Judging the Crimes (I)

Two months later, at the Han City Yue Household.

The main hall of the Yue Household was quite lively today. Not only were almost all forty-one True Cultivator from the family present, but many guests from outside, such as Ye Zhen and Gu Honglang, also joined in despite their disheveled appearances. Including those from other families who had reached the Foundation Establishment, there were about a hundred True Cultivator in the hall at this time.

Yue Lin was fairly and lenient in his dealings, and did not take his anger out on Ye Zhen, Gu Honglang and other outsiders just because of the great defeat at Learning Forest Mountain.

To be fair, if we only consider the actions of these two individuals, no one else can find fault with them.

After all, the former had lost most of the sect's disciples for working for the Yue Household, while the latter had lost two of his prized disciples, both of whom were seriously injured and would have been difficult to recover without a lot of effort and time.

What's even more remarkable is that before the two fled their main camp, they risked their lives to bring Gui Xiang with them.

At first glance, Tanggu's injuries did not seem serious. In fact, he had been under special care by the Chongming Sect in the middle of the battle and almost died in the formation. Now, however, he was saved by Second Tier Alchemist Higher Vehicle -level spiritual pill. Otherwise, his Dao Foundation would not have been able to be maintained for long.

Even so, he was in excruciating pain with the slightest movement and could hardly speak, so he could only sit silently in a corner.

Tie Liuyun, who had just returned victorious, sat in the hall with a cold face. Even from a distance, one could see the gloom in his heart. It was unclear whether it was because of the great defeat at Learning Forest Mountain or because his pursuit of the Golden Core Formation Pill had encountered another setback.

A red-haired man with stubble and a round face sat at the head of the table, his expression even more unpleasant than that of the Assistant Commissioner Tie who had just lost his nephew. He spoke in a cold voice:

"Everyone outside says that he, Peng Xingyu of Five Old Mothers Mountain, is a great figure, known as the number one illusionist among the top cultivators below the Twenty-Seven Daoists, yet he has fallen into the hands of such an unknown junior Daoist Black Shoes?"

Their Five Old Mothers Mountain is supposed to be a sacred place of True Person masters, yet they only sent such an incompetent disciple to ruin things. Aren't they ashamed?!

These words immediately silenced the previously noisy hall. It was a slender, non-masculine cultivator beside the red-browed, round-faced man who broke the silence. His voice was melodious and pleasant, like a bird's song.

"It was Fourth Uncle who misspoke; please don't take it to heart. My Yang Household has never forgotten our origins, so how could we possibly have the slightest dissatisfaction or resentment towards the Holy Mountain?"

The red-browed, round-faced man was about to retort when he saw the thin cultivator's expression and stopped speaking.

Hearing this, Yue Lin, who was sitting at the head of the table, naturally felt obligated to smooth things over as the host. He heard the old cultivator say softly, "Yongcheng, you are overthinking it. How could we not know Senior Baoshan's true meaning?"

After Yue Lin finished speaking, Yang Yongcheng, who had a feminine appearance, and Yang Baoshan, who had red eyebrows and a round face, relaxed their expressions, bowed in agreement, and settled the score.

As esteemed Golden Core cultivators, the two of them naturally didn't need to be so polite to ordinary False Core.

However, Yue Lin was not only exceptionally skilled, but even Yang Baoshan, who was in the Golden Core Early Stage, knew that he would have difficulty defeating her without going all out and paying a price. Yue Hongguo, the eldest daughter of the Yue Household, was clearly favored by Kuang Liuting and even went through special channels to be given the title of Holy Maiden of Five Old Mothers Mountain.

Therefore, as explained above, Yue Lin, the head of the Liang family, was quite valuable in the eyes of these two Golden Core cultivators from the direct lineage of the Ye Prefecture Yang Household.

"In your opinion, seniors, will Peng Xingyu reveal what we have done?"

With a flick of his sleeve, Yue Lin caused steam to rise from the glass cups on the low table beside the two Golden Core cultivators. As the old tea steamed out, a simple, short branch appeared on the table, fresh, green, and lovely.

As its flower buds unfold, the branches droop down, and when they touch the rim of the crystal glass, the fresh dew slowly drips into the glass.

