A Future Ruined!

Li Yun did not know whether to laugh or cry.

He had thought Wu Yuekong was someone of substance, but only now did he realize that this guy was truly stupid.

In a place like the Punishment Hall, could someone make wild accusations without evidence?

Still, the act had to go on.

"Wu Yuekong, I truly admire you. You can make something as baseless as chasing shadows and catching wind sound so utterly convincing?"

"Fine, let us assume what you said is true. Let us assume I killed He Tingfeng and Xu Youwu. Did you see it with your own eyes, or did anyone else see it with their own eyes?"

"You... If I had seen it with my own eyes, would I still have let you stand here and swagger about?"

Wu Yuekong was becoming somewhat exasperated.

In his view, Li Yun was relying on his confidence and deliberately mocking him.

Elder Hai Fen's face had already darkened beside them.

"Enough!"

"Wu Yuekong!"

"Since you did not personally see Li Yun kill anyone, how could you directly bring people to deal with him? What you have done is simply reckless nonsense!"

"Lin Tieshu, immediately escort all of them into the Dungeon. Once I have investigated the matter, I will determine their punishments!"

The moment Zhao Leyue and the others heard this, they panicked.

They had already been injured by Li Yun. After treatment, they had only barely recovered some of their strength, and they would still need further treatment afterward before they could truly recover.

If they were thrown into the Dungeon, would they not miss the chance for further treatment?

"No, Elder... this has nothing to do with us! Wu Yuekong was the one who ordered everything..."

"That's right, Elder! I wish to expose him! Wu Yuekong was not seeking revenge for He Tingfeng and Xu Youwu as he claimed. He merely believed Li Yun had killed them and wanted to use that to threaten Li Yun and extort money from him."

"That's right, Elder! Besides extorting money, Wu Yuekong also wanted to use Li Yun to curry favor with Inner Sect senior brothers Liu Ningkong and Zhao Chuanfeng, because he had heard that Li Yun had offended Liu Ningkong and Zhao Chuanfeng..."

This was nothing short of heaven and earth collapsing.

Not only had Elder Hai Fen not expected it, even Zhang Cong had not expected it.

These disciples of Rank 77 Courtyard had actually sold Wu Yuekong out at such a moment.

Wu Yuekong was instantly dumbfounded. He glared at them furiously. "Shut up! Who told you to spout such nonsense... When did I ever say that..."

"You did! You definitely said it!"

"And you even forced Gu Yunzheng to write home and demand three thousand taels of silver..."

Watching this group suddenly turn on one another like dogs biting dogs,

Hai Fen was furious beyond measure.

"You bunch of bastards! Instead of cultivating diligently, you have been plotting and scheming behind everyone's backs... You are simply acting with utter lawlessness! If I do not punish you severely today, you will not know how strict the sect rules are."

As he spoke, Hai Fen was about to pronounce their punishments directly.

"Wait, Elder Hai Fen. Please hear this disciple out..."

Hai Fen turned to look at Li Yun, his expression somewhat surprised. He had not expected Li Yun to speak up at this time. "Li Yun, the truth has already come to light. You are the victim in this matter, so you may leave first."

"No, Elder. The truth is not yet clear."

"Hmm? What do you mean?"

"Elder, they claimed that I killed He Tingfeng and Xu Youwu, using that as an excuse to cause trouble for me. If you punish them directly now, I fear they will not be convinced."

"Moreover, this disciple does not even know He Tingfeng or Xu Youwu. I have never even met them, so there is no reason for me to bear this black pot. After all, accumulated rumors can melt metal and destroy bones."

"If such rumors spread again and again, eventually people will still decide that the disappearance of He Tingfeng and Xu Youwu is related to this disciple."

Hai Fen's gaze flickered slightly. "Then what do you propose?"

Li Yun said, "In this disciple's view, it would be best to get to the bottom of this matter."

As he spoke,

Li Yun looked at Wu Yuekong again and asked, "Wu Yuekong, I have a question for you. On exactly what day did He Tingfeng and Xu Youwu, whom you mentioned, go missing?"

Wu Yuekong snorted coldly, looking at Li Yun with hatred. "Why are you still asking that now?"

"Do not concern yourself with why I am asking. There is nothing that cannot be told to others. You insist that I killed He Tingfeng and the others, yet you have no evidence. There should at least be a convincing reason, should there not?"

Li Yun said calmly.

Wu Yuekong merely snorted again, but did not answer.

Zhao Leyue, however, spoke up. "I know. The two of them disappeared around seven or eight days ago..."

"Not around!"

"Be specific. What exact day was it?"

"Eight days ago!"

"Good. If it was eight days ago... then I am sorry, but I was not in the sect that day."

As he spoke, Li Yun looked toward Hai Fen.

"Elder Hai, you may have the Discipline Hall Patrol investigate. On the night eight days ago, I had already left the sect with Senior Sister Zhang Ruohan of Vermilion Bird Courtyard. As for our destination, it is not convenient for me to disclose it."

"Furthermore, eight days ago, my cultivation had only reached the Body Tempering Triple Layer. Senior Sister Zhang and Elder Zhang Cong can both testify to this. It was also only on that day that I had just learned several martial arts techniques from Elder Zhang Cong, Elder Huang Huazong, Elder Li Sixing, and the others."

"With my abilities at the time, saying that I could kill two veteran disciples of Rank 77 Courtyard was not very realistic, was it?"

Zhang Cong indeed stepped forward as well. "That is correct. At noon that day at Azure Cloud Residence, we had only just imparted Martial Skills to Li Yun. Given his cultivation and strength at the time, it would have been absolutely impossible for him to kill two veteran disciples at the Body Tempering Ninth Level. He could not have done it even with a sneak attack!"

He lacked the strength, and he also had an alibi.

It could be said that the reasoning and evidence were both sound.

Even Hai Fen could not help nodding. "Since that is the case, then the disappearance of He Tingfeng and Xu Youwu truly has nothing to do with you."

"Wu Yuekong, all of you listen carefully."

"This incident was entirely caused by you. All responsibility lies with you. You violated sect rules and slandered an Outer Sect Disciple. You must all accept the Punishment Hall's judgment."

"Furthermore, since the disappearance of He Tingfeng and Xu Youwu has nothing to do with Li Yun, you are not permitted to slander Li Yun again. Otherwise, after this punishment has been carried out, the Punishment Hall will continue to hold you accountable and impose a second punishment!"

"Lin Tieshu, escort all of them into the Dungeon. Starting today, imprison them for three months. No visitors allowed!"

Wu Yuekong and the others all went pale at once.

They were disciples in their third year since entering the sect—their final year, and also their most crucial year.

If they could not achieve Acquired to Innate Reversal, they would be unable to advance into the Inner Sect.

Yet they were now badly wounded and sentenced to three months of imprisonment. Once they emerged three months later, how many matters would they have delayed?

By then, forget Acquired to Innate Reversal—perhaps they would not even have the chance to participate in the Outer Sect Grand Competition, strive for a place in the top thousand, and earn the opportunity to serve as an Outer Sect Deacon for two years.

This meant that their prospects within the Celestial Martial Sect had virtually been ruined overnight!

The hatred in Wu Yuekong's heart was so intense that he wished he could swallow Li Yun alive and flay him whole. Yet Li Yun did not even look at him. With a faint smile, he politely bid Hai Fen farewell, then left with Zhang Cong.