C51 Yu Kun Cleared His Suspicion.

Yu Kun, with his memories of this world, was acutely aware of one thing: the residents of the Northern Chill Realm harbored a deep-seated hatred for the Demon Clan!

Bordering the Demon Realm, the Northern Chill Realm was a battleground where humans and demons clashed throughout the year. Many had lost parents, siblings, and friends to the demons. To be labeled a slave of the Demon Clan was to be utterly scorned by the Human Clan there.

"Yan Changge is clueless about the Azure Snake Patriarch, yet he's managed to twist the situation to accuse me. If everyone believes I'm a Demon Clan slave... Forget about joining the Inner Sect, I doubt I'd even survive!"

Yu Kun couldn't help but marvel at Yan Changge's cunning; true to his status as an Inner Sect disciple, he'd swiftly concocted a scheme to entrap him.

"I have to find a way to clear my name, or it's over for me!"

Yu Kun pondered his options. He knew that presenting the corpse of the Demonic Beast would effortlessly clear up the misunderstanding.

"But the corpse of a mutated beast is a treasure in itself. If I reveal the Demonic Beast's corpse, it'll end up with the sect. The corpse could bring significant benefits; it's better used for bargaining than just handed over."

Yu Kun wrestled with his dilemma.

"To save my life, I can't afford to part with the Demonic Beast's corpse. Isn't there a way to have the best of both worlds?"

With no immediate solution, Yu Kun's brow furrowed in frustration.

"It looks like I have no choice but to surrender the Demonic Beast's corpse."

He sighed, about to speak, when Yan Changge pressed him, "Why the silence? Or are you at a loss for how to confess your enslavement to the demonic beast?"

After a brief pause, Yu Kun slowly began to explain.

"I am not a slave to any demonic beast. It's a complicated story. I was on a Sect Mission when I stopped in a small mountain village for the night. That's when Chen Rui ambushed me, and I narrowly escaped death!"

Yan Changge, taken aback by Yu Kun's response, quickly interjected, "Stay on point! We'll address the assassination attempt later. Right now, the question is whether you've become a slave to the demonic beasts or not."

Yu Kun let out a sly chuckle and addressed Senior Brother Yaen, "Are you jumping the gun? Just hear me out. It was a tough battle to take down Chen Rui, but to my surprise, I found a damaged Martial Soul core on him! That's how he had such formidable power."

The revelation caused a stir among the Elders. "A Martial Soul core! Chen Rui is merely at the Qi Refining Stage; he couldn't possibly have access to one. Clearly, someone else is pulling the strings! We're dealing with a serious threat here; a thorough investigation is imperative."

Yaen Changge, visibly alarmed, demanded, "And what of it? How can we trust your word?"

"The evidence of my fight with Chen Rui is still there, and I know exactly where that little mountain village is located. If you have doubts, I'm willing to lead you there to see for yourselves."

Yaen Changge fell silent. His silence could keep his involvement with Chen Rui hidden, but any further comment might arouse suspicion.

Yu Kun pressed on, "An Elder from the Inner Sect once graced me with a cultivation mark. It was this mark, combined with the Martial Soul core, that granted me a surge of power. It's with that power I managed to fend off the demonic beast and save Hu Zhengye."

Hu Zhengye confirmed, "Indeed. His energy began to wane after that burst of power."

The Elders nodded in agreement, validating Yu Kun's account. Zhou Xingtian added, "Indeed, Yu Kun speaks the truth. I did bestow a cultivation mark upon him."

Yaen Changge remained quiet, offering no rebuttal.

However, it was Yaen Changge's Master who challenged, "Granted you had the power to battle the demonic beast, but after using it to rescue Hu Zhengye, how did you manage to escape? And why didn't the beast simply kill you?"

Seizing the opportunity, Yaen Changge quickly interjected, "Master makes a valid point. Yu Kun, why did the demonic beast spare your life?"

Yu Kun explained, "I had previously slain that beast's offspring. It was a mutated beast, and I sold its remains to the Chamber of Commerce. They can vouch for my story."

Zhou Xingtian nodded in acknowledgment. "I'll have someone look into it. Please, go on."

Yu Kun gave a nod and resumed his tale. "The demonic beast intended to use my body as a sacrifice for its deceased offspring, so it didn't rush to kill me. It took me to a cave, and as fate would have it, its adversary arrived. In the ensuing battle between the two beasts, I seized my chance to escape."

He paused briefly before adding, "I can lead you to the site of their battle. Every word I've spoken is the truth."

The Elders exchanged glances, falling into a contemplative silence.

Yu Kun's account was logical and well-founded. Crucially, he could guide them to the scene of the clash between the two demonic beasts. As Inner Sect Elders and practitioners at the Martial Disciple Stage, they possessed the acumen to discern whether a true battle had taken place there.

Thus, Yu Kun was cleared of suspicion.

After a brief discussion, Zhou Xingtian spoke up, "Yu Kun, the trial is about to commence. You may participate now. Once it concludes, we'll ascertain the veracity of your claims."

Yu Kun nodded, a wave of relief washing over him.

"This way, I can clear my name for the time being and join the trial. Plus, I've figured out who's been plotting against me. I wasn't in a rush to ascend to the Inner Sect, but Yaen Changge has persistently targeted me. Without becoming an Inner Sect disciple, he'll eventually dispose of me."

Yu Kun understood the urgency of elevating his cultivation level; his situation was perilous.

"With Yaen Changge out to get me and his Master showing favoritism, failing to become an Inner Sect disciple leaves me vulnerable to their schemes. Incidents like today's could recur."

Surveying the trial grounds, Yu Kun's tension eased. The majority of the participants posed no threat, allowing him to confidently anticipate passing the first trial.

As the square settled into a hush, Yu Kun reclaimed his seat.

Once all the trial contenders had gathered, the Elders formally declared the trial's onset.

Zhou Xingtian then stepped forward to delineate the rules. "The first round's rules are straightforward. The Flying Cloud Sect has commissioned a series of Mechanical Marionettes with combat capabilities. Defeat them, and you'll earn points. In the end, the top one thousand scorers will advance to the next round of the trial."

"Among them, individuals scoring above ninety points will receive martial arts rewards from the sect."

Yu Kun felt a hint of surprise.

"Just a thousand participants will advance to the second round of the trials, and there's no guarantee they'll even qualify as Inner Sect disciples. The standards of the Flying Cloud Sect are exceptionally high. But then again, Inner Sect disciples are the cream of the crop, so the stringent criteria seem fair enough."