Chapter 232 Good and Evil (1/2)
Even with the pressure of being watched by everyone in and outside the hall, Xiao Chen was still able to remain a composed demeanor. Calmly, he said, ”I did. I did save someone that day. But I did it to save a life; not because I know them, evil folk or not!”
Another peal of murmurs and whispers from outside filled Xiao Chen's ears like the buzzing of bees. Perfected Immortal Qing Chen and the rest of his entourage were all worried, and no one else inside dared to speak, especially in the presence of the wrathful Warden. ”Do you know that the person you had saved, was none other than Yu Linglong, daughter of the Princess of Fort Rakshasha!”
Yu Yifeng was among the crowd outside. His forehead was creased into a frown, hoping that Xiao Chen would just respond with a simple ”don't know”. But his hopes were dashed when even from outside, he could hear Xiao Chen's cool voice, admitting, ”I know.”
A huge uproar broke out between the crowds watching from outside and those sitting at the spectators' bench inside. The Steward in red snarled, ”Well! Do you still claim to not know about your transgressions!”
The crime of fraternizing with evil folks was a crime that no one felt more pain than Xiao Chen. Millennia ago, he was executed under the same charges and not long ago, he saved a member of the Devil's Practice with the entire world present. The crime of consorting with the enemy was seen as treason to the domain of Good, a crime so grave that it was punishable by death. Yet at this moment and this very second, he remained proud and confident of himself and he would gladly do it again if time were to turn back.
”She barely knew me,” Xiao Chen's voice, hoarse and hollow, croaked, silencing the bedlam, ”Yet she had taken a hit from Ye Wuxin for me. Honor demanded that I had to help her. For all the accusations you all have heaped upon her that she is an evil woman capable of countless and unimaginable atrocities, have you actually seen her take anyone's life?”
The rigid uneasiness in the air lingered as cold as ice that the crowd outside began to feel a chill creeping up everyone's spines. The heads of the Leaders and Mentors of the many schools and sects of the land in the hall lowered in a truculent demonstration to Xiao Chen's words, their eyes glowering. Even the Warden was shaking, the hairs of his beard trembling with a burning trepidation, as if he was struggling against an impulse to smite Xiao Chen to his death at the very spot he was standing upon.
Xiao Chen himself knew full well of the repercussions of his words: he could either be sentenced to death or he might even be executed there and that. But he understood that only the regret, remorse, and guilt would return to torment him again if he were to repeat what he did millennia ago by not telling the truth.
He could once again see himself again back at Mystic Cyan Mountain, with the elites of the sects and schools of the Orthodox Path urging him to murder, with his own hands, the woman called Hua Weiyang.
”SO BE IT!” The Steward's voice thundered through the length of the hall, its echoes ringing toward the outside like the blares of a trumpet. Everyone in the hall was shuddered by his imposing presence that grew as if he dwarfed everyone else in the building. ”Even at this stage, you refuse to repent! And with that, for the good of the Orthodox Path, I move that we sentence Xiao Chen to death!”
”Heh heh heh heh...”
Xiao Chen's cold chuckle added more chill to the already rigid atmosphere and smothering the raging anger of the Steward that he immediately fell silent. ”For the good of the Orthodox Path, you say? Don't make me laugh! Your hands, were they not tainted with blood before? Have you not taken any innocent lives before?”
He would never dare to allow such words to escape from his lips if he was the Xiao Chen millennia agog. But having beheld with his own eyes the ugliness and grotesquery of human mind and how people learn magic and defense, not for the greater good, but for self-interest and greed, Xiao Chen could see that the lines between Good and Evil had been blurred to the point that he failed to see the point in investing in either side. The Clans of Ling and Zuoqiu were the best personifications of this deformity.
The hall was silent except for muffled breathing of the people around him. The horrifying aura radiating from the Warden substantiated to the prevailing silence. No one could object to Xiao Chen's views, no matter how right he was; but no sane man would dare utter their agreement within the halls of the League and before so many eyes lest they suffered the very same fate as the young man now being tried like a traitor.
Cold fury blazed within the Warden's eyes; with a simple lift of his finger, he could instantly incinerate Xiao Chen into mere cinders. But suddenly, the sound of rushed footsteps echoed through the hall as Yu Yifeng bolted in. He bowed hastily to the men seated upon the floating pedestals and saluted brusquely. ”I implore for your leniency, Lord Warden! Xiao Chen is a junior of mine and he is still young, brash and trusting of others. He has been hoodwinked and confused by the charms of the evil folk. But he does not mean what he said. This is an honest and straightforward person who would never commit treason against our realm.”
Murong Xian'er scrambled unsteadily up the aisle in tow, ”I can testify to that! It was those evil people who kept on harassing Big Brother Xiao Chen! He does not know her!”
”SILENCE! What insolence is this! Who are you people?” The Steward was fuming; never had the judiciary of the League suffered not only one so defiant and rebellious such as Xiao Chen, but also two young whelps who dared to create such ruckus in such a sacred place! He channeled his True Energy, his powers swirling wildly and caused a turbulent eddy of winds inside the hall.
Fearful that the Steward might strike down his prize student in his wrath, Perfected Immortal Qing Chen bellowed, ”Yifeng! Stand down!”
Xiao Chen glared at Murong Xian'er too, ”Get out, Xian'er!”
Two sentries appeared to escort them away. Slowly, they walked toward outside, with Murong Xian'er whimpering tearfully, ”Please... Don't bully my Big Brother...”
Xiao Chen watched them leave. Finally, when they were outside, he turned back to face the front, very much relieved. ”I stand here before all of you today, as a man of honor,” he declared coolly, ”I am not bound by the rules of any school or sect here. But I am no less righteous and honest than anyone here!”