Curse

As the words fell, the heavy doors of Courtroom No. 1 swung open. Accompanied by the clanking of iron chains, Yuanshi Tianzun entered the hall under the escort of two guards. Shackles bound his legs, a black wooden collar encircled his throat, a yellow paper talisman was affixed to his chest, and thick roots wound tightly around his hands. Every pair of eyes in the hall turned toward the young man who had just stepped into the "execution grounds"—once a peerless paragon, the brightest rising star among official realm-walkers. Like most condemned criminals, his face was devoid of expression, his gaze hollow and numb, with not a shred of his former brilliance left. The cameraman adjusted his lens, focusing squarely on Yuanshi Tianzun to capture every nuance of his demeanor and footstep, streaming the footage directly to the alliance forum. After escorting Yuanshi Tianzun to the defendant's dock, one of the guards reported in a booming voice, "Reporting: The defendant, Yuanshi Tianzun, has been brought before the court! His spirit body is sealed, his spirit power is sealed, and his physical body is sealed! Courtroom No. 1's seal is active!" When Courtroom No. 1 was originally designed, consideration had been given to every conceivable means of escape—teleportation, earth-fleeing arts, stealth, entering dungeons, and more. Consequently, powerful sealing formations had been embedded into the walls, ceiling, and floor, capable of severing even the Spirit Realm's summoning of realm-walkers. With the report concluded, the two guards stepped back several paces, standing erect as javelins on either side of the dock. Elder Cai maintained a calm expression, his voice resonating through the hall. "The trial is now in session. First, the prosecutor will state the case." At the prosecution bench, Secretary Zhou rose smoothly and addressed the room in a clear, resonant voice. "Presiding Judge, on behalf of the Investigation Department, I will present the facts of this case. On October 1st, three Elders—Relentless Raging Waves, Jiuqu Zhihe, and Biologist—were dispatched on orders to Jinshan City to eradicate a band of evil realm-walkers. During the operation, they were attacked by Yuanshi Tianzun, and Elder Relentless Raging Waves fell in the line of duty." As he spoke, the cameraman zoomed in on Zhang Yuanqing again, deliberately broadcasting a close-up for every official realm-walker watching the live stream. In the thread hosting the broadcast, comments surged explosively, a barrage of scathing denouncements aimed at Yuanshi Tianzun. Elder Cai nodded slightly, then cast a flat glance at Yuanshi Tianzun. "The defense." Elder Huangsha Baizhan of Songhai rose from his seat, his voice forceful and firm. "Presiding Judge, representing the Patrol Department, I will be defending the accused, Yuanshi Tianzun." Yuanshi Tianzun was a member of the Songhai Patrol Department and simultaneously belonged to the White Tiger Cohort. Naturally, he was entitled to a defense representative. Originally, Fu Qingyang would have been the most suitable person for the task. However, because he was currently inside the Spirit Realm, Elder Huangsha Baizhan had to step in. This Elder was both a senior official in Songhai and a member of the White Tiger Cohort. Having adhered to protocol, Elder Cai said, "The prosecution may present its evidence." Prepared well in advance, Secretary Zhou opened his briefcase and announced, "We possess ample evidence to substantiate the charges against Yuanshi Tianzun. These are photographs and audio recordings captured on-site by surveillance drones." He pulled out several printed photographs and a USB drive, handing them to a guard. Instructed by Elder Cai, the guard powered on the projector to play the audio from the drive, while the photos were passed along for the Ten Elders and attending elders to review. Secretary Zhou continued, "Furthermore, the eyewitnesses who personally saw Yuanshi Tianzun commit the murder include Jiuqu Zhihe, Biologist, Luo Shen, and The Old Man and the Dog. In addition, Xie Su, the head of the Xie family, was Yuanshi Tianzun's accomplice. On the day of the incident, he intercepted Elders Jiuqu Zhihe and Biologist, preventing them from coming to the rescue and directly causing Elder Relentless Raging Waves to perish at Yuanshi Tianzun's hands. "The testimonies of the witnesses and Xie Su's confession are all right here for the Presiding Judge's review." He passed a stack of documents to the