Defiance

Spiritual Realm Walkers held a special status and were exempt from ordinary laws. The tribunal of the Five Elements Alliance's Investigation Department existed specifically to handle cases involving them. The laws governing Spiritual Realm Walkers were likewise distinct from what the general public understood. There was no concept of human rights; the primary penalty was execution, with imprisonment serving merely as a secondary measure. On one hand, Walkers with supernatural abilities posed far too great a hazard to society—they were ticking time bombs, and discussing human rights with a bomb was itself the greatest violation of human rights. On the other hand, certain criminals possessed terrifying talent. If they were not promptly returned to the Spiritual Realm, they could rapidly grow stronger by frequently clearing dungeon instances, eventually becoming Saints or even Dominators. Returning them to the Spiritual Realm without delay was therefore the simplest and most efficient solution. The towering, imposing gates of the tribunal swung open. Flanked by two investigators, Zhang Yuanqing walked down the long corridor and passed through the three-meter-tall doorway, entering a grand, cathedral-like hall. The layout resembled a regular courtroom, featuring a judge's bench, a gallery for the audience, and a prosecution desk, but no defense table. Behind the judge's bench sat ten armchairs, perched high above the rest of the room to overlook the entire hall. Today was a momentous occasion. The official organization's legendary figure, Yuanshi Tianzun, would stand trial under the highest security protocols in the Investigation Department's tribunal. For this reason, the department's guards had reported for duty an hour early. They had placed the building on lockdown, securing every entrance and exit, and strictly barred all unauthorized personnel from entering or leaving. Dominator-level leaders were personally on-site to maintain order. Their primary goal was to prevent the criminal from cornering himself like a desperate beast, resisting with force, and attempting an escape. At this moment, the vast tribunal was steeped in utter silence. The judge's bench, the audience gallery, and the prosecution desk were completely deserted. Only the guards in crisp formal suits, pinned with badges of various colors, stood ramrod-straight along the aisles and seating sections, like disciplined palace guards of antiquity. Zhang Yuanqing was escorted to the "defendant's dock." The dock consisted of a single large iron chair, dark and unadorned, lacking carvings or openwork, its design austere and primitive. A young investigator unlocked his handcuffs and said in a low voice, "Place your hands on the armrests." As Zhang Yuanqing complied, item information surfaced in his field of vision: [Name: Seat of Silence] [Type: Implement of Punishment] [Function: Imprisonment] [Description: An interrogation chair commissioned by a general from a craftsman. It renders the occupant silent and entirely immobilized. The general tested it himself and was thoroughly pleased with its efficacy. Tragedy struck immediately after, however, as the craftsman who made the chair had no idea how to lift the restraint. The general was trapped, and no one could free him. Fortunately, the general's lieutenant happened to be a Fire Demon.] [Remarks: General: "You smashed my hands, you bloody backstabber!"] The price to escape the Seat of Silence was breaking both hands? That was a steep cost. Setting aside how one could even break one's own arms while restrained, losing both arms would drastically reduce his combat strength, and the nearby guards would likely subdue him on the spot... He couldn't speak at all—was this meant to deny him the chance to defend himself? As Zhang Yuanqing skimmed the item description, he was astonished to discover that he had indeed lost the ability to produce sound. As for the excessively lively remarks, he was already long accustomed to them. His training at Qinfeng Academy had made him realize that the essence of the Spiritual Realm was most likely a combination of unimaginably high-grade, multi-tiered items. For instance, Morality Points functioned as a causal item. Even rule-based items could develop consciousness, and high-level causal items were certainly no exception. Anything capable of independent thought was prone to being mischievous. After taking his seat, Zhang Yuanqing waited for ten minutes until a middle-aged man in a black suit with deep nasolabial folds entered the tribunal. The man glanced at Yuanshi Tianzun in the Seat of Silence, looked away coldly, and sat down at the prosecution desk. Checking his wristwatch, he said to the guard standing beside him, "Time is up!" The guard bowed, unclipped his walkie-talkie, and called out, "Court is in session!" Accompanied by a series of mechanical clicks, the projectors mounted above the seating sections whirred to life. Beams of fluorescent blue light cascaded down onto the seats, solidifying into men and women in formal attire. Over a hundred individuals—young, middle-aged, and elderly—materialized. These were the Senior Deacons (Levels 5–6) of various branches, holding the highest rank and authority beneath the elders. He spotted familiar faces: Guan Ya, Natsuki's Love, Sun Miaomiao, Zhao Chenghuang, and Yin Ji. Aside from Natsuki's Love and Yin