Fang Zheng shook his head, waving his hand, "The history is kept in the clan's forbidden grounds, how can an outsider inspect it?"
"Then can you get in?"
Fang Zheng shook his head, "Only clan elders."
"Is that so… then what can we do now?" Tie Ruo Nan frowned.
"Lady Tie, maybe I can help." From the shadows, a crippled old woman walked out.
It was none other than Gu Yue Yao Ji.
"Divine investigator Tie, to speak the truth, I've been observing both of you for some time. Come with me, I'll bring you into the clan's forbidden area. Hehehe, normally that place would be heavily guarded. But coincidentally, right now I am in charge of protecting the forbidden grounds," Gu Yue Yao Ji laughed sinisterly.
She hoped to harm Fang Yuan indirectly, but if he was innocent, she could slander him using her wicked ways.
In the underground tunnel, inside a hidden room, Tie Ruo Nan studied the Gu Yue clan's historical records.
From the founding of the clan to its peak and eventual decline, the records covered the past few centuries in great detail.
"This first generation clan leader has a mysterious origin, creating the Gu Yue village singlehandedly. He's most likely a demonic cultivator!" Tie Ruo Nan said as she flipped the first few pages, revealing something shocking.
"That's nothing much. Many demonic cultivators, after tiring of roaming, would spread their bloodline and establish a clan. A few hundred years later, they would be stripped of their demonic origins, and their descendants would become righteous cultivators. This is actually quite common," Tie Xue Leng replied.
"Then will all his past wrongdoings be forgiven like that?" Tie Ruo Nan asked, indignant. "These demonic cultivators commit all these crimes, but when they get tired, they settle down and enjoy old age. Isn't that too easy for them?"
Tie Xue Leng sighed deeply. "Ruo Nan, when I was young, I thought like you too, believing the world was black and white. But as you see more of it, you'll realize the world is grey. Sometimes, black can turn white, and white can turn black. Some things that appear white can be more treacherous than black, bearing even greater sins."
"And demonic cultivators have their grievances. Righteous Gu Masters control cultivating resources, while demonic ones are isolated, relying on extreme methods. Those like the first generation clan leader who change their ways offer the best solution. At least they no longer harm others. Turning from black to white, they can contribute to the righteous path."
Tie Xue Leng tried to console her, but Tie Ruo Nan remained unconvinced.
She shook her head, saying adamantly, "Father, it's wrong to sympathize with demonic Gu Masters. White is white, black is black. They should face punishment for their mistakes. Breaking the law, they should be judged. If not, where would justice, fairness, and the law stand?"
"This is not sympathy. Where there are people, there are interests. Where there are interests, there's crime. As long as people exist, crime will never end. My child, you'll learn eventually that a person's strength is too insignificant," Tie Xue Leng's voice was filled with wisdom, but also sorrow. "Never mind. For now, it's too early for you to understand. Focus on solving the case."
"Yes, father," Tie Ruo Nan pouted, still not agreeing with his pessimistic view.
When people are young, they tend to think they can change the world. But after they grow up, they will eventually find out that a person being able to retain their sense of self, and not being changed by the world is already a great success.
As the girl continued to flip, her hand suddenly stopped.
"Fourth generation clan leader… Flower Wine Monk? Li… Liquor worm?" Her eyes shone!
Electric currents crackled as sharp teeth gleamed coldly.
A frenzy lightning wolf lunged at Bai Ning Bing, its claw slashing the air.
Bai Ning Bing stood still, watching the claw approach without flinching.
Suddenly, a white rainbow shot from his aperture, bursting into light.
A white snake appeared, radiating a fairy-like aura.
The Rank five snake Gu made the lightning wolf retreat, but it shot out a cloud of smoke.
The smoke surrounded the wolf, blinding it, no matter how it moved.
The wolf howled in panic, crashing through trees.
HOWL!
It shot a blue thunderbolt at Bai Ning Bing, but he didn't dodge.
Crack!
The thunderbolt pierced his chest, revealing a hole.
The wound froze, ice formed, and the injury healed back into flesh.
"This is the Northern Dark Ice Soul physique's true strength. I am ice, and ice is me. Fatal injuries to ordinary Gu Masters can be recovered in just a few seconds for me," Bai Ning Bing thought, as he slowly raised his right arm.
