead man on the ground was not some disciple of the Dark Night Palace, but the very man who had struck her down with a single palm earlier!

Though his face was masked, his build was fresh in the Grand Elder's memory. Was this not the leader himself? How had he died?

Wait—could Wei Zhao have killed him? Otherwise, why were these people fawning and treading so carefully? At the thought, the Grand Elder was struck dumb. Did Wei Zhao truly have such ability, not only cowing these people but also killing their ringleader?

After all, that robber was a formidable expert at the peak of the late Heaven Rank.

"Did I say you could leave?" Before the Grand Elder had recovered from her shock, Wei Zhao's cold voice rang out once more!

Xiao Si, in the middle of gathering Xiao San's corpse, felt his heart lurch violently, and his hands froze mid-motion—he dared not move another inch. He raised his head and, with a fawning smile, said cautiously: "Young hero... I mean, Senior, we know we were wrong. What... what do you mean by that?"

"Come and go as you please—you think this is your own home?" Wei Zhao glanced at Xiao Si and said indifferently: "You think such good fortune exists in this world? Coming and going like this—do you take this for a city gate?"

"Well... Senior, then what do you want?" Xiao Si was at a loss. It seemed Wei Zhao truly had the strength and confidence to back up his words—he was not putting on airs at all! Now he regretted it a little. Why hadn't he investigated thoroughly before coming?

But then again, even Ancestor Xuanchen and Kang Jingming did not know certain things—how could Xiao Si possibly have found out?

"How about this: since you admit your mistake, death may be spared but punishment cannot be avoided. Both of you, step forward, and each take one blow from me—then this matter is settled." Wei Zhao looked at Xiao Si and Xiao Wu and spoke slowly.

By now, Wei Zhao had recovered his physical strength and true qi, and had returned to peak condition. He did this not merely to punish, but to intimidate—to let Ancestor Xuanchen learn through their mouths that Wei Zhao was now formidable, that he could strike again and again, casually killing or wounding experts at the peak of the late Heaven Rank!

"This... Senior, we don't want to die..." Xiao Si's face darkened. Stand there and let you hit us? How could that possibly end well? Wouldn't you just beat us to death on the spot?

"I can promise not to kill you. I will hold back—it is merely a punishment." Wei Zhao looked at the two of them. Though his face wore a cold smile, inwardly he smiled bitterly. Killing the two of you would be difficult as well—with you on your guard, slaying you outright is hardly realistic!

"Truly?" Xiao Si looked at Wei Zhao with some disbelief.

"Do you have the right to bargain with me?" Wei Zhao said coldly: "If you don't want to accept punishment, then all of you can stay here forever!"

"No... please, no, Senior, we accept the punishment! We'll accept it, won't we!" Cold sweat instantly broke out on Xiao Si's and Xiao Wu's foreheads! Yes—what right did they have to bargain with Wei Zhao?