Chapter 233: 233
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The four Stewards slowly rose from their seats, taking in everything in awe. No one in the entire League could profess of having such magic themselves.
"Impossible... Only the lost magic from the former eons have such purity! But how could anyone be still in possession of it!?"
The students, disciples all congregated outside the hall were all astounded; some were simply lost for words that an alleged criminal like Xiao Chen could have such magic that exceeded everyone's expectations. But some were envious, if not jealous, that the magic and martial skills that they had been learned, the work of their life which they had been so proud of, were mere child's play in contrast to Xiao Chen's skills.
Xiao Chen stopped his channeling and took a deep breath. He looked up and met the eyes of the Warden, who was still caressing his beard, nodding with interest.
"IMPOSSIBLE!" Zuoqiu Ping roared, "T-that day... I... W-what I saw..."
The Warden raised a hand to silence him. "This magic is so pure and sacred that only one with an honest heart will be able to use," he pronounced.
He paused, and uttered a single word "remarkable", admitting his praise and admiration for Xiao Chen. With the passing of the last eon, the Orthodox Path had suffered from the knowledge and lore which had been lost. Without the magic and skills of their forefathers, they had been suffering great losses under the hands of the Devil's Practice, and things were indeed getting dire.
And yet, in his ripe age, he was able to witness once again the might and grandeur of the lost magic from the former age! It was a revelation that consoled him, promising hope for the forces of Good in their future battles against Evil as the Warden reminisced the glory of the Orthodox Path of old.
"Tell me, boy. What school are you from?" The Warden looked down at Xiao Chen, asking him gently.
Xiao Chen noticed the change in the Warden's demeanor; with a more respectful tone, he replied, "I'm afraid I'm unable to reveal anything about my provenance. It's a very, very long story."
"So be it then," The Warden muttered, "I find you absolved from any wrongdoing, but you will be watched for three months. There can be no misdeeds, or you shall face judgment. Understood?"
Zuoqiu Ping stood up at once. He had not expected this; the absolution of Xiao Chen from any sins could see his household bearing the blame for losing the Fallen Dust Bead! But before he could object, the Warden stopped him. "Rest assured, Master Zuoqiu. I will personally speak to the Chief myself about the loss of the Bead. The Zuoqiu Clan is not entirely to be blamed for it. Please do not worry."
Zuoqiu Ping crumbled back to his seat and heaved a heavy breath. His main purpose was to have the blame of losing the Fallen Dust Bead diverted unto Xiao Chen. But now that the odds had stacked against his favor, this was the best outcome he could ever hope for.
"Very well, this hearing is hereby adjourned. Let us..."
An old man, dressed in robes of red, had taken the floor and addressed the judges. It was Ling Jingshan, the man who had lost to Xiao Chen in their battle at Xianyong City and had fled by using the Blood Yin Incantation. "I am Ling Jingshan of Clan Ling," he shouted out loud, "And I seek justice!"
The Warden said nothing, merely nodding, allowing him to continue.
Ling Jingshan glared viciously at Xiao Chen and thrust a finger at him, "This man had taken my grandson, Ling Yuxuan's Spiritual Meridian months ago! The act of taking another's Spiritual Meridian is a hateful act forbidden within the Orthodox Path! This man has broken our laws, and I urged that you judge him accordingly!"
The hall fell silent. The Warden ran his fingers through the hairs of his beard, pondering quietly until he finally declared, "This is a matter of personal vendetta. The League does not interfere in such private matters."
That was true. The League would have been badly short-handed if they were to meddle into every grudge and rivalry that found its way to their doors.
Having borne no expectations that his demands would be satisfied, Ling Jingshan turned and left, seething with anger with his men trailing after him. The Warden watched them walk out the hall hurriedly and address everyone else still in the hall, "Well, then. Let us leave."
Everyone rose and began shuffling out the doors. Xiao Chen walked out to meet a beaming Yu Yifeng and an elated Murong Xian'er. They rushed up to join him. Xiao Chen smiled and turned to Perfected Immortal Qing Chen and Fengxi. "Thank you both, Perfected Immortals. I'm eternally indebted."
He was fully aware that the case against him would never have ended so easily if not for them both. Fengxi scowled. "Don't be too happy yet. You must not get in trouble in these three months of probation."
"Amitabha..."
Master Xuanji's signature Buddhist chant resounded from behind like a bell's toll. He approached Xiao Chen and his companions with Xu Gu trotting behind him and Xiao Chen greeted them, "Greetings to you, Master Xuanji and Senior Brother Xu Gu."
He was still confused but equally curious about the Wuyin Monastery's role in the mystery of Xiao Ning.
They walked across the square and were about to move down the stairs when their way was blocked by a young man. His clothing indicated that he was a member of the Ling Family.
