Put away your magical powers now!.

Chapter 325 [That's a bit shameless]

Chapter 319 [That's a bit shameless]

At this moment, the shepherd's breath was weak, as if he was just hanging on by a thread.

His face was covered in purple hues, clearly indicating that he had been severely poisoned.

Zhan Li stood in the wooden shed. Seeing Chen Yan being carried in, he turned around and glanced at Chen Yan, then said with a wry smile, "The poison you gave him was quite potent. I had to go to great lengths to barely keep him alive."

If it weren't for the need for a public execution to demonstrate the law, I wouldn't have gone to such lengths to spare his life.

After saying that, Zhanli walked out of the wooden shed, stood on the hillside, and looked around.

As Zhanli appeared, the densely packed crowd below immediately stopped moving and talking, and soon fell silent.

Zhanli coldly looked at the ghosts of the White Elephant Tribe below, his gaze sweeping back and forth before he spoke in a cold voice.

Her voice wasn't loud, and her tone wasn't particularly harsh, but her cold words, amplified by her energetic tone, resonated throughout the entire venue.

"I am Zhanli, a cavewoman from the Blackwood Clan. Originally, I had no right to interfere in the affairs of your White Elephant Clan. However, I am a disciple of the Ghost Clan Chief and a servant of our ancestral sage! I have been ordered to come here to handle a major case that blatantly violates our clan's rules and even the will of our ancestor!"

"To violate clan rules is to die! To disobey the ancestor's will is even more deserving of death!"

Zhanli coldly said, "Your shepherd has committed such a perverse act. Originally, the punishment should not only fall on him, but also on your entire team! Even the White Elephant Tribe should be punished!"

She paused, then took a deep breath: "Upon investigation, it was found that Jushan Feng, the chieftain of the White Elephant tribe, in order to obtain the Grand Ceremony Token for his son, openly intercepted passing cultivators, extorted and plundered the tokens that our clan was selling to the public!"
This act is heinous, trampling on our clan rules and openly defying the will of our ancestors!

Today, I am here to lash you with my whip! I am here to sever the heads of rebellious sinners!

As she spoke, she took a deep breath, her tone cold and sharp:
"White Elephant Tribe, kneel!"

boom!
The crowd erupted in uproar!

As her words reached the ears of every demon, the crowd erupted in commotion, and soon, led by several leaders, they all knelt on the ground!

Some prostrated themselves on the ground, some looked around, some whispered among themselves, some looked fearful, some looked bewildered, and some even showed a hint of anger...

Zhanli stood high on the slope, witnessing all of this, yet his expression remained indifferent.

As they spoke, they saw someone carrying six ghost clan members up, all of them listless and pale as ashes.

Chen Yan glanced over and immediately recognized several familiar faces. They were some of the guys he and Gu Tongbing had met when they were chased down by that ghost clan member and stopped halfway out of the valley.

Then, someone carried the barely alive shepherd, Jushan Feng, out of the wooden shed—it was only then that Chen Yan learned that the shepherd he had fought to the death with was actually named Jushan Feng.

When the shepherd, Jushanfeng, was carried out, the noise and whispers in the crowd immediately stopped!
Many people instinctively shut their mouths and looked at the giant mountain spirit who had been carried out and was lying there motionless. This usually high and mighty shepherd was placed on the ground like a dead pig!

At this moment, many people revealed a deep sense of fear in their eyes.

Some people lowered their heads deeply to hide the panic on their faces, kneeling on the ground, their bodies still trembling slightly.

Zhanli squinted and slowly walked to the side of the shepherd, Jushan Feng.

When she spoke, her tone was as sharp as a knife!

"I, acting on behalf of the clan chief, hereby punish Jushan Feng, the chieftain of the White Elephant Tribe, to death!!"

With a single glance, she raised her hand and slapped down, striking the head of the shepherd, Jushan Feng.

With a crack, the shepherd's skull shattered, and he died instantly!

This was done so swiftly and decisively that many of the clansmen below hadn't even had time to react before Jushan Feng died on the spot, causing many to cry out in shock.

Zhanli, without pausing, casually walked past the six bound ghost clan members kneeling beside him.

The six men were all ashen-faced, yet dared not resist, only trembling and shaking.

"Jushan ordered the execution of six of his accomplices who had conspired with him, based on their merits and demerits!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Zhan Li raised his hand and struck down, one palm after another, all hitting the heads of the six men.

The six demons, each with their heads crooked and faces askew, collapsed on the spot, dying violently in front of their many clansmen!

At this moment, the people below were speechless, many staring wide-eyed in horror at the execution taking place on the stage!
He felt as if the entire herd, from the shepherd to the usually high-ranking leaders, had died before his eyes. It was like a nightmare!
Zhan Li's face was cold and indifferent as he shouted loudly, "The son of Ju Shanfeng, in order to obtain the qualification for the Heaven-Piercing Ceremony, is asking Ju Shanfeng to pervert the law out of father-son affection. You shall die together!"

