# Chapter 520: Angry Rebuke
"What did you say!?" Yun Waitian erupted in fury once more. "You want my son to undergo 'Soul-Seizing'? Preposterous, absolutely preposterous!!"
"Arcane Firmament Soul-Seizing" was indeed a unique ability of the Yun Clan's Arcane Firmament Force. Ordinary soul-searching methods not only carried immense risks—if backlash occurred, the consequences would be unimaginable—but even if successful, they would cause significant damage to the target's spirit, potentially leaving them an imbecile. However, Arcane Firmament Soul-Seizing, even if it failed due to the target's powerful mental defenses, had no side effects, and if successful, it would inflict no spiritual harm. Yun Che was well aware of this ability, having once used Arcane Firmament to seize another's memories during his assault on the Fen Tian Gate. Over twenty years ago, Yun Qinghong and his wife had learned of Yun Canghai's imprisonment location on the Tian Xuan Continent precisely through memory seizure via Arcane Firmament Soul-Seizing.
"Heh heh," Huiye Junwang smiled faintly and said, "Yun Che, is this what you call proof? Aside from that, do you have any other evidence?"
"This one piece of evidence is already sufficient," Yun Che replied directly.
"I see, very well..." Huiye Junwang nodded slowly, a trace of mockery flickering across his face. He turned to Yun Xinyue and said, "I have heard more than once about the Yun Clan's Arcane Firmament Soul-Seizing ability—that it causes no spiritual harm to the target. Now, someone accuses you of secretly harming fellow clan members and the princess of the Tianxia Clan, and proposes using Arcane Firmament Soul-Seizing to prove it... Yun Xinyue, do you dare undergo Soul-Seizing before all these people to prove your innocence?"
Yun Xinyue stood up, his face dark and his entire body trembling faintly, clearly at the peak of his rage. Suppressing his anger with immense effort, he said, "Why would I not dare! I, Yun Xinyue, examine my conscience and find it as clear as a mirror. I have been completely sincere toward my clan and everyone else, never once harboring any intent to harm anyone. Only now, in my entire life, do I finally understand the fury and humiliation of being falsely accused and framed. I would rather die than bear such a disgrace... Under Arcane Firmament Soul-Seizing, there can be no falsehood, and it will best prove my innocence! Please, let an elder of the clan perform Soul-Seizing on me to clear my name!!"
Yun Xinyue's words were furious and resolute, without a hint of hesitation. The crowd, who already refused to believe Yun Che, now saw Yun Xinyue's attitude—no resistance or doubt toward the proposed Arcane Firmament Soul-Seizing. At this point, they didn't have even the slightest shred of suspicion left. Instead, they felt even greater anger and indignation toward Yun Che.
"Good!" Huiye Junwang nodded, his voice turning cold: "Being publicly framed is indeed unpleasant. I understand your anger and your eagerness to prove your innocence. But your response has truly disappointed me."
Yun Xinyue was taken aback: "This... please enlighten me, Your Highness."
"Hmph!" Huiye Junwang snorted heavily and said in a deep voice, "I thought Yun Che would produce some real evidence, but his only proof is Arcane Firmament Soul-Seizing—what an absolute joke! Without any evidence, based solely on a few ridiculous accusations that even an idiot wouldn't believe, you expect someone to undergo Arcane Firmament Soul-Seizing to prove their innocence? Where in the world is there such absurdity! If such a thing were allowed, then I could also, without any evidence, say with a single sentence that your entire Yun Clan has rebelled—would each of you have to undergo Arcane Firmament Soul-Seizing to prove your innocence?"
"Moreover, who are you? You are the son of the Yun Clan's Grand Elder, the soon-to-be Patriarch of the Yun Clan—how noble and proud your status is! And this Yun Che? He's nothing but some wild brat who popped up from who knows where. He asks you to undergo Arcane Firmament Soul-Seizing, and you willingly agree... Do you have any of the pride and dignity befitting a son of the Yun Clan? If you actually undergo Arcane Firmament Soul-Seizing, you may clear your name, but from now on, the entire Huan Yao Realm will know that the dignified new Patriarch of the Yun Clan, because of an unfounded accusation from some outsider wild brat, had to undergo Arcane Firmament Soul-Seizing in public to prove his innocence... Hahahaha! What a great joke! Do you want to bring shame to the entire Yun Clan and make the whole Huan Yao Realm look down on you? From now on, will any child or beggar be able to utter a few casual words and force the Yun Clan Patriarch to clear his name through Soul-Seizing?"
Huiye Junwang's words struck like thunderclaps, awakening all the Yun Clan disciples, who became filled with righteous indignation. Many young disciples shouted: "Lord Huiye is right! Yun Xinyue absolutely must not undergo Arcane Firmament Soul-Seizing, or our Yun Clan will become a laughingstock!"
"Brother Xinyue was willing to undergo Arcane Firmament Soul-Seizing without hesitation just now, proving he has nothing to be guilty about! What is Yun Che anyway? He should be thrown out immediately! Framing Brother Xinyue like this—even crippling him on the spot wouldn't be too much!"
"We all know Brother Xinyue is completely innocent. He doesn't need to prove anything. This Yun Che is simply too vile and despicable!"
Yun Xinyue's entire body trembled violently. After a brief daze, he lowered his head and said guiltily, "Lord Huiye's lesson is correct. I was too eager to prove my innocence and didn't think it through. I nearly brought shame to the entire clan for my own sake."
