Turns Out, I’m In A Villain Clan! Chapter 478 Where's the Treasure?

The Azure Sun Holy Sect had utterly yielded!

Their revered Sect Leader had forsaken them completely. Thus, they realized their total defeat was inevitable.

Bai Zihan had no intention of letting them off lightly.

He gazed upon the vast crowd in golden robes bowed low, then fixed his eyes on the four Immortals groveling right at the forefront.

'Since you've decided to submit,' he declared in a toneless voice, 'then submit in full.'

No one grasped his intention—

Until his following words dropped.

'Every disciple and Elder of the Azure Sun Sect.'

'Bow completely. Foreheads pressing the earth.'

A wave stirred among the assembly.

They were on their knees already.

Yet this—

This demanded total prostration.

'What? You dare defy me?'

Bai Zihan questioned. It appeared that defiance would lead to their utter annihilation.

Given Bai Zihan's nature, all present were convinced he might indeed carry it out.

After all, hadn't the Mei Clan been wiped out merely for aiding Shen Liang in accusing him?

And now, their offense targeted his very existence. Forgiveness was out of the question.

The Earth Immortal Ancestor shut his eyes for a moment.

Seeking life through humiliation beat certain death.

Then, he bowed his head until it met the stone.

The remaining three Immortals mimicked him.

Like a falling wave—

Thousands leaned forward.

Foreheads slammed against the ground.

'Admit your overbearing pride. Admit your insatiable avarice. Admit that the Bai Clan extended grace to pests like you.'

The yard quaked with bottled fury and shame.

Yet none risked staying quiet.

'We acted with arrogance!'

'We were shortsighted!'

'We are grateful to the Bai Clan for showing us mercy!'

...

Shouts mingled in disorder.

Some voices broke with sobs.

Some faltered.

Some almost howled.

'Once more!'

They echoed the words, and the entire Azure Sun Holy Sect turned to self-condemnation while exalting the Bai Clan with fervent cries.

Bai Zihan observed impassively, giving a nod of approval.

'Well done! You've grasped a measure of modesty.'

He remarked, appearing content.

Numerous individuals sighed in relief, believing the ordeal neared its close.

Yet Bai Zihan continued,

'Administer one hundred slaps to yourselves.'

Hush descended!

'Isn't this excessive? We've already yielded?'

The Earth Immortal Ancestor attempted to plead with Bai Zihan.

'Hm? You plotted my death, and I'm granting you leniency. Do you see me as an easy mark?'

Bai Zihan replied, his tone icy and ominous.

Gulp!

Staring into Bai Zihan's gaze, it was clear he wasn't jesting about his mercy.

The Earth Immortal Ancestor's jaw clenched.

He lifted his one remaining hand.

Slap!

The noise rang sharp in the quiet.

Disciples and Elders of Azure Sun stared in disbelief at the sight, an event beyond their wildest imaginations.

The other Immortals complied.

Slap! Slap!

Throughout the yard—

Thousands of palms lifted.

And descended.

The echoes built into a booming cadence resounding across the peaks.

Slap! Slap! Slap!

Cheeks flushed red.

Then bloated.

Blood started trickling onto the stone.

Among the bowed masses, a single Soul Formation disciple's eyes narrowed faintly.

One hundred slaps?

Acceptable!

But no rules specified the intensity.

He hoisted his hand upward—

Smack!

The noise sufficed.

However, his hand scarcely grazed his face.

Once again.

Smack!

His head jerked sideways theatrically, feigning a mighty blow.

In reality, he sensed little discomfort.

As long as he reached the tally, why care?

He even smirked to himself.

The Young Master couldn't watch over thousands simultaneously...

A shadow loomed over him.

The disciple's pulse raced.

Before he could raise his gaze—

A composed voice rang from above.

'Is this your idea of self-slapping?'

It belonged to Jin Yuanzhan, briefed earlier by Bai Zihan on his role.

The Soul Formation disciple went rigid.

Smack!!!

A fearsome strike whipped across his cheek.

Qi-infused power burst on contact.

His neck snapped back savagely, bones fracturing while blood and teeth flew from his lips.

He tumbled across the yard until he slammed into a column.

The whole square halted for an instant.

Jin Yuanzhan advanced deliberately, his presence unyielding even at the Nascent Soul Realm.

'If you're clueless on the method,' he stated icily, 'allow me to demonstrate correctly.'

He hauled the dazed disciple upright by the collar.

Then—

Smack!

Smack!!

Every blow packed dense qi.

