Not only Hai Bodong, but even Nalan Yanran was dumbfounded upon hearing this. Knowing the ins and outs of the matter concerning Mo Cheng, both of them couldn't help but wonder if Yun Leng's brain had been rattled by the recent shockwaves!
To cause trouble for Xiao Yan over a mere External Deacon of the Misty Cloud Sect who had already withdrawn from the sect and was merely at the Dou Spirit realm??
And for a dead person at that?!
Yun Leng's relationship with Mo Cheng even made people suspect whether they were father and son!
'Mo Cheng? The Mo Cheng of the Mo Clan in Yan City who was killed a few months ago?' Jia Xing Tian pondered, recalling that there had indeed been such a report a few months back.
At that time, a Dou Emperor from the Sky Serpent Mansion appeared and engaged in a great battle with Hai Bodong, which even drew out the Eight-Winged Black Serpent Emperor. Consequently, both Dou Emperors Jia Xing Tian and Yun Yun were drawn to Yan City.
Back then, Jia Xing Tian and Yun Yun had heard that Mo Cheng was killed but hadn't thoroughly investigated who was responsible. After all, such a trivial matter wasn't something they would concern themselves with.
Only now did they learn that it was Xiao Yan who did it.
Hai Bodong furrowed his brows tightly as he looked at First Elder Yun Leng in the arena. He muttered to himself, "Something's not right. If it were just for the reputation of the Misty Cloud Sect, Yun Leng wouldn't unreasonably cause trouble for a 5th-tier alchemist. No matter how you look at it, it's not worth it!"
"Moreover, Xiao Yan doesn't have a life-and-death feud with the Misty Cloud Sect. This absolutely doesn't align with the interests of Yun Leng or the Misty Cloud Sect!"
Not only Hai Bodong, but even Fa Ma and others sensed that something was off. This was entirely unreasonable.
Let's not even mention that Xiao Yan's displayed talent was terrifyingly high; just his identity as the champion of the Alchemist Grand Meeting and an Honorary Elder of the Alchemist Association should have been enough to deter Yun Leng from deliberately provoking him!
If you're not going to curry favor, so be it, but to offend him on top of that?
Very strange indeed!
"Mr. Xiao Yan, you wouldn't have forgotten that our Misty Cloud Sect's Deacon Ge Ye was present at the scene back then, right?" Yun Leng glanced at Ge Ye beside him and gave a signal.
Ge Ye stepped forward and pointed at Xiao Yan as he said, "At Mo Cheng's birthday banquet, Xiao Yan disregarded our attempts to stop him and killed Mo Cheng! Not only did he damage the Misty Cloud Sect's reputation, but he also defied the law!"
Xiao Yan reclined in his palanquin chair and glanced at Ge Ye. After pondering for a good while, he said, "Oh, you're talking about that old thing who made himself neither human nor beast? Now that you mention it, he did seem to say something before he died, like the Misty Cloud Sect's First Elder wouldn't let me off."
"But I don't remember such trivial matters very clearly. So, old sir, are you that First Elder of the Misty Cloud Sect?"
Yun Leng had originally planned that if Xiao Yan didn't admit it, he would bring in members of the Mo Clan to detain him. But he didn't expect Xiao Yan to confess directly!
Are you not even going to make excuses??
The atmosphere in the vast square seemed to freeze at this moment. The expressions on everyone's faces stiffened, and one by one, dazed gazes stared blankly at the grim-faced Yun Leng.
What surprised everyone was not that Xiao Yan was able to kill Mo Cheng. Given the strength Xiao Yan had just displayed, killing Mo Cheng would have been too easy. What surprised them was his candidness!
Nalan Yanran stepped forward, then turned to Yun Leng and the others as she said, "First Elder, Yanran was indeed inferior in skill in today's duel. I accept my defeat wholeheartedly."
"Yanran, this matter isn't about the duel. Please step aside for now." Yun Leng waved his hand, his expression unexpectedly stern.
Just as Nalan Yanran was about to say something more, Xiao Yan's voice came from behind her: "Miss Nalan, I appreciate your good intentions, but the duel between us has concluded."