The flower dew, initially like icy liquid, boiled before it even reached the bottom of the cup, as the runes on the glass swirled around it. The few spirit leaves that had just begun to wilt from the dew then happily unfurled again. Immediately afterward, a refreshing fragrance filled the hall.

The Third Tier spiritual tea "Little Envoy of the Gentle Breeze" that Yue Lin had painstakingly sought out was indeed too tempting. Some of the True Cultivator of the Yue Household couldn't help but lose all their composure and were so aroused that they started drooling.

However, the two senior cultivators, Yang Yongcheng and Yang Baoshan, seemed oblivious, their brows furrowed as they pondered Yue Lin's question.

Logically speaking, the two of them had already made a great pledge of allegiance and demonstrated their sincerity by helping the Yue Household and the Demon Correction Office to force back the Hongyi Sect and helping the Cloud Horn Prefecture Court to Ding Prefecture.

But if the scheming and plotting of the Yue Household were to surface, they might lose favor with Kuang Liuting. How could they possibly manage then?

After all, they had abandoned the very enthusiastic Zhu Tong and, after revealing some clues at Five Old Mothers Mountain, chose the seemingly cold but actually warm Yue Han City Yue Household as their base.

If the Yue Household falls, and the Capital Region Faction gains a dominant position in the Cloud Horn Prefecture Court, then the Yang Household's collateral branches, who have been lying low, will surely not be foolish enough not to try and curry favor with them.

With Juntian Bird in charge, if the Fei Household's She Mountain Hall were to act freely, how could the Yang Household's direct lineage afford to offend them?

How much longer will it take to get to the bottom of things and reclaim the entire territory of Ye Prefecture?

As for Five Old Mothers Mountain's opinion, unless True Person Moon Hidden intervenes, who can silence that old bird from the Fei Household?!

However, Shannan Circuit is still the territory of the Star-Picking Pavilion. Just look at how prestigious Original Response Temple is in Snow Mountain Circuit, arguably the largest sect in the snowy region. Yet, even if they send a mere Khenpo, who is not a true disciple, to seek a consort by chance, they still need to report to the Star-Picking Pavilion before they can set off.

If Five Old Mothers Mountain secretly sends a few Pill Master Star-Picking Pavilion, they might pretend not to know. But if they send a capable senior cultivator or even the True Person Moon Hidden to personally come, disregarding the tacit agreement, wouldn't they really treat the Master of the Star-Picking Pavilion, who can be called "the number one cultivator in the Southwest," as a dead man?

That's True Person can rival the current Prince of the South of the South, not someone the frail and elderly True Person Moon Hidden can afford to offend.

After a moment of contemplation, Yang Yongcheng's delicate eyebrows arched slightly as he spoke, "Yue Household, in my opinion, Peng Xingyu may not be able to withstand it. The Daoist Black Shoes will definitely take him to Kuang Liuting. The Kuang Household is most adept at humiliating cultivators; they have plenty of methods at their disposal."

"That's right. Kuang Liuting can even Xie Yi, let alone Peng Xingyu. We still need to make plans as soon as possible." As soon as Yang Yongcheng finished speaking, the resentment on Yang Baocheng's face faded.

Having just returned from Double Brightness Trade Market, Yue Feng's face no longer held the excitement he had felt upon first seeing the Chongming Sect army. Instead, he appeared much more composed, and he simply said in a deep voice:

"Uncle, in the end, it was Chongming Sect who broke the rules first. No matter how many faults Gui Xiang has, he is now Tanggu, wearing the official title of the Immortal Dynasty."

Double Brightness a disciple of Chongming to attempt an assassination in secret is an act of treason! Even if Peng Xingyu reveals everything, we will only have committed a minor offense."

"If Lord Bo doesn't think we've done anything wrong by seducing people, then what you've said is flawless; but if he suspects we did it intentionally, then what you've said is quite far-fetched," Yue Lin shook his head, a flash of weariness crossing his eyes, and then asked, "When will Hongguo be back?"

Yue Feng's younger brother, Yue Wen, who was in charge of communication with the outside world, immediately stood up and respectfully replied, "Uncle, according to the last message from Ziyi, who took my elder sister into the family, my elder sister will need about three more months before she can return to her hometown to visit relatives."

Yue Lin sighed again; there was nothing that could be done about it.

