Chu Wanning knew what was coming when he gazed at the golden willow vine around Miss Twenty's neck.
Before long, for some unknown reason, a lot of people headed toward the cave. Even those from the attack and healing groups. Shi Mei gasped and held both hands against his mouth. Hua Binan held him steady by the shoulders, worried that Shi Mei would faint from shock.
Xue Meng's eyes were initially locked at the corpse hanging by the entrance, and then he slowly moved his gaze toward Mo Ran and Chu Wanning. There was confusion in his eyes. Why was Tianwen even there if Chu Wanning wasn't invited to the Peach Blossoms Spring? And why would Chu Wanning kill Miss Twenty?
The feathered cultivators including Miss Eighteen arrived, and some of them started screaming in horror when faced with the tragic sight.
"Twenty!!!"
"Who did this! Who did this!!"
"Unforgivable, why would anyone do this to Twenty???"
Jiang Xi arrived soon after, followed by a bunch of Guyue'ye Sect disciples. He stared at the golden willow vine, and then at Chu Wanning. Coincidentally Chu Wanning was also looking at him.
Hua Binan, "How curious. This willow vine looks familiar. Doesn't it, Sect Leader?"
Jiang Xi gave him a side look but said nothing.
Miss Eighteen approached Hua Binan and started to question him, "Grandmaster Hua, we are not well acquainted with the cultivators from the mortal realm. Pray tell, do you know the person who uses this willow vine?"
Hua Binan rubbed his chin thoughtfully, "I have not seen him wielding the weapon personally, but I did hear that Chu-zongshi from Sisheng Peak had three spiritual weapons; one of which is golden willow vine.
In fact, all four of his disciples are here. Children, is that not so? Do you recognize your shizun's weapon?"
None of Chu Wanning's disciples said anything. And then his supposedly youngest disciple, Xia Sini stepped forward. Jiang Xi looked straight at him and shook his head almost imperceptibly, but Chu Wanning knew that he had no other choice.
If he stayed silent, his disciples would suffer in his stead. After the truth came out, Chu Wanning would not be able to escape suspicion. It was much better to admit his true identity and then clear his name while he was still in Peach Blossoms Spring.
"I am Chu Wanning," the little boy said solemnly while summoning Tianwen. A tiny golden willow vine appeared on his hand, looking very similar to the murder weapon.
"Tianwen is indeed one of my spiritual weapons."
Jiang Xi sighed in his heart.
There was a trace of a smile on Hua Binan's covered lips.
Shi Mei shook his head in disbelief.
Xue Meng's jaw dropped open in shock. He mouthed, "Shi... Shizun...?"
Mo Ran who stood behind Chu Wanning almost got a heart attack.
-Xia Sini is Chu Wanning???
-No wait, it cannot be...
-But that's Tianwen. That's Tianwen!!!
How many times did he get whipped with Tianwen? Could he get it wrong?
A load of memories flooded Mo Ran's brain in quick sequence.
Him hugging Xia Sini, throwing him over his shoulder, picking him up like a kitten, and carrying him under his armpit...
Xia Sini's intolerance against spicy foods but love for sweets...
He fell into the water with him in his arms!
They slept together for nights while going through the heavenly rift trial scenario!
And the things he told Xia Sini about Chu Wanning!
Adding to that the numerous offenses he had against Chu Wanning. Mo Ran's face turned blue when he recalled that he attempted to rape Chu Wanning the last time they met. He had ravaged those cold lips and bit into his neck. Chu Wanning's body trembled under Mo Ran when the latter sucked on a shy nipple. That was all he remembered before he was beaten half-dead with Tianwen.
Mo Ran went pale. He stared at Chu Wanning's small frame, afraid to say anything.
Chu Wanning was a little too busy to care about his disciples' reactions to the revelation. Or anyone else's.
A feathered cultivator hissed, "A child??? A CHILD??? Are you mocking us???"
Miss Eighteen's face darkened.
"Why do you hide your identity? Are you really a child?"
Chu Wanning closed his eyes and drew a deep breath.
"Due to unfortunate circumstances, I have been poisoned and the poison turned me back to a child."
Another feathered cultivator scoffed, "How convenient!"
This time, Jiang Xi stepped forward, "Chu-zongshi did not lie. He has been receiving treatment from me personally."
"Great. Wonderful. Then, Chu-zongshi, are you confessing to your crime?"
"No," Chu Wanning answered without blinking. "I did not commit this crime."
The feathered cultivators were in an uproar. They would love to sink their claws into Chu Wanning and tear him into shreds. Twenty was strangled using the golden willow vine in Chu Wanning's hand but the latter had the audacity to wash his hands off the crime. Only Miss Eighteen remained quiet and maintained her calm. Nevertheless, a keen observer could see the anger burning in her eyes.
"Then how do you explain the willow vine around Twenty's neck, Chu-zongshi?" Eighteen asked.
"I cannot. Because I did not do it," Chu Wanning repeated his claim.
"Liar!"
"Eighteen, are you going to believe what he said just like that? Twenty died!"
Eighteen's cheek muscles twitched uncontrollably.
"We will conduct a hearing for this incident," she slowly said. "Until then, Chu-zongshi, excuse us for keeping you in detainment."