Ji, whose levels met the requirement, Guan Ya and the others had entered through personal connections. Level 4 Saints were normally not qualified to observe. Additionally, Walkers from the prominent Spiritual Realm families attended the trial, though very few—fewer than ten in total. Among them were Xie Lingxi and Xie Su, accompanied by a graceful, captivating mature woman who looked as delicate as a lilac after the rain. At the witness stand sat Huang Taiji, stern and solemn, without the slightest trace of a smile. The jury consisted of various elders, among whom were faces Zhang Yuanqing knew well: Fu Qingyang, Elder Dog, Elder Gaofeng, Luo Shen... Zhang Yuanqing's gaze swept over the hall, locking eyes briefly with Fu Qingyang before turning toward Elder Cai at the judge's bench. Elder Cai was shrouded in a thin layer of misty vapor. His eye sockets held no pupils, only a dark, flickering gleam like two bottomless black pools. A black water-droplet mark was stamped between his brows. He did not look as old as expected; with a full head of dark hair touched with frost at the temples, he appeared more like a man in the prime of his life. With every breath he took, thick vapor billowed from his nostrils, and a faint rumble of wind and thunder drifted from the speakers integrated into the projector. Inhuman—neither mortal nor divine, more like a god or a demon! After staring at Elder Cai for only a few seconds, Zhang Yuanqing suddenly felt his breath turn shallow and rapid. A scorching heat flared in his lungs, and his exhales grew burning hot. He had fallen ill. Though the symptoms were mild, he had undeniably contracted an affliction. Merely gazing at Elder Cai's holographic projection had triggered minor symptoms. A chill ran through Zhang Yuanqing's heart. He couldn't help recalling the Plague God's skill—Transmission! As was widely known, the core skill of a Plague God revolved around diseases, but diseases required a vector to spread. Transmission itself was an active skill, allowing diseases to silently infiltrate a target through air, contact, moisture, or bodily fluids. Zhang Yuanqing had never imagined that a virtual holographic projection could serve as a conduit for transmission. A Peak Dominator was truly terrifying. Not daring to look any longer, he shifted his eyes past Elder Cai to the seats behind him. In the ten armchairs perched above the assembly sat nine headquarters elders. Every one of them displayed inhuman characteristics, their spiritual power far too immense. Level 9 Peak Dominators had long transcended the mortal realm in terms of life tier. Their spiritual power characteristics were visibly manifest in their hair, faces, and limbs. Only Dihong, the Grand Elder of the Central Court, remained reserved and gentle, immense as a mountain yet still retaining an entirely normal human appearance. While Zhang Yuanqing observed the elders, countless eyes focused on him as well. Observers and elders alike wore complicated expressions. Elder Cai's voice resonated across the chamber: "Court is now in session! "The order of this court shall be as follows: the prosecution will present the charges, and the witness will provide testimony. Unrelated parties, including the defendant, shall not disrupt the proceedings or make noise. "Observers shall not interfere with courtroom order, interrupt, or cause a disturbance." His voice was not loud, yet it carried clearly into everyone's ears, laden with the faint undercurrent of wind and thunder. The middle-aged man at the prosecution desk stood up at once and read aloud from a document: "My Spiritual Realm ID is Raging Waves, Team Leader of the Investigation Department's 3rd Group. While reviewing Huang Taiji's dungeon walkthrough report, we discovered omitted details, concealment, and false reporting. "Upon verification, it has been confirmed that Cai Longshen was slain by Yuanshi Tianzun due to Yuanshi Tianzun's dissatisfaction with the distribution of spoils. "In accordance with Article 3 of the Five Elements Alliance Regulations, killing or severely injuring a colleague carries the penalty of death or life imprisonment, depending on the severity of the circumstances. "This department finds that the facts of Yuanshi Tianzun's crime are clear and the evidence is solid and sufficient. Given the existence of precedents, we request that the Presiding Judge sentence him to death, to be executed immediately." A low murmur of astonishment swept through the gallery. No one had expected the Investigation Department to demand Yuanshi Tianzun's life right off the bat. Hearing this, Huang Taiji on the witness stand spoke up at once: "Presiding Judge, I have something to say." Elder Cai said coolly, "Silence!" His words, laced with thunder and wind, instantly suppressed the murmurs. He cast an indifferent glance at Huang Taiji. "Speak!" Under everyone's scrutiny, Huang Taiji said gravely, "Raging Waves's accusation is not entirely accurate. I already stated in my testimony that Cai Longshen relied on—" Before he could finish, the middle-aged man interrupted, "Presiding Judge, I believe statements irrelevant to this case must be barred." Elder Cai said indifferently, "Huang Taiji, you need only recount the facts relevant to this case. There is no need to make extraneous statements. If there is a next time, I will revoke your right to speak." *What do you mean, extraneous? Are statements disadvantageous to your grandson simply irrelevant to the case?