"Heh heh," Huiye Junwang smiled faintly: "I understand your feelings. But your willingness to accept Arcane Firmament Soul-Seizing just now is enough to prove your innocence."
Yun Che's mouth twitched as he sneered inwardly: This duet is perfectly choreographed—even I'm almost believing it.
Yun Waitian clasped his hands respectfully toward Huiye Junwang and said emotionally, "What Lord Huiye said just now is exactly what I was thinking. My son's innocence or guilt cannot be compared to the Yun Clan's reputation. Even if he has to bear the stigma of harming fellow clan members for the rest of his life, he must never undergo Arcane Firmament Soul-Seizing... Thank you, Lord Huiye, for enlightening my son. Your Highness is not much older than my son, but your way of handling affairs is something my son could never match."
Huiye Junwang smiled and replied, "Grand Elder flatters me. Yun Xinyue was caught up in the situation, and in his anger, it was hard for him to think comprehensively. As an observer, I naturally see things more clearly."
"Hehehehe." As soon as Huiye Junwang finished speaking, a discordant, piercing sneer rang out. Huiye Junwang glanced sideways at Helian Peng, who had let out the laugh, and said, "Elder Helian, what are you laughing at?"
Helian Peng stood up and said with a sarcastic expression, "Lord Huiye, don't you find this laughable? The Yun Clan, though in decline, is still one of the Twelve Guardian Clans. Yet here, at a grand gathering of the entire clan, an outsider wild brat has thrown everything into chaos. Even more ridiculous—he's still standing there unscathed... Hahahaha! If this were my Helian Clan, just for speaking slander—let alone slandering the soon-to-be Patriarch, even an ordinary disciple—he would at the very least be crippled, or at worst executed on the spot. But this Yun Clan... hehehehe, it's truly pathetic and laughable. Not a trace of the majesty and might of a Guardian Clan remains. It's impossible not to laugh, hahahahaha!"
Although Helian Peng's words were harsh, they struck the heart of the matter. The Yun Clan elders and disciples flushed red with embarrassment and glared at Yun Che with even greater hostility. Yun Waitian stepped forward and roared, "Elder of Law Enforcement, seize this malicious villain immediately!"
Upon hearing this, the Law Enforcement Elder swiftly leaped onto the platform and was about to charge at Yun Che. At that moment, a calm yet faintly commanding voice rang out: "Stop."
The voice was not loud and carried little emotion, but it made the Law Enforcement Elder freeze mid-motion. The one who had spoken was Yun Qinghong.
"Yun Qinghong, you've finally spoken. I thought you were going to just watch the show!" Yun Waitian sneered, directly addressing Yun Qinghong by name. "What, are you going to shield this audacious, lawless so-called adopted son of yours? Or was everything he did really instructed by you?"
"You guessed right. I am indeed shielding him." Yun Qinghong looked straight at Yun Waitian and said flatly. His calm gaze, however, inexplicably carried a sense of authority that made Yun Waitian unconsciously tense up.
"Law Enforcement Elder, step back," Yun Qinghong ordered.
The Law Enforcement Elder was taken aback and glanced at the Grand Elder. Seeing that he didn't move, Yun Qinghong furrowed his brow and his voice dropped low: "Step back!!"
Those two words were not heavy, but they struck like a thunderclap in the ears of every Yun Clan disciple. All the elders looked at Yun Qinghong in astonishment... In the twenty-plus years since Yun Qinghong had been crippled, he had always kept to himself, rarely involving himself in clan affairs, and had never reprimanded anyone. Many of the younger disciples were hearing their crippled Patriarch issue such an authoritative command for the first time.
The Law Enforcement Elder's body trembled, and he almost frantically responded, "Yes, sir!" before quickly retreating.
Yun Qinghong shifted his gaze, sweeping it over Yun Xinyue, and said in a calm, unquestionable tone: "Yun Xinyue, step onto the platform and prepare to undergo Arcane Firmament Soul-Seizing."
As soon as Yun Qinghong said this, everyone froze. The atmosphere immediately became restless. Huiye Junwang's brow twitched, and he said with a hint of anger, "Patriarch Yun, what do you mean by this?"
"What do I mean? That is none of your concern!" Yun Qinghong said coldly. "This is a family matter of the Yun Clan. There's no need for you to interfere."
The entire square went from restless to dead silent. Everyone was dumbfounded, almost doubting their own ears. Yun Qinghong... was rebuking Lord Huiye, and rebuking him without any regard for his face. Huiye Junwang's face turned black, and he sneered, "Patriarch Yun... you... you dare to be so rude to me?!"
"Hmph!" Yun Qinghong laughed coldly. "So what if I'm rude to you? From the moment you entered the Yun Clan's territory until now, have you ever shown me, the Patriarch, any courtesy? I am of the same generation as your father. My father was the might 'Demon Emperor' who shook the world—equal in noble title to your grandfather. Back when your father saw me, he had to respectfully call me 'Big Brother.' I, the Patriarch, reprimanding a junior is only natural. But you, a junior, entered my Yun Clan without greeting me as the Patriarch, and you keep meddling in my clan's affairs right in front of me, arrogant and unbridled. And now you have the audacity to accuse me of being rude?"
"Is this how your father taught you? Hmph! You've thoroughly disgraced your father, your grandfather, and the entire Huan Yao Royal Clan!"