Chapter 131: Judgment For Teng Liang, Strangeness Inside And Out
The two went downstairs and confirmed that Bu Siqi had left before Su Chen said to Wu Yang: “Senior Brother Teng is in trouble. Give me the Scroll of Incantation. Everyone stay put and don’t leave. The matter of the Divine Blood must be reported by me first.”
“Okay.” Wu Yang agreed without any hesitation. “No one will leave until there’s news.”
Su Chen nodded and took the Scroll of Incantation along with the translated original text.
Leaving the hall, a crowd had gathered on the street outside. Su Chen looked up and vanished into the shadows after a few flashes.
“Meng Qi’s disguise was excellent. Even Chong Jingtian couldn’t detect anything wrong right in front of him, and mental guidance didn’t reveal it either. Now with no evidence left since he’s dead, it’s like yellow mud in the crotch—it’s shit no matter what…”
Su Chen kept switching transportation methods. “The trouble is, how to prove Meng Qi had a problem.”
“Flesh and Blood test? No… it was already done when entering the Court of Justice.”
“It’s impossible to completely clear the suspicion, but Old Teng’s status is not ordinary either. As long as doubts appear on Meng Qi, plus Old Xia’s existence, it’s impossible to deal with him too quickly.”
“That’s enough.”
He had no way to prove Meng Qi had a problem in three moves, so he could only do his best to maneuver around it.
“I don’t know if Meng Qi really died or just lost a shell…”
This sudden news sent Su Chen’s thoughts racing. “But at least a potential threat has been temporarily eliminated. Even if it was just a shell, the cost to create it is no small matter. Otherwise, there wouldn’t be only one Meng Qi until now.”
Su Chen remembered clearly that Meng Qi had already turned into Chu Xuan’s appearance at the time, but in the end chose to use Meng Qi’s shell.
This meant that even after turning into Chu Xuan, the other party had no confidence in truly fooling Chong Jingtian. Only Meng Qi was the perfect disguise.
“Tch…” Thinking of this, Su Chen grinned. “Old Teng, what a fierce guy.”
His footsteps paused as Su Chen merged into the shadows. Looking up, he had arrived at the place, but it wasn’t the Court of Justice—it was an ordinary-looking residential area.
His figure gradually faded, hiding in the Spatial Layer. “I hope finding those guys doesn’t take too much time.”
First sending Bu Siqi away, then locking Wu Yang and the others in the Heituo Priest’s Lair—the time gap left should be enough.
……
Court of Justice, Adjudication Hall.
The Adjudication Department had few personnel because it handled internal inspections, so it wasn’t popular.
Normally, there was hardly anyone here, but today, it was full of people inside and out.
In the brightly lit hall, four black iron chairs were placed at the top. Chong Jingtian sat in the center, his face extremely grim.
Jiang Shumo and You Shan were both here, along with another man whose face was like cold iron, eyes sharp like a hawk’s, exuding an aura that kept people at bay.
Eighth Chief Judge, Lei Tieyan, the main Person in Charge of the Adjudication Department, who hardly handled other Court of Justice matters.
Many people stood on both sides, all at the Director level. Some frowned tightly, others wore looks of schadenfreude.
Ming Lin and the others were there, looking at the corpse lying horizontally at the bottom of the steps with complex expressions—it was Meng Qi.
Teng Liang was wearing heavy shackles that flickered with some kind of symbols.
“You say Meng Qi is from the Cult of the Strange God. Do you have evidence?” Lei Tieyan spoke slowly, his tone flat.
“No.” Teng Liang below shook his head. “But I saw it with my own eyes.”
Jiang Shumo frowned. “You had Bu Siqi trick me away with fake news to probe him, but during the probing, you found something off and killed him. Isn’t that explanation a bit too far-fetched?”
Teng Liang shook his head. “No, I didn’t intend to kill him. I just wanted to subdue him. He killed himself.”
“Killed himself…” Jiang Shumo’s face darkened as he pointed at the corpse on the floor. “You’re saying he knew he couldn’t win, feared being captured by you and unable to explain, so he simply killed himself?”
“I didn’t think about the reason, but your guess is probably correct.” Teng Liang agreed.
Jiang Shumo was uncharacteristically stumped.
Lei Tieyan was expressionless. “The corpse is right here. After Meng Qi entered the Court of Justice, there’s not the slightest evidence linking him to the Cult of the Strange God. Now you’ve killed him but can’t produce any proof.”
“Since that’s the case, tell me why you concluded he had a problem.”
“Uh…” Teng Liang thought for a moment and said, “Intuition.”