Nalan Yanran turned her head to look at Xiao Yan, who was sitting calmly on the palanquin behind her. She was momentarily stunned. After furrowing her elegant brows and hesitating slightly, she could only nod and slowly retreat to her Master's side.
Yun Yun was also puzzled. How could Xiao Yan be so calm? Didn't he know that if the charges were established, he would be facing the entire Misty Cloud Sect?!
The atmosphere in the arena left everyone at a loss for a moment. On one side, First Elder Yun Leng was acting like a fool, insisting on offending a 5th-tier alchemist, and seemed reckless and unheeding.
It was even stranger on the other side. Facing the questioning of the entire Misty Cloud Sect, Xiao Yan remained as calm as if his parents were asking whether he'd be home for dinner tonight. It was as if the one questioning him wasn't the Misty Cloud Sect's First Elder but a beggar on the roadside.
"Since Mr. Xiao Yan has already admitted it, then please stay at our Misty Cloud Sect for a while," Yun Leng snorted coldly, waving his sleeve to signal the disciples of the Misty Cloud Sect to surround Xiao Yan's palanquin.
Xiao Yan let out a bored yawn and said in a lazy manner, "First Elder, oh First Elder, you're so impatient that you don't even bother to ask me why I killed Mo Cheng for no apparent reason. Aren't you being a bit too hasty?"
Some of the older generation present couldn't help but chuckle inwardly. Anyone could see that Yun Leng was simply grasping at straws to find an excuse to detain Xiao Yan. But with Xiao Yan pointing it out like this, Yun Leng's old face couldn't hold up.
"That external Mo dog of yours abducted one of my people and wanted to gouge out her eyes. It was reasonable for me to kill him. I haven't even demanded an explanation from your Misty Cloud Sect, yet you're turning the tables on me?" Xiao Yan laughed coldly. He didn't believe that Yun Leng was unaware of the reasons behind this. There were so many witnesses at the time, and Ge Ye had witnessed the whole thing.
"First Elder, I, Nalan Yanran, can testify that what Xiao Yan says is true."
Yun Leng glanced coldly at Nalan Yanran, "Yanran, you are the Little Sect Leader. You mustn't speak nonsense."
"It's precisely because I am the Little Sect Leader that I cannot make false claims," Nalan Yanran said with a serious look in her eyes.
Yun Leng signaled Ge Ye with his eyes. The latter stepped forward stiffly and said, "Yanran, at that time, it was all based on Xiao Yan's one-sided account. The woman he spoke of never appeared from beginning to end, so there's no proof that what he said is true."
Nalan Yanran furrowed her brows deeply. Ge Ye was supposed to be on her side. One had to know that Ge Ye had been following her for a long time and had gained many benefits from it. She never imagined that he would turn against her now!
Xiao Yan waved his hand from the palanquin, "All right, all right, stop arguing. Even if what Yun Leng and Ge Ye say is true, so what? I killed Mo Cheng, I destroyed the Mo Clan, so what?"
Yun Leng laughed confidently and said, "Then today, I, Yun Leng, must invite Mr. Xiao Yan to stay at our Misty Cloud Sect for a few days so we can thoroughly investigate this matter. Go and 'invite' Mr. Xiao Yan to be our guest at the Misty Cloud Sect."
In an instant, dozens of peak Dou Grandmaster core disciples of the Misty Cloud Sect slowly surrounded Xiao Yan.
"Not to mention these few Dou Grandmasters of yours can't do anything to me. I am a dignified 5th-tier alchemist. You think I'll stay just because you say so?" Xiao Yan didn't forget to showcase the alchemist robe he wore. The silvery tier 5 badge gleamed dazzlingly under the sunlight.
Upon hearing these words, Yun Leng actually revealed a hint of mockery and said, "The Alchemist Association isn't the most powerful either."
Many people's expressions changed as soon as these words came out. In contrast, Xiao Yan did not refute him, because from their earlier exchange, he had already confirmed that this Yun Leng was a colleague.
'It seems the Misty Cloud Sect has indeed been infiltrated by the Hall of Souls.'