Outside the window, a fierce wind howled as a shadowy figure darted through the darkness like a ghost.
Before Mu Qingyan could even finish his sentence, Cai Zhao had already leapt into action, swift as a petal in the wind, chasing after the shadow through the chaotic curtain of rain. Yet the moment she gave chase, she knew she wouldn’t catch up.
The shadow’s movements were bizarre—ethereal and ghostly—and its cultivation was profound. With the initial distance between them, Cai Zhao had little hope of closing the gap, especially since she had never been to Grand Beginning Temple before and was unfamiliar with the terrain.
As if mocking her fears, the chase led them to a garden cluttered with towering rock formations. The shadow zigzagged left and right before vanishing into the dark maze of stone, but not before smashing a man-sized section of a decorative rock with a sharp crack.
The shattered debris tumbled down with a thunderous clatter, loud enough to be heard even over the pouring rain.
Cai Zhao froze for a moment before realizing the shadow’s intention—to alert the disciples of Grand Beginning Temple.
In any normal sect, an intruder spotted in the dead of night would prompt an immediate report to the sect leader.
But right now, the sect leader of Grand Beginning Temple was already a corpse.
Moments later, Mu Qingyan saw Cai Zhao return empty-handed and raised his brows in surprise. “You actually lost them?”—He wasn’t scolding her. Given Cai Zhao’s lightness skill, there were likely fewer than ten people in the world who could outrun her.
“Enough chatter!” Cai Zhao snatched the towel Fan Xingjia handed her, wiping her face as she asked, “How did Wang Yuanjing die?”
“Someone thrust a sword through the wall, piercing his heart in one strike,” Fan Xingjia said grimly. “No distinctive technique, no unique cultivation method—just sheer, overwhelming power.”
Cai Zhao frowned. “Then what were you two doing in here for so long?”
Mu Qingyan emerged from the room carrying a stack of opened letters. “Checking for hidden chambers or secret passages, and seeing if Wang Yuanjing left any clues about the mastermind behind all this.”
“Find anything?” Cai Zhao asked hopefully.
Mu Qingyan sighed. “Nothing.”
Cai Zhao exhaled. “In that case, you should leave. The disciples of Grand Beginning Temple will be here soon.” Even as she spoke, she could sense a crowd approaching in the distance.
“Me?” Mu Qingyan frowned. “You two should go first. Whether I’m here or not, they’ll still blame my sect for Wang Yuanjing’s death. My presence changes nothing.”
“And then what? Stand by and watch you fight?” Cai Zhao had already considered this. “Should I side with family or with justice?”
Fan Xingjia sighed inwardly. This truly was a dilemma.
But Mu Qingyan let out an indignant scoff. “Family or justice? Am I not both family and justice?”
Fan Xingjia: “…”
Just then, hurried footsteps echoed outside—the approaching group must have heard the voices inside. Li Yuanmin and several disciples burst through the door in a panic. “Sect Leader! Senior Brother! There’s an intruder tonight—”
His voice cut off abruptly.
Wang Yuanjing’s corpse remained nailed to the wall, eyes wide open, still standing upright.
And inside the room stood three people.
“You—you!” Li Yuanmin’s eyes burned with fury.
Even Fan Xingjia, who knew he was completely innocent, broke into a cold sweat under Li Yuanmin’s venomous glare. He hurriedly raised his hands. “Uncle Li, fellow disciples, please listen—this isn’t what you think—”
“Ugh, Fifth Brother, even the cheapest market novels don’t use such clichéd excuses anymore! The readers would demand a refund!” Cai Zhao rolled her eyes and yanked Fan Xingjia aside.Mu Qingyan took a step forward and said solemnly, "Wang Yuanjing was not killed by me. My presence here tonight has deep reasons. As for what those reasons are, you wouldn’t believe me even if I told you, so I won’t bother."
He turned his head to Cai Zhao and added, "If you can explain, then explain. If you can’t, just pin it on me. No big deal."
As he spoke, his long sleeve swept sideways, and with a sharp crack, a nearby window flew open. Before Li Yuanmin and the others could pounce, he leaped out like a bat in the night, vanishing into the darkness.
"What incredible lightness skills!" Fan Xingjia exclaimed in admiration, only to meet the furious gazes of the Grand Beginning Temple disciples. He quickly added, "No matter how good his skills are, he’s still a Demon!"
One disciple shouted, "Then why were you with this Demon?!"
Fan Xingjia flustered, "Who said I was with him? I was just out buying roast chicken!"
"Then where’s the chicken?!" a younger disciple yelled.
Fan Xingjia burst into tears, "That damned Demon left it in the woods!"—Wah wah wah, he was so unlucky, truly an unwarranted disaster...
