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Gabriel calling Jonathan a thief really stung the latter.
Jonathan had always been righteous and truthful, yet he was branded with that crime. Most importantly, he couldn't argue against that accusation.
After that, the two law enforcers stepped forward and took him into custody.
Just like that, Jonathan allowed them to take him to prison.
The Inquisition's prison was built underground.
Being locked up in Divine Realm's prison was pretty much the same as being sealed off. However, being sealed off was a much crueler punishment because the prisoner would get stuffed inside a small black house where light could be seen. In contrast, the prison was a little more spacious, though the prisoner would still be kept in total darkness.
Jonathan traveled down a long underground staircase as he was taken to the prison by the law enforcers. The water pipes on both sides of the stairs were rusty, and the air was filled with an indescribably musty odor.
After they entered the prison, the door was shut tight. The staircase behind the door was like a road connected straight to hell.
There were blinding lights inside the stairwell, like the ones used when criminals were interrogated.
A cold, bone-piercing sensation filled the air.
There were in total of two hundred steps on the staircase.
After they descended the stairs, they arrived at the prison roughly two thousand square meters large.
Each prison cell was independent.
The corridor in the center was connected to paths leading in all directions. The floor was dark and damp.
‘When Jonathan reached there, he heard countless rats crawling through the place. This environment here is terrible! While Divine Realm resembles heaven, this prison looks like hell.
He eventually arrived in front of a cell. When the law enforcers opened the door, a pungent smell greeted his
meters. There was only a bed and a toilet bow! inside.
Before he stepped into the cell, the two law enforcers searched his body.
His three Ninth Immortality Pills, his phone, and other things were taken away from him at the end of their inspection.
Once that was over, one of the law enforcers injected Jonathan with something.
Then the metal door was closed, isolating him from the rest of the world.
Jonathan could hear the footsteps of the law enforcers getting further and further away.
An unspeakable sorrow and despair filled his heart. He didn't expect a disaster like that was waiting for him.
Not only that, he couldn't escape it.
Soon, he felt his body going limp and his energy leaving.
He was shocked because he thought he was immune to all sorts of poison by that point. The drug was potent enough
to drain him of his strength, which drove him into greater depths of despair.
Turning back, Jonathan saw the metal bed. It was covered in rust and stains, and only a wooden board was placed in the center.
He didn't mind it as he lay directly on it.
That was because he could feel his strength evaporating too quickly. What a powerful drug! Since standing up was making him too tired, he wanted to lie down and make himself more comfortable.
Upon lying down, he closed his eyes.
There wasn't any source of light in the prison.
After the metal door was shut tight, he had no idea if it was daytime or nighttime because there was no way the light from the outside could worm into the prison.
Thoughts began to spiral through Jonathan's mind. What's going to happen to me? Will | be sentenced to death or life imprisonment? If I'm getting the second one, | may as well
just die although | don't think I'm getting lifelong imprisonment. As long as I'm still alive, I'll remain a nuisance to Gideon and Oswald. There was no doubt Oswald was working with Gideon because he was getting ‘something out of this arrangement. Maybe he was promised the three Ninth Immortality Pills that belong to me. It makes sense that even Oswald wants something as precious as Ninth Immortality Pills.
He took in a deep breath and sighed heavily.
At that moment, he was disheartened. | guess a person's luck runs out, eventually. Am | really that useless? So much so that | need to rely on my luck every time to get out of a pinch? If | had killed Lucian in the arena back then, Lucio wouldn't have possessed that much resentment, and everything that happened afterward wouldn't have occurred. As for the grudge between Leonardo and me...
Well, that's unavoidable. However, it has almost been resolved. The only one left is Jeremy, but there's no reason for me to be fearful of him. I've gotten myself into this situation because | showed Gabriel mercy. | should've
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtignored the oath and killed him when | had the chance.
That way, Gideon wouldn't have known | had a raw stone, and this whole disaster could've been averted. If | walk out of this mess unscathed miraculously, | must be extremely careful when | do anything in the future. | must nip any potential danger in the bud.
‘When Jonathan's train of thought ended there, he suddenly chuckled self-deprecatingly. Can | even escape this predicament? A few big shots in Divine Realm want me dead. There's no way anyone could save me. No one, except for Divine Emperor, if he decides to show me mercy.
But will he? It's so sad that I'm putting my hopes of surviving in the hands of someone | have no connection with.
He became even more disheartened when he thought about that. | never imagined all the hard work | put into entering the Divine Realm and getting the Sinai Bible would one day land me inside the abyss.
Each second that passed felt like torture to him, and he
hated that feeling.
With no other choice, Jonathan sat up.
