Chapter 85: Yizhou’s Illusion (Part 13)

Chapter 85: Chapter 85: Yizhou’s Illusion (Part 13)

Punishment Hall, Wenjian Sect

After being informed of the matter, Sui Sui and Yizhou were quickly escorted toward the Punishment Hall by several elders and disciples.

By the time they arrived, quite a few disciples had already gathered around the hall. Some had clearly come to watch the trial, while others were simply curious about what would happen to the infamous Half-Demon disciple who had caused such a commotion in the secret realm.

As Sui Sui and Yizhou walked through the crowd, they received all kinds of looks.

There was still plenty of hatred and prejudice, but this time, the reactions were no longer completely one-sided. Some disciples looked curious, some with pity, others avoided Yizhou’s gaze, their expressions carrying a trace of shame, as though they had begun to realize that they might have judged him too quickly.

As they passed through the crowd, Sui Sui noticed several familiar faces. They were the same disciples who had openly shown their prejudice toward Yizhou in the first version of the illusion, and the moment he recognized them, his eyes narrowed.

He deliberately glared back at each of them as he walked past, making it clear that he had not forgotten what they had done. His gaze lingered especially on Chu Ran, one of the people he disliked most in the entire sect.

Chu Ran immediately noticed his stare.

"What are you looking at, stupid?" she snapped as Bai Sui Sui passed by.

Bai Sui Sui stopped for a moment and turned toward her.

Inside his mind, Sui Sui had already thought of several much harsher things to call her. Unfortunately, Bai Sui Sui was too against to actually say those words aloud. After a brief struggle, he settled for the one insult he could bring himself to say.

"Looking at a traitorous witch."

Chu Ran’s expression immediately darkened when she heard this and Sui Sui felt a little better inside.

When they finally reached the platform, one of the elders stopped Sui Sui and told him that since this trial concerned Yizhou, he could not accompany him onto the platform and would have to wait with the other disciples.

Sui Sui immediately wanted to object. He had no intention of standing by while Yizhou faced the elders alone, especially after everything he had already witnessed in the previous illusion. But before he could say anything, Yizhou turned toward him and said "Stay here. I’ll be fine."

Yizhou’s expression was calm and confident, as though he genuinely had nothing to worry about.

Sui Sui hesitated for a moment. Seeing how composed Yizhou looked, he could only suppress his worry and reluctantly nod.

The two sides waited for a short while until all the elders involved in the trial had finally arrived. Once everyone was present, the trial officially began.

Sui Sui looked toward the elders seated behind a long table at the front of the hall. The arrangement looked surprisingly similar to a modern courtroom, with the presiding elders sitting together like judges.

His attention soon settled on the person occupying the middle seat.

It was a middle-aged man with a few faint wrinkles around his face. He did not look particularly old for his age, but that was hardly unusual in the cultivation world, where cultivators could maintain their appearance for far longer than ordinary mortals.

Sui Sui recognized him.

He had seen this man before, although he had not paid much attention to him at the time.

This should be Acting Sect Master Jiang.

Even in this illusion, he possessed an especially imposing presence. Unlike the other illusionary figures, who often seemed somewhat vague or ordinary, there was something distinctly different about him.

Sui Sui narrowed his eyes and looked at him more carefully.

For just an instant, he thought he saw a faint flash of golden light pass through Acting Sect Master Jiang’s eyes.

Sui Sui blinked and saw that the light was gone. He stared at him for another moment, but nothing else seemed unusual.

Strange.

For some reason, whenever Sui Sui looked at Acting Sect Master Jiang, he felt vaguely unsettled. He could not explain where that feeling came from, but there was something about the man that made him instinctively uneasy.

However, Sui Sui did not have time to think about it any further. The trial was finally about to begin.

The presiding elder looked toward Yizhou and announced in a solemn voice, "Regarding the incident in the Yinglong Secret Realm, we are gathered here today to review the accusations against Disciple Yizhou of the Wenjian Sect. He stands accused of deceiving the sect and colluding with the Demon Realm."

Sui Sui listened carefully as the trial proceeded.

He was practically sitting on the edge of his seat. This trial would determine whether he had truly managed to change the outcome of Yizhou’s Heart Trial.

Still, even if things went wrong, Sui Sui already had a backup plan.

After observing the illusion for some time, he had noticed something else. Although Yizhou had seemed to struggle desperately whenever he tried to escape the illusion, the people within it did not actually seem particularly powerful.

Perhaps it was because they were merely figures recreated by the illusion. They could imitate the appearance and memories of the people Yizhou had known, but they could not perfectly reproduce their original strength.

If that was the case, then Sui Sui was not completely helpless.

Even though he was only at the sixth level of Qi Refining, he was confident that he could at least fight these illusionary figures head-on if necessary.

With that thought in mind, Sui Sui focused his attention on the trial.

The entire process was much shorter than he had expected. The elders first reviewed the events that had occurred in the secret realm, then called several disciples forward to give their testimony.

