As Qiu Kun, the Hall Master of the Enforcement Hall, flew over their heads, the 1603 disciples pinned to the ground felt a tremor in their hearts. Some even began to mobilize their spiritual power, attempting to resist the suppression of the formation.
However, Yang Hong had activated all the formation restrictions in the Jiuyuan Plain and unleashed his full spiritual power.
Therefore, despite the presence of 1603 disciples, they were completely unable to break free from the formation's suppression.
"Everyone, recite the 'Five Kill Order' from the sect rules yourselves," Qiu Kun said.
Qiu Kun opened and closed his mouth several times. The righteous words he had prepared in his heart suddenly failed to materialize. With a sigh, he spoke.
"..."
The cultivators below looked puzzled and confused, not understanding what Qiu Kun intended to say.
Ke Huan, the Pavilion Master of the Law Enforcement Pavilion within the Inner Sect Disciples' Transmission Hall, impatiently shouted, "Qiu Kun, spit it out if you have something to say, don't dawdle. And remove the restrictions on me."
Qiu Kun glanced at this 'senior brother' who had recently been promoted to the Inner Sect and whose cultivation had advanced rapidly to the fourth level of Tribulation Crossing. He remained silent, continuing to look at the others, hoping someone would recite the 'Five Kill Order.'
At the same time, Qiu Kun secretly breathed a sigh of relief. None of these 1603 people were from his Enforcement Hall. This was his greatest stroke of luck amidst misfortune.
"Qiu Kun, remove this for me, or Senior Brother will teach you a lesson..."
"Silence!"
Just as Ke Huan was about to continue his threats, Ke Ji Mei sharply rebuked her clansman.
That's right, Ke Huan was also from the Ke family and was Ke Ji Mei's younger brother in terms of seniority. She had cultivated her younger brother with the principle of 'keeping benefits within the family.' Moreover, Ke Huan was not a disappointment; his cultivation was already second only to Ran Boren within the Qingfeng Villa.
Now, Ke Ji Mei sensed something was amiss.
Looking at the grim expression on Yang Hong's face, she instantly understood that the people to be killed were the 1603 behind him.
While the 1603 were still silently looking around, Ke Ji Mei infused her spiritual power into her voice and roared, "Those who betray the sect, kill!"
"Those who shed the blood of fellow disciples, kill!"
"Those who bully the weak, kill!"
"Those who kill mortals without cause, kill!"
"Those who cultivate demonic arts, kill!"
Ke Ji Mei's voice grew louder with each sentence, her tone colder.
The 1603 people, suppressed by the formation, were not fools. They immediately understood what Yang Hong meant by killing.
"Sect Master, spare our lives! Sect Master, spare our lives, disciples know they were wrong."
"We beg the Sect Master for mercy."
Suddenly, all of them knelt down. Not a single one dared to resist.
Yang Hong's cultivation was openly at the fourth level of Body Integration, but not a single Qingfeng Villa disciple believed it to be true.
To be able to activate a massive formation covering millions of miles alone, they would believe you if you claimed to be an immortal, but not the fourth level of Body Integration!
"Enforcement disciples, where are you?" Qiu Kun's furious roar drowned out the deafening pleas for mercy.
"Enforcement disciples are here!"
The 1800 enforcement disciples, with cultivation ranging from the second-level Foundation Establishment to the eighth-level Tribulation Crossing, responded in unison.
"Assemble!"
"Yes!"
Qiu Kun's expression grew increasingly stern. At this moment, he finally possessed some of the authority and prestige of the Hall Master of the Enforcement Hall, no longer being merely a "mud bodhisattva" as described by the high-level cultivators.
All 1800 enforcement disciples felt a sense of pride and vindication.
The Qingfeng Villa's ninety-nine sect rules were not harsh; in fact, they could be considered very lenient and benevolent. Apart from the 'Five Kill Order,' there were rarely severe punishments.
Consequently, they were arguably the most idle enforcement cultivators in the entire immortal cultivation world. Ordinary Qingfeng Villa disciples were not afraid of them, which had always been a blow to their pride.
