The First Venerable of All Paths

"Yes, she's awake."

Fang Xuan asked gently, "Why are you sleeping here?"

"Brother, it really is you."

Fang Rou's last bit of sleepiness vanished, and she hugged Fang Xuan tightly, bursting into tears of joy.

"Brother, do you know how worried I was about you?"

Fang Rou's voice was trembling with sobs, and her delicate body was shaking uncontrollably; she was clearly terrified.

"Alright, alright, I'm fine now, aren't I?"

Fang Xuan patted his younger sister's back and comforted her, "Don't cry, or you'll look like a little kitten."

"I'm not a little kitten."

Fang Rou burst into laughter through her tears and playfully punched Fang Xuan.

After comforting his sister, Fang Xuan asked, "How long has your brother been unconscious?"

"Seven days."

"So, you've been staying here watching over me for the past seven days?"

Fang Rou lowered her head and said, "I'm worried about my brother."

"Thank you for your hard work, little sister."

Fang Xuan smiled, but felt a pang of sadness in his heart.

I never expected him to be unconscious for so long this time.

"By the way, where are the others?"

Fang Rou said, "Everyone else is at the ancestral hall, discussing how to deal with Second Uncle."

"Fang Yue?"

A glint flashed in Fang Xuan's eyes as he said, "Did he destroy the formation?"

"Uh-huh."

Fang Rou nodded repeatedly, like a chick pecking at rice, and said, "Second Uncle is the worst. He's clearly a member of the Fang family, yet he secretly destroyed the formation, almost ruining our Fang family..."

"Let's go take a look at the ancestral hall."

Fang Xuan took his sister's hand and walked towards the ancestral hall.

Fang Family Ancestral Hall.

Ancestral halls are generally not opened except for ancestral worship ceremonies or when major events occur in the clan.

But today, the Fang family ancestral hall is open to the public.

Moreover, with all the clansmen gathered, the atmosphere was several times more serious and solemn than when they were discussing the removal of Fang Xuan from his position as young master in the council hall.

The ancestral hall enshrines the ancestors of the Fang family throughout the generations.

The Grand Elder, Fang Shanhai, was holding incense and offering prayers, reporting to the ancestors.

Behind him, a group of Fang family elders and clansmen stood solemnly and bowed in worship.

After the worship ceremony, Fang Shanhai turned around, a cold glint flashing in his eyes.

"Bring them up!"

"Splash, splash!"

Soon, three members of the Fang family were brought over, bound by iron chains.

Their cultivation levels were sealed.

The man in the lead was disheveled and walked with heavy steps.

Because he was looking down, his face was not visible.

"Kneel down!"

Fang Shanhai shouted coldly, and all the members of the Fang family shouted coldly in unison.

"Kneel down!"

The deafening noise made the solemn ancestral hall feel even more oppressive.

"thump!"

"thump!"

Two members of the Fang family knelt on the ground, heads bowed, their bodies trembling.

seem.

They also knew what awaited them.

Only the last person did not kneel down. Instead, he raised his head, stood tall and straight, and scanned the ancestral tablets in the ancestral hall.

This person was actually Fang Yue!

"kneel?"

Fang Yue's lips curled into a mocking smile as he sneered, "What wrong have I done? Why should I kneel?"

"presumptuous!"

Fang Shanhai shouted coldly, pointing at Fang Yue and sternly saying, "Fang Yue, you disregarded blood ties and betrayed human ethics, breaking the formation without authorization and allowing the Blood Fiend Gang to harm my Fang family members. You are utterly heartless and insane! Shouldn't you kneel down and kowtow to your ancestors to repent?"

"Ha ha ha ha!"

Upon hearing this, Fang Yue burst into maniacal laughter, as if he had lost his mind.

The laughter was manic and morbid.

"Blood ties, betraying human ethics?"

Fang Yue's sharp gaze swept across the faces of each member of the Fang family.

His eyes were filled with extreme indifference and hatred.

