Otherworld Merit Upgrade System

Chapter 026 The 8th Floor Demon-Subduing Tower

Chapter 026 The Eighteen-Story Demon-Subduing Tower

“Judging from your talent and cultivation, there’s absolutely no way you should have been assigned to the Wenqu Temple!” Yongxuan frowned and turned to the dark-faced Yuanzhen, asking, “Yuanzhen, the assignment of new disciples has always been the responsibility of your Xingzhi Temple. What’s going on here?”

Although Yuanzhen was deliberately targeting Lin Fei, he felt he had a clear conscience. He immediately stepped forward and said loudly, "Uncle-Master Yongxuan, when Mingxin first came to the mountain, he was not selected by the sect and did not meet the sect's rules. Therefore, I assigned him to Wenqu Temple, hoping that he could learn more about the sect's rules and avoid going astray in the future. Unexpectedly, this kid not only did not study the sect rules properly, but also disregarded the precepts and even killed two disciples within the sect! Before Uncle-Master summons us, I am about to punish this kid!"

"What? Murder a fellow disciple? That's a serious crime!" Everyone, including Yongxuan, was astonished, never expecting that this young Taoist disciple would have such audacity.

Yuan Yi naturally couldn't just stand by and watch Yuan Zhen smear Lin Fei, so he immediately said, "Uncle-Master Yong Xuan, although Ming Xin killed someone, it was only in self-defense and is understandable. Please investigate thoroughly, Uncle-Master!"

Lin Fei knew that this was the best opportunity to clear his name, given the presence of so many abbots and his recent service to the Jade Emperor Sect. If he missed this chance, he would surely have his cultivation destroyed by that evil Taoist priest, Yuanzhen. Therefore, he quickly said, "Grandmaster Uncle, the reason I killed those two was because they wanted to take my life. In self-defense, I was forced to kill them in a moment of panic. I have witnesses to testify to this. I hope Grandmaster Uncle will investigate thoroughly!"

Since there are witnesses, the truth can be easily determined through questioning. Lin Fei would never tell such an easily exposed lie. Hearing Lin Fei say this, everyone was already 80% convinced.

“Since it was a case of killing in self-defense, and considering that this young Taoist had previously repelled the enemy for my Jade Emperor Sect, in my opinion, he should be punished leniently. What do you think, Nephew Yuanzhen?” Yongxuan pondered for a moment and asked Yuanzhen.

"Absolutely not!" Yuanzhen refused decisively. "Without rules, there can be no order! Uncle-Master Yongxuan, as the head of Xingzhi Temple, I am responsible for all the major and minor precepts of our sect. How can I make an exception for this brat today?"

“Brother Yuanzhen, your words are surprising. Although you are in charge of Xingzhiguan, since this young Daoist has extenuating circumstances, you should be granted leniency. You should not act arbitrarily!”

"Yes, yes! Junior Brother Yuanzhen, the sect rules are only meant to restrain disciples and prevent them from going astray. Since this young disciple has shown remorse and has rendered meritorious service to the sect, you shouldn't be so ruthless as to kill him!"

“Amitabha, my fellow disciples are right. This young disciple has just made a great contribution, and to cripple his cultivation would only discourage the other disciples. I think a small punishment is enough to serve as a warning.”

……

Yuanzhen was usually cold and aloof, and not very popular. In addition, the abbots did not want him to have too much power in Xingzhi Temple, so they all spoke up for Lin Fei, putting Yuanzhen in a dilemma.

"Alright, alright! He's just a little Taoist boy. You are all important figures in the Jade Emperor Sect. What kind of behavior is this, making such a racket?" At this moment, Yuanwu, who was in charge of the Demon Subduing Tower, suddenly spoke up.

He glanced at Lin Fei and chuckled, "I think this kid has some potential. How about this, my Demon-Subduing Tower is short-handed, Junior Brother Yuanzhen, why don't you do me a favor and hand this kid over to me so I can take him to the Demon-Subduing Tower as punishment? What do you think, Junior Brother?"

Yuanwu seemed to hold a special position; once he spoke, the other abbots fell silent. Yuanzhen, now in a difficult position, and hearing Yuanwu's words, seized the opportunity to say, "Since Senior Brother Yuanwu has spoken, I naturally won't refuse. However, he did kill a fellow disciple, and his sentence cannot be lenient!"

"Three years!" Yuan Yi looked at Lin Fei and said with unexpected depth, "Three years is not a short sentence. How about punishing Mingxin to guard the Demon-Subduing Tower for three years? What do you think, Senior Brother Yuanzhen?"

"Three years, then three years it is!" Unable to defy the public's anger, Yuanzhen had no choice but to nod in agreement: "Mingxin, a disciple of Wenqu Temple, murdered a fellow disciple and should have his martial arts crippled and been expelled from the sect. However, considering that he acted in self-defense and had rendered meritorious service to the sect, I, Yuanzhen, the head of the sect, hereby punish him by having him guard the Demon-Subduing Tower for three years, and forbidding him from leaving the sect even once!"

“Disciple Mingxin accepts the punishment!” Lin Fei replied, bowing his head.

"Alright, now that things are settled, I'll take this kid with me!" Yuanwu chuckled, then grabbed Lin Fei by the collar and lifted him up from the ground.

“Nephew Yuanwu!” Yong Xuanhu suddenly called out to Yuanwu, “Although Xuanye has temporarily retreated from today’s events, I’m sure Leiyin Temple will not let this go so easily. Nephew, it would be best if you stayed away from the sect less often in the future!”

"It's alright, it's alright!" Yuanwu waved his hand dismissively. "Let alone that old bald monk Xuanye, even if all four of his hall masters—Bodhidharma, Arhat, Prajna, and Bodhi—came together, I wouldn't be afraid of him! Let's go, let's go!"

Before he finished speaking, Yuanwu had already carried Lin Fei and disappeared from the hall.

……

The Demon-Subduing Tower has eighteen levels, where the Jade Emperor Sect imprisons all the vicious demons and heretics captured over the years. The Jade Emperor Sect's experts have used their great supernatural powers to suppress them within the tower.

Yuanwu, carrying Lin Fei, used the technique of shrinking the distance to an inch, and in just a few steps, he went from the main hall of Lingxiao Temple to the front of the Demon-Subduing Tower.

"Uncle-Master, you are truly amazing!" Lin Fei exclaimed sincerely after being placed on the ground by Yuanwu, "Thank you so much for your help earlier, Uncle-Master!"

"Alright, alright!" Yuanwu waved his hand dismissively and said, "I didn't mean to help you. I just didn't like that Yuan Zhen, and you beat up that little bald monk, so you're quite capable. I just helped you out. No need to thank me!"

As Yuanwu walked forward, he muttered to himself, "That scoundrel Yuanzhen, before he joined the sect, was a man with countless lives under his command, known as the 'Mixed Yuan Thunderbolt Hand.' After he came up the mountain, he kept talking about rules and regulations. Heh heh, others may fear this black-faced god, but I, Yuanwu, am not afraid of him!"

Lin Fei stuck out his tongue inwardly. Yuan Wu could appoint the head of Xingzhi Temple, but he dared not say a word. He could only obediently follow behind Yuan Wu and walk towards the gate of the Demon Subduing Tower.

"This Demon-Subduing Tower is a forbidden area of ​​the sect, where the most heinous criminals are imprisoned. The fourth floor and above will be guarded by me personally. Starting today, you will be responsible for guarding the first to third floors of the Demon-Subduing Tower!" As he spoke, Yuanwu had already walked to the entrance of the Demon-Subduing Tower and pushed open the door with a creak.