As soon as the words fell, the door of Hall One swung open, creaking with the sound of chains. Yuan Shi Tian Zun was escorted into the courtroom by two guards, his legs shackled, a black wooden ring around his neck, yellow paper talismans pressed against his chest, and his hands bound by root tendrils. Everyone in the hall turned to gaze at this young man—once a rising star, the official's most celebrated prodigy—now entering the "gallows" as if a common criminal. Like most offenders, he remained expressionless, his demeanor hollow and lifeless, no longer radiating his former brilliance. The photographer adjusted the lens, focusing on Yuan Shi Tian Zun, capturing his expressions and movements, transmitting the footage live to the forum. Once placed at the defendant's bench, one of the guards announced: "Report: Defendant Yuan Shi Tian Zun has arrived. Spiritual seal, spiritual energy seal, physical body seal. Hall One is now sealed!" From the very beginning of Hall One's construction, provisions were made to anticipate various means by which offenders might escape—teleportation, flight, stealth, or entry into alternate realms. Therefore, powerful sealing阵methods have been arranged within the walls, ceiling, and floor, even capable of blocking the summoning of spiritual realm practitioners from the spiritual realm. The two guards stepped back a few paces and stood upright like spearheads on either side of the defendant's bench. Master Cai maintained a calm expression and spoke with clear, resonant voice: "Proceed with the hearing. First, please allow the prosecutor to present the case." At the prosecutor's seat, Zhou, the secretary, rose gracefully and declared: "Your Honor, on behalf of the Investigation Department, I would like to present the details of this case. On October 1st, the three senior monks—Nuguo Wenyingshi, Ji Qu River, and the Biologist—were dispatched to Jinshan City to eliminate a group of malevolent practitioners. During the mission, they were attacked by the Primordial Heavenly Sovereign, resulting in the martyrdom of Senior Monk Nuguo Wenyingshi." As he spoke, the photographer took a close-up shot of Yuan Qing, deliberately framing it for the official spiritual practitioners watching the live broadcast. On the live post, comments surged, with strong criticism directed at the Primordial Heavenly Sovereign. "Master Huangsha Bai Zhan stood up, speaking with authority: 'Your Honor, I represent the Defendant, Yuan Shi Tian Zun, on behalf of the Patrol Division.' Yuan Shi Tian Zun is a member of the Patrol Division and also belongs to the White Tiger Army, thus naturally serving as a defense counsel. Originally, this role was most suitable for Fu Qingyang, but since he is stationed in the Spiritual Realm, it has been entrusted to Master Huangsha Bai Zhan—both a senior official of Song Hai and a member of the White Tiger Army. After completing the formalities, Cai Master said: 'Please present the prosecution's evidence.' Zhou Secretary had already prepared thoroughly, opening his file folder while speaking: 'We have ample evidence to charge Yuan Shi Tian Zun. Here are photographs and audio recordings taken by the drone at the time.' He handed over several photocopies of the photos and a USB drive to the security staff. Under Cai Master's instruction, the security staff activated the projector to play the audio files stored on the USB drive, while the photographs were passed among the ten elders and the senior officials. Zhou secretary continued: "Additionally, present at the scene and personally witnessing Yuan Shi Tian Zun's assault were the Nine-Bend River, the biologist, Luo Shen, the elderly man, and the dog. Moreover, Xie Su, the head of the Xie family, was an ally of Yuan Shi Tian Zun. On the day of the incident, he blocked the rescue efforts of the two senior monks—the Nine-Bend River and the biologist—resulting in the untimely death of the angry waves elder at Yuan Shi Tian Zun's hands. 'The testimonies from the witnesses and Xie Su are all here, please review them, Your Honor,' he handed a stack of documents to the security officer. Once the ten elders had reviewed them, the photographer, immediately raising his equipment, took prolonged close-ups of the photographs and the testimonies. Zhou secretary declared: "Since the establishment of the Spiritual Realm, the order-preserving practitioners from the five major guilds have consistently been at the forefront, defending social harmony and safeguarding national and public safety, confronting the forces of evil. Since the formation of the Five Elements Alliance, we have become more organized and disciplined, and our engagements against the forces of evil have grown more frequent." "Over the past two decades, our comrades, family members, and superiors have kept falling on the front lines," Zhou's voice grew increasingly passionate. "It is precisely because of their sacrifices that we have achieved the stability we enjoy today. Yuan Shishen's collusion with evil factions, his murder of senior elders—this is a fundamental breach of principle. According to the Five Elements Alliance's legal code, he should be sentenced to death. I urge Headquarters and the Presiding Judge to grant the elder 'Nu Tao Weng Qing' a fair judgment. 