At the moment, he only had enough energy to sit up and walk around.
He felt as though the place was making it difficult for him to breathe.
The most painful thing about the whole ordeal to him was that he couldn't see any hope of getting out. Divine Realm is an international holy land for martial arts, yet even if | achieve Celestial Soul in the prison here and become a Divine Master, | still can't escape my death! People felt despair not because of misery but realized there was no hope of escaping it.
Just like that, Jonathan spent a day and a night in agony.
Not once did he shut his eyes during that period. He just stared blankly at the walls and ceiling.
The day Jonathan went to prison, Lailah received a call from Yuna. With a crying voice, Yuna spoke on the phone.
“Bad news, Lailah! Jonathan was sent to prison by our master!” A panicked expression appeared on Lailah's face as she asked, “What's going on?” ‘Yuna's sobbed as she said, “Master Gideon said Jonathan stole his raw stone.” Rage instantly exploded in Lailah's mind when she heard that. “That's nonsense! Jonathan and | found the raw stone! It's something kept inside the Holy Chest! There's no way it's stolen from Master Gideon!” “What do we do? Three days from now, The Inquisition will hold a public trial for Jonathan. If that happens, he'll be dead for sure!” “Okay, thanks for telling me,” Lailah said before hanging up the phone.
Once again, she experienced Gideon's utter shamelessness.
Time passed quickly.
The news about Jonathan being held in Black Prison wasn't made public.
Mabel didn't contact Jonathan because she thought if she took the initiative to do so, it would make her seem like she was desperate to obtain the Ninth Immortality Pill, even though she really was anxious to get it.
As for Simon and the others, they also didn't contact Jonathan because there was no point in doing that.
They simply weren't powerful enough to battle against Divine Realm.
Even Mabel couldn't do anything about it.
Divine Realm was located in Lostaria and not in the country probably because the people in charge of Divine Realm thought that the country might keep its power in check.
In Lostaria, however, Divine Realm could do whatever it wanted.
Even if Amber learned of the news, there was nothing she
could do as well.
No one in the world could interfere with Divine Realm's internal matters.
Three days after Jonathan was thrown into a cell of total darkness, he finally heard a set of footsteps approaching his cell at noon.
In the past three days, all he had was a bun and a cup of water.
He ate and shat in his cell.
Even the toughest men would be defeated by the despair he experienced in the last three days.
Despite the fact that only three days had passed, Jonathan's stay in the cell completely destroyed his mental state. His eyes were unfocused, and his face was unshaven.
‘When the door opened, a blinding light landed on his eyes, causing him to shut them tight reflexively.
The people who opened the door were two law enforcers in black robes.
They pulled him up and escorted him outside.
Jonathan was still in a daze, so he had no idea how long he had walked. His entire body was pretty much leaning on the law enforcers.
Suddenly, they stopped.
Jonathan finally realized something was wrong with his surrounding. It was as though there was a solemn atmosphere around him, and it was as though many people were watching him in a spacious area.
The moment he opened his eyes, he realized he had arrived in the hall of The Inquisition. He was standing in a surveillance zone, and below it was a raised, round platform.
Bright lights were directed at him.
At that moment, Yuna, who was staring at him from the audience, started tearing up.
She recalled how dashing and humorous he was three
days ago.
Yet, at that moment, he looked dispirited and unkempt.
Gabriel was also staring at Jonathan, though he did so coldly from the audience with immense pleasure and joy.
Jeremy was there too.
‘When he heard about Jonathan's situation, he rushed to court because he wanted to see how Jonathan get punished.
As for Bianca, she was still in a moronic state. Jeremy's disciples weren't Divine Realm disciples, so they didn't have the right to watch the trial.
There were a few law enforcement elders in white robes on the jury. A serious expression was hanging on their faces.
The judge's seat was located at the very top of The Inquisition.
Oswald was wearing a silver-colored robe, though he looked pretty formal.
As for Richard and Gideon, both of them had a special
chair at the side.
Gideon was wearing a green robe and a cold expression.
A glance at his arrogant demeanor would make people sick.
As for Richard, he looked like he was about thirty-odd years old, which was pretty young. He appeared elegant and had a white coat on him, making him look like a dignified young elite.
Everyone had arrived.
Suddenly, Gabriel's words flashed past Jonathan's mind.
Being called a thief truly wounded the latter's heart. I, Jonathan Lawson, am a real man, not a thief! I'm a heroic person and | will die with dignity! When his train of thought ended there, he suddenly straightened his back. The look in Jonathan's eyes grew colder as he swept his gaze across the audience.
He stared coldly at Oswald because there was nothing he was afraid of at that point.
