It is as Yun Zhongjun said.”
A slightly deep male voice followed from among the cultivators. Shang Can turned her head and saw Chu Ming walking out.
It had only been a few days since their last parting, but he looked much more haggard. Chu Ming did not look toward her; instead, he walked up to Pei Chen and said solemnly: “Before… before Can-zhe’s identity was exposed, I spoke a few words with her.”
“With Can-zhe’s skills, if she truly harbored murderous intent at that time, I would have died more than ten times over.”
He lowered his gaze, looked toward Yun Duan with hesitation, then restrainedly retracted his eyes and bowed to the assembled cultivators.
“My opinion is similar to Yun Zhongjun’s. I believe Can-zhe is not lying. I fear the one who truly attacked Tianwaitian and stole the Dao-Heart Lotus Seed is someone else.”
The two leading figures of this generation from Qingyu had actually reached a consensus on this matter. The cultivators appeared somewhat chaotic; amidst a flurry of helpless whispering, they gradually split into two factions. One began to remain silent, waiting for the initiator of this gathering, Tianwaitian, to express their stance. The other side found it much harder to agree, yet they hesitated to step forward out of respect for the duo’s reputation.
After Chu Ming finished speaking, he gave a slight nod to Pei Chen and returned to the ranks of the Qingyu disciples.
Though he only spoke for himself, the fact that Yun Zhongjun and Yushan Jun had stood on the same front one after another allowed the crowd to assume this was Qingyu’s stance by default.
The atmosphere on the field, which had been sword-drawn and bow-bent, shifted instantly. Shang Can remained silent throughout, allowing the situation to develop while making a mental note that she owed Chu Ming a favor.
The current situation had become blurred. Shang Can knew that the subsequent development largely depended on Pei Chen’s attitude. She was in no hurry, playfully manipulating the flames in her palm into several tiny fire dragons that wove nimbly around her fingers. From a distance, they were radiant and quite beautiful.
However, most people present had witnessed the catastrophic power of the Celestial Fire at the Discourse Meet, making it difficult to appreciate the brilliance of this “fingertip firework” with a calm mind. Only Yun Duan dared to stare openly, occasionally and keenly meeting Shang Can’s shifting gaze.
Yun Duan was always clever; Shang Can knew she would understand her meaning.
Don’t come any closer.
The trick she was showing was the very same technique she had used earlier to stop Yun Duan in her tracks.
Chu Ming had spoken up for her just now, but he had retreated immediately afterward, returning to the crowd of cultivators. As for Yun Duan—this person had no intention of going back after recklessly speaking up and walking to the very front.
It’s not too bad, Shang Can thought optimistically. At least Yun Duan doesn’t plan to keep approaching.
Even though Yun Duan had publicly spoken for the “Can-zhe” of Biluo Huangquan, since Chu Ming had also dipped his toe in, at least people wouldn’t say it was Yun Duan’s solitary obsession. Ha—I really am pathetic now, making anyone associated with me liable to be gossiped about by others…
Self-mockery rose in Shang Can’s heart. Finally, after a long period of contemplation, Pei Chen raised his head with a solemn expression and spoke.
“…Does Can-zhe have any evidence for what she just said?”
Yun Duan immediately turned her head, but Pei Chen raised his voice before she could speak: “Substantial evidence. Something that can convince everyone here, convince Tianwaitian, and be enough to make people believe that Can-zhe’s appearance at Tianwaitian and the attack by those demon beasts were merely two coincidental events—”
“It is not that Pei Chen does not believe you.” He still maintained perfect courtesy, though his tightly knit brows showed difficulty. “It is just that… words alone are no proof; it is truly difficult to convince the masses.”
Yes, of course. This is how things should naturally develop.
Shang Can let out a light laugh, watching indifferently as a tiny fire dragon wrapped itself obediently around her wrist. A slightly stinging heat came from it, but she did not disperse it.
The situation had progressed to the point where Tianwaitian had mobilized a crowd to come to her door for justice. It would be strange if they were convinced by a few words and simply turned around to leave. It was only natural to demand more persuasive evidence.
“I understand.” Shang Can nodded, adding with regret, “Unfortunately, I have none.”
But what could be done? She simply didn’t have a shred of evidence.
At the beginning, Shang Can hadn’t taken the appearance of the “Fake Can-zhe” seriously. After all, this world had a strong culture of admiring the powerful; imitators of immortal cultivators were everywhere. As the most famous demonic cultivator in the current world, she had seen imitators before, but they were all small-time and vanished before they could cause any real trouble. Furthermore, since meeting Yun Duan, she hadn’t been able to spare the mental energy to consider the matter.
By now, Shang Can felt she might be responsible for half of the current mess. But regardless of how much responsibility she actually held, since she had chosen to face the cultivators coming for an explanation, she decided to take it all on her shoulders.
It was just going to be a fight; she was quite good at that.
Shang Can focused her mind, dispersed the fire dragons whose paths had become messy without their master’s control, and lightly flexed her wrists.
On Wan Shao’s side, she seemed to have grasped the external situation simultaneously. She began banging against the barrier behind Shang Can with a loud thud-thud. This finally allowed the cultivators to notice the anomaly, and they all warily took two steps back.
The atmosphere tightened once more. Some cultivators had already quietly assumed their fighting stances. Though Pei Chen still looked hesitant, it seemed only a matter of time. Chu Ming’s face was grim as he surveyed the surroundings; his shoulders tensed involuntarily, yet he gritted his teeth and firmly shook his head at the Qingyu disciples who sent him inquiring glances.
The situation was a powder keg, waiting for a single command.
“…If it’s evidence you want.”
The cold voice rang out once more, recklessly breaking the tension.