He eyed Xiao Chen furiously and his nostrils flared with anger, but Xiao Chen could tell that he possessed powers greater than Ling Yingfeng and the rest of his kin. Bluntly, Xiao Chen asked, "Why are you standing in our way?"
"You, Xiao Chen, have injured two of my cousins! I shall be waiting for you in the Immortal's Sword Assembly! I shall be one of the ten best swordsmen in the tournament and there, I shall meet you. Not to defeat you, but to seek vengeance for my kin! Blood for blood!"
"Have it your way," Xiao Chen responded crudely and brushed past him, moving with his friends down the steps.
The hall was fully vacated, save for the Warden and the four Stewards. "Is it prudent to just let the boy leave?" The Stewart in red breathed his hesitation grimly.
"What else can we do?" The Warden regarded his colleague with a bleak smile, "This is a matter not only inconvenient but messy. Why do you think the old men pushed this matter our way?"
At the same time, in a darkened room up atop one of the many floating islands hanging above Tianyuan City, four old men were huddled together, sitting around a large mirror. They were looking into it, peering on the vision in the mirror that showed what was happening in the hall earlier. They had watched the entire hearing.
"The boy is most extraordinary and intriguing," said one of the old men, "I propose we let the matter pass. There's no need to intrude upon the peace of the Elders upon something like this. What say you all?"
The rest of the old men nodded. "Seems as if the Annihilation is indeed upon us. For centuries the Chief has been missing since he last set off to investigate the matter of the strange flower. There's been no word from him and we have no knowledge of when he would return to lead us. This is grave news... especially if the evil folk were to get wind of this... I fear..."
Xiao Chen and his companions reached the foot of the stairs to find that the early darkness was near. Master Xuanji took his leave and left with Xugu. Xiao Chen gazed up the sky, beholding the twilight panorama of the fish-scaled clouds roofing above their heads. He was free and he could hardly believe it. "So," he asked, "are we staying for a night here or are we going back now?"
"There's no time," Fengxi remarked, "The admission and the preliminaries for the Immortal's Sword Assembly are just around the corner." An impish smile curled at the edge of his lips and he nudged at Perfected Immortal Qing Chen in the ribs, "Qing Chen, how about letting the boy fight for me this time? With Yifeng to represent your Jade Qing Sect, I can surely use a talent like him! Come on, let me have him!"
The Perfected Immortal smiled wryly. He stroked his beard and said nothing, merely looking at the road ahead of them.
"You jest, Master Fengxi," Yu Yifeng added with a chuckle, "Junior Brother Xiao is as close as a son to both my Martial Uncles, Xiaoyao and Qingfeng. It is only right that he joins the tournament under the banner of the Jade Qing Sect."
"Well, Grandpa Qing Chen and Grandpa Fengxi have both been kind to me," Murong Xian'er quipped, giggling playfully, "But Xian'er will stand behind whichever side Big Brother Xiao Chen is at."
"Good girl," Fengxi said at once, caressing her hair, "Surely you'll be with us then! The Xianyong Sect has an abundance of many magical herbs and Lingzhi plants!"
"I'd humbly beg to differ," Yu Yifeng countered, grinning wide, "Little Xian'er, you've seen yourself how much magical plants we have in the gardens of the Jade Qing Sect stronghold. Moreover, your big sisters, Muxue and Junior Sister Luo are there with us!"
But Murong Xian'er was already dazed and dreamy, salivating at the prospects of more tasty magical plants and herbs, "Lingzhi... Magical plants..."
Walking just behind, Xiao Chen was smirking to himself. "So, the Immortal's Sword Assembly eh?" "Maybe I should join as a representative of the Mystic Cyan Sect... Although I am the last remaining member of the school..."
But the clamor from a small mob of people coming toward them interrupted his thoughts, trailing after them was a huge crowd of townsfolk. Qingluan and Ziyun'er immediately positioned themselves in front of Xiao Chen to shield him.
Four to five people knelt before them, crying and howling with sadness and pain. They were wearing hoods of sackcloth over their heads as an indication of a recent death of a loved one.
"Heavens! Why is there no justice, Heavens! My family was slain by this man, yet no sentence was passed down to him!"
The people wearing funeral attire blocked the way of Xiao Chen and his companions and began howling loudly to attract more onlookers. In just moments, the road became so crowded that Xiao Chen and his friends could not circumvent around the kneeling people.
A young man, one of the people in funeral attire, stood up and pointed at Xiao Chen. "This is Xiao Chen! He massacred the lives of many innocents at Canglan City some time ago! My eighty-year-old mother, my new wife – we've just been married for not even a year – and our child, who's not even eight months..."