His cold gaze also went past Richard, Gideon, and several law enforcement elders.
When his line of sight landed on Gideon, his gaze became exceptionally frigid.
While Gideon wore a cold expression, shock and fury were present in his heart. He was surprised at Jonathan's bravery.
While Gideon looked cold, anger and astonishment filled his heart. He was surprised by Jonathan's bravery while angry at the latter's utter disrespect.
Oswald, who was sitting in the judge's chair, was slightly surprised as well. Even though Jonathan looks normal, he shines from within. If we don't Kill him today, he'll pose a great threat to all of us in the future. In that instant, his desire to kill Jonathan was strengthened.
Suddenly, Jonathan laughed and pointed at Gideon. “What kind of master are you, Gideon? You're willing to incriminate me for a single raw stone. Is that something a respected master does? So what if you have the raw stone? A despicable man like you will never reach the heights of the three Great Emperors and Divine Emperor!” “You insolent brat!” At that moment, Frost stood up. With a cold glint bursting from his eyes, he exclaimed, “How dare you still make baseless accusations and slander Master Gideon, you thief! Today, Master Oswald and the elders will find out the truth and deliver justice to the guilty in The Inquisition!”
With a sneer, Jonathan said, “You're just a lapdog, Frost.
Get out of here. Are you that eager to lick your master's boot?” Hearing that, Frost blushed.
It was then Oswald banged the gavel and ordered coldly, “Silence!” Jonathan was slightly shocked before he stopped arguing because there really wasn't any point to it.
When Oswald glanced at Jonathan, he noticed the latter was staring at him straight in the eye, unflinchingly. It was the first time he had seen anyone doing that.
There was a fearless, unwavering look in Jonathan's eyes.
With a deep voice, Oswald uttered, “This is The Inquisition, the most just and most serious place in Divine Realm. Now, the trial for the theft of Gideon's raw stone by Jonathan, an external disciple, will commence. The plaintiff shall speak first.” The plaintiff was Gideon, but he was too lazy to argue with
Jonathan. Frost, representing Gideon, stood up. He first greeted Oswald before greeting the law enforcement elders. Then, he said, “Master Oswald, fellow elders, this was what happened. You see, my master has always possessed a raw stone. That stone had stayed by my master's side for two decades. | saw it once when | was young. That raw stone was usually placed on the throne in Astral Hall because my master has a habit of touching the stone. That day, my master summoned the thief, Jonathan, to reward him with three Ninth Immortality Pills. To my master's surprise, the thief said he didn't want the pills. He wanted to become my master's disciple.” There was a pause before he sneered, “The thief was but an ordinary man. There was no way my master would take in someone as unremarkable as him as a disciple, so my master declined the request without hesitation. Master Gideon wouldn't covet him just because of a small favor.
Because of that, the thief held a grudge. When he saw the raw stone Master Gideon touched habitually, he devised a malicious plan. After we left Astral Hall, the thief sneaked
back in and stole the raw stone. If not for my juniors’ swift intervention, the raw stone would've been stolen. Back then, the first thing the thief tried to do was to leave Divine Realm. The security guard at the gates can testify for me.
Besides, why would he be in a hurry to leave if he wasn't a thief trying to steal something?” That last sentence stung Jonathan when he heard it.
He had been called a thug and a pervert, but he had never been called a thief.
“That's the end of my statement, Master Gideon, fellow elders!” Once Frost finished speaking, he sat back down.
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmIt was then Oswald turned to Jonathan. “The defendant is allowed to speak now. | and many law enforcement elders are here right now. So, if you really are framed, we'll declare your innocence.” A glimmer of hope was ignited in Jonathan's heart as he spoke in a deep voice. “Fellow elders, Master Oswald, that raw stone belongs to me. When | went looking for the Sinai Bible with Lailah, we also found the Holy Chest. This raw
stone was taken out of the Holy Chest. Lailah can testify that what I'm saying is true.” “Where is she?” Oswald asked.
In response, Frost stood and informed, “Lailah is currently in Yeringham, Master Oswald. She hasn't returned yet.” Oswald turned to Jonathan. “Your witness isn't here. Thus, that evidence of yours is considered invalid. Do you have any other witnesses?” That stunned Jonathan. | still have one more witness, which is Mr. Cadman. However, I'm pretty sure he's very far away. | don't even know where to find him. A sigh escaped his mouth.
It was then a voice was heard. “I can testify for Jonathan that the raw stone was taken out of the Holy Chest he and | found.” Lailah, who was wearing a white trench coat, entered the hall upon ending her sentence. Then, she continued to speak. “Also, I've never seen my master possessing that raw stone before nor was it ever present on his throne.”
