Chu Weiliang blinked.
She wasn’t entirely sure why she had been able to drag all the thousands of experts and powerful figures on the Sin Cleansing Platform to their deaths with her back then.
She only knew that a terrifying, unfamiliar power had awakened deep within her Sea of Consciousness, stirred by the agony of the Ten Thousand Swords Punishment, surging and roaring uncontrollably.
So, she had sacrificed her own life, hoping to summon that power and make everyone accompany her in death.
Unfortunately, it hadn’t been quite enough.
“Perhaps. But don’t worry, Master, I’m completely pure now and definitely not some kind of monster. Otherwise, you could just cut me down with your sword!”
Wen Shubai’s thin lips pressed together, his smile somewhat forced.
“Heh, of course I know you well.”
He had a very bad feeling.
This damned woman hadn’t simply turned into a demon in a moment of desperation.
She had most likely blown up his Demonic Glass Soul right before dying!
Shattered it into pieces, which were then taken to different places by the Nine Demons.
Last night, the moment his sword light descended, he had sensed a faint trace of the Demonic Glass Soul’s aura on Chi Qianqiu.
Perhaps that fish was one of the Nine Demons.
Damn! What a hassle!
Irritated, black Manjusaka flowers began to sprout and twist at Wen Shubai’s feet.
Then, with a swift twist of his shoe tip, he promptly crushed the newly emerged black blossoms back into the ground.
“A Liang, have you ever considered one thing?”
“Huh?” Chu Weiliang, focused on spearing fish, remained completely unaware of what was happening behind her. “Please enlighten me, Master.”
“It’s been a thousand years… The little demons you raised back then… They might have grown up by now…”
Chu Weiliang’s sword finally stilled completely.
That made sense.
She straightened up. “What are you implying, Master…?”
“I detected an aura similar to yours on that fish, which is why I didn’t annihilate him with my sword last night. Think carefully—among the nine little demons back then, was there a fish or something similar?”
“…” Chu Weiliang blinked.
Now that he mentioned it, she seemed to recall something.
There had indeed been a fish among the Nine Demons.
Back then, with her Evil Root severed, she could only command minor demons with meager cultivation. So, she had collected some rare species to keep as curiosities.
That little indigo betta fish had been so tiny it wasn’t even half the size of her pinky finger—too small to even pet properly, and its combat ability was practically zero.
Though useless, the little creature had quite the temper. It couldn’t survive out of water and would spend all day in its little bowl, blowing bubbles and grumbling curses at the outside world.
She had captured it back then simply because she was captivated by the fish’s large, flower-like tail—more beautiful than any other fish’s.
Could Chi Qianqiu be that stupid fish?
Uh…
Could he have grown that big, brimming with mixed Demon Qi and Demonic aura, and be completely deranged?
Impossible…
“Go change your clothes. We’re leaving.”
Wen Shubai’s gentle guidance ended there. As he turned, his sleeping robes flowed like water.
“Master, where are we going?”
“To the Hall of Law Enforcement.”
“Oh, to watch the Thousand Machines Sect’s spectacle? Wait for me!”
Chu Weiliang waded clumsily out of the water, barefoot, and ran into the house to change.
If Wen Shubai hadn’t been wearing silk gauze over his eyes, he would have glared daggers at her.
Who are you trying to fool with this act of playing dumb and hiding your edge?
Don’t think I don’t know you!
I even know how many hairs you have on your body!
…
Hall of Law Enforcement, Fourfold Restraints of the Universe.
Fang Jixue sat upright and solemn in the center, with the Hall of Law Enforcement’s members standing in two rows on either side.
When Chu Weiliang entered with Wen Shubai, she carried an exquisite fruit platter laden with various seasonal fruits and pastries.
She had changed her attire, no longer sporting the two buns atop her head. Instead, like the other male disciples of Brahma Heaven Palace, she wore her hair in a high braid tied with the crimson hair ribbon reserved for senior disciples, casually intertwined with her raven-black tresses that cascaded over her shoulders.
Dressed in male disciple robes—form-fitting black inner garments, a tightly fastened waistband, and flowing crimson outer robes—she wore a jade pendant symbolizing her status as a Brahma Heaven Palace disciple.
Chu Weiliang respectfully placed the fruit platter on the small table beside Wen Shubai, then stood silently at attention with her hands clasped behind her slender waist, displaying impeccable training and discipline.
