Novel Full Chapter 113: Framing?
The killer practiced the Purple Mansion Kongshan Art.
Chen Yan’s breath stalled for a brief moment, and his body tensed for an instant.
“How is it, Chen Yan, any leads?”
Elder Zhong Yin beside him asked.
“……”
Chen Yan said nothing, only shook his head.
“In that case, the killer would be narrowed down to a disciple from our Kongyuan Mountain.”
Yue Chi said.
There were only a dozen or so people from Kongyuan Mountain who had come to Heavenly Summit Mountain to attend the Dao Inquiry Assembly of Chenping Continent this time.
Among them were even Zhong Yin, Yue Chi, Lin Qifeng, and Liu Yantang.
But…
“No, this evidence is still insufficient to pin the killer on a Kongyuan Mountain disciple.”
Chen Yan said in a deep voice.
“Hm?”
Wen Hongli looked puzzled and asked Chen Yan:
“Why?”
“The Purple Mansion Kongshan Art has never been a secret within the sect.”
Chen Yan replied:
“Although it is currently only being piloted in the Scripture Hall of Kongyuan Mountain, any inner sect disciple who bothers to put in some effort could obtain a copied manual of the Purple Mansion Kongshan Art.”
He paused for a moment:
“The deceased Qin Yue, Junior Sister Qin, had discussed topics related to the Purple Mansion Kongshan Art with me several times.”
“Good.”
Wen Hongli nodded, clearly convinced by Chen Yan’s explanation.
Chen Yan looked at the corpse of the outer sect disciple on the ground and furrowed his brow.
He couldn’t shake the feeling that something felt too deliberate.
Anyone able to unleash such force with Kongshan Finger must be at least in the Martial Spring Realm.
A Martial Spring Realm cultivator has a thousand ways to kill a Qi Circulation Realm cultivator.
Yet they deliberately chose to use the Purple Mansion Kongshan Art to trigger the Kongshan Finger.
As if they absolutely wanted to leave some clue.
Or rather, to confuse everyone.
“I can’t understand why someone would deliberately target a Qi Circulation Realm cultivator.”
Liu Yantang placed a hand over her chest and voiced this question.
“That’s not the main point.”
Lin Qifeng said:
“The key issue is in the killing method itself, that they used the Purple Mansion Kongshan Art.
“As Chen Yan said, whoever uses the Purple Mansion Kongshan Art isn’t necessarily a Kongyuan Mountain disciple, but given the current situation, from an outsider’s perspective, the prime suspects would still be our Kongyuan Mountain disciples.”
“Exactly.”
Yue Chi immediately added:
“Even if Chen Yan goes and explains it to everyone, in the current circumstances it would most likely be seen as a lame excuse. Kongyuan Mountain will inevitably become the target of everyone’s accusations.”
“Do the two senior brothers mean that the killer used the Purple Mansion Kongshan Art specifically to limit Kongyuan Mountain’s actions?”
Liu Yantang exclaimed as realization dawned.
“Of course, that’s only one possible explanation. Maybe the killer really is one of our Kongyuan Mountain disciples.”
Elder Yue Chi said.
“But if the killer is a Kongshan Sect disciple, who would it be?”
Zhong Yin countered, then continued:
“The selection of Kongyuan Mountain disciples who came to the Dao Inquiry Assembly was decided by Master and me. You’ve also seen them — those youth who came to see the world are only thirteen or fourteen years old, all at the Qi Circulation Realm. They did practice the Purple Mansion Kongshan Art in the Scripture Hall, but do you think those kids could have done this?”
The disciples sent by Kongyuan Mountain this time were quite young, because disciples aged fifteen to nineteen were practically useless.
The only truly capable person, Chen Yan, had been promoted from the outer court.
But there were still quite a few promising youngsters under fifteen.
So when Yun Yichen and Zhong Yin selected those to attend the Dao Inquiry Assembly to see the world, they mainly focused on disciples under fifteen.
“Then who else could the killer be?”
Zhong Yin continued, turning his gaze to Lin Qifeng:
“Is it you, Qifeng?”
Then he looked at Yue Chi:
“Or you, Yue Chi?”
After that, he glanced toward Chen Yan:
“Or is it Chen Yan?”
Zhong Yin’s muscles trembled with an intense sense of pressure, and he was clearly angry.
He had chosen the candidates, so if something went wrong, he would naturally bear some of the responsibility.
“Big Senior Brother, calm down.”
Lin Qifeng said:
“The pressing matter is whether to suppress the news or make it public.”
“Of course make it public.”
Zhong Yin said:
“If the killer truly intends to frame Kongyuan Mountain, we won’t be able to suppress the news.”
Indeed, even if the people of Kongyuan Mountain wanted to hide the death of this disciple, or the fact it involved the Purple Mansion Kongshan Art, the truth would inevitably be discovered.
“But doesn’t that mean whoever exposes the truth would also naturally be somewhat suspicious?”
Liu Yantang said.
“What if the person who exposes the truth is also being used by the real killer?”
Yue Chi shook his head in denial.
Chen Yan suddenly remembered a tabletop game he had played in his past life called Werewolf.
It was somewhat amusing that the predicament on Heavenly Summit Mountain now was extremely similar to the game of Werewolf.
Lin Qifeng cast a questioning look at Chen Yan; his gaze seemed to be asking for his opinion.
Chen Yan noticed Lin Qifeng’s inquiring look.
Then he shook his head.
“All right, Junior Sister Liu.”
Lin Qifeng said:
“You take Yan’er to the Daoyan Arena. He still has a match on the platform later. Leave this matter to us.”
Liu Yantang hesitated for a moment, then nodded.
“Let’s go, Junior Nephew Chen.”
Liu Yantang hooked a finger toward Chen Yan, then put her hands behind her back, acting casual as she walked toward the courtyard exit.
“Then I’ll take my leave, Elder Wen, Master, two martial uncles.”
Chen Yan bowed, then followed Liu Yantang out.
…
Liu Yantang walked ahead; she wore a pear-yellow gauze dress. With each step, she lightly tapped the pointed tip of her foot on the green stone slab, her gait spirited and nimble.
“Junior Nephew Chen.”
Her light, melodious voice called to Chen Yan.
“I’m here.”
Chen Yan answered.
“How does it feel to be the Chief Disciple?”
Liu Yantang asked.
“Not bad.”
Chen Yan answered carefully; he wasn’t sure what answer Liu Yantang wanted to hear.
“It truly is easier for you and me to become the Chief Disciple of Kongyuan Mountain than it would be for the Chief Disciple of other peaks.”
Liu Yantang said.
“What do you mean, Shi Shu?”
Chen Yan asked.
“Because both of us are the sect leader’s direct-line disciples, we don’t have to worry about being schemed against.”
Liu Yantang said.
Kongyuan Mountain had the sect leader on-site.
So the peak elders all behaved themselves and didn’t harbor many ulterior motives.
After all, no matter what happened, the sect leader’s word carried the final authority.
But power struggles on other peaks were an entirely different matter.