The sword seller, dressed in red, deserves applause for the prankster.

As Master Puning finished speaking, several heavy breathing sounds came from below.

The sect leader of the Qin Sect spoke up: "Since the three leaders have unanimously agreed to initiate the trial meeting, then... we will cooperate in accordance with the rules."

After saying this, the sect leaders of the ten major sects, each holding a sect leader's token, flew into the air.

The Judgment Bell is one of the few known artifacts that can be called a divine weapon; its effects are so powerful that they can overturn mountains and seas and change the very heavens and earth.

The two sides faced off, and the tolling of the bell sealed the verdict.

Only when five or more people possess fragments of the Judgment Bell, which are the sect leader tokens of the ten major sects, and simultaneously pour a massive amount of spiritual power into it, can the Judgment Bell be activated!

Puning, Chonglu, the Qin Sect Master, and several other sect masters from the top ten sects simultaneously rotated around the Tianjian Sect's main venue in mid-air. Their spiritual energy, passing through the sect master's token, formed an array, converged into one, and soared straight into the sky!

"Heaven's justice is clear! Evil cannot escape punishment! We are ordained by Heaven and entrusted with a mission by the people!"

"Now, three sects have reported that the Heavenly Sword Sect is suspected of colluding with the Demon Clan, betraying its own kind, and acting as an enemy. The eight sects have joined forces to summon the divine artifact, the Judgment Bell, to convene a trial!"

Wenren Yin's face was extremely ugly, but right now... he had no way out.

The spiritual energy on the array transformed into a massive golden confinement, binding him and shifting him to the center of the array.

Suddenly!

clang--!

A resounding bell rang throughout the heavens and earth, and the clouds in the sky emitted seven-colored light, enveloping the area. The cloud tornado instantly transformed the region.

Colorful clouds drifted around, transforming into a huge, tall circular platform. Several sect leaders from the ten major sects were on the platform, while the person being tried, Wenren Yin, was in the center of the platform, dozens of meters below the crowd.

Above him, a giant bell hung imposingly above everyone's heads.

Chi Miao walked up the high platform step by step and sat in the main seat of the trial meeting.

Everyone was shocked.

"Holy crap? Have I ascended to immortality? This must be the celestial realm! This is awesome?!"

"This is the legendary trial proceedings? I'm actually going to see a trial proceedings live in my lifetime?! Mom! I've made it big!!"

"Look at you, so pathetic! While you were just a spectator, Chi Miao was only seventeen and already sitting in the judge's seat—the main seat, no less!"

"No...she's not the one who summons the bell, so why is she on the judgment seat?"

This question suddenly came to everyone's attention, including the others sitting in the judge's seat.

Only the person who summons the Judgment Bell can sit in the judge's seat at the trial meeting; anyone else who sits down will be mercilessly flung away by the Judgment Bell.

But now... is it an accident?

But after waiting for quite a while, the Judgment Bell still didn't send Chi Miao flying.

Everyone turned to look at Chi Miao: "How did you get on there?"

Chi Miao: "Use your butt, and you'll sit on it with one thud."

Everyone: "???"

Chi Miao added, "This judge's seat is actually quite comfortable; it's giving me a massage!"

Everyone was even more confused: "Huh??"

massage?

Why don't they have it?

What's wrong with Chi Miao? Not only did she not throw him away, but she's also treating him differently?

What?! Even someone with great talent gets favored by the divine artifact?!

Just then.

clang--!

The bell tolled, a sharp pain shot through everyone's head, and an ancient voice echoed from the center:

"The defendant, Wen Renyin, colluded with the demon race. Do you plead guilty to this crime?!"

The Trial Bell possesses extremely high spiritual power and is the only bell that holds the right of first refusal in the trial proceedings.

Its words carried immense pressure, weighing down on Wenren Yin.

Wenren Yin gritted his teeth and shouted under the pressure:

"I don't admit it!"

"This is slander! Even after the Dark Ages, my Heavenly Sword Sect continued to serve the Miaohua Continent! Countless disciples died tragically while resisting the Demon Race; the blood of my Heavenly Sword Sect could fill a dried-up sea! We have a blood feud with the Demon Race! How could we possibly collude with them?!"

"This crime! I deny it! It was a deliberate frame-up by someone with ulterior motives, an attempt to wipe out my Heavenly Sword Sect! My Heavenly Sword Sect has protected Miaohua Continent for many years; even if we haven't made any great contributions, we have certainly worked hard. Some people... are vicious! They dare to try and devour a dragon with the body of a sparrow! Their hearts deserve to be punished!!"