Wen Shubai crossed his long legs, casually plucked a grape from the platter with his slender fingers, and popped it into his mouth, crushing it with a crisp bite as he leisurely awaited the spectacle from Thousand Machines Sect.
Fang Jixue ultimately couldn’t resist taking in the scene from the corner of his eye.
Whoever had A Liang as their disciple would be the envy of the entire world.
Such a remarkable woman, yet possessing a temperament beyond the reach of any man.
Limitless loyalty, boundless reverence, unwavering resolve.
She would always defend her master, prioritize his commands above all else, and only ever do what he desired.
She gave voice to her master’s unspoken thoughts.
She struck down those who showed him disrespect.
She silently shouldered his worries and burdens.
Like a shadow to her master’s sun, she devoted her life to growing into the person he wanted her to be.
In the end, even if she were dying, she would crawl back covered in blood to perish at her master’s feet.
But such a disciple was no longer his.
A myriad of bitter emotions churned in Fang Jixue’s heart, yet his expression remained as calm and unruffled as a still lake, his fingers slowly turning the Jade Bead.
“Summon them,” he instructed the law enforcement elder.
Zhuang Yanxin and An Nan Chan were soon brought forward.
The difference was stark: Zhuang Yanxin was forced to kneel, while An Nan Chan merely had to stand.
Chu Weiliang gazed pityingly at Zhuang Yanxin and handed a handkerchief to Wen Shubai to wipe his hands, remarking idly:
“Such different fates for similar people.”
Wen Shubai said nothing, accepted the handkerchief to clean the fruit juice from his hands, and naturally tucked it into his robes.
Fang Jixue kept his eyes forward, but the corner of his eye twitched abruptly.
Kneeling on the ground, Zhuang Yanxin heard this and looked up at Chu Weiliang, barely recognizing her. Trembling with rage, she dug her nails hatefully into the floor.
The little girl from the teahouse yesterday was now here, relying on her master’s influence to mock others!
This only strengthened her resolve to gamble everything.
If she could just secure Fang Jixue’s favor, she swore she would crush both An Nan Chan and that wretched girl beneath her feet!
With this thought, Zhuang Yanxin glanced furtively up at Fang Jixue.
But his expression was as detached as ever, like a deity on high, judging right and wrong with no concern for the lives or deaths of those below.
She understood then: unless she staked everything she had, she would never satisfy him today.
The law enforcement elder began the proceedings.
It was merely a routine interrogation—where each had been and what they had done at the time of the incident.
An Nan Chan, convinced of her own innocence, found such questioning utterly foolish and beyond redemption.
“How I left the palace that day, how I ascended the palanquin, how I married Jixue—all were witnessed by countless eyes. What reason would I have to order someone to secretly release the Monsters from the Demon Suppression Tower at my own wedding?”
Meanwhile, Zhuang Yanxin was convinced that An Nan Chan had harmed her. Not only did she recount the entire incident from beginning to end, but she also embellished it with many added details:
“Master, you have always been deep and cunning, far beyond my comprehension. To secure the position of Demon Suppression Tower overseer and Yu Yaonu commander, how many unspeakable deeds did you make me carry out? Shall I list them one by one, every single one?”
“Now that you have achieved your goal, you deem me useless and discard me without a second thought. I was blind and foolish, and now I cannot defend myself no matter what I say.”
“The greatest mistake of my life was becoming your disciple. Today, I would rather die than live with this stain. I, Zhuang Yanxin, swear to heaven: every word I have spoken is true. If there is even a single falsehood, may I be struck by lightning!”
She raised three fingers to the sky and made her vow.
This series of statements made An Nan Chan’s eyes widen in fury.
“You treacherous disciple! No need to wait for lightning—I will strike you down myself!”
She rolled up her sleeves and raised her hand to deliver a palm strike to Zhuang Yanxin’s head.
The elder of the Hall of Law Enforcement intervened, stopping An Nan Chan: “Halt! Princess, restrain yourself. This is the Hall of Law Enforcement.”
Chu Weiliang leaned over slightly and deliberately said to Wen Shubai, “Master, she’s trying to silence a witness.”
Wen Shubai, who happened to be peeling a plump lychee, turned and stuffed the whole fruit into her mouth. “Others are conducting a trial. Can’t even food shut your mouth?”
Chu Weiliang puffed her cheeks and ate the lychee with its pale flesh and small pit, glaring at him fiercely.
After all, he was blind and couldn’t see it.
Wen Shubai smirked, the corner of his lips curling up.
After all, she was standing behind him and couldn’t see his smile either.