Chapter 459 – Judgemen (1/2)

Liu Zhangqing considered it. Fu Qingjin had already demonstrated so much commitment to this, and he had taken such a great concession in the negotiations too. If they still refused to cooperate, it would be far too unreasonable of them.

He looked back and asked the people of the academy, “Do you have any objections?”

Everyone remained silent, only glancing at one another.

If someone objected at a time like this, they would probably garner actual suspicion. None of them could afford to become involved with the death of an elder of the Sword Collection palace.

“Fellow Fu, please go ahead. I believe no one in our academy will be connected to this, and if there really is someone, we definitely won’t side with them. We’ll definitely make them give the Sword Collection palace a proper explanation.”

“You have my admiration for how impartial you are, sir.” Fu Qingjin clasped his hands. He strolled over to the semicircular stand where everyone sat and scanned around. No matter who he saw, their hearts tensed up.

In the end, Fu Qingjin’s gaze landed on Li Qingshan’s face, and he smiled.

Li Qingshan’s heart tensed up too. This bastard buttered him up good, but never did he think he would be the one questioned first. If he really were questioned, he would give himself away regardless of whether he answered or not.

What was he supposed to do next? Admit he had found the sumeru ring? But that would be a lie, and it would be picked up by the xiezhi’s horn. Fu Qingjin would definitely get to the bottom of this.

Or perhaps he could directly kill his way out of here, but that would be even worse. If Fu Qingjin wanted to prevent him from leaving, he would unleash the Green Ruins Illusion. Unless he transformed, he was unable to break out at all, but if he did transform, there were almost a hundred Foundation Establishment cultivators here. They would not simply idle around.

Fu Qingjin had cast out an all-encompassing net. Once he reeled it in, Li Qingshan would be thrown into dire straits.

Various thoughts flickered through his head. Fortunately, Li Qingshan had already established some foundations with his ability to act, so he frowned slightly. “Don’t tell me you’re suspecting me, fellow Fu?”

“I’m not…” Before Fu Qingjin had even finished speaking, a roar of laughter erupted, as the xiezhi’s horn in his hand actually lit up.

“The xiezhi’s horn truly lives up to its reputation.” Li Qingshan smiled.

The xiezhi divine beast passed impartial judgement. It only knew right and wrong, regardless of who it was.

Fu Qingjin smiled bitterly and rubbed his nose. He said clearly, “I admire your courage and adaptability very much, so I really don’t hope it’s you. I want to question you last.”

The xiezhi’s horn did not respond, proving he was telling the truth.

Stop kidding around.

He had avoided it for now, but the danger was nowhere close to being over. It had just been temporarily delayed. Li Qingshan thought long and hard. Just how was he supposed to fool the xiezhi’s horn? The ox demon? The tiger demon? The spirit turtle? None of them seemed to work.

Fu Qingjin paced around a little more and arrived before the slovenly daoist priest, Zhou Tong. He bowed deeply. “Please answer me, senior!”

Fu Qingjin had questioned Zhou Tong in the past, but as the person closest to Golden Core in all of Clear River prefecture, he had developed an unscrupulous character where he did whatever he wanted. Why would he pay any attention to Fu Qingjin?

But given the current situation, even Zhou Tong was forced to answer. He said seriously, “You’re a real fucking likable kid!”

The xiezhi’s horn lit up brightly, leading to another roar of laughter. Zhou Tong said, “It sure is useful!”

Fu Qingjin said, “Please continue, senior!”

“I feel joy from the bottom of my heart when I see you!” The xiezhi’s horn lit up once more.

“Fu Qingjin is wise and kind-hearted… The Daemon Suppression alliance is justice and righteousness… May the Sword Collection palace prosper for many generations to come…”

The xiezhi’s horn flashed constantly, and Zhou Tong resorted to cursing aloud. The people of the academy laughed a few times, but when they saw the faces of the people from sects becoming more and more warped, the laughter gradually died down.

Only Fu Qingjin continued to smile. “Senior, if you haven’t had enough, I can make some time and let senior go on for three days and three nights. However, please don’t forget that the daemon armies underground have already begun assembling. A hundred cities will be reduced to hells of blood before long.”

Zhou Tong’s cursing came to a sudden halt. No matter how uncontrollable he was, he was still a person after all. In the face of a righteous cause, even he could not act stubbornly and recklessly. He gazed at Fu Qingjin deeply. “I haven’t seen that Soaring Dragon Elder or whoever you’re talking about, let alone some Soaring Dragon sword.”

The xiezhi’s horn finally dimmed, and Fu Qingjin clasped his hands again. “Thank you, senior.” He proceeded to the next suspect.

Li Qingshan smiled gently too, but he was extremely nervous inside. I need to interrupt this meeting before he gets to me!

“They’re in a meeting in the Parlour of Clouds and Rain? Let me go take a look!” Underground, Li Qingshan’s mirror clone notified Ye Liusu before unfurling his wings of wind and flying out from underground. He rushed into the sky and accelerated, producing a few sonic booms as he shot towards Clear River city.

However, Fu Qingjin’s next few suspects suddenly began to cooperate very smoothly. Even someone like Zhou Tong had to cooperate obediently, let alone them. They were even more afraid of offending the Sword Collection palace. Even if they were reluctant to tell him where they were and what they were doing that day, all they had to say was they had never seen the Soaring Dragon sword, and it would basically be enough.

The lie-detecting property of the xiezhi’s horn made the questioning process as simple as possible.

When his mirror clone had only flown half of the distance, they had already gone through most of the suspects. Only three remained, and it would just take a few words before it reached him.

Li Qingshan clenched his fist firmly. Suddenly, a pale hand grabbed his fist. It was smooth and warm. It came from Ru Xin.