"I swear on my life that the Heavenly Sword Sect has never colluded with the Demon Race!"

Having said that, he drew his sword and stabbed it fiercely into his own abdomen!

Blood splattered, and the oath was made.

But... the heavenly tribulation did not descend!

In that instant, everyone else on the judging panel tensed up: "How could this be?!"

The higher one's cultivation level, the easier it is for an oath to be valid, and the more likely it is to attract irresistible dangers. This is a check and balance provided by the Heavenly Dao.

The oath was established, and everyone witnessed it.

Can……

Wenren Yin did not suffer the backlash of the Heavenly Tribulation, which means that the Heavenly Sword Sect did not collude with the Demon Clan?!

The cost of activating the Judgment Bell is extremely high, and if they fail, they will face further demands from the Judgment Bell.

"This...this hasn't even started, and we're already going to lose?!"

Oh no, I'm going to be really screwed over by Chi Miao this time.

Wenren Yin's eyes were sinister as she stared intently at Chi Miao: "It seems I am innocent."

"Judgment Bell, since I am innocent, if that poisonous woman who has tarnished the reputation of my Heavenly Sword Sect and caused its current devastation goes unpunished, what will become of the rules and justice of Miaohua Continent?!"

"I, Wenren Yin, beg Judge Zhong to punish Chi Miao!"

The air was noticeably still for a while.

Then, the sound of the judgment bell rang out:

"This is a trial for you. You only have the right to rebut, not the right to punish. Dismissal!"

Upon hearing this, everyone was greatly alarmed, and Wenren Yin's face turned deathly pale.

The judge had never uttered anything like this before.

In the past two instances, the disciplinary applications from the justified party were approved as soon as they were submitted, but now... it's almost a certainty that the Heavenly Sword Sect will be slandered.

The judge actually rejected Wenren Yin's disciplinary application?!

The trial of Zhong... is this biased towards Chi Miao?!

That can't be! The Judgment Bell has no reason to favor her!

The crowd was filled with dread upon reflection. At this moment, Judge Zhong spoke again: "Presiding Judge Chi Miao, Wenren Yin has sworn that the Heavenly Sword Sect did not collude with the Demon Clan. The Heavenly Tribulation has not yet fallen, and he remains innocent. Do you accept this?"

Chi Miao replied firmly: "I won't accept it!"

Then, she crossed her arms, stared intently at Wenren Yin, and a sly smile appeared on her lips:

"Wenren Yin, you're quite clever... you know how to play word games."

"You dare swear that the Heavenly Sword Sect has not colluded with the Demon Clan because you've already expelled yourself from the Heavenly Sword Sect and are no longer part of its ranks, right?"

"It's not the Heavenly Sword Sect's fault that someone who doesn't belong to the Heavenly Sword Sect colludes with the Demon Clan... But you can control the Heavenly Sword Sect at will."

"You'll swear an oath, and if you have the guts, don't just mention the Heavenly Sword Sect, say you yourself haven't colluded with the demons! Say it!!"

Wenren Yin's face tightened: "Nonsense! Talking nonsense! If you have the guts to spread rumors, then produce your own evidence!!"

Immediately afterward, Chi Miao swore: "The evidence of Wenren Yin's collusion with the demon race is irrefutable. If I were to frame Wenren Yin for treason for personal gain, may I be struck by lightning and never be reincarnated!"

The oath is made!

Everyone gasped...

What a vicious oath!

But... the heavenly tribulation did not descend! This proves that Chi Miao was not the one who slandered him!

Wenren Yin was so angry she wanted to grind her teeth to powder... This was really troublesome!

But he still had a way!

It was at this moment that...

Chi Miao squinted and smiled, "Hey, don't move yet. Am I judging you, or are you judging me?"

"Since I've stated that the evidence is conclusive, then of course I need to disclose my evidence!"

"First point—all disciples of the Heavenly Sword Sect! Including Wenren Yi! Wenren Xiao! Even Rong Miaoling, the sect leader of the Joyful Union Sect, have been invaded and controlled by demonic energy! Wenren Yin, with the help of demonic energy, can control their lives and deaths!"

"I have both witnesses and physical evidence!"

Upon hearing this, Chi Miao immediately used his spiritual power to lift Wenren Yi's body up.

The next second, everyone couldn't help but widen their eyes!