guard. Once the Ten Elders had finished reading, the cameraman hoisted his equipment and held a prolonged close-up on the photographs and depositions. Secretary Zhou proclaimed in a ringing voice, "Ever since the birth of the Spirit Realm, the orthodox realm-walkers of the five great factions have charged on the front lines against evil classes to preserve social harmony and protect our nation and its people. "Following the founding of the Five Elements Alliance, we became more organized and disciplined, and our clashes with evil classes grew even more frequent. Over the past twenty-odd years, our comrades, our kin, and our superiors have fallen on the front line one after another." His tone rose with mounting passion. "It is precisely because of their sacrifice that we enjoy the stability of today! For Yuanshi Tianzun to collude with evil classes and murder an Elder is an unforgivable violation of fundamental principles! Under the laws of the Five Elements Alliance, he must be sentenced to death! I request headquarters, and I request the Presiding Judge, to grant justice to Elder Relentless Raging Waves! "Give an answer to our fallen forebears, and give an answer to the entire orthodox faction!" His speech was impassioned, stirring hot blood in all who heard it. Murmurs rippled across the gallery. Countless spectators wore expressions of anguish and righteous indignation. Comments in the stream erupted once more, a frenzy of calls demanding Yuanshi Tianzun's execution: "Death penalty!" "Guilty of monstrous crimes!" "Unforgivable!" Elder Cai gathered the evidence and brought his gavel down with a sharp rap. "Silence!" He then looked toward Huangsha Baizhan. "The defense may present its rebuttal." Huangsha Baizhan had prepared his arguments. He raised his voice. "First, I call into question the operation conducted by the three Elders, including Relentless Raging Waves. Jinshan City was not within their jurisdiction. Apprehending evil realm-walkers across provincial lines falls under the purview of the Patrol Department. Why, then, did they appear in Jinshan City? "Second, according to my findings, the evil realm-walkers cornered by Relentless Raging Waves were employees of Jinshan City's Wuhen Hotel. Some here may not know what kind of establishment Wuhen Hotel is, so allow me to explain briefly. The leader of Wuhen Hotel goes by the Spirit Realm ID 'Past Without Traces.' He is a law-abiding Nihilist actively seeking redemption. "During the mission to capture Demon Eye, Yuanshi Tianzun was ordered to infiltrate the hotel, which is how he came to know that unique group of evil realm-walkers. During Yuanshi Tianzun's previous trial, a female Spirit Medium was mentioned. Many of you ought to know how she opposed the evil faction and assisted the orthodox side. That very Spirit Medium was an associate of Wuhen Hotel. "Finally, according to my subsequent verification, there were only four hotel members hiding at the scene in Chonghua Residential Community, all of them at the Saint stage. May I ask: does a group of that scale truly warrant the deployment of three Elders?" Pausing for effect, Elder Huangsha Baizhan declared loudly, "Based on the above, I have reason to suspect that the true objective of this operation was to bait Yuanshi Tianzun into the open—that this was a targeted manhunt against Yuanshi Tianzun himself. "Presiding Judge, I rest my case." Evidently, Elder Huangsha Baizhan had done his homework. As a Dominator-level Scout, he had clearly perceived the underlying truth. Even so, Huangsha Baizhan did not believe Yuanshi Tianzun could be exonerated. Murdering an Elder was an indisputable fact, and orthodox practitioners hunting evil classes was universally accepted as justified; no one could fault them for it. Pointing this out was merely an attempt to secure a life sentence instead of execution. So long as he lived, there remained hope. In the broadcast chat, the stream of comments from grassroots realm-walkers noticeably slowed. Some were beginning to reflect. Low whispers also stirred through the gallery. Secretary Zhou immediately countered, "Elder Huangsha Baizhan seems to suggest that simply using a hunt for evil realm-walkers as bait could lure Yuanshi Tianzun out. Am I to understand, then, that you concede Yuanshi Tianzun's collusion with evil classes is proven beyond doubt?" "Objection!" Huangsha Baizhan said loudly. "My point was—" He intended to emphasize that the female Spirit Medium had saved Yuanshi Tianzun's