"When Fang Xuan killed my son, why didn't you say he disregarded blood ties or betrayed human ethics?"

Fang Yue's face contorted, his eyes turned bloodshot, and he roared in fury.

"My son is born with a Earth-rank martial vein, a dragon among men. He is destined to lead our Fang family to become a unique family in this world."

"That little bastard Fang Xuan killed him, killed my son!"

Fang Yue bit his gums until they bled, his tone chilling and venomous.

"I wish I could tear him apart, skin him alive, grind his bones to dust, drink his blood, and eat his flesh!"

Fang Yue's words filled the Fang family members with rage, and they cursed loudly.

"frenzied!"

"Turning black into white!"

"They deserve to die!"

Fang Yue remained unmoved by the accusations and curses from the crowd.

"Go ahead and curse, curse all you want."

Fang Yue said with a gloating expression, "I heard that little beast Fang Xuan failed to awaken his sword cultivation and even suffered a backlash. I'm afraid his days are numbered, right?"

Upon hearing this, the faces of all the Fang family members immediately turned extremely ugly.

Although the Grand Elder said that the young master was unconscious only because his injuries were too severe.

But it's been seven days already.

The young master showed no signs of waking up, which greatly worried them.

There are even rumors that the young master may never wake up again.

Even if they manage to wake up, they will lose all their cultivation.

"As long as I can avenge my son, it's all worth it."

Fang Yue laughed wildly, "But make me admit my mistake? Absolutely not!"

"you......."

Fang Shanhai pointed at Fang Yue, so angry that he couldn't even speak.

Just then, a calm voice suddenly rang out.

"It seems Second Uncle thinks his plan has succeeded?"

Everyone looked in the direction of the sound and their faces lit up with joy and excitement.

"It's the young master!"

"Young Master is awake!"

Fang Shanhai and the others hurriedly went to greet them.

"Young Master, you're finally awake!"

Fang Shanhai could not hide his joy and said in a low voice, "Fang Yue bribed the guards, left the water prison, and destroyed the magic array without permission, which almost caused the Fang family to face the crisis of extermination. In order to appease people's hearts, I have no choice but to expose his crimes today in front of the ancestral hall."

Fang Xuan nodded and walked towards the seat representing the family head.

"Thump!"

He took the sword case off his back and slammed it heavily on the ground, making a dull thud.

The hard ground instantly shattered into pieces.

Everyone stared in disbelief at the black sword box, as wide as a door panel, in front of Fang Xuan.

Young master, why did you use a door panel as a weapon?

Fang Xuan sat down with an air of authority, his deep and sharp eyes looking down at Fang Yue.

An invisible aura of majesty emanated from him, causing everyone to tremble and immediately hold their breath.

"Fang Yue, a sinner, has forgotten his ancestors and betrayed his clan, harming his own bloodline. His crimes are heinous."

Fang Xuan said coldly, "Fellow clansmen, according to our clan rules, how should this be dealt with?"

As soon as Fang Xuan finished speaking, Fang Shanhai shouted coldly.

"Expel him from the family register, sever him from the bloodline, behead him and display his head as a warning to others!"

These twelve words, each clearly uttered, reached the ears of every member of the Fang family, giving them a jolt.

For any martial artist, having their bloodline severed is the cruelest and most painful punishment.

But this is also the price of betraying one's family!

"Fang Xuan, how dare you!"

A flicker of panic crossed Fang Yue's eyes as he said, "You killed my son; you're the one who deserves to die!"

Why wouldn't I dare?

Fang Xuan said coldly, "I am the young master of the Fang family, and my punishment of you is in accordance with the family rules."

"If you're not satisfied..."

Fang Xuan leaned forward, his sharp eyes growing even more intense.

It sends chills down one's spine.

"Then let's go down and ask my ancestors, the ancestors of the Fang family, what they think!"

Having said that, Fang Xuan raised his arm, joined two fingers together, and swept them across the air.

"laugh!"

A burst of sword energy shot out from Fang Xuan's two fingers, slashing towards a person behind Fang Yue.