Yun Duan ignored the gazes that instantly turned toward her. Ignoring Shang Can’s warning look, she took a few more steps forward. When the fire dragons appeared at her feet again, she raised her hand and unsheathed Wuyou. A cloud-like flash of sword-light sparked, breaking through the restriction Shang Can had used to try and stop her.
She walked straight to Shang Can’s side, turned around to face the stunned cultivators, and finally looked at Pei Chen.
“We will simply go and find it.”
Yun Duan’s voice was faint, yet it possessed an incredible persuasiveness. She continued: “This matter is already full of suspicious points; it cannot be considered a settled fact.”
“If what I saw does not count as evidence, then on the day the demon tide attacked the arena, everyone at the Discourse Meet witnessed it with their own eyes: it was Can-zhe who broke the spiritual barrier and slew thousands of demon beasts without harming a single person.”
“If those demon beasts truly came from Biluo Huangquan, what benefit would Can-zhe’s actions have for her?”
“Furthermore, the Dao-Heart Lotus Seed was only discovered missing after Can-zhe had departed—” Yun Duan paused and said coldly, “From the moment the demon tide attacked until Can-zhe left Tianwaitian, she was with me the entire time. Where would she have found the time to steal the seed from Kunyao-jun?”
Yun Duan was a person of few words; saying this much was enough to shock everyone. Shang Can gritted her teeth, feeling a twinge of regret that she hadn’t stopped her more firmly, yet a small corner of her heart felt a hidden joy—which she hastily brushed away.
The faces of the cultivators present showed strange and complicated expressions as they inevitably recalled the events when Yun Duan’s Flawless Immortal Body was exposed. As if sensing their thoughts, Yun Duan spoke again.
“Can-zhe may be a demonic cultivator, but on the day I was injured, she was the only one who thought to protect me.”
Her voice lowered slightly at the end. Yun Duan slowly scanned the crowd; everyone her ethereal gaze passed over couldn’t help but shudder, feeling as though they were being seen through.
“It has only been two days since my constitution was exposed.” Her voice was calm, but her words caused a massive uproar. “I have already been ambushed five times while traveling alone. Not one of them was from the Demon Race.”
Her words were subtle, but they were enough to make everyone understand that immortal cultivators had ambushed her.
The crowd erupted into a commotion, but the most violent reaction came from behind Yun Duan.
“How could—are you hurt?!”
Shang Can instantly lost her composure, forgetting the occasion entirely. She hurriedly reached out to grab Yun Duan’s wrist. Only after confirming her pulse was steady did she breathe a sigh of relief, with a lingering fear welling up in her chest.
“…Who was it?”
Her tone sank dangerously. The rising anger was so searing that Shang Can didn’t even realize she hadn’t let go of Yun Duan’s wrist.
Yun Duan didn’t remind her either, allowing Shang Can to hold her. The coldness in her eyes had faded at some point, and she suddenly curled her lips into a slight smile.
“Weren’t you just telling me not to come over?”
Shang Can was speechless, feeling both amused and frustrated that Yun Duan was holding a grudge, yet she was also awed by the breathtaking beauty that appeared like a moonlit goddess. She couldn’t find a way to respond.
Yun Duan’s mood, however, seemed to have improved significantly. Her eyes, like night springs, swept over her before landing back on the cultivators. Her voice deepened once more.
“I believe what I see with my own eyes more than what I hear.”
“We should not be in conflict with Can-zhe at this time.” Yun Duan looked at Pei Chen, her brow slightly furrowed. “If you say Can-zhe cannot produce physical evidence that Biluo Huangquan did not attack Tianwaitian, then aside from the words heard from the intruders that day, does Tianwaitian have any physical evidence to prove that they did?”
As her voice fell, apart from the stubborn faction like Elder Huang of Tianwaitian who were still indignantly shouting that it was undoubtedly Biluo Huangquan, most people fell silent. They were likely still immersed in the shock of Yun Duan being attacked by fellow cultivators.
After a long while, Pei Chen let out a soft sigh and replied with a bow: “Is Yun Zhongjun saying… that we should investigate this matter first?”
Yun Duan nodded slightly, returning to her state of being sparing with words: “As it should be.”
“Then Yun Zhongjun’s meaning is…”
Pei Chen looked at Shang Can, who was standing silently behind Yun Duan. She seemed to be focusing all her attention on Yun Duan. His gaze lingered for a moment on where Shang Can was holding Yun Duan’s wrist, and a flash of realization suddenly crossed his brow.
“…Is to let Can-zhe investigate?”
For some reason, his voice was suddenly much louder. Even Shang Can, who was intently and secretly checking if Yun Duan had any external injuries, was startled. She looked up with a frown, her mind turning for a moment before she understood what he was saying.
In all fairness, the idea wasn’t bad. She had planned to settle the score with the “Fake Can-zhe” for the stolen Dao-Heart Lotus Seed anyway; she could just bring back some of the impostor’s “belongings” as evidence for Tianwaitian.
However, just because she thought it was okay didn’t mean the cultivators would accept it. Sure enough, Elder Huang’s disapproving shout soon came: “How can this be! If we let this demonic cultivator go today, are we not giving her time to escape? If she forges some evidence to appease us then, how will we tell the difference!”
Pei Chen looked conflicted, but before he could speak, Yun Duan cut in.
“There is no need to worry.”
Her misty brows remained calm. Facing the questioning gazes of the crowd, she showed no change in expression as she subtly turned her hand to grip Shang Can’s hand back. Shang Can was startled to realize she had been holding Yun Duan’s wrist this whole time; feeling a sudden rush of embarrassment, half of her body went stiff.
Not understanding the meaning of this gesture, Shang Can was hesitating whether to pull her hand away when she heard the other woman speak again. Her voice had suddenly become soft.
“I will go with her.”