CHAPTER 270: YOU GAVE IT TO HIM

But before he could continue, Grim’s voice cut through the chamber with sharp accusation.

"You gave it to him, didn’t you?"

The interruption sent shockwaves through the assembled council. All eyes turned to Grim, who had risen from his seat with obvious anger radiating from his posture.

"Lord Ambrose," Húwáng said carefully, "what are you suggesting?"

"I’m not suggesting anything," Grim replied, his gaze fixed on Elder Míngzhì with unwavering intensity.

"I’m stating fact. Elder Míngzhì didn’t have his book stolen. He gave it to Xùyán willingly."

"That’s a serious accusation," Elder Qīngfēng observed, though her tone suggested she found it believable.

"Is it?" Grim asked, his voice growing cold. "Elder Míngzhì has opposed me being here from the moment I arrived. He’s questioned my character, my methods, and my worthiness at every opportunity."

"Opposition to policy doesn’t constitute treason," Elder Zhìhuì pointed out, though his political instincts were clearly engaged by the unfolding drama.

"Doesn’t it?" Grim countered. "When that opposition leads to providing forbidden knowledge to someone desperate enough to use it against me?"

He stepped forward, his fox companion padding silently beside him as he approached the central table where the blood-stained book lay.

"Think about the timing," Grim continued.

"You’re suggesting conspiracy," Elder Tiānkōng said with concern.

"I’m stating it plainly," Grim replied. "Elder Míngzhì provided Xùyán with the knowledge he needed to attempt a ritual that would have made him powerful enough to challenge me directly."

The chamber fell silent as the implications of the accusation settled over the assembled council.

"The security measures around Elder Míngzhì’s archives are extensive," Elder Míngjìng observed. "Multiple magical wards, physical barriers, and monitoring enchantments."

"Exactly," Grim agreed. "The kind of defenses that would be impossible for someone like Xùyán to overcome alone, but trivial for the person who designed them."

Elder Míngzhì’s breathing became increasingly labored as the weight of evidence and accusation pressed down upon him.

His usual composure had completely crumbled, leaving behind only a frightened old fox spirit.

"Furthermore," Grim continued relentlessly, "who else had intimate knowledge of both the forbidden rituals and Xùyán’s psychological vulnerabilities? Who else was positioned to manipulate a desperate young fox into attempting something so catastrophically dangerous?"

"These are serious charges," Húwáng said as he cut through the tension. "Elder Míngzhì, how do you respond?"

The ancient fox spirit opened his mouth several times, but no words emerged.

"I..." he whispered finally, "I never gave the boy the book. He talked about trying to prove it was wrong for a human to be in position to marry into the royal family."

"You admit that he stole forbidden knowledge?" Elder Qīngfēng asked with obvious disbelief.

"I thought he would simply challenge Lord Ambrose to formal combat," Míngzhì said. "I never thought he would go so far."

"You gave him access to rituals that could have destroyed half our realm," Elder Cháng said angrily. "Your political preferences nearly caused a catastrophe."

"But you did provide the knowledge," Húwáng said with absolute finality. "Regardless of your intentions, you enabled a betrayal of our realm’s security."

Grim felt a mixture of vindication and disgust as he watched the elder.

"What happens now?" Princess Ruxi asked quietly.

"Now," Húxiān said, speaking for the first time since the accusations began, "Elder Míngzhì faces the consequences of betraying the trust placed in him."

The chamber fell silent as the divine judgment was stated. Míngzhì’s political career was over, his reputation destroyed, and his future entirely dependent on whatever mercy the council chose to show.

"The council will deliberate on appropriate punishment," Húwáng announced. "Elder Míngzhì, you are relieved of all duties pending final judgment."

As guards moved to escort the disgraced elder from the chamber, Grim felt no satisfaction in his victory.

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In the Celestis Empire, the Celestial Sect’s training grounds bustled with activity despite the early morning hour.

Chen Xing stood on a elevated platform overlooking the main training area.

Beside him, Shen Lao maintained his human form. His presence commanded immediate respect from students, though few knew his actual identity.

"The morning reports," Chen Xing said, consulting a scroll covered in detailed notes. "Three more students reached their goal overnight, bringing our total to twenty-three students with three mana hearts."

"Excellent progress," Shen Lao observed with satisfaction. "Though I note you said twenty-three rather than twenty. Has our count changed?"

"Two students advanced yesterday evening after the reports were compiled," Chen Xing confirmed. "Young Liu Wei and Song Mei both achieved their third heart within hours of each other."

"Impressive. That puts us ahead of Lord Ambrose’s projected timeline."

"Indeed," Chen Xing agreed. "Though I’m concerned about the dropout rate. We’ve lost over six hundred recruits since training began."

"Expected and necessary," Shen Lao replied without concern. "Building a cultivation sect requires dedication that not everyone possesses. Better to identify the uncommitted early than waste resources on those who will abandon their training when faced with real challenges."

"Still, four hundred from over a thousand seems like significant attrition."

"Quality over quantity," the dragon emphasized. "The students who remain have demonstrated the mental fortitude and physical capability necessary for advanced cultivation. They’re the foundation upon which Lord Ambrose will build his power."

Chen Xing nodded, though his expression remained thoughtful. "The twenty-three students with three mana hearts have been asking about next steps. They’re eager to continue advancing."

"As they should be," Shen Lao said with approval. "Ambition tempered by discipline is exactly what we want to see."

"What should we tell them about their next phase of training?"

Shen Lao was quiet for several moments, his golden eyes surveying the training grounds with the kind of ancient patience that spoke of his true nature.

"Tell them to focus on filling their mana hearts completely," he said finally. "Three hearts means nothing if they’re only partially developed. They need to maximize their capacity before advancing further."

"How long should that process take?"

"Varies by individual," Shen Lao replied. "Some may achieve full capacity within weeks, others might require months. But until their existing hearts are completely filled and stable, attempting to develop a fourth heart would be useless."

"And once they do achieve full capacity?"

"Then we begin the next phase of their development," Shen Lao said.

"The students are eager to prove themselves," Chen Xing observed. "Many have asked when Lord Ambrose will return to oversee their training personally."

"Soon," Shen Lao said with certainty. "His current obligations will be resolved shortly, and when he returns, he’ll find a sect worthy of his leadership."

"And if enemies attempt to interfere with our operations while he’s away?"

"Then they’ll discover that Lord Ambrose chose his allies wisely," Shen Lao replied with a smile. "The Celestial Sect is protected by more than just imperial decree."

"Continue the current training regimen," Shen Lao instructed. "Push the advanced students to complete their heart development. In two months, we should have a core of fully trained cultivators ready for whatever challenges Lord Ambrose brings them."

"Understood," Chen Xing replied with the kind of crisp efficiency that had made him invaluable to Grim’s operations.

As they continued to observe the training, both men understood that they were building something unprecedented in the empire.