Yu Yuan's face turned ashen.
His pupils trembled violently.
His breathing became increasingly uneven.
The confidence he had desperately clung to...
Was beginning to crumble.
One memory.
Then another.
How many more...
Before everything he had built came crashing down?
The Judge continued.
"The fourth accusation."
"You assaulted students and nobles who defended Yu Yuan."
"No."
Another memory surfaced.
Several young nobles surrounded Yu Weiwei inside the academy's training grounds.
"So you're the useless cousin who keeps pestering Young Master Yu Yuan?"
One shoved him.
Another mocked his late mother.
Laughter echoed.
Yu Weiwei clenched his fists.
"I said... stop."
Instead—
A fist crashed into Yu Weiwei's face first.
Only then...
Did Yu Weiwei retaliate.
The memory froze.
The first strike...
Had never belonged to Yu Weiwei.
...
"...False."
The spectators stared blankly.
{ He... was defending himself? }
{ Then why did everyone say he started the fight? }
{ Three accusations... Three! }
{ Am I going crazy? }
{ No... We've been believing one side this whole time. }
Even Si Tian unconsciously frowned.
He remembered personally reprimanding Yu Weiwei over that incident.
Had...
He misunderstood him too?
"The fifth accusation."
"You abused the Yu Family's authority to isolate Yu Yuan."
"No."
...
"...False."
"The sixth accusation."
"You punished servants who showed kindness to Yu Yuan."
"No."
...
"...False."
The courtroom, once filled with whispers, had become eerily quiet.
The judge looked at the list once more.
"The seventh accusation."
"You destroyed the Imperial Academy's cultivation chamber out of jealousy."
"No."
...
"...False."
"The eighth accusation."
"You secretly stole cultivation resources belonging to Yu Yuan."
"No."
The Truth Seer's radiance intensified.
Another memory surfaced.
...
"...False."
"The ninth accusations."
"He repeatedly attempted to sabotage Young Master Yu Yuan's cultivation and future."
"No."
The Truth Seer stirred
And another memory resurfaced.
...
"...False."
Silence.
No one spoke.
Not a single sound could be heard.
Nine accusations.
Nine memories.
Nine verdicts.
Not one...
Had been true.
The Truth Seer had not defended Yu Weiwei.
It had simply revealed the truth.
Yu Yuan's manipulations over the years. It isn't obvious but you could guess.
The livestream exploded.
{ Nine... ALL NINE were false?! Σ(°△°|||)︴ }
{ This has to be a joke... }
{ The Truth Seer can't lie! }
{Then what have I been defending?}
{ A monster, a manipulative monster...}
{ Every memory had Yu Yuan's friends or Yu Yuan himself in it... }
{ ... }
{ Wait. }
{ Don't tell me... }
{ No... I refuse to believe it. }
{ Our Yu Darling would never do something like that! (╬ಠ益ಠ) }
{ Then explain why every accusation was false! }
{From Yu Weiwei's perspective, he never saw Yu Yuan's tricks until it has already passed...}
{ What kind of fool is this? They sold him and he help count the money}
{ I... I can't... }
{ Does anyone else feel sick after watching those memories? (;￣Д￣) }
{ We've hated Yu Weiwei for years because of this... }
{ If every accusation involving Yu Yuan was false... }
{ Then what about the murder...? }
{ ... }
{ I don't even know who the victim is anymore. }
{ Please... let the Truth Seer show us the last memory. }
{ No matter who it implicates... I want the truth. }
Inside the courtroom, no one dared to speak.
Some stared blankly at Yu Weiwei.
Others slowly turned their gaze toward Yu Yuan.
Yu Yuan's complexion had turned deathly pale.
His breathing became uneven as cold sweat trickled down his forehead.
His clenched fists trembled uncontrollably beneath his sleeves.
Every memory had pushed him closer to the edge.
And now...
Only one remained.
The judge slowly picked up the final file.
His solemn voice echoed throughout the silent courtroom.
"The ninth and final accusation."
The judge's voice echoed through the silent courtroom.
"The murder of Jing Fan."
The atmosphere became suffocating.
This was the accusation that had destroyed Yu Weiwei's reputation.
The accusation that made the entire Empire believe he was beyond redemption.
The judge looked toward Yu Weiwei.
"Did you murder Jing Fan?"
"No."
The answer was quiet.
But unwavering.
The Truth Seer trembled.
Its silver light began to gather.
Just as the first ripple spread across the air—
"NO!"
The sudden shout echoed throughout the courtroom.
Everyone turned instinctively.
Yu Yuan had stepped forward.
His usually gentle smile had vanished completely.
His face was ghostly pale.
Large beads of sweat rolled down his temples.
His breathing was uneven, and his trembling hands were clenched tightly inside his sleeves.
For the first time since the trial had begun...
He looked terrified.
"Your Majesty!"
Yu Yuan bowed hastily, his voice trembling.
"I... I request that the trial end here."