Li Yuanmin returned with his sword after failing to pursue Mu Qingyan. Pointing his blade at Cai Zhao, he demanded, "Our sect leader died unjustly. What do you have to say for yourself, Miss Cai?" He no longer addressed her as his junior, clearly lumping her together with Mu Qingyan in his mind.
Cai Zhao stepped forward boldly. "Tonight, with the five sect leaders of the Grand Beginning Temple gathered here, I will make everything clear!"
In the brightly lit Zheng Yuan Hall of the Grand Beginning Temple, the sudden rain had stopped.
Wang Yuanjing’s body had been brought in and laid on a stretcher to one side.
Ning Xiaofeng clutched Guo Zigui’s urn, tears streaming down her face. "I always suspected he was dead. Even as a child, he was like this—whenever he got into trouble, he’d hide and not dare come home. I waited and waited, thinking that even if he never showed himself, maybe he was living peacefully in some remote village or mountain. But to think... to think..."
Though Juexing Zen Master was her blood brother, the age gap between them was so vast it felt like a generation apart. In her heart, the mischievous Guo Zigui, who had led her into all sorts of trouble, was more like her true elder brother.
She pulled a note from her dowry box and read it between sobs. "'A son and daughter, my heart is at peace'—what nonsense! As a child, he drove away half a dozen tutors with his antics, barely scraping together a few drops of ink from his empty belly. And now he’s writing so elegantly! Why couldn’t you hold on just a little longer to see me one last time?!"
Tears fell one by one, heavily striking the glossy lacquer of the urn.
Song Shijun paced restlessly, stroking his beard. "Stop crying. Didn’t they say he passed peacefully? He settled his affairs. A person only lives once—what more do you want?"
Ning Xiaofeng snapped, "Are you deaf? Didn’t you hear Zhao Zhao say he was tortured beyond recognition by Nie Hengcheng’s men and struggled on his sickbed for over a decade before dying—and you call that peaceful?!"
Cai Pingchun sighed softly, gently patting his wife’s back in comfort.
Zhou Zhizhen held Guo Zigui’s sword, lost in thought. "Back then, if Father had just insisted... things might have been different."
Yang Heying sneered from the side. "A coward who surrendered to the Demonic Cult, hiding away to live a few extra years—he was lucky. Otherwise, Old Sect Leader Yin would’ve dealt with him long ago under sect rules. Why all this fuss now?"
Cai Pingchun abruptly stood and strode toward him.
Yang Heying instinctively rose and stepped back. "What are you doing?!"
Cai Pingchun said gravely, "I’ve dabbled a bit in the Demonic Cult’s Heart-Piercing Severing Hand. I’ve always wondered if I’ve practiced it correctly. Today, I’d like Sect Leader Yang to enlighten me."Yang Heying bellowed, "Cai Pingchun, have you lost your mind? If you want a fight, bring it on! I’m not afraid of you!"
"Sect Leader Yang, since you’ve made such bold claims, surely you won’t even whimper under my Heart-Piercing Crushing Palm. In that case, let’s begin." Cai Pingchun raised his hand, ready to strike.
"Stop this at once!" Qi Yunke roared, his voice reverberating through the hall, causing the vessels to hum.
He lowered his voice in exasperation. "What time is this for petty quarrels? Brother Yuanjing’s body is still lying here. As elders, do you want the younger generation outside to witness such disgrace?"
Li Yuanmin clasped his hands, tears in his eyes. "Thank you, Sect Leader Qi, for remembering my poor senior brother. I am powerless, but I beg Sect Leader Qi to uphold justice for our senior brother, punish the true culprit, and give all the disciples of Grand Beginning Temple outside an explanation!" As he spoke, he glared at Cai Zhao.
Cai Zhao glared back defiantly. "Master, don’t worry about Grand Beginning Temple’s bullying. I’ve done nothing wrong!"
"Enough!" Qi Yunke rubbed his temples in frustration.
"Yuanmin, don’t be hasty. Come, sit down first." Song Shijun gently supported Li Yuanmin. "I know you were practically raised by Brother Yuanjing. Over the years, he was both brother and father to you, and your bond is deep. But we’ve kept the other disciples out and maintained secrecy for Brother Yuanjing’s sake."
Li Yuanmin looked up dazedly. "What do you mean, Sect Leader Song?"
Song Shijun wore an inscrutable expression. "You heard Zhao Zhao’s words earlier. What if Brother Yuanjing really was saved..."
Li Yuanmin shot to his feet. "Such slander! All lies spat by that Demonic Cult fiend! Who would believe it?!"