The Soul Formation cultivator found it impossible to channel his energy for protection amid the Bai Clan's restraint.

His features crumpled.

Blood gushed.

After the tenth hit, his awareness splintered.

By the twentieth—

He collapsed lifeless.

Jin Yuanzhan released the body like refuse.

A heavy quiet smothered the yard.

Those who had toyed with similar notions felt chills run down their spines.

Their palms, previously tapping gently—

Now struck with vigor.

Slap! Slap!!

Flesh tore.

It was preferable to endure their own blows rather than face qi-laced punishment from another.

The pounding tempo restarted, fiercer than prior.

The Immortals too battered themselves without restraint.

Upon reaching the hundredth strike—

The yard fell mute once more.

Inflamed visages.

Shattered dentition.

Blood besmirching golden attire.

Bai Zihan scanned them all.

'Restrict their cultivation!'

Bai Clan Elders advanced without delay.

With utmost accuracy, they sealed meridians, hindering Qi flow.

Once finished, the thousands remained on their knees—helpless.

Bai Zihan faced the four Immortals.

'The treasury.'

The Earth Immortal Ancestor's expression flickered subtly.

'...Follow me!'

He stood gradually and guided them further into the sect.

Bai Ren strode alongside Bai Zihan in silence. His perception continuously probed the area.

In submission, no chances could be allowed, particularly concerning Bai Zihan's safety. They traversed yards and private chambers until arriving at a enormous bronze portal set into a cliff behind the primary summit. Faint ancient formations glowed on its face. The Earth Immortal extended his hand and placed his palm on the seal.

Tiers of barriers dissolved.

The portal groaned apart.

A surge of rich spiritual energy rushed forth.

Within—

Endless lines of artifacts hovered in formations. Swords, lances, barriers, garments.

Earth-grade resources stacked within crystalline containers.

Gold heaped into modest mounds.

Vials holding pills of all levels. The hoard from millennia.

The Earth Immortal bowed his head rigidly. 'This holds our sect's treasury.' Bai Zihan entered with composure.

His eyes roamed over the contents once.

Then again.

No shift in his demeanor.

Nothing here rivaled his personal holdings.

Nor did it outshine the Bai Clan's reserves.

Bai Ren huffed softly.

'The Azure Sun Holy Sect is more destitute than anticipated.'

'Precisely as I foresaw from them.' Bai Zihan concurred.

Those remarks stung the Ancestor like a blow.

Centuries of toil had built this vault, yet Bai Ren labeled it meager.

Certainly, he couldn't refute its inferiority to the Bai Clan, but it remained abundant.

Furthermore, despite deriding their sect's vault, Bai Zihan proceeded to claim it all. Items vanished into Bai Zihan's storage ring.

Not even ores or minor materials escaped.

In under a dozen breaths—

The expansive vault stood empty.

Only barren surfaces lingered.

The Earth Immortal's sight dimmed briefly.

Not one piece remained.

Not even remnants.

His fingers quivered inside his sleeves. Millennia.

Lineages of gathering. Diligently safeguarded for coming eras.

He had denied spending freely even during sect growth, ever planning ahead. Who could foresee—

That the future would arrive in such manner? Everything.

Tucked into another's possession.

He abruptly regretted his thriftiness.

At least waste would have lessened the pain of seeing their legacy whisked away in one sweep.

The vault lay depleted.

Bai Zihan paused at the threshold briefly.

The Azure Sun Ancestor assumed it ended there.

But then—

Bai Zihan's gaze returned to him. 'One final matter remains.' The Earth Immortal's chest constricted.

'Where's the Sun Dao Fragment?'

The four Immortals tensed.

The Earth Immortal mustered a forced grin. 'That... represents our sect's holy legacy. Surely the Bai Clan won't seek to deprive us of even—'

He trailed off.

Bai Zihan regarded him.

Merely a glance.

But those frigid, shadowed eyes conveyed utter detachment.

Azure Sun lay firmly in his grasp.

Their fate—life or demise—hinged on his whim.

The Earth Immortal's mouth parched.

'...This way, if you will!'

He pivoted at once.

They ventured further into the restricted peak.

This route plunged under the main summit, down into a subterranean room hewn from dark spiritual rock.

At its close towered a gigantic portal.

Unlike the treasury entrance— This exuded primeval dominance. Potent arrays wove over its face like a sun halted in eternity.

Intricate runes throbbed steadily, emitting pulses of searing Dao intent.

Even nearing warped the atmosphere.

The Earth Immortal halted scores of paces distant.

'Here lies the seal for the Sun Dao Fragment.'