When the words “demonic path” were spoken, the chatter beneath the platform underwent a clear shift.
For years, the righteous and demonic factions had clashed across the Taiyan Continent, making the sects of the Eastern Border perpetually vigilant against anything originating from the demonic path. The Xuanxiao Sect, situated at a vital strategic location in the Eastern Border, was especially guarded. A hundred years ago, demonic cultivators had exploited a small sect's recruitment drive to infiltrate, plunder spiritual resources, and slaughter disciples, wiping out three entire mountain gates. Ever since, every sect had added rigorous background checks to their Grand Selections.
By raising the spectre of the demonic path at this precise moment, Su Mingyuan was offering a far graver accusation than mere theft—she was trying to drive Yun Heng into a corner of mortal peril.
He Lansong's face darkened perceptibly.
Yun Heng clenched her back teeth and glared at Su Mingyuan. “Miss Su, having failed to frame me for theft, you switch to accused demonology?”
Aggrieved distress surfaced in Su Mingyuan's eyes. “Miss Yun, I am not targeting you. It is simply that this concerns the safety of the sect, and I cannot pretend I saw nothing.”
Will this Su Mingyuan ever stop? Rage surged within Yun Heng.
“Just now, you claimed it was a mere mistaking of identities.”
“Mistaking it once could be chalked up to haste. Raising it a second time warrants far more caution.”
Su Mingyuan parted her lips, unable to retort immediately.
Zhou Chen stepped forward, placing himself in front of Su Mingyuan. “How dare you brush off matters of the demonic path so lightly? If you have a clear conscience, let the elders inspect that Broken Command.”
He Lansong added, “Yun Heng, matters concerning the demonic path cannot be treated casually. Since you refuse to hand over the broken jade, allow the Heart-Interrogation Platform to inspect this command projection at least.”
Yun Heng lowered her eyes to her palm.
The command projection hovered quietly, showing no sign of being affected or drawn in by the Heart-Interrogation Platform.
The System did not speak again.
Yun Heng knew she could not stall forever through silence. By pushing the issue toward the demonic path, Su Mingyuan had given the Xuanxiao Sect a valid justification to press further. If she refused obstinately, observers would only become more convinced that she was hiding something nefarious.
“It can be tested.”
He Lansong's eyes flickered slightly.
Yun Heng raised her gaze. “However, I have two conditions.”
“Speak.”
“First, the Heart-Interrogation Platform may test the command, but you shall not take my broken jade.”
“Second, if the Heart-Interrogation Platform detects no demonic energy, Miss Su must publicly retract her claims regarding the demonic path.”
Su Mingyuan's face turned pale.
She had not directly claimed Yun Heng belonged to the demonic path earlier, only that the consequences would be dire if the object originated from it. Yun Heng demanding a retraction was effectively forcing her to admit she had used the pretense of the demonic path to fabricate another charge.
“Miss Yun, I merely reminded the Grand Elder to be cautious; I never asserted you were of the demonic path.”
“If you made no assertion, then taking back a single sentence shouldn't be difficult.”
Su Mingyuan fell silent.
He Lansong glanced between the two before speaking: “If the Heart-Interrogation Platform detects no demonic energy, this matter shall no longer involve Yun Heng under the guise of the demonic path.”
Though his words did not directly order Su Mingyuan to apologize, they granted Yun Heng the outcome she sought.
He Lansong raised his hand, and the array stones at the four corners of the Heart-Interrogation Platform flared to life.
Cyan-white spiritual light rose from the platform surface, slowly circling the black-gold command projection in Yun Heng's palm. As the spiritual light approached the projection, its movement slowed visibly. A moment later, array runes swept over the face of the command from top to bottom.
There was no demonic energy, nor any malevolent aura.
The Heart-Interrogation Platform rendered no judgment of good or evil. It merely paused before the command projection, then drew back.
The expressions of several elders shifted.
If it had been an item of the demonic path, the Xuanxiao Sect could have apprehended her on the spot. If it were an ordinary magical artifact, the Heart-Interrogation Platform would have left an imprint. Yet the command projection before them was neither judged as evil nor did it submit to the platform's inspection.
He Lansong stared at the command projection, remaining silent for a long moment.
Su Mingyuan's face was equally unsightly.
Zhou Chen said softly, “Grand Elder, though the Heart-Interrogation Platform detected no demonic energy, the origin of this command is still—”
He Lansong raised his hand, silencing him.
A trace of satisfaction finally stirred in Yun Heng's heart. “Miss Su.”
Su Mingyuan dug her fingers into her handkerchief.
Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, she spoke slowly: “It was a slip of the tongue just now. Since the Heart-Interrogation Platform detected no demonic energy, I should not have mentioned the demonic path again.”
“And?”
“Regarding the stolen jade, you claimed a mistaken identity. Regarding the demonic path, you had a slip of the tongue. Today on the Heart-Interrogation Platform, both incidents originated with you.”
The aggrieved look on Su Mingyuan's face finally nearly crumbled.
She quickly bowed her head. “Mingyuan is willing to accept the elders' punishment.”
He Lansong could not punish her severely at this moment either. She was a Heaven-grade spiritual root disciple who had just joined the Xuanxiao Sect. If she were humiliated too severely before the Heart-Interrogation Platform on her very first day, it would reflect poorly on the sect.
“Su Mingyuan, today's disturbance stemmed from your mistaken accusation. Once the selection concludes, report to the Discipline Hall to reflect in solitude for three days.”
Su Mingyuan quietly accepted the order; it was an extremely light punishment.
Yun Heng's focus shifted back to the Broken Command in her palm.
The Heart-Interrogation Platform could detect neither demonic energy nor its origins. The Xuanxiao Sect would not let the matter rest so easily. The stolen jade accusation was resolved, and the taint of the demonic path was temporarily quelled, but the Broken Command itself had been exposed.
He Lansong had clearly reached the same realization.
He looked at Yun Heng, his tone somewhat softer than before. “Yun Heng, this command is no ordinary object. If you are willing, you may accompany me to the inner hall so the elders may investigate its true nature together.”
Though his words sounded polite, his true intention was still to remove her from the Heart-Interrogation Platform.
Yun Heng remained silent.
She had no idea what awaited her in the inner hall, nor how long the Broken Command could continue to protect her. Standing on the Heart-Interrogation Platform, she maintained an advantage only because every eye was upon them. If she stepped away, she would lose all control over the situation.
As she deliberated anxiously, the System's voice resonated once more.
【Sustained focus from high-level cultivator detected.】
【Current risk level: High.】
【Temporary Guard Summoning Order available.】
Yun Heng's fingers twitched slightly inside her sleeve.
He Lansong was still waiting for her answer.
Yun Heng raised her eyes and met He Lansong's gaze directly. “What does the Grand Elder wish to investigate?”
“To uncover the origin of this command, as well as the relationship between it and you.”
“And if I refuse?”
Zhou Chen spoke with growing impatience: “You carry an unidentified talisman command. Naturally, the Xuanxiao Sect cannot simply turn a blind eye.”
Yun Heng looked at He Lansong, who did not deny Zhou Chen's words.
He had softened his demeanor, yet as the Grand Elder, he could not ignore the appearance of a command talisman during the Grand Selection that even the Heart-Interrogation Platform failed to verify.
So long as she remained a rogue cultivator with no known origins, no master, and no backer, the Xuanxiao Sect would continue to press her.
In her sea of consciousness, the summoning order flared with light.
Yun Heng responded in her heart.
Summon.
The sky above the Heart-Interrogation Platform dimmed for a split second.
A phantom figure slowly materialized.
The phantom stood behind Yun Heng, initially appearing as nothing more than a faint outline. Yet as spiritual light converged, robes, long hair, and facial features rapidly solidified. The array runes of the Heart-Interrogation Platform, which had still been flowing, suddenly froze as though pinned down by an invisible force, their light held motionless within the stone grooves, not daring to advance another inch.
Even the wind died down.
Yun Heng did not look back, but she felt an additional presence behind her.
The presence displayed not the slightest hint of outward sharpness, yet the moment it appeared, the spiritual pressure surrounding the Heart-Interrogation Platform was suppressed completely.
The faces of several elders changed simultaneously.
He Lansong had already taken half a step forward, but now he halted abruptly in his tracks.
He was a late-stage Soul Transformation cultivator, standing near the pinnacle of power across the entire Taiyan Continent. The Xuanxiao Sect's secure position as a major sect in the Eastern Region relied on far more than a thousand years of reputation.
Yet the presence standing behind Yun Heng was not the slightest bit weaker than his own.
What shocked him even more was that the entity was clearly nothing more than a projection.
He Lansong looked behind Yun Heng, genuine caution appearing in his eyes for the first time.
The phantom fully materialized, revealing a woman.
She was dressed in black robes, with no hairpins in her hair, and faint spiritual light dispersed as the hem of her garment fell. Her figure hovered between substance and illusion, yet her facial features were exquisitely clear. However, her face lacked the color of the living and showed no trace of emotion, resembling a shadow emerging from ancient times.
Yun Heng heard her speak.
“Command Attendant Yun Zhao, appearing upon summon.”
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