Chapter 36

"Bang!"

Just as Jiang Yi finished speaking, the elder of the Martial Hall's large hand swept down and heavily struck his left shoulder. Jiang Yi's left shoulder instantly burst through his robe, blood splattered everywhere, and he crashed heavily into the wall, rebounding and rolling on the ground several times before struggling to stand up!

The Martial Hall, as the strongest branch of the Jiang family, was responsible for external battles and protecting the family. Elder Jiang Yunmeng was not yet fifty years old, but his combat strength was second only to the Grand Elder and the Family Head. Not to mention within the Jiang family, even in Tianyu City, he was a well-known figure. How could he allow a mere junior like Jiang Yi to provoke him?

However, Jiang Yi's fearless attitude was quite to his liking; otherwise, Jiang Yi would have been killed with one palm, or at the very least, all the bones in his left shoulder would have shattered.

Despite this, he still took a step forward, his aura fiercely surging, enveloping Jiang Yi who was struggling to stand up. With a cold and stern voice, he shouted, "Wrongfully killed? How wronged can you be? I saw you commit murder in public, and you still dare to shout? Do you have the qualifications to negotiate with me? Bring this person to the Punishment Hall and await the Punishment Hall's decision!"

"Wait!"

Jiang Yi roared, struggling to stand up. Despite the mountain-like pressure from Jiang Yunshan, his body trembled continuously, and the wound bled profusely, but he still stood up. His lips were curled with a mocking smile, and he stared at Jiang Yunmeng with burning eyes, saying, "Elder of the Martial Hall, you are rumored to be upright and fierce like a tiger. It seems I, Jiang Yi, have misjudged you. Fine! Since you don't want to kill me, I'll take my own life. Anyway, going to the Punishment Hall means certain death!"

As he spoke, Jiang Yi's hand was surrounded by elemental energy, and he fiercely struck his own head. At this moment, his face became incredibly calm, his eyes still fixed on Jiang Yunmeng, filled with mockery.

"Uh..."

Jiang Gushui and others were all on edge, watching Jiang Yi commit suicide, their hearts pounding. This person was indeed a madman, not only provoking the Elder of the Martial Hall to seek death but also daring to take his own life? They could clearly feel that Jiang Yi's palm was exerting full strength, with no pretense, truly intending to commit suicide!

"Hmph!"

Jiang Yunmeng's face changed, not because of Jiang Yi's suicide, but because of the mockery in his eyes and the contempt in his words. He swiftly extended his hand, grabbed Jiang Yi, and his face turned extremely angry. Leaning close to Jiang Yi, he lowered his voice and said, "Fine, you have guts. Go to the Punishment Hall, I'll help you invite all the elders! But rest assured, even if all the elders come, you still won't escape death today!"

"Thank you, Elder!"

Jiang Yi smiled, a bright and radiant smile, and his heart felt relieved. If Jiang Yunmeng had acted a moment later, he would have truly met his end. He had bet his life, and the result was... he had won.

"Take everyone to the Punishment Hall, go invite all the elders and the Family Head. Tell them I'm sending them to the Punishment Hall."

Jiang Yunmeng swept his sleeve and strode out, his face extremely grim. Today, he had been coerced by a mere child? He felt incredibly humiliated, never having felt so humiliated in his life...

...

The entire Jiang family was soon alarmed. A family member, bold and reckless, dared to openly injure someone in the Martial Hall? The injured person was the son of the Chief Steward, Jiang Yunshe, and more importantly, the second-ranked young generation member, Jiang Yunmeng, had his spine broken and his head smashed!

Breaking someone's limbs and ribs was not a big deal; with high-level healing medicines, they could recover in ten to fifteen days. But the spine and skull are the most important bones in the body, the hardest to recover. If not treated well, one could become a fool or paralyzed...

The recruitment period for the Spirit Beast Mountain was less than a month away. With Jiang Yunmeng's combat strength, even if he couldn't enter the Spirit Beast Mountain Academy, he could definitely join the Western Garrison Army. Jiang Yi had completely ruined Jiang Rulong's future and deprived the Jiang family of a hope.

Although they didn't know which family member was so bold and reckless, many clan members quickly rushed to the Punishment Hall, wanting to see which member was so fierce, daring to provoke the wrath of Jiang Yunshe and the authority of the Punishment Hall?

The Punishment Hall was already surrounded by family members. Jiang Gushui, Jiang Rulong, and Jiang Yi were brought into the Punishment Hall, while the other members waited outside for summons. On the dais, Jiang Yunshi's face was as grim as a judge, and as the elders arrived one by one, his face became even grimmer, his gaze filled with murderous intent as he stared at Jiang Yi.

This little brat had immediately attacked someone right after leaving the Punishment Hall, which was not the main issue. The most important thing was that before coming to the Punishment Hall, he had made Jiang Yunmeng invite all the elders and the Family Head, clearly implying that he feared being wrongfully killed in the Punishment Hall?

He had been the Deputy Elder of the Punishment Hall for several years and had never encountered such a bold and fearless Jiang family member, let alone a collateral branch member with a status lower than a servant. He reminded himself to stay calm; today's matter must be handled properly. Not only must Jiang Yi be killed to maintain the authority of the Punishment Hall and his own, but it must also be fair and just, leaving no room for argument.