"Married for not even a year? A baby of not even eight months? Is this for real?" Xiao Chen could hardly believe what he was hearing.
The young man stifled a sob and wiped off his nose. "My mother had struggled long and hard to take care of me... But before I could repay her, she's dead... And my wife... We loved each other so much... But now we're parted by Death..."
He went on with his tale and many amid the crowd were getting touched and emotional. Some of the local old wives were already wiping the tears off their eyes with handkerchiefs, muttering and mumbling amongst themselves about how pitiful the young man was.
"He is the one! He wished vengeance upon the Zuoqiu family, but in his madness and delirium for carnage, he slaughtered even the innocent of satiating his bloodlust! But look! Even the League did not find him guilty! Heaven has lost its sense of justice!" He paused to let the moment sink in, "I see... Look! There are the Perfected Immortals, the Mentors of the Jade Qing Sect and Xianyong Sect! No wonder... He is from a powerful background!"
His complaints and ranting managed to kindle the anger of the crowd of onlookers. They began to look at Xiao Chen, their eyes blazing with rage and some yelled, "You're learned in the arcane skills and knowledge! You should be serving the people, defending the innocents! How could you! This is unforgivable!"
"Silence, all of you! How dare you insult our Master!" Qingluan snarled at the people.
But Xiao Chen was hardly angered; he understood everything now: somebody had induced or even bribed this man to tarnish his reputation! What a pathetic attempt!
The young man began wailing again, "Look, everyone! Look!" "This is the murderer who took the lives of my loved ones! But he has immortals helping him; that is why no one can do anything to him! Look at me, I'm just a common man, what can I do?!" He stopped again and heaved a breath, "I'm sorry, my wife! I'm just a helpless man who can do nothing to avenge you! But relax, I'm coming to accompany you!" He looked and found a wall and was about to hurl himself headfirst into it when some of the men from the crowd held him back.
Qingluan felt a sliver of hatred coursing through her veins as she hissed fiercely in respond, "Quiet, you!" In a fit of anger, she raised her fist to strike at the man but Xiao Chen quickly stopped her, shaking his head.
"What is wrong with me?" Qingluan realized. She had acted out of character. Qingluan had never acted nor operated without her Master's consent. But she was really angry when she heard the man slandering Xiao Chen; so angry that she nearly struck out of line. "What is happening to me?" she began to ask herself...
Xiao Chen took a step forward and stood before his companions, facing the young man. "You said moments ago that you and your wife loved each other very much?"
The man stood up to look at Xiao Chen in the eyes. With his eyes bloodshot from the crying and his intense emotions, he spat, "Yes! Yes! You are a murderous demon! I do not have what it takes to kill you and avenge my wife! But I will not rest! Even if I am dead, I'll try my best to return as a spirit to haunt you! Kill me now! Kill me now if you dare!"
"Very well, then allow me to reunite you and your wife in the Underworld!"
Xiao Chen snarled savagely at the young man. His blood started to boil and his eyes were becoming red; he was beginning to be shrouded by the same blood-curling aura that once gripped him at Canglan City. He raised his fist and time seemed to slow around him when he lunged at the young man, and unleashed his stroke.
"NOOO!" Yu Yifeng's voice came from behind him. But it was too late.
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The four Stewards slowly rose from their seats, taking in everything in awe. No one in the entire League could profess of having such magic themselves.
"Impossible... Only the lost magic from the former eons have such purity! But how could anyone be still in possession of it!?"
The students, disciples all congregated outside the hall were all astounded; some were simply lost for words that an alleged criminal like Xiao Chen could have such magic that exceeded everyone's expectations. But some were envious, if not jealous, that the magic and martial skills that they had been learned, the work of their life which they had been so proud of, were mere child's play in contrast to Xiao Chen's skills.
Xiao Chen stopped his channeling and took a deep breath. He looked up and met the eyes of the Warden, who was still caressing his beard, nodding with interest.
"IMPOSSIBLE!" Zuoqiu Ping roared, "T-that day... I... W-what I saw..."
The Warden raised a hand to silence him. "This magic is so pure and sacred that only one with an honest heart will be able to use," he pronounced.
He paused, and uttered a single word "remarkable", admitting his praise and admiration for Xiao Chen. With the passing of the last eon, the Orthodox Path had suffered from the knowledge and lore which had been lost. Without the magic and skills of their forefathers, they had been suffering great losses under the hands of the Devil's Practice, and things were indeed getting dire.
And yet, in his ripe age, he was able to witness once again the might and grandeur of the lost magic from the former age! It was a revelation that consoled him, promising hope for the forces of Good in their future battles against Evil as the Warden reminisced the glory of the Orthodox Path of old.