'We must deliver justice not only to the fallen elders, but to the entire Order of the Lawful.' This appeal was delivered with heartfelt emotion and fervor. Whispers of sympathy and outrage rose from the audience. The live chat feed surged with renewed activity—comments such as 'death sentence,' 'indisputably guilty,' and 'unforgivable' flooded the platform. Elder Cai gathered his evidence, raised the wooden mallet, and struck it firmly: "Order!" He then turned to Huang Sha Bai Zhan and said, "Now, please allow the defense to present their rebuttal." "Yellow sand forged through countless battles—there's always preparation. Speaking clearly, I raise concerns about the actions of the three senior elders, especially Nu Tao Wengqing. Jinshan City is not within their jurisdiction. Cross-provincial pursuit of evil practitioners is the patrol department's responsibility. Why, then, have they appeared in Jinshan City? Secondly, as far as I know, the evil practitioners targeted by Nu Tao Wengqing are staff members of Wuhen Hotel in Jinshan City. You may not be familiar with Wuhen Hotel. Allow me to briefly explain: the leader of Wuhen Hotel has the spiritual realm ID 'Wan Shi Wu Heng,' a neutral practitioner striving for lawfulness and self-redemption. During the mission to capture the 'Eyes of the Demon,' Yuan Shǐ Tian Zun was dispatched into the hotel to establish connections with these unique evil practitioners. In the previous trial against Yuan Shǐ Tian Zun, a medium who opposed the evil faction and supported the lawful side was mentioned—this very medium is one of the members of Wuhen Hotel." "Finally, after my subsequent investigation, I found that among the four members of the hotel group hidden within the 'Chonghua Residential Area,' all were at the Sage stage. To ask—how could a group of this scale require the dispatch of three Elders?" Pausing, the Elder Huang Sha Bai Zhan declared with conviction: "Therefore, I have reason to suspect that the true objective of this operation was to lure out the Primordial Heavenly Sovereign—this is a targeted hunting mission against the Primordial Heavenly Sovereign." "Judge, that concludes my statement." Clearly, Elder Huang Sha Bai Zhan had prepared thoroughly. As a senior-level scout, he had deeply uncovered the underlying truth. Yet, Huang Sha Bai did not believe the Primordial Heavenly Sovereign could be acquitted. The murder of Elders was a fact; upholding order and hunting evil was not only natural but also just—no one could reasonably fault them. By highlighting this matter, he merely sought a sentence of life imprisonment. As long as he lived, there remained hope. In the live stream, the pace of the junior practitioners' statements suddenly slowed down—some of them were beginning to reflect. Whispers rose from the audience. Zhou Secretary immediately said, "What the Elder Huang Sha Bai Zhan means is that, as long as we use the elimination of evil professions as bait, we can lure out the Primordial Heavenly Sovereign. So, am I correct in understanding that the Primordial Heavenly Sovereign has indeed colluded with the evil professions—this is well-established evidence?" "I object!" Elder Huang Sha Bai Zhan loudly declared. "What I mean is..." He wished to emphasize that the female spirit-medium had once saved the Primordial Heavenly Sovereign, and that the Sovereign's rescue was motivated by gratitude. "Your objection falls on deaf ears!" Elder Cai coldly interrupted, cutting him off. "Proceed with the prosecution." Zhou Secretary smiled inwardly at the irony, maintaining a composed and righteous demeanor, saying, "Please Elder Huang Sha Bai Zhan, stop treating the capture of the Mage-Eye as a mere formality. How long has the Mage-Eye King been detained now?" The task of Yuan Shǐ Tian Zūn in engaging with the evil professions has long been accomplished. Yet instead of clearly distancing himself from them, he has grown increasingly ambiguous in his relationship with female spirit-mediums. The female spirit-medium's self-sacrifice to save him during the Five Elements Chaos quest stands as clear evidence. Furthermore, his decision to kill the elder Nu Tao Wú Qíng in defense of the evil professions provides further proof. Judge, I firmly believe Yuan Shǐ Tian Zūn has colluded with the evil professions—facts are clear, evidence is solid, and no further argument is needed. His words were both logical and well-supported, instantly restoring his support rating. The discussions in the live stream resumed with renewed energy. Now, even the live venue is slightly agitated. Many people were completely unaware of the case's details, and upon hearing it now, feel a sharp sense of unease. The emergence of a half-deity is no small matter globally—being a known pinnacle achievement in the realm of spiritual travelers, a half-deity is capable of influencing world dynamics. What does it mean for the evil faction to gain another half-deity? For the lawful faction, it's nothing short of a disaster. The colleagues leading the cleanup efforts are undoubtedly heroes, yet the Primordial Heavenly Sovereign should have perished by now. The sages from the audience, the elders of the jury, turned their gaze toward the stage. On the screen were Lin Zichong's personal details. Zhou, holding the remote control, spoke with clear authority: "Xiao Zishan, Lingjing ID: Sweet Red Mage. During high school, she operated a flesh-and-blood business, fabricating accusations of rape against four male classmates to secure higher profits. After losing her cases, she brutally murdered them all and has since gone into hiding." "Zhao Xintong, Lingjing ID: Zhao Xintong. As a child, she accidentally set the house on fire while playing, locking the doors and resulting in the deaths of her biological mother and stepfather. Despite her young age, she possesses a cold, vengeful nature. Recently, she pushed a classmate down the stairs, causing serious injuries." "Zhu Mingzhong, Lingjing ID: The Good Minister Who Chooses His Sovereign, a perennial troublemaker during his student years, seen as a bad student by teachers and peers, consistently associated with idle, disengaged members of society. He has faced repeated instances of extortion, coercion, and theft, leading to multiple stays at the juvenile correctional facility." "Kou Beiyue, accused of murdering his sister and subsequently fleeing. After forming a relationship with the Primordial Celestial Sovereign, the Sovereign leveraged his official position to systematically erase his case records At this moment, the live stream had already erupted into a frenzy. "Can these people truly redeem themselves? Even dogs can become Buddhas!" "Each incident, each case—watching them, I'm gritting my teeth. Thank goodness they're dead. They've been executed well." "Everyone's a villain. Their deaths are nothing to mourn." "Master Yuan Shi has actually cleared the name of Kou Beiyue? Really? This is astonishing. He's fallen from grace—what a pity!" "I truly didn't see it coming. I admired such a person of such poor character. May he rest now." "Severely punish Master Yuan Shi. He's crossed the official line—death sentence, without compromise." "There's something I'd like to say!" The calm voice echoed through the hall. The sages and elders, along with the ten senior figures seated at the head of the table, turned their attention to the young man who had remained silent throughout the gathering. The photographer quickly adjusted the lens, capturing a close-up of Yuan Shi Tian Zun. Surprisingly, Cai Elder didn't interrupt—he simply nodded and said, "Go on!" Zhou Secretary smiled gently. Yuan Shi Tian Zun, you'd better keep your rebellious spirit alive, so that the entire official establishment can see it. He had just been carefully listing the grievances of the complacent critics, subtly provoking Yuan Shi Tian Zun. "Regarding those particularly heinous evil professions, I have another version—would you like to hear it?" Zhang Yuanqing spoke softly. "Yang Xuehai, a high school teacher, was falsely accused of sexual assault by a female student and has carried the injustice for ten years. After regaining his freedom, he has written letters every year, seeking to restore his reputation—each time, his appeals have been rejected." “Lin Zichong: His father was beaten to death by thugs, and Lin himself was left with a broken leg, bedridden and recovering. Later, his mother was forced to die, and with no one to turn to, he had to settle the blood debts with blood.” “Xiao Zhisan: During her high school years, she was sexually assaulted by four male students. Those perpetrators, backed by their family status and influence, remained untouchable. She was powerless to resist and endured their exploitation for a full year until she finally killed them in a fit of rage.” “Kou Beiyue’s sister was murdered at the Copper Rooster Pavilion under the control of Chi Yue’an. Not only did Kou watch helplessly as his sister was killed, but he also ended up bearing the guilt of her