“Fang Jinyan!”
Shen Liang’s mind roared furiously.
(That damn traitor!)
Fang Jinyan was the only one who had been present when Shen Liang plotted with Mei Rulan and also when planting the evidence in Bai Zihan’s courtyard.
He was supposed to be loyal—his trusted pawn.
Yet now, standing silently behind Bai Zihan, his betrayal blazed as bright as the midday sun.
“You—!”
Shen Liang’s hand shook as he pointed at Fang Jinyan, words caught in his throat from sheer rage.
Fang Jinyan, in contrast, only smiled faintly and lowered his head in a polite bow toward Bai Zihan, as if declaring his allegiance without saying a single word.
Offending Shen Liang was definitely not a good idea, but in Fang Jinyan’s eyes, Bai Zihan was much more powerful.
While Bai Zihan had everything under his control, Shen Liang arrogantly believed it was the other way around.
To Fang Jinyan, who knew better, Shen Liang had always looked like a clown—grinning and laughing triumphantly, unaware he was already caught in Bai Zihan’s web.
On the other hand, Bai Zihan showed no cards until the last moment, even quietly calling for the Sect Leader and the Elders.
Even he, who had helped Bai Zihan gather the evidence, hadn’t known about this until now — and he was certain it had been part of Bai Zihan’s plan all along.
Moreover, from this day onward, Shen Liang would have a hard life in Heaven Sword Sect… if he could even stay.
So, switching sides—and doing it cleanly and decisively—was Fang Jinyan’s only path forward.
“You bastard…”
Shen Liang hissed under his breath, his face twisting into something ugly and venomous.
Completely different from his usual calm and collected appearance.
But it was understandable. After all, the plan he thought was flawless was ruined, and now he was the one left to suffer.
Meanwhile, the crowd was completely losing its mind.
“Looks like Fang Jinyan was acting like Bai Zihan’s double agent.”
“No wonder Bai Zihan was so calm. He was already prepared!”
“So the news about Fang Jinyan and Bai Zihan fighting and Bai Zihan running away in fear was all bullshit.”
“Looks like it. Just look at Fang Jinyan now—he’s acting like Bai Zihan’s lackey.”
***
Everyone could understand why Shen Liang was raging at Fang Jinyan after being exposed.
After all, like Shen Liang, they had also assumed that Fang Jinyan and Bai Zihan were at odds.
Many Mystic Moon Peak disciples had been present when they fought—that was undeniable.
But now, even that seemed suspicious.
Was it all a setup?
Had Bai Zihan planned everything from the very beginning?
They didn’t know—but just the fact that Bai Zihan could pull something like this off made a cold shiver run down everyone’s spine.
’I’m not afraid of the blade I can see—it’s the hidden dagger in the dark that terrifies me.’
Although Bai Zihan is one of the weakest in terms of pure strength which they assume, his schemes—the ones you couldn’t see coming until it was too late—were what truly terrified them.
If even someone like Shen Liang couldn’t stand against him, how could they?
And now, with Mei Rulan exposed for lying and conspiring with Shen Liang, the entire case had flipped.
Instead of Bai Zihan being on trial, it was Shen Liang and Mei Rulan who stood accused.
Everyone’s eyes were now locked onto Tian Yuheng.
With Shen Liang as the mastermind, they couldn’t rule out Elder Shen’s involvement either—especially since he was Shen Liang’s uncle.
So now, the final decision lay in the Sect Leader’s hands.
Tian Yuheng’s expression was terrifyingly cold, his brow tightly furrowed.
He slowly raised his hand—and the entire hall fell into deathly silence.
Tian Yuheng’s gaze swept across the room, pausing briefly on Elder Shen, then on Shen Liang and Mei Rulan.
“You,” Tian Yuheng’s voice was low but struck like thunder, “dared to tarnish a fellow disciple’s reputation with false accusations. You conspired to frame him, forged evidence, and even dared to misuse the Punishment Hall.”
His gaze turned razor-sharp.
“Shen Liang. Mei Rulan. Do you have anything to say in your defense?”
He asked, though it was clear he didn’t believe they had a single excuse that could save them.
Shen Liang’s fists clenched so tightly that bloody crescents formed in his palms.
He tried to force his voice to sound steady.
“This… this is a misunderstanding!”
He said hoarsely, his face pale.
“Bai Zihan must have fabricated this! Just like he did back in the Bai Clan!”
Shen Liang shouted in desperation and anger.
Mei Rulan collapsed to her knees, trembling, tears spilling down her face.
“S-Sect Leader, I was forced! I—I had no choice!”
It seemed the two of them had no way forward but to tell even more lies.
However, everyone still remembered Mei Rulan’s greedy smile when she accepted Shen Liang’s offer—and Shen Liang’s smug excitement when he spoke about Bai Zihan’s downfall.
And the Memory Crystal Mirror had already been checked by Tian Yuheng personally. There was no tampering. No room for excuses.
“Enough!”
Tian Yuheng’s voice was a blade slicing through her pitiful cries.
“No amount of excuses will wash away your crime.”
He turned slightly, his gaze now settling on Elder Shen.
“And Elder Shen,” Tian Yuheng’s tone grew even colder, “as a respected Elder, you participated in framing a disciple without proper investigation, abused your authority, and sought to disrupt the sect’s internal harmony for your personal agenda.”
“You have shamed Heaven Sword Sect.”
Each word was like a hammer striking down.
Elder Shen staggered back half a step, cold sweat pouring down his back.
He knew.
It was over.
With Shen Liang’s guilt established, they would naturally trace it back to him.
Moreover, he had indeed abused his authority by summoning Bai Zihan and handing down the harshest punishment he could.
Even a little investigation would reveal his involvement with Mei Rulan’s false accusation.
Either way, it was a political death sentence.
There was no way he could continue as the Hall Master of the Punishment Hall—a role that demanded fairness and impartiality.