* Zhang Yuanqing moved his lips, but not a sound came out. He wasn't even given the chance to defend himself. Huang Taiji fell silent for a moment. Omitting the details of Cai Longshen's cowardice in battle, he said, "Yuanshi Tianzun did kill Cai Longshen. However, in order to reverse the orthodox faction's inevitable defeat, he was forced to devour the soul of a Dominator-level boss, resulting in mental derangement and a severe personality shift. "Furthermore, the one truly dissatisfied with the spoils was Cai Longshen. He attempted to snatch the loot, which provoked Yuanshi Tianzun." Yuanshi Tianzun had forcibly devoured a boss's soul? The audience experienced a sudden revelation. That would explain why Yuanshi Tianzun had killed someone. The side effects of a Night Walker's Spirit Devouring were severe; accumulating too many souls inevitably led to madness, as was common knowledge. To say nothing of the fact that Yuanshi Tianzun had devoured the soul of a Dominator-level boss. Moreover, there was another detail the observers hadn't known previously—Cai Longshen had attempted to snatch the loot. It was Cai Longshen who had been dissatisfied with the distribution. "Presiding Judge, I object!" The middle-aged man raised his hand. After receiving Elder Cai's nod, he turned toward Huang Taiji and said, "In your testimony, you stated that Yuanshi Tianzun possessed a life-saving consumable granted by a Day Wanderer, and that he relied on that consumable to suppress the boss. "It is common knowledge that a Day Wanderer can cleanse the pollution of negative emotions. How can you be certain that Yuanshi Tianzun's madness wasn't an act?" Huang Taiji froze. The honest and straightforward nature of an Earth Monster destined him to be a person who dealt strictly in facts. He truly could not prove it. The opponent's objection was reasonable and difficult to refute. The middle-aged man chuckled softly. "Presiding Judge, I believe there is no need to discuss this point further." Huang Taiji frowned and said, "No. While I cannot prove Yuanshi Tianzun was truly mad, you have no evidence proving he faked it either." *No, Old Huang, brother, you should propose testing it with the Tiger Tally...* Zhang Yuanqing grew frantic inside. There was no defense lawyer in this court; Huang Taiji, acting as a witness, was effectively serving as his attorney. Yet Huang Taiji's temperament was clearly unsuited for a courtroom battle of words. If Fu Qingyang were up there, he would have shredded this Raging Waves to pieces already. The middle-aged man, Raging Waves, did not reply to Huang Taiji. He had no need to present proof; merely casting doubt on the mental derangement was enough. He turned to the next page and spoke in a clear voice: "The second matter. According to the dungeon walkthrough reports by Huang Taiji and Jiang Ju, during the Chaos of the Five Elements dungeon, a Spiritualist turned against the evil faction in order to save Yuanshi Tianzun. "Presiding Judge, in accordance with Article 1 of the Five Elements Alliance Regulations, colluding with or maintaining ambiguous ties with an evil class is punishable by death without exception. "This department finds that the facts of Yuanshi Tianzun's crime are clear and the evidence is solid and sufficient. Given the existence of precedents, we request that the Presiding Judge sentence him to death, to be executed immediately." The commotion in the gallery grew even louder. Colluding with evil classes was a grave crime—the foremost capital crime on the books. Huang Taiji said in a deep voice, "That evil class had a special identity. Back when the Songhai Branch was apprehending Demonic Eye, they proactively instructed Yuanshi Tianzun to infiltrate the evil class group as an undercover agent..." This was something Fu Qingyang had told him. The night before the trial, Money Prince had visited him. The two of them had anticipated how today's proceedings might unfold and recognized that Bee Girl was a vulnerability. Huang Taiji had learned of Yuanshi Tianzun's connection to Bee Girl from Fu Qingyang. At the time, he had felt quite relieved; it proved Yuanshi Tianzun wasn't a corrupt officer devoid of principles. His interactions with Bee Girl had been in the line of undercover duty, and Bee Girl's backer was Past Without Trace—a legendary figure who walked in darkness while yearning for the light. *Undercover...* In the gallery, Xie Lingxi let out a soft sigh of relief. Her little heart had almost burst from fright earlier. Killing Cai Longshen was something they could argue about. Colluding with evil classes, however, was an ironclad death sentence. Yet before she could fully exhale, the older investigator's voice rang out sharply once more: "I object! "Presiding Judge, while it is true that Yuanshi Tianzun acted undercover under orders, that does not prove he did not collude with evil classes. "The Chaos of the Five Elements was a death-match dungeon where the evil and orthodox factions were doomed to fight to the death. Consider this: what kind of relationship would compel that Spiritualist to willingly sacrifice herself to save Yuanshi Tianzun? "Yuanshi Tianzun's improper involvement with an evil class is an undisputed fact." Xie Lingxi's expression shifted slightly. Immediately after, she heard