life, and that Yuanshi Tianzun's rescue attempt had been motivated by repayment of that debt. "Objection overruled!" Elder Cai cut him off coldly, refusing to let him elaborate. "The prosecution may proceed." Secretary Zhou sneered internally while maintaining a demeanor of unblemished righteousness. "I must ask Elder Huangsha Baizhan to stop using the capture of Demon Eye as a smoke screen. How long has it been since the Demon Eye Heavenly King was arrested? Yuanshi Tianzun's mission to infiltrate the evil classes concluded long ago! Yet far from drawing a clear line between himself and those evil realm-walkers, he maintained an ambiguous entanglement with that female Spirit Medium! In the Five Elements Cataclysm dungeon, her sacrifice to save him is proof. His enraged slaughter of Elder Relentless Raging Waves to rescue evil realm-walkers is further proof! Presiding Judge, I submit that the facts of Yuanshi Tianzun's collusion with evil classes are clear and supported by incontrovertible evidence. There is no need for further debate!" His argument was tightly reasoned, grounded in verified events, and it instantly swung public sentiment back in his favor. The live-stream chat flared with renewed fury. Secretary Zhou continued, "Allow me to address Elder Huangsha Baizhan's accusation of a 'sting operation.' Our operation was never targeted solely at the individuals in Jinshan City. Our mission objective was the complete eradication of the criminal cabal at Wuhen Hotel, because Past Without Traces had acquired an item needed to breakthrough to the demigod realm and was in the critical stages of secluded cultivation!" A single pebble stirred a thousand ripples. Not only the live stream, but the courtroom itself erupted into a subdued uproar. Many present had been kept in the dark regarding the details of the case, and hearing this sent a chill down their spines. The birth of a demigod was a monumental event anywhere in the world. As the known pinnacle of the Spirit Realm, a demigod was an existence capable of shifting global power dynamics. What would it mean if the evil faction gained another demigod? To the orthodox faction, it would be nothing short of catastrophe. The colleagues assigned to that purge had undeniably been heroes—which made Yuanshi Tianzun all the more deserving of death. Secretary Zhou pressed his advantage smoothly. "To prevent the evil classes from gaining a demigod, Elder Cai reported the intelligence to the Alliance Leaders the moment he received it and initiated the overnight operation to capture the Wuhen Hotel group. Even now, two Alliance Leaders have personally stepped forward to quell the crisis, and the matter remains ongoing with no news yet received." Saying so, he retrieved another USB drive and passed it to the guard. Once it was connected to the computer, the projector displayed its contents onto the large screen. The cameraman promptly shifted the feed to the screen. Every gaze from the Saints in the gallery to the Elders on the panel turned upward. Displayed on the screen were Lin Zichong's personal records. Clutching the remote control, Secretary Zhou announced in a ringing voice, "Following the purge of these evil realm-walkers, we identified their true identities through DNA sampling and facial recognition. The supposed 'kind and upright' individuals spoken of by Elder Huangsha Baizhan were, in truth, monsters steeped in blood. "This man's name is Lin Zichong, Spirit Realm ID 'Chief Instructor Lin Chong,' a level six Mist Lord. Hailing from a rural background, he conspired with his father to obstruct a development project and attempted to extort compensation. When that failed, he murdered twelve construction workers and has remained an absconding fugitive ever since. "Yang Xuehai, Spirit Realm ID 'Paragon of Virtue,' formerly a middle school teacher. He was imprisoned for multiple counts of sexually assaulting female students. Upon release, he sought vengeance against the students he had violated, brutally murdering them—an act beneath beasts. "Niu Tianfang, Spirit Realm ID 'Fangfang.' Following a domestic dispute, she murdered her husband in his sleep and has been an absconding fugitive ever since. "Xiao Zhishan, Spirit Realm ID 'Sweet Red Demon.' During high school, she engaged in prostitution. Seeking greater illicit profits, she blackmailed four male classmates and falsely accused them of rape. After losing the lawsuit, she brutally slaughtered all four boys and fled justice. "Zhao