"Ah, I never expected the young master to do something so outrageous. I thought he was the hope of the Xiao family, but it turns out that beneath his gentlemanly facade lies such filth and baseness."

"I told you, this young master was no good. All his kindness to the clan was just an act, but you wouldn't believe me, saying I was just jealous."

"Do you believe it now? As soon as the little young master returned, he felt he lost favor and immediately showed his true colors."

"Pooh, he's really nothing. I used to admire him so much, but I didn't expect him to be this kind of person, pooh!"

"......"

After Xiao Yating's words fell, whispers filled the hall.

Many clan members secretly began to despise and scorn the young master who once made them proud.

This is perhaps what they call kicking someone when they're down.

"Xiao Ming, do you have anything to say?!!"

Without discerning the truth of these words, Xiao Tiance once again shouted angrily at Xiao Ming.

A terrifying aura swept through the hall, making Xiao Ming feel as if a mountain was crashing down on him.

Yet, he showed no fear, standing tall like a pine tree.

"Hahaha, the world is declining, and people's hearts are no longer pure!! I thought my goodwill would earn the clan's support, but instead, I was stabbed in the back. What a tragedy!"

Xiao Ming laughed wildly, his gaze icy as he looked at Xiao Yating.

That look made Xiao Yating shiver, quickly turning her head away, not daring to meet Xiao Ming's eyes.

"What do you mean?! Are you suggesting that Yating would sacrifice her reputation and join forces with your brother to frame you? Utterly ridiculous and hopeless!"

Hearing Xiao Ming's words, Xiao Tiance's face turned extremely grim, his voice even colder.

"Considering you're my son, I'll give you one last chance. As long as you honestly admit your mistakes and seek forgiveness from your brother and the clan, I can be lenient..."

"Forgiveness? Utterly laughable!!" Before Xiao Tiance could finish, Xiao Ming interrupted with a cold laugh, "I, Xiao Ming, dare to swear to the heavens. If what they say is true, may I be struck by lightning. Do they dare?"

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His words echoed like thunder in the Xiao family hall, causing Xiao Tiance, Lin Wanqing, and others to change their expressions dramatically.

In the Cangyuan Realm, swearing to the heavens involves karma, and if the oath is false or broken, even if not struck by lightning, one would be plagued by inner demons, hindering future cultivation.

Therefore, unless one is truly innocent, no one dares to swear to the heavens!

"Impudent!! Who allowed you to speak to your parents like this and smear my character with lies?!"

After Xiao Ming finished speaking, the previously silent Xiao Ren suddenly erupted with power, raising his hand to strike Xiao Ming.

"Dare to slander me, kneel before me!!"

This sudden change made everyone in the hall's faces change, anyone could see that Xiao Ren was in a panic.

"Daring to strike your own brother, truly worthy of being your favorite!"

Xiao Ming merely sneered, also channeling his power to strike back, the two brothers clashing instantly.

A deafening explosion echoed in the hall, Xiao Ren screamed and was sent flying.

Fortunately, Lin Wanqing reacted quickly, catching Xiao Ren before he hit the wall.

Although Xiao Ren was born with the Supreme Bone, making him physically stronger than his brother, he started cultivating two years later, and the Supreme Bone was not yet fully developed.

His cultivation had just reached the first level of the Spirit Sea realm, far inferior to his brother.

"Impudent, daring to injure your own brother in front of the clan. The family raised you, not for you to bully your own!!" Seeing Xiao Ren sent flying, Xiao Tiance was utterly furious, "Someone, take this unfilial son away, execute the fire whip punishment according to clan rules, and imprison him to reflect for half a year!"

Hearing Xiao Tiance's order, everyone's faces changed dramatically.

The fire whip punishment.

It's the most brutal punishment in the Xiao family.

If Xiao Ming were taken for punishment, he'd be skinned even if he survived!

It seems the family head is serious this time!

"Heh, he struck first, yet only I am punished. You truly are a good father, a good family head!!"

Hearing Xiao Tiance's order, a cold glint flashed in Xiao Ming's eyes, his voice emotionless.

"In that case, from today on, we sever all ties. I, Xiao Ming, am no longer part of the Xiao family!!"

"You want to leave the Xiao family?!"

With those words, the faces of the Xiao family members changed.

Xiao Tiance's expression was extremely dark, his gaze coldly fixed on Xiao Ming.

"The family raised you for so many years, spent countless resources to cultivate you to this level, and you want to leave over a trivial matter?"

After Xiao Tiance's words, Lin Wanqing also looked disappointed.

"Ming'er, you've truly let me down! Your brother was a bit impulsive, but you shouldn't have injured him. Now you've injured him and want to sever ties with us? Where do you place your father's and mother's efforts, are you worthy of the Xiao family's nurturing all these years?!" Hearing Xiao Ming's rebellious words, Lin Wanqing didn't take it seriously. She just put on a mother's demeanor and harshly scolded Xiao Ming.

After all, Xiao Ming had always been obedient and sensible, with deep feelings for the Xiao family, how could he easily sever ties with them?

"Hahaha, saying so much. Isn't it just because you think you gave birth to me, raised me, and everything I have comes from you, so I'm inherently indebted to you. So you can stand on the moral high ground and force me to do anything. Even impose false charges on me, forcing me to take the blame for this beast, becoming your sacrifice to favor your younger son and please the Taiyi Sacred Land."

Facing the moral coercion of these convenient parents, Xiao Ming mercilessly mocked.

"Shut up!!"

Exposed by Xiao Ming, Xiao Tiance and Lin Wanqing couldn't help but shout.

"Hahaha, can't I say it?!!"

Xiao Ming didn't stop, instead laughing with full ridicule.

"You know exactly what kind of person he is. But because he has the Supreme Bone and the Taiyi Sacred Land backing him, and because he disappeared for eleven years, you feel you owe him too much. So you want to please him, cover up his misdeeds, to make him feel a sense of belonging to the Xiao family. So that when he becomes a holy son of the Taiyi Sacred Land, or even a strong figure there, the Xiao family can rise with him. Not just you two, but all of you are the same."

With Xiao Ming's words, the Xiao family was in an uproar.

Several elders' faces turned livid, each coldly shouting.

"Daring to slander the elders of the Xiao family, this child is utterly arrogant, his cultivation should be abolished, and he should be expelled from the Xiao family!"

"Disrespectful to parents, disrespectful to the clan, this child is inherently rebellious, he cannot be kept!"

"We thought, considering he was the young master and contributed to the family, we could be lenient."

"But this child shows no remorse, if the Xiao family doesn't punish him severely, how can we maintain our prestige?!"