Li Yan's heart stirred. He clearly felt that the young man's expression had appeared only after the Bloodhand Flying Sickle finished speaking. It was a subconscious reaction. A strange feeling arose in Li Yan's heart. He put on a look of listening attentively to the Bloodhand Flying Sickle's words, wanting to get closer. He couldn't help but move a few steps forward and to the side, away from the strange-looking master-servant pair, while secretly keeping a wisp of his Divine Sense on them.
After hearing the Bloodhand Flying Sickle's question, Daoist Gong first nodded, then shook his head. His expression puzzled the crowd.
"I imagine with your cultivation, fellow Daoists, it's not difficult to see the cause of death, which is the same as my observation. It's just that my junior brothers and I arrived earlier and have already checked several times. The killer left no clues at all. Their methods were extremely vicious, even annihilating Junior Brother Liu's soul, making it impossible for him to even enter the cycle of reincarnation. However, there are a few points that can be roughly guessed at or are incomprehensible:
First, there are no signs of a struggle here. The killer should be someone Junior Brother Liu was very familiar with, who then launched a surprise attack when he was unprepared.
Second, Junior Brother Liu had already activated the protective formation when he was cultivating. Even if the killer tricked Junior Brother Liu into letting them into the courtyard for some reason, how did they leave? All the doors and windows, as well as the courtyard, were under the cover of the formation. The token to open the protective formation is still in Junior Brother Liu's hand. This is the same as in all sects; to protect the safety and privacy of disciples, a person's cave residence or courtyard has only one restriction token that can open it.
Third, if the killer was confident they could kill Junior Brother Liu with one blow, then the killer could have taken Junior Brother Liu's restriction token and left at their leisure. But Junior Brother Liu is still holding the restriction token, which doesn't make sense. And the brand Junior Brother Liu left on that token shows no signs of being tampered with. Even if someone else got the restriction token, they couldn't use it without erasing the brand inside. These brands will only slowly dissipate with Junior Brother Liu's death. You fellow Daoists can still detect the existence of the brand with your Divine Sense now.
Fourth, only the door of this room in the courtyard was forced open from the inside. It's clear that Junior Brother Liu, after being severely injured, forcibly opened the door in a panic, intending to escape. As for the doors and windows of the other rooms, they are all closed. I have also checked. All the items in the remaining two rooms are neatly arranged, with no signs of an outsider entering. The most crucial point is that without removing the protective formation, even if the doors and windows are wide open, it's just for show; one simply cannot get out.
Fifth, Junior Brother Liu's storage pouch is missing. This is even more puzzling. Generally, tokens are kept inside the storage pouch. Why did the killer take the storage pouch but then give the restriction token to Junior Brother Liu? Did they know Junior Brother Liu wasn't dead? Then why did they leave a survivor? To create a false trail? Once Junior Brother Liu used a secret technique to stay alive until his fellow sect members arrived, wouldn't the killer's cleverness have backfired? This I cannot figure out.
Therefore, I think there are two possibilities. One, the killer is an acquaintance who remained at the scene after the murder, ultimately confusing the situation and preventing the truth from being discovered. Two, the killer is a formation expert. The courtyard's protective formation was no longer effective against them. They secretly snuck in and launched a surprise attack while Junior Brother Liu was cultivating, then left thinking they had succeeded, restoring the protective formation to its original state on their way out. Three, both of the above points are based on the assumption that Junior Brother Liu's restriction token was just on his person, separate from his storage pouch. If that's not the case, perhaps Junior Brother Liu was in a state of feigned death. The killer, after succeeding, took out the token alone and discarded it, taking the storage pouch. But this behavior is baffling."
Hearing this, everyone felt as if they were facing a tangled mess. The clues were interlinked yet contradictory, like a fog obscuring their vision.
As Daoist Gong spoke, his burning gaze first fell on Luo Sanpang and Qin Chengyi. The two of them trembled, their faces turning pale. They cursed inwardly. They fit the profile of an acquaintance committing the crime and were the first to remain at the scene. Luo Sanpang had been worried about this matter being unclear, and now it had indeed come. Qin Chengyi cursed Luo Sanpang's eighteen generations of ancestors in his heart. If he hadn't dragged him along, how could he have gotten into this mess?