The Yue Household never imagined that Yue Hongguo would be favored by a nobleman like Kuang Liuting. Even the attitude of the clan's higher-ups was indecisive about whether to provide this eldest daughter with the resources to Foundation Establishment.

Therefore, although Yue Hongguo only achieved the unremarkable Green Leaf Foundation Establishment, in the eyes of the Yue Household, it was already considered extremely fortunate. It was enough for her to choose a good family based on her looks. How could they have imagined that she would have the destiny to enter True Person's Daoist temple like Five Old Mothers Mountain and become a Holy Maiden?

Although Kuang Liuting had given instructions, Yue Lin was a smart man after all. He knew that without someone to take care of her, Yue Hongguo, with her background and aptitude, would definitely have a very difficult time cultivating in Five Old Mothers Mountain.

So they entrusted him to the tutelage of True Person Moon Hidden, the chief disciple of Master Ziyi, and asked him to expend his efforts to invite fellow cultivators to cleanse Yue Hongguo's marrow and tendons, hoping that his Dao Path would be smooth.

However, to accomplish this, in addition to providing Ziyi with a generous fee, it is also necessary to make extra efforts to win over the other cultivators.

Yue Lin was always generous in his actions, and he used almost all the profits that the Han City Yue Household had made in the past two or three decades since the state court moved to Cloud Horn Prefecture to make this matter a success.

However, Yue Lin also knew that even so, whether Yue Hongguo's future Dao Path would be smooth was still uncertain. Even so, the Yue Household still had to make a wish and take action.

However, since Yue Hongguo is at Five Old Mothers Mountain and cannot return for the time being, Yue Lin cannot place his hopes on whispered words in her ear.

Furthermore, for someone like Kuang Liuting, how much could so-called "pillow talk" really sway his thoughts?

"It's difficult to break this deadlock either way. Let's wait for news from the Holy Mountain before we take any action." Yang Yongcheng, the most powerful cultivator present, set the tone, and the others naturally had no objections. Just as they were about to disperse to get busy, a message arrived.

Yue Lin took the letter and glanced at it. After scanning only a few lines, his already furrowed brows furrowed even more deeply. He then put away the letter and respectfully addressed the two members of the Yang Household:

"Seniors, Lord Bo has emerged from seclusion and was greatly impressed by the Yang Household's respectful act of raising an army. He has asked me to invite you both to the state court so that he can petition the Immortal Dynasty for rewards on your behalf."

Yang Yongcheng's fair face showed little joy. Before Yang Baoshan could speak, Yang Baoshan interrupted him, saying, "Patriarch Yue Household, isn't this a good thing? Why does it look like this?"

But then Yue Lin nodded and shook his head, turning to Tie Liuyun and Gui Xiang and saying:

"The Lord specifically requested that I take the two of you to the prefectural court to inquire about the truth of these matters concerning Tanggu County. The letter states that you two should prepare your answers in advance, and if you stumble or dare to deceive or mislead, you will be executed without exception."

Although the two did not see the original text of the letter, the murderous intent conveyed in the words was still hard to diminish, even though Yue Lin calmly relayed it to them.

Yue Lin didn't stop. After getting off the chair, he straightened his clothes and composed himself, saying solemnly, "Let's go. Although the Marquis's letter didn't urge us, the words were full of urgency. We can't wait."

Having said that, he didn't even glance at the expressions of the others, only muttering a low sigh, "I don't believe they miscalculated Black Shoes, they miscalculated Kang Dabao, and they even miscalculated Jiang Qing. Could this little Chongming Sect really possibly cause any waves?!"

----One day later, Cloud Horn Prefecture Court

The Punishment Hall was quite lively today, with many of the people kneeling there being former favorites of the Marquis of Earl of Nan'an.

Not only was the once-renowned and capable Sect Leader Kang Da disheveled and in a sorry state, but even the Assistant Commissioner Tie the Demon Correction Office Division, who was known for destroying families and stopping children from crying, had lost his prestige.

Fortunately, there were no other people around, so the jokes from the crowd below would spread later.

Kuang Liuting was late in arriving, leaving the main seat vacant. The title "Acting Clerk" that Meng Xuan, the former clerk of the Ministry of Justice, had worn on his hat for making a mistake was also removed a few years ago after he took the heads of several foundation -Foundation Establishment from the Hongyi Sect.