"Tell me, boy. What school are you from?" The Warden looked down at Xiao Chen, asking him gently.
Xiao Chen noticed the change in the Warden's demeanor; with a more respectful tone, he replied, "I'm afraid I'm unable to reveal anything about my provenance. It's a very, very long story."
"So be it then," The Warden muttered, "I find you absolved from any wrongdoing, but you will be watched for three months. There can be no misdeeds, or you shall face judgment. Understood?"
Zuoqiu Ping stood up at once. He had not expected this; the absolution of Xiao Chen from any sins could see his household bearing the blame for losing the Fallen Dust Bead! But before he could object, the Warden stopped him. "Rest assured, Master Zuoqiu. I will personally speak to the Chief myself about the loss of the Bead. The Zuoqiu Clan is not entirely to be blamed for it. Please do not worry."
Zuoqiu Ping crumbled back to his seat and heaved a heavy breath. His main purpose was to have the blame of losing the Fallen Dust Bead diverted unto Xiao Chen. But now that the odds had stacked against his favor, this was the best outcome he could ever hope for.
"Very well, this hearing is hereby adjourned. Let us..."
An old man, dressed in robes of red, had taken the floor and addressed the judges. It was Ling Jingshan, the man who had lost to Xiao Chen in their battle at Xianyong City and had fled by using the Blood Yin Incantation. "I am Ling Jingshan of Clan Ling," he shouted out loud, "And I seek justice!"
The Warden said nothing, merely nodding, allowing him to continue.
Ling Jingshan glared viciously at Xiao Chen and thrust a finger at him, "This man had taken my grandson, Ling Yuxuan's Spiritual Meridian months ago! The act of taking another's Spiritual Meridian is a hateful act forbidden within the Orthodox Path! This man has broken our laws, and I urged that you judge him accordingly!"
The hall fell silent. The Warden ran his fingers through the hairs of his beard, pondering quietly until he finally declared, "This is a matter of personal vendetta. The League does not interfere in such private matters."
That was true. The League would have been badly short-handed if they were to meddle into every grudge and rivalry that found its way to their doors.
Having borne no expectations that his demands would be satisfied, Ling Jingshan turned and left, seething with anger with his men trailing after him. The Warden watched them walk out the hall hurriedly and address everyone else still in the hall, "Well, then. Let us leave."
Everyone rose and began shuffling out the doors. Xiao Chen walked out to meet a beaming Yu Yifeng and an elated Murong Xian'er. They rushed up to join him. Xiao Chen smiled and turned to Perfected Immortal Qing Chen and Fengxi. "Thank you both, Perfected Immortals. I'm eternally indebted."
He was fully aware that the case against him would never have ended so easily if not for them both. Fengxi scowled. "Don't be too happy yet. You must not get in trouble in these three months of probation."
"Amitabha..."
Master Xuanji's signature Buddhist chant resounded from behind like a bell's toll. He approached Xiao Chen and his companions with Xu Gu trotting behind him and Xiao Chen greeted them, "Greetings to you, Master Xuanji and Senior Brother Xu Gu."
He was still confused but equally curious about the Wuyin Monastery's role in the mystery of Xiao Ning.
They walked across the square and were about to move down the stairs when their way was blocked by a young man. His clothing indicated that he was a member of the Ling Family.
He eyed Xiao Chen furiously and his nostrils flared with anger, but Xiao Chen could tell that he possessed powers greater than Ling Yingfeng and the rest of his kin. Bluntly, Xiao Chen asked, "Why are you standing in our way?"
"You, Xiao Chen, have injured two of my cousins! I shall be waiting for you in the Immortal's Sword Assembly! I shall be one of the ten best swordsmen in the tournament and there, I shall meet you. Not to defeat you, but to seek vengeance for my kin! Blood for blood!"
"Have it your way," Xiao Chen responded crudely and brushed past him, moving with his friends down the steps.
The hall was fully vacated, save for the Warden and the four Stewards. "Is it prudent to just let the boy leave?" The Stewart in red breathed his hesitation grimly.
"What else can we do?" The Warden regarded his colleague with a bleak smile, "This is a matter not only inconvenient but messy. Why do you think the old men pushed this matter our way?"
At the same time, in a darkened room up atop one of the many floating islands hanging above Tianyuan City, four old men were huddled together, sitting around a large mirror. They were looking into it, peering on the vision in the mirror that showed what was happening in the hall earlier. They had watched the entire hearing.
"The boy is most extraordinary and intriguing," said one of the old men, "I propose we let the matter pass. There's no need to intrude upon the peace of the Elders upon something like this. What say you all?"
