A cold wind swept fallen leaves past the main gate.
Frost spread across the ground at a visible speed, and in moments, the entire floor of the room was covered in a thick layer of ice and snow.
The indoor temperature plummeted.
"What, weren't you looking for this venerable one?"
His crimson robe billowed ostentatiously, his phoenix-like eyes narrowed, his gaze chilling.
Qin Si strode in from the door, his thin lips curving slightly, and said coldly, "Sit."
The Lou family head's face darkened, "Dean Qin, you..."
Before he could finish speaking, he saw Qin Si wave his red sleeve. A chilling palm wind swept past, a powerful force pushing him directly into a chair!
The other family heads and responsible individuals were treated the same way!
Even those who were kneeling did not escape.
No one could resist!
The Lou family head's face was extremely somber. Qin Si was practically trampling on his face!
But all of this was just the beginning.
"You want to know why Shen Qi Academy is justified?" Qin Si lightly clapped his hands. "Zhan Jiuzhou, tell them."
Zhan Jiuzhou snorted and stepped to the front, unfurling a scroll.
"In Shen Qi's Great Calendar year twenty-three, the Heaven Mending Squad was established. In the same year, an uprising occurred in Qianlian Sea. The entire Heaven Mending Squad was deployed, resulting in one hundred and ten casualties, including the Four Peaks Masters and twenty-seven elders in the late Golden Core stage; in Great Calendar year thirty-five, a beast tide occurred in Dongyue Jungle, with the Heaven Mending Squad suffering three hundred and three casualties, of which one hundred and fifty were Academy elders; in Great Calendar year forty, the boundary wall of Jue Ren Road fractured..."
As Zhan Jiuzhou read, the cold smile on his face gradually receded, becoming increasingly grave and heavy.
Within these cold figures were individual lives! They were brothers who had fought side-by-side!
When the Heaven Mending Squad was first established, it was Shen Qi Academy's endeavor to repair the aftermath left by the Supreme Sect, Xuan Tian Sect, and others—the dilapidated boundary walls and unstable spatial rifts.
But later, this team became a brick, moved wherever the Shen Qi Continent needed it.
In reality, however, this team was only known to the Three Kingdoms and the Eighteen Great Families, and many of those who sacrificed were unknown.
Zhan Jiuzhou angrily threw the scroll at the Lou family head's face with a "bang!"
"Lou Ye, tell me, why is Shen Qi Academy justified?"
"From its inception, Shen Qi Academy, while holding absolute status on the Shen Qi Continent, has also undertaken absolute responsibility. It has a clear conscience!"
Silence!
Everyone was astonished!
Over the years, they were not unaware of a team called the Heaven Mending Squad, nor were they unaware that this team silently protected the Shen Qi Continent. But because the events had not befallen them personally, they did not know pain, did not know hardship, and did not know the immensity of the sky and the depth of the earth!
Zhan Jiuzhou cast a cold glance at the grim-faced Lou family head, the Mei family head, the trembling Wei family head, and the others with complex expressions, and spoke again.
"This time, Shen Qi Academy has summoned you all, and you all know the reason. The continental boundary wall is about to shatter, and countless high-level beings will flood our continent. While cultivators still have a chance to seize opportunities, what about ordinary civilians? If they encounter foreign oppression, what can they do?"
"A person in a position should fulfill their duties. The Academy has summoned all the great families and the royal family to form a Civilian Protection Squad to better protect our continent and its people. There is absolutely no selfish motive."
"As for Lou Ye, did you think that by colluding with the Mei family and using guards to take away all my team members, you could do as you pleased? You didn't expect this, did you? It was all intentional!"
Qin Si added faintly, "It also lets everyone see that the noble families who appear so respectable are nothing more than that!"
"You!"
The Lou family head was truly shocked this time. He sprang up from his seat, but an invisible, powerful force pushed him back down!
He slumped back into the chair in helplessness.
The Lou family head looked towards the center and saw the man's indifferent gaze. His heart sank to despair.
It was over.
The Lou family was truly finished this time.
Qin Si coldly watched this farce and said calmly, "Since the Lou family, Mei family, Sun family, Wei family, Tang family, Qing family, and Jin Que Kingdom are unwilling to support the common people, then they don't need to enjoy the people's offerings and the resources of the Shen Qi Continent."
"Why?"
The Lou family head could no longer sit still. He slammed his palm on the table and prepared to stand up.
This time, he held nothing back, using a full ten-tenths of his ability.
"Bang!"
He had just lifted his backside when he was pushed back down again!
The immense impact shattered the chair, and the Lou family head fell sprawling onto the ground!
Utterly humiliated!
Sun Wuwei had also intended to object, but seeing the Lou family head's plight, he quietly closed his mouth.
The Wei family head stammered, "Our Wei family is willing, willing, we will obey the Academy's orders."
"Wei Ru Shu!" The Lou family head was so angry his face twisted, completely devoid of his previous refined demeanor.
The Wei family head wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and, in turn, quietly advised the Lou family head, "Family Head Lou, I believe Dean Qin is correct. At this time of crisis for Shen Qi, the great families should also contribute."
"The Li family seconds this motion," the Li family head said, subtly glancing at the Qing family.
Fortunately, Qing Bu Li had died, and his engagement with Shi Qing had naturally been canceled. Otherwise, he would have truly been spitting blood!
Seeing that the Qing family was not competing for anything, he hadn't expected them to have the same idea as the Lou family!
Although his Li family also did not want to bear the responsibility of protecting the common people, finding it too troublesome and unrewarding, they knew where to draw the line.
After all, cultivators had their own karma. One couldn't always expect to gain benefits without being willing to pay!
"The Xia family seconds this motion."
"The Great Ning Dynasty seconds this motion."
"The Qi Zhou Kingdom seconds this motion."
"The Luo family also seconds this motion."
"The Zhan family..."
"The Xun family..."
"The Feng family..."
"The Chu family..."
"The Ximen family..."
"The Zheng family..."
"Seconded!"
A string of voices rang out, like a harsh slap to the Lou family head's face.
Lou Changxing couldn't help but lower his head, wishing no one would notice him. He helped the Lou family head up and stood behind him, not daring to utter a word.
Just then, a young man strode in from the door.
"Bai Yun." Zhan Jiuzhou bumped fists with the young man.
The young man smoothly stepped forward and saluted Qin Si, then said, "Dean, a small team has fulfilled its trust and confiscated all the spirit stone mines and minor secret realms belonging to the Lou family, Mei family, Sun family, Wei family, Tang family, Qing family, and Jin Que Kingdom!"
The others were stunned!
Within this short period, Qin Si had actually sent people to dismantle the strongholds of the Lou family and these others?
What a masterful move to cut off the root of their support!
The faces of the Lou family head, Mei family head, and others suddenly changed.
"No!" the Lou family head roared, "How dare you! This is our private property! What right do you have to do this!"
The Mei family head also shrieked, "Exactly! This is banditry!"
Sun Wuwei clenched his fists, but being an old fox, with the Mei family head and Lou family head leading the way, he remained silent.
The Tang family head and Qing family head were also the same.
But the man sitting in the high seat remained unmoved, his expression indifferent, his aura suppressing everything.
"Shut up!"
The Lou family head and Mei family head immediately fell silent, unable to utter another word.
"Either get out now! Or die!"
Qin Si's icy gaze swept over them, as if he were already looking at two dead men.
His killing intent was unconcealed.