After a while, Hou Luoming asked, "Gentlemen, who has a suggestion? What do you think we should do about Duan Gujin?"

The room fell silent for a long time before an elder timidly asked, "Sect Master, have you investigated whether Duan Gujin was related to the failure of this punitive expedition?"

"You all can rest assured on that matter. Several experts from first-class sects told us that it was truly Shi Potian who desecrated the ancestral tombs of those Demon Saints, which then enraged them! Initially, I did not believe this explanation from the experts of the first-class sects! As you know, our Blood Slaughter Sect has lost quite a few people. Only after listening to Duan Gujin's words did I start to believe that it was true!" Hou Luoming said.

"Oh, so that means this matter is simply the love story between Duan Gujin and that demonic woman from the Heavenly Fox Clan – it should be left to the Sect Master to decide? If these matters were to spread, it would only tarnish the reputation of our sect, but such a matter is not a grave sin! Our Blood Slaughter Sect Disciples are exceptional, and being admired by a demonic woman is understandable," the elder said indifferently.

Upon hearing the elder's words, Hou Luoming instantly became furious. "What are you saying?"

The elder chuckled and said, "Sect Master, I believe you have also heard about the young disciples from several first-class sects being bewitched by demonic women. Generally, regarding those disciples who have been misled, the first-class sects would handle it in a certain way, and we should just follow their lead."

The other elders, hearing this elder's words, immediately understood his implication.

Indeed, they had also heard about several outstanding disciples from first-class sects being captivated by a demonic woman from the Hundred Saints Mountain. In the end, those first-class sects locked those disciples in a confinement chamber to engage in seclusion and cultivation.

After having those outstanding disciples locked up for ten or eight years, even if their love was deep, they would be forced to forget it.

Although being locked in a confinement chamber, being unable to venture into the outside world, and having an elder specifically assigned to guard those incarcerated disciples seemed like a waste of manpower, materials, and resources, the end result was that those incarcerated outstanding disciples experienced a significant increase in their cultivation.

If those locked-up outstanding disciples still failed to realize their mistakes, they would be continued to be incarcerated until they lost all hope.

Hou Luoming thought for a moment and felt that this approach was quite good.

Thus, he said to the gathered elders, "I believe you all know that Duan Gujin is now a Sixth-level Alchemist and also an Honorary Elder of our Blood Slaughter Sect. Indeed, spreading this matter would cause some reputational damage to the Blood Slaughter Sect, but I really don't care about this loss of reputation. I only hope that Duan Gujin will turn back! Let's settle on this for now. We will keep an eye on him for the time being, and if we find that he truly remains obstinate, I will personally capture him and send him to the confinement chamber!"

"Understood!"

The assembled elders all nodded.

The reason Hou Luoming convened the Elder Council was to seek the opinions of the other elders.

After all, Duan Gujin was already an Honorary Elder of the Blood Slaughter Sect.

If Hou Luoming wanted to deal with Duan Gujin, he needed to seek the consent of the other elders.

The reason Hou Luoming did not immediately deal with Duan Gujin was because he did not want to handle this sensitive matter of an elder being involved with a demonic woman from the Hundred Saints Mountain at this crucial time. If some busybodies were to say this punitive expedition on the Jiuzhou Continent was related to Duan Gujin, it would severely harm the reputation of the Blood Slaughter Sect.

Therefore, Hou Luoming decided to wait a bit longer and then further probe Duan Gujin's intentions before deciding whether to punish him.

Duan Gujin did not know that after leaving Hou Luoming, the latter was considering punishing him.

After seeing Miao Yu, he immediately left the Blood Killing Sect with her, and they sped towards Hundred Saints Mountain.

After a busy day, Duan Gujin finally returned to the castle where Miao Yu lived.

Miao Yu looked at Duan Gujin, confused, and asked, "Duan Gujin, you don't seem like a lecherous person. Why did you agree to help me?"

On hearing Miao Yu's words, Duan Gujin spat out the tea he had just sipped and hastily explained, "Miao Yu, what are you thinking? Do I look like the type of rookie in the worldly society who panics at the sight of women? I am greedy, lecherous, boastful, and showy, and I even admire myself for it. People like me, greedy and boastful, should have received their comeuppance, yet I still managed to get a beautiful lady. I can't even stop laughing!"

"Don't talk nonsense, I believe you are a gentleman!"

However, Miao Yu completely ignored his nonsense and seriously said.

"Ha, that's because your eyes are bad. You are blind!"

Duan Gujin laughed.

Miao Yu glanced at Duan Gujin, but she had other thoughts in her mind.

"Could it be that Duan Gujin has ulterior motives?"

In her heart, she had already dismissed the idea that Duan Gujin had lustful intentions towards her.

She felt that Duan Gujin wasn't after her body, but he must have other motives.

"Miao Yu, when we passed by your garden earlier, that big tree we saw, is it important to your family? Do you know what tree it is?"

Suddenly, Duan Gujin asked.

"I don't know. My father told me that the big tree was a rare treasure he found in his early years. He felt that the tree was special, but he didn't know what it was used for. The biggest use of the tree is its fragrance; it smells very good! The flowers it blooms are even more fragrant. I often use its flowers for bathing! Every time after a bath, I feel refreshed and invigorated!"

"Oh, is that so!"

Duan Gujin slightly smiled upon hearing this, but inside, he was inwardly screaming a thousand f**ks.

"I had guessed that the Devil Clan of the Hundred Saints Mountain probably didn't know what treasures they had, but now I see they really don't know at all! That tree is a Jiuhua Tree, and the flowers it produces are the best Spiritual Medicine for restoring Life Essence. If a Martial Artist continuously consumes the flowers of the Jiuhua Tree, they can significantly improve their Life Essence! Even the Devil Clan can use it to enhance their Life Essence! It's unbelievable that these clueless folks use it for bathing! Such a waste of natural resources! It's almost a crime!"

He exhaled a breath of foul air, his mind racing.

After a while, he sighed internally. After thinking about a particular characteristic of the Jiuhua Tree, he gave up the idea of moving it.

"The Jiuhua Tree can only thrive in places inhabited by the Devil Clan. Once it leaves their area, it will quickly die!"

The old woman, seeing that Duan Gujin had really returned, was overjoyed; even her smile seemed less aged.

After a while, Miao Yu entered his residence and told him that her father wanted to meet him.

The thought that Miao Yu's father was the previously unseen and unheard Demon Saint made Duan Gujin gasp in shock.

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