The dawn bells rang heavy and solemn, rolling across the mountain peaks like the tolling of iron. Disciples stirred from meditation and training, eyes widening as they counted the strikes. Nine tolls. Not for ceremonies. Not for victories.
For judgment.
Kai opened his eyes slowly in his chamber, the echoes vibrating through his chest. He didn't need the whispers outside his door to know who the trial was for. His name already burned on their tongues.
"Lin Hao vanished last night."
"They say Kai killed him!"
"No one else could have survived the Valley and still be standing. He's cursed."
Kai stood, straightening his robe. He washed his face, tied his hair with deliberate calm, and stepped out into the light. His every motion was precise, steady, calculated to project strength without arrogance. Inside, his pulse was iron. So. The storm comes quicker than I thought.
---
The Arena of Judgment
The tribunal ground was a wide, circular stone courtyard carved into the mountain itself. Tiered steps rose high, packed with disciples from all corners of the sect. Outer disciples jostled for space, hungry for spectacle. Inner disciples stood aloof, whispering in sharp, amused tones.
At the front sat the elders, twelve seats of stone, each etched with runes that shimmered faintly under the morning sun. Their robes were dark and solemn, sleeves wide, their gazes sharper than blades.
At the center, waiting, was Kai.
Chains of faint spiritual light wrapped loosely around his wrists—not strong enough to hold, but ceremonial, a symbol. His figure looked small in the vast circle, yet his spine was straight, his eyes level.
The murmurs around him swelled.
"That's him. The Valley survivor."
"He'll be crushed today."
"I heard he devoured beast flesh raw to stay alive—barbaric."
"Good. Such creatures don't belong in our sect."
Above the noise, Elder Ren's voice cracked like a whip.
---
The Accusation
"Disciples! Elders! Hear the charge." Elder Ren rose, his beard gleaming with oil, his eyes sharp with malice. "One of our inner disciples, Lin Hao, vanished in the night. His quarters empty, his bed cold. And who, I ask, has motive enough to kill him? Who but this… thing that crawled back from punishment?"
He jabbed a finger at Kai. "Kai! You return from the Beast-Sealed Valley alive, defying fate itself, and now an inner disciple disappears. Coincidence? I say no! Your savagery is a stain on this sect."
A roar of agreement rose from the Iron Vein faction, disciples stamping feet, voices echoing. Others remained silent, uncertain.
Kai tilted his head slightly. "Elder Ren." His voice carried, calm and steady. "You accuse me of killing an inner disciple… while I still wear the bruises of punishment? Surely you flatter me too much. Do you think I hold such power?"
Murmurs rippled through the crowd. His tone was respectful, but the edge of mockery lay beneath it.
---
The Interrogation
Another elder, thin and sharp-eyed, leaned forward. "Then explain, Kai. How do you survive the Valley when so many others perished? No food, no medicine, no aid. Yet here you stand."
Kai bowed slightly. "I survived as I always have, Elder. By refusing to die. I bled, I starved, I fought beasts in the mud. I ate what flesh I found, drank rain, bound wounds with my own hands. If that is suspicious, then my crime is being unwilling to lie down and rot."
A hush fell. Some disciples looked sickened. Others looked… awed.
The elder's eyes narrowed, but he leaned back, unsatisfied yet without proof.
Elder Ren struck again. "And Lin Hao? Do you deny killing him?"
Kai met his gaze squarely. "I do. If he is gone, perhaps he met beasts of his own. Or perhaps he crossed paths with enemies other than me. I have no knowledge of his fate."
His words were steady. Inside, the System whispered.
> [New Minor Feature Unlocked: Lie Detection Meter]
Host can now sense suspicion or belief levels of others during interrogation.
Green flickered faintly around several neutral elders—they believe him. Red pulsed like fire around Elder Ren and his faction.
Good, Kai thought coldly. At least I know where the blades point.
---
The Faction War
Another elder, robed in deep blue, chuckled lightly. "Ren, your accusations are… spirited. But flimsy. To claim this boy slew a core-stage disciple after crawling from punishment? Are you so desperate to cover your own faction's failings?"
Elder Ren's face darkened. "Mind your tongue, Elder Su. Lin Hao was loyal. His disappearance insults us all!"
"Or perhaps it insults only you," Elder Su retorted, eyes gleaming.
The tension rippled like thunderclouds. Disciples leaned forward, hungry for the spectacle. It was clear now: this tribunal was not justice. It was politics sharpened into a blade.
Kai stood silent, watching the game unfold, his heart steady as stone.
---
The Verdict
At last, the presiding elder at the center, an old woman with eyes like carved jade, raised her hand. Silence fell instantly.
"Kai," she said, voice low but heavy with authority. "You deny the killing. Evidence is lacking. But your survival has raised unrest. To calm the sect, your strength must be tested openly. Transparency is the only path."
Her gaze pierced him. "Thus, the punishment is declared: You will face a proving trial in the Sect's main arena. Before all disciples, you will fight. Survive, and you remain. Fall, and you are judged guilty by Heaven's will."
The courtyard erupted. Cheers, jeers, curses, laughter—all roared together. The Iron Vein disciples shouted for blood. Others whispered of spectacle, of fate.
Kai bowed slowly. "As the sect commands."
Inside, his blood burned. So this is how you play, Elder Ren. You cannot stab me in the dark, so you throw me to the wolves in daylight. Very well. I'll turn your wolves into carrion.
The tribunal closed. Chains fell away. Guards moved to escort him back, but Kai walked with steady steps, his head unbowed.
---
Cliffhanger Ending
As he passed beneath the stone arch of the tribunal ground, the System pulsed.
> [Proving Trial Scheduled: 3 Days]
Combatants: To be chosen by Elders.
Rewards: Survival.
Penalties: Death.
Kai's lips curved faintly. "Three days."
Behind him, disciples chattered like crows. Ahead of him, shadows stirred. The sect itself seemed to hold its breath, waiting to see if the survivor of the Valley would live through the judgment of the arena.