第48章 铁证砸脸,你拿什么翻盘

The four mountain paths leading to the Judgment Platform were completely blocked by Law Enforcement disciples.

Hundreds of people stood below the platform, half of them from the Law Enforcement Hall. Sixteen Old Dark Patrol Guards stood watch by the array pillars, their blades already drawn.

Gu Changyue stood on the platform, his sword and token both resting at his feet.

Xu Zhenchuan finally appeared.

He wore the robes of a deputy hall master, holding an Imperial Treason Order aloft in his hand.

"Gu Changyue released Imperial Blood Fifteen without authorization, colluded with the old Imperial faction, and stole the Scroll-Sealing Sword from the Armory. Gu Qinghe broke the seals of the Quiet Room and assisted Li Sanshun in moving the files of the Old Infant Case."

"The father and daughter of the Gu family have conspired with the remnants; the evidence of their crimes is complete!"

No one below responded.

Many of the Law Enforcement disciples had followed Gu Changyue for over a decade. They were willing to obey orders to block the paths, but they were unwilling to directly pin the charge of betraying the sect on the old hall master.

Xu Zhenchuan pressed the Treason Order onto the desk.

"Seize them!"

The sixteen Dark Patrol Guards stepped off the dais.

Gu Changyue raised his right hand.

"For a judgment at the Law Enforcement Hall, there must be witnesses from the main peak elders, the order seals must be verified, and the case must pass through three rounds of interrogation."

"Xu Zhenchuan, of these three rules, which one have you satisfied?"

Xu Zhenchuan tapped the Treason Order.

"The Imperial Kin-Seeking Seal is here. The Old Infant Case involves the Imperial bloodline; there is no need to wait for the sect's three-round interrogation."

"Who gave you the authority?"

"Elder Bai."

"His surname is Bai, not Ji."

Xu Zhenchuan waved his hand.

The Dark Patrol Guards raised their blades and pressed forward.

"Gu Changyue resists arrest! Cripple his cultivation first!"

"Who dares!"

Gu Qinghe rushed onto the Judgment Platform with Li Sanshun.

Zhao Rui followed behind, clutching the iron casket he had snatched back from the archives. Xiong Baichuan carried a copper hammer, with over twenty Zhen Yue Peak disciples behind him.

The Law Enforcement disciples at the four intersections wanted to block them, but instead, they cleared a path.

Xu Zhenchuan stared at the iron casket.

"The archives caught fire, and you moved the sealed scrolls without permission. Gu Qinghe, how do you intend to answer for this crime?"

Gu Qinghe walked onto the Judgment Platform and tore the remaining Sealing Chain from her wrist.

"The real scrolls weren't burned; are you disappointed?"

Zhao Rui opened the iron casket.

The Imperial Old Infant Case, the West Mountain Mining Ledger, and Gu Changyue's Furnace-Sealing Order—not a single volume was missing.

Each file was affixed with Qi Shouxuan's seal.

Xu Zhenchuan pointed at the iron casket.

"Who can prove that these are the real scrolls inside?"

Li Sanshun took out four diversion orders and threw them beside the Treason Order.

"The people you sent to burn the archives can prove it."

The four paper corners were pieced together, and half of a Black Mountain Crest was revealed in its entirety.

A commotion broke out below.

Several disciples who had participated in fighting the fire recognized the diversion orders.

"This is exactly what was found on Wang Lin."

"He was the one who snatched the West Mountain Mining Ledger."

"The other three each snatched a volume, and they didn't even miss their targets."

Xu Zhenchuan stepped on the diversion orders.

"A few traitors broke into the archives with fake orders; how can that be counted against me?"

"Fine, paper can be faked, but people certainly cannot."

Li Sanshun took an Image-Recording Bead from the iron casket and placed it into the array slot of the Judgment Platform.

Spiritual energy poured in.

The mining cave beneath the Ding-Character Furnace appeared in mid-air.

Luo Dashan dragged his injured leg, pointing at the private seal on the Earth-Fire Control Token.

Yuan Fu stated the date six years ago when the Blood-Vein Black Iron was transported.

Chen Jiumu held up half a copper plaque engraved with the character "Zhen," identifying Xu Zhenchuan on the spot.

The recording continued to play.

Xu Zhenchuan forcing miners to cast fifteen imitation tokens.

Using Fire Contracts to trap people.

Misappropriating Gu Changyue's old seal.

The quantities, dates, and handlers in the mining ledger all matched perfectly.

The final image showed the fifteenth blank casting.

The front was engraved with "Imperial Old Infant Case No. 15."

The back bore two characters.

Shuntian.

All hundred-plus Law Enforcement disciples saw it clearly.

Xu Zhenchuan drew his blade and slashed toward the array slot.

Gu Changyue picked up the sword at his feet and blocked the strike.

"The evidence hasn't finished playing yet, what's the rush?"

