Fort Eternal Ice loomed over the Frost Ridge, its towering spires of frost-carved stone piercing a sky heavy with gray clouds. The air was sharp with the bite of eternal winter, each breath a crystalline stab, the ground crunching underfoot with packed snow. Within the Pavilion of Swords, the central hall was a cavern of ice and steel, its walls etched with ancient runes that pulsed faintly with Qi, casting a pale blue glow. Kai Shen stood at the heart of a gathering storm, his breath visible in the frigid air, his crimson robes a stark contrast to the icy surroundings.
Kai Shen's Current Status: Qi Reserves: 100,000 (stored in his spatial ring, a vast reservoir of spiritual energy that hummed subtly even now). Health: Stable (his physical form held strong, a testament to his rigorous training, yet the insidious weight of demonic allegations threatened to crush him from within).
His heart raced, a frantic drumbeat against his ribs, as Master Lu's furious accusations echoed off the shimmering ice. Around him, dozens of disciples and several other masters watched, their faces a complex mix of shock, outright anger at Lu, and a reluctant, yet undeniable, flicker of support for Kai. The tension in the cavernous hall was so thick it felt tangible, heavy enough to choke on.
Master Lu, his eyes blazing with a manic, almost unhinged fervor, brandished a spiritual crystal. It pulsed ominously, radiating a foul aura of blood and decay that seemed to cling to the very air. "D证明 enough!" he roared, his voice a guttural sound that bounced off the icy walls, reverberating with venom. Kai's mind raced, desperately recalling the dusty, brittle tomes on Phoenix Sect laws he'd diligently studied years ago, long before he had the privilege of So Yun's mentorship. Demonic practices carried an unequivocal death sentence, a fact burned into his memory from a thick legal codex he'd acquired for a mere single point of contribution. The crystal's raw energy was unmistakably demonic, its corrosive Qi possessing the terrifying potential to twist a cultivator's mind into irreversible madness.
Kai's Innate Abilities: Perception: High (allowing him to acutely sense the shifting mood of the crowd—their initial shock quickly morphing into anger directed squarely at Lu, coupled with unexpected currents of support in their gazes toward him).
Belozar, the imposing ice master, a pillar of calm amidst the storm, stepped forward. His broad frame positioned itself protectively, subtly shielding Kai from Lu's direct line of sight. It was a silent, powerful move that stirred both deep gratitude and a perplexing sense of shame in Kai's chest.
"From where did you get that filth, Lu?" Belozar demanded, his voice low and guttural, like the cracking of ancient ice, his very presence radiating a wall of cold, unyielding authority.
"Found it in your pupil's room, this trash shaming the Shen clan!" Lu shrieked back, a wild, unhinged cackle that grated on Kai's nerves, sending shivers down his spine.
The crowd's eyes darted nervously between Kai and Lu, their collective fury now undeniably aimed at the accuser. Aina, a junior disciple with a fierce loyalty, bravely stepped forward, her voice trembling slightly but resolute. "Master Belozar, he's lying! Kai would never!"
"Silence, girl!" Lu bellowed, his face contorted in rage. With a violent flick of his wrist, he hurled a raw, crackling fireball directly at Aina. Kai's newly acquired shield technique, a shimmering barrier of protective energy, activated instinctively, but So Yun, ever vigilant, was faster. With a blur of motion, she raised a formidable ice wall, instantly manifesting from the very air, to absorb and block the explosive attack.
"You dare strike my pupils, Lu Xiang?" So Yun's voice was no longer calm; it was a sharpened blade, cutting through the tense air, her eyes glowing with a cold, pure white light of suppressed power. "By what right do you search rooms alone and attack a disciple without provocation?"
"By right of strength!" Lu roared, his Qi flaring erratically. "As master of the Pavilion of Punishments, I know the truth. Ryu himself revealed what truly happened a year ago. This Kai Shen lured Ryu and his friend beyond the Fort's protective wards, killing them in a demonic ritual. Ryu barely escaped with his life, returning a broken shadow of himself!"
"That's nonsense, Lu!" Kai snapped, unable to hold back his indignation any longer. His crimson robes rippled slightly with his agitation. "It was an official mission, registered with the Fort's command, with proper documentation and authorization!"
"Nonsense? You call this nonsense, Shen scum?" Lu's eyes narrowed to venomous slits. He thrust the demonic crystal forward, closer to Kai, its foul aura intensifying. "Found in your very cell! Your fate is sealed, boy. Only the method of execution remains to be decided!"
Belozar's calm, authoritative voice cut through the rising hysteria like a sharp gust of wind. "You overstep, Lu. Executing a pupil of the Fort requires the explicit consent of all three core masters. I see no conclusive proof here, only your wild accusations and a questionable artifact."
"As a healer of the highest standing, I can confirm there is no demonic Qi in Kai Shen's channels," So Yun added, her tone firm and unwavering, her gaze challenging Lu's. "His spiritual pathways are pure."