At this moment, he was in a secluded position, but he didn't even touch the files. He was busy serving tea and exchanging pleasantries with the two newly arrived Golden Core cultivators, without daring to overstep his bounds.

However, the two direct descendants of the Yang Household family did not take this Foundation Establishment soldier, whose fierce aura was hard to conceal, seriously. Instead, they focused their attention on the tall and straight-looking Daoist Black Shoes in the crowd, who looked as if he had been pierced by an awl.

After all, the "External Core" method has a great reputation and is known for being difficult to master among secret arts. It is indeed rare for the Daoist Black Shoes to have achieved this. It is only natural that the two cultivators would become interested in it.

Gun Shilu stood behind the main seat, but this time he had lost his previous intimacy and didn't even bother to give Kang Dabao a glance. He remained silent, only thinking about waiting for the main character to arrive.

They waited from noon until after sunset. Not only were the people in the hall suffering terribly, but even their trusted confidants, such as Gun Shilu and Meng Xuan, showed unusual expressions.

As the stars began to twinkle, and the two Golden Core cultivators had already exchanged several cups of spirit tea on the low table beside their hands, a Spirit Awakening Crane called out their names from outside:

"Cadre Commandant, General of the Vanguard, Earl of Nan'an, holding the imperial insignia for the military and civilian affairs of the four prefectures of Feng, Ding, Pu, and Yun, Duke Kuang arrives—"

Just as everyone was about to bow again, they heard the crane open its beak and sing:

"The Supreme Protector of the Army, Marquis of Yangcheng, and Lord Fei have arrived—"

Regardless of whether they were inside or outside the hall, everyone who heard this felt a chill run down their spines. Some of the less knowledgeable immediately asked their colleagues, "We haven't heard of any other elder from the Fei Household. And who is this Marquis of Yangcheng?"

"Didn't the Fei Household already have a clan elder in Cloud Horn Prefecture?"

"Is it that old bird?"

"Silence! This title was earned through the Blood Sword Sect's Golden Core. The Emperor himself declared it would be passed down for ten generations. Even the eggs that just hatched from its nest are a hundred times more precious than our lives. You must not be rude."

"Greetings, Lord Earl; greetings, Marquis of Yangcheng." Regardless of their inner astonishment, everyone had to compose themselves and bow in unison.

Before Kuang Liuting could speak, his face still cold, the old bird, who had shrunk in size but was still a foot tall, replied repeatedly, "No need for formalities, no need for formalities. How come I always run into such a group of kowtowers wherever I go?"

After speaking, it pondered for a moment, hesitated for a second, and then sat down in the main seat. While taking Meng Xuan's place, it urged Kuang Liuting to continue:

"Earl of Nan'an, please expedite the trial. After this matter is resolved, I will go and slaughter that Third-Tier Upper-Grade lion in the Cold Crow Mountain Range. I'll find a better Spirit Vein, so I won't be stuck in this cramped little town all day, feeling so uncomfortable."

Despite being urged on, Kuang Liuting showed no impatience whatsoever. Instead, he displayed a rare air of respect and nodded, saying, "What Marquis of Yangcheng says is quite right. The affairs of the state are difficult, and we should not let a few incompetent people delay things for too long."

Juntian Bird, however, was unmoved by this tactic. He glanced at the person and nodded his enormous head as a response. After searching among the people in the hall for a long time, he seemed to finally recognize the Sect Leader Kang Da, whom he had met once before.

But when he spoke, there was no hint of comfort in his words; instead, there was a sense of sarcasm.

"Kang boy, that brat Nan Ying won't let me, your old master, take action. It's difficult to save you now. Good luck to you. Nan Xi and Nan Ying have returned to Yingzhou. The little girl who is now in charge of Sheshan Hall didn't want me, your old master, to come."

But the patriarch thought that since these two earth cultivators had brought two good-for-nothing kids, wouldn't it be a loss of prestige if our side didn't have Golden Core cultivator to hold the fort? So he specially came back to talk to the Earl of Nan'an and got a seat for him.

"Don't worry, if they dare to bully others, I, your ancestor, will pry out their Golden Core on the spot and chew them up like snacks. Then I'll go to the Cold Crow Mountain Range to find two more capable ones, bring them back, and return them to the Kuang Household."