murmurs rising around her in the gallery. Yuanshi Tianzun's mental state was impossible to verify, and claiming he had merely faked madness felt somewhat strained. However, the fact that his relationship with an evil class was extraordinary required no further evidence. The Spiritualist's actions were the best proof possible. What kind of bond could make a person sacrifice herself without hesitation to save an enemy from an opposing faction? "Not good..." Xie Su muttered under his breath. Guan Ya's face was dark as thunder. It wasn't because of the Spiritualist's deep ties to Yuanshi, but because she had racked her brains and still failed to find any counterargument. No one would believe an evil class possessed a conscience. Having been saved at the cost of an evil class's life, Yuanshi could say nothing that would clear his name. This was Elder Cai's fatal strike. Throughout the gallery, everyone connected to Yuanshi Tianzun felt an overwhelming sense of helplessness and dread. Huang Taiji sat in silence, feeling utterly checkmated. Only Fu Qingyang remained devoid of expression. From the moment he appeared until now, his face had remained a deadpan mask, completely devoid of emotion. Seated high at the judge's bench, Elder Cai said indifferently, "Witness, did that Spiritualist share a relationship beyond friendship with Yuanshi Tianzun? You need only answer yes or no." Huang Taiji's lips parted slightly. After a long pause, he said, "Cannot determine!" A buzz of hushed conversation broke out in the gallery. At a moment like this, answering "cannot determine" or "do not know" was tantamount to tacit admission. "Silence!" Elder Cai said heavily. "This court has heard the witness's testimony and the evidence submitted by the prosecution. The courtroom arguments have been verified beforehand via the Tiger Tally, proving true and valid, and are hereby confirmed by this tribunal. The judgment will now be delivered. "This tribunal finds that the defendant, Yuanshi Tianzun, killed his colleague Cai Longshen and colluded with evil classes. The evidence is solid and sufficient, and the charges are substantiated. However, considering the defendant Yuanshi Tianzun's illustrious merits and monumental contributions, mitigation of punishment may be granted in accordance with the law. "The judgment is as follows: the defendant, Yuanshi Tianzun, is sentenced to three months' imprisonment, a fine of one billion yuan, confiscation of the Heaven Worship Set, and deprivation of all merits and privileges. "This verdict is final and effective immediately!" A stir swept through the gallery. The Senior Deacons could no longer hold back and broke into fervent discussion. "Yuanshi is finished..." Sun Miaomiao's face turned pale. Elder Cai not only wanted to strip Yuanshi of the Heaven Worship Set, but also wanted to utterly ruin his image, nailing him forever to the pillar of shame as someone who had colluded with evil classes. Killing a colleague and colluding with evil classes, yet the organization took pity on his past deeds, showing leniency by merely handing down three months of detention, a fine, and the forfeiture of his gear. Outsiders wouldn't see headquarters as suppressing a genius; instead, they would believe headquarters had been merciful, magnanimous, and full of benevolence. Meanwhile, Yuanshi Tianzun had committed capital offenses yet escaped righteous punishment, dooming him to universal contempt. There was no better way to execute someone's soul before their body. If even Sun Miaomiao could see through it, Guan Ya, Yin Ji, Zhao Chenghuang, and the others understood it even more clearly. With this trial, Elder Cai had practically annihilated the reputation Yuanshi Tianzun had painstakingly built. This was Elder Cai's vengeance—and it was merely the beginning. "Dad, what do we do?" Xie Lingxi clutched her father's sleeve. "Alas..." Xie Su let out a soft sigh. This young genius, who had risen like a blazing comet, was about to hit rock bottom. Raging Waves stepped away from the prosecution desk, walked over to Zhang Yuanqing, and said coldly, "Bring out the Heaven Worship Set." Zhang Yuanqing kept his head bowed, uttering not a word. From the moment the verdict was announced, his head had remained down. "Bring out the Heaven Worship Set," Raging Waves repeated, his voice flat. "The Seat of Silence only binds your hands. You can still open your inventory and take out the set." Zhang Yuanqing continued to pay him no heed. Raging Waves barked, "Yuanshi Tianzun, do you dare defy headquarters?" A purple-gold pumpkin hammer emerged from the inventory, tumbling out of thin air. An ethereal figure detached from his body, catching the hammer. *Crack! Crack!* Two heavy thuds rang out, followed by the sickening crunch of snapping bones and tearing sinew. With his head previously lowered, Zhang Yuanqing suddenly surged to his feet. The deacons in the gallery gasped in shock. Yuanshi Tianzun's posture... was he intending to break with headquarters entirely? *Clatter!* A flurry of hurried footsteps echoed as the guards across the tribunal rushed forward, surrounding him on high alert. Zhang Yuanqing seemed not to see the heavily armed guards closing in. He looked straight up at Elder Cai and the nine elders perched high above. Finally able to speak, he curled his lips into a wild grin. "To hell with that! I don't accept it!"