Turns Out, I’m In A Villain Clan! Chapter 485 Beneath the Holy Sect's Halo

"Well, there's no need for any excuse since it's the Bai Clan, isn't it?"

Bai Zihan remarked in a mocking voice.

The entire hall fell into deep silence.

Some people averted their gazes. Others froze in place.

For everyone present understood the harsh reality in Bai Zihan's words.

The Li and Zhao Clans had mounted far larger assaults on the Bai Clan, but they faced hardly any repercussions.

The quiet lingered on.

Suddenly-

Zhao Wutian rose to his feet.

His face remained composed, his tone even-keeled.

"The past remains the past," he stated calmly. "Let's focus on the current issue."

Zhao Wutian swiftly shifted the discussion, redirecting attention to the immediate concern.

"Your excuse right now is utterly absurd. If that's your only basis for attacking the Azure Sun Holy Sect, then we must move forward with sanctioning the Bai Clan."

Many others chimed in soon after, agreeing with nods.

After all, what good was dwelling on bygone events?

It didn't provide the Bai Clan with any valid grounds to assault the Azure Sun Holy Sect. "Heh."

Bai Zihan let out a soft sneer.

"I haven't finished speaking yet."

His voice held a hint of amusement.

"I just shared the primary cause behind the invasion of the Azure Sun Holy Sect."

He paused on purpose.

"Additional reasons exist as well."

Bai Zihan's gaze grew a touch darker.

"For the second point," he continued steadily, "they attempted to assassinate me."

Chaos erupted throughout the courtroom.

"What?!"

"Assassinate? By Azure Sun?"

Murmurs piled up, with tension spiking right away.

Wen Haoyu's face twisted.

"That's pure defamation!" he barked. "Why on earth would we attempt to kill you? There's no grudge between us!"

He managed a forced laugh.

"What reason does the Azure Sun Holy Sect have to go after you?"

Hearing Wen Haoyu's denial, the rest shared his skepticism.

Aside from Bai Zihan's raid on the Azure Sun Holy Sect, no prior clashes or disputes appeared to exist between them.

Thus, an extreme act like assassinating Bai Zihan, though it might serve as a legitimate motive, seemed far too outlandish to accept.

Could Bai Zihan be fabricating this to defend his deeds? Or was Wen Haoyu concealing facts unknown to the others?

Regardless, should Bai Zihan substantiate that Wen Haoyu had plotted his death first, the trial's verdict could swing dramatically.

Bai Zihan chuckled.

"No grudge?" he echoed.

He eyed Wen Haoyu with a gaze full of disdain, as if regarding a pathetic foe.

"The motive," Bai Zihan noted casually, "stems from your fear."

Wen Haoyu's hands jerked slightly.

"Fear of what? Stop spewing such rubbish!"

Wen Haoyu shot back at once, his voice betraying a hint of unease.

"Fear," Bai Zihan pressed on, brushing aside the interruption, "that I might expose your sect's hidden shame. Believing me to be a cripple, you dispatched your Sky Pirates to eliminate me."

Wen Haoyu's calm facade slipped for a fleeting moment.

"Fabrications! You're merely scrambling to excuse your vile deeds!"

Wen Haoyu countered promptly, aiming to shift fault onto Bai Zihan and paint him as the deceiver.

The majority of impartial observers weren't sure whom to trust.

While Wen Haoyu's supporters naturally backed him without question, Bai Zihan's allies held back, anticipating his further revelations.

"Hmph! You know exactly the wrongs you've committed."

Bai Zihan declared while fixing him with a stern stare, making Wen Haoyu swallow hard in anxiety and dread.

Arrogance faded from Bai Zihan's tone.

"The Azure Sun Holy Sect," he articulated deliberately, word by word, "has been conducting experiments on children."

Utter stillness gripped the room.

"They've been abducting them," Bai Zihan went on, his eyes scanning the assembly, "and subjecting them to banned cultivation trials."

The outcry was immediate and fierce.

"Impossible!"

"Outrageous!"

"Such a severe charge!"

A number of officials leaped to their feet.

Should Bai Zihan's claims hold water, not only would his invasion be vindicated, but the Azure Sun Holy Sect would face a full probe and harsh penalties.

Even Zhao Wutian's features altered.

Wen Haoyu grew ashen.

"You deceiver!" he yelled. "Show us proof! How dare you level such charges against the Holy Sect?"

Bai Zihan kept his volume steady.

"Seeking proof?"

His eyes flicked momentarily to the Emperor.

"I possess the saved survivors."

A wave of astonishment rippled through the chamber.

"We could also inspect your experimentation area in Azure Sun and verify it collectively."

All eyes turned to the pair, uncertain of the truth.

Yet Bai Zihan's assured demeanor suggested no deception. And once checked, the facts would surface plainly.

Why then would Bai Zihan risk falsehoods on something so straightforward to validate?

Gradually, the sympathetic glances toward Wen Haoyu turned wary.

If Bai Zihan's account proved accurate, it would be Wen Haoyu and the Azure Sun Holy Sect facing removal from power.

Still, Wen Haoyu persisted in rejecting every allegation.

"Bai Zihan is only attempting to divert attention from his crimes. As you mentioned before, what proof beyond your claims can you offer immediately?"

Wen Haoyu grinned, though beads of sweat trailed down his brow.

"Do you really expect everyone to swallow your story whole? Or should we delay for an inspection?"

Wen Haoyu inquired with feigned boldness.

Clearly, if an ally of his conducted the review, truth or not, it wouldn't be relayed faithfully.

No way!

And a group visit wasn't feasible.

Thus, Wen Haoyu believed himself secure.

Even the Emperor would dispatch a representative, whom he trusted to aid him despite any discoveries.

Suspicion and uncertainty brewed in the hall.

Wen Haoyu held his ground, projecting assurance onto his features.

Wen Haoyu shot Bai Zihan a challenging glare, as if questioning his following step.

But suddenly-

Bai Zihan grinned.

"You appear quite assured," he observed mildly.

"You demanded evidence? We could confirm my prior statements, but time is short for that. Instead, I'll present the proof you're so eager to witness."

Bai Zihan's hand grazed his spatial ring.

"You're not alone," he added evenly, "in possessing a Memory Crystal Mirror."

His declaration hit like a thunderbolt.

Bai Zihan retrieved the item from his storage ring.

A murmur of excitement raced through the assembly.

Wen Haoyu's eyes widened in alarm.

He could foresee the contents of that device.

Bai Zihan channeled qi into it.

A brilliant glow erupted.

The atmosphere over the court quivered anew.

A new illusion materialized.

On this occasion-

The initial view depicted Bai Zihan sneaking into the Sect. Then darkness fell.

A concealed passage.

Beneath the earth.

A fortified room buried in the depths of the Azure Sun Holy Sect.

The vision revealed Bai Zihan smashing open the room's entrance.

And afterward-

The record displayed it all.

Lines of metal enclosures.

Tiny forms inside.

Children.

Some out cold.

Some gazing vacantly.

Some feebly resisting.

A shared intake of breath shattered the court's hush. The display persisted. The view altered once more.

Odd patterns carved into the ground.

Crimson-stained runes.

The enclosures. The trials.

The frightened young ones.

Array setups meant for coerced spirit harvesting.

It played on until the Elder's admission, revealing nearly all details of the Experiment.

Once the vision concluded-

Not a word escaped anyone.

Wen Haoyu's complexion had gone ghostly white.

"This-this is faked!" he cried out raggedly. "You've twisted scenes from elsewhere to frame us!"