Now was the opportunity to regain face and establish their authority.
In just ten breaths, the 1800 individuals of varying cultivation levels had assembled.
"Kill!"
"Yes!"
At Qiu Kun's command, all the enforcement disciples drew their standard flying swords, the "Xiuchun Sword," and charged forward.
There were only 1603 offenders; if they were slow, they wouldn't get any.
"Save us~"
"Spare our lives~"
"No~"
After a series of tragic screams, 1603 heads were severed from their bodies, and the escaping Nascent Souls were suspended in mid-air.
"Turn~" Yang Hong's indifferent voice echoed. The 1603 Nascent Souls were thrown into the 'Nine Dragon Prison Heaven Formation' on the Jiuyuan Plain to be used as energy for the formation. It would take eighty-one days to be completely dissipated through extraction.
If severe punishment was to be meted out, there must be sufficient deterrence, otherwise, more disciples would believe the cost of breaking the law was low and continue to violate sect rules.
The 1603 Nascent Souls, their voices and spiritual senses sealed, hung in the sky like 1603 lanterns.
On the Jiuyuan Plain, some of the disciples who had been frozen in the air were already scared to death. Many others wished to self-detonate their Golden Cores but were unable to mobilize their spiritual power.
Now, everyone stared intently at the "lanterns," imagining their own fate.
After the enforcement disciples cleared away the corpses, Yang Hong approached Ke Ji Mei and the others, saying, "Ke Ji Mei, Zhong Chengfeng, Ye Yudong, Gu Boji, and Qiu Kun, do you think Qingfeng Villa's sect rules are harsh?"
"No! The sect's rules are renowned throughout the Taiyuan immortal cultivation world for their leniency and benevolence." The five answered Yang Hong in unison.
"Then is it not the case that Qingfeng Villa's rules are too benevolent, leading so many disciples to violate them?"
"Yes~~" The five still answered in unison, their faces filled with shame.
How could they not be ashamed? With the most benevolent rules, so many people were sentenced to death. They, the five administrators, bore an undeniable responsibility.
Of course, Yang Hong also recognized his own shortcomings, namely, his neglect of sect management. He would gradually strengthen it in the future.
After a moment of silence, he continued, "The sect rules are these ninety-nine. I'm too lazy to add more. Starting today, emphasize them more to the disciples. I do not wish for another occasion of mass slaughter."
"Sect Master, rest assured, your disciples will definitely propagate the sect rules, letting all disciples know them."
"Very well. You will cooperate with Qiu Kun to execute the remaining individuals who deserve to die."
"Yes~ Yes, Sect Master~"
Ke Ji Mei and the other four had not expected that the killings were not over. They looked at Qiu Kun in terror, while Qiu Kun could only offer a wry smile, offering no further explanation.
As Qiu Kun and the others teleported away, Yang Hong turned his gaze towards a corner of the plain, where a group of mortals stood, dumbfounded and trembling.
"You have all heard Qingfeng Villa's Five Kill Order. If any cultivator dares to kill mortals without reason in the future, you must find the Enforcement Hall's station in Qingfeng Villa and report it. Someone will uphold justice for you."
"We thank the immortal master for your benevolence." Hearing Yang Hong's words, the group of over a hundred mortals immediately knelt and expressed their gratitude, their eyes red with emotion.
However, Yang Hong would not leave loopholes in the rules. He continued, "If you intentionally provoke cultivators, then you deserve to be killed. In such cases, not only the individuals involved may die, but the entire clan could be executed. Therefore, you must also keep yourselves and your families in check."
"We shall strictly obey the immortal master's decree." The group of mortals silently warned themselves not to offend others casually and to keep their disobedient family members from causing trouble.
Yang Hong glanced at the darkening sky and then at the 1603 lanterns. He turned and walked towards Zhu Yuyan and the other three women. For him, family reunion was more important than the entire Qingfeng Villa sect combined.