She paused, turning to Yuna. “Have you seen it before, Yuna?” Upon standing up, Yuna glanced at her senior and Gideon fearfully before answering, “Indeed, I've never seen Master Gideon possess that raw stone before.” That twist was something none of them expected.
Lailah ambled toward Jonathan and stood next to him.
Gideon's expression remained unchanged.
Glee rushed into Jonathan's heart because he had found hope.
Oswald uttered, “The plaintiff shall speak now.” Standing up, Frost spoke. “I don't know why my juniors are speaking against their conscience. This raw stone has always been sitting on the throne. You visited Astral Hall before, Master Oswald. You've seen it before, haven't you?” Oswald remained expressionless as he uttered, “I've seen it before, yes. The raw stone came into Gideon's possession
when we went to Jazona in the past.” Jonathan's expression changed drastically. He felt as though a bucket of freezing water had just dropped onto his head. Oswald is indeed in cahoots with Gideon! Meanwhile, Frost continued, “Besides, there's a print of the raw stone on the throne. You may visit the place to take a look yourselves, fellow elders.” He paused before turning to Lailah and Yuna. “Lailah, Yuna, why are you two making baseless accusations and twisting the truth? Did Jonathan bewitch you two? It pains me to see you two betraying and slandering our master!” ‘Yuna's face paled instantly.
As for Lailah, she lowered her head silently because she was afraid Frost would see the burning rage in her eyes if she lifted her head.
“It's your turn to speak, defendant,” Oswald declared.
Staring at him coldly, Jonathan uttered, “You're lying.” Acold glint bloomed in Oswald's eyes. “I've stated nothing but the truth.” There was a pause before he resumed,
“Also, this is The Inquisition, the most just place in Divine Realm. Everyone has a right to speak here, including you, and especially me. However, that doesn't mean everything you say is true and that the others are lying. If you don't have any more arguments, we shall proceed to the next phase of the trial. It's time for judgment.” Refusing to give Jonathan another chance to argue, he turned to the law enforcement elders. “Elders, please ‘submit your opinion on the trial.” There were in total six law enforcement elders there. Each of them was an individual of merit.
There were members of The Inquisition, and Oswald was their chief officer.
However, they weren't part of Oswald's factions.
All the elders were direct subordinates of Divine Emperor.
That was the reason the trial was a public one.
If not, Oswald would've just made a private agreement with Gideon and then pretended to provide a fair trial.
The elders began gossiping.
It was very difficult for Jonathan to stand still. | wonder if there'll be a miracle. Are these elders Oswald's people? Will they really uphold justice? He couldn't help but glance at Lailah while she did the same.
Seeing the complicated look in her eyes, he smiled and shook his head. That was his way of saying that he didn't blame her for what happened.
In an instant, Lailah's eyes reddened as tears streamed down her cheeks.
Jonathan was the most special person in her life, the only man she had.
It didn't matter what the circumstances were back then, but both of them had slept together.
However, that didn't bother her.
To her, what happened that night was purely lust and didn't mean anything.
However, every time Jonathan was at risk of dying, it was because of her. Yet, every single time, he would just put on a carefree smile and never blame her.
Meanwhile, Jonathan turned his line of sight to Yuna. Even though both of them met by chance, he was nonetheless grateful that she treated him nicely.
Seeing his smile, Yuna became even more heartbroken.
It was then the law enforcement elders concluded their discussion.
The leader of the group, Nero Valentine, stood up.
He was wearing a black robe, and his cultivation techniques were at a very high level. His black robe would flutter even without wind because his aura was too powerful.
Turning to Oswald, Nero spoke. “All of us believe it is true that Jonathan, the external disciple, stole the raw stone! We recommend sentencing him to death!” Then he sat back down.
At that moment, Jonathan felt as though his body was drained of all energy. Huh, there's no miracle waiting for me after all! Lailah's and Yuna's bodies shook violently. They couldn't say a word.
Jeremy was staring at Jonathan from the audience coldly.
Great, this is karma! Serve him right! Since all elders of The Inquisition had reached a unanimous decision, there was no way the ruling could be changed.
Jonathan was certainly going to die.
Gabriel turned the magic ring on his finger habitually and subconsciously. It was very helpful for him to sense nearby magnetic fields.
At that moment, he could see Jonathan, his nemesis, had finally been forced into a comer with no escape.
As he sighed in relief, he felt a little melancholic.
After all, Jonathan was an opponent worthy of respect, yet he had to use such an underhanded tactic to kill his nemesis. He didn't feel great doing that.
At the same time, Oswald announced, “All rise!” Everyone stood up.