"Hey, don't look at me." The young man grinned, his face bright and clean, the very picture of a wealthy family's young master no matter where he went—even in such dire straits, he didn't seem shabby at all. "They say the tribunal will give us a chance, but tell me, who here didn't foresee their own fate before doing what they did?"

A dead end, no escape.

"You look so refined and delicate, and you practice immortal arts. What did you do to get thrown in here?" The young man smiled, two small dimples appearing at the corners of his lips, making him look even younger, as if he'd only just come of age. Seeing Brian Clark frown and purse his lips in silence, he didn't press further, just shrugged indifferently and said, "Of all the people locked up here, I only know the most famous one—his name is Eric Bennett."

The young man glanced at Brian Clark and shook his head. "You can't be him."

Perhaps it was the long confinement, or the heavy atmosphere, but Brian Clark also wanted to say something to ease the suffocating pressure inside him. He opened his mouth, found his throat dry and hoarse, and only managed to speak after pressing hard on it: "Why?"

"As far as I know, he's extremely handsome, born with a noble bearing." The young man looked at Brian Clark. The latter had a gentle, elegant appearance, the very image of a gentleman—good-looking, yes, but not to the level of "extremely handsome." "You know about the recent uproar over the destruction of the Yun San Sect, right?"

"That was his doing."

"His talent is so astonishing that even the adjudicators from Xihe grew wary of him, almost refusing to let him stand trial." The young man shrugged again, then added, "But whether he stands trial or not, it doesn't really make a difference."

"It's just a pity I didn't end up locked up with him this time."

Perhaps the memory was too vivid—even after a thousand years, Brian Clark could still clearly remember that year at the tribunal, when three people, including himself, were taken away.

Whether the Eric Bennett the young man spoke of survived, Brian Clark did not know.

He only remembered the name of one of them.

In the distance, stewards with tense faces came in one by one to take people away. Brian Clark glanced at the young man's profile, then suddenly spoke: "Sean Sullivan."

The young man abruptly looked up, studied Brian Clark for a moment, then smiled, a bit of mischievous childlike spirit in his expression. "How did you know my name?"

"Could it be I'm as famous as Eric Bennett now?"

The stewards escorting them were gentle enough, perhaps afraid their battered bodies wouldn't make it to the tribunal alive. Just before stumbling out of the cell, as he passed by Sean Sullivan, Brian Clark quietly said, "You will survive."

By rights, that should have been the most comforting thing to say to someone about to face judgment.

But the smile on Sean Sullivan's face vanished in an instant, as if by magic.

Chapter 6

The people sent from Yedu were well-trained; an hour before the West Pavilion opened, they had already packed up and were waiting by the long corridor adorned with golden patterns, ready to set out at a moment's notice as soon as there was any movement from Xihe.

The West Pavilion was bustling today. Those drinking tea and wine sat as if nailed to their seats, refilling cup after cup, their eyes drifting every so often toward the quiet third floor.

Shanhai City was a place where news couldn't be kept secret. The tribunal's opening was meant to serve as a warning to the world, so whether it was cultivators with high hopes or young humans just following the crowd for excitement, everyone had already heard the news that had swept through the city like the wind.

With the place packed, Megan Price led several children gracefully up to the third floor. She had changed her clothes, her waist cinched, accentuating her ample chest, every frown and smile between her brows full of captivating charm.

Grace Turner wasn't the only one staying on the third floor; people from Taihua and Chishui were there too, each faction keeping to themselves, their teams lined up neatly. At a glance, only the people from Yedu stood out, each wearing a mask of blue faces and fierce fangs, their eyes and brows completely concealed. Fortunately, this wasn't the first time anyone present had seen such a sight, so after a brief glance, they looked away as usual.

Grace Turner stepped out of her room just as the people from Beihuang and Kunlun arrived.

"We were trapped in the wild mountains." The leader from Kunlun was the sect master's chief disciple, Paul Evans. He twirled his sword into a beautiful flourish before sheathing it, still bearing the hurried look of someone who had just traveled a long way. He straightened his clothes and smiled as he explained to everyone, "Recently, we happened to take the same mission as Beihuang. The spirit beast was quite strong and could hide itself, so it took us a lot of effort to subdue it. We almost missed the opening of Xihe."

He wasn't particularly handsome, but his demeanor was as refreshing as a spring breeze. With his good temper, he got along well with everyone. After exchanging greetings with Adam Harris, he smiled and said, "We used to be the early ones, with Chishui and Yedu arriving just in time. How come everyone's so eager this time?"

Grace Turner nodded to him, her gaze falling on the Beihuang group, who had been quietly playing the part of wallflowers since they arrived.

Of the Six Sacred Lands, Beihuang was usually the most uninvolved.

In her previous life, the two Buddhist disciples from Beihuang hadn't come at all.

The arrival of Grace Turner and her two companions had undoubtedly changed many things.

"Buddhist son, Buddhist daughter." Megan Price stepped forward to greet them, her beautiful eyes smiling, her words tinged with curiosity. "It's rare to see you both together."

Especially at an event like the tribunal.