Chapter 1

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Chapter 1: Wronged and Humiliated in the Ancestral Hall

"Fang Lie, you claim to be from a righteous sect yet harbor wicked lust. You raped and murdered a common girl, then slaughtered her entire family of eighteen to hide your crime! Such cruelty defies humanity! With all evidence present, what’s your defense?" boomed Law Enforcer Li Feng of the Mo Sect Ancestral Hall.

The middle-aged cultivator wore a golden crown and crimson brocade robes. A wisp of purple energy danced between his brows – the mark of a Purple Palace Master who’d spent centuries cultivating through Golden Pool and Purple Palace stages.

Cultivation ranks progressed thus: Qi Sea, Golden Pool, Purple Palace, Nascent Soul, then Wind/Fire/Thunder Tribulations. Each step demanded immense effort. Becoming a Thunder Tribulation Immortal required millennia, while even Purple Palace Masters needed centuries of toil. Such elites held high status in their sects.

Li Feng sat elevated behind a blackwood table, beneath the Ancestral Hall plaque. Eighteen golden-armored Law Enforcement Heavenly Soldiers flanked him – three-meter-tall constructs with grotesque faces.

Two youths stood central. The left wore lavish silks and fanned himself with celestial silk, smirking at his opponent. The accused was a seventeen-year-old in faded green Dao robes, patched yet worn with dignity. His sharp eyebrows bristled as he glared upwards.

"My Fang family has served Mo Sect since its founding by Mo Ancestor! Through eight hundred generations, we’ve never transgressed! My parents died defending our sect – true martyrs! Yet you condemn me based solely on Yuan Hua’s lies!"

"Martyrs? More like fools!" Li Feng scoffed.

Laughter erupted.

A decade prior, righteous and demonic sects clashed over Flower Whisper Forest’s secret realms. Rules limited combatants to those below Nascent Soul stage. Though righteous sects numbered eight against demonic ten, advantage seemed demonic.

Then came Fang Gang – Fang Lie’s father. This Mo Sect elite leader, famed for rigid honor, trusted East Kunlun Sword God disciple Tian Jianzi. Leading three hundred Mo elites as vanguard, they charged into tenfold demonic forces.

Ten days and nights they fought encircled. No reinforcements came. When finally slain, their staunch defense had exhausted the demons. Then Tian Jianzi’s fresh troops crushed the weakened foes.

Though Tian Jianzi’s fame soared and his sect rose to prominence, Mo Sect gained only mockery. Demonic sects swore eternal vengeance, branding Mo disciples for death on sight.

The Mo Sect’s lost elites came mostly from Eight-Hundred-Generation Families. Bereaved clans directed fury at Fang Gang – dead, so his son bore their wrath. Though of noble lineage, Fang Lie lived worse than commoners, enduring constant humiliation.

Now facing execution, the youth roared undaunted: "I’ll make East Kunlun and Tian Jianzi regret this!"

Li Feng sneered: "An East Kunlun ant outranks you! Tian Jianzi is Sword God’s heir – you’re less than dirt to him! Confess now, and I might spare you for your fool father’s sake. Else, taste the Ancestral Hall’s tortures!"

"Lies! Yuan Hua’s words alone can’t convict me!"

"Yuan Hua’s an inner gate disciple from Yuan family – one of Eight-Hundred-Generation Houses – trained by Golden Pool Master. Should I trust a ragged outer disciple or our elite?" Li Feng’s smirk widened.

"Hah, is there even a question? We should trust the Inner Elite Disciples!"

"Exactly! Some mud-legged peasant thinking he’s our equal? He’s delusional!"

"A mere insect daring to act so arrogantly? Know your place! Before us inner gate disciples, you’re worthless. If we say you’re guilty, you’re guilty! Confess now!"

Over a dozen finely-dressed youths at the periphery jeered scornfully.

The Ancestral Hall, where the Mo Sect conducted trials, was a mystical space left by ancient great powers. Its expanse stretched infinitely—star-filled skies above, solid black stone floors below. No matter how many entered, it never felt crowded.

By Mo Sect Rules, trials here required transparency. Anyone could observe freely. Hence, this rare case of heinous crimes drew hundreds of low-ranking disciples. Besides the dozen Inner Elite Disciples like Yuan Hua at the front, hundreds of outer disciples in plain robes watched silently.

None dared laugh or curse in the sacred hall, yet their faces betrayed sympathy, anger, and resignation.

Bolder voices whispered:

"Fang Lie’s a good man. When Inner Elites bullied us, only he stood up for us! Got beaten countless times but never backed down—a real hero!"

"He adopted dozens of orphans. His ancestral sacred mountain’s practically an orphanage! Sold his own magical tools to feed those kids!"

"Exactly! How could such a man commit mortal-world atrocities? Yuan Hua’s the real villain—extorting spirit stones, harassing female disciples. Two killed themselves after his abuse, but the Yuan family buried it!"

"Hear the real story? Yuan family wanted Fang Lie’s sacred mountain cave dwelling cheap. He refused, fearing no home for his adopted brothers and sisters. Angered them, then this happened!"

"Damn! So Yuan Hua framed him! How can the Law Enforcer ignore this?"

"Law Enforcer Li Feng’s from the Mo Sect’s Eight-Hundred-Generation Families—allied with Yuan by marriage!"

"Then Fang Lie’s doomed!"

"If he confessed, Yuan family might spare him. Fang Family’s also Eight-Hundred-Generation, his parents sect martyrs. But Fang Lie’s too stubborn—he’d rather die than yield!"

"Good men die young…" Many sighed quietly.

Their whispers meant nothing. Law Enforcer Li Feng heard everything but dismissed it. He sneered, "Fang Lie, your senior brothers believe you. Last chance: confess, and I’ll expel you from the Sect. Refuse, and face the three unyielding tortures!"

The three unyielding tortures—Mo Sect’s brutal method to force confession when evidence seemed irrefutable.

"I’m innocent! You’re the one perverting justice! You should confess here!" Fang Lie roared.

"Choosing punishment over mercy?" Li Feng mocked.

"Do your worst! Let’s see if these tortures break me!" Fang Lie challenged.

"Defiant fool!" Li Feng barked. "Soldiers, strike!"

Four golden-armored Law Enforcement Heavenly Soldiers materialized. Two pinned Fang Lie’s shoulders. Two summoned flaming and watery great rods—Ancestral Hall artifacts radiating Divine Light and killing energy, capable of flaying any cultivation level.

The left Soldier boomed, "Sect Rule One: Betraying the Sect and Ancestor!"

CRACK! The rod smashed Fang Lie’s back. His tattered Dao Robe split, revealing a bloody gash. Crimson streams cascaded down his spine.