She paused, then softened her tone: "However, since the son of Jushan Feng was punished in the forbidden area of ​​the White Elephant Tribe for violating clan rules, I will not be the one to carry out the punishment. The White Elephant Tribe Chief, Yan Jun, will personally enforce the law!"

Her gaze swept across the entire room as she slowly announced, "Eight people have been convicted in this case, starting from Jushan! After execution, their heads will be beheaded and sent to the various tribes of the Ghost Clan as a deterrent!"

Looking at the densely packed White Elephant tribesmen kneeling on the ground, trembling like chickens, Zhanli deliberately remained silent for a while before speaking again.

"Your shepherd has been brought to justice, but there are still people in your shepherd group who collude with Jushan Feng, disregard clan rules, and disrespect the ancestor! However, the ancestor is magnanimous and merciful, and this time he only punishes the ringleaders, giving you a chance to repent and start anew."

Starting today, your pastoral team will increase the annual offerings to the tribe by 50%!
From now on, you all better keep your tails between your legs and work hard to herd the sacred elephants for the tribe!
Five years later, the number of offerings was restored to the original amount.

Remember this: these five years of hardship were brought upon you by Jushan Feng! They are also the result of your own actions over the years—your outward obedience to the tribe, your disrespect for the ancestors, and your many misdeeds alongside Jushan Feng!

Only then did some of the tribesmen raise their heads and look at Zhanli.

Some people looked helpless, some looked humiliated, but not a single one dared to show the slightest anger or dissatisfaction.

“Your chieftain is dead. Your chieftain, Yan Jun, will appoint someone else to take over. The new chieftain will arrive within seven days. Until then, you will all remain in your old positions.”

As he spoke, Zhanli coldly asked, "Who is the person in charge of taking care of the sacred image on a daily basis?"

After a moment of silence, a thin, middle-aged man cautiously raised his head and said, "Calling to the Cave Maiden, the headman responsible for feeding the sacred elephant has been convicted and executed by you."

Zhan Li frowned, paused for a moment, and then asked, "Who are you?"

"I'm the leader in the team, responsible for collecting firewood," the middle-aged man replied cautiously.

“Alright, you will temporarily assume the duties of the pastor until the new pastor arrives.”

Zhan Li pointed at the man and slowly exhaled: "Alright, that's the punishment for your department. Kneel down and thank the Ancestor for his decree!"

The middle-aged man paused for a moment, a complex look appearing in his eyes, with a hint of hidden joy.

The temporary appointment as pastor is only for seven days and offers little benefit.

However, I was personally appointed as the acting shepherd by the cave maiden who came to issue the ancestral decree! Therefore, once the new shepherd takes office, the new shepherd will definitely give careful consideration to my responsibilities!
At the very least, it will definitely be raised a bit higher than its original position.

The man concealed the joy in his eyes, quickly knelt down respectfully, and then prostrated himself heavily on the ground: "The White Elephant Tribe receives the decree of the Sage!"

As he kowtowed, all the clansmen present followed suit, bowing their heads to the ground without daring to breathe, obediently kowtowing.

Zhanli stood there, accepting the kowtows of these people with her head held high—this was a gesture of respect on behalf of her ancestor. These people were not kneeling before her, but before the high and mighty Ghost Clan Saint Ancestor, so she naturally accepted it with equanimity.

After Zhanli and the others finished kowtowing, he waved his hand and said, "Disperse! Go back to your posts!"

The tribespeople below remained quiet for a moment before rising to their feet at the command of their trusted acting shepherd, and then slowly dispersed. As they left, many couldn't help but turn back to look at Zhanli standing on the hillside, their gazes varying but all carrying a hint of awe.

Zhanli stood there quietly, his face indifferent. After a while, when the many clansmen below had dispersed, Zhanli turned around and slowly walked towards Chen Yan, who was lying at the entrance of the wooden shed.

The woman glanced at Chen Yan: "Jushan Feng committed evil, and you are the aggrieved party. Are you satisfied with this punishment from my Ghost Clan?"

Chen Yan's heart skipped a beat!
He seemed to vaguely sense that when Zhan Li said those words to him, although he pretended to be calm and composed, there was a hint of hidden flattery.
After thinking for a moment, Chen Yan sighed, deliberately forcing a bitter smile, his tone carrying a hint of grievance: "I was harmed by this giant mountain for nothing, leaving me covered in injuries, not to mention the amount of magical artifacts and materials I wasted fighting it!"

As he spoke, he raised his eyelids to look at Zhanli:

"This cave woman."

Jushan Feng committed evil deeds, so it was right for you to kill him; it was simply to uphold your clan's law.

My injuries were inflicted by the evil deeds of your demon race, so it is only right that you heal me.

"May I ask, you did what you were supposed to do, yet it did nothing to compensate for my losses. How can I possibly feel 'satisfied'?"

"..." Zhan Li was speechless. He looked at Chen Yan deeply, took a breath, and stared into Chen Yan's eyes: "What kind of compensation do you want?"

