Wooing

The expressions of the crowd were all somewhat complex, and they could not help but feel a sense of shared sorrow, like a rabbit mourning the death of a fox.

Hong Jingcheng's sudden outburst of violence had undoubtedly left a heavy weight on the hearts of everyone present.

"Brother Shen, do you really think Zhou Xuan was killed by Yuan Wenxuan?"

Sun Jing and Shen Mu were walking back together, and Sun Jing could not help but ask.

"Brother Sun, what do you mean by that?"

Shen Mu feigned ignorance as he asked.

He certainly knew the cause of Zhou Xuan's death, but it was clear that Hong Jingcheng intended for someone to take the fall, and Yuan Wenxuan had become that scapegoat.

However, his relationship with Sun Jing was merely a nodding acquaintance, and he understood the principle of not speaking too deeply to those one barely knows.

The words spoken today could easily become the blades others use to attack you in the future.

"Sigh, I just feel that Yuan Wenxuan might have been wronged."

Sun Jing's eyes flickered, and after glancing around, he sighed softly: "In my opinion, they just couldn't find the real killer and deliberately picked someone to take the blame..."

"Oh?"

Shen Mu raised an eyebrow, puzzled: "Then why didn't Brother Hong pick someone else, why did he have to target Yuan Wenxuan?"

"Brother Shen, there is something you don't know."

Sun Jing smiled bitterly: "A year ago, Yuan Wenxuan and Zhou Xuan were both infatuated with Han Yan from the Fragrant Shadow Pavilion. They happened to run into each other once and a conflict broke out right there in the pavilion. If Ji Shixian, myself, and a few others hadn't pulled them apart, they probably would have ended up in a real fight."

Hearing Sun Jing's words, Shen Mu's heart stirred.

So, Zhou Xuan and Yuan Wenxuan were cut from the same cloth.

Looking at it now, it was likely that someone had informed Hong Jingcheng about that past conflict between Yuan Wenxuan and Zhou Xuan.

During the gathering, when Hong Jingcheng realized he couldn't bait the real killer into revealing himself, did he simply convict Yuan Wenxuan based on a shred of suspicion?

This was clearly not done to provide an explanation to the higher-ups of the Firewood Gang.

Zhou Xuan was merely a low-level gang member; he did not have enough status to warrant the attention of the leadership.

Furthermore, since Zhou Xuan had only gone missing and his body had not been found, the Firewood Gang was even less likely to intervene.

According to Shen Mu's speculation, Hong Jingcheng's actions were likely just to provide an answer to Zhou Xuan's parents.

After all, with Zhou Xuan missing under such unclear circumstances, his parents would inevitably demand justice.

For this reason, Hong Jingcheng had no choice but to find a scapegoat among them...

Shen Mu asked: "Brother Sun, besides Yuan Wenxuan and Zhou Xuan, who else was specifically there at the Fragrant Shadow Pavilion that time?"

Upon hearing this, a chill crept into Sun Jing's heart.

Only a handful of people knew about that conflict, yet Hong Jingcheng seemed to have learned of it and used it as the motive for Yuan Wenxuan to kill Zhou Xuan.

Since he hadn't told Hong Jingcheng himself, who could the informant be?

Sun Jing pondered for a moment and then said: "Besides me, there were Ji Shixian and Wei Bo."

Shen Mu's eyes flickered, and he understood immediately.

Since Sun Jing was willing to tell him this, the person who informed Hong Jingcheng must have been either Ji Shixian or Wei Bo.

Especially since Hong Jingcheng had just ordered Wei Bo and Ji Shixian to carry the body, it was clear that they were his trusted confidants.

Sun Jing was likely trying to win him over by sharing this information.

Because Shen Mu had just arrived and was seen by outsiders as someone solely focused on martial arts training, Sun Jing had developed an interest in befriending him.

If Hong Jingcheng could kill Yuan Wenxuan today, would he turn his blade on them in the future?

By befriending a few more people, they could at least stand together if something were to happen.

