Chapter Forty-Three: The Human Heart Is Unfathomable

Li Zehai grabbed with his left hand, threw Chen Xuan behind him, his face sinking slightly, and said, "Brother Cui, I understand your feelings, but acting like this without proof is truly disheartening. The existence of the Righteous Alliance is to eradicate the Five Poisons Cult; I ask Brother Cui to think twice!"

"You..."

Cui Xiongren's face was filled with fury as he said, "He must have colluded with the Five Poisons Cult! Otherwise, how could Tianhe be dead while he survived? There is definitely something strange about him!"

Li Zehai said in a deep voice, "I only believe in evidence. How would other martial artists view us if we resort to torture?"

"Fine, I will give you this face today, but if I discover the slightest thing wrong with him, I hope Brother Cui will not make things difficult for me then!"

Cui Xiongren said through gritted teeth.

Whoosh!

He abruptly retracted his palm energy, swept a cold glance over Chen Xuan, and walked aside with his hands behind his back.

"Many thanks, Elder Li!"

Chen Xuan stood up and cupped his fists.

"Hero Jian, are you certain you bumped into members of the Five Poisons Cult operating near Hulaokou?"

Li Zehai asked.

"Yes, one hundred percent certain!"

Chen Xuan replied.

Li Zehai nodded gently. "Very well, you may withdraw first. We will discuss further on how to proceed."

"Understood, Elder Li. There is one more matter that I hope Elder Li will arbitrate!"

Chen Xuan said.

"What matter?"

Li Zehai asked.

Chen Xuan immediately looked toward Zhou Qing.

Zhou Qing wore a look of intense emotion, dropped directly to his knees, and said, "I beg Elder Li to make a judgment! My two sworn sisters were abducted by Elder Fang's son, Fang Yu. When my second brother tried to demand justice, he was beaten by Fang Yu's hirelings and remains in a coma to this day. When I went to discuss the matter, they actually accused me of being a spy for the Five Poisons Cult and nearly killed me. I tried several times to request an audience with the elders, but was blocked by people from the Dragon Soaring Martial Arts Hall. I implore Elder Li for justice!"

He kowtowed repeatedly.

"Such a thing happened?"

Li Zehai frowned and glanced at Fang Xuanwen.

Fang Xuanwen had originally been watching the spectacle with a smiling expression, but his face suddenly froze. His eyelids twitched wildly, and he forced a smile, saying, "Surely not? How come this old man has never heard of my son having such capability? Little brother, could you be mistaken?"

"This junior is definitely not mistaken. I saw it with my own eyes, and my second brother is still bedridden!"

Zhou Qing said passionately.

Fang Xuanwen said with a chuckle, "Is that so? My son has always been eager to uphold righteousness and possesses a passionate heart. He has long enjoyed a chivalrous reputation when walking the martial world. To think he would actually do such a thing—rest assured, I will secure justice for you and call him over right now to question him."

He called out to a martial artist outside and instructed him to summon Fang Yu.

The martial artist glanced at Zhou Qing and immediately withdrew.

Chen Xuan, standing to the side, frowned slightly and swept a glance at Fang Xuanwen.

This old bastard was no good either.

His gaze had clearly been suspicious just a moment ago.

Could it really be as novels described: the more one feigned being a gentleman, the darker their heart?

Before long, the tent flap opened.

A handsome young man dressed in white robes and wearing a jade crown walked in. He bowed politely, cupped his fists, and said, "Greetings, Father; greetings, esteemed elders; greetings, esteemed seniors!"

Chen Xuan's eyes showed astonishment.

Quite polite, was he?

He looked at Zhou Qing and questioned him with his eyes.

"It's him! He was the one who previously stabbed my second brother with a sword, and he was the one who drove me away!"

Zhou Qing immediately pointed a grief-stricken and indignant finger at the handsome young man.

The handsome young man's expression turned to one of shock. "It's you! Why have you come back again?"