Song Yuzhi suddenly spoke. "Vast Heaven Gate’s records mention that west of the Nether Bamboo Path, there is a ravine with towering stone pillars and an Eight-Clawed Bi’an stone carving. It was built a century ago during the chaos of Mu Song’s sudden death—a prison specifically for external enemies, separate from those captured during the Demonic Cult’s internal strife. If Head Wang truly entered that place back then, he might have encountered the imprisoned hero Wu Yuanying..."
"You’re spouting nonsense!" Li Yuanmin roared. "How dare you slander my senior brother! Everyone knows my senior brother was kind, gentle, and magnanimous his entire life! How could you—how could you..." He broke into sobs.
"Yuanmin, calm down, calm down." Song Shijun hurriedly soothed him. "Though Yuzhi speaks bluntly, he means well for Grand Beginning Temple. Records of the Demonic Cult’s Eight-Claw Sky Prison aren’t exclusive to Vast Heaven Gate—Evergreen Temple and Hanging Temple likely have them too. If we escalate this matter, even if others don’t say it aloud, they’ll secretly suspect Brother Yuanjing."
"Jade Pendant Mountain Manor also has records," Zhou Zhizhen interjected. "A century ago, the Demonic Cult’s leader Mu Song died suddenly in his prime, and his four sons fought for succession. The second son, Mu Yinong, emerged victorious and purged dissidents on a large scale. The Eight-Claw Sky Prison was his creation. If Guo Zigui spoke the truth and he was separated from Head Wang near that place... then it’s hard to say."
Li Yuanmin wept, his heart filled with grief and fury. "You... all of you... how could you...?"
Yang Heying, who had long been at odds with the Cai Family, cut in, "Could it be that the Demonic Cult fiend set this up? Fabricated a fake Guo Zigui and Shi Tieqiao, spun a tale of half-truths—first framing Head Wang, then inciting infighting among our six sects. After all, the Cai girl has never met Shi Tieqiao or Guo Zigui. It’d be easy to fool her."
Song Shijun paused. "This..." He thought it was indeed possible."What nonsense!" Ning Xiaofeng scolded. "This is clearly Guo Zigui's sword. Guo Zigui always carried a jade pendant with him—how could it be fake?" She pointed at the longsword and took out a shimmering jade pendant from the dowry box.
Yang Heying sneered, "Since Guo Zigui fell into the hands of the Demonic Cult, naturally his sword and jade pendant are with them too."
Ning Xiaofeng pulled out a suicide note from the jade pendant box. "Then is Guo Zigui's handwriting fake too? Let me tell you, the pressed flower at the end was a childhood game between us—who else would know about it?"
Yang Heying was instantly left speechless.
"Enough, stop arguing." Zhou Zhizhen slowly placed Guo Zigui's sword on the side table. "Let's sort this out properly."
His gentle and dignified demeanor carried an air of authority when he grew serious, and neither Song Shijun nor Yang Heying dared to interrupt further.
"Zhao Zhao, come sit here." Zhou Zhizhen rested a hand on the tea table and spoke softly to the girl. "Whether your marriage with Jade Kirin proceeds or not isn't the main issue. But Jade Kirin's behavior was improper and caused you distress. I've already sent him back to face punishment..."
"No, no." Cai Zhao cautiously perched on the edge of the seat. "Jade Kirin and I were never suited in the first place. It's fortunate he spoke up—if we'd actually married, that would've been real trouble. He and Xinrou are truly meant for each other."
"Let's not discuss that now." Zhou Zhizhen waved his hand. "Zhao Zhao, did you leave with Mu Qingyan because you felt wronged?"
Here it comes, Cai Zhao thought, her internal alarms ringing.
"No, no," she hurriedly replied. "He said he had news about Hero Shi, so I followed him. Really, it was all to find Hero Shi and uncover Lu Chengnan's secrets."
Zhou Zhizhen gave her a faintly reproachful look but said aloud, "I thought as much. Zhao Zhao prioritized the greater good to uncover the truth behind the Chang family massacre—that couldn't have been easy."
Cai Zhao lowered her head guiltily. She knew it was better for him to ask these questions than someone like Yang Heying.
"So you're saying Mu Qingyan guessed Wang Yuanjing might have met Wu Yuanying immediately after hearing Guo Zigui's words?" Zhou Zhizhen asked.
"...Not exactly." Cai Zhao hesitated. "Actually, during Old Ancestor Bei Chen's memorial ceremony, he already thought something was off—well, the way Hero Wu collapsed into Head Wang's arms wasn't right. When someone with weak limbs falls into another's embrace, which part of their body touches first?"
Everyone in the hall was taken aback.
"Indeed, it's wrong." Surprisingly, Song Shijun was the first to speak. "If someone falls forward into another's arms, their chest touches first; if backward, their back; if sideways, their shoulder."