The entire courtroom was stunned.
"The Truth Seer has already proven Cousin's innocence regarding the previous accusations."
"There is no need to continue."
"Cousin's Mental Core has already shattered."
"If we continue forcing the Truth Seer to search his memories..."
"He may not survive."
His voice cracked near the end.
He lowered his head, seemingly unable to bear looking at Yu Weiwei.
"I beg Your Majesty..."
"Please end the trial."
Whispers instantly spread throughout the courtroom.
"He... wants to stop now?" A voice said full of mockery.
"Eh, to preserve his last dignity." Another voice mocked.
"Didn't he insist on finding the truth before?"
Even the livestream exploded once again.
{ Stop pretending. }
{ We already know what kind of person you are. }
{ Nine memories... nine lies. }
{ Save your performance. }
{ We don't need your concern now. }
{ Where was this concern when Yu Weiwei was being condemned? }
{ Funny... now you're worried about his Mental Core? }
{ If you really cared about him, why let things reach this point? }
{ Don't stop the trial. }
{ Just show the last memory. }
{ Was Yu Weiwei really the murderer? }
{ If not... then who killed Jing Fan? }
{ The truth is only one memory away. }
{ Yu Yuan... what are you afraid of? }
{ If you're innocent, let the Truth Seer continue. }
{ We deserve to know what really happened. }
{ Emperor... please don't stop the trial. }
Inside the courtroom...
Not a single person spoke.
The silence was heavier than before.
Not far from the center of the hall...
Si Tian stood motionless.
His brows were tightly furrowed.
His usually cold expression had disappeared.
One memory.
Then another.
Then another.
Every accusation he had once accepted without question...
Had been overturned before his very eyes.
He remembered the Imperial Academy.
He remembered reprimanding Yu Weiwei.
He remembered those stubborn dark eyes.
The young man had tried to explain.
Again.
And again.
Yet each time...
Si Tian had dismissed them as excuses.
At the time...
He had believed he was being impartial.
Now...
Every memory revealed by the Truth Seer was like an invisible hand—
Slapping him across the face.
His gaze slowly drifted toward Yu Weiwei.
The young man remained beneath the Truth Seer.
Blood stained his robes.
His complexion was frighteningly pale.
Even now...
He endured the agony in silence.
He had never begged.
Never cried injustice.
Never once asked for the trial to end.
Si Tian's fingers unconsciously curled into a fist behind his back.
"...How many times..."
he murmured so quietly that no one heard,
"...did I misjudge you?"
For the first time in years...
Si Tian doubted his judgement.
Then...
Yu Yuan's trembling voice pulled him back to reality.
"Cousin's Mental Core cannot withstand another memory!"
"I beg Your Majesty..."
"Please..."
Si Tian slowly turned.
His sharp eyes settled on Yu Yuan.
The trembling hands.
The panicked breathing.
The desperation.
It was completely unlike the calm and righteous Yu Yuan he had always known.
A thought...
One he had unconsciously rejected until now...
Quietly surfaced.
If you truly wished for the truth...
Why fear the final memory?
His gaze shifted toward the Truth Seer.
Then back to Yu Yuan.
For the first time...
He hoped the trial would continue.
A soft tapping echoed throughout the silent courtroom.
Tap.
Tap.
Tap.
Every gaze turned toward the imperial throne.
Emperor Caspian remained seated.
His expression was calm.
Unreadable.
Yet the pressure radiating from him made even the ministers instinctively lower their heads.
His golden eyes rested upon Yu Yuan.
"So."
His deep voice echoed across the courtroom.
"It was you..."
"...who petitioned this Emperor to permit the Truth Seer's judgment."
Yu Yuan's body stiffened.
"You insisted every accusation be verified."
"You insisted that the truth be revealed."
The Emperor paused.
"And now..."
"...when only one accusation remains..."
"You ask this Emperor to stop."
Yu Yuan's lips quivered.
"I..."
"I merely don't wish for Cousin to suffer further."
"He has already lost too much."
The Emperor regarded him in silence.
Then he asked,
"For whose sake?"
Yu Yuan froze.
The Emperor's gaze remained unwavering.
"For Yu Weiwei's..."
"...or your own?"
Boom.
The simple question struck the courtroom like thunder.
Yu Yuan's pupils contracted violently.
"N-No..."
"I only..."
His voice failed him.
For the first time since the trial began...
The eloquent young master could not utter a single convincing word.
Emperor Caspian slowly rose from the Dragon Throne.
His imperial robes swayed gently.
The pressure within the courtroom instantly doubled.
"No one..."
"...shall obstruct the pursuit of truth."
His majestic gaze swept across the hall.
"Whether Yu Weiwei is guilty..."
"...or innocent."
"Whether the murderer is him..."
"...or another."
"The Truth Seer shall reveal it."
"And this Emperor..."
"...will witness it to the end."
His voice carried the unquestionable authority of an Emperor.
"Proceed."