"You beast, what on earth have you done?"

Fang Xuanwen shouted in a deep voice.

" Replying to Father, I was previously sparring with this person's sworn second brother, only to discover that his second brother was using the inner arts of the Five Poisons Cult. That was why I struck with heavy force and injured him. I originally intended to capture him for severe interrogation, but this person suddenly barged in and insisted that I had drugged his third and fourth sisters. That is utterly absurd! Father has always taught this child to take chivalry as the foundation—how would this child dare to forget? Furthermore, I suspect this person is also a spy for the Five Poisons Cult!"

Fang Yu turned, cupped his fists, and said.

"Hmm? What you say is true? His sworn second brother was using the inner arts of the Five Poisons Cult?"

Fang Xuanwen barked.

"Yes, but the situation was critical at the time, and I pierced his sea of Qi with a sword. He remains unconscious to this day and cannot be interrogated."

Fang Yu said.

"You're lying! My second brother's inner energy is pure and mild, not Fifth Poison Cult inner arts at all! He saw you drug my third and fourth sisters with his own eyes—you are lying!"

Zhou Qing shouted in agitation.

Fang Yu frowned slightly, cupped his fists, and said, "Father, every word this child has spoken is true. If you do not believe me, you may have someone search my quarters!"

"Men, go search!"

Fang Xuanwen shouted deeply.

Two martial artists outside the tent acknowledged the order and left the premises.

Not long after, the two returned to report.

"Reporting to the Elder, everything is normal in Young Master Fang's room."

Fang Xuanwen's eyes immediately darkened. He looked at Zhou Qing and shouted, "Audacious Zhou Qing, sowing discord with malicious intent—what is your motive?"

"It's not like that! It's definitely not like that! My third and fourth sisters were clearly drugged by you, I am not stirring up trouble..."

Zhou Qing shouted anxiously.

Chen Xuan let out an inward sigh.

This Zhou Qing was still far too young.

Since the other party dared to do it, they certainly wouldn't leave behind any flaws.

"Brother Zhou, since you were in the wrong, just admit it. Don't continue to quibble."

Chen Xuan said.

"Hero Jian, I..."

Zhou Qing wore a grief-stricken expression, his eyes turning red as he looked at Chen Xuan.

"Just admit your mistake."

Chen Xuan said.

Tears streaming down his face, Zhou Qing understood Chen Xuan's implication and said through gritted teeth, "This subordinate knows his error. It was this subordinate who was mistaken, I shall take my leave."

He turned and strode away.

"Hold on!"

Fang Yu suddenly shouted, "You swore brotherhood with that Zhang Wuhuis, and since he is a spy for the Five Poisons Cult, I'm afraid your hands aren't entirely clean either?"

"I am of the Zhou clan of Yunzhou. Although my family is not large, we are an upright and reputable noble lineage!"

Zhou Qing turned back and shouted angrily.

"Hmph, the Five Poisons Cult has continuously infiltrated Yunzhou in recent years, and who knows how many families and sects have their informants? Even if you hail from the Zhou clan, your suspicion cannot be ruled out!"

Fang Yu said coldly.

"Since you don't trust me, then please have the elders inspect me!"

Zhou Qing shouted furiously.

Li Zehai looked at Zhou Qing, frowned slightly, then looked at Fang Yu, and said, "This old man will inspect you."

He walked toward Zhou Qing, placed a palm on his shoulder, and surged his pure internal energy inward. It instantly circulated through Zhou Qing's body for a full cycle before withdrawing.

"His internal energy is pure and harmonious; it does not belong to the Five Poisons Cult."

Li Zehai stated.

"Elder Li, spies of the Five Poisons Cult do not necessarily practice the Five Poisons internal arts. In my view, it is safest to expel him from the alliance!"

Fang Yu said.

Chen Xuan looked at Fang Yu once more.

So young, yet so vicious!

