Ling Tianchen watched everyone's gazes turn toward Lu Qingshan beside him. At first, he was puzzled, but then a flash of inspiration struck him. He realized something too, and his eyes instantly lit up!
"That's right!"
He whipped his head around too, fixing Lu Qingshan with a piercing stare!
He remembered!
When the ransom had first been lowered, he had been ready to agree. Yet at that crucial moment, this old bastard had jumped out and declared with absolute conviction:
"They're lowering the price because they've lost their nerve!"
The second time, when they had been preparing for a decisive battle, this same old bastard had jumped out again and shouted, "They're nothing but paper tigers! Don't give them any face-charge straight in!"
And that final five-million ransom? They had only handed it over because this old bastard had insisted, "Give it to them and toy with them a little!"
He realized that, from beginning to end, every word this fellow had said seemed to have been coordinating with that outlaw!
"You!" An elderly Sect Master thrust a finger at Lu Qingshan and demanded harshly.
"Talk! Are you in league with that outlaw?!"
What?!
Hearing this accusation, Lu Qingshan froze for a moment before his face twisted with fury. "What do you mean, in league with him?! I've been standing right here the whole time! How does that make me his accomplice?!"
"Hmph! Don't think we don't know. I'd say you absolutely are!" someone immediately chimed in.
"What grounds do you have to say I'm in league with him?! You need evidence before making accusations!" Lu Qingshan stiffened his neck, refusing to back down.
His Azure Cloud Sect already had a rotten reputation. If they were saddled with the label of "colluding with outlaws" too, they would offend over a