Lei Tieyan scolded sharply, “Teng Liang! Don’t think that because you’re Xia Hanshi’s student, I won’t dare kill you!”
“Killing a Core Seed warrants execution!”
“Chief Judge.” Someone from the side suddenly spoke up. He looked fat and amiable. “Teng Liang is a key member of my court. He wouldn’t do this without reason.”
“Perhaps he was bewitched and induced by the Cult of the Strange God to act repeatedly.”
“Act repeatedly?” Jiang Shumo glanced over. “Xue Fei, do you mean Chu Xuan’s death was also his doing?”
“Possible.” Xue Fei nodded. “We should investigate. Since Teng Liang insists it’s ironclad, why not have Chief Judge You check his memories.”
Jiang Shumo snorted coldly. “Teng Liang is a Fifth Order Professional. Forcing a memory check—you want him to go insane or even die on the spot?”
“We need a result.” Wei Yufan said indifferently. “Besides, with Chief Judge You’s ability, the damage can surely be minimized.”
“We can’t wrongly kill Teng Liang. If his mind really has issues, the Court of Justice can support him for life.”
Ming Lin couldn’t help frowning. Executing too hastily was clearly due to Lei Tieyan’s intimidation, while Wei Yufan’s method had some feasibility.
Chong Jingtian took in everyone’s changing expressions, his face very unpleasant.
As Chief Judge, his stance was based on the Court of Justice’s gains and losses. Now, any outcome was the worst for him.
If Teng Liang had no issue, then Meng Qi did. For someone who just became a Core Seed to be from the Cult of the Strange God—wasn’t that slapping him in the face?
If Meng Qi had no issue, then Teng Liang did. As an Honorary Director, Fifth Order Professional, and student of a Chief Judge, to be manipulated by the Cult of the Strange God into killing his own Core Seed—that was even more of a Shame!
Just as the hall fell silent, a figure entered from outside, drawing all eyes.
It was Su Chen…
Why is he only here now? Ming Lin sighed. In this situation, even if Xia Hanshi returned, without evidence, unless tearing face with the Court of Justice, there was no way to save Teng Liang.
“Su Chen…” Chong Jingtian frowned. He knew exactly what Su Chen was here for.
“Chief, I have something to report.” Su Chen walked straight past Teng Liang.
“I already know about the Heituo Priest matter. Stand aside.” Chong Jingtian interrupted indifferently.
Heituo Priest? What Heituo Priest? Everyone was stunned, unaware of this.
“Not this matter…” Su Chen shook his head and took out the Scroll of Incantation from his bosom. “Please take a look.”
A flicker of surprise passed through Chong Jingtian’s eyes. With a reach of his hand, the Scroll of Incantation floated up from Su Chen’s hand.
He took it and unfurled it. You Shan and Jiang Shumo nearby also looked over. Scanning the translated original text, all three’s faces changed dramatically.
Chong Jingtian even said repeatedly: “Where was this found? Did you find that thing!?”
The people below looked shocked and puzzled, unsure what could make the three Chief Judges lose composure like this.
“It was in that Heituo Priest’s Lair. We searched it top to bottom several times but found nothing.” Su Chen shook his head.
“Time of great trouble…” Chong Jingtian suppressed his surging emotions, looking at Su Chen with complex eyes. “If not for you discovering the Heituo Priest’s Lair this time, we’d still be in the dark. This is a great merit.”
Su Chen discovered the Heituo Priest’s Lair?
Ming Lin was stunned. What kind of ridiculous luck was this?
Wei Yufan’s expression changed slightly as he snorted coldly under his breath.
Everyone fell silent. Su Chen had really hooked a big fish.
“It’s what I should do. Senior Brother Teng often reminds me to always put the Court of Justice first.” Su Chen said solemnly.
Chong Jingtian sighed. He knew it.
“Merits and demerits can’t offset each other.” Jiang Shumo spoke. “Su Chen, I know what you want, but now there’s only one issue. Solve it, and Teng Liang will be fine.”
“That is, evidence linking Meng Qi to the Strange God.”
“I guarantee it with my life.” Su Chen looked up and said loudly.
Some on the sides sneered silently, others felt moved. Teng Liang looked at his back, lost in thought.
Zhong Ming arrived even later than Su Chen, just making it now, unaware of what happened, standing to the side.
“Acting on impulse.” Jiang Shumo shook his head. “Step back.”
With a wave of his hand, Su Chen was pushed aside by an invisible force. Ming Lin tugged him, signaling to stay quiet for now.
Lei Tieyan’s voice was cold and hard: “This involves a Core Seed and an Honorary Director. Every Judge is watching.”
