Lu Jun was taken away.
Old Man Yun wore a complicated expression—the look of someone whose suspicions had been confirmed, someone who knew he had not misjudged a person.
Mo Jinyi placed the jade thumb ring in his hand on the table as well. He could barely keep hold of it anymore.
Fang Jinyi's chest heaved constantly, revealing the turmoil of his emotions.
After a long while, Old Man Yun's cloudy white eyes turned toward the two people beside him.
"Everyone, let us pass judgment."
"Is Lu Jun guilty...?"
Old Man Yun cast the first vote. He gently drew a wooden token marked "Not Guilty" from his sleeve and placed it into the wooden box on the table before the three of them.
Fang Jinyi's expression was tangled, his face hesitant. The wooden token marked "Guilty" remained suspended in his hand, and he could not bring himself to put it into the box.
"Heh heh..." Mo Jinyi, who looked like a golden toad, chuckled twice before pulling a wooden token from his sleeve and tossing it inside.
Fang Jinyi looked at the token that had been cast in and suddenly froze.
Inside the wooden box were clearly two "Not Guilty" tokens.
"You... weren't you...?" Fang Jinyi's expression was one of astonishment, and his lips trembled. For a long while, he could not get the words out.
"Heh heh, Brother Fang, you can stop there. Otherwise, it'll look like you're being put in a difficult position..." Mo Jinyi smiled at Fang Jinyi.
After Lu Jun entered the prison, Fang Yilin came over.
"Not guilty!" Fang Yilin told Lu Jun with a smile.
Lu Jun looked somewhat surprised as well, and a complicated glimmer flashed through his eyes.
This result had truly been beyond his expectations.
He had even prepared himself to flee and become a lone wanderer.
He just felt a little sorry toward Old Man Yun.
In the courtroom, he had spoken so fiercely. He had never expected that the final verdict could still declare him not guilty.
Fang Yilin asked, "Guess what the voting result was?"
Lu Jun shook his head. "Just tell me."
Fang Yilin said, "Two votes for not guilty. Yun Jinyi and Mo Jinyi cast them for you. As for Fang Jinyi, he abstained..."
A flicker passed through Lu Jun's eyes, and his expression grew complicated. This voting result was even more unexpected to him.
Lu Jun had just returned to the courtyard.
He immediately saw Li Tuo standing at the entrance, his expression awkward and fidgety.
"Lu Jun..."
Li Tuo wanted to say something, but the words stuck in his throat. He could not get them out and stood frozen in place.
Lu Jun smiled and lightly patted him on the shoulder.
"Now that I've finally made it back, aren't you going to treat me to a meal?"
Li Tuo's lips moved. Then a dry smile appeared on his face. "Sure!"
At that moment, Mo Jinyi also returned to his luxurious courtyard.
He did not hesitate along the way and went straight back to his room.
He rummaged out the two chests of treasures that Xiao Yungui had previously sent him. After opening them, Mo Jinyi gently stroked the riches and muttered,
"Glass Grapes, Night-Shining Glass Lamp, Rosy Cloud Qilin..."
After a long while, Mo Jinyi firmly closed the chests of treasure, slowly exhaled a long breath, and then suddenly shouted, "Mo Lou!"
Very soon, a handsome, tall young man walked in. A Demon Slaying Division command token engraved with the words "Silver-Clad" hung from his waist.
When he saw the young man enter, Mo Jinyi seemed to lose all his strength and slumped into his chair.
Mo Lou wore a puzzled expression and asked with a hint of flippancy, "Old man, what's wrong with you?"
Mo Jinyi let out a faint sigh and slowly ordered, "Go. Take these two chests to the residence of Commander of the Guards Xiao Yugao."
"Huh?" Mo Lou's expression turned ugly. "Old man, are you out of your mind?"
"With so many treasures, you're just giving them back?"
Mo Jinyi said helplessly, "What can I do? The matter didn't work out. How could I take someone's money without doing the job? I can only return it."
