"Upon hearing this, Master Su's forehead broke out in sweat. "Such an incident has happened within my household, I am truly ashamed. I will definitely seek the truth. This vile scene has indeed contaminated everyone's eyes, shall we move to the living room..."
"Master Su!" The Family Head interjected sharply after extending his divine sense, "The congealed blood in that bathtub, aside from the victim's, also belongs to six other individuals. Are you not going to investigate?"
As these words fell, everyone present widened their eyes in shock.
"My, this is serious. Is she bathing in the blood of living people?" someone exclaimed in surprise.
With these words, everyone's focus shifted to the possibility of the second stepmother bathing in the blood of living people, and no one cared about how she died.
At this moment, Master Su was sweating profusely. He turned around and shouted at the family servants, "Bring all the servants who were close to the second stepmother here!"
Master Su was very clear in his mind that if the second stepmother wanted to do something, she would definitely seek Su Qianqian, because the servants were all Master Su's own people.
He desperately hoped that a perceptive servant would voluntarily take the blame, but those who lacked such insight quickly betrayed Su Qianqian with a few words.
When Su Qianqian arrived, she still looked bewildered. Seeing the bathtub and the body covered with a white cloth on the ground, she instantly realized what was happening and thought her mother's deeds had been discovered.
She feigned ignorance as she approached, "Father, what are these things? They're so disgusting."
"Has your mother assigned you to do anything recently?"
Su Qianqian tilted her head in confusion, beginning to recount everything, "The day before yesterday she asked me to embroider, and the day before that... she told me to go shopping for rouge..."
"Alright, you may step back," Master Su interrupted her.
"Ladies and gentlemen, my daughter truly knows nothing of this matter. These things must have been done by that wicked woman alone. Now that she is dead, and in such a tragic manner, I will surely find the victims' families and compensate them handsomely."
Upon hearing this, Su Qianqian, who was kneeling on the ground, stiffened, "Father, who are you saying is dead?"
Master Su did not respond, merely gesturing with his gaze for her to step down quickly.
Yet Su Qianqian, as if she had not heard, got up and walked towards the body, lifting the white cloth. She was stunned for a few seconds, and upon realizing the corpse was indeed her stepmother, her whole body shuddered violently, collapsing to the ground.
"Father, Father, my mother is dead, why did she die, she shouldn't be dead..." she babbled incoherently, calling out to Master Su, looking utterly mad, without a trace of the demeanor of a noble lady.
Master Su's face darkened, and he ordered the servants to help Su Qianqian down.
But Su Qianqian crawled to Master Su's feet, hugging his legs tightly, "Father, who killed my mother? Was it Su Jinyi, right? It must be her! She always said my mother killed hers!"
"It was definitely her! That vile thing! You must avenge my mother by killing her!"
Master Su's brow twitched, and he hurriedly bowed to the others, "Ladies and gentlemen, pay her no mind, this girl must have been frightened silly by her mother's death."
As he spoke, he turned and barked at the servants again, "Take the second young mistress away now!"
"Hold on!" Shen Yanqing suddenly intervened, "The second stepmother's death is so bizarre, it looks as if she was killed by some evil magic."
Upon hearing this, Su Qianqian quickly looked up, "It must be Su Jinyi! Definitely her!"
At that moment, Master Su wished he could kick Su Qianqian to death, but with so many witnesses present, he restrained himself, "That wicked woman deserved to die for harming other lives; whoever killed her just carried out divine justice."
"But as everyone is aware, my eldest daughter has damaged spiritual roots since being in her mother's womb and is inherently timid, she truly could not have done such a thing."
As soon as these words came out, everyone recalled Su Jinyi's mother.
Immediately, someone came forth to mediate, "I have seen that child, she indeed couldn't possibly commit murder. This matter is better left to Master Su himself, let's all disperse."
The others agreed, and just as they were about to leave, Shen Yanqing spoke again, "Using evil magic to kill is a great taboo. It is too hasty for you to conclude that the murderer is not Su Jinyi based solely on a few words from Master Su!"
With the highest authority figure speaking out, the others had no choice but to stay.
Master Su's heart, which had just settled, was hanging in the balance again.
He turned to give a meaningful look to the servant, "Go, call the eldest mistress."
The servant finally understood Master Su's intention but was preparing to leave when that stern, cold voice interrupted once more, "Wait."
Shen Yanqing interrupted again, "I have already reported this matter to the Disciplinary Hall of Changli Mountain, they should be arriving shortly."
As soon as the words were spoken, surely enough, a group of cultivators dressed in black tight-fitting outfits burst into the Su Residence.
Su Family's old father's face turned pale in an instant, "Grandmaster, what is this?"
Shen Yanqing didn't speak but waved his hand to signal those people to search.
When the Disciplinary Hall stormed into the courtyard, Sangmo was still enjoying the cool shade under the tree.
The moment the courtyard door was kicked open, her teacup was startled from her grasp.
She recognized the attire of the Disciplinary Hall at a glance, and couldn't help thinking to herself: I hadn't expected Shen Yanqing to act so ruthlessly, he's set on putting me in a desperate situation.
"Changli Mountain's Disciplinary Hall is investigating a case!" The person in charge showed Sangmo the token and then directed his men to search inside the house.
Sangmo quickly expanded her divine consciousness, monitoring every corner of the courtyard.
Last night Shen Yanqing had taken away that little figure, and today he had sent the Disciplinary Hall to search her courtyard.
He must be planning to use the Teleportation Technique to transfer the little figure right before the searching team's eyes during the Disciplinary Hall's search.
That way, the accusation of Sangmo using evil sorcery to harm others would be established.
She would spend her lifetime locked in a prison, never to see the light of day again.
Before long, indeed a Teleportation Array appeared in the drawer of her dressing table.
Sangmo immediately executed a more powerful Teleportation Technique and snatched the little figure away.
The other party was clearly stunned for a few seconds.
The next moment, the drawer was suddenly opened, and both parties hastily retracted their Arrays.
With their search proving fruitless, the Disciplinary Hall had no choice but to bring Sangmo to the hall.
Sangmo spotted Shen Yanqing in the crowd at a glance, and he happened to be looking at Sangmo too.
When their gazes met, Sangmo provocatively raised her eyebrows at him.
She stepped forward and respectfully bowed to everyone present.
Su Family's old father said with a stern face, "Last night your second aunt died, are you aware of this?"
Sangmo feigned a terrified look, "How could my second aunt have died?!"
Su Family's old father was silent for a few seconds.
He turned and bowed to Shen Yanqing, "Grandmaster, please see clearly, my daughter truly has no knowledge of this."
Shen Yanqing's eyes were fixed on Sangmo, as if trying to bore a hole through her.
Feeling the gaze, Sangmo shrank her neck and hid behind Su Family's old father.
Su Family's old father extended his hand to shield Sangmo and his tone also carried a hint of thin anger, "Grandmaster?"
Shen Yanqing retracted his gaze.
"The corpse will first be under the Disciplinary Hall's supervision, Su Jinyi and Su Qianqian are requested to come to the Disciplinary Hall for questioning."
With such a major incident occurring in the Su Family, the guests did not stay long and took their leave one after another.
Sangmo, Su Qianqian, and Su Family's old father were all taken to Changli Mountain.
On the way up the mountain, the three were separately stuffed into three different carriages.
Sangmo was placed in the last one.
Bored, she leaned on the carriage and dozed off when suddenly she felt the carriage dip, as if someone had entered.
She hurriedly opened her eyes to find Shen Yanqing sitting opposite her, those sharp phoenix eyes staring intently at her.