The Conspiracy Exposed

Torchlight flickered, shadows swaying back and forth across the courtyard walls.

Elder Zhang's two personal attendants followed Shen Yuan out of Liu Er's small courtyard and around to the outside of the wall.

Shen Yuan stopped before a moss-covered stone wall and pointed at a narrow crevice half-hidden by vines.

"The evidence box is hidden here."

One attendant stepped forward, pushed aside the tangled vines, and reached into the crevice. Sure enough, he pulled out the small ebony box. Its clasp was intact, with no signs that it had been pried open or damaged.

"Elder, we have retrieved the evidence!" The attendant carried the box back at a brisk pace to report.

Everyone in the courtyard fixed their eyes on the ebony box.

The spy Zhao Kun had planted broke out in a fine cold sweat, his heart rising into his throat.

Elder Zhang took the box and opened its lid himself.

He removed slip after slip of paper, along with the forged warehouse access token. By the blazing torchlight, Elder Zhang examined the writing on each note.

The further he read, the darker his expression became.

The notes clearly recorded Zhao Kun's entire scheme: arranging personnel, bribing intermediaries, setting a trap to lure Wang Dong in, framing him for theft, and using Wang Dong as leverage to force Shen Yuan to give up the Inner Sect Test. They even detailed the pills and spirit stones promised to the intermediaries after the deed was done.

The evidence was irrefutable, written in black and white. There was no denying it.

The courtyard fell deathly silent.

The ordinary disciples of the enforcement team all looked horrified. None had expected Zhao Kun, once the number one genius of the Outer Sect, to use such vicious methods to frame a fellow disciple.

Elder Zhang flicked the notes in his hand, his furious voice ringing throughout the courtyard. "The evidence is conclusive! Wang Dong's supposed theft of warehouse pills was, from beginning to end, a deliberately planned trap!"

At those words, the two intermediaries and accomplices who had just groggily regained consciousness shuddered, their faces turning ashen.

With both witnesses and physical evidence present, any attempt at denial was meaningless.

Elder Zhang looked toward the captain of the enforcement team and ordered sternly, "Immediately! Throw these two accomplices into the dungeon. Also, deliver my order: release Zhao Kun from his confinement and bring him here for questioning!"

"Yes!" The captain was both shocked and ashamed, and immediately arranged for men to carry out the order.

Less than half an hour later.

Zhao Kun was escorted over by two enforcement disciples. He still wore his plain confinement robes, and his face still carried a trace of arrogance. But the moment he entered the courtyard and saw the handwritten notes spread open in Elder Zhang's hands, his body jolted violently, all color draining from his face.

He had never imagined that Shen Yuan would expose his carefully arranged plan and uncover every secret note.

"Zhao Kun, were these notes written by your own hand?" Elder Zhang stared at Zhao Kun with a stern, imposing gaze.

Zhao Kun's lips trembled as his mind raced, searching for an excuse. But the handwriting and his personal signature marks on the notes were unmistakable. There was no way to deny them.

"I..." Zhao Kun's throat was dry, and he could not speak.

"Nothing to say?" Elder Zhang snorted coldly. "You were narrow-minded and resentful over losing to Shen Yuan in the arena. Rather than reflect on yourself, you resorted to schemes and deceit, framing and coercing fellow disciples. You have corrupted the sect's atmosphere, and your crimes are proven beyond doubt!"

Zhao Kun's shoulders slumped. None of his former genius's pride remained. He lowered his head and no longer argued.

"Guards." Elder Zhang pronounced in a loud voice, "First, release Wang Dong at once from his wrongful imprisonment and restore his identity and reputation. Second, Zhao Kun, your heart is malicious and you framed a fellow disciple. You are sentenced to face the wall in reflection for half a year, stripped of the core privileges granted to Outer Sect disciples, and deprived of your qualification to participate in this Inner Sect Test. Third, Liu Er was already deeply guilty and has now been implicated in this conspiracy as well. His crimes shall be punished together. Expel him from the Azure Cloud Sect, and never permit him to set foot in sect territory again. As for the two accomplices in the courtyard, send them to the hard labor prison to work for ten years in atonement!"

Punishment orders were issued one after another.

"Thank you, Elder, for seeing the truth!" Shen Yuan cupped his hands in salute, and the heavy weight in his heart finally lifted completely.

Wang Dong's grievance had finally been cleared.

Before long, news arrived from the dungeon. Wang Dong had been freed from his shackles and was running toward the small courtyard. The bruises on his face had yet to fade, and when he saw Shen Yuan, he was so emotional that he nearly cried.

"Shen Yuan!"

"It's all right now. It's over." Shen Yuan nodded gently as he looked at his battered but unharmed friend.

The surrounding enforcement disciples watched the outcome with deep emotion. A conspiracy that had nearly ruined two disciples' futures had finally been completely exposed.

Zhao Kun hung his head in despair as the enforcement disciples led him away. When he passed Shen Yuan, he suddenly raised his head. Deep in his eyes, fierce unwillingness and resentment still churned. In a low voice only the two of them could hear, he gritted out, "Shen Yuan, I will remember today's humiliation. This will not end here."

Shen Yuan looked back at him coldly but said nothing.

He understood clearly. Half a year of facing the wall was not a severe punishment for Zhao Kun. Zhao Kun still had powerful backing behind him, and today's defeat was merely a temporary retreat. The seeds of hatred had already been planted. In the future, he would still seek a chance for revenge.

But at least for now, the crisis had been resolved.

In the east, the sky had begun to show a faint pale glow. The long night had finally passed.

Dawn was breaking.

Elder Zhang glanced at Shen Yuan, his tone softening somewhat. "Shen Yuan, today you relied on deduction and analysis to find the evidence, expose the conspiracy, and preserve a fellow disciple's innocence. That is commendable. However, you trespassed into a sealed residence late at night, and your actions were still rash. Since your purpose was to clear a wrongful accusation, your merits and faults cancel each other out, and no punishment will be imposed. There are twenty days remaining before the Inner Sect Test. Return and cultivate diligently. Prepare to challenge the Azure Cloud Sword Formation."

"This junior will remember Elder's teachings." Shen Yuan bowed and accepted the order.

This disturbance had finally settled.

Everyone gradually dispersed, leaving only Shen Yuan and Wang Dong in the small courtyard.

Wang Dong let out a long breath and touched the injuries on his face, still shaken. "Yesterday, I truly thought my cultivation would be crippled and I would be driven down the mountain for the rest of my life. Thanks to you."

"We are friends." Shen Yuan smiled faintly. "I could never abandon you."

Wang Dong scratched his round face, then remembered another important matter. His expression turned serious again. "Right, although Zhao Kun has been stripped of his testing qualification and sentenced to face the wall, the Inner Sect senior brother Xiao Wuji whom he previously entrusted has not been implicated. Zhao Kun may be unable to act himself, but Xiao Wuji can still participate in the adjustment and maintenance of the Azure Cloud Sword Formation. The danger surrounding the Inner Sect Test has not been eliminated."

Shen Yuan looked toward the Inner Sect mountains, his gaze calm.

Zhao Kun had fallen, but the network behind him remained. Xiao Wuji—this name had been mentioned more than once already.

The Azure Cloud Sword Formation still concealed murderous danger.

The formation-breaking test for the Inner Sect twenty days from now would be the true trial of life and death.