"Collusion? Are you shielding this pupil, So Yun? And you, Belozar?" Lu's eyes gleamed with a malevolent triumph, twisting her words into a damning accusation. "Reports have been circulating that Kai Shen performed unknown rituals, secretly boosting other disciples' cultivation unnaturally. Only demonic power grants such illicit boons!"
Kai noted the sudden, almost envious glint in Lu's eyes as he spoke of "demonic power," before the master quickly reverted to his threatening demeanor. "What will the Phoenix Sect masters say when they learn you two endanger the very integrity of Fort Eternal Ice? Did you not swear solemn oaths to protect this stronghold, or do you now plan to join the demons in their corruption?"
Lu's Qi flared wildly, uncontrolled tendrils of fire licking around his form, barely contained by his cultivation. Belozar merely smirked, utterly unfazed by the display, his aura of coldness expanding slightly. But So Yun's worried glance towards Kai spoke volumes; she knew the Shen clan's ruthless pragmatism—Kai's death would not only ruin him but also drag his allies down into a political abyss. Kai, sensing this, took a deliberate step toward Lu, meeting his gaze directly, unflinchingly. "You're a core-stage cultivator, Master Lu. A practitioner of the Grand Dao. Can't you discern truth from lies, purity from corruption, even with your own senses?"
Lu's eyes flickered, betraying a momentary doubt, but he quickly recovered, a sneer twisting his lips. "Demons are cunning, Shen scum. Perhaps you hide your true nature even from me, a master of discernment. Masters, this heretic has tainted the Fort's disciples with unknown, unapproved techniques. For the sect's safety, for the very future of this Fort, admit the truth of your demonic arts, or face the dire consequences!"
"Are there no ways to prove that I've used no demonic practices, Master Belozar? Master So Yun?" Kai asked, turning to his mentors, his voice ringing with a desperate plea for justice.
"Many ancient formations exist within the sect that could verify such a claim," So Yun began, her voice thoughtful, but Lu brutally interrupted her.
"Formations you crafted, So Yun!" he roared, his voice filled with scorn. "Your favoritism towards this boy is well-known throughout the Fort. You are untrustworthy in this matter!"
Just then, Ryu, the supposedly traumatized disciple, stepped forward, his gaze strangely distant and unsettlingly blank. "The Well of Pure Yin can test his innocence," he muttered, his voice flat and devoid of emotion.
Lu's maniacal laugh filled the hall, a chilling, triumphant sound. "Ryu, you ice trash, you've truly earned a promotion to my senior assistant for this brilliant suggestion! Ha!"
"Thank you, Master Lu," Ryu bowed, his expression still unsettlingly blank, a mere automaton.
The crowd's collective hatred, initially dispersed, now sharply focused on Lu and Ryu, their eyes burning with disgust. Even Belozar's serene demeanor cracked slightly, his Qi flaring visibly, chilling the entire hall further.
System Alert: The Well of Pure Yin has been proposed as a method of testing.
Kai sighed, a breath that seemed to carry the weight of his entire predicament. He turned to Belozar, his gaze questioning. "What's the catch, Master Belozar? There's always a catch with such ancient trials."
"The Well of Pure Yin is indeed a source of endless ice Qi, a boon for ice cultivators, granting them immense power and purity," Belozar said gravely, his eyes fixed on Kai. "But for fire practitioners, or those with conflicting elemental affinities, it is certain death. It drains their life force, freezing them from within."
"Anciently, it was also used to test for demonic taint," So Yun added, her voice laced with concern. "Its purity rejects anything corrupt. Ryu, how did you know of this specific Well and its properties?"
"Spirits… told me," Ryu muttered, his eyes flickering aimlessly, avoiding their gazes.
"Leave my pupil alone, So!" Lu snapped, his patience wearing thin. "The legend is true. Other elemental cultivators have entered the Well and perished. So, Kai Shen, will you risk it, or will you confess your demonic arts right here and now?"
"I'll do it," Kai said, his voice firm, shocking the entire crowd into a stunned silence. He watched Ryu, who subtly nodded, a quick, almost imperceptible gesture, then immediately shook his head, looking genuinely confused, as if he hadn't meant to convey anything.
"Excellent!" Lu cackled, rubbing his hands together with perverse glee. "I would have savored killing you slowly, Shen scum, but this will do nicely. To the Well!" He began to stride purposefully towards the exit of the hall.
So Yun swiftly blocked his path, her stance firm. "The Well is sacred, Lu. Opening it takes days of preparation and requires the concurrent use of all three masters' keys. Do you have yours ready?"
Lu grimaced, his triumphant smile faltering. He patted his robes. "It's here, of course!" Then he brightened. "Then to the dungeon! We'll hold him there until the Well is prepared!"
"No need for that, Lu," Belozar said calmly, his voice a steady counterpoint to Lu's escalating frenzy. "If he flees, you can hunt him down yourself. I'll have no objections to that. We have more pressing matters than guarding a coward."
"So be it!" Lu laughed, his eyes gleaming with anticipation. "Kai Shen, I hope you try to run. I truly hope you do."