Luo Sanpang's blood rushed to his head, and he howled, "Sect Master Senior Brother, Sect Master Senior Brother, how can you wrong me like this? I definitely, definitely did not kill anyone, I really didn't." In his panic, he seemed to be speaking incoherently, and even his defense sounded weak.
Qin Chengyi's sweat poured down. He was quite intelligent, and although anxious, he still retained a shred of reason. A helpless, bitter smile hung on his lips. "Sect Master Senior Brother, I am a Qi Condensation cultivator. Even if I were to launch a surprise attack on Senior Brother Liu, without a powerful magical treasure, what ability would I have to instantly break through his protective spiritual power? I estimate that the moment my spiritual power touched the corner of his robe, he would have discovered me. With the difference of a great realm, even if he just stood there and let me attack, I would be the one to die in the end. This is my storage pouch. I invite you, Sect Master Senior Brother, to inspect it and see if there are any powerful magical treasures or other suspicious items inside. Please have a look, Sect Master Senior Brother." With that, his face pale, he untied the storage pouch from his body, removed the restriction at its mouth with his Divine Sense, and handed it over with both hands.
This sudden turn of events stunned Li Yan and the others. They hadn't expected Daoist Gong to first suspect his own two junior brothers. After hearing their defenses, Daoist Gong took Qin Chengyi's storage pouch. After a sweep with his Divine Sense, his expression remained unchanged as he returned the storage pouch to Qin Chengyi. At the same time, several strands of Divine Sense unceremoniously swept over Qin Chengyi's body, as if seeing him inside and out. It was Hall Master Ji of the Disciplinary Hall and the other three who had arrived later.
In the end, many people's gazes turned to Luo Sanpang. What Qin Chengyi said was true. With a difference of a great realm, even in a surprise attack, he would probably be discovered the moment he circulated his spiritual power. Whether it was by Divine Sense or spiritual power fluctuations, the difference was like heaven and earth. Even Old Daoist Ji and his several senior and junior brothers had flickering eyes and hesitant expressions. They hadn't found any extraordinary magical treasures on Qin Chengyi. In that case, the only one who could have brought a mid-stage Foundation Establishment peak cultivator to the brink of death with a single blow was a cultivator of the same rank.
Being stared at by everyone, Luo Sanpang couldn't help but look around. He became even more anxious. His mind raced, and he also thought of a reason. He couldn't help but glare at Li Yan and the others. "You all suspect Third Master did it?"
Then he anxiously looked at Daoist Gong, who hadn't spoken. "Sect Master Senior Brother, if I were to kill someone, I'd have to have a reason, right? I've been in charge of the 'Daojing Hall' with Senior Brother Liu for over a decade. Whether it's power or stipend, we have the same. What he has, I have too. If we're talking about Spirit Stones, the senior and junior brothers in the temple also know I like to gamble a bit. I have more Spirit Stones than him. Senior Brother Liu doesn't have any special spirit treasures or magical treasures. What would I want from him? There has to be a motive for murder, right? And Senior Brother Liu's storage pouch was already gone when I entered. What motive could I have to kill him?" Niu Niu Chinese Network
As he spoke, the fat on his face trembled nonstop. But after he said this, he sounded quite righteous, especially to the ears of the other members of Xuanqing Temple. They also felt that the Sect Master Senior Brother's suspicion was misplaced. They knew that Luo Sanpang and Senior Brother Liu shared the same position and really had no conflict of interest. Moreover, their private relationship was quite good.
"Senior Brother Luo and I thought that Senior Brother Liu had a mishap in his cultivation. After blasting open the protective formation, we rushed in. Because Senior Brother Liu's earlier cry gave us a bad feeling, when we entered, Senior Brother Luo's hurried steps directly knocked me to the ground. When I looked up and saw Senior Brother Liu's state, Senior Brother Luo immediately shouted out. We didn't touch anything here at all," Qin Chengyi also said with a bitter smile.
Daoist Gong, however, had a cold gaze. After Luo Sanpang finished speaking again, he said faintly, "Did I say it was one of you two? Have you forgotten what I said just now? How did the killer get out after the murder? Did the killer perhaps blast through the protective restriction after the murder to create a diversion? And murder isn't necessarily about taking things. Perhaps there was a grudge. Taking the storage pouch might just be a smokescreen."
