Bring Them Back to the Law Enforcement Hall

Manager Chen was just about to explain what had happened when that Elder cut him off first. "Hold it."

Then, wearing a stern expression, he walked over to Xiao Chen. "Is this your room?"

Xiao Chen nodded. "This is indeed this disciple's residence."

Manager Chen hurried forward to explain. "When I arrived earlier, Li Sibao had already been poisoned. Xiao Chen was using the Water Healing Art to save him."

He then gestured in introduction. "This is Elder Jiang from the Law Enforcement Hall. This disciple is Xiao Chen, the Inner Sect Seed of our Branch 2."

"Don't speak. I'll question him." Elder Jiang stopped Manager Chen and looked Xiao Chen up and down. "Why did Li Sibao come looking for you, and why was he poisoned?"

Manager Chen could not help frowning at this. He had not wanted to seek out Elder Jiang in the first place, precisely because he feared the man would misunderstand Xiao Chen.

From their first meeting, he had felt that Xiao Chen was a promising young talent, and everything that followed had proved him right.

Yet after finding Elder Chen, the man had insisted that he make a trip to the Law Enforcement Hall to find Elder Jiang, then conveniently "run into" him on the way and arrive at the scene together.

And now, just as expected, Xiao Chen had become the prime suspect.

Manager Chen looked at Elder Chen in confusion. Yet Elder Chen did not seem worried in the slightest, leisurely watching the show from the side.

Xiao Chen frowned slightly at this, but he still recounted his encounter with Li Sibao from beginning to end, without leaving out a single detail.

He was telling nothing but the truth. After all, he too was one of the victims in this matter.

He had been inexplicably treated with hostility, inexplicably attacked, and now inexplicably suspected.

But this only deepened Elder Jiang's suspicions. "You are saying that you were sleeping peacefully at home when Li Sibao came looking for you for no reason, and you do not know why he was poisoned?"

"Xiao Chen, I am formally warning you. I am questioning you now in my capacity as an Elder of the Law Enforcement Hall. You had better answer every one of my questions truthfully."

"If I discover that you are trying to lie and deceive me, the Eighteen Punishments of the Law Enforcement Hall are waiting for you."

At the end, Elder Jiang shouted, "Do you understand?!"

"Hey, Senior Brother Jiang, don't lose your temper yet. I have met this disciple before. He is an honest and well-behaved child. Let me speak to him first."

Only then did Elder Chen unhurriedly speak up to persuade him.

At the same time, he took two large strides forward and placed himself directly between Xiao Chen and Elder Jiang, using his own body to shield Xiao Chen.

Anger appeared on Elder Jiang's face. "Are you trying to protect this disciple? Junior Brother Chen, you had better think this through."

Manager Chen, standing nearby, was utterly dumbfounded. Only now did he begin to grasp a few hints of Elder Chen's intentions.

Sure enough, in the next moment, Elder Chen solemnly declared, "I believe Xiao Chen has no problem. If I have misjudged him, I am willing to take responsibility."

He looked at Xiao Chen and spoke with righteous conviction. "You need not worry. I will vouch for you."

Xiao Chen first thanked Elder Chen. "This disciple thanks Elder for your concern, but a straight body does not fear a crooked shadow."

Then he looked calmly at Elder Jiang. "Whatever questions the Law Enforcement Hall has, this disciple will tell all he knows and hold nothing back."

He truly had done nothing in this matter.

So in the face of suspicion, Xiao Chen was completely confident.

After all, they could not possibly conjure something out of thin air and turn black into white.

"Hmph, that sounds nice enough." Seeing this, Elder Jiang continued his interrogation. "Then let me ask you: did you two usually have any grudges against each other?"

"No."

"Had you never clashed before either?"

"No."

"Then why did he come to your room looking for you?"

"This disciple does not know."

"You do not know? Then what do you know?"

"Other than what this disciple has already said, this disciple knows nothing."

"Impudence!" Elder Jiang thundered. "Men, take him back to the Law Enforcement Hall and help him remember properly."

The two senior brothers behind him immediately took out ropes and stepped forward, intending to take Xiao Chen away.

"Hold it! Who dares take him away?" Elder Chen immediately spoke up. "I already said that I guarantee Xiao Chen. He is definitely unrelated to this matter."

Elder Jiang looked at Elder Chen, a trace of confusion flashing through his eyes.

He then looked at Xiao Chen again, confirming that he had never seen this disciple's face before.

He then reminded him, "Junior Brother Chen, according to the Sect Rules, disciples killing one another is a grave taboo. At best, one's cultivation will be crippled; at worst, one will be subjected to extreme punishment."

"If any High-Level member of the sect shields members of their family, disciples, or descendants, they will bear joint responsibility and be stripped of office and punished."

Elder Chen shot an almost imperceptible glance at Xiao Chen behind him and replied loudly, "Naturally, I know that. Senior Brother Jiang need not trouble himself over it."

"In any case, I am determined to protect Xiao Chen."

When Manager Chen had arrived earlier, Xiao Chen had been helping Li Sibao suppress the poison.

Thus, Manager Chen had easily noticed that Xiao Chen had silently broken through to the 7th level of Qi Refining.

Had the situation not been so urgent, with Li Sibao's life hanging by a thread, Manager Chen would have wanted to first pull Xiao Chen aside and ask him exactly how he cultivated.

That was also why, when he had set out to find someone earlier, he had deliberately taken two extra detours to find Elder Chen first.