The rest of the old men nodded. "Seems as if the Annihilation is indeed upon us. For centuries the Chief has been missing since he last set off to investigate the matter of the strange flower. There's been no word from him and we have no knowledge of when he would return to lead us. This is grave news... especially if the evil folk were to get wind of this... I fear..."
Xiao Chen and his companions reached the foot of the stairs to find that the early darkness was near. Master Xuanji took his leave and left with Xugu. Xiao Chen gazed up the sky, beholding the twilight panorama of the fish-scaled clouds roofing above their heads. He was free and he could hardly believe it. "So," he asked, "are we staying for a night here or are we going back now?"
"There's no time," Fengxi remarked, "The admission and the preliminaries for the Immortal's Sword Assembly are just around the corner." An impish smile curled at the edge of his lips and he nudged at Perfected Immortal Qing Chen in the ribs, "Qing Chen, how about letting the boy fight for me this time? With Yifeng to represent your Jade Qing Sect, I can surely use a talent like him! Come on, let me have him!"
The Perfected Immortal smiled wryly. He stroked his beard and said nothing, merely looking at the road ahead of them.
"You jest, Master Fengxi," Yu Yifeng added with a chuckle, "Junior Brother Xiao is as close as a son to both my Martial Uncles, Xiaoyao and Qingfeng. It is only right that he joins the tournament under the banner of the Jade Qing Sect."
"Well, Grandpa Qing Chen and Grandpa Fengxi have both been kind to me," Murong Xian'er quipped, giggling playfully, "But Xian'er will stand behind whichever side Big Brother Xiao Chen is at."
"Good girl," Fengxi said at once, caressing her hair, "Surely you'll be with us then! The Xianyong Sect has an abundance of many magical herbs and Lingzhi plants!"
"I'd humbly beg to differ," Yu Yifeng countered, grinning wide, "Little Xian'er, you've seen yourself how much magical plants we have in the gardens of the Jade Qing Sect stronghold. Moreover, your big sisters, Muxue and Junior Sister Luo are there with us!"
But Murong Xian'er was already dazed and dreamy, salivating at the prospects of more tasty magical plants and herbs, "Lingzhi... Magical plants..."
Walking just behind, Xiao Chen was smirking to himself. "So, the Immortal's Sword Assembly eh?" "Maybe I should join as a representative of the Mystic Cyan Sect... Although I am the last remaining member of the school..."
But the clamor from a small mob of people coming toward them interrupted his thoughts, trailing after them was a huge crowd of townsfolk. Qingluan and Ziyun'er immediately positioned themselves in front of Xiao Chen to shield him.
Four to five people knelt before them, crying and howling with sadness and pain. They were wearing hoods of sackcloth over their heads as an indication of a recent death of a loved one.
"Heavens! Why is there no justice, Heavens! My family was slain by this man, yet no sentence was passed down to him!"
The people wearing funeral attire blocked the way of Xiao Chen and his companions and began howling loudly to attract more onlookers. In just moments, the road became so crowded that Xiao Chen and his friends could not circumvent around the kneeling people.
A young man, one of the people in funeral attire, stood up and pointed at Xiao Chen. "This is Xiao Chen! He massacred the lives of many innocents at Canglan City some time ago! My eighty-year-old mother, my new wife – we've just been married for not even a year – and our child, who's not even eight months..."
"Married for not even a year? A baby of not even eight months? Is this for real?" Xiao Chen could hardly believe what he was hearing.
The young man stifled a sob and wiped off his nose. "My mother had struggled long and hard to take care of me... But before I could repay her, she's dead... And my wife... We loved each other so much... But now we're parted by Death..."
He went on with his tale and many amid the crowd were getting touched and emotional. Some of the local old wives were already wiping the tears off their eyes with handkerchiefs, muttering and mumbling amongst themselves about how pitiful the young man was.
"He is the one! He wished vengeance upon the Zuoqiu family, but in his madness and delirium for carnage, he slaughtered even the innocent of satiating his bloodlust! But look! Even the League did not find him guilty! Heaven has lost its sense of justice!" He paused to let the moment sink in, "I see... Look! There are the Perfected Immortals, the Mentors of the Jade Qing Sect and Xianyong Sect! No wonder... He is from a powerful background!"
His complaints and ranting managed to kindle the anger of the crowd of onlookers. They began to look at Xiao Chen, their eyes blazing with rage and some yelled, "You're learned in the arcane skills and knowledge! You should be serving the people, defending the innocents! How could you! This is unforgivable!"
"Silence, all of you! How dare you insult our Master!" Qingluan snarled at the people.
But Xiao Chen was hardly angered; he understood everything now: somebody had induced or even bribed this man to tarnish his reputation! What a pathetic attempt!