Hearing this, Luo Sanpang and Qin Chengyi's expressions relaxed. The Sect Master Senior Brother was clearly suspecting that the two of them had tricked Senior Brother Liu into opening his courtyard gate together, went in to launch a surprise attack and kill him, and then faked the crime scene. But when the two of them had come over at noon, they had met many sect members and disciples on the way, who had even greeted them. And even when the two of them were standing at Senior Brother Liu's gate, this was a disciple residential area, and there were disciples who saw them from a distance. Not to mention blasting the protective formation. The moment they first blasted it, disciples had already flown over. This was within the sect, and in broad daylight.
"The Sect Master Senior Brother should know about this. Not only did many people see me and Junior Brother Qin coming here, but even when I left my own courtyard before noon, disciples saw me. Finally, when we blasted Senior Brother Liu's protective formation, there were several disciples standing right here. We can just summon them and ask."
Afterwards, the two of them mentioned the names of many cultivators. Hall Master Ji summoned the disciples waiting outside the gate and then summoned the disciples Luo Sanpang and Qin Chengyi had mentioned one by one. After some questioning, it was indeed as the two had said.
Just then, Kong Nantai also hurried over. He had been patrolling the back mountain. By the time he received the message from the Sect Master Senior Brother, it was already rather late. After receiving another order to activate the sect's grand formation, he checked around once more before coming over. A Foundation Establishment cultivator had died in the temple, which was extremely serious for a second-rate sect. The sect's grand formation was activated to prevent anyone from entering or leaving.
After Luo Sanpang and Qin Chengyi stood aside, Daoist Gong turned his face to the Bloodhand Flying Sickle and the others. He directly ignored the few Qi Condensation cultivators like Li Yan. Even if there was a formation expert among the Qi Condensation cultivators, they couldn't be that skilled. And they were different from Qin Chengyi; how could Senior Brother Liu let a stranger get close to him?
"Fellow Daoist Gui, you are a formation expert. Regarding this situation where the killer vanished into thin air under such a restrictive formation, what are your thoughts?" Daoist Gong's gaze finally fell on the red-robed fatty.
"Fellow Daoist Gong, how can my meager skills compare to the ten-thousand-year heritage of Xuanqing Temple's formations? I was just taking my nephew to visit an old friend this time. Surely you don't suspect me?" The red-robed fatty's face showed displeasure.
"Gui Liugang, the 'Banner That Sweeps Through Encampments'." Just as the two finished speaking, a low, cold voice came out. Although the voice was low, everyone here was a cultivator and heard it clearly. The crowd followed the sound and saw it was one of the two silent, cloaked, black-robed figures.
As he said this, the red-robed fatty's eyes narrowed, and a sharp glint flashed. "Oh, it seems someone else here also recognizes me. Why don't you two fellow Daoists take off your hoods so we can chat more freely?"
"Hehe, just a country bumpkin, not used to grand occasions. I've made a fool of myself in front of you, Fellow Daoist Gui. Just now, my junior brother was just surprised to run into the famous 'Banner That Sweeps Through Encampments,' Fellow Daoist Gui, here. It was just a moment of surprise. It is said that Fellow Daoist Gui came from a mortal military background and accidentally embarked on our path of cultivation. His formation arts are unpredictable. Before he officially set foot on the immortal path, he could use mortal formations to set up grand formations, striking fear into the hearts of enemy armies and causing their camps to collapse. After cultivating the Dao, he often used formation flags as pieces, placing them to form formations, hence the name 'Banner That Sweeps Through Encampments.' Seeing you today, you truly have the demeanor of a grandmaster." As soon as the red-robed fatty finished speaking, the other black-robed figure had already chimed in with a chuckle.
Hearing this, Gui Liugang's red robe moved without any wind, and his gaze shot like a knife towards the two black-robed cultivators. But after just a breath, his aura completely vanished, and his face returned to normal, back to the amiable fatty he was before.
Gui Liugang thought to himself, 'Hiding and cowering. If we were outside, what's two Foundation Establishment cultivators? I'd definitely kill you both with a formation.'
But he said lightly, "You flatter me with my name. Alright then, I'll take a look at the true essence of Xuanqing Temple's formations." With that, he really did take a step and walked into the courtyard.
His sudden change in attitude stunned everyone here for a moment. Then, the scholar, the Bloodhand Flying Sickle, chuckled softly and murmured, "Fellow Daoist Gui is truly remarkable." With that, he also followed. It was unclear whether he was praising Gui Liugang's formation skills or his temperament.