To Sui Sui’s surprise, the situation gradually began to develop in Yizhou’s favor. Several disciples testified that Yizhou had fought the demons to protect them. Some even openly admitted that Yizhou had saved their lives when they were in danger.

The only person who continued insisting that Yizhou had colluded with the demons was Junior Brother Jin. Madam Jiang also tried to intervene several times, repeatedly bringing up Jiang Huan’s injuries and insisting that Yizhou should be held responsible. However, compared to the testimonies of the many disciples who had been saved by Yizhou, her accusations did not carry much weight.

Sui Sui’s eyes gradually brightened as he watched.

It was actually working.

This outcome filled Sui Sui with excitement. For the first time since entering the Heart Trial, he felt that he might actually succeed. Everything was going differently from the original story, and if things continued this way, perhaps he could truly change Yizhou’s fate.

"After reviewing the evidence and hearing the testimonies, we conclude that Disciple Yizhou is not responsible for the accusations brought against him. During the incident in the Yinglong Secret Realm, he not only fulfilled his duty as a senior disciple but also earned considerable merit by protecting and saving many of his fellow disciples. There is no evidence to suggest that he colluded with the demons. However, it has also been confirmed that Disciple Yizhou possesses a demonic bloodline. For the safety of the Wenjian Sect, the final verdict is expulsion from the sect."

Hearing the verdict, Sui Sui did not know how to feel.

Being expelled simply because Yizhou possessed a demonic bloodline was undeniably unfair. It was not something Yizhou had chosen, nor was it something he could control. Still, compared to what had happened in the original Heart Trial, this was undoubtedly a much better outcome.

At least Yizhou would not be tortured.

He would be able to leave the Wenjian Sect with his cultivation intact, and perhaps that was actually for the best. After everything that had happened, getting away from the sect might be exactly what Yizhou needed.

As long as he could leave this place safely, Sui Sui could find a way to help him remember himself and wake from the Heart Trial. If he succeeded, perhaps he could finally break this cycle of endless misery.

However, just as Sui Sui began to relax with the outcome, something unexpected happened again.

Madam Jiang, who had remained silent until now, suddenly spoke up again. She turned toward Sui Sui and Yizhou, a smug and almost crazed confidence appearing in her eyes, as though she had been waiting for this exact moment.

Seeing that expression, Sui Sui immediately felt a bad premonition.

His gaze remained fixed on Madam Jiang, and for a brief moment, he thought he saw something flicker in her eyes.

A faint flash of golden light.

Sui Sui’s heart tightened.

It was the same golden light he had noticed earlier.

"I object to this conclusion." Madam Jiang’s voice suddenly cut through the area. The sorrow and helplessness she had displayed earlier were completely gone, replaced by something far more unsettling.

Her expression twisted into a strange smile as she looked toward Yizhou. Her eyes were wide with a feverish intensity, and there was an almost manic excitement hidden beneath her anger. "As you have said, there is no reasonable evidence linking him to the demons. But you also cannot prove that he has no connection to them!" Her voice rose with every word. "Are you truly willing to let someone with demonic blood simply walk away? I am not!"

She took a step forward, her breathing becoming heavier as though she were barely able to contain herself. "Whether you like it or not, someone has to pay for my Huan’er’s injuries!"

Her gaze locked onto Yizhou "You can only blame yourself."

The next second, a formation suddenly lit up beneath Yizhou’s feet.

Sui Sui’s expression changed immediately for the worst.

Even though he was not inside the formation, he could still feel the immense pressure radiating from it. It was unlike anything he had felt before, so powerful that the air around him seemed to grow heavy.

And it wasn’t only his consciousness within the Heart Trial reacting to it.

Sui Sui could feel the same fear spreading through his real body outside the illusion. His body trembled instinctively, as though every part of him was warning him that the formation was far more dangerous than anything he could possibly handle.

Sui Sui gritted his teeth and looked toward Madam Jiang again.

Then he turned his gaze toward Acting Sect Master Jiang.

He had expected him to intervene, but Acting Sect Master Jiang showed no intention of stopping Madam Jiang. He simply remained seated, watching her with the same calm expression, as though he silently consented to everything she was doing.

From where Sui Sui stood, he could see a faint glint of gold flash across Acting Sect Master Jiang’s eyes.

Sui Sui’s heart sank.

That same golden light.

For a moment, he felt as though he had caught a glimpse of something immensely powerful hidden beneath the appearances of these two people.

And a realization struck him

He should have known.

It was definitely the Heavenly Dao.

It wanted to forcibly drag the Heart Trial back onto its original path, and it was even willing to extend its influence into the people in the illusion just to eliminate them.

Sui Sui slowly looked up.

There was nothing there. He could not see the Heavenly Dao, but he could feel its presence, vast and oppressive, as though the heavens themselves were gathering power above them.

It was about to strike.

Before his mind could fully process what was happening, Sui Sui’s body had already made the decision for him.

He would save Yizhou.

Even if he had to die inside this Heart Trial, he would not let the Heavenly Dao take Yizhou away.

After all, he had once been prepared to die at any moment back in his past world. If he had to die, then so be it.