"No problem," Chu Wanning agreed.
Shi Mei and Xue Meng quickly cried out, "Shizun!"
Chu Wanning shot them a glare and caused them to shut up right away.
Eighteen stared at Mo Ran.
"The disciple who is with you must also be detained as an accomplice."
"No," Chu Wanning quickly disagreed.
It was clear that whoever did this had changed his target. It was no longer Mo Ran's life that he wanted. Now it was Chu Wanning's. And it had just started. Mo Ran must not be implicated.
"He has to," Eighteen insisted.
"Separately, then," Chu Wanning insisted.
Miss Twenty's murder was being pinned on him. In separate detainment, there should be no doubt about Mo Ran's innocence.
With his back facing Mo Ran, Chu Wanning did not see hurt flashing in Mo Ran's eyes. The latter clenched his hands into fists and said nothing.
"Fine. Your Sect Leader will be invited for the hearing."
Chu Wanning, "Alright."
Despite Shi Mei's and Xue Meng's cries, Chu Wanning and Mo Ran were detained in separate places. Although he was the main suspect, Chu Wanning was still a cultivator with the title zongshi. The feathered tribe people had to treat him with courtesy, whether they liked it or not.
Chu Wanning refused any visit other than Xue Zhengyong's, for fear that others would be accused of being his accomplices. He sustained some injuries from the cave trial, so while waiting for the hearing day to come, he meditated day and night to recover his spiritual power.
Xue Zhengyong did not waste much time. As soon as he received a letter from a feathered tribe's envoy, he left Sisheng Peak with the said envoy. He arrived two days later and demanded to see Chu Wanning right away. When he finally met with Chu Wanning face-to-face, he could not help but sigh. Chu Wanning looked frail and pitiful in his small body. His tiny face was bloodless and his lips were pale.
"Oh, Yuheng..."
Chu Wanning never liked to be pitied. He held his head up and sat up straight when Xue Zhengyong entered his prison.
"Sorry for the inconveniences, Sect Leader."
"I heard about the situation. Let's talk about this ridiculous hearing. Yuheng, do you know anything about the real perpetrator?"
Chu Wanning shook his head, "I feel that this is the same person who destroyed Jincheng Lake."
Xue Zhengyong sucked in a deep breath. The matter about Jincheng Lake destruction caused a big uproar during the last sect leader meeting. A lot of cultivators greatly bemoaned the fact that no one would be able to get spiritual weapons from the beasts of the lake ever again.
"Yuheng, do you think that Peach Blossoms Spring has been affected similarly?"
Chu Wanning had not gone into details about the use of the Zhenlong Chess Formation at Jincheng Lake. He merely said that all the lake inhabitants had been killed and their corpses controlled by a wicked person in hiding.
"I don't know for sure. There are too many cultivators here that may fall victim if I act rashly."
Chu Wanning only had his three disciples at Jincheng Lake, and they had not left unscathed. He himself had yet to heal from the Zhaixin Liu's poisoning. There was no guarantee that lives would not be lost if the perpetrator went all out.
"Sect Leader, I only have one request. Please get all the cultivators to leave as soon as possible. I will be fine here."
Xue Zhengyong was taken aback.
"Yuheng, if everyone is here, we can assist you."
"No," Chu Wanning shook his head.
"Their goal is to frame me. Today it is someone from the feathered tribe. The next one might be one of the cultivators. As soon as everyone leaves, I will be able to move freely."
Xue Zhengyong agreed with a heavy heart. Using the excuse of handling the matter with Miss Twenty's murder in the best way, he suggested to send the other cultivators away from Peach Blossoms Spring. Should the feathered tribe be open to extend another invitation for training in the future, the cultivators would be happy to come back. This idea was accepted by the Elder Immortal of the feathered tribe graciously. Thus most cultivators were sent away save for a few who refused to leave.
Xue Zhengyong shared the grim news with Chu Wanning a day before his hearing.
"Who decide to remain?" Chu Wanning asked.
"Well, we have Jiang Xi," Xue Zhengyong listed out, furrowing his brows when Jiang Xi's name slipped out of his mouth.
"Then Hua Binan, and then, uh, Mo Ran."
Chu Wanning narrowed his eyes at Xue Zhengyong.
"Tell Mo Ran to leave else he no longer needs to call me shizun."
Xue Zhengyong helplessly replied, "He said if he did not stay, he would not have enough face to remain your disciple."
"Wonderful, consider it done," Chu Wanning gritted his teeth.
If Taxian-Jun thought that Chu Wanning would let him do as he pleased, he was sorely mistaken.
Xue Zhengyong cleared his throat.
"Yuheng, Mo Ran is worried about you. This nephew of mine is not cultured. He is just trying his best to stand by you. What did he do to earn your wrath?"
"..."
Chu Wanning did not even know where to begin.
Even without listing Taxian-Jun's offenses against him in his previous life, what Mo Ran did in this life was enough to get him kicked out of Sisheng Peak. Then again Chu Wanning's face skin was too thin. He would rather die than tell Xue Zhengyong that his nephew had molested him on a few occasions.
The hearing started the next morning. Chu Wanning was released from his prison and delivered to a hall full of people who were there to judge him.