The Emperor of Zongmen Workers is here

As the smoke from the Demonic Tide battlefield slowly dissipated, He Yihuan led the group back home. Though their steps showed signs of fatigue, their hearts were filled with the joy of victory.

After countless hardships, everyone finally reached the magnificent viewing platform, and the scene they saw was awe-inspiring. The atmosphere was so enthusiastic that it seemed to light up the entire sky, and the noise, cheers, and shouts of encouragement resounded through the sky.

The elders from each family had been waiting here for a long time. Their expressions were solemn yet filled with concern and anticipation, their gazes scanning the crowd eagerly, hoping that their disciples would appear in sight as soon as possible. When they saw a familiar face, the elders' faces instantly broke into joyful smiles, and they hurried forward to greet them.

The disciples, upon seeing their elders, felt like long-adrift ships finding a warm harbor, a surge of joy and security. They quickly flocked to them like a tide, tightly surrounding their beloved elders. Some impatient disciples didn't even have time to catch their breath before eagerly recounting the hardships and obstacles they had faced during the competition.

"Elder, you don't know, this journey was filled with dangers! We encountered countless powerful monsters, and every battle was thrilling! Especially those evil cultivators!"

A disciple spoke excitedly, his voice trembling slightly with emotion. He vividly described the scene of the fierce battle with the enemy, his hands occasionally gesturing with his moves, as if the thrilling scenes were still vivid in his mind.

Another disciple then added, "Yes, Elder! And there were several times when we were almost in desperate situations. If we hadn't worked together and supported each other, we would have died long ago." As he spoke, his eyes couldn't help but redden. Thinking of those fellow disciples who had fought side by side with him but unfortunately sacrificed their lives, he felt grief in his heart.

When the stories moved them, some students who had experienced life and death and witnessed the passing of their classmates and friends could no longer hold back their tears, letting them flow freely down their cheeks. They choked back their tears as they recalled the lives lost and the wonderful times they had shared with them, their sorrow evident in their words.

The elders listened quietly to the disciples' stories, their hearts filled with emotion. They knew full well what this competition meant to the younger generation—not just a test of strength, but also a crucial journey of growth. Gazing upon these weathered children, the elders felt both heartache and comfort.

They gently patted their disciples' shoulders and comforted them in soft yet firm tones: "The dead are gone, but you are still alive. This is the greatest blessing. Remember those who have passed away and pass on their spirit. At the same time, cherish everything you have now, bravely face the challenges of the future, and continue to strive forward."

After hearing the elders' heartfelt words, the disciples gradually stopped crying and regained their spirits. They nodded vigorously, promising to remember the elders' teachings and live up to their expectations. Then, the elders led the disciples slowly toward their respective rest areas, preparing for the more intense competition to come.

Yet, Jiang Qingwu stood out in the crowd. As soon as she appeared, Lin Muci rushed over like a gust of wind, embracing her tightly. A complex mixture of worry and joy filled Lin Muci's eyes. She held Jiang Qingwu tightly, as if afraid she'd disappear if she let go.

"Junior Master! I knew you would be safe!" Lin Muci said excitedly, his voice trembling slightly, "No matter what difficulties you face, I always believe that you can get through this safely." Jiang Qingwu felt the warm embrace of Lin Muci, and a warm current surged in his heart.

Jiang Qingwu gently patted Lin Muci's back and comforted him, "Muci, we are all fine, this is the most important thing."

They dragged their exhausted bodies back to the rest camp. Everyone seemed a little listless, but thinking that tomorrow would be the day when the Tianji Pavilion would hold a three-court trial of the elder controlled by the puppet, they couldn't help but feel a sense of tension and anticipation.

As night fell quietly, a blazing bonfire lit up in the center of the camp. The dancing flames illuminated the surroundings, illuminating the entire camp as if it were daytime.

The disciples sat around the campfire and began to share their experiences along the way.

"Do you know? Last time I encountered a particularly ferocious monster. Its claws were so sharp that they could easily tear through steel!" A burly disciple said excitedly.

"Wow! How did you escape?" the person next to him asked curiously.

"Hehe, I tried my best and finally escaped by luck." The burly disciple smiled proudly.

"And me, I met a mysterious old man on the way. He gave me a secret book and said it could help me improve my cultivation to a higher level." Another disciple said excitedly.

"Really? Then you have to practice hard!" Others expressed envy.