The two men retreated a step each.

Below, Law Enforcement disciples had already begun to lower their weapons.

The first one.

The second one.

Soon, over twenty had fallen.

The deacon responsible for sealing the northern path tore off his array tablet.

"Hall Master Gu saved my life back then. Until the evidence is verified, I will not arrest him."

Another group followed, withdrawing from their positions.

Xu Zhenchuan turned and pointed at the crowd.

"Defying orders in the face of battle! You shall be treated as traitors to the sect!"

"Xu Zhenchuan, where did your orders come from?"

Gu Changyue flipped to the last page of the West Mountain Mining Ledger.

Two seals remained on the paper.

One belonged to Gu Changyue, with the content: "Seal furnace for secret investigation."

The other belonged to Xu Zhenchuan, with the content: "Reopen Earth Fire, transport fifty-eight catties of Blood-Vein Black Iron."

The two orders were separated by three days.

Gu Changyue sealed the furnace.

Xu Zhenchuan opened it.

"I have used this private seal for over twenty years. At least thirty people in the Law Enforcement Hall recognize it."

Gu Changyue held up the mining ledger.

"Are you going to say this is fake, too?"

Another group below lowered their weapons.

Of the hundred-plus Law Enforcement disciples who had originally guarded the Judgment Platform, only thirty remained holding their blades.

Most of them had the Black Mountain Crest embroidered on their cuffs.

Gu Changyue picked up the hall master's token.

"Law Enforcement disciples, hear my order."

"Drop your weapons and withdraw from the Judgment Platform. Take the Old Dark Patrol Guards into custody for trial; those who resist will have their authority stripped!"

"Understood!"

Dozens of Law Enforcement disciples turned and lunged at the Dark Patrol Guards.

The front line collapsed.

The sixteen Dark Patrol Guards backed against the array pillars, attempting to form a formation. Zhen Yue Peak disciples pressed in from both sides, chains and copper hammers crashing down together.

Three men fell on the spot.

The rest were quickly surrounded by their Law Enforcement peers.

Only six of Xu Zhenchuan's loyalists remained by his side.

Xiong Baichuan climbed onto the platform, hammer in hand.

"Xu, do you still intend to take over the sect?"

Xu Zhenchuan did not retreat.

He took out a Black Iron token and inserted it into the base of the Judgment Platform.

Li Sanshun smelled the metallic stench of Blood-Vein Black Iron.

[Imitation Sealing Token detected.]
[Number: Nine.]
[Activating Judgment Platform punishment array.]

"Get down!"

As the No. 9 Imitation Token was pressed into the slot, pillars of judgment fire rose simultaneously beneath the platform. The six loyalists threw out Fire Talismans, sealing off Gu Changyue and Xiong Baichuan.

Xu Zhenchuan lunged directly at Zhao Rui.

His target was the iron casket of evidence!

Li Sanshun shattered the stone slab at his feet, and a wall of earth rose in front of the iron casket. Xu Zhenchuan punched through the earth wall, his five fingers gripping the corner of the casket.

Zhao Rui held onto the other side, refusing to let go.

The iron casket split open on the spot.

The files scattered toward the pillars of fire.

Gu Qinghe whipped out the Sealing Chain, wrapping it around the Old Infant Case files. Li Sanshun drew water from the platform's drainage to protect the West Mountain Mining Ledger.

Gu Changyue grabbed the Furnace-Sealing Order.

Xu Zhenchuan only managed to snatch a blank copy.

"Deputy Hall Master Xu, you grabbed the wrong one!"

Li Sanshun stomped his foot.

The Judgment Platform split down the middle, and the No. 9 Imitation Token was ejected from the stone crack. The punishment array broke in two places, and the pillars of fire dimmed.

Xiong Baichuan swung his hammer.

Xu Zhenchuan threw the blank copy to block the blow, using the momentum to crash through the southern array pillar. He had long since left an escape route behind the pillar; as the stone slab flipped open, a secret Law Enforcement passage was revealed.

Gu Qinghe chased to the entrance, but several fire-bombs flew out from the passage.

Li Sanshun raised a stone wall, and the fire-bombs slammed into it.

By the time the others cleared the rubble, only a deputy hall master's robe remained in the passage.

Xu Zhenchuan had escaped.

Zhao Rui found half a transfer order in the lining of the robe.

The paper bore the Imperial Kin-Seeking Seal and contained only four words.

"Seal Guest-Welcoming Peak."

Outside the mountain path, another fast horse charged in.

The rider wore the attire of the Imperial Envoy Group, with two arrows embedded in his back. He fell from his horse and grabbed the hem of Li Sanshun's robe.

"Bai Chongshan has seized the Fourth Imperial Grandson's Kin-Seeking Seal; Guest-Welcoming Peak has already been sealed off!"

"His Highness asked me to beg you for one thing."

"Li Sanshun, save us!"