Chapter 152: The Trial (Part 1)
Dark Moon City was unusually bustling today, even more so than during the annual trade fair. People came and went constantly, with noise filling the air—truly a scene of overcrowding. Outside the city, a large number of people continued to stream inward. Today was bound to be an extraordinary day for Dark Moon City, as the Purple-Winged Thunder Eagle, a clan reputed to be the sixth most powerful, was to face trial here. Opinions varied—some said the Purple-Winged Thunder Eagle might face extinction, while others believed they were already in a good position and this was merely a formality. Whatever the talk, it all revolved around two key figures: the Purple-Winged Thunder Eagle and Rod, the mysterious man who had appeared like a comet across the skies of the Dark Source, illuminating half of the heavens and triggering an earthquake.
His strange status as a VIP of the Purple Star, along with his close ties with several major clans, made him enviable. Yet, despite this, no one knew his true identity, and few had even seen him. Yet, in just one month, he had become the subject of heated discussions everywhere in the Dark Source. Hearing the murmurs around him, Rod wore a bitter smile—turns out he had become famous, drawing attention from across the Dark Source, even bringing together almost all the influential figures here today.
Following the crowd, Rod successfully entered Dark Moon City. The noise and overcrowding inside were astonishing! The streets were packed with people, so crowded that moving forward seemed to require immense effort. He admired those energetic individuals who charged forward like warriors, determined not to give up. Watching them pass by, sweating and out of breath yet still smiling excitedly, Rod could only smile bitterly, not knowing what to say.
That’s how people are—curiosity always outweighs everything else. This matter had little to do with most of them, yet they were so enthusiastic! Their desire to be part of the excitement was truly remarkable.
Amid the crowd, it took nearly an hour to cover a distance that usually took twenty minutes, finally arriving in front of the trade hall. The overcrowding here was simply unbearable. The crowd was dense as ants, with almost two people per shoulder.
“The Dragon Clan has arrived…” Someone shouted first, triggering a huge uproar. Everyone turned their attention to the side, where the Dragon Clan, one of the four great families, appeared first. Followed by the Black Phoenix Clan, the Scorpion King Clan, and the Mi Jiao Clan, then several key members of the Demon Clan. Naturally, the Nash Clan and the Purple Wing Thunder Eagle Clan were also present. There were also some independent powerhouses, each exuding an aura that filled the attendees with envy and admiration. These were all powerful figures from within the Source of Darkness, fortunate enough to be invited to attend this trial.
The death of the Purple Star VIP was undoubtedly a devastating blow to the Trading Guild, as if they had been slapped in front of the whole world. To save face, they made a huge fuss about it, spreading the news extensively, hoping to wash away this humiliation once enough impact was achieved.
Amid the crowd, Rod spotted familiar figures—Lucy from the Black Phoenix Clan, the two princesses of the Demon Clan, and even the Proud Eagle! The last few people to appear surprised Rod somewhat: Lilith, yes, Lilith, and Sognar. These two had actually come along with the Dragon Clan!
He smiled bitterly. They had agreed to meet here in three months, but only one and a half months had passed, and they already showed up. It must be because of his situation—his downfall must have made them restless.
No wonder he had sensed a very familiar presence by Ming Lake some time ago. It must have been these two.
After these leaders from the great families entered, only the onlookers remained at the periphery. The Trading Guild had put a lot of effort into this trial—inviting these people to watch was clearly for publicity purposes!
Hidden in the crowd, Rod stole the identity card of a holy-level middle-aged man he had killed that day and used it to get ahead, securing a ticket to enter. The venue was packed with people. Fortunately, the Trading Guild had set a limit, stopping further entries once the required number was reached. Otherwise, it seemed likely the guild would be overwhelmed today.
Once everyone inside took their seats, the four great families, various powerful figures, and the two families under trial appeared on the stage. The atmosphere immediately became quiet and somewhat gloomy.
