Their attention was immediately drawn to the bandaged figures of his Senior Sisters - Qiu Xia, her face contorted in a pained grimace as she leaned heavily on Lian Rougang for support, and even the petite Shen Bi, whose usually adorable frame was now swathed completely in pristine white bandages.

The haunting image of their battered states left nearly all the Kunlun Elders recoiling in shock.

"By the heavens..." Elder Tan's gruff voice was the first to break the silence. His bushy eyebrows, set above a scar that cut across his face, furrowed deeply over wide eyes filled with disbelief as he took in the sight of the injured young female disciples.

His hands clenched at his sides. "How... how could this have happened to our cherished disciples?"

"This makes no sense," Elder Fang followed, his tone edged with confusion and suspicion.

His narrowed gaze flitted between the guests, the Emei sect's disciples shifting uncomfortably, the veiled face of Kunlun Patriarch, and the impassive Grand Elder. "We were informed that only the Law and Enforcement disciples had sustained injuries.”

Beyond the Kunlun Elders, other seniors from various righteous factions began to voice their dismay through murmurs and disapproving headshakes.

"A sparring match, they called it. This looks more like a battlefield than a training exercise," remarked the wizened Elder from the Kongtong Sect, her gravelly voice dripping with disdain.

The same woman who had restrained Ji Wuye with her steel fan now glanced coldly at her own disciple, their stoic expressions betraying no reaction to her censure. "Is this the path you've chosen, Little Mei?"

"Have you all entirely lost your moral compass?" Another Elder, this one hailing from Wudang, questioned sternly - his disappointment palpable as he cast a hard look at his disciples, arms crossed tightly over his broad chest.

The deep lines etched into his weathered face seemed to deepen further as he continued, "Since when did our revered martial arts become synonymous with such brutality? You chose to face him—the one defending those poorly treated girls? Has your sense of judgment—"

"Enough." The Grand Elder's commanding baritone sliced through the rising discontent, immediately silencing the heated discussion.

The room's collective focus snapped to Ji Wuye, who now stood unperturbed under their scrutiny, hands tucked calmly into his sleeves as he watched them all with an inscrutable gaze.

"As you all saw and experienced firsthand, this was neither how nor what a true sparring match should be," Ji Wuye stated firmly, his piercing gaze lingering pointedly on the Emei disciples.

They shifted uncomfortably, several averting their eyes from his accusatory stare. These were the uninvited outsiders who had dared to grievously injure his Senior Sisters, coming without an Elder's oversight.

"Is that all you wish to say in your defense?" The Grand Elder's resonant voice rang out, to which Ji Wuye gave a resolute nod.

"Very well." The Grand Elder continued, the heavy folds of his robe swaying slightly as he turned to address the gathered audience. "I have also heard the full account from Elder Ma Tang of the Beggar Sect, and it aligns perfectly with young disciple Ji's description of events."

A weighty pause lingered as the Elder swept his severe gaze across the assembled crowd. "If anyone present has doubts or lingering concerns before I pass final judgment, speak now. Let your voice be heard."

The first to step forward was an Elder from Wudang, back bent in a deferential bow as he cupped his hands.

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"Revered Senior," he began solemnly, regret clear in the deep lines creasing his weathered face. "I find myself in complete agreement with young Ji's truthful account. The dishonorable actions of my disciples in so recklessly meddling with Kunlun's internal affairs weighs heavily upon me. I..." A ragged breath. "I humbly request your forgiveness."

Apart from the Emei sect's disciples, whose sullen faces betrayed their displeasure, most guests from the various attending factions remained respectfully silent - a quiet acknowledgement of their agreement with the coming judgment. However...

"I REFUSE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THIS FARCE!" The outraged bellow shattered the tense silence like a thunderclap. All eyes snapped to the source - predictably, one of Murong Yu's bodyguards.

The burly man strode forward, fists clenched and thick neck flushed an angry crimson as he spat his next words like venom. "Self-defense? Was it self-defense to torture our Young Master?!"

His hateful glare bored straight into Ji Wuye, while another bodyguard joined in just as heatedly. "Monk Shao himself witnessed it - that...that little demon would have continued his torture if not for the venerable's intervention!" The man jabbed an accusing finger towards Ji Wuye. "Where is the justice in allowing such depravity?!"

With just a simple, commanding gesture - raising one wizened finger - the Grand Elder seamlessly regained control, silencing the raging bodyguards.

His ancient eyes, heavy with wisdom gathered over countless seasons, slowly scanned the assembled audience as if scrutinizing each face for any further challenges to Ji Wuye's claim of justifiable self-defense.