“Teng Liang, I ask you—if your conscience is clear, do you dare accept a memory inspection?”
Su Chen frowned slightly. Teng Liang was a Fifth Order Professional—how could he undergo memory inspection?
“I…” Before Teng Liang could speak, a Judge hurried in from outside, his expression odd, and reported:
“Chief, there’s a Heituo Follower outside who came to report a Faceless Ghost traitor in the Court of Justice.”
The words fell, and the entire hall went quiet. Even Teng Liang turned his head.
“What?” Chong Jingtian doubted his ears. Or perhaps the successive events had dazed him, making him hear such an absurd statement.
“Bring him here!” Jiang Shumo’s eyes flashed. “Bring him directly here.”
“Clear the corpse. Teng Liang, step aside.”
Everyone was baffled.
Soon, a guy sealed tight from head to toe came up, a black vertical pupil engraved on his bald head.
“Lost lambs, the Priest sends his regards.” The Heituo Follower looked around with pride.
Priest… the Priest was already caught. Everyone grumbled inwardly but said nothing.
Chong Jingtian said indifferently: “You came to report a traitor in the Court of Justice, trying to sow discord?”
“Heh…” The Heituo Follower sneered. “You’re just sheep doomed to die. No need to sow discord. My Lord pities you and doesn’t want you toyed with by the Faceless Ghost anymore.”
Did I instruct him to have this punchable vibe? Su Chen watched the Judges silently clenching their fists.
Chong Jingtian didn’t bother arguing with the madman and asked directly, “Who do you accuse?”
“Don’t know.” The Heituo Follower shook his head, saying it righteously.
“Definitely a madman.” Jiang Shumo laughed in anger.
“The disguised one carries the Faceless Ghost’s will, using extremely strange methods. You couldn’t detect it, nor could I.” The Heituo Follower said.
Carries the Faceless Ghost’s will—everyone looked shocked and puzzled. What did that mean? Strange God Carrier?
Su Chen also put on a shocked and uncertain expression. Of course he didn’t know if Meng Qi truly carried the Faceless Ghost’s will, but in this situation, the bigger the stir, the better.
“So, what exactly are you here for?” Chong Jingtian pressed.
“All the higher-ups should be here, right?” The Heituo Follower looked around. “I have a way to verify, but you can’t interrupt me.”
“His true colors are showing—this evil ghost is here to cause trouble. Kill him!” Someone shouted.
Others shook their heads: “This guy’s just an ordinary Follower, not even a Fanatic Follower. He’s been searched thoroughly—what trouble can he cause?”
“Before coming, I prepared to return to My Lord’s embrace.” The Heituo Follower said concisely.
“Let him try…” Jiang Shumo decided.
The Heituo Follower immediately began chanting lowly: “…Faceless God, false mask of all beings…”
“This isn’t Heituo’s incantation? It’s the Faceless Ghost’s incantation…” A high-rank Judge recognized it.
“This… this, what the hell? Corpse transformation?” Uncertain shouts came from the back.
Everyone looked over to see grayish-white Chains, broken and floating silently like tentacles, emerging on Meng Qi’s Corpse in the corner.
“Why is it a corpse?” The Heituo Follower stopped chanting, surprised. “You discovered it too?”
Meng Qi really was connected to the Cult of the Strange God?
Everyone was overwhelmed, never expecting evidence from a Heituo Follower.
The four—Chong Jingtian and others—looked gravely at the grayish-white Chains gradually wilting. They hadn’t noticed this thing’s emergence at all. Meng Qi seemed truly problematic.
But this Heituo Follower who jumped out suddenly was also suspicious—wasn’t it too coincidental, right after Meng Qi died?
“That’s it?” Lei Tieyan’s tone was icy.
“Your Court of Justice recently lost a Core Seed, right? Check his Talent—see if it’s changed.” The Heituo Follower said again.
Jiang Shumo waved, and soon someone brought the Talent Detection Device.
Meng Qi’s Corpse was intact. Mental Talent couldn’t be measured, but Physical Talent could.
As soon as the device was placed, it emitted an Ink Jade beam, drawing everyone’s gaze.
“Ink Jade… when did he…” Ming Lin was stunned, and others looked shocked too.
“Chant My Lord’s honored name often to show gratitude.” The Heituo Follower said his last words, then neatly ended his own life.
Thud!
The corpse slammed heavily onto the Floor, smashing into everyone’s minds.
The result seemed obvious—Meng Qi was almost certainly off.
And from this Heituo Priest’s hint, Chu Xuan was killed by Meng Qi.
But why did the whole thing feel so strange?