"By the way, have you heard of the legendary treasure? It is said that there are endless wealth and powerful magic weapons in it." A disciple said mysteriously.

"Really? Then should we go and look for it?" Someone was eager to try.

"Stop dreaming, it's just a legend, how can it really exist?" Another disciple poured a basin of cold water on him.

"Well, even if it's just a legend, we can still try our luck." Some people were still unwilling to give in.

"If you ask me, this experience is more exciting. It truly taught me what survival is and what the law of the jungle is! I must practice well to create a harmonious practice environment for future generations of the Dongxu Realm!" A disciple spoke passionately.

"Okay! Me too!" A Qingyun Sect disciple echoed!

"Take me with you!" said a disciple of the Ten Thousand Beasts Sect!

"I also……"

...More and more voices joined in, making people's blood boil.

The initially oppressive atmosphere gradually became lighthearted and cheerful, with everyone chatting and sharing their stories and experiences. The campfire was filled with laughter, as if all the fatigue had dissipated in that moment.

"Junior Master, we almost escaped death this time. However, we finally succeeded in thwarting the demon clan's conspiracy." Feng Ci said with emotion, his voice full of pride.

Mo Yunsheng also nodded in agreement, "Yes, this battle has made us grow a lot. In the future, we must work harder and contribute our strength to annihilate those evil demons."

Jiang Qingwu looked at the crowd, a warm feeling welling up in her heart. She knew that in this battle, they not only defeated the demons, but also gained much more, including growth.

Feng Ci turned to look at Su Chen and said with a smile: "Su Chen, you have made a great contribution this time! If it weren't for your wit and bravery, it would be difficult for us to escape the demon clan's formation."

Su Chen smiled modestly: "This is the result of everyone's joint efforts. I just did what I should do." After saying that, he smiled restrainedly. Jiang Qingwu on the side looked at his smile which was obviously filled with relief a few more times.

Zhongli Xiu patted Su Chen's shoulder and said, "Haha, Su Chen, don't be so modest. Everyone has seen your performance, and we are all proud of you!"

Feng Jingchen also came over, looked at Su Chen and said, "Yes, Su Chen, your performance this time was really outstanding. We all saw it in the water mirror, your excellence is obvious to everyone."

Shi Chenbai and Li Qinglian also expressed their agreement and highly praised Su Chen's various judgments after leading the team.

Su Chen's face flushed red due to the praise.

Lin Feixue embraced Mo Yunsheng, looked at everyone with a slightly raised lip, and said softly: "This victory is the result of our joint efforts. Everyone has played their part. Let us work together for the peace of the Dongxu Realm!"

Lin Muci nodded and said with a firm look: "That's right, we must unite as one and protect our home together."

"Yes! Let's protect our home together!" Zhongli Xiu echoed.

"Protect the Wuliang Sect!" Feng Ci shouted.

"Yes!" Feng Jingchen and Su Chen said firmly.

"Let's protect our home together..." Jiang Qingwu muttered to himself, feeling warm in his heart as he looked at the faces around him.

Everyone nodded, their eyes gleaming with determination. They knew the road ahead was still long, but as long as they worked hand in hand, they would be able to overcome all difficulties, safeguard the peace and tranquility of the Dongxu Realm, and protect what they wanted to protect...

"Junior Master, I heard that there will be a three-court trial tomorrow." Lin Muci said mysteriously.

"The elder of Tianji Pavilion who is controlled by puppetry?" Jiang Qingwu raised his eyebrows and asked tentatively.

"Isn't it?" Zhongli Xiu replied.

Everyone looked at each other, smiled in tacit understanding, and went into the room, ready to go to Li Qingtong to inquire.

Inside, Li Qingtong was worried about tomorrow's interrogation. He was surprised to see the crowd coming in. "Aren't you guys the most fond of hustle and bustle? Why are you here?"

Feng Jingchen was pushed out and said, "We know there will be a major trial tomorrow. Junior Uncle thought maybe we could help you, Master."

Feng Jingchen turned the conversation to Jiang Qingwu with a few light words. The protagonist Jiang Qingwu looked at the others in confusion, but after thinking for a while, he shook his head lovingly and stood in front of Li Qingtong and said.

"Senior Sister, I think you need us too. Even if you don't need us, I think you still need Ah Ci and Ah Xiu."

Li Qingtong looked at his junior sister's cunning appearance and chuckled, "That's right. Tell me, two inheritors of puppetry."