In Manager Chen's original plan, he was supposed to bring Elder Chen here and help settle this incident.

Faced with such a promising disciple, no matter what the truth of the matter was, they should first clear Xiao Chen of suspicion before investigating slowly.

Yet after pondering for a short while, Elder Chen had rejected his proposal and chosen another way to handle things.

Looking at it now, could it be that he wanted to use this opportunity to win Xiao Chen over?

Manager Chen's expression remained unchanged, but inwardly, he continued pondering Elder Chen's intentions.

Elder Jiang was pondering as well.

He cast a puzzled glance at Xiao Chen. Something is wrong. Could this disciple have some background?

Otherwise, why would Elder Chen, despite clearly finding him unfamiliar, work so hard on his behalf and even personally vouch for him?

To be safe, Elder Jiang asked one more question. "Xiao Chen, is it? Even if someone is vouching for you, you remain the greatest suspect."

"After all, a human life is at stake. For the foreseeable future, you must be ready to accept investigation and questioning at any time."

"At the same time, we need to notify your family or teachers to come and be questioned with you."

This was effectively giving Xiao Chen a chance to call for help.

Generally speaking, cultivators with backing would make some excuse and quickly send word.

Yet Xiao Chen shook his head. "This disciple is an orphan taken in by the sect. These past years, this disciple has only studied under Instructor Wu and has no other teachers."

No background?

Elder Jiang was clearly somewhat surprised. Then why was Elder Chen going out of his way to protect him?

As though answering that question, Elder Chen promptly spoke up in support. "Though Xiao Chen has no teacher in name, his comprehension is exceptional, and I think highly of him."

"Nephew Zhi'an once brought him to meet me, and I immediately felt that he was a fine young talent, very much to my liking."

"In my heart, I have long regarded him as half a disciple."

"Of course, it still depends on his own wishes. Xiao Chen, if you are willing, then from this day onward, you may formally call me Master."

This was Elder Chen's goal. He wanted to seize this disciple first through this method.

He had decided to place his bet on Xiao Chen, hoping that he could maintain this astonishing Cultivation Speed and swiftly reach Foundation Establishment.

At the same time, he had deliberately used this to set up a misunderstanding.

Not only could he directly grant Xiao Chen a favor, but if luck favored him, he could even trip Elder Jiang up.

Hearing this, Xiao Chen immediately recalled what had happened when he met Elder Chen last time.

Indeed, Elder Chen had been very warm toward him then and had given him several items.

In terms of affinity, both Manager Chen and Elder Chen had indeed shown him a considerable degree of goodwill long ago.

In terms of status, Elder Chen was one of the sect's Elders with real authority, while the Chen Family was one of the Five Great Families. Countless people wanted to join them but had no way in.

And in the present situation, Elder Jiang was inexplicably making things difficult for him. So long as he agreed to Elder Chen's offer, he would gain another supporter. No matter how he looked at it, it was a good thing.

Thus, he immediately bowed in salute. "Greetings, Master!"

Elder Chen beamed. "Ah, good disciple."

Manager Chen was completely stunned at the side. He had been thinking that once this matter was suppressed, he would make a serious effort to win Xiao Chen over.

He had never imagined that Elder Chen would think of such a move in an instant.

Even more brilliant was that these words, to Elder Jiang's ears, also answered his doubts and led him to the wrong conclusion.

At that moment, an Inner Sect senior brother happened to arrive as well. He approached Elder Jiang and whispered in his ear, roughly recounting all the major and minor events Xiao Chen had been involved in over the past half year.

The main point was that he had experienced three consecutive Sudden Comprehensions and broken the cultivation record for Outer Sect Disciples.

Elder Jiang suddenly understood. That was it—now it all made sense. So Elder Chen had taken a liking to this disciple's potential.

In that case, he had nothing to worry about.

Then he could use this opportunity to thoroughly investigate Xiao Chen. As long as he could find some dirt on him, he could use it to strike at the Chen Family.

Just as the Jiang Family had risen and fought for the Chen Family's share of pill resources.

If Elder Chen's disciple had a problem, then he, as the master, would naturally have to bear responsibility as well.

If that happened, the position of Outer Sect Elder could be considered for a change to the Jiang surname.

Elder Jiang had already thought it through. In this matter, there was everything to gain and nothing to lose.

There was a high chance they could dig up dirt on Xiao Chen, because disciples from such humble backgrounds would, nine times out of ten, stop at nothing for Cultivation Resources.

There were only a handful who were clean. None of them could withstand an investigation. The only difference was whether they could uncover something major or minor.

As long as Xiao Chen showed even the slightest flaw, he could link it to Li Sibao.

Even if they ultimately found nothing, as an Elder of the Law Enforcement Hall, conducting an impartial investigation was simply his duty.

At worst, Xiao Chen would feel unhappy about it and might even hold a grudge against him.

With that thought, Elder Jiang immediately made up his mind.

Xiao Chen was merely an Outer Sect Disciple. Even if he were given ten times the courage, he would not dare bear a grudge against the Jiang Family.

"Junior Brother Chen, a life is at stake. Since I am the Hall Master of Law Enforcement, I must be fair and impartial. Not one step of the proper procedure can be omitted. I hope Junior Brother understands."

"Men, respectfully invite Elder Chen and Xiao Chen back to the Law Enforcement Hall. Set a seat for Elder Chen in the main hall and serve him tea. See that he is well fed and well entertained."