"Elder Yun, I believe everything in this world must adhere to evidence. You accuse me of killing the three people you mentioned—may I ask, where is your proof?"
"You harbored grudges against Wei Ming, Lu Yi, and Han Juan, and you possess the strength to kill them. That alone is sufficient evidence!"
Yun Henqiu's response was as sharp as ever, but he failed to realize that from the moment Chen An opened his mouth, he had already been ensnared in a carefully woven net. A web spun by none other than Chen An himself. Once entangled, Yun Henqiu would find no escape.
"When I first joined the sect, I wasn't even a cultivator and was burdened with inferior spiritual roots. In such a state, how could I have possibly killed three people?"
"You claim I have the strength to kill them based on my duel against your descendant Yun Xiao during the disciple competition, correct?"
Seizing the slight advantage he gained, Chen An pressed on relentlessly, firing questions like a barrage of arrows.
"Many who witnessed my battle with Yun Xiao are likely present here today. That battle was a life-and-death struggle for me. I fought with everything I had, and only by sheer luck did I emerge victorious."
"After that fight, the diamond-reinforced stage collapsed entirely. Such a spectacle surely left a deep impression on the entire sect."
"Now, Elder Yun," Chen An paused for dramatic effect, a faint smile playing on his lips. "During the deaths of Wei Ming, Lu Yi, and Han Juan, did anyone witness a scene of similar magnitude?"
"If so, present your proof. If not, then please tell me, how could I have killed so many people without leaving a trace?"
As Chen An finished, the audience exchanged knowing glances and subtle nods of agreement. His reasoning was sound.
The death of an outer sect steward and two inner sect disciples couldn't have occurred quietly. Any battle of such scale would inevitably have been discovered. Yet Yun Henqiu insisted on pinning the murders on Chen An without any evidence to back his claims—claims that were riddled with inconsistencies. How could anyone take him seriously?
"Elder Yun, do you have any further accusations against Chen An?"
At this point, Meng Wentian, who had remained silent until now, finally spoke. His words indicated that his judgment was leaning toward Chen An. After all, Yun Henqiu had failed to produce any substantial evidence or force a confession, allowing Chen An to take control of the situation.
For Meng Wentian, the spectacle was becoming a farce, and it was time to bring it to a close.
On the other hand, Yun Henqiu was unwilling to accept that Chen An might walk away unscathed. The thought of his failure burned within him, so he resorted to his final trump card.
"Fine! Even if Wei Ming, Lu Yi, and Han Juan weren't killed by you, what about Geng Shuang? Yesterday, you quarreled with him upon your return to the sect. By midnight, he was dead. Are you going to claim that's a coincidence too?"
"May I ask Elder Yun, do you have any proof that I killed Geng Shuang?"
Once again, Chen An asked for evidence. He already knew there wouldn't be any. If Yun Henqiu had proof, this trial wouldn't have been convened in the first place.
Faced with the same demand for evidence, Yun Henqiu finally snapped, roaring, "Chen An, this trial is meant to find the evidence of your crimes. Stop playing these word games!"
"So, Elder Yun admits there's no evidence of me killing Geng Shuang," Chen An replied, calm as ever, with a touch of mockery in his voice.
Before Yun Henqiu could retort, Chen An continued, "But if you lack proof, I can provide evidence of my innocence."
Then, Chen An posed another question, "Elder Yun, you claim that Geng Shuang died at midnight last night. Is this accurate?"
"Hmph! I was there when his life token shattered. Do you think I'd lie about such a thing?"
As Yun Henqiu affirmed the timing, Chen An broke into a confident smile and turned to the audience. "Everyone heard that. Geng Shuang died at midnight. From nightfall until after midnight, I was in the Outer Sect Elders' Hall, receiving personal instruction from Elder Gu. I only left after the hour had passed."
"Elder Gu can vouch for me."
The crowd stirred again as Yun Henqiu momentarily faltered. He had never anticipated that Elder Gu would side with Chen An.
Meng Wentian turned to Gu Elder and asked, "Is what Chen An says true?"
Caught in a dilemma, Gu Elder realized he had no choice. Chen An had tied him to his cause. Reluctantly, he nodded, affirming Chen An's claim.
The tide of the trial shifted drastically. Not only had Yun Henqiu failed to convict Chen An, but he had also allowed Chen An to prove his innocence. The trial had devolved into a joke.
Whispers spread through the crowd. Many began openly speculating about Yun Henqiu's motives, accusing him of abusing his authority to avenge his injured descendant, Yun Xiao.
For Yun Henqiu, once a towering figure in the sect, the humiliation was unbearable.
"You're lying! You and Elder Gu colluded to fabricate evidence!" Yun Henqiu bellowed, his voice filled with desperation.
Chen An's eyes gleamed with a cold light as he seized the opportunity. "Why does Elder Yun accuse us of collusion? Could it be that you know something we don't?"
"Of course, I know! I—"
Before Yun Hate Autumn could finish his words, a layer of cold sweat suddenly broke out on his entire back. It was then that he realized Chen An's mischief, using Elder Gu to lure himself into telling the truth.
Why was Yun Hate Autumn certain that Chen An had killed Geng Shuang? It was because Geng Shuang was sent by him to find trouble with Chen An.
As a sect elder, he even sent someone to look for an outer disciple's trouble, if this matter spreads out, Yun Hate Autumn's position is afraid to be unprotected.
Therefore, he absolutely could not say this matter.
However, without speaking out about this matter, there was no way to prove that Elder Gu was helping Chen An to commit perjury, and naturally, there was no way to incriminate Chen An. This was Chilolo's yang plot!
It was obvious that Chen An was telling Yun Hate Autumn that if he wanted his life, he could, in exchange for his identity and status, depending on whether you had the determination!
Obviously, Yun Hate Qiu did not have this determination, because in his opinion, Chen An's life was far less important than his own status, and this trial could no longer go on at all.