The Jiang family had ten elders, but Jiang Yunhai was missing, and Elder Liu was dead, leaving only eight. In just a short time, seven of them had arrived. Some were full of rage, some with mocking eyes, and some looked at Jiang Yi with a mysterious smile.

"Whoosh!"

A tall figure shot from afar, and before it even approached, a killing aura enveloped the Punishment Hall. The Jiang family members outside all stepped back in fear, looking at Jiang Yi's frail body as if he were already a dead man.

"Hmm?"

Jiang Yi felt a killing intent lock onto him and quickly turned back, his face immediately turning cold. A name flashed in his mind: Jiang Yunshe!

Jiang Yunshe was not an elder, but his power was greater than several elders. As the Chief Steward of the Internal Affairs Hall, he managed the Jiang family's finances and many affairs. All the monthly allowances for the Jiang family members had to pass through his hands. In the hearts of the Jiang family members, he was only slightly less terrifying than the Deputy Elder of the Punishment Hall.

"Whoosh!"

Jiang Yunshe rushed over, his body darting through the crowd like an eagle, and in mid-air, a large hand transformed into an eagle's claw, fiercely grabbing at Jiang Yi's head.

Jiang Yi had injured both of his sons today, and most importantly, he had ruined Jiang Yunmeng's future. Jiang Yunshe, with his high position and power, could not tolerate this from a mere family member. Even if he killed Jiang Yi directly today, no one would dare to say anything.

Indeed!

Jiang Yunshi, Jiang Yunmeng, and others saw Jiang Yunshe rush in to kill and all their faces changed, but no one spoke. After all, the injured person was his son, and speaking up at this moment would mean completely offending Jiang Yunshe.

"Ha ha ha!"

Faced with Jiang Yunshe's fatal attack, Jiang Yi had no way to dodge. He was not afraid and instead laughed loudly, completely ignoring Jiang Yunshe and instead turning to the group of elders, saying with a cold smile, "Elder of the Martial Hall, you said I wouldn't be wrongfully killed in the Punishment Hall? The Punishment Hall hasn't even started the trial, and someone wants to kill me! The Jiang family rules are all dogshit, and the Punishment Hall is dogshit! I, Jiang Yi... will not die in peace!"

The wind caused by Jiang Yunshe's rush made Jiang Yi's blood-stained robe flutter, and his black hair danced wildly, causing the wound on his left shoulder to bleed again. His young face showed no fear, only mockery, creating a bizarre and intimidating scene.

"Stop!"

"Yunshe, stop!"

Jiang Yunmeng and Jiang Yunshi realized the situation and simultaneously shouted. With so many Jiang family members watching outside and almost all the elders present, if Jiang Yi were really killed by Jiang Yunshe, it would cause significant turmoil in the Jiang family and severely undermine the authority of the clan rules and the Punishment Hall.

"Hmph!"

Jiang Yunshe's eagle claw stopped a foot in front of Jiang Yi's face, his eyes filled with venomous hatred, like a lurking venomous snake, making people shudder. He stared at Jiang Yi for a moment and then spoke in a cold, icy voice, "What a sharp tongue, little bastard. Even if you are as smooth as a snake today, you still won't escape death."

Jiang Yi seemed to have given up today, calmly looking at Jiang Yunshe and saying, "Chief Steward, I am the adopted grandson of Grand Elder Jiang Yunhai. You call me a little bastard? Are you indirectly insulting the Grand Elder? Ha ha, no wonder your two sons call me a little bastard. It seems you have taught them well."

"You..."

Jiang Yunshe's body trembled with anger, but he was caught by Jiang Yi's words and didn't know how to respond, his killing aura surging again, almost ready to strike again.

Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh!

At this moment, footsteps and the sounds of family members saluting came from outside: "Greetings, Family Head, greetings, Second Elder!"

Jiang Yunshe quickly suppressed his anger and looked outside with Jiang Yi. A middle-aged man with a luxurious robe and a refined, handsome appearance, and an old man with white hair and a hunched back, were walking in.

Seeing the old man, Jiang Yi's heart felt slightly relieved. Among all the elders, only this respected Second Elder was close to the Grand Elder. As long as this Second Elder appeared, he had a good chance of saving his life.

Jiang Yi was not a fool and did not want to die. On the contrary, he was very smart, and how could he have such high insight if he weren't?

After leaving Chun Ya's house, he took each step seemingly recklessly, but it was all part of his plan. Jiang Xiaonu being beaten so badly had thoroughly enraged him. He decided to cause a big commotion, severely retaliating against Jiang Ruhu and the others, and making everyone in the Jiang family know that anyone who dared to touch Jiang Xiaonu would face... his wrath!

He dared to act in the Martial Hall, waited for Jiang Rulong to appear, and dared to injure him so severely, even including his later actions to seek death when the Elder of the Martial Hall appeared. All of this was to make the matter bigger, to alarm everyone in the Jiang family, and to alarm this old man.

Only by making the matter bigger, by making everyone know, and by having the Second Elder appear, did he have a chance to save his life.

Jiang Yi's plan was not wrong!

However—

What stunned him was that after the Family Head, Jiang Yunshan, walked in, he glanced at Jiang Yi with a cold, icy gaze and immediately said coldly, "What trial? I know everything. Such a reckless and cruel family member, if left alive, will eventually be a disaster. Execute him directly!"