Lightning flashed in the sky. Purple clouds rolled which resembled the complexion of the angry deity. It was extremely horrifying.
Ding Hao was also angry.
With a slamming sound, Ding Hao took out the rusted sword and channeled his torrential Qi. He pointed to the sky and said, “I have a clear conscience. Why would I plead guilty? If you are a deity, how come you confuse right and wrong? You are not qualified for people to worship you. If you want me to plead guilty, you should first ask the rusted sword in my hand!”
…
“Asking the rusted sword in your hand? That is a good one.”
A clear reproach which was like a Buddhist’s shout suddenly rang in Ding Hao’s ears.
Ding Hao was shocked, and the scroll before him suddenly broke.
When seeing again, He found that the deity in purple robe, the lightning, and the rolling purple clouds had disappeared. Even the long steps of the “Introspection High Stairs” had also disappeared. In front of him was the soft light. Beneath his feet was the black ground made of rocks with natural grain. Beside him was an uprising black stone pillar with a diameter of seven or eight meters which supported the vicissitudinous and antique dome!
He had finished the long “Introspection High Stairs” long before he realized that. The he went to the main palace of the Sentencing Hall.
The person who just shouted and awakened Ding Hao from the illusion was Nangong Zheng who was one the twelve punishment envoys in golden robes.
He looked at Ding Hao with a little concern and appreciation, then he turned around and moved his lips slightly. Obviously, he was reporting to a secret person in the depths of the hall by using the Secret Voice-sending technique.
Ding Hao shivered and suddenly woke up.
It was until then when he realized that he was drenched, and held the red rusted sword in his hand. It seemed that he was encountering the enemy. When Looking back and looking down, he was surrounded by clouds and mist. Moreover, the black stairs were like a coiling black dragon which went down to the bottom and disappeared into the clouds.
“The “Introspection High Stairs” may be able to affect people’s minds and control their memories.”
Ding Hao thought inwardly.
“Let’s go,” Nangong Zheng said and took the lead.
Ding Hao followed closely.
The sound of footsteps was particularly clear in the empty main hall. Ding Hao looked around curiously.
It was completely different from the beautiful scenery of the green hills outside. The light in the main hall was slightly dim. Several oil lamps were constantly on which crackled on the stone pillars. The black rocks revealed an inexplicable bloody smell. Moreover, they seemed to be imbued with the wailing of dead people.
Walking amid it was like walking in the gloomy world of the dead.
As a place where Swordsmanship-seeking Sect charged the punishments of the sect, it had a touch of accumulated coldness and severity.
It took about 90 minutes to go to the depths of the main hall.
A powerful vital force was rolling and colliding there. That place was like a condescending deity who had endless majesty and strength. It was hard to imagine that such power existed in the world.
Nangong Zheng whispered to Ding Hao and then turned away.
As one of the twelve punishment envoys of the Sentencing Hall, even he was unqualified to take part in the joint trails between the six palaces.
Ding Hao took a deep breath and stepped into the depths of the main hall.
In the gloomy main hall, more than twenty people—differently dressed, old and young, male and female—stood still. They similarly had a powerful and profound vital force. Although they did not mean to reveal it, they had already reached a realm that Ding Hao could not imagine.
Those people who were standing there were like twenty pairs of eyes in the sea. The air around them became a terrifying vortex which formed into a strange force field, even changing the physical laws in the main hall. The light released by the oil lamps even became distorted when reaching those people.
In the depths of the main hall, there were seven different colored areas of bright light in the air. The radiance was concealed and did not reveal any vital force. However, when the people in the main hall looked at the seven areas of light, there was respect and awe on their faces. They did not even dare to breathe heavily; all they had was respect.
“Ding Hao, you are here.”
A familiar voice slowly came out of the silver light area in the middle.
Ding Hao was shocked.
That was actually the voice of the head master, Li Jianyi.
In that way, the seven areas of light floating in the void represented seven of the most respected figures among the Swordsmanship-seeking Sect. Because the people who could can keep pace with the head must be people in real power of the Swordsmanship-seeking Sect.
Since it was called the joint trail between the six palaces, as the name suggested, the six palaces of the Swordsmanship-seeking Sect jointly interrogated prisoners. So, in addition to the silver area of light representing the head Li Jianyi, the other six areas of light should represent the heads of the Sentencing Hall, Herb Hall, Sword-forging Hall, Swordsmanship Hall and so on.
On such an important occasion, the head Li Jianyi did not show his true body. It could be seen how difficult it was for everyone in the Sect to see him. Ding Hao suddenly felt that it was unbelievable for him to have been given a personal reception by Li Jianyi twice in a row.
In a split second, Ding Hao thought of many things.
“Ding Hao, disciple, greets the head and the predecessors of the Sect,” Ding Hao said while saluting both politely and decently.
“Hum, how can the suspected prisoner be so presumptuous? Kneel down at once!” a voice said.
Ding Hao looked up; among the twenty people he found a young man in his twenties staring at him coldly. That person had a handsome face, extremely thin lips, long and narrow eyes, and shallow eyebrows. There was a chilling light rolling in his eyes. That was a very harsh and strict face.
“These people present in this occasion are undoubtedly important figures in the Swordsmanship-seeking Sect. But I don’t recognize nor have I ever met this person intimidating me since the beginning. Did I ever offend that person?”
Ding Hao thought while showing no fear. He said politely and decently, “I, the senior also think that I am a suspect. The so-called ‘suspect’ means that I am not yet convicted. I may be innocent. Why do I have to kneel down?”
The man was dumbfounded for a while. He didn’t expect that a nominal disciple would confront him ruthlessly. He suddenly felt that he had lost his face and he became sullen. He snorted coldly, “Hum, you are so glib. You are not a good person.”
Ding Hao sneered.
“The hostility of this person to me is really inexplicable,” Ding Hao thought.
At that moment, among the crowd, another person shook his head and said, “Junior brother Shen Ku, you shouldn’t be bothered by this evil nominal disciple. Today, the chiefs of the six halls gathered together to rectify the rules of the Sect and also discuss the ranks of the nine sects in the Snow Province. We should just drop this small matter which has been decided a long time ago and discuss it later.”
That person in a magnificent robe also looked like he was in his twenties. He had graceful eyebrows, bright eyes, red lips, and white teeth. He wore a golden silk jade belt, a long sword with a jade scabbard and a jade pendant woven in red silk. He wore a gold silk headband beset with jade. There was a carved white jade hairpin on the top of his head. Beautiful jade was all over his body. There was a touch of gracefulness and nobility on him. He was extraordinarily good-looking. The only defect was that there was arrogance between his eyebrows, giving people a sense of respect and distance.
