Chapter 15: The Case Solved
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The sun hung high in the sky, the heat growing ever more intense. Sweat streamed down, yet it could not conceal the burning turmoil within everyone’s hearts. The two senior disciples wore the steward’s robes—special garments designed to ward off the summer heat—but despite their cooling fabric, they could not escape the chilling dread in their eyes.
If this matter was not thoroughly investigated, both would face dismissal. Senior Disciple Wang had already sent someone to fetch Senior Brother Chen. Seeing Ye Yueqing’s calm demeanor, Ji Ning’s heart sank. She had forgotten that Ye Xingyan had never appeared from beginning to end; with her skills, Senior Brother Chen was likely already on the road to the underworld.
In her past life, many disciples had met their demise at her hands, their bodies left exposed in the wilderness...
When it came to ruthlessness, Ye Yueqing was far less cold-blooded than her sister.
Moments later, several disciples ran back in a panic, their faces pale with fear, gasping, “Senior Disciple Wang, Senior Brother Chen... has been murdered.”
“What?”
Everyone was stunned on the spot!
This was a blatant murder to silence a witness!
Regardless of whether Senior Brother Chen was guilty or innocent, the severity of the situation had escalated.
A murder case was naturally graver than mere damage to public property, especially since the two were closely linked.
Before the two senior disciples could depart, a message talisman appeared out of thin air, flying directly towards the outer gate senior disciple.
His eyes narrowed sharply—it was a message talisman from the Outer Gate Enforcement Hall!
The senior disciple clenched the talisman, infusing it with spiritual power. Golden streams of light flowed from the talisman, revealing a brief message only he could see. Others saw only shimmering golden light in the air.
After reading, he crushed the talisman; the golden light faded. He then relayed everything the talisman contained to Senior Disciple Wang.
Senior Disciple Wang’s pupils contracted in shock; his face froze as if the sky had fallen.
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Chen Xu died from ruptured orifices. The Enforcement Hall found several used array-breaking talismans and some unfinished Thousand-Leaf Wither herbs at Chen Xu’s residence.
Those array-breaking talismans were third-tier, capable of easily shattering the barriers of Foundation Establishment cultivators. The Medicinal Valley lacked alarm devices, and its barrier automatically reset daily at midnight. As long as the attack was made before midnight, no trace would remain.
Thus, even a Qi Refining cultivator could carry out the deed.
Who was behind Chen Xu?
For now, the two needed to return quickly; the Medicinal Valley matter had to be dropped hastily.
Senior Disciple Wang pondered briefly, then said solemnly: “The sect has concluded that Chen Xu destroyed the Medicinal Valley out of personal grudges. Unable to bear the psychological pressure afterward, he took his own life to atone. Now that the matter is settled, the disciples whose spiritual fields were destroyed will have their spiritual herbs gathered and sent to the Miscellaneous Tasks Hall. Each will receive ten contribution points and may swap for a spiritual field to cultivate next month.”
Ji Ning was dumbfounded—cases in the cultivation world were resolved remarkably fast!
Her scheme to shift the blame had only just taken shape; it seemed useless now...
Senior Disciple Wang’s words stirred a commotion among the crowd.
“It really was Senior Brother Chen!”
“Poor Junior Sister Ji, to have met such a person,” someone sighed.
Another voice interrupted, “Poor is not just Junior Sister Ji. What about those who suffered unjustly because of her? After a month’s hard work, they get only ten contribution points—what’s the difference between them and the cleaners?”
After the senior disciple left, the conversation veered off course.
“But Junior Sister Ji is also a victim...”
“A victim? She earns at least forty contribution points a month. Losing one month is no big deal, but how many among those dozen or so rely on their spiritual herb yield for their livelihood?”
The voice was loud enough for everyone to hear, including Ji Ning. She chose not to argue.
Her earlier words were meant for reasonable people who could understand; expecting someone as brainless as Ye Yueqing to listen was folly.
Most uninterested disciples had already left. Ji Ning also wished to avoid further entanglement. As she lifted her foot to leave, a few people stepped forward to block her path.
Ji Ning yawned lazily and asked, “Is there something you want?”
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Before she could speak, someone beside her said self-righteously, “Junior Sister Ji, so many people suffered because of you. Don’t you feel any guilt?”
“Senior Sister Ye, why is your lackey even louder than you? Aren’t you going to do anything about it?”
Ye Yueqing snorted coldly, glaring fiercely at Liu Qian before turning her face sternly. “My spiritual field was destroyed because of you. You must compensate me—not just me, but everyone. You will pay.”
“Compensate? But Senior Disciple Wang said—”
“Even if Senior Disciple Wang didn’t say so, it’s only right and fair that you compensate us. I’m not asking for much: twenty contribution points each.”
Ye Yueqing referred to those standing with her. Ji Ning counted eight people. With Ye Yueqing and two others, that made eleven. She was expected to pay 220 points.
Ji Ning checked her token and said flatly, “I have only 144 points.”
“220 points, not a penny less.”
“Take it or leave it. If you don’t want it, then move aside!”
Seeing their contribution points about to fly away, those behind Ye Yueqing panicked and hurriedly stopped Ji Ning. “Junior Sister Ji, you don’t have to pay twenty points each. Ten points per person is enough.”
Ji Ning curled her lips and used her spiritual sense to erase the points from her token, tossing them toward the eight disciples. She watched their scramble with an expressionless face.
As expected, Ye Yueqing and her two companions did not participate in dividing the points but magnanimously yielded their shares.
Ye Yueqing didn’t care much about those points, but as long as Ji Ning was humiliated, she was very pleased.
As for those who didn’t side with Ye Yueqing, some were envious, some scornful, and some regretful...
She wanted everyone to know the fate of those who opposed her.