Chapter 65: Du Xian Sect 23 Part 3

Lu Yun Ting’s sword-gripping hand tightened momentarily, but he didn’t move.

“What, you don’t dare?”

“What’s there to fear!” Lu Yun Ting turned around, his dark eyes staring straight at Xun Ji. “Shizun, I believe you. As long as you say it wasn’t you, this disciple will kill all those who slander you.”

So what if there was video evidence? This time, the protagonist was on his side!

Xun Ji straightened his back and denied it with wide eyes: “It was me who did it.”

Huh? What was he saying?

Lu Yun Ting’s gaze darkened. “What nonsense is Shizun spouting?”

Wrong, wrong! Start over!

Xun Ji hurriedly spoke: “It was me who killed Wei Yuan. It was me who cultivated the Merit Dao through despicable means. Everything was my doing.”

[Host! Something’s wrong with your body!] The System issued an alert. [You’ve been drugged! You can only tell the truth!]

Xun Ji whipped his head toward Wei Luoheng, who gazed back with a half-smile and mimed drinking.

It was the Qiong Lin Brew.

Damn it. He had been played by Wei Luoheng!

“Well? Does Yunting Lord still believe in this Shizun of yours now?” Wei Luoheng sneered mockingly. “Everything you’ve seen is just his mask for personal gain!”

“Enough!” Lu Yun Ting didn’t look at him but stared intently at Xun Ji. “Why did Shizun admit to it? Were these things truly done by Shizun?”

“You still don’t believe?” Wei Luoheng sneered coldly. “You’re so loyal to him, but do you know how he truly feels about you?”

He turned to Xun Ji, enunciating each word: “Jiyang Zhenren, what do you think of your disciple, Lu Yun Ting?”

Xun Ji’s lips parted slightly, and words uncontrollably emerged from his throat:

“I loathe him utterly.”

Lu Yun Ting’s expression blanked for a moment, as if he hadn’t comprehended what Xun Ji had said. His pupils, like ink-soaked glass beads, instantly lost all luster.

But this was Jiyang Zhenren’s thought, not Xun Ji’s. Xun Ji hurriedly looked toward Lu Yun Ting, wanting to wave him off, but a surge of force suddenly assailed him.

A flash of light gleamed from Yulan Zhenren’s fingertip. A pitch-black chain shot out like black lightning, slamming Xun Ji heavily to the ground and instantly binding his entire body.

Lu Yun Ting hadn’t even had time to react to this strike. He could only watch wide-eyed as Xun Ji spat out a mouthful of blood, his face turning ashen in an instant.

His fingers twitched, instinctively moving to help, but a stern rebuke poured into his ears.

“Lu Yun Ting, hear this order! Jiyang Zhenren has deceived Heaven’s Dao, killed the innocent without cause—his crimes are heinous. Escort him to Du Xian Sect’s dungeon. In one month, execute him with the sect’s supreme punishment!”

Yulan Zhenren’s voice, unlike his usual mildness, rang out solemnly and majestically across Mountain Gate Plaza.

“Why wait a month? What if he escapes in the meantime?” Wei Qianqian frowned. “Is Du Xian Sect openly showing favoritism?”

“He is bound by Du Xian Sect’s treasure, the Coiling Dragon Lock—even Soul Transformation Stage cannot break free.” Yulan Zhenren said sternly. “Du Xian Sect will investigate this matter thoroughly from beginning to end, without bias. In one month, we will give Tian Yan Sect and the Cultivation World a proper accounting!”

Wei Luoheng stepped forward. “The facts are clear. This thief has confessed publicly. What more investigation is needed? If Du Xian Sect truly shows no favoritism, kill Jiyang right here!”

“Lord Luo Heng, don’t be hasty,” Perfected Guan Yu stepped out to mediate. “Jiyang Zhenren is after all a Du Xian Sect Elder. This matter is of great importance. It’s reasonable for Du Xian Sect to investigate further. Don’t you want to know why he killed your father?”

The other Sect Leaders of the Nine Great Sects seemed to fully endorse Perfected Guan Yu’s suggestion. They had only watched the drama earlier, but now they all stepped forward in agreement.

“Moreover, Fairy Wei has taken first place at the Immortal Alliance Conference and will enter Passing Immortal Bridge for a month of cultivation either way.” Perfected Guan Yu persuaded. “Why not give Du Xian Sect some time, so that when the matter concludes, it will be proper and justified.”

The previously agitated crowd gradually calmed under the Sect Leaders’ soothing. Wei Luoheng’s eyes darkened. These people seemed particularly insistent on this one-month period, unwilling to let any incidents arise during it.

But this was different from the dream.

Clearly, Lu Yun Ting should have killed Jiyang Zhenren.

His gaze shifted to Lu Yun Ting, his hand hidden in his sleeve as he discreetly tore a talisman paper to shreds.

Yulan Zhenren was delivering his final courtesies to end the chaos. Xun Ji was helped up by Lu Yun Ting, who had an ashen face and said nothing, seemingly intending to just throw him into the dungeon like this.

Fine. He could explain once the drug wore off. Xun Ji sighed helplessly. This Immortal Alliance Conference had been full of surprises. He still hadn’t figured out Wei Luoheng’s background, then entered the painting and learned Lu Yun Ting and Lu Zhou were the same person, and now he had nearly been killed by the plot.

The bad news was that he hadn’t escaped the plot and his secrets had been exposed. The good news was that his life was preserved for now, with a month to figure out how to survive.

He relaxed his body, leaning entirely on Lu Yun Ting.

After all this tossing about, he was indeed a bit tired. He hoped the dungeon conditions were decent—at least with a bed.

His mind wandered idly with such thoughts when Lu Yun Ting’s body suddenly stiffened, freezing in place.

“What’s wrong?” Xun Ji asked with his eyes closed, too lazy to open them. “Just right, I don’t want to walk. You can fly us on your sword…”

The faint sound of a sword blade piercing cloth rang beside his ear. He didn’t finish his words.

Xun Ji’s eyelashes trembled. He opened his eyes in some bewilderment.

His chest felt cold, like flesh pressed against an ice block—cold enough to make him shiver involuntarily.

He looked down. A sword protruded from his chest.

The blade was very familiar, ice-blue with frost patterns. The one gripping it was also familiar, those deep black pupils devoid of any emotion.

“Lu Yun Ting…”