C3

"You're trying to trick me into telling the truth?"

Su Hee finally snapped out of it, glaring at Su Ze as he bellowed with rage.

With a slight smile, Su Ze replied, "The Grand Elder himself declared that only a fool would pay twenty taels of silver for Element Gathering Powder. It looks like you're that fool."

Grand Elder Su Bocheng's face soured, and the expressions of his supporters were equally displeased.

Su Hee, recalling Su Ze's previous disregard and his recent attempt to coax the truth from him, felt his embarrassment turn into a rising tide of fury.

"Su Ze, I'm going to kill you!"

Su Hee roared as he launched his Stone Breaking Palm technique, charging at Su Ze.

Su Ze simply looked up, as if he were watching a child futilely attempting to land a blow on him—utterly laughable.

With an effortless motion, Su Ze's hand breezed through the gap Su Hee's palm couldn't close, seizing Su Hee's arm and twisting it behind his back.

To the onlookers, the scene unfolded with Su Hee's palm thrusting towards Su Ze, who nonchalantly threaded through the assault and subdued Su Hee with ease.

Was this the might of an Earth Spirit Low Grade Root Bone? Despite being an Acquired level 4, Su Hee was only marginally less skilled than Su Ze, yet he was subdued with such simplicity?

Su Zhongwu, the Grand Elder, and others watched in astonishment.

The three Old Su's gazes were even more penetrating. They recognized the deeper issue: Su Ze's Gravel Palm was already at least at level 4, verging on the pinnacle of Fifth Level!

Only with such prowess could Su Ze glide through the most precise gap to strike at Su Hee's vulnerability, capturing him in an instant with such apparent ease!

Su Ze's aptitude for learning martial skills was indeed formidable.

The two Old Su who had sided with the Grand Elder felt their convictions waver. Weighing the potential of the next generation, Su Hee's swift defeat suggested that Su Ze's prospects were far more promising.

"Release me!"

Su Hee's arm was firmly gripped by Su Ze, his voice thundering with rage.

"Now that it's come to this, spill the truth," Su Ze demanded. "How did you set up the witnesses and evidence?"

Su Hee turned to glare at him, his voice still fierce. "Let go of me!"

"Forget it! I won't retract my statement. You'll remain nothing but a petty thief who stole my Element Gathering Powder!"

"Your reputation is destroyed! Once the Fang family and your beloved Faang Qingya hear of this, your hopes for marriage are finished!"

"To be honest, I'm not particularly concerned about Faang Qingya," Su Ze remarked coolly. "I'll simply need to clarify a few matters with her in the future."

"As for you..."

Su Ze's gaze turned icy as he spoke, his palm suddenly tightening its grip.

With a sharp crack, Su Hee tumbled to the ground, crying out in agony as his arm twisted unnaturally behind him.

"You accuse me, you set me up—do you really think there won't be consequences?"

Su Ze's voice was a frigid whisper.

"You vile creature! How dare you harm Su Hee!"

The Grand Elder, Su Bocheng, witnessed Su Hee's injury and bellowed furiously. He leaped into action, hurtling towards Su Ze with his Stone Breaking Palm technique poised to strike.

The assault was so unexpected that Su Zhongwu blanched, leaping up to intervene only to be thwarted by the Third Elder's blockade.

"How dare you!" Su Zhongwu seethed, lashing out at the Third Elder. "Move aside!"

But the brief delay allowed Su Bocheng to close in on Su Ze.

His Acquired Ninth Layer cultivation, combined with decades of mastering the Fifth Level of the Stone Breaking Palm, could pulverize stone to gravel.

In this moment, his loathing for Su Ze was bone-deep; he aimed to end Su Ze's life with a single blow.

Unbeknownst to him, Su Ze could clearly see Su Bocheng's swift approach. And to Su Ze, who had already ascended to the Profound Rank Low Grade Mountain Suppressing Palm's Sixth Layer, Su Bocheng's Level 5 Stone Breaking Palm was as rudimentary as transitioning from babbling to taking one's first steps.

Whether in terms of explosive power, complexity of technique, or the depth of martial skill, the common Gravel Palm and the Profound Rank Low Grade Martial Skill were incomparable.

In Su Bocheng's eyes, as his palm was about to strike Su Ze, there was no reaction from Su Ze—it seemed as though he couldn't possibly dodge in time.

Had Su Ze given up? Resigned himself to his fate?

Then let Su Ze meet his end!

Witnessing this, Su Zhongwu was furious. He couldn't contain himself and bellowed, "Su Ze, strike now!"

Su Hee glared at Su Ze with a smug gleam in his eyes.

But in the next moment, Su Zhongwu was dumbfounded. So were Su Hee, the Third Elder, the Fourth Elder, and the three Old Su.

They watched as Su Ze nimbly sidestepped the edge of Su Bocheng's Gravel Palm. He spun around and delivered a palm strike towards Su Bocheng.

"How could you possibly evade my attack?"

Su Bocheng had devoted many years to perfecting his Gravel Palm, which had reached the pinnacle of Level 5. How could a sub-twenty-year-old Acquired Level 5 Expert dodge his attack?

Incredulous, Su Bocheng yelled as his palm met Su Ze's seemingly effortless one. Their palms clashed in a brief encounter.

"Mountain Suppression!"

Su Ze uttered calmly, his figure shifting subtly as he stepped back.

Su Bocheng, rooted in the Ancestral Temple, involuntarily retreated a step as well.

This time, neither could claim superiority.

"This can't be!" Su Bocheng's face twisted with disbelief as he locked eyes with Su Ze. "It's impossible! We both executed the same Gravel Palm. How could you withstand my technique? I am an Acquired Ninth Layer warrior!"

Su Ze chuckled. "Want to know how? Too bad, I have no intention of telling you."

Su Bocheng was about to erupt in anger, but his heart sank. The standoff between him and Su Ze had shifted the dynamics within the Su family's Ancestral Temple.

The two Old Su who had initially chosen to sit on the left to endorse Su Bocheng now stood united with another Old Su. They had moved to a position closer to the clan leader, Su Zhongwu.

They reconsidered their allegiances. Now, only three people stood behind Su Zhongwu, with his only supporters being the Third and Fourth Elders. The Grand Elder's faction had lost its absolute advantage and was now on the back foot.

The catalyst for this upheaval was none other than Su Ze, the protagonist who had been wrongfully accused today. They had all the physical evidence and witnesses lined up, yet no one anticipated that he would clear his name in such an unorthodox manner. He showcased a level of strength that was simply astounding.

Not even Su Bocheng could fully overcome him.

Su Ze was not yet twenty years old and had already shown immense potential. His future in the martial arts was undeniably promising, which explained why the two venerable Old Sus swiftly switched their allegiance to the patriarch's side.

I must eliminate Su Ze without delay.

A dark, murderous glint flickered in the Grand Elder's eyes, recognizing that the tide had turned against him today. The opportunity to eliminate Su Ze had slipped through his fingers.

Without a word, he assisted his son to his feet and, alongside the Third and Fourth Elders, began to exit the grand hall.

Just then, a taunting voice echoed from behind them.

"You've slandered me, and now you think you can just walk away?"

"What do you propose?" the Grand Elder asked, his voice grave.

"Turn around and pay homage to the patriarch. Then confess to him that you were mistaken, that the fault lies with you—you misunderstood me," Su Ze stated coolly, his tone decisive and unyielding.