Inside the large imposing hall sat a particularly menacing Fox G.o.d whose ire was so great, it took him an extra effort to mask his emotions.
While Li Meirong was being admonished by her peers and huddled in fear in front of him, he was barely restraining himself, heeding his father"s reprimands, "Reign in your temper." Bai Zhang told him.
Bai Qingyue had a reputation as a fearsome figure who rarely displayed any expression or emotion, but his trigger was right there in front of him, being mistreated. It took every ounce of his being to hold himself back from las.h.i.+ng out at the offensive mob.
His wife was the future Lady G.o.ddess of the Celestial Realm. How dare these vermin speak badly of her?
Still, he observed the hall in silence.
Taking note of Bai Qingyue"s twitching mouth, Bai Zhang sent his son a pointed look as if to say, "Let your father handle this."
At the exact same time, Shopkeeper Mu was no longer able to stay quiet. He kowtowed three times and yelled "Grandmaster! I beseech you to judge this case fairly!"
Zhu Zhang grimaced and rubbed one of his ears, gritting his teeth. "Tsk. I am judging fairly. Why are you shouting in my halls?"
Shopkeeper Mu"s face paled, his jaw turning slack. This wasn"t the first time he attended a sect trial and knew that justice was only determined by the judge"s opinion. It wasn"t difficult to discern the Grandmaster"s bias. But why? Why would he side with the wretched girl?!
Shopkeeper Mu was a senior inner sect disciple who had been part of the sect for many years! His status was far greater than hers and even his brothers and sisters in the sect supported his stance!
Knowing that the Grandmaster wanted him to declare the issue as a misunderstanding left the Shopkeeper feeling wronged. He stood up to interject.
"The culprit herself admitted her misdeeds. How can this be a misunderstanding? Grandmaster, please think twice!" Shopkeeper Mu cried out.
The aggrieved disciples supporting his stance shouted in approval.
The Grandmaster pinched the s.p.a.ce between his brows. This was taking far longer than he expected. The younger generation sure knew how to make a mess…
He expected his daughter-in-law to serve him a lot of pastries after he finished handling this blunder!
While Bai Zhang was contemplating how to pacify his disciples without shedding blood, Li Meirong unexpectedly stood up, bobbing her head towards the Shopkeeper and the attendees in compliance.
Her soft voice resonated in the halls like a silver bell. "I apologize for ruining your shop. I could have handled the situation in a better way but I don"t regret my actions."
She then addressed the crowd, "I"m also sorry about burning your shops and clothes. The Fox Spirit who did this is my familiar so I will take responsibility for his actions. I will leave the sect at once and distribute all my goods, except for my pets."
The attendees were itching for blood and were disappointed to find the Grandmaster rejecting retribution. However, the prospect of receiving some form of compensation was better than nothing. A hum of agreement could be heard within the hall.
"That"s acceptable, but your familiar should be executed for causing harm!"
"Hurry up and leave at once! Let your monster remain and be held accountable." A bald Senior Disciple cried out. His hair had been his crowning glory. It would take him years to grow it all back!
Shopkeeper Mu quickly pointed an accusing finger at Li Meirong and inserted his own demand, hoping to get the powerful Spirit Beast as his own. It would be a waste to kill such a powerful Spirit!
"You should hand me the Fox Spirit as compensation for the damage incurred to my shop."
Li Meirong"s clear almond eyes flashed in outrage. She secretly felt relieved for leaving s...o...b..ll with Bao Li. She had a feeling the matter would escalate to this extent.
Her polite manner all but disappeared as she prepared to invoke her qi, spreading her arms in a boxing posture. "You want to take my baby? Over my dead body!"
Shopkeeper Mu knew the girl was powerful, but this time he had the numbers on his side! He joined the approaching disciples. Everybody took their weapons out in preparation for battle while the servants ran outside the hall for dear life.
Bai Zhang was supposed to supervise the trial, but it had been such a long time since he"d seen such a good show that he was completely sidetracked by Li Meirong"s unexpected change of reaction. His daughter-in-law was so meek and vulnerable only a few moments ago! But as soon as Bai Qingyue was threatened she instantly snapped.
Witnessing this s.h.i.+ft in her att.i.tude happening a second time made him wonder if perhaps Bai Qingyue was blessed with the curse influencing his fated person as well. Li Meirong sounded so protective of his son!
The problem was that in his amus.e.m.e.nt, Bai Zhang neglected to settle the situation!
By the time he remembered to take control over the trial, Bai Qingyue had already levitated from the stage, standing protectively in front of Li Meirong. His bloodthirsty aura consumed the halls and his eyes flashed with a tint of a murderous lavender hue.
Come back here, you foolish child!
Before his sect would turn into a place of ma.s.sacre, Bai Zhang"s shout reverberated across, "Zhu Qingyue, stop! Remember what I told you!"
The enraged Fox Lord was about to extend his claws when his father"s reprimand halted his actions. He slowly turned around to gaze at his sh.e.l.l-shocked wife. The sound of her sleepy voice from yesterday evening echoed in his mind. Sincerity, honesty, humility…
He took a deep breath and turned back to the crowd. How could he bear to scare his wife away from him?
"As for what happened at the marketplace, I am to blame." Zhu Qingyue spoke out loud, absorbing the oppressive energy inside himself.
Meanwhile, Bai Zhang covered his gaping mouth. Was his son finally admitting the truth?!