Mo Lou looked strange. "Was this matter really that difficult? I heard all you had to do was nod."
Mo Jinyi chuckled twice.
"A gentleman loves wealth, but acquires it through proper means."
"I only covet wealth. I don't covet life at the cost of abandoning righteousness..."
"Ah, if abandoning morality could let me guard mountains of gold and silver, I could have joined a heretical cult and thrown in my lot with the demons long ago. I definitely would have made much more money..."
"But in the end, I am still a Demon Slayer Envoy..."
Mo Jinyi did not say the last two sentences aloud. He merely stroked the Demon Slaying Division command token engraved with the words "Gold-Clad" hanging from his waist.
"Got it. It's rare to see you in such a fine mood, old man." Mo Lou nodded, hoisted both chests onto his shoulders, and walked outside.
"Damn it, you little brat!" Mo Jinyi curled his lips.
Since ancient times, some had rejoiced while others had worried.
At the residence of Commander of the Guards Xiao Yugao in Yunzhou,
Xiao Yugao knelt silently in the rear courtyard before a hall. His gaze was dim as he stared at the two plaques before him. Behind him sat the two chests of returned treasure.
The Memorial Tablet of Elder Sister Xiao Yule
The Memorial Tablet of Worthy Nephew Xiao Yungui
Xiao Yugao let out a faint sigh, and a trace of remembrance flashed through his eyes.
His family had originally been farmers. His elder sister, Xiao Yule, had been exceptionally beautiful since childhood. Later, the county's Centurion took a fancy to her and made her his secondary wife. Through the connections brought by his elder sister, he obtained a military post as well. Relying on his ferocity and martial talent, he rose through the ranks.
Later, that Centurion was executed along with his entire family for colluding with demons, and his elder sister died as well. His nephew, Xiao Yungui, was spared because he had not yet grown taller than a cart wheel.
By the time Xiao Yugao arrived, all that remained was Xiao Yungui, helpless and bewildered. The moment he saw his uncle, he began kowtowing.
"Mother said I had to wait here for Uncle. When Uncle arrived, I had to welcome Uncle by kowtowing at every step..."
That childish voice seemed to ring in his ears once more.
Rage surged through Xiao Yugao's eyes.
"Blood debts must be repaid in blood..." Xiao Yugao rebuked softly.
"Ah, in the end, a blood feud was forged..."
A clear young man's voice rang out.
Xiao Yugao's gaze suddenly shook. He sprang to his feet and spun around.
Behind him stood a tall, handsome young man.
The young man leaned lightly against one of the courtyard's supporting pillars, arms crossed as he watched him.
"It is you!!!"
"I didn't come looking for you, yet you came right to my door!"
Xiao Yugao said furiously.
"There's no helping it. You've taken a grudge against me. If you don't die, my heart won't be at peace!"
"How can anyone guard against a thief for a thousand days? If you don't die, how could I sleep well? Without good sleep, how am I supposed to have enough energy to slay demons?"
Lu Jun said indifferently:
"I can understand your grief at losing your nephew."
"However, I cannot understand how you ended up blaming your nephew's death on me."
"Your nephew had an affair with a demon. His death was only a matter of time. As his uncle, after he lost his mother, you failed to teach him properly, and this was the result."
"Shouldn't you be blaming yourself?"
"If I were you, I would kill myself before these two memorial tablets and offer my life in repentance."
Lu Jun had never turned inward and tormented himself, nor had he ever let a grudge wait overnight.
The first time he saw Xiao Yugao, the killing intent Xiao Yugao revealed toward him had already made it a fight to the death.
Previously, he had been locked in prison and had not had the time to kill him.
Now that he was out, Lu Jun did not want to wait another moment.
"Good, good, good! What a silver tongue!"
"Perfect. You came at just the right time. I will crush every bone in your body, one by one, right before my elder sister and nephew, and comfort their spirits in the heavens."
Rage roiled in Xiao Yugao's eyes.
Before you continue