"Tell your master the truth."
Inside the Heavenward Sect, its sect master stood solemnly on Zhao Yishi's shoulder, turning his head to look at him. "Did you take Ji Taiping's Trait Jade Slip or not?"
"Rest assured."
"Whether you took it or not, your master will not make you hand it over. Anything that falls into your hands is your opportunity. How could you casually surrender it just because of Ji Taiping?"
"But at the very least, you need to let your master know whether we have reason on our side."
"I didn't take it."
Zhao Yishi, standing like a giant in the Heavenward Sect's back mountain, shook his head and replied in a muffled voice, "After I arrived in Mountain-Cleaving City, I ate some rabbit meat, then White Robe took me to Autumn Reach City. I didn't take anything."
"That rabbit meat was pretty tasty."
"Mm."
The Heavenward Sect's sect master nodded in understanding. If nothing unexpected had happened, that Trait Jade Slip should have been in Chen Qiu's hands. Otherwise, Chen Qiu would not have needed to flee on the spot.
That little fellow was quite kindhearted.
Even while running for his life, he had not forgotten to take Zhao Yishi along. Still, with Zhao Yishi's build, the monk could run, but the temple could not.
After roughly learning what had happened,
he looked toward Ji Taiping, who stood suspended in midair outside the sect's grand protective formation, and spoke in a booming voice.
"This sect master has already questioned my disciple. He did not take your so-called Trait Jade Slip."
"That is your explanation."
"Even children know to report lost things to the authorities. Go ask the government and have them help you look for it."
"As for your demand to inspect my disciples' Dao Foundations, that