The four major families and the demonic forces stood on opposite sides, with a few chosen leaders seated at the front. The Nash family and the Purple Wing Thunder Eagles stood at the back, waiting for the trial to begin. At this moment, the expressions of those present varied—the dragons were solemn, the Black Phoenix clan was cold, the Scorpion King clan appeared relaxed, the Mi Jiao clan was indifferent, and the old demons had even more varied expressions. The pro-war faction and the opposition had completely different looks, with one side seemingly siding with the Purple Wing Thunder Eagles while the other remained neutral. The two involved families, the Purple Wing Thunder Eagles and the Nash family, had serious and grave expressions, with everyone frowning. From afar, Rod could even sense the trembling of the young leader of the Purple Wing Thunder Eagles on the stage.
“Alright, I believe everyone here already knows why we’re gathered today. I won’t say much more! Mr. Rod, our most esteemed guest at the trading club, was first provoked by the young leader of the Nash family a month ago. After a fierce battle, he killed the young leader and several of his followers. Then, for unknown reasons, the Nash family sent people to hunt down our esteemed guest. Meanwhile, the young leader of the Purple Wing Thunder Eagles also got involved, leading to Mr. Rod’s downfall due to the God-Annihilating Thunder Tribulation. Everyone must have heard something about this. Today, we will deliver the final judgment! Our esteemed guests at the trading club hold a noble status—how can they allow themselves to be provoked and hunted? Our trading club will never tolerate or overlook such behavior!”
At the front, an elderly man with closed eyes suddenly opened them, and a tangible glint flashed through, piercing everyone’s heart and making it hard to breathe. The immense pressure made some weaker individuals turn pale. Fortunately, it lasted only briefly; otherwise, who knows how many more might have fainted. From the start, this old man demonstrated incredible power, shocking everyone, especially Rod. He had reached the early stage of the divine realm yet still couldn’t sense this old man’s true strength, which filled him with horror. He realized that this seemingly frail silver-haired old man had transcended the divine realm and reached the realm of Yin and Yang. He thought to himself, “No wonder it’s the trading club—no wonder it’s called the most terrifying existence in the Source of Darkness. It’s unfathomable.”
“Now, after discussions among the major families, a verdict has been reached regarding the Nash family. The Nash family tolerated their young clan leader’s misdeeds, so their deaths are not worth mourning! Their rude attempt at revenge and subsequent deployment of a large force to pursue others is utterly unforgivable. Considering that the incident involving lightning had nothing to do with them, and Mr. Rod, a VIP of our trading guild,’s death is not directly linked to them, plus their sincere admission of fault, a lighter punishment can be given. The Nash family must hand over all those who participated in the pursuit to our trading guild for handling. Meanwhile, the Nash family will have their status as provisional Silver Star VIPs revoked, and economic sanctions will be imposed on them…”
The old man began by stating the punishments for that family, which had already been decided days ago, so no one was surprised. Most of the penalties seemed mild, but the revocation of their provisional Silver Star VIP status surprised everyone! Although it was only provisional, this status could elevate a family to a much higher level. The Nash family was bound to suffer greatly this time, as they would likely have no chance of obtaining such status again for centuries.
But for Rod, these penalties were unimportant. Since no key figures were involved, even if they lost this status and suffered, it wasn’t a big deal. As for the economic sanctions—refusing to offer any further advantages to the Nash family in the future—was a good decision. The Nash family’s development would be hindered for a long time, as could be seen from their worried expressions.
No one had any objections to these decisions. Since the higher-ups had reached a consensus, the lower-ranking members didn’t dare speak out. The Nash family was not someone they could afford to offend.
Next, the main event began—the trial of the Purple Wing Thunder Eagle clan. Different parties held conflicting opinions regarding sanctions for this clan, and no consensus was reached after several days. Today’s trial was essentially held for the Purple Wing Thunder Eagle clan.
The young clan leader, Ao Ying, the third elder, and the four middle-aged men who had pursued him that day were all present. How could Rod forget them? Smirking at these now fearful men, he was eager to see what punishment the trading guild would impose this time.
It’s too serious to even estimate; after all, this family is extremely important and its strength cannot be underestimated. It’s impossible to eliminate them. Rod is well aware that in power struggles, things usually end with compromises. So he doesn’t have high hopes either; he just wants to see the final outcome.