Chapter 37: Escalating False Accusations: The Inner Sect Disciples’ Fabricated Testimony

The runes on the stone wall were still faintly trembling at the tip of his finger, but Shen Yan didn’t spare them another glance as he strode out. The stone door of the Sword Tomb had already been blasted open by his “Spiritual Power Pulse Detonation Script,” leaving a human-shaped gap amidst the rubble, where residual glimmers of data stream still flickered.

He had barely taken a step outside when a cold wind struck his face. Five figures knelt in a neat row with a “swish,” shouting in unison, “Criminal Shen Yan, you stole the sect’s secret manual, the Dust-Severing Art! We swear by our inner demons—we saw it with our own eyes!”

The square before the main hall fell silent instantly.

Standing on the steps, Shen Yan still held the broken ancient sword in his hand, its surface etched with binary patterns that flowed slowly, as if breathing. He glanced down at his phone screen, where the green-text interface was rapidly refreshing:

【Spatial mapping complete】

【Loading three-dimensional model of the Scripture Pavilion】

【Detected anomalous Spiritual Power gathering point ×1, coordinates: behind the third pillar east of the main hall】

He said nothing, simply tucked his phone into his pocket and leisurely descended the steps.

“Quite an orderly kneel,” he remarked, his voice soft yet carrying a strange penetrating force. “Which of you five was on night watch last night?”

One disciple stiffened his neck. “Me! I saw you sneak into the Scripture Pavilion in the dead of night, wave your hand, and take the Dust-Severing Art!”

“Oh.” Shen Yan nodded. “Then do you remember what shoes I was wearing?”

“This… gray cloth shoes!”

“How coincidental.” Shen Yan lifted his left foot and wiggled it. “I only changed into these black boots this morning. Yesterday, while meditating in the Sword Tomb, I wore straw sandals—are you sure it was me you saw?”

The disciple froze, his expression shifting.

Another disciple hurriedly chimed in, “It wasn’t just him! All five of us were on rotating night watch—we all witnessed you stealing!”

Shen Yan grinned, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

“You five reported ‘thief spotted’ five times within an hour, yet the Enforcement Hall’s records show that no one rang the alarm bell that entire night?” He pulled out his phone and tapped to play a recording. “Here, listen to this.”

A crisp chime rang out—the notification tone of the Sword Sect’s internal communication jade talisman.

“Steward Hall, this is Disciple Lin Yuan on the Xu hour watch. Reporting all normal.”

“Steward Hall, this is Disciple Chen Zhou on the Hai hour watch. No anomalies.”

“Zi hour watch, Zhou Ming reporting. No movement.”

One by one, the routine reports from the night watch disciples played, none mentioning “thief spotted.”

The five disciples paled instantly.

The examiner frowned deeply, the disciplinary decree already raised in his hand, about to announce the stripping of Shen Yan’s cultivation base and expulsion from the sect. But Shen Yan suddenly turned, facing the direction of the Scripture Pavilion.

“Don’t believe me?” His voice remained low, yet each word struck like a nail. “Then let me show you something real.”

His phone screen lit up, casting a blue light that unfolded into a translucent, three-dimensional image in the air—a holographic model of the Scripture Pavilion, with beams, shelves, and restriction seal formation eyes clearly visible.

The crowd erupted in murmurs.

“Is this… the Heaven-Peering Mirror technique?”

“Impossible! The Scripture Pavilion has an anti-scrying grand formation!”

Ignoring them, Shen Yan lightly traced his finger through the air, summoning a Spiritual Power thermal map. The entire structure instantly glowed with interwoven red and blue light, and in a hidden corner of the eastern annex, a glaring red light pulsed slowly.

“The Spiritual Power Residue peak lasted thirty-six ticks, with an Energy Frequency that perfectly matches the Dust-Severing Art Seal Talisman.” His tone was as calm as if he were reading a cafeteria menu. “As for the location… probably inside Senior Brother Xie’s sleeve.”

All eyes in the room instantly turned toward Xie Wujiu.

The man remained standing, gently fanning himself with his folding fan, his expression unchanged, but the cuff of his sleeve trembled almost imperceptibly.

“Preposterous!” the examiner roared. “You think you can frame an Inner Sect elite with just your word? Shen Yan, have you gone mad since coming out of the Sword Tomb?”

“I’m not relying on words.” Shen Yan extended his phone forward, zooming in on the Image. A red dot steadily locked onto the inner side of Xie Wujiu’s right arm. “How about we verify it on the spot? After all, you advocate for strict investigation—surely you’re not afraid of a search?”

Xie Wujiu finally spoke, his voice as smooth as jade: “Junior Brother Shen, your methods are indeed astonishing. But what if I say this is a newly acquired protective Talisman? Would you dare to unwrap it publicly?”