murder, wandering like a dog, unable to return home.” “Niu Tianfang: She suffered chronic domestic violence from her husband, went largely unnoticed, and ultimately killed him when she had no other choice.” “Zhu Mingzhong: During his student years, he endured violent treatment and was never supported or protected by anyone, losing his confidence and eventually straying from the path he once followed.” "A wanderer of the human world. His mother was abducted and held in a remote region for over a decade, imprisoned throughout her youth. From childhood, he endured neglect and abuse at his father's hands, and was deeply resented by his mother. He was adopted by the head of the Nanming Municipal Public Security Bureau, and even after his adoptive father's passing, he has remained steadfast at the frontier, battling crime syndicates and the spiritual energy society. A man of an evil vocation, diligently performing the duties of a guardian of order." "A pursuer of toxins—repeatedly achieving victories for the official forces, he could have been transferred long ago. Yet he stayed, holding firm against a relentless flood of challenges. No matter how powerful his adversaries, he never lost his resolve. Yet, he was driven to despair by those he had sworn to protect." Zhang Yuanqing rose slowly, rising with deliberate care, as if bearing something heavy on his shoulders. He looked at the ten elders, then scanned the audience, raising a desperate, breathless cry for those humble "sinners": "Who has caused all this? Why have they become villains in their professions? Why have they suffered these injustices? Who has ever cared for them? Never—never! Who has driven them to the brink? You, the very ones who claim to uphold order! From beginning to end, all they ever asked for was justice—yet even that modest plea, never fulfilled, remained unmet until death. Because you stood above them, you saw neither their wrongs nor their humiliations. To you, they were merely the stinking mice in the drains, their lives worth less than a blade of grass. "You are all noble champions of justice, so lofty and so refined." The hall fell utterly silent. Suddenly, a cry of sorrow broke out from the audience. Guan Ya, Xie Lingxi, and Sun Miao Miao all covered their faces, shoulders trembling gently. Miao Teng'er buried her face in Ling Jun's arms, while Yin Ji stared at him, motionless. Lingjun, Xia Hou Ao Tian, Zhao Chenghuang, Xia Shu's affection... and several of the fellow companions who had risen to the rank of Saint alongside Zhang Yuanqing during the slaughter quests—these individuals, who had always trusted him, now finally understood the reason behind his sudden rage against the senior monks. They were struck dumb, their pain sharp as if cut by blades. Yet, the broader audience remained more inclined to believe in the evidence and the court's verdict. After a brief silence, the number of comments in the live stream surged: "Another one. Last time during the trial, it was the same. He must be a cunning, manipulative spirit—so good at winning people over." "Excellent speech, but I still trust the evidence over his empty words." "Don't be fooled by him. The murder of the senior monks is a fact, and his collusion with the evil profession is equally solid. How can an evil profession redeem itself? What nonsense—isn't that like fooling a three-year-old?" "Give him the death sentence. I'm already growing tired of watching him." Master Cai picked up the wooden mallet, gently tapping the table and declaring: "The Prime Celestial Sovereign has colluded with evil forces, harming the elder, with clear facts and sufficient evidence. According to Articles One and Two of the Five Elements Alliance's legal code, this court hereby sentences him to death, seizes all his tools and assets, and orders immediate execution!" No elder in the back row voiced dissent. Applause erupted among the audience, filling the livestream with waves of 'applause' emojis. Zhang Yuanqing slowly scanned the hall, as the voice of the Mage-Eyed King's curse echoed in his ears: "Prime Celestial Sovereign, I curse you. One day, when you witness the darkness of human nature, when your grievances remain unheeded, when justice is forced by power, when the weak become mere sheep—I curse you to become just like me." Zhang Yuanqing burst into loud, hearty laughter, laughing so much that he bent forward and then backward, tears streaming down his face. Amidst the laughter, the hands, entwined with roots, opened his inventory, retrieving a stamp painted in deep blue ink, adorned with elegant patterns. As soon as the stamp left the inventory, a dialog box popped up: 【Exchange item: Fragments of the Lunar Origin.】 【Confirm exchange?】 "Exchange!" The wild fire within surged.