The young man began wailing again, "Look, everyone! Look!" "This is the murderer who took the lives of my loved ones! But he has immortals helping him; that is why no one can do anything to him! Look at me, I'm just a common man, what can I do?!" He stopped again and heaved a breath, "I'm sorry, my wife! I'm just a helpless man who can do nothing to avenge you! But relax, I'm coming to accompany you!" He looked and found a wall and was about to hurl himself headfirst into it when some of the men from the crowd held him back.
Qingluan felt a sliver of hatred coursing through her veins as she hissed fiercely in respond, "Quiet, you!" In a fit of anger, she raised her fist to strike at the man but Xiao Chen quickly stopped her, shaking his head.
"What is wrong with me?" Qingluan realized. She had acted out of character. Qingluan had never acted nor operated without her Master's consent. But she was really angry when she heard the man slandering Xiao Chen; so angry that she nearly struck out of line. "What is happening to me?" she began to ask herself...
Xiao Chen took a step forward and stood before his companions, facing the young man. "You said moments ago that you and your wife loved each other very much?"
The man stood up to look at Xiao Chen in the eyes. With his eyes bloodshot from the crying and his intense emotions, he spat, "Yes! Yes! You are a murderous demon! I do not have what it takes to kill you and avenge my wife! But I will not rest! Even if I am dead, I'll try my best to return as a spirit to haunt you! Kill me now! Kill me now if you dare!"
"Very well, then allow me to reunite you and your wife in the Underworld!"
Xiao Chen snarled savagely at the young man. His blood started to boil and his eyes were becoming red; he was beginning to be shrouded by the same blood-curling aura that once gripped him at Canglan City. He raised his fist and time seemed to slow around him when he lunged at the young man, and unleashed his stroke.
"NOOO!" Yu Yifeng's voice came from behind him. But it was too late.
The four Stewards slowly rose from their seats, taking in everything in awe. No one in the entire League could profess of having such magic themselves."Impossible... Only the lost magic from the former eons have such purity! But how could anyone be still in possession of it!?"The students, disciples all congregated outside the hall were all astounded; some were simply lost for words that an alleged criminal like Xiao Chen could have such magic that exceeded everyone's expectations. But some were envious, if not jealous, that the magic and martial skills that they had been learned, the work of their life which they had been so proud of, were mere child's play in contrast to Xiao Chen's skills.Xiao Chen stopped his channeling and took a deep breath. He looked up and met the eyes of the Warden, who was still caressing his beard, nodding with interest."IMPOSSIBLE!" Zuoqiu Ping roared, "T-that day... I... W-what I saw..."The Warden raised a hand to silence him. "This magic is so pure and sacred that only one with an honest heart will be able to use," he pronounced.He paused, and uttered a single word "remarkable", admitting his praise and admiration for Xiao Chen. With the passing of the last eon, the Orthodox Path had suffered from the knowledge and lore which had been lost. Without the magic and skills of their forefathers, they had been suffering great losses under the hands of the Devil's Practice, and things were indeed getting dire.And yet, in his ripe age, he was able to witness once again the might and grandeur of the lost magic from the former age! It was a revelation that consoled him, promising hope for the forces of Good in their future battles against Evil as the Warden reminisced the glory of the Orthodox Path of old."Tell me, boy. What school are you from?" The Warden looked down at Xiao Chen, asking him gently.Xiao Chen noticed the change in the Warden's demeanor; with a more respectful tone, he replied, "I'm afraid I'm unable to reveal anything about my provenance. It's a very, very long story.""So be it then," The Warden muttered, "I find you absolved from any wrongdoing, but you will be watched for three months. There can be no misdeeds, or you shall face judgment. Understood?"Zuoqiu Ping stood up at once. He had not expected this; the absolution of Xiao Chen from any sins could see his household bearing the blame for losing the Fallen Dust Bead! But before he could object, the Warden stopped him. "Rest assured, Master Zuoqiu. I will personally speak to the Chief myself about the loss of the Bead. The Zuoqiu Clan is not entirely to be blamed for it. Please do not worry."Zuoqiu Ping crumbled back to his seat and heaved a heavy breath. His main purpose was to have the blame of losing the Fallen Dust Bead diverted unto Xiao Chen. But now that the odds had stacked against his favor, this was the best outcome he could ever hope for."Very well, this hearing is hereby adjourned. Let us..."An old man, dressed in robes of red, had taken the floor and addressed the judges. It was Ling Jingshan, the man who had lost to Xiao Chen in their battle at Xianyong City and had fled by using the Blood Yin Incantation. "I am Ling Jingshan of Clan Ling," he shouted out loud, "And I seek justice!"The Warden said nothing, merely nodding, allowing him to continue.Ling