The people gathered at the edge of the forest, their voices growing louder with worry.
Unease hung in the air as they exchanged anxious glances, remembering Dong Huiqing's accusations .
"Fang Xuan did this!" one woman shouted, her voice shaking with anger. "He's the one who killed my husband!"
Another chimed in, "He's always been different. He must have killed them after he murdered his mother!"
The crowd murmured in agreement, their eyes darting toward the wooden house.
It was a small, simple home, but now it felt like a place hiding terrible secrets.
Family members stumbled upon the dead bodies of their love ones.
A woman collapsed to her knees, clutching her son's lifeless hand.
"Why? Why did this happen?" she sobbed
Some rushed to comfort her, while others were too consumed by anger.
"We need to find that bastard, Fang Xuan!" someone yelled.
"He's the one responsible!"
"Where is that monster !" the woman asked, her voice shaking. "Where's Fang Xuan!"
"Search the house!" one man suggested urgently. "He must be hiding!"
"No need for that. I heard that Elder Cui Fang and Senior Tao Bai are already on his trail. I'm sure those two will catch him for us," someone in the crowd reassured.
They exchanged uncertain glances, their hatred momentarily eased by the mention of the powerful cultivators
"Let's trust them. They won't let that scum get away."
More people arrived, drawn by the commotion.
They joined the gathering, eager to learn what had happened.
With each new arrival, the story grew more twisted, fueled by fear and imagination.
"Did you hear? Fang Xuan went mad after he was confronted about killing his own mother!"
Another chimed in, adding to the tale. "I heard he practices dark arts! They say it has completely consumed his mind and he ate Liu Ming ."
Rumors spread like wildfire, each person embellishing the story.
"Stop these nonsense!" a voice cut through the air.
The crowd turned to see a beautiful girl walking toward them.
It was Ma Lifen, with her family members beside her.
She looked calm as she approached, ready to speak her mind.
"We aren't sure what really happened. Let's wait for Elder Cui Fang to come back,"
They exchanged glances, but none dared to challenge her words.
She was someone destined to become powerful and influential, her age did not matter at all.
'Fang Xuan… Did you really do this?' she muttered to herself, her gaze fixed on the mangled bodies scattered on the ground.