"money!"

Chen Yan quickly replied, "In the battle with Ju Shanfeng, I destroyed three magical artifacts. You can compensate me for that. The three artifacts, plus my injuries, and the losses from pills, talismans, and other items... the total price should be one million jade coins. That's not unreasonable, is it?"

Zhan Li squinted, but still nodded.

Leaving aside the losses from pills and talismans.

Just considering the three ritual implements alone, priced at one million jade coins, that price is indeed quite fair.

Magical artifacts are the most important and valuable combat asset for every cultivator. Especially for independent cultivators, acquiring a suitable magical artifact often requires investing almost all of their resources.

In the realm of cultivation, even a low-grade magic weapon costs over 100,000 jade coins—many low-level cultivators don't even own a magic weapon.

If one of the three magical artifacts is of medium or even high quality, then a million jade coins is really not expensive.

This guy didn't ask for much, nor was he being unreasonable.

Zhan Li glanced at Chen Yan with some surprise. This guy wasn't greedy at all.

After a moment's hesitation, she suddenly squatted down, leaned closer to Chen Yan, and said, "How about this, I'll compensate you... two million jade coins."

Take less?

Chen Yan was stunned.

Is this woman from the cave rich?

Voluntarily double the compensation?
What is this operation?
Or... should I have given less from the start?
However, looking at Zhanli, he noticed a hint of embarrassment in the woman's eyes. He lowered his voice and said, "I'll give you two million jade coins as compensation. But I have one condition."

Chen Yan remained silent, quietly watching Zhan Li, waiting for her instructions.

Zhan Li took a deep breath, her eyes seeming even more evasive, and her tone carrying a hint of concealed guilt, yet she still forced herself to speak:
“You fought with Jushan Feng and you were not seriously injured, only suffering some minor injuries. I arrived in time and personally captured Jushan Feng, brought him back, and also brought you back.”

You are the victim; if anyone asks about this, just say this, okay?

Huh?
Chen Yan's eyes lit up, but he secretly chuckled to himself.

There's something fishy about this!
However, Chen Yan quickly guessed what was going on in this operation.

It seems that Zhanli has a superior who wants to cover it up and downplay the severity of the matter when reporting to her superiors, so as to reduce her own responsibility.

Yes, that's right. Since Jushan Feng committed evil deeds, this cave maiden might have to bear some kind of joint responsibility? Should she downplay the seriousness of the matter so she can get away with it?

However, Chen Yan was unaware that Zhan Li genuinely wanted to downplay the seriousness of the matter.

However, it wasn't because of Jushan Feng's crimes, but because of the extent of Chen Yan's injuries!
The person the patriarch ordered to be looked after was injured; this was undoubtedly a dereliction of duty on my part.

But even though both are dereliction of duty, the difference between a minor injury and a serious, near-death experience is like heaven and earth.

Chen Yan thought he had figured out the key point, and he stared at Zhan Li for a few seconds.

Zhan Li's expression grew increasingly awkward. Stared at by Chen Yan, he couldn't help but feel uneasy—if this man didn't agree and insisted on claiming he'd been severely injured and on the verge of death… then he probably wouldn't escape severe punishment this time…

Sigh, is it because the compensation money isn't enough?

However, two million jade coins already represented all of Li's personal wealth.

Although she was a high-ranking member of the Ghost Clan and a cave maiden, she was proud and ambitious, eager to achieve great things and rise to higher positions. Therefore, she cherished her reputation and valued her fame very much.

She would never do anything like embezzling family property or making money through corruption.

A dignified woman from the Celestial Realm only has two million in personal assets.

Zhan Li was filled with anxiety. If two million wasn't enough, he would probably have to borrow money from his close fellow disciples...

Fortunately, Chen Yan suddenly laughed.

His smile was gentle and calm: "What are you saying, you cavewoman?"

Zhanli: "Huh?"

Chen Yan slowly said, "Isn't this how things went? I was passing by this herdsman's territory when Jushan Feng coveted my token and tried to seize it by trickery. I refused to be bullied and fled under cover of night."

Jushan Feng came to capture me. I wanted to fight back, but as soon as we started fighting, Dong Nu arrived like a divine soldier descending from the sky and personally dealt with Jushan Feng.

As for my injury...

"Huh? Where am I injured? It was just a couple of falls I made while running through the mountains during the chase. I just scraped my skin a couple of times, it's nothing serious."

As he spoke, Chen Yan looked at Zhan Li.

His smile was sincere and genuine.

Well, it would be even better if he hadn't stretched out a hand as if asking for money.

Zhanli stared blankly at the young man in front of him.

Looking at the sincere and simple smile on the other person's face, looking at his undisguised outstretched hand, palm facing upwards...

All of this was completely different from the gentle, polite, shy, and respectful demeanor of the young man when she approached him in that market disguised as Granny Yu.

How should I put it about this young man at this moment...

That's a bit shameless.

(End of this chapter)