"Thank you Owner Liu Yun for an apt description of your side of things. We will now move to you, sect master Han Qingling," Yang Qing promptly said.
After hearing Liu Yun's side of things the whole thing felt too off for him. The Yellow lotus sect was a sect with a rich history and deep foundations that has existed for over 10,000 years.
It seemed implausible for such a sect to risk its reputation for a few million middle-grade spirit stones.
There were a few things that didn't quite add up to him.
Why did the sect decide to take a loan with the Mountain spring pavilion in the first place? The interest rate the pavilion offered was cheap but he had a feeling with the long-standing reputation of the sect they were sure to get even lower interest rates from organizations they have been dealing with for a long time.
Then there was how they treated the Mountain spring pavilion after. For a sect with so many enemies already at their doors, it seemed rather reckless on their end, especially in a situation where they need every help they can get and fewer enemies.
A sect that managed to survive for over 10,000 years and continue to exist even after its strongest pillars had perished surely wasn't run by the foolish or the reckless.
This was why Yang Qing always felt something was off with the Yellow lotus sect even discounting the little issue with Zhao Qi exhibiting elemental qi.
"Thank you judge Yang Qing for you and the Order affording my sect this opportunity," Han Qingling calmly said with no ripples in his tone or emotions as he gave a cultivator's salute with the right fist placed on the left palm that was facing vertically.
"I know it's rather presumptuous of me but can I ask the court for some privacy to tell my side of things? I would prefer it Zhao Qi didn't hear what I'm about to say or the Mountain spring pavilion."
The sect master had used a soundless incantation aided by his pseudo-monarch sense to send his message to Yang Qing.
He was already half-step into the palace stage, so when Yang Qing used a bit of his qi to prevent Liu Yun from bowing to him, the sect master caught a glimpse of Yang Qing's actual realm.
This sent enormous waves in his heart as he could tell by Yang Qing's vitality aura he had just cultivated for 20-some-odd years and he was already in the palace stage. Whilst he has been cultivating for almost 200 years and the best he could show for it was being a half-step palace realm expert. Though in his defense the mountain of troubles the sect has been facing made him find less and less time to cultivate.
Scale wise 50 half-step palace stage experts would at most force a pyrrhic draw with someone whose feet were firmly placed in the palace realm. It was the reason all this time the Yellow lotus sect had been in a bind. They lost their palace stage experts while their enemies had one palace stage expert at the helm. Despite how many half-step palace stage experts the Yellow lotus sect has, it wouldn't help much against their foes who have at least one palace stage expert.
.....
Yang Qing was surprised by the sect master Han Qingling's request. He couldn't help but raise his eyebrow a bit in question.
Yi Jie who was beside had a bewildered look too. He may have not heard the contents of the message but he detected the ripples of Han Qingling's pseudo sense being a half-step palace stage expert himself.
Before he could ask Yang Qing what was going on, he was already beaten to it.
"The sect master of the Yellow lotus sect is requesting that he give his testimony in private away from the ears of their disciple and the leader of the Mountain spring pavilion," Yang Qing told both Yi Jie, Mao Yunru, and Su Jinjing using his monarch sense.
Both Mao Yunru and Su Jinjing were at the late stages of core formation so they couldn't respond back as they didn't have monarch sense of their own to transmit their voice though with Su Jinjing's powerful soul strength she could send her intent.
"I think we should oblige him. The case seemed a bit off and it isn't the first time a defendant has wanted to give their testimony in secret," said Yi Jie.
"I was thinking of agreeing to it too. Though..well we will cross that bridge when we get to it," Yang Qing said seemingly thinking of something as he closely eyed Zhao Qi before dismissing that thought.
He canceled his monarch sense connection with the rest as he focused back on Han Qingling giving his response.
"The court agrees to your request," Yang Qing said as he picked up the golden eagle medallion on his podium.
He injected his qi into it which produced a small burst of white light that struck the ceiling of the courtroom. A pure white membrane started rippling from the ceiling as it flowed downwards like a waterfall before it formed a cordon around Zhao Qi and Liu Yun who were visibly shocked at being surrounded by a white membrane out of the blue.
The white membrane solidified into a cuboid shape that surrounded each of them in their own compartments. There was a gold eagle symbol on each of the compartments that seemed almost lifelike as it flew within the membrane spewing strange script scribblings from its mouth.
Liu Yun was visibly shaken as he tried to spread his spiritual sense past the compartment only for it to disappear completely. It was like his sense had hit an empty void with no end. He tried touching the compartment and felt a soft, smooth sensation as it rippled faintly from his touch.
"What's going on?" He couldn't help but fearfully worry. Years of being tormented had left him almost instinctively assuming the worst-case scenario.
Zhao Qi was the complete opposite as he stood in the middle of his compartment rotating from left to right eyeing the membrane with curiosity in his eyes and nothing else.
"I wasn't wrong after all, there was something there. But even with the assistance of the medallion's power, the detection is still faint. I should tell old monster Lei Weiyuan about it," Yang Qing thought as an interesting glint flashed through his eyes.
"Neither your disciple nor Owner Liu Yun can hear you now. Even a domain-level expert wouldn't be able to eavesdrop on the conversation," Yang Qing said to assure the sect master. Though what he said was half true as a seasoned domain expert like the ones in the Order would be able to bypass the membrane which could at most work against a domain expert who has just broken through at that moment without time to familiarize themselves with their abilities.
"Thank you very much for acquiescing to my selfish request," Han Qingling humbly said with his expression easing up a little bit.
"First I'd like to say, the Yellow lotus sect has every intention of paying back every single spirit stone we owe to the Mountain spring pavilion and even double that for the trouble we have caused them," Han Qingling said as he gave a sorry look toward the direction of the compartment Zhao Qi and Liu Yun were in. Though it was not known who exactly was the true recipient of that apology.
"So there is something going on with the Yellow lotus sect," Yang Qing thought to himself.
Mao Yunru's eyes were glittering as she even moved her seat a couple of times to find the best listening position.
"Can't she maintain her bearing as a judge atleast," Yang Qing thought as he threw a mocking look at Mao Yunru who was completely oblivious to it as all her attention was zeroed in on the sect master. Seemingly like suddenly remembering something, she took out four white jade talismans and positioned them carefully on her desk as she chose the best angle for each of them.
"Four? Don't we need just two recordings for the court proceedings? who are the extra ones for? it's not like you can take them out of the courtroom," Yang Qing thought before he decided to ignore Mao Yunru's antics and focus on the matter at hand.
"We didn't mean to drag Zhao Qi and the Mountain spring pavilion but it was something that we felt we had to do."
