Chapter Four: The Upright Magistrate

The Azure Mirror possesses a spirit of its own, able to discern good from evil, loyalty from treachery. Since the founding of the Celestial Ascent Sect, the mirror had rendered countless meritorious services, exposing many traitors, and was thus revered as the great arbiter of justice.

“I shall ask the questions first.”

The graceful matron stepped forward, a jade mirror, no larger than a palm, appearing in her hand—it was none other than the legendary Azure Mirror.

“So this is the great arbiter?”

All eyes were drawn to the mirror, unable to look away, for this was the sect’s supreme treasure, rarely shown to the public.

The mirror slowly rotated, suffusing the hall with a gentle blue light. The matron gazed at Zhao Yiran and spoke softly, “Yiran, what were you doing with Chu Tiange in your room? Did you already share the pleasures of intimacy with him?”

Except for the two elders at the dais, everyone in the hall held their breath. Zhao Yiran’s chastity was, in their eyes, far more important than any punishment for Ning Wujue.

“The pleasures of intimacy? I would actually like to try that with Brother Tiange. It must be a romantic and joyful thing,” Zhao Yiran nodded, her mind conjuring up images of a rainy day, water lapping at their feet, two figures frolicking in the rain with carefree delight.

“If by pleasures of intimacy, you mean that, then Brother Tiange and I did it long ago.”

The Azure Mirror continued to glow blue.

The male disciples felt a wave of despair, knowing there was no turning back from such a verdict.

“Chu Tiange! She’s only just turned eighteen!” the matron gritted her teeth, her murderous intent palpable as she shook her head. “Impossible. Your yin essence remains unbroken.”

“Why would that require breaking the yin essence? Is it something you do in the water?” Zhao Yiran asked, confused. Her cheeks flushed as she murmured, “Master, you really know how to have fun.”

Chu Tiange stared at the Azure Mirror in bewilderment, thinking, “This great arbiter has wronged me!”

He dared not meet the matron’s gaze. The Azure Mirror was authoritative—no one would believe his words over its judgment. He could feel the matron’s icy glare, like knives cutting into his soul.

“No! Zhao Yiran cannot be defiled!” The male disciples’ hearts bled; some even fantasized about digging up Chu Tiange’s ancestors out of spite.

Amid this awkward tension, Chu Tiange was helpless—no explanation could change matters now, for the Azure Mirror’s power was unassailable. Its ability to reveal the “truth” was irresistible.

“Even the great arbiter has testified for us. May I now take him with me?” Zhao Yiran took Chu Tiange’s hand, pleased with her public declaration of claim.

“Wait!” At that moment, the elder in black spoke, his voice slicing through the silence.

An ominous feeling welled up in Chu Tiange.

The elder in black coughed and stepped down from the dais, fixing his gaze on Chu Tiange.

“Now, before the great arbiter, tell me the truth!” His voice was as unyielding as steel, and Chu Tiange felt an invisible pressure descend upon him.

“Very well.” Chu Tiange looked at the mirror for a long while before speaking: “I am simply not capable of harming Ning Wujue; I suspect he is possessed by a ghost.”

With these words, the truth was about to be revealed.

The hall fell silent; all eyes turned to the Azure Mirror. Yet, after a long moment, its color remained unchanged.

“The Azure Mirror! No change!”

“He speaks the truth!”

“Still, we must make a joint petition! Expel this good-for-nothing Chu Tiange from the sect, to save Zhao Yiran!” The male disciples still refused to let Chu Tiange go.

The black-robed elder’s gaze swept over Ning Wujue, lingering with disbelief. He had watched the boy grow up—how could he have strayed from the righteous path? And yet, the Azure Mirror was the sect’s ultimate artifact; its verdict was beyond question.

With a long sigh and open disappointment, the elder turned and swept out of the hall.

He was truly heartbroken over Ning Wujue.

“Yiran, come with me,” the matron said, her tone low and severe. She decided to sequester Zhao Yiran in closed cultivation for two months to prevent further scandal.

Chu Tiange sensed the matron’s resentment.

“I know not what you meant by ‘pleasures of intimacy’ before, but if you truly care for Yiran, do not ruin her. She possesses a yin spirit root—if she loses her yin essence, her cultivation will be ruined. See that you conduct yourself accordingly,” the matron said, putting away the Azure Mirror and leading Zhao Yiran out.

Zhao Yiran looked back at Chu Tiange, full of longing. “Brother Tiange, I’ll miss you. You must miss me, too.”

Their eyes met, brimming with affection and regret.

Chu Tiange sighed. He knew Zhao Yiran had only come to protect him, but her words had been misunderstood by all. As for the “pleasures of intimacy,” it was likely Zhao Yiran had misunderstood as well; he knew her well—she only meant playing in the rain, as they had done before.

That, too, could be called “the pleasures of intimacy,” which had led the Azure Mirror astray. Chu Tiange had simply taken advantage of this loophole.

Ning Wujue truly was possessed!

“It seems the sect has seen its share of wrongful accusations,” Chu Tiange thought. He bowed to the two elders of the Disciplinary Hall. “Since I am innocent, I will not linger here any longer.”

He bade farewell to the elder in white and, stepping out the hall doors, felt as though he’d plunged into a storm, bombarded by spittle and scorn.

On the shaded path outside the hall, Chu Tiange stood deep in thought, Zhao Yiran’s lovely face and Ning Wujue’s loathsome countenance alternating in his mind.

In the Disciplinary Hall, he’d had a chance to expose Ning Wujue’s crimes before everyone—he needed only to force Ning Wujue to speak before the Azure Mirror. Yet the mirror’s authority was too great, and its fallibility too high. Moreover, Ning Wujue alone knew where the ghostly seal lay. For the long term, Chu Tiange decided to let him go for now; if the spirit could enslave one, it could enslave another. Ultimately, he would use Ning Wujue to locate the sealed spirit.

“My friend, you’ve been lost in thought for some time. What weighs on your mind?”

“If I’m not mistaken, are you thinking that there must be many wrongful convictions in the sect? That the Azure Mirror is a false arbiter?”

A voice startled Chu Tiange from his musings. Looking around, he spotted a handsome young scholar in green rising from the lawn nearby.

Only as the scholar sat up did Chu Tiange realize there was someone else in this secluded spot.

“Who are you?” Chu Tiange asked with a frown.

“Who I am is unimportant. What matters is, I know you’re lying—it was you who injured Ning Wujue,” the scholar replied with a smile, waving a bamboo slip.

“Don’t joke, my friend. The great arbiter has already judged the truth. Are you questioning its authority?” Chu Tiange’s heart chilled, though he showed nothing on his face.

“Heh. A dark night, high winds, and pouring rain—conditions perfect for a crime. But even walls have ears, let alone the courtyard beyond. I saw everything that happened last night.”

The scholar stepped through the flowers, lightly patting Chu Tiange’s shoulder and smiling again. “You wouldn’t want this secret getting out, would you?”

At these words, Chu Tiange’s expression changed drastically; he fixed a deadly stare on the young scholar, a cold dread rising in his heart.

“Haha, do you want to kill me?” the scholar laughed. “But this is the Celestial Ascent Sect. You can’t kill me.”

Chu Tiange forced a smile. “My friend, are you questioning authority? Are you not giving the great arbiter its due respect?”

The scholar shook his head. “The Azure Mirror is the supreme treasure of the sect; it could never err. There is no artifact more authoritative in the mortal realm.”

“But what if it was never activated?”