Xintong, Spirit Realm ID 'Zhao Xintong.' As a young child, she played with fire at home and locked the door from the outside, burning her biological mother and stepfather to death. Malicious and ruthless from a tender age, she recently shoved a classmate down a flight of stairs, causing severe injuries. "Zhu Mingzhong, Spirit Realm ID 'Good Retainers Choose Their Lord to Slay.' A delinquent in his youth, recognized as a troublemaker by teachers and peers alike. He spent years running with vagrants and idle hooligans, serving time in juvenile detention for multiple counts of extortion, blackmail, and theft. "Kou Beiyue: raped and murdered his own sister, then fled as a fugitive. After insinuating himself into Yuanshi Tianzun's favor, Yuanshi Tianzun abused his official authority to forcibly expunge his criminal record and whitewash him into an upstanding citizen." Secretary Zhou clicked through each profile with the remote, each dossier followed by an official judgment from a local court. By this point, the live stream had boiled over into pure outrage. "Redemption for scum like this? A dog could attain enlightenment first!" "Reading these crimes makes my teeth itch with rage. Thank goodness they're dead. Good riddance!" "They're villains through and through! Death is too good for them!" "Yuanshi Tianzun actually whitewashed that Kou Beiyue? This... this... he's completely fallen. What a disgrace!" "I must have been blind to admire a piece of human garbage like him. Kill him!" "Punish Yuanshi Tianzun severely! He crossed the official bottom line! Execution is the only answer!" From the presiding bench, Elder Cai turned to Huangsha Baizhan and said impassively, "The defense may respond." Elder Huangsha Baizhan looked back toward the gallery, meeting sea after sea of furious faces, detecting suppressed rage and the bitter heartache of people watching a hero fall from grace. If even these elite Saints thought this way, what could one expect from the ordinary realm-walkers watching the stream? Knowing the tide had turned irrevocably against them, he let out a low sigh. "The defense rests." Elder Cai gave a faint nod and reached for his gavel. "I have something to say!" A calm voice echoed throughout the hall. The Saints, the Elders, and the Ten Elders seated on the high dais all looked toward the young man who had remained silent from the very beginning. The cameraman hastily swung his lens around to focus on Yuanshi Tianzun. Uncharacteristically, Elder Cai did not cut him off. Instead, he gave an assenting nod. "Speak!" A smirk formed at the corner of Secretary Zhou's mouth. *Yuanshi Tianzun, you'd better keep that stubborn streak of rebellion going. Let the entire organization see your unyielding insolence.* His meticulous recital of those sewer rats' crimes had been calculated precisely to provoke Yuanshi Tianzun. "Regarding those 'monstrously evil' classes, I have another version of their stories. Would any of you care to hear it?" Zhang Yuanqing said softly. "Yang Xuehai, a middle school teacher, was falsely accused of sexual assault by a student and spent ten years suffering in prison for a crime he never committed. After regaining his freedom, he spent every single year writing appeals to clear his name, only to be rejected time and time again. "Lin Zichong: his father was beaten to death by thugs, and he had his legs broken and was left bedridden. Soon after, his mother was hounded to death. With every avenue of justice blocked to him, he had no choice but to settle blood with blood. "Xiao Zhishan: violated by four male classmates in high school. The perpetrators relied on their powerful family backgrounds to cover the sky with one hand. Powerless to resist, she endured a year of abuse before she could bear it no longer and killed those four beasts. "Kou Beiyue's sister died in the Bronze Sparrow Tower controlled by Chi Yue'an. Not only did he watch helplessly as his sister was murdered, but he was framed for her death and spent years wandering like a stray dog, with no home to return to. "Niu Tianfang: suffered years of domestic violence from her husband with no one willing to intervene, until, driven to absolute despair, she killed him. "Zhu Mingzhong: subjected to brutal bullying during his school years with no one to stand up for him and no one to uphold order. Left with deep psychological trauma, he lost his way. "Wanderer of the Mortal Realm: his mother was abducted and trafficked to a remote corner for over a