His right arm was ordinary broken, but relying on the Northern Dark Ice Soul physique, it had already recovered fully.
"The white form immortal snake Gu also sensed the Northern Dark Ice Soul physique, thus it entered my aperture. The Northern Dark Ice Soul physique can attract water-type Gu worms to join me! Such great strength, yet so brittle!" Bai Ning Bing sighed at the heavens.
"Great immortal hasn't done anything?" At this time, Bai clan leader came over, asking in concern.
Bai Ning Bing shook his head, "This snake Gu does not recognise me, it is merely attracted by my Northern Dark Ice Soul physique and moved from the clan's spirit spring into my aperture. Only when I am in mortal danger and in a death situation would it come out and protect me."
But the white form immortal snake was not refined by Bai Ning Bing, thus this protection also had its limits.
Bai clan leader sighed. He felt intense regret and pity towards this, yet there was nothing he could do. He had already done what he could. "Right, the three clan's negotiation results is out. Xiong clan preserved more than half of their strength, we cannot underestimate them. Eventually the three clans came to a decision that there shall be a three-clan tournament. And the compensation will be decided by the results of the competition. Only Gu Masters aged thirty and below can enter the tournament."
"I understand." Bai Ning Bing nodded, "I can already sense it, my life is coming to an end. Having a competition at the end, I am really happy. Thank you, lord clan elder."
"No no, this is also for the sake of the clan." Bai clan leader's expression was embarrassed. It was his suggestion in the first place, and the biggest reason for it was to squeeze out the last remaining value that Bai Ning Bing possessed.
But Bai Ning Bing's gratitude, came from the bottom of his heart. He had already found his path, he no longer feared. There was only one lingering battle that he could not let go of.
"Fang Yuan, the three-clan tournament, will you attend it? Don't disappoint me, because right now, I am really really strong…"
"The Flower Wine Monk begged for mercy on his knees…" However, as Tie Ruo Nan read through this content, her eyes gradually dimmed down.
"What a pity, this Flower Wine Monk died on the spot and couldn't leave behind an inheritance. If he could leave an inheritance, that would be perfect to explain everything," The young girl sighed inwardly.
Yet she didn't give up and continued to flip through the Gu Yue clan records, until the time was up and Gu Yue Yao Ji rushed them out.
Fang Zheng welcomed the Tie father and daughter outside of the clan pavillion, "Were there any discoveries?"
Tie Xue Leng was silent whereas Tie Ruo Nan gave a bitter smile and shook her head.
Fang Zheng continued, "I just thought of something which might be of help. Big brother and Chi faction worked quite closely, and the Chi faction's elder Gu Yue Chi Lian had once defended him in front of everyone. Lady Tie, do you think this Liquor worm could have been secretly handed over by elder Chi Lian to my big brother?"
"Chi faction?" Tie Ruo Nan frowned.
"Yes. Chi and Mo faction were the most influential factions of our Gu Yue clan before the wolf tide," Fang Zheng explained.
Tie Ruo Nan wondered how Fang Yuan was involved with the Chi faction.
A headache started forming; this was her first case, and she had been full of confidence, but now it felt overwhelmingly difficult.
Watching her father solve cases effortlessly, she had imagined it would be the same for her. But now she realized how hard it was when she was the one investigating.
Sometimes there were no leads, and other times strange clues surfaced, leaving her stuck.
It felt like she was trapped in a dense fog, unsure how close or far she was from the truth.
Would this Chi faction clue help?
Tie Ruo Nan felt lost and subconsciously glanced at her father.
"Father should have already discovered some clues, right?" At this moment, the admiration in the young girl towards her father deepened further.
"If it was my father, this case should have already been solved. I am still far away from father's level. But even if I fail, as long as father is here, the truth will come out and the killer will be punished." Tie Ruo Nan felt ashamed but also a sense of pride.
With Tie Xue Leng here, she had no worries that the criminal could get away.
But the young girl quickly shook her head, getting angry. The anger was towards herself.
"Ruo Nan, you are worthless. Didn't you think of surpassing father? How can you surpass him if you have the mentality of always relying on him!?"
"Ruo Nan, cheer up, you can do it!" The young girl pursed her lips, inwardly encouraging herself.