"Anyone else?" The Elder's gravelly voice was calm, almost bored, as his indifferent gaze swept over the gathered crowds. A tense silence blanketed the hall.

"Even if we were to accept this...convenient claim of self-defense," A new voice broke through the quiet, laced with skepticism. It belonged to Elder Mu, the father of Mu Lan Rou, as he stepped forward - shoulders squared and jaw set in firm opposition to Ji Wuye's statement.

His next words dripped with disdain. "There remains the matter of basic respect and decorum. We instill these fundamental values in our disciples from the very beginning." Elder Mu's lip curled in disgust as he recalled how much effort it had taken to convince his daughter not to meddle in this boy’s affairs, and the humiliation he had faced at the Kunlun Thousand Pavilion.

These memories only deepened his unfavorable view of Ji Wuye.

"Yet this arrogant young man shows complete disregard for even the most basic courtesies toward his distinguished Elders," he continued, disdain clear. "Such inexcusable behavior cannot simply be dismissed with the wave of a hand."

Dissenting murmurs rippled through the crowd as another muscular Elder stepped forward, his booming voice raised in objection. "This is another matter, but ... we cannot accept this young disciple's explanation at face value. A thorough examination is necessary - he must be checked for any traces of Forbidden Arts use."

"Indeed..." Another Elder chimed in, his tone thick with suspicion as he eyed Ji Wuye. "How else could a mere young disciple possibly demonstrate such devastating, unnatural strength?"

"The level of his martial arts...it defies reason," an elderly attendee stroked his wispy beard thoughtfully. "No matter how I consider it, such immense power seems impossible for one of his age and rank."

The buzzing undercurrent of agreement grew as more skeptical whispers and sidelong glances were exchanged throughout the hall. That is, until a serene voice like a cool breeze cut through the rising tide of suspicion.

"Amitabha."

All eyes turned toward the unhurried figure of Monk Shao Mu as he rose slowly to his feet, the soft clicking of his prayer beads filling the tense space. "Honored Elders, your concerns, while understandable, are gravely misplaced in this matter."

Monk Shao Mu's calm, steady gaze swept across the restless assembly as he spoke. "This humble one has borne direct witness to the benefactor's actions and battles from the very beginning."

Elder Ma's brow furrowed deeply in skepticism as he listened, plainly unconvinced. "With all due respect, Little Monk Shao, even the most experienced of eyes can be deceived -"

"The noble Buddhist path teaches us to seek and uphold the truth above all else," Shao Mu interrupted, his soft voice carrying an unexpected firmness. "I stake my hard-earned reputation upon this: the benefactor's extraordinary power comes from following a pure and righteous martial path. No forbidden arts. No unscrupulous shortcuts."

The monk's eyes gleamed with serene certainty. "Had there been even the faintest trace of forbidden arts, though I am still young and inexperienced, this monk's senses would have detected it immediately."

A heavy silence fell over the hall as Shao Mu's resolute words seemed to quell the rising tide of doubts and murmurs of skepticism. Elders from the various attending factions exchanged glances with their disciples, contemplating this testimony. Even the Kunlun Elders wore expressions of quiet reflection.

"That means...it's the potency of his genuine Martial Path alone?" Someone wondered aloud in an awed murmur.

"Less than twenty years of age, yet he can battle toe-to-toe with an esteemed Kunlun Elder..." Another voice echoed the disbelieving sentiment.

"Even if what you claim is true, we cannot so easily overlook the matter of -" Elder Mu began again, his face set in a deep frown at this unfavorable turn, but a flurry of interjecting voices from various factions drowned him out.

"Such immense talent!" The elder from Huashan exclaimed, suddenly rising to his feet, eyes bright with visible excitement and reverence.

"Young Hero Ji, our Huashan would welcome you with open arms!" He called out boldly, making an expansive welcoming gesture - hands that had so recently wielded a massive sword against Ji Wuye now offering friendship instead.

"With your clearly exceptional affinity for the great martial weapon, our school could nurture your talents far better than..."

The man's voice trailed off, but the implied insult to Kunlun hung heavy in the air, sending shock rippling through the crowd. The Kunlun Elders and even honored guests exchanged stunned, sidelong glances as the unspoken truth struck everyone present:

The Elder from Huashan was right…

A genius of Ji Wuye's caliber, treated as nothing more than an Outer Disciple of low standing within his own sect? From an outsider's impartial perspective, it seemed that Kunlun was gravely neglecting this rare, once-in-a-generation talent.

Wasn’t this their chance?

Meanwhile, Ji Wuye himself remained outwardly composed, watching the unfolding scene with a deceptively calm expression. Inwardly, however, his brows threatened to rise in baffled bewilderment.

'What in the heavens is this?'