Jingshan glared viciously at Xiao Chen and thrust a finger at him, "This man had taken my grandson, Ling Yuxuan's Spiritual Meridian months ago! The act of taking another's Spiritual Meridian is a hateful act forbidden within the Orthodox Path! This man has broken our laws, and I urged that you judge him accordingly!"The hall fell silent. The Warden ran his fingers through the hairs of his beard, pondering quietly until he finally declared, "This is a matter of personal vendetta. The League does not interfere in such private matters."That was true. The League would have been badly short-handed if they were to meddle into every grudge and rivalry that found its way to their doors.Having borne no expectations that his demands would be satisfied, Ling Jingshan turned and left, seething with anger with his men trailing after him. The Warden watched them walk out the hall hurriedly and address everyone else still in the hall, "Well, then. Let us leave."Everyone rose and began shuffling out the doors. Xiao Chen walked out to meet a beaming Yu Yifeng and an elated Murong Xian'er. They rushed up to join him. Xiao Chen smiled and turned to Perfected Immortal Qing Chen and Fengxi. "Thank you both, Perfected Immortals. I'm eternally indebted."He was fully aware that the case against him would never have ended so easily if not for them both. Fengxi scowled. "Don't be too happy yet. You must not get in trouble in these three months of probation.""Amitabha..."Master Xuanji's signature Buddhist chant resounded from behind like a bell's toll. He approached Xiao Chen and his companions with Xu Gu trotting behind him and Xiao Chen greeted them, "Greetings to you, Master Xuanji and Senior Brother Xu Gu."He was still confused but equally curious about the Wuyin Monastery's role in the mystery of Xiao Ning.They walked across the square and were about to move down the stairs when their way was blocked by a young man. His clothing indicated that he was a member of the Ling Family.He eyed Xiao Chen furiously and his nostrils flared with anger, but Xiao Chen could tell that he possessed powers greater than Ling Yingfeng and the rest of his kin. Bluntly, Xiao Chen asked, "Why are you standing in our way?""You, Xiao Chen, have injured two of my cousins! I shall be waiting for you in the Immortal's Sword Assembly! I shall be one of the ten best swordsmen in the tournament and there, I shall meet you. Not to defeat you, but to seek vengeance for my kin! Blood for blood!""Have it your way," Xiao Chen responded crudely and brushed past him, moving with his friends down the steps.The hall was fully vacated, save for the Warden and the four Stewards. "Is it prudent to just let the boy leave?" The Stewart in red breathed his hesitation grimly."What else can we do?" The Warden regarded his colleague with a bleak smile, "This is a matter not only inconvenient but messy. Why do you think the old men pushed this matter our way?"At the same time, in a darkened room up atop one of the many floating islands hanging above Tianyuan City, four old men were huddled together, sitting around a large mirror. They were looking into it, peering on the vision in the mirror that showed what was happening in the hall earlier. They had watched the entire hearing."The boy is most extraordinary and intriguing," said one of the old men, "I propose we let the matter pass. There's no need to intrude upon the peace of the Elders upon something like this. What say you all?"The rest of the old men nodded. "Seems as if the Annihilation is indeed upon us. For centuries the Chief has been missing since he last set off to investigate the matter of the strange flower. There's been no word from him and we have no knowledge of when he would return to lead us. This is grave news... especially if the evil folk were to get wind of this... I fear..."Xiao Chen and his companions reached the foot of the stairs to find that the early darkness was near. Master Xuanji took his leave and left with Xugu. Xiao Chen gazed up the sky, beholding the twilight panorama of the fish-scaled clouds roofing above their heads. He was free and he could hardly believe it. "So," he asked, "are we staying for a night here or are we going back now?""There's no time," Fengxi remarked, "The admission and the preliminaries for the Immortal's Sword Assembly are just around the corner." An impish smile curled at the edge of his lips and he nudged at Perfected Immortal Qing Chen in the ribs, "Qing Chen, how about letting the boy fight for me this time? With Yifeng to represent your Jade Qing Sect, I can surely use a talent like him! Come on, let me have him!"The Perfected Immortal smiled wryly. He stroked his beard and said nothing, merely looking at the road ahead of them."You jest, Master Fengxi," Yu Yifeng added with a chuckle, "Junior Brother Xiao is as close as a son to both my Martial Uncles, Xiaoyao and Qingfeng. It is only right that he joins the tournament under the banner of the Jade Qing Sect.""Well, Grandpa Qing Chen and Grandpa Fengxi have both been kind to me," Murong Xian'er quipped, giggling playfully, "But Xian'er will stand behind whichever side Big Brother Xiao Chen is at.""Good girl," Fengxi said at once, caressing her hair, "Surely you'll be with us then! The Xianyong Sect has an abundance of many magical herbs and Lingzhi plants!""I'd humbly beg