As expected, television dramas were right: the handsome ones were always scumbags!

Li Zehai pondered slightly, looked at Zhou Qing, and said, "Young Master Zhou, I can only ask you to leave the alliance temporarily."

A desolate smile appeared on Zhou Qing's face. "Fine, fine, I'll leave, I'll leave!"

He turned and bolted toward the outside.

Fang Yu looked up at his retreating figure with a cold sneer.

"Estiamted elders, if there are no other matters, this junior will also withdraw."

Chen Xuan cupped his fists.

Li Zehai nodded gently.

Chen Xuan turned and walked out of the tent.

Zhou Qing ran frantically all the way, tears streaming uncontrollably from his eyes.

Chen Xuan silently followed behind him the entire way.

It wasn't until they had completely left the base and traveled another seven or eight miles that Chen Xuan suddenly frowned: would continuing to run lead to them being silenced?

It seemed they had already moved completely away from the encampment!

He wanted to open his mouth to remind him, but saw Zhou Qing dash into a dense forest, embrace a large tree by the lake, and wail bitterly while frantically beating the trunk.

At this moment, he cried more miserably than any woman, consumed by a deep, utter despair.

Chen Xuan sighed inwardly, not knowing how to offer comfort.

Yet through this incident, he gained an even clearer understanding of the perils of the martial world.

No wonder Kind-Hearted Liu had warned him not to be soft-hearted; no wonder that man had transitioned from the righteous path to the Jianghu underworld.

Damn it, some righteous folks were even darker than the underworld!

Who could define righteousness and evil in a single sentence?

Suddenly, Chen Xuan's eyes flashed as he spotted something unusual in the lake ahead.

He quickly walked over, channeled internal energy into his eyes, and gazed into the distance.

Within the lake, several white dresses drifted in the water, and something resembling an arm could faintly be seen.

His eyelids twitched.

Surely not?

Chen Xuan quickly leaped into the lake and soon hauled two corpses ashore. Heavy stones were bound to their chests; their complexions were ashen white, their bodies icy cold. One wore a white dress, the other a green dress, and their necks were twisted sharply to one side.

They were none other than Jiang Haiying and Zhao Xiaoyu!

Chen Xuan tossed the corpses onto the bank.

Zhou Qing noticed this scene as well and sprinted over rapidly. Upon seeing the two bodies, he wept even more bitterly, dropping to his knees to pound the earth frantically and bash his head against the ground.

"Third Sister... Fourth Sister..."

Chen Xuan circulated his internal energy to steam-dry his clothes, feeling a wave of shock inside.

Such vicious methods!

After playing with them, he silenced them directly!

This fellow Fang Yu was truly ruthless.

Damn it, the next time he met him, he had better crush him with the "Clan-Extinction Hand"!

Chen Xuan had previously shunned the Clan-Extinction Hand, but for dealing with scum like this, it was undoubtedly the best method.

"Brother Zhou, grieve and accept your fate. At least let them find peace in the earth."

Chen Xuan said.

Zhou Qing's eyes were bloodshot, filled with both sorrow and hatred as he clenched his fists tightly.

"Revenge, I want revenge!"

He said through gritted teeth.

"Brother Zhou, with your current strength, you are far from ready. Staying alive is the most important thing!"

Chen Xuan said.

"Stay alive? I'm afraid he won't be able to live."

Suddenly, an eerie voice rang out.

Chen Xuan whipped his head around to see an old man in gray robes stepping out from behind a large tree behind them. The old man held one hand behind his back, his eyes icy as he stared at Zhou Qing and Chen Xuan.

"You... I recognize you! You're Fang Yu's steward!"

Zhou Qing's face flushed with anger as he pointed at the old man.

"So what if you know? Dead men don't talk."

The gray-robed old man spoke in an icy tone, stepping forward step by step.

Chen Xuan took a light breath.

Silenced?

He had guessed right once again!