NOVPUBXuan Suchang took a deep breath and said steadily, staring at Li Fan, "I am willing to help senior resolve the crisis, however..."
Li Fan gestured with his hand, cutting off her words, "No matter, I just need the information about the second split. I will resolve it myself."
"Hmph, you younger generations of humans are not yet qualified to intervene in our disputes."
After all, she was the dignified Unity Immortal Monarch, yet Li Fan addressed her repeatedly as junior. However, Xuan Suchang was not annoyed; after all, compared to the ancient Tianxuan Mirror, they indeed ranked much lower. Such address was totally justified.
On the contrary, since Xuan Suchang only needed to provide information without actually stepping in, it was a relief for her as well.
After pondering for a moment, she then transmitted the relevant information to Li Fan using her divine sense.
A moment later.
"Father, please forgive me," Xuan Suchang silently said in her heart after doing all this.
Having learned the whereabouts of the human splits of the Heavenly Mysterious Mirror, Li Fan did not rush to act.
Instead, he turned his gaze towards Lu Qixian, who had been silently bowing her head, his expression grim.
Sensing Li Fan’s gaze, Lu Qixian became even more nervous.
"Master..." Seeing that Li Fan had not spoken for a long time, she finally mustered the courage to tentatively ask.
"Qixian, you have truly disappointed me," Li Fan’s voice entered her ears, making Lu Qixian’s frame tremble slightly.
"I officially passed on the position of head of the Immortal Alliance Formation Hall to you two hundred and eighty-six years ago. So many years have passed, yet your proficiency in the Array Path is still like this..."
"Master, I..." Having heard this, Lu Qixian felt somewhat wronged.
After she took over the position of head of the Formation Hall, she had only a few elders’ support. The vast majority were just waiting and watching, and there were even many who wanted to replace her. It was indeed fraught with crises and every step was perilous. Fortunately, after several years of negotiation and checks and balances, she finally stood firm.
The Chief of the Immortal Alliance Formation Hall had considerably heavy duties. Not only did she need to handle the miscellaneous affairs reported by the Formation Halls of Various States, but she also had to participate in a monthly meeting to discuss the operations of the Immortal Alliance with other departments.
In the past two hundred years, except for the leakage of the Protective Array beforehand, the Formation Hall had hardly any mishaps and had established quite a few merits.
Her exhaustive efforts were absolutely inseparable from these.
She had done her utmost to reach this point today. How could she have further advanced in the Array Technique?
Moreover, her level in Array Techniques had indeed improved, just not with any significant breakthroughs.
...
Lu Qixian was conflicted and was about to speak up in her defense.
But she was abruptly interrupted by Li Fan, "I know what you are thinking, but only the weak would find excuses for themselves."
"The true strong, even when constantly at the brink of life and death, will never give up the pursuit of the Dao!"
Li Fan asked sternly, "Ask yourself, have you really exerted your full effort?!"
"I..." Lu Qixian was momentarily lost for words.
Li Fan’s tone intensified, "Complacent and indulging in desires..."
At this, Li Fan glanced at Xuan Suchang beside him.
Xuan Suchang’s cheeks turned red, and her already drooping head buried deeper.
Li Fan turned his gaze back to Lu Qixian, "You deserve punishment!"
Suddenly, a whip formed from Divine Soul Power materialized in his hand, and Li Fan barked, "Kneel down!"
Lu Qixian, now a Unity-Path Cultivator and the Chief of the Immortal Alliance Formation, held a position of high authority and power.
She also had her own pride, and lifting her head, was about to speak in defiance.
But she directly met Li Fan’s cold, merciless gaze.
In an instant, numerous childhood memories flooded her mind.
It was as if she had returned to her days of trembling in fear of her master’s scolding. Lu Qixian’s legs went weak, and she actually followed her body’s instinct, bending her knees to kneel down!
Kneeling on the icy ground, Lu Qixian’s recent fears vanished. Instead, a sudden fire of nameless resistance surged in her heart.
However...
Before the flames could intensify, Lu Qixian saw the golden whip shadow whistling toward her.
"Don’t dodge!"
Her instinct to defend herself was halted by Li Fan’s stern, low shout.
Afterward, Lu Qixian could only watch in horror as the Golden Whip struck her Divine Soul.
The focal point of the hit was precisely the area where the protective Forbidden Formation had been washed away by the Divine Soul, and a pain beyond description instantly spread throughout her body.
It felt as though countless steel needles were twisting and piercing into her body and brain, immediately filling all of Lu Qixian’s consciousness with pain.
Her body first stiffened violently, then she fell to the ground, convulsing uncontrollably.
She couldn’t even cry out, only whimpering intermittently from her throat.
Her body twisted and curled, and it took almost half the time of brewing tea for the deep-seated pain from her Divine Soul to slowly recede.
As Lu Qixian regained a bit of her consciousness, she was about to beg for mercy.
But Li Fan, without a trace of pity, whipped her Divine Soul again!
Lu Qixian, having just escaped from it, was instantly pulled back into hell!
This time, Lu Qixian’s reaction was even more intense, tears streaming down her face, no longer maintaining her former noble appearance.
Upon hearing Lu Qixian’s faint cries, Xuan Suchang, who had been looking down in silence, secretly turned to look.
A hint of surprise showed in her eyes.
One must know, Lu Qixian had never shown such behavior before. Her endurance was still exceptionally high.
Xuan Suchang’s slight movement was already anticipated by Li Fan.
He temporarily ignored her, and once Lu Qixian had calmed down again, another Golden Whip swung down.
This time, Lu Qixian had no screams left.
Only the instinctive sobs and pleas for mercy remained.
"Master, your disciple knows her mistake..."
"Master, spare my life..."
Lu Qixian’s cries of misery echoed inside the wooden house.
Li Fan continued to wear that eternally unchanging icy expression, while Xuan Suchang’s face inexplicably flushed red, her eyes becoming hazy.
He did not swing a fourth whip.
Having done all this, Li Fan held the whip in his right hand, his back turned.
Waiting for Lu Qixian to regain her senses.
This scene of punishment also left Xuan Suchang somewhat terrified. Similarly daring not to move, she waited on the spot.
After what felt like an eternity, Lu Qixian finally emerged from her mental blankness.
Lying on the ground and seeing the towering figure of Li Fan, Lu Qixian instinctively trembled.
Afterward, she struggled to get up, adjusted her appearance, and then stuttered through her words with difficulty, bowing deeply, "Thank you, Master, for the punishment."
"Get up," Li Fan responded indifferently.
Lu Qixian tried to stand, but almost fell back down.
Seeing this, Xuan Suchang quickly stepped forward to support her.
"The Great Path is boundless, pursue the Dao until death. These three whips are your teacher’s punishment for your negligence!"
"The path of Array Techniques is like rowing against the current, if you do not advance, you will fall back. For the next period, stay in this Bamboo Sea and earnestly study the Array Path, do not wander needlessly!"
