Chapter 43 - The Golden Court Arrives
Lord Sen returned with the Golden Court.
This time, not as an enemy.
He bowed to Mira.
"I was wrong."
She crossed her arms.
"That feels small for imprisoning me."
"I was catastrophically wrong."
"Better."
Golden Court brought records from centuries of Heaven audits.
Names of cultivators erased for "irregular progression."
The list was enormous.
Rook spread copies through Blackwater.
Jace sent them to every branch sect.
Heaven responded by sealing travel formations.
So ordinary people carried the records by hand.
For once, the strongest people in the world were losing to messengers with good shoes.
I rebuilt my cultivation through No Rank.
No stages appeared.
But I knew I was stronger than before.
That mattered more.
The system tried to restore categories.
I kept refusing.
Finally it asked:
[How should progress be measured?]
I stared at the question.
"By what I can do that I couldn't do yesterday."
The screen processed for a long time.
Then changed.
[Progress: Self-defined.]
I smiled.
Fen looked over my shoulder though he could not see it.
"Good news?"
"Maybe."
A horn sounded from the cloud city.
The ascended enforcers were withdrawing.
Not retreating.
Making room.
A massive throne descended through the gate.
On it sat a woman wearing a crown of nine rings.
Mira whispered, "Heaven's Judge."
The Judge looked directly at me.
"Candidate Seven," she said.
My heart stopped.
May you like
I had never heard that title before.
