The sunlight seemed to grow cold.

Layer upon layer of thick clouds covered the morning glow, making the early morning turn gloomy and cold.

The dead Gao Quan still maintained his expression of terror. The statue beside him was quiet, and the sunlight stretched and transformed its shadow, casting a twisted shadow on the ground.

After a moment, someone spoke up. A disciple from the Demon Suppression Army said hatefully, “This statue is truly sinister, making people’s hearts turn cold just looking at it. Why don’t we all attack together and smash it!” After saying this, several disciples exchanged glances and charged toward the statue with their long swords.

These people’s actions were so sudden that even Zanxing was momentarily confused. To attack so rashly without understanding the opponent’s background was truly foolish. However, it was now too late to stop them.

“Clang!” The sound of blades striking the stone statue rang out crisply. Several disciples were forced to retreat several steps by the sword qi they had unleashed. Looking at the stone statue again, it still stood properly in front of the white pagoda, unchanged in the slightest, not even a single sword mark.

This stone statue seemed unable to be destroyed.

Ming Jing lowered his eyes: “The xiezhi statue cannot be destroyed. Once, a Spirit Transformation stage cultivator came to this place and tried to smash the statue, ultimately to no avail.” He didn’t continue, but his meaning was already clear—these few disciples were far from the Spirit Transformation stage, so it was even more impossible for them to destroy it.

“It’s all this monk’s mystifying nonsense!” A disciple said in exasperation: “What exactly is going on? Why is there such a sinister statue here? How exactly can we get in?”

“I’ve already said.” Ming Jing replied indifferently: “Only those without guilt may pass through.”

Zanxing thought for a moment: “Then, Master, how does one distinguish between guilty and innocent?”

“Generally speaking, evil karma leads to evil consequences. Bodily evil karma: killing, stealing, sexual misconduct. Verbal evil karma: false speech, frivolous speech, harsh speech, divisive speech. Mental evil karma: greed, hatred, delusion, and pride.” At this point, Ming Jing paused before continuing: “However, whether one is guilty or innocent is determined by the xiezhi. I don’t know the judging criteria either.”

“Does that mean people who haven’t done bad things can pass the statue’s test?” Tian Fangfang rubbed his chin: “But honestly speaking, which person hasn’t done a single wrong thing in their entire life? The requirements seem a bit harsh.”

Meng Ying gripped her long sword and stepped forward: “If that’s the case, let me try.”

Everyone was startled. Mu Cengxiao grabbed her arm and said urgently: “Senior Sister, you mustn’t.”

“As for the three types of evil karma, I believe I’ve never committed them. Looking back at the past, I don’t recall ever making mistakes.” Meng Ying was quite calm: “Gui Yansheng has already entered the pagoda. Time waits for no one—someone has to be the first to walk over. Let me try.” There was another sentence Meng Ying didn’t say: she had been personally taught by Yueqin since childhood and could be said to be upright and selfless in her conduct, with proper words and actions. Among the entire Demon Suppression Army, if even she could be judged guilty, then the others needn’t try either.

She walked toward the xiezhi statue. Just as Zanxing was about to stop her, she heard Gu Baiying speak: “I’ll go.”

“Martial Uncle…” Meng Ying was stunned.

The young man stepped forward with the Xiugu Spear, his gaze sharp: “How can there be logic in letting juniors go when elders are present?” He walked to the xiezhi statue, staring coldly at the statue’s pitch-black eyes, suddenly reaching out to grasp the statue’s goat horn, his tone as arrogant as ever: “Besides, whether I’m guilty or innocent—what right does anyone else have to judge?”

“Submitting oneself to judgment by a statue is truly… too absurd!”

The moment Gu Baiying grasped the xiezhi’s horn, Zanxing tightened her grip on the Wuyou Stick. This statue’s depths were unknown, and its actions strange. Gu Baiying probably had the thought of fighting the statue if things went wrong. If this statue truly acted improperly, Zanxing would be the first to step forward and help.

But what happened next was beyond everyone’s expectations.

The instant Gu Baiying grasped the goat’s horn, a blinding white light emanated from the statue. This radiance was so dazzling that everyone couldn’t help but squint. When the white light faded, where was Gu Baiying’s shadow to be found?

“Martial Uncle!” Mendong cried out in panic.

Zanxing looked toward Ming Jing, her tone turning cold: “What happened?”

Ming Jing looked at the xiezhi with some surprise and gently shook his head: “No need to panic. He… passed the judgment and has now entered the pagoda.”

Did you enter the pagoda? Everyone’s expressions immediately became strange. When Gao Quan faced the xiezhi, he was stabbed to death before he could do anything. Gu Baiying had aggressively carried his magical artifact, clearly going to touch the goat’s horn with fighting in mind, yet he passed the xiezhi’s judgment.

Could this xiezhi be the type that bullies the weak and fears the strong?

Just as they thought of this, Tian Fangfang cheerfully stepped out, shouldering his golden axe with great confidence: “Since Martial Uncle could pass, I think I definitely can too. My character isn’t worse than Martial Uncle’s.” He walked to the xiezhi statue and patted the goat’s horn: “Old brother, what do you think of me?”

His attitude was quite casual, immediately lightening the tense atmosphere considerably. Zanxing was speechless for a moment, and the next instant, Tian Fangfang’s figure disappeared before everyone.

He… had also entered the pagoda.

Everyone looked at each other, all somewhat confused. Gu Baiying, what exactly was the difference between Gao Quan and Tian Fangfang? Could it be that Gao Quan appeared to be an upright gentleman on the surface but was secretly a villain with blood on his hands?

However, with two people successfully passing through, everyone felt somewhat reassured. Next was Meng Ying. The senior sister who was regarded as the future sect leader of Taiyan Sect naturally wouldn’t have character problems, and Meng Ying also smoothly passed the xiezhi’s judgment.

Then came Mu Cengxiao. Mendong didn’t enter—his cultivation wasn’t high, and no one could say what trials were in the Wulun Pagoda. Meng Ying, fearing accidents, left him outside the pagoda and used a talisman formation to protect him.

Putao from Xiangling Sect and Nie Xinghong from Yinfeng Sect weren’t left behind either. People from the Demon Suppression Army filed in one after another. At first, it went smoothly with many people entering the pagoda, but after about ten people had entered, the xiezhi stabbed two more disciples to death. These two died exactly like Gao Quan—silently and without warning.

This statue seemed to have its own set of judgment rules. Those judged innocent could enter the pagoda, while the guilty died upon touch.

And whether one was guilty or innocent wasn’t determined by oneself. Gradually, some in the Demon Suppression Army began to retreat. Some had guilty consciences, fearing the xiezhi would settle accounts for their unclean pasts, while others were simply frightened and didn’t dare approach. Gradually, no one in the Demon Suppression Army wanted to enter the pagoda anymore.

The surroundings quieted down.

It was now midday. The cloud layers dispersed, and golden sunlight shone on the pure white Buddhist pagoda, making it appear sacred and peaceful.

Ming Jing looked toward Zanxing, the prayer beads in his hand dark and smooth.

“It’s your turn.”