The Undying Immortal System-Chapter 435 – Life 111, Age 16, Martial Disciple 3
Lord Tong sat rigidly at her desk, scowling at me until I sat back down. She didn’t seem overly concerned with the specifics of whatever punishment we might receive, but she clearly took issue with my having disrupted the proper order of the Tribunal.
“Let us proceed,” she said at last, each word clipped with restraint. “The Tribunal will hear the second charge.”
The judge to our right studied his ledger for a long moment before speaking. “An inventory of the Amorphous Blade Sect’s property has revealed multiple items of uncertain provenance. There is also credible evidence to suggest the use of pills obtained through unauthorized channels. The Use of Illicit Resources carries a maximum penalty of reduction in status to Third-Class Sect, along with the revocation of all protections provided by the Sect Affairs Bureau.”
Lord Tong fixed JiuLi with an unblinking stare. “Is your sect in possession of a storage bag?”
The sudden question caught JiuLi off guard. Her eyes widened, and the faintest of tremors ran through her shoulders. Had JiuLi known more, she could have answered this without fear, but she only knew that my inner world was similar to a storage bag, and that revealing even a hint of its existence could spell our doom.
Lord Tong’s expression grew colder and more focused. She had the air of someone who had conducted a hundred of these interrogations and already knew the response she was about to extract. “Answer the question.”
JiuLi hesitated, darting a desperate look toward Kan, then back at the judge. “No, we don’t.”
The truth stone reacted instantly, a thick vein of gray crawling across its surface.
To our right, the Lord of Black Point’s representative allowed himself a slow, satisfied smile. Lord Tong, however, remained unruffled. Her hand came up in a precise, economical motion as she channeled a pulse of qi into the truth stone to reset it. When she spoke again, her tone was cool and deliberate.
“The Bureau’s enforcers discovered several sizable wooden machines within your sect’s quarters. Curiously, there are no records of their purchase, no witnesses to their delivery, and no craftsmen in the region who produce items matching their specific design. Where did these devices come from, and how, exactly, did you manage to bring them into your inn without a storage bag?”
JiuLi’s gaze flicked from the judge, to Kan, and finally, to me, searching for help that she didn’t know how to ask for.
I would have preferred to let her and Kan handle things on their own—to let them learn how to navigate a Tribunal’s bureaucracy through experience—but this wasn’t the time for lessons. I had to prioritize getting us through this hearing intact, and that meant stepping in before Lord Tong found an excuse to crush us beneath the Bureau’s regulations.
I rose, the chains at my wrists clinking as I stepped around the brass railing.
“You’ve done enough,” I said, gesturing for JiuLi and Kan to take a seat. “I’ll take care of the rest.”
They complied at once, lowering their heads respectfully as a flicker of relief crossed their faces.
I turned to the judges, cupped my fists, and met their gaze without flinching. “Honored Tribunal, allow me to address your inquiries in their stead.”
Lord Tong leaned forward, eyes narrowing. “State your name and position.”
“Su Fang,” I replied, keeping my tone measured. “The
Supreme
Elder of the Amorphous Blade Sect.”
This ostentatious title earned a sharp bark of laughter from the judge to my left, the sound echoing harshly through the hall. Across the room, the Lord of Black Point’s representative smirked, clearly delighted by the implied mockery.
Lord Tong, however, didn’t so much as blink. Her expression only hardened, the faint lines around her mouth deepening. “Very well,
Supreme Elder
. How did your sect come into possession of a storage bag?”
“Our sect does not have any storage bags,” I replied, my voice steady. “Certain members of our sect were born into families where such items are common, and it can be assumed that we have all used them at one time or another. However, the Amorphous Blade Sect itself does not possess one, and none of our members have touched one since entering the Heroes Domain.”
Lord Tong adjusted the papers on her desk before speaking with measured precision. “Then explain. How did your sect obtain and transport the devices found within your quarters?”
I inclined my head in thought before replying, ensuring my answer was completely honest. “We stole them. As for how they appeared in our room, that is related to the blessing of one of our members, and I refuse to answer. Suffice it to say, no storage bag was involved.”
The truth stone stayed a pristine white, prompting Lord Tong to give a sharp nod. “Acceptable. Now, explain the pills. According to the Bureau’s records, your sect purchased seven Rank 1 guandaos, five of which now carry energy consistent with the use of a Guandao Cicada Pill. Explain how these pills were obtained.”
“We concocted them ourselves. If you have a record of our weapon purchases, then you should also have a record of our herb purchases. Every herb that was used to concoct these pills was purchased from the Bureau. Likewise, the pill furnace we used was purchased from a Bureau-Approved shop.”
Lord Tong’s lips curved into a faint, professional smile. “Yes, these records exist. However, there are no records of your sect acquiring any training herbs. Your sect has only acquired the materials necessary for concocting Energy Expulsion Pills and Guandao Cicada Pills. You stated that ‘
we
’ concocted them. Be precise. Who does this ‘
we
’ refer to? Was it one of your registered members, or does this ‘
we
’ include a more experienced cultivator that the Tribunal has not been made aware of?”
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from NovelFire; any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
I cupped my fists and lowered my head. “Allow me to clarify, Lord Tong.
I
concocted them. Every pill consumed by our sect members since entering this domain was refined by me, and all the herbs I used were legally purchased through Bureau-Approved suppliers.”