After kneeling all day, Sect Leader Kang Da didn't know whether to be happy or sad upon hearing this, and could only say, "Thank you for your concern, Ancestor."

Kuang Liuting stood aside without showing any impatience. He wasn't angered by Juntian Bird's rather presumptuous words. He waited until the old bird had finished speaking before returning to his seat and scanning the crowd below, "You all truly deserve to be called pillars of our state court. You have accomplished a great deal!"

His voice wasn't loud, but it made a dent when he landed.

Two months have passed since the cessation of hostilities outside Learning Forest Mountain. It's likely that Kuang Liuting has long since sorted out the matter. Therefore, as soon as he spoke, the crowd, each with their own thoughts, immediately feigned fear and bowed deeply in unison:

"I am guilty, I beg Your Excellency's forgiveness!"

"Hmph, then let's ask them one by one." After Kuang Liuting's angry outburst, he seemed to only then remember the two Golden Core from the Yang Household. He slightly cupped his hands in a gesture of respect and said softly:

"According to custom, merits should be praised before punishment, but the subordinates are behaving so unrulyly that we have no choice but to ask the two senior members of the Yang Household to wait a moment. We hope you will forgive us."

Yang Baoshan merely scrutinized the legendary Earl of Nan'an, who was said to be the backbone of the imperial family, for a while, but remained silent, his thoughts unknown.

Yang Yongcheng, however, smiled and replied apologetically, "We brothers have been trapped in chaos for a hundred years, unable to act due to the tyranny of the Two Instruments Sect. Only in recent years have we been able to await the return of the royal army. We've waited so long, a little more time won't make a difference."

Seeing that the two senior cultivators from the Yang Household were so sensible, Kuang Liuting turned his gaze back to Yue Lin, Kang Dabao, and the others. He spoke again, his voice still very soft. "Gui Xiang, why don't you speak first?"

Gui Xiang never imagined that he would encounter such a situation after being fortunate enough to reach the Foundation Establishment. Now, kneeling below the hall, he is being watched by three Golden Core cultivators. This is a blessing that many True Cultivators could only dream of in their entire lives, and he has stumbled upon it.

In his haste, Gui Xiang had forgotten most of the prepared speech, and he couldn't remember a single word of the words he had prepared to exonerate himself. He could only kneel on the ground, kowtowing repeatedly and crying out, "I'm guilty! I'm guilty!"

Yue Lin and the others looked even more displeased, but Kuang Liuting was unwilling to waste his time on such insignificant figures. He shouted sternly, "Tie Liuyun! You, the Vice Demon Correction Office Division, come and tell me properly how you have perverted the law and acted out of personal favoritism?!"

Tie Liuyun hadn't expected Kuang Liuting to show such ruthlessness. Knowing he couldn't escape this calamity, he could only grit his teeth and remain silent, not answering Kuang Liuting's question. Instead, he said, "Reporting to Your Excellency, the recapture of Ding Prefecture in this battle was entirely due to the bravery of the three armies. Your Excellency is truly benevolent. This battle annihilated the False Core San..."

With a "crack," a violent bolt of lightning instantly annihilated Tie Liuyun's protective aura, sending him flying backward. However, he quickly got up and landed face down on the ground.

By this time, all hope of escaping punishment had vanished from his mind, and like Gui Xiang kneeling to the side, he repeatedly cried out, "Guilty! Guilty!"

"You're clever enough to know that merit is merit and demerit is demerit. If you mix them up, how can the majesty of the law be upheld?! If you dare to utter another word of self-praise this time, you can keep your position Demon Correction Office -Suppressing Division for your next life."

Kuang Liuting's tone was icy, which frightened Tie Liuyun so much that he dared not make the slightest movement, as if his head was glued to the ground.

"Master Yue Household?! It's your turn to speak!"

Yue Lin took a deep breath and saw that Peng Xingyu, kneeling beside Kang Dabao, looked ashen-faced. He knew perfectly well that everything had been exposed. He was quite the smooth talker, only managing to say:

"Yue Lin is old and foolish, lacking in understanding of the bigger picture. He only cares about the private interests of his Yue Household family, thus corrupting the atmosphere of the prefecture and causing discord between the locals and the merchants. This is indeed a grave crime!"