—The Song sect master was a frequent visitor to pleasure houses and had countless delicate beauties collapsing into his arms in various poses. He knew this all too well.
"But at that time, Hero Wu's head plunged into Head Wang's arms first—anyone who's seen children fight knows this is an attacking motion." Cai Zhao spoke uncertainly. "Right? I was blocked by a pillar then and couldn't see clearly."
Most present had attended Old Ancestor Bei Chen's memorial and began recalling the scene.
Song Yuzhi, who had been closest, spoke first: "Yes, Hero Wu did lunge headfirst."
He concentrated, remembering. "Hero Wu was blind then. He heard Head Wang's voice, turned his head to locate the direction, then collapsed forward. He lifted his head, straightened his body, and opened his mouth. Then Head Wang embraced him tightly, and Hero Wu bit down hard on his sleeve, tears streaming down..."Following Song Yuzhi's cue, the crowd seemed to relive the events of that day in the Facing Sun Hall.
"Ah!" Yang Heying suddenly exclaimed, "Wu Yuanying wasn't trying to fall into Wang Yuanjing's arms, he was... he was..."
"He was trying to bite Wang Yuanjing's throat," Zhou Zhizhen said slowly.
Li Yuanmin collapsed onto his seat, his face filled with terror and confusion.
"Not just that," Cai Pingchun interjected. "Nephew Xingjia, tell everyone what Mu Qingyan forced Wang Yuanjing to confess that day."
Fan Xingjia stammered, "Head Wang said, 'I didn't mean to, I just had a momentary lapse of judgment.'"
Cai Pingchun scanned the room before finally fixing his gaze on Li Yuanmin. "Isn't this clear enough?"
"Clear what!" Li Yuanmin stood up, gnashing his teeth. "Are you convicting my sect leader based on just a few words from you people?"
Yang Heying, ever the troublemaker, chimed in, "Indeed, there are still many unanswered questions. Perhaps there are secrets we're unaware of. Or maybe the Cai girl fabricated this to escape accusations of colluding with the Demonic Cult, dragging our sect leader into her lies..."
Zhou Zhizhen frowned. "What nonsense are you spouting?"
"Old Yang, stop stirring trouble," Song Shijun said, pressing down on Yang Heying's shoulder.
Li Yuanmin laughed bitterly. "Fine, fine! So the Demonic Cult leader is the good guy uncovering the truth, while our sect leader is the villain? You're all just taking advantage of Grand Beginning Temple's current weakness!"
"Li Yuanmin, don't be ungrateful! You were in the Facing Sun Hall that day too. You saw Wu Yuanying's actions with your own eyes. Are you blind in both eyes and heart?" Li Wenxun, who had been quietly sitting in a corner, suddenly spoke up.
"Back then, after Kaiyang and Yaoguang died, their followers immediately went to ambush your uncle Cang Qiongzi. Though successful, they were severely weakened and withdrew from the Demonic Cult's affairs to raise the two elders' orphans. They had no means to deal with Wu Yuanying, who narrowly escaped death. Where else could Wu Yuanying be imprisoned if not the Eight-Claw Sky Prison?"
Li Wenxun's voice was sharp as steel. "Not to mention Xingjia's testimony—Wang Yuanjing confessed with his own mouth! Does Fan Xingjia have nothing better to do than falsely accuse a sect leader without reason? What benefit would that bring him or the Azure Tower Sect?"
Li Yuanmin stubbornly held his ground. "Even if my sect leader was at fault, he should have faced our sect's discipline, not... not died like this!"
Li Wenxun stood and said coldly, "Do you truly want the entire truth laid bare and announced to the world before disciplining him? As they say, don't air your dirty laundry in public. First Qiu Yuanfeng, now Wang Yuanjing—has Grand Beginning Temple not had enough scandals?"
Li Yuanmin faltered, unable to respond.
"Wang Yuanjing's death is for the best," Li Wenxun said with undisguised contempt. "Though the Big Dipper Six Sects operate independently, we still share the same roots. Wu Yuanying, for all his flamboyance, was righteous and never hesitated to stand up for justice. He cared deeply for his disciples. Wang Yuanjing committed such a vile, heartless act that even the gods would condemn. Even if he hadn't died today, I would have dealt with him myself!"
With that, he calmly sat back down. "Report his death as 'sudden illness.' Let's not give the Demonic Cult more reasons to mock us."
The Azure Tower Sect's iron-fisted enforcer's reputation silenced the hall.
Li Yuanmin staggered back into his seat, his face ashen.
"Let's set Wang Yuanjing aside for now," Li Wenxun said, lifting his gaze. "Let's discuss the mastermind behind this. If there are still scum among our six sects, we must root them out without fail."
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