If she could complete this judgement, which had been frozen for eons,

she might not only obtain fragments of the authority of judgement but also comprehend the true essence of the laws of sin and punishment, judgement and salvation.

This was crucial for her future in governing the Emerald Sea and even influencing the order of the wider star sea.

But if she failed, she might, like other beings here, be eternally trapped in this unfinished judgement.

"I need to understand the full details of the judgement case," Bai Cheng stated loudly.

"As you wish..."

The golden emblem glowed, and countless light and shadow figures flew out from the giant tower, weaving into vivid historical scrolls above the Sea of Thunder.

Within the scrolls, the figures of six Star Lords appeared.

They belonged to different star tracks but found themselves on opposing sides in a major dispute involving the core terms of the Star Sea Covenant.

The specific content of the dispute was shrouded in mist, but the outcome was clear.

Three of the Star Lords were initially judged guilty by the Judgement Star Lord, while the other three lacked sufficient evidence.

However, before the final verdict, the three Star Lords deemed guilty suddenly joined forces and, using some forbidden method, detonated their own star track origins, triggering a collapse of laws that affected half of the star sea.

The Judgement Star Lord, to prevent the disaster from escalating, forcefully suppressed it with his own authority, ultimately perishing from the backlash.

And the six Star Lords were also severely injured or went missing in the explosion, their star tracks either collapsing or sealing off.

This great judgement thus came to an abrupt halt.

However, the Judgement Star Lord's authority, due to the unfinished judgement, could not naturally return to the star sea's law cycle. Instead, it shattered and merged with the residual battlefield laws here, forming these Lei Hai Floating Island.

And the soul fragments, testimonial imprints, evidence, and defense statements of those six Star Lords... were all trapped here in different forms.

"So, what you want me to do is to make a final guilty or not guilty verdict for these six Star Lords based on the existing evidence?" Bai Cheng asked.

"Yes," the voice said. "The verdict must be just. If your ruling can balance the scales... the fragments of the authority of judgement shall belong to you..."

"What if I can't?"

"Then you... will replace me as the new prisoner of judgement here..."

The air suddenly solidified.

Zi Yuan and the others' expressions changed drastically.

"Miss, don't agree!" Qing Niao exclaimed urgently. "This is clearly a trap!"

Bai Cheng, however, raised her hand, stopping them.

She gazed at the golden emblem, at the heart of sin constantly beating on the right pan of the scale, and then at the illusory islands and light figures in the Sea of Thunder.

She could feel that what was trapped here was not just the soul fragments of the six Star Lords, but also the residual beliefs of billions of lives involved in that judgement.

Their fates also hung in the balance.

"I accept," Bai Cheng slowly spoke, her voice calm yet firm. "But I have two conditions."

"Speak."

"First, during the judgement, my companions can move freely and are not bound by the laws of this place."

"Granted."

"Second, I need to access the soul fragments of all 'parties involved' and hear their complete statements, rather than just judging based on residual evidence."

The voice was silent for a long time.

"This request... is in line with the Way of Judgement... Granted."

The golden emblem's light intensified again, and six beams of light, each of a different color, shot out from the giant tower, heading towards six special islands in the Sea of Thunder.

"They are there..."

"The inheritor shall listen, shall judge... shall rule..."

"Seven days later, before the scales... we await your verdict..."

The light beams disappeared.

Bai Cheng turned to look at her companions behind her.

"Zi Yuan, Qing Niao, Lu Duo, Yu Nian, the four of you each choose an island and, as my special envoys for this judgement, go and make contact with four of the six Star Lords. Ning Xue and I will handle the remaining two."

"Remember, do not prejudge. Your task is to record their statements, emotions, and any details that might serve as evidence."

"Yes!" the four responded in unison.

Leng Ningxue's icy eyes showed a calming data stream: "I have established a temporary communication network to ensure real-time information synchronization."

Bai Cheng nodded, taking one last look at the golden scales atop the white giant /N_o_v_e_l_i_g_h_t/ tower.

Then, she turned and led the way towards the island indicated by one of the light beams.

The Sea of Thunder surged beneath her feet, and thunder roared in her ears.

But Bai Cheng's steps did not falter in the slightest.

The chapter of the Emerald Sea temporarily came to an end.

And the true trial belonging to the Star Sea Emperor —

Had only just begun.

dawn did not directly follow the light beams to the islands where the parties involved were located.

Instead, upon Leng Ningxue's suggestion, it first landed on a relatively stable small floating island at the edge of the Lei Hai Floating Island region.

This island was only a few miles in circumference, its surface covered with resilient, glowing moss that pulsed like breathing.

A few twisted crystallized trees stretched their branches, from which hung bell-shaped, translucent fruits.

Bai Cheng stood at the edge of the island, overlooking the surging sea of thunder below.

Although the law concentration here was high, after being filtered and adapted by the emperors imprint, she could clearly distinguish the myriad entangled voices within it.

"The imprint of sin appears as dark red ripples, while the power of salvation wishes are pale golden light spots."

Leng Ningxue stood beside her, her icy eyes projecting a real-time law visualization interface.

"The two are not evenly distributed in the Sea of Thunder. In some areas, dark red ripples are dense like a net, which should be the remnants of guilty verdicts accumulated over a long time.

In other areas, golden light spots converge into vortices, which are strong beliefs yearning for absolution."

Yu Nian gently touched the glowing moss on the ground, and a delicate branch of the pure heart vine extended into it:

"These plants... have faint traces of consciousness. They are weeping, and also praying."

"The entire Lei Hai Floating Island is itself a giant, living memory of judgement."

Bai Cheng closed her eyes, her forehead imprint faintly glowing, and her spiritual consciousness spread out like a net.

"I can feel that the soul fragments of the six Star Lords are not simply trapped on their respective islands; their sins and defenses, their anger and unwillingness, have long permeated every inch of the laws here."

She opened her eyes and looked towards the nearest island indicated by a light beam.

It was an island covered in pale blue ice crystals, and even from a great distance, one could feel the biting cold and a suppressed, storm-like rage emanating from it.

"That is the fragment of Astra, the Star Lord of the Cold Abyss."

Bai Cheng matched the information from the historical scrolls. "One of the six parties involved, and the first of the three Star Lords initially judged guilty in the judgement."

Zi Yuan gripped her knife handle: "Miss, let me go contact him first."

"No," Bai Cheng shook her head. "Astra's personality is described in the records as aloof and easily angered, but he values honor and promises extremely highly.

If approached directly as a judge, it is highly likely to provoke his strong resistance."

She looked at Qing Niao: "Qing Niao, you and Lu Duo go together.

Lu Duo's Emerald Radiance has the effect of calming emotions, and although your thunder power is antithetical to Astra's ice laws, there is also a certain level of resonance, as both are extreme natural powers.

Go as Star Sea travelers passing by, observe first, then attempt to converse."