However, Your Excellency, please consider that Yue Lin has been diligent in his work and that the Yue Household has been loyal and righteous. Please place all the blame on Yue Lin and do not implicate the Yue Household. This way, the Yue Household members can continue to serve Your Excellency and dedicate themselves to the great cause of the Immortal Dynasty, even to the point of sacrificing their lives!

Kuang Liuting's temper was not hard to fathom. Normally, Yue Lin's words would have been enough to calm him down. But this time was different. After hearing this, he merely raised his eyebrows slightly, nodded gently, and settled the score without responding.

He didn't even look at Peng Xingyu and the Daoist Black Shoes. He had already asked the two of them about this matter before the Yue Household and others arrived, so there was no need to go into details here.

The Earl of Nan'an fixed his gaze on Sect Leader Kang Da and asked softly, "Magistrate Kang, please speak."

At crucial moments, the latter's cheerful and easygoing demeanor reappeared, making him stand out among the timid and fearful sinners.

"My lord, you are wise. Our sect's True Disciple, Kang Rongquan, colluded with Kuai En, the head of the Tanggu Kuai Household, and others to murder Tanggu Wei Gui Xiang in order to settle a personal score. After the plot failed, he summoned the Demon Correction Office to arrest him. This is perfectly justified and beyond reproach!"

The Ming Household acted unwisely, sending men to rob them. When the Demon Correction Office's army arrived, they failed to surrender in hopes of receiving leniency, compounding their mistake!

Our sect elders, including Pei Yi, raised troops to resist, resulting in the tragic deaths of several colleagues from the Demon Correction Office Division. This is indeed a heinous act, beyond dispute!

Kang Dabao, as the Pingrong County, has received great favor from the Earl, yet he has failed to properly instruct his disciples in loyalty and righteousness; this fact is clear and need no further debate! But,

Kuang Liuting's expression softened slightly. No one in the hall spoke. Kang Dabao hadn't finished speaking when he said:

"But my poor disciple Han Yundao shouldn't have died! He should have survived after protecting his fellow disciples and fighting against a powerful enemy! But he was killed by this shameless scoundrel who harbors a grudge against me!! Gui Xiang was a coward when he went into battle; he didn't kill my disciple Kang Dabao, he killed a loyal soldier from the state!"

Suddenly Kang Dabao pointed at Gui Xiang, who was trembling like a leaf, startling the latter into silence. Sect Leader Kang Da then continued:

"If my disciple had died in the service of the king, it would have been entirely deserved! The entire sect would have been overjoyed! But he was framed and killed by a villain, and all the disciples of the sect are heartbroken!"

As a result, he was taken advantage of by someone with ulterior motives who exploited his youth and ignorance, leading him to commit a wrong! But since he was both settling a personal score and avenging the thousands of loyal officials of the state who died unjustly at the hands of villains, he had to gain some recognition.

Therefore, we earnestly hope that Your Excellency will consider the past loyalty and righteousness of the Chongming Sect and spare us! From now on, the disciples of Double Brightness will repay your kindness with the utmost gratitude and remember this forever!

These words were indeed True Intention, and finally moved Kuang Liuting slightly, but when he spoke, they still sent a chill down Kang Dabao's spine:

"You certainly know how to use a silver tongue. Even though your disciple has clearly done something wrong and deserves to die, you can still find something I've never thought of before to give him some excuse, which makes me a little ashamed. But..."

Kuang Liuting's expression changed. "The prefectural and county government offices are not just for show. If you kill officials, it is treason, and you will be executed! I'll give you a list, which Gun Shilu and I have carefully compiled these past few days. The crimes are punishable by death."

After you have reviewed them one by one, if you feel wronged, submit a memorial refuting each point. We will review it and, if we find it substantial, then make a decision. As for you and the other members of the Chongming Sect, you shall all be moved to Liangxi Circuit. Since you relied on your superior strength to disregard the law of the land, then go and defend the border for the country to atone for your sins!

As soon as Kuang Liuting finished speaking, no one in the hall dared to utter a single word in Sect Leader Kang Da. Not only was Juntian Bird watching with great interest as if he were watching a variety show, but even the Daoist Black Shoes only took a deep breath and secretly exchanged a knowing glance with Kang Dabao.

But after the latter received the Jade Slip list from Gun Shilu, his two small eyes almost popped out.

But the name listed at the top of the list on the Jade Slip was none other than "Jiang Qing".