However, what Sun Jing did not realize was that Shen Mu only wanted to rapidly improve his own cultivation, not strengthen himself through a network of relationships.

Shen Mu knew deep down that all fear stemmed from a lack of personal strength.

What good would it do to be on good terms with Sun Jing?

If a real crisis occurred and they faced a life-or-death situation, the other party would sell him out without hesitation, just as they had with Yuan Wenxuan tonight.

If he were strong enough, who would dare to bully him?

"Brother Shen, I have a few jars of good wine. After experiencing something like this, would you like to come over for a drink to calm your nerves?"

As they reached a spot not far from his own Bamboo Shed, Sun Jing stopped and asked.

Shen Mu shook his head and politely declined: "I appreciate the kind gesture, Brother Sun, but I've spent the whole day on body tempering and now I just want to go back and get some rest."

"Brother Shen is truly a diligent man."

Sun Jing took a long look at Shen Mu and gave a dry laugh: "Alright then, I won't force you."

Shen Mu bid him farewell and continued along the path toward his Bamboo Shed.

Watching Shen Mu's departing back, the smile on Sun Jing's face slowly faded, and his expression turned somewhat grim.

Yuan Wenxuan had been on good terms with him, yet today he had suddenly met a tragic end at the hands of Hong Jingcheng.

This sudden and unexpected turn of events had undoubtedly caught Sun Jing off guard.

It was precisely for this reason that he had deliberately sought to befriend Shen Mu, attempting to find someone to fill the void left by Yuan Wenxuan.

The other Guardians had all, to varying degrees, already found like-minded companions, making the newly arrived Shen Mu the obvious best candidate.

Unfortunately, the other party seemed to have no such intention, remaining prepared to walk his own path.

"Hmph, ignorant fool. If Hong Jingcheng could suddenly kill Yuan Wenxuan today, what makes you think he won't suddenly kill you in the future?"

"If we don't unite, won't we just be left to be slaughtered at will?"

Having lost face with Shen Mu and received a cold shoulder, Sun Jing's expression turned unsightly; he let out a cold sneer before turning to leave.

Shen Mu returned all the way to his Bamboo Shed, poured a pot of his self-brewed Origin Mulberry Wine, and lay atop the shed, gazing out at the tranquil night sky.

"My strength is still insufficient."

Shen Mu could not help but sigh.

Although the matter regarding Zhou Xuan would come to a complete end the moment Hong Jingcheng struck down Yuan Wenxuan, Shen Mu still felt a sense of stifling frustration in his heart.

An innocent person like Yuan Wenxuan had become a sacrificial lamb for Zhou Xuan simply because of the greed Zhou Xuan had harbored toward him...

In the eyes of those with higher cultivation, human life was no different from that of a stray dog or a common fowl.

At the same time, combined with what Sun Jing had said earlier, the Guardians under Hong Jingcheng were likely not as harmonious as he had imagined.

It was precisely for this reason that when Sun Jing showed interest in befriending him, he had deliberately kept his distance.

The secret he carried regarding the Martial Dao Tree must never be known by anyone.

Once he grew too close to someone, his rapid breakthroughs in cultivation due to the Martial Dao Tree would inevitably lead the other party to discover some clues.

Even if the other party, out of friendship, did not take any action, who could guarantee they wouldn't mention it to outsiders?

When that time came, wouldn't he end up just like Yuan Wenxuan tonight, suffering an unprovoked disaster for no reason at all?

"Wei Bo, Ji Shixian."

Shen Mu took a sip of wine, his gaze appearing somewhat profound.

If his suspicions were correct, it was likely one of these two who had reported to Hong Jingcheng, serving as the primary cause for Yuan Wenxuan's death tonight.

From this, it was clear that when conflicts of interest arose, friendship between companions was nothing more than a trinket that could be discarded at will.

"It seems that if I have any dealings with these two in the future, I must be extremely cautious, lest I be sold out and still be counting the money for them."

Shen Mu's eyes flickered.

Even if only one of them had reported to Hong Jingcheng and the other was unaware, Shen Mu had already made up his mind to minimize his interactions with both of them from now on.