Lord Tong studied me in silence for several seconds, sizing up my words before turning to the judge on our right. “In light of this testimony and the truth stone’s response, I rule that the charge of Use of Illicit Resources be dismissed. Are there any objections?”
When the only response was a few muttered curses from the Lord of Black Point’s representative, Lord Tong turned back to me, her expression settling once more into stern formality. “This, however, brings us to our final charge.”
The judge on our right cleared his throat, drawing the room’s attention. “s indicate that the Amorphous Blade Sect disappeared from Black Point City under suspicious circumstances. Following this, the sect was placed under observation, and several of its members were detected vanishing from their inn at irregular intervals. These events are consistent with the intervention of a Bloodline Tier cultivator. The Acceptance of Aid from a Superior Cultivator carries a mandatory penalty of reduction in status to Third-Class Sect, with the possibility for the complete revocation of the sect’s charter.”
“Furthermore,” said Lord Tong, her eyes locking onto mine, “is the assertion that every pill used by the Amorphous Blade Sect was concocted by
Supreme Elder
Su Fang. This would require significant prior training. Explain how that is possible. Did you practice alchemy before entering the domain? Did you receive instruction? And if so, was your instructor the Bloodline Tier cultivator who has been assisting you?”
After a brief pause for consideration, I spoke clearly and deliberately. “Our sect’s legacy is a library—an
extensive
library. All of the alchemy knowledge I possess is a part of that library. I did not practice alchemy before coming to the Heroes Domain, and I have not had a teacher before or since. As for how I mastered this knowledge, all I will say is that it is deeply connected to the blessing of a member of our sect.”
My explanation had holes large enough to drive a wagon through, and all the judges clearly knew it. This didn’t matter, though. My answer had addressed any possible violation of the Saint’s rules. Everything else was irrelevant.
Lord Tong’s tone turned harsh. “Very well. How did your sect vanish from Black Point City?”
“My blessing.”
“And how, precisely, do the members of your sect appear and disappear from your inn room?”
“My blessing.”
Lord Tong’s eyes narrowed. “Where do they go? What resources do they receive while they are there? What assistance are they given?”
“They travel…
elsewhere
to relax, away from the dangers of this outpost. That is all. They do not receive any training or resources while they are gone.”
Lord Tong’s expression soured. “Has any member of your sect, at any time,
before or after
entering the Saint of Heroes’ Domain, accepted the assistance of
any
Bloodline Tier cultivator?”
Thankfully, Lord Tong had put several qualifiers on this question, allowing for a simple reply. “No.”
After a brief pause, Lord Tong spoke with finality. “I rule that the charge of Acceptance of Aid from a Superior Cultivator be dismissed. Are there any objections?”
When no objections were raised, Lord Tong’s gaze swept the chamber before settling on me. “Let the record show: the Amorphous Blade Sect stands convicted of Intentional Killing of a Noble in Good Standing. This matter shall be resolved through a sanctioned duel at the next Heaven’s Ascension Tournament. All other allegations are dismissed. This Tribunal is hereby concluded.”
The moment we returned to our inn, Kan grabbed his guandao and went down to the training room.
He was drowning in guilt for having failed in his role as Sect Master. First, he had needed to be saved by JiuLi. Then, by me. I could see the weight of his perceived failure pressing down on him, but as one of the people involved, I wasn’t in a position to help him through it. So, I sent YuLong—not to talk, but to spar.
When Kan reemerged several hours later, his eyes burned with resolve.
From that day onward, Kan’s training took on a new intensity. He and YuLong still sparred as they always had, but their matches grew faster and fiercer. Each exchange sent echoes rattling through the training hall, and YuLong, who had always held the upper hand, was forced to take the fights far more seriously.
Even after several weeks of cultivating his dual-element technique, Kan still hadn’t acquired a lightning affinity. However, it wasn’t needed. His general qi affinity, as well as his
talent
with lightning, was more than enough to both let him advance with a solid foundation and practice all of the lightning-based martial arts techniques stored within my mental library.
Because of this, it didn’t take long for the inn’s modest training room to begin showing signs of strain. Kan’s and YuLong’s strikes were becoming powerful enough to shatter the wooden floorboards and scar the walls. So, we started taking on missions to earn contribution points. Then, these contribution points were used to purchase time in one of the Bureau’s training chambers, allowing Kan and YuLong to unleash their full power without restraint.
With each passing day, Kan’s stance became firmer, and his spirit grew steadier. The shame he carried from the Tribunal was reforged into something stronger, a determination that would not bend, no matter where the next battle was fought.
JiuLi, too, had changed. She still preferred the loom over the training room, but there was a new, quiet intensity to her work. If Kan had taken up the role of our sect’s spear, then JiuLi had chosen to become our shield, her focus fixed on crafting uniforms capable of deflecting blades and absorbing blasts of qi. Her progress was slow, and the results wouldn’t be ready in time for the upcoming challenge, but the foundations of something far greater were already beginning to take shape.
By the end of the year, all of us stood at the peak of the Martial Disciple realm. Since we had only used Peak-Profound cultivation techniques, there was a decent gap in power between us and the strongest Disciples on the continent. However, with our knowledge and experience, I doubted there were many who would be capable of providing us with much of a challenge—in the Disciple realm, at least.
With the Heaven’s Ascension Tournament right around the corner, it was time to see what kind of opponents the Lord of Black Point had found to help us test this belief.
Chapter 435 – Life 111, Age 16, Martial Disciple 3
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