Zhongli Xiu and Feng Ci, who had mastered the true art of puppetry, immediately stepped forward with a smile and said, "The disciples of Mingyan Tower who were controlled by puppetry that we encountered in the Youhuang Secret Realm all had one characteristic."

Zhongli Xiu and Feng Ci exchanged a glance and said affirmatively, "Unstable mind, restless heart, and extreme fatigue are all the best opportunities for puppetry to control them."

"Therefore, we believe that the elder was at his most vulnerable and sensitive when he was controlled. Perhaps it was not intentional. Moreover, the puppetry techniques we inherited also mentioned that this type of technique is either willing by the controlled person or it is to take advantage of the opportunity when casting a spell on the controlled person." Zhongli Xiu and Feng Ci said slowly.

After they finished speaking, Li Qingtong had some realization. These control techniques, like the sound formula, were cast on the mind, so they must be very different.

At this time, Su Chen said that perhaps he was willing to be controlled.

After hearing this, everyone fell into silence.

On the second day of the trial, the elder was brought up...

Everyone asked in unison, "Why did you allow the demons to control you and do something so damaging to the foundation of righteousness?" He hesitated at first, his eyes flickering, and whispered, "I didn't do this of my own accord, and I don't know how the demons succeeded."

Shi Chenbai looked at him seriously and asked, "Could it be that something has disturbed your Taoism, allowing the demons to take advantage of you?" The elder shuddered all over, a look of pain appeared on his face, and his lips trembled slightly.

Everyone looked at each other in bewilderment. The elder of the Law Hall of the Tianji Pavilion was furious and whipped him with a whip, lashing him out fiercely. Yet, he couldn't stop laughing, his laughter filled with madness and despair.

Everyone was at their wit's end. At that moment, Li Qingtong threw a tranquilizing talisman and placed it on his forehead. His laughter abruptly stopped, and he spat out a mouthful of blood foam. Then, he said slowly, "I volunteered." There was a hint of determination in his voice.

He raised his head, his eyes filled with jealousy and resentment, and said, "I am full of jealousy. I can't stand seeing people with better foundations than me develop better than me, and people with worse foundations than me achieve higher cultivation realms than me. What I can't stand even more is those who have good foundations, a good master environment, and are willing to train disciples. They can easily get what I have been pursuing all my life but have been unable to obtain with untold hardships." He clenched his fists tightly, his nails digging deep into his palms, and the resentment in his heart surged like a tide.

When his realm upgrade failed, his inner defenses completely collapsed, allowing the demons to sneak in. However, with a shred of consciousness still remaining, he didn't alert anyone, but instead took advantage of the situation and completed this control technique.

As he recounted this, his eyes sometimes dimmed, sometimes gleaming with madness. The head of the Tianji Pavilion looked at him with pity, his eyes filled with regret and helplessness. The elder, looking back at the head, had a hint of mockery in his eyes, as if mocking the head's kindness.

Under interrogation, he was filled with conflict and struggle. He knew his actions were wrong, but the jealousy and resentment within him prevented him from controlling himself. He wondered if he had let go of his jealousy and worked harder at cultivation, perhaps the outcome would have been different. But it was too late; he could no longer undo his mistakes.

"Too late! Hahahaha! Too late!" Suddenly, his face turned ferocious, and he shouted, "I don't want to be humiliated anymore!" Then, without hesitation, he detonated his golden elixir. Everyone watched in horror, wanting to stop him, but it was too late.

In his final moments, his heart was filled with resentment and regret. He knew his actions would bring great disaster to the righteous path, but he could no longer turn back. He only hoped that by self-destructing, he could drag some of the chosen ones of heaven to be buried with him, so that they too could taste the pain.

He Yihuan, who was listening on the side, was quick-witted and threw out the explosion-proof talisman that Jiang Qingwu had given him to develop, protecting everyone and preventing them from being affected by his self-explosion.

After learning his reasons, everyone sighed in frustration. They understood that his jealousy and resentment had made him lose his mind and embark on a path of no return.

The leader of Tianji Pavilion looked at all this and felt a pity for his junior brother. He recalled the days when he and his junior brother practiced together, when his junior brother was full of vigor and longing for the future.

However, his junior fellow apprentice fell into the evil path due to jealousy and caused irreversible consequences for the righteous path, which made the sect leader feel extremely sad.

"Tianji Pavilion will compensate you for all your losses..." After saying this, he left the table exhausted...