I! Am Innocent!

Ye Jing understood that this was the same test he had faced before.

After Xue Lan massacred the villagers...

They probably share the same thought as me, wanting to make up for their mistakes by doing good deeds.

But it still failed!

Xue Lan simply couldn't handle such a situation.

He was already corrupted by Evil Qi. Although he had experienced the wickedness of people, he was still young and this was the first time he had experienced something like this.

Ye Jing was bound by rough iron chains, making every step feel exceptionally heavy.

He walked through a dark and damp corridor, with tightly closed stone doors on both sides. The occasional dripping sound was particularly jarring in the silence, as if it were a silent mockery of him.

However, Ye Jing's eyes were unusually firm. He knew that although the road to the Yamen was full of thorns, it was also the only way for him to clear his name and prove his innocence.

His first confrontation with his Devourer of Desire has begun.

At the end of the corridor, a strong beam of light shone in from the doorway, and Ye Jing squinted.

He seems to have a special connection with prison cells.

They come every few days.

We walked some more road.

We finally arrived at the courtroom.

The blinding light illuminated everything in the room, making it appear clear and stark.

Above, solemn and dignified, on the central platform, a judge dressed in a dark blue robe sat upright, his gaze as sharp as a hawk's, scrutinizing every soul that stepped into this place.

Ye Jing was escorted to the dock, the clanking of chains echoing jarringly in the empty courtroom.

He looked around; the villagers' faces showed anger, indifference, or curiosity.

But more than anything, it's a complex emotion that's hard to put into words.

He knew that many of these people had received his help.

It even saved their lives.

"Ye Jing, you are suspected of murdering a civilian named Xiao Li. What do you have to say?" The presiding judge's voice was deep and powerful, echoing throughout the courtroom.

Ye Jing took a deep breath, straightened his back, and stared straight ahead. His voice, though weak, was exceptionally firm. "I am innocent. Xiao Li's death Non-Self wish nor Non-Self doing. Although I have been misunderstood and attacked by villagers blinded by hatred, I still have justice in my heart and a persistent pursuit of the truth. I beg the court to give me a chance to reveal the truth to the public and clear my name."

The words had barely left his lips when the courtroom erupted in uproar. Villagers whispered amongst themselves, some furious, others looking puzzled.

"How could that be? I saw him kill Xiao Li with his own hands. That little girl was full of Evil Qi!"

"I saw it too, that black, Evil Qi; it gave me a sense of foreboding."

"He's a monster, what's the point of interrogating him? Just kill him!"

"Knock knock!"

The presiding judge gently tapped his gavel, signaling for everyone to be quiet.

His gaze was deep, as if he could see into people's hearts. "Ye Jing, since you claim innocence, this court will grant you the opportunity to make your statement in accordance with the law. But please remember, in court, only with substance can you convince the public. You need to explain your position and evidence in detail to prove your innocence."

Ye Jing nodded, glanced gratefully at the judge, and then slowly said, "Your Honor, I understand what you mean. May I ask that another party involved, Li Hao, be present? He was the one who fed Miss Xiao Li a pill, and it was that pill that poisoned her!"

"He loves her but can't have her, so he plans to fake Xiao Li's death to frame me for her murder, so he can get Xiao Li!"

As soon as Ye Jing finished speaking, the courtroom was thrown into turmoil once again. The villagers looked surprised and turned to look at each other, seemingly searching for Li Hao. Li Hao himself, who had been hidden in the crowd, turned pale instantly when mentioned, and a hint of panic flashed in his eyes.

"Li Hao? How could he be involved?" someone exclaimed in a low voice.

"Yes, how could he possibly harm Miss Xiao Li? Aren't they childhood sweethearts?"

"That's right, Li Hao is a child we've watched grow up, how could this be?"

The judge frowned slightly, his gaze sweeping over Li Hao in the crowd, and said in a deep voice, "Li Hao, are you willing to appear in court to testify?"

When Li Hao's name was called, he had no choice but to grit his teeth and walk out of the crowd, each step feeling exceptionally heavy.

He stood beside Ye Jing, his gaze flickering, seemingly trying his best to hide his inner turmoil.

"My lord, I..." Li Hao began, but his voice trembled. He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself. "How could I possibly possess such a miraculous elixir? I'm just an ordinary commoner. Apart from this beast, I've never encountered anything strange in my life!"

"Oh? Then why did Xiao Li die because of this?" The judge's tone was skeptical as he looked at Ye Jing. "Words are not enough. You need to provide evidence that the pills belonged to Li Hao. Why is it impossible that you gave the pills to Xiao Li?"

Upon hearing this, Ye Jing remained calm and composed, saying, "My lord, I know that words alone are not enough to convince people, but everything I have said is true. I truly know nothing about that elixir, nor do I know where it came from. Although I have no close relationship with Miss Xiao Li, I have always respected her innocence and kindness."

That day, I saw Li Hao sneaking past my house, so I followed him. Suddenly, I saw Xiao Li fall to the ground, her body shrouded in a strange black aura, lying next to Li Hao.

I rushed forward to check on her, only to find her barely breathing. In order to save her life, I had no choice but to use the power within me."

Ye Jing paused deliberately at this point, his gaze sweeping over everyone, especially Li Hao, whose face had become even paler and whose forehead was covered in fine beads of sweat.

"Furthermore, although I, Ye Jing, am Saint, I know that good and evil are rewarded accordingly. How could I want to take someone's life for no reason? If I were truly the murderer, why would I be on trial here? Why not just escape? Moreover, although I possess the power of Devourer of Desire within me, I have always strived to control it and have never used it as a tool to harm others. I beg you, sir, to request a professional Alchemist to examine the toxins in Xiao Li's body to see if they are the Evil Qi within me. This will surely uncover the truth."

Upon hearing this, the judge frowned.

He's just a small town official; how could he possibly hire a high-ranking Alchemist?

Isn't this deliberately making things difficult for him?

"My lord, there's no need to worry. Just tell them you've captured a fugitive demon, but he's seriously injured and needs Alchemist. Once they arrive, I'll leave with them. Not only have we solved the case of Miss Xiao Li, but we've also captured a demon—two great achievements in one go!" Ye Jing naturally understood his superior's predicament and spoke slowly.

The officer's eyes lit up; this was an incredible achievement!

And the news of capturing a demon will spread far and wide!

Then you'll be remembered for all time!

"Alright, someone bring me pen and ink!"