to differ," Yu Yifeng countered, grinning wide, "Little Xian'er, you've seen yourself how much magical plants we have in the gardens of the Jade Qing Sect stronghold. Moreover, your big sisters, Muxue and Junior Sister Luo are there with us!"But Murong Xian'er was already dazed and dreamy, salivating at the prospects of more tasty magical plants and herbs, "Lingzhi... Magical plants..."Walking just behind, Xiao Chen was smirking to himself. "So, the Immortal's Sword Assembly eh?" "Maybe I should join as a representative of the Mystic Cyan Sect... Although I am the last remaining member of the school..."But the clamor from a small mob of people coming toward them interrupted his thoughts, trailing after them was a huge crowd of townsfolk. Qingluan and Ziyun'er immediately positioned themselves in front of Xiao Chen to shield him.Four to five people knelt before them, crying and howling with sadness and pain. They were wearing hoods of sackcloth over their heads as an indication of a recent death of a loved one."Heavens! Why is there no justice, Heavens! My family was slain by this man, yet no sentence was passed down to him!"The people wearing funeral attire blocked the way of Xiao Chen and his companions and began howling loudly to attract more onlookers. In just moments, the road became so crowded that Xiao Chen and his friends could not circumvent around the kneeling people.A young man, one of the people in funeral attire, stood up and pointed at Xiao Chen. "This is Xiao Chen! He massacred the lives of many innocents at Canglan City some time ago! My eighty-year-old mother, my new wife we've just been married for not even a year and our child, who's not even eight months...""Married for not even a year? A baby of not even eight months? Is this for real?" Xiao Chen could hardly believe what he was hearing.The young man stifled a sob and wiped off his nose. "My mother had struggled long and hard to take care of me... But before I could repay her, she's dead... And my wife... We loved each other so much... But now we're parted by Death..."He went on with his tale and many amid the crowd were getting touched and emotional. Some of the local old wives were already wiping the tears off their eyes with handkerchiefs, muttering and mumbling amongst themselves about how pitiful the young man was."He is the one! He wished vengeance upon the Zuoqiu family, but in his madness and delirium for carnage, he slaughtered even the innocent of satiating his bloodlust! But look! Even the League did not find him guilty! Heaven has lost its sense of justice!" He paused to let the moment sink in, "I see... Look! There are the Perfected Immortals, the Mentors of the Jade Qing Sect and Xianyong Sect! No wonder... He is from a powerful background!"His complaints and ranting managed to kindle the anger of the crowd of onlookers. They began to look at Xiao Chen, their eyes blazing with rage and some yelled, "You're learned in the arcane skills and knowledge! You should be serving the people, defending the innocents! How could you! This is unforgivable!""Silence, all of you! How dare you insult our Master!" Qingluan snarled at the people.But Xiao Chen was hardly angered; he understood everything now: somebody had induced or even bribed this man to tarnish his reputation! What a pathetic attempt!The young man began wailing again, "Look, everyone! Look!" "This is the murderer who took the lives of my loved ones! But he has immortals helping him; that is why no one can do anything to him! Look at me, I'm just a common man, what can I do?!" He stopped again and heaved a breath, "I'm sorry, my wife! I'm just a helpless man who can do nothing to avenge you! But relax, I'm coming to accompany you!" He looked and found a wall and was about to hurl himself headfirst into it when some of the men from the crowd held him back.Qingluan felt a sliver of hatred coursing through her veins as she hissed fiercely in respond, "Quiet, you!" In a fit of anger, she raised her fist to strike at the man but Xiao Chen quickly stopped her, shaking his head."What is wrong with me?" Qingluan realized. She had acted out of character. Qingluan had never acted nor operated without her Master's consent. But she was really angry when she heard the man slandering Xiao Chen; so angry that she nearly struck out of line. "What is happening to me?" she began to ask herself...Xiao Chen took a step forward and stood before his companions, facing the young man. "You said moments ago that you and your wife loved each other very much?"The man stood up to look at Xiao Chen in the eyes. With his eyes bloodshot from the crying and his intense emotions, he spat, "Yes! Yes! You are a murderous demon! I do not have what it takes to kill you and avenge my wife! But I will not rest! Even if I am dead, I'll try my best to return as a spirit to haunt you! Kill me now! Kill me now if you dare!""Very well, then allow me to reunite you and your wife in the Underworld!"Xiao Chen snarled savagely at the young man. His blood started to boil and his eyes were becoming red; he was beginning to be shrouded by the same blood-curling aura that once gripped him at Canglan City. He raised his fist and time seemed to slow around him when he lunged at the young man, and unleashed his stroke."NOOO!" Yu Yifeng's voice came from behind him. But it was too late.
