Tian Dou City, Tang Clan Headquarters.
This place is now the power center of the Heavenly Dou Empire, and its every word and action is enough to shake the continent's vision(geju, a term referring to the overall situation or structure of the continent).
Today, Tang San, the sect leader of the Tang Clan, stands on the high platform in front of the council hall.
He was dressed in a sea-blue robe, with a handsome face and an extraordinary temperament. His voice, transmitted through his soul power, spread throughout the entire Tang Sect and even half of the Heaven Dou City.
"Ning Lin, the city lord of Tiandou City, holds the position but fails to perform his duties!"
"His crimes are threefold!"
"Firstly, they evaded taxes and lined their own pockets, leaving the national treasury empty and the soldiers at the front lines short of food and supplies!"
"Secondly, he colluded with the Martial Soul Empire, secretly exchanged information, and betrayed the Empire's military secrets, making him a traitor to the Empire!"
"Thirdly, he is morally corrupt and attempted to assault a female Soul Master from the Heavenly Dou Sect in the street, which is an outrage against both gods and men!"
Tang San's voice was clear and resonant, carrying a righteous and awe-inspiring aura, as if he were the embodiment of the Heavenly Dao, proclaiming the judgment of a sinner.
"Multiple crimes, with conclusive evidence!"
"In the name of the Tang Sect Master and the Imperial Preceptor, I hereby announce that three days from now, at noon, the City Lord Ning Lin will be publicly tried in Tiandou Square!"
"To serve as a warning to others and to uphold the law!"
The sound caused an uproar throughout the city.
Inside the Tang Clan headquarters, the expressions of the several deputy sect leaders were quite different.
"Third Brother, this is impossible!"
Xiao Wu was the first to step forward, her big eyes filled with confusion and anxiety.
"I've met Lord Ninglin several times. He's a very upright person. How could he possibly do such a thing?"
She looked at Tang San, hoping to see a glimmer of hope on her husband's face.
However, Tang San simply looked at her calmly.
"Xiao Wu, you can know a person's face but not their heart."
On the other side, Zhu Zhuqing's pretty face was frosty, and she remained silent.
Her aura became more subdued, and her heart was filled with turbulent emotions.
Ning Lin... How could that be?
Could that always gentle and polite man, who managed Heaven Dou City so well, be a traitor who betrayed his country? Would he even assault a female Soul Master in the street?
This is simply a fantasy.
But these words came from Tang San's mouth.
Ning Rongrong, the sect leader of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School, stated her position without hesitation.
She gave a soft snort, her face showing just the right amount of disgust.
"Hmph, you've truly disgraced the Ning family!"
"Third Brother is wise! Such scoundrels must be severely punished and cannot be tolerated!"
...
Tang Clan, the dungeon.
Dark and damp.
The air was filled with a stench of rust and blood.
Ning Lin was suspended from the wall by two thick iron chains piercing his collarbone, covered in blood and in a wretched state.
His soul bones were forcibly removed, his limbs were broken in many places, and his meridians were shaken to the point of cracking by an incomparably domineering soul force.
Waves of excruciating pain washed over him, causing his consciousness to fluctuate between alertness and drowsiness.
Memories, too, become fragmented.
He remembered.
Yesterday, on Zhuque Street, the most bustling street in Tiandou City.
Ma Hongjun, one of the Shrek Seven Devils, nicknamed "Evil Fire Phoenix," was an obese fellow with bloodshot eyes and a body radiating a foul, fiery aura. He stopped a passing female Soul Master.
That was another outburst of his evil fire.
"Little beauty, come with me, and I'll guarantee you'll live the high life!"
Ma Hongjun's laughter was lewd, and his fat, greasy hand grabbed directly at the other person's collar.
The female Soul Master screamed in terror and fought back desperately, but how could she possibly be a match for a Soul Saint?
As the lord of Tiandou City, Ning Lin happened to be inspecting the area.
As it was his duty, he could not stand idly by.
"Mr. Ma Hongjun, please have some self-respect!"
Ning Lin stepped in to stop it, his voice stern.
"In broad daylight, you forcibly abduct a woman from the people. Where do you place the laws of the Tang Sect and the Heavenly Dou Empire?"
However, Ma Hongjun, consumed by anger, wouldn't listen to any advice.
"Get out of my way! Mind your own business!"
Ma Hongjun flew into a rage and unleashed a Phoenix Fire Line attack.
Ning Lin, a Soul Emperor at only level sixty-something, was no match for the renowned Ma Hongjun.
He tried his best to defend himself, but was still severely injured in an instant.
In the final moment before the scorching flames engulfed his vision, all he saw was Ma Hongjun's ugly face, twisted horribly with desire and rage.
When I woke up again, I was already here.
Immediately following was Tang San's grand and imposing voice of judgment.
"Hehe...hehehe..."
Ning Lin chuckled softly, his hoarse laughter aggravating his numerous wounds and causing him to convulse in pain.
But the light in his eyes grew even brighter, filled with a deep-seated hatred.
He is a time traveler.
He knew better than anyone what kind of person Tang San was.
Hypocritical, double standards, those who obey me prosper, those who oppose me perish!
Ma Hongjun, that fat pig, has a long list of misdeeds. Relying on the name of the Shrek Seven Devils, he has harmed countless innocent women, but Tang San has always suppressed them.
This time, I stumbled upon their good deed and got in their way.
Thus, the perpetrators became the victims, while the Good Samaritans became the heinous criminals.
What a formidable Tang Clan!
What a formidable Sea God Tang San!
If you want to find fault, you can always find a pretext!
They're trying to destroy themselves and eliminate any future trouble!
hatred!
A surge of overwhelming hatred welled up in his chest!
I'm not reconciled!
Why should I have to pay the price for the ugly deeds of these hypocrites!
Just as Ning Lin was in turmoil and on the verge of despair.
A mechanical voice devoid of emotion suddenly rang in his mind.
[Ding!]
[Intense emotional fluctuations detected in the host; the will to survive and desire for revenge have reached a critical point...]
[Meets the requirements for knotting.]
[The history restoration system is now officially in use.]
Ning Lin was suddenly taken aback.
system?
This system can select "related parties" who have had interactions with the host, edit their past, and thus alter the course of history.
Each successful historical alteration will grant the host a corresponding reward based on its impact.
[Caution: Editing history carries extremely high risks. Please proceed with extreme caution.]
The cold notification tone sounded like heavenly music to Ning Lin's ears at that moment!
Change history!
This is his only chance of survival!
[Searching for the first editable associate for the host...]
Search successful!
[Related party: Bibi Dong.]
The name that surfaced in his mind instantly unlocked Ning Lin's long-sealed memories.
Bibi Dong...
The last Pope of the Spirit Hall, the founder of the Spirit Empire, and one of Tang San's greatest enemies in this life.
He and she did indeed have a period of interaction.
That was many years ago, when Ning Lin had just graduated from the Soul Master Academy and was a novice.
At that time, he had a great passion for the theory of Soul Masters, especially for the niche field of Body Martial Soul.
He subsequently published several articles on "The Possibility of Secondary Awakening of the Body Martial Soul" and "A Speculation on the Resonance between Spiritual Power and the Body Martial Soul".
These theories, which seemed groundbreaking at the time, caught the attention of a prominent figure.
That person was Bibi Dong.
(End of chapter)