decade, kept imprisoned all those years. Abused by his father from childhood and despised by his mother, he was eventually taken in by the chief of the Nanming City Security Bureau. Even after his adoptive father passed away, he remained stationed on the border, battling criminal syndicates and the Spirit Society. An evil class, tirelessly performing the duties of an orthodox realm-walker. "Poison Hunter: earned countless merits for the organization and could have transferred away from the border long ago. Yet he chose to stay. He spent his entire life holding back the flood; not even the most terrifying enemies could break his spirit, yet he was driven to despair by the very people he fought to protect." Zhang Yuanqing rose slowly to his feet, as though an immense weight pressed upon his shoulders. He looked toward the Ten Elders, then cast his gaze across the gallery, giving voice to a hoarse, tearing cry on behalf of those insignificant "sinners": "Who was responsible for all of this?! Why were they forced down the path of evil classes?! Why did they have to suffer such fates?! Did any of you ever care about them?! Never! "Who drove them into a corner? It was you—the ones who call yourselves orthodox! From beginning to end, all they ever wanted was a shred of justice! Yet even that tiny, modest wish was denied to them right until the moment they died! Because you sit high above, blind to their grievances and their humiliation! To you, they're just filthy rats in the gutter, their lives worth less than blades of grass! "Every single one of you acts like a champion of justice. How noble and pure you all are!" The hall fell into dead silence. Suddenly, the sound of weeping drifted from somewhere in the gallery. Guan Ya, Xie Lingxi, and Sun Miaomiao buried their faces in their hands, their shoulders trembling uncontrollably. Miao Teng'er hid her face against Lingjun's chest, while Yin Ji stared at him in stunned silence. Lingjun, Xiahou Aotian, Zhao Chenghuang, Natsuki's Love... and the comrades who had followed Zhang Yuanqing through the killing trial to advance to Saints—those who had maintained faith in him all along—suddenly understood why he had killed an Elder in a fit of rage. It felt as though lightning had struck them, tearing at their hearts with agonizing pain. Yet for the majority of onlookers, they preferred to trust the hard evidence and the judgments handed down by the courts. Following that brief lull, the flood of comments in the live stream erupted with redoubled fury: "Here he goes again! Just like at the last trial! Is he some Bewitching Demon? How is he so good at manipulating people's hearts?" "A nice speech, but I'd rather believe documented evidence than his empty words." "Don't let him fool you! Murdering an Elder is an established fact, and so is colluding with evil classes! Evil classes seeking redemption? What kind of nonsense is that? Does he take us for three-year-olds?" "Execute him already, I can't stand looking at him." Elder Cai took up the wooden gavel, struck the desk with a measured tap, and pronounced the verdict: "The facts regarding Yuanshi Tianzun's collusion with evil classes and his murder of an Elder are clear, and the foundational evidence is sufficient. Pursuant to Articles 1 and 2 of the Five Elements Alliance Code, this court sentences the defendant to death, with all items and assets confiscated, to be carried out immediately!" Behind him, not one of the other nine Elders voiced an objection. A burst of applause broke out across the gallery. The live-stream chat was swarmed by a flood of "applause" emojis. Zhang Yuanqing's gaze swept slowly across the hall. In that instant, the curse spoken by the Demon Eye Heavenly King echoed in his ears: *Yuanshi Tianzun, I curse you. One day, when you witness the darkest depths of human nature, when your grievances cannot be redressed, when justice is crushed by raw power, and when the weak are reduced to lambs for slaughter—I curse you to become just like me.* Zhang Yuanqing threw his head back and burst into wild laughter. He laughed until his body swayed back and forth, laughed until tears streamed down his face. Amid that manic laughter, his root-bound hands accessed his inventory. He withdrew a stamp adorned with an exquisite design printed in deep blue ink. The moment the stamp left his inventory, a notification popped up: [Exchange Item: Fragment of Taiyin Origin.] [Confirm exchange?] "Exchange!" The wild fire in his heart exploded.