Treasure-hunting: Into the Unknown

"Listen, young man. Admit what you did and I won't make things difficult for you. Refuse to confess, and I have no choice—I must cancel your scores. As the dean of the Shura College, I can't let you win the final round by using your heterodox refining skill. I'm sure you know it is regarded as a heterodoxy, and as such, it is considered evil and barred from the whole Supernal Continent. Any weapon refiner who practices this skill will incur severe consequences, and bring shame upon himself and his community. Please understand that refusing to confess will bring disgrace to both Shura College and Celestial College," Marvin said in a serious, earnest tone, trying to get through to Zachary staring at him with a defiant face. He had been impressed by the talent Zachary had shown so far, and believed he had the potential to be a great weapon refiner. This belief was what spurred him to try and steer Zachary towards a righteous path. Marvin thought it would be an enormous disappointment for a talent such as Zachary to ruin his own future by relying on some heterodox refining skill. Therefore, Marvin saw it as his duty to convince Zachary to confess, and make him swear a solemn vow never to use the heterodox refining skill again. Zachary must be taught right from wrong.

But, far from being repentant, Zachary wore a mulish expression. "Dean, you have repeatedly accused me of using a heterodox refining skill. What is your basis for that? I challenge you to show me proof, because accusations are not evidence." Zachary sounded calm, but there was anger in his tone.

Marvin started to get angry as well. "You want evidence? Fine! The use of the heterodox refining skill leaves traces on the weapon. We will carefully scrutinize the weapon you have just refined, which I observe looks strange. It is not common to see weapons like this one," he said. He bent down to check the Buddha statue placed on the ground.

"Please check the weapon as soon and as thoroughly as possible. A clean hand wants no washing. Let my work speaks for itself," Zachary said in a determined voice.

Marvin squinted his eyes at Zachary's decisiveness. For a moment, he felt surprised, and a bit unsure of himself. He mentally reviewed everything that had happened. Well, honestly, he still did not think he had made a mistake. He was experienced in the study of the heterodox refining skill, and he was confident that Zachary had clandestinely used a heterodox refining skill.

But Marvin was not unjust, and as Zachary had said, he would not convict someone without clear and convincing evidence. Despite his expertise and his status as the dean of the Shura College, his opinion alone was insufficient. He would obtain solid proof before denying Zachary's achievement. It was

onsider a different way of doing things.

Zachary was relying on people's lack of knowledge of disposable weapons and basic heterodox refining skills to conceal the fact that he had actually used a heterodox refining skill. The traces Marvin warned him about would only come from the higher-level heterodox refining skills that scholars studied. The simple heterodox refining skill Zachary had utilized would not leave any evidence that Marvin could find.

Meanwhile, as the three great Sage Level masters studied Zachary's Buddha statue, they started to look confused. They couldn't find any clue. There were no traces that could prove Zachary had performed a heterodox refining skill. Moreover, the statue did not seem like it was a rare nine-star King Level weapon at all—and yet all of them had seen it in action. They knew how powerful it was.

"Dean, are you absolutely sure you saw him perform the heterodox refining skill?" Corbin asked. He hadn't expected this. He thought Marvin would never have called them in unless he was one hundred percent certain.

Marvin frowned. He was frustrated and puzzled. Why couldn't they find any traces of the use of a heterodox refining skill on the Buddha statue? He knew what he had seen, and even now he still believed he was right. He just didn't know how to prove it.

Marvin and the other judges did not recognize the statue as a disposable weapon. That knowledge had long been forgotten by the people of the Supernal Continent.

Jace was one of the very select few who might have been able to recognize the weapon, and understand what Zachary had done. Although Marvin was very knowledgeable, he could not compare with Jace, whose experience far surpassed his own.

Marvin sighed, looking unhappy. Despite his conviction, without evidence, there would be no way to deny Zachary's victory.