"thump!"

Blood spurted out, and a head, its face filled with terror and despair, rolled to the ground at Fang Yue's feet.

Blood splattered, staining Fang Yue's entire body.

"Young Master, I was wrong, please...please don't kill me..."

The remaining person was terrified upon seeing this.

He ignored everything, stood up, turned around, and ran away.

It wasn't fast because it was bound by iron chains.

"Those who betray their people cannot be forgiven!"

Fang Xuan flicked his finger again, and a sharp sword aura shot out, severing the head of the clansman.

"Thump!"

The headless corpse lay on the ground, still twitching slightly.

This bloody scene terrified not only the Fang family members, but also Fang Yue.

"You...you...you've awakened the sword cultivation ability?!"

Fang Yue was so shocked that he staggered backward, his madness turning into fear.

He never expected that Fang Xuan was not only alive.

Instead, during his seven-day coma, he was reborn from the ashes and awakened to become the most powerful swordsman.

"A sword cultivator? Young Master is truly a sword cultivator!"

"Hahaha, may my Fang family prosper for a thousand years!"

While shocked, the Fang family members were also overjoyed.

As long as the sword cultivator lives, he can protect his family for a thousand years.

The oldest members of the group were so excited that they became incoherent, and finally all knelt down in front of the ancestral hall, kowtowing frantically.

"Our Fang family has produced a sword cultivator!"

An elderly man from the Fang family, who could barely walk steadily, kowtowed and wiped away tears.

"May our ancestors protect our young master and guide him to great heights in martial arts; may they bless our Fang family with eternal prosperity!"

Upon hearing this, the rest of the Fang family members all knelt down and kowtowed, praying for their ancestors' blessings.

"impossible!"

Fang Yue's face twisted in pain as he roared in a shrill voice, "You clearly failed to awaken your powers; you're lucky to have survived. How could you possibly become a sword cultivator?"

Fang Xuan did not answer, but slowly raised his eyes.

Deep within his eyes, it seemed as if a myriad of sword energies were hidden, condensing an ancient sharpness.

Just one glance was enough to make Fang Yue feel his limbs stiffen, as if he had fallen into an ice cellar.

His body and soul felt as if they were being pierced by thousands of sword energies, making him feel worse than dead.

Fang Xuan placed his palm on the sword box, his body surrounded by sword intent.

Dressed in white, he looked like a sword immortal reborn.

Fang Yue.

Fang Xuan's calm voice rang out.

"You coveted the position of clan head and embezzled clan resources, but out of consideration for our shared bloodline, we'll just imprison you in a water dungeon and let you live out your life in peace."

"but......."

Fang Xuan's eyes flashed with an even stronger cold light, like sword energy crisscrossing and clanging.

"You should never have done that, you absolutely should never have done that, when my Fang family was in danger, you destroyed the formation, almost causing the annihilation of my Fang family."

"These crimes that have shaken the very foundation of our family are too numerous to count. If they are not punished according to the family rules, how can those family members who died under the Blood Fiend Gang's blade rest in peace?"

Fang Xuan coldly retorted, "Fang Yue, do you think you're right just because you don't admit your mistake? Do you dare say, in front of our ancestors, that you truly... are not wrong?"

"thump!"

As the last word fell, Fang Yue felt as if all his strength had been drained away; his legs went weak, and he collapsed to his knees.

"Was I...was I really wrong?"

Fang Xuan slowly stood up, his hands resting on the sword box.

"Fang Yue, a member of our clan, has betrayed our clan and deceived our lineage; he shall be executed!"

As soon as the voice fell, countless sword energies burst forth from the sword box, piercing through Fang Yue's body.

Each sword strike that passed through Fang Yue took away a piece of his bloodline.

This is precisely the stripping away of bloodlines.

"puff!"

As the final sword energy sliced ​​across his neck, Fang Yue's body was instantly severed from his head, and he was executed in front of the Fang family ancestral hall.