“Of course not.” Shen Yan grinned. “But I can remotely read its spiritual wave frequency—after all, it was stolen from the eighth floor of the Scripture Pavilion and comes with its own factory Encoding.”

As he spoke, he tapped the Tip of his Finger on the Screen.

【Initiating Reverse Decompilation Protocol】

【Target: Unknown Spiritual Object】

【Analysis Progress: 3%…12%…47%…】

Suddenly, the cluster of red light shook violently, as if struggling.

“Interesting.” Shen Yan stared at the Data Stream. “This thing not only has a self-destruct mechanism but also a memory-blocking curse—typical Shadow Erosion Organization standard issue. Senior Brother Xie, do you also enjoy listening to Children’s Rhymes late at night?”

Xie Wujiu’s eyes flickered.

At that moment, Ye Zhao moved.

She had been standing under the side hall corridor, silver hair cascading over her shoulders, not even touching her sword sheath. Now, she stepped forward slowly, positioning herself half a step behind and to the side of Shen Yan.

This distance was just enough to block all possible angles for hidden weapons from the main hall.

She didn’t speak, only gently rested her hand on the hilt of the Frost Soul Sword.

The sheath emitted a faint “click,” like a switch being turned on.

Shen Yan’s lips curved slightly upward.

He knew she was backing him up.

And he truly needed this bit of time.

The phone Interface switched:

【Analysis Complete】

【Item Confirmed: True Copy Fragments of Dust-Severing Art ×3】

【Additional Information: Last Contact Spiritual Power Signature—Xie Wujiu (Yin Attribute Stagnant Pulse Force)】

“Oho.” Shen Yan clicked his tongue. “So it really is you.”

He looked up, meeting Xie Wujiu’s gaze directly. “You accused me of stealing the Sword Canon, yet the real Sword Canon is currently warming up in your sleeve. Should I recite a passage now so you can hear if it’s the original version?”

Xie Wujiu finally closed his fan.

With a crisp “snap,” sharp and clean.

“Shen Yan.” He smiled. “You’re clever. But clever people often die faster.”

“I’ve heard that too many times.” Shen Yan raised his phone higher, letting everyone see the cluster of red light. “The last person who said that is still in the hospital on a ventilator, diagnosed with ‘backlash from a Bug he wrote himself.'”

Some among the observing Disciples couldn’t help but chuckle.

The examiner’s face turned ashen. “Even so, this doesn’t prove Shen Yan’s innocence! He trespassed into the Sword Tomb and privately broke a Seal—these are serious crimes!”

“What do you plan to do then?” Shen Yan retorted. “First cripple my Cultivation Base, then catch the real culprit?”

“Following the rules is only natural.”

“Very well.” Shen Yan suddenly put away his phone, crossing his arms. “Then I now formally report—Xie Wujiu has colluded with external enemies, stolen the Sect’s Ultimate Treasure, and framed his fellow disciples. According to Article 37 of the Mystic Gate Regulations, those involved should be immediately confined to await trial and are not permitted to leave the Sect grounds.”

He paused, adding, “Otherwise, it would be considered fleeing from justice.”

The air froze.

Xie Wujiu looked at him, his expression shifting for the first time.

Not with anger, but with surprise.

He hadn’t expected this menial disciple, whom he had once regarded as an ant, to gradually unravel his schemes and even turn the tables on him.

Even less had he expected him to use Sect rules to counter Sect rules.

“You…” Xie Wujiu began to speak.

But Shen Yan suddenly raised his hand, pointing toward the sky.

A silver sword light pierced through the clouds, descending straight to the center of the plaza.

The sword tip embedded itself in the ground, its tassel swaying—it was Ye Zhao’s Frost Soul Sword.

She stood beside Shen Yan, her voice as cold as snow. “According to Sect rules, during an investigation, no one may inflict punishment on a suspect. Shen Yan has not yet been convicted, so the matter of abolishing his Cultivation Base shall not be carried out.”

The examiner opened his mouth but ultimately dared not say anything more.

Shen Yan glanced down at his phone.

The Terminal displayed a new Notice:

【Mission Update: Repair the Sword Tomb Main Array】

【New Clue: Xie Wujiu’s body contains traces of Stagnant Vein Powder, matching the poison source from the dining hall】

【Recommended Action: Track his next move】

He looked up, meeting Xie Wujiu’s gaze.

The man smiled at him, then turned and left. As his robe fluttered, a flash of red light vanished into his sleeve.

Shen Yan did not pursue.

He knew the real confrontation had yet to begin.

He simply tucked his phone back into his pocket and muttered softly, “Buddy, your Cache needs clearing.”

Ye Zhao walked over to him, her voice quiet. “Just now… weren’t you afraid?”

“Of course I was,” he said with a bitter smile. “I even messed up my Code three times.”

“But you didn’t tremble.”

“That’s because I was running ‘Pretend to Be Calm.exe.’”

(End of Chapter)