ragginovel Chapter 19 The Dust Settles
Chapter 19 The Dust Settles
Wei Dachuan didn't finish his sentence, but the implication was self-evident.
Upon hearing this, Su Hongzhi's face turned deathly pale. He muttered to himself, "Senior Brother Hu went to see Tong Lu last night. Was he silenced?"
His distraught mutterings weren't loud, but to others they sounded like thunder!
"What? Hu Wenbiao was silenced by Tong Lu?"
"I knew it! With that foul mouth of his, he dared to spread even Senior Brother Pang's private matters. He definitely wouldn't live long!"
"Pang Sicheng's move was too ruthless..."
"Hu Wenbiao was stupid too. How could he just casually say something so potentially dangerous? Sigh, he brought this on himself..."
Immediately, discussions arose in the dining hall, and various speculations spread like wildfire.
......
At the same time, inside Pang Sicheng's cave.
Pang Sicheng said with a grim expression, "What? Hu Wenbiao didn't show up?!"
Tong Lu quickly replied, "That's right. I waited for him all night in the Purple Bamboo Grove, but I didn't see a single person. Later, I went to check his residence, and the bedding was neatly arranged, so he obviously didn't return home all night."
Pang Sicheng frowned deeply: "Could it be that he got wind of it beforehand and ran away?"
Tong Lu's eyes darted around, and he lowered his voice, saying, "Senior brother, could it be that someone from the sect leader's lineage beat him to it and..."
He made a throat-slitting gesture and continued, "In this way, there will be no one to testify, and this dirty water will be completely poured on you, Senior Brother, and you won't be able to clear your name!"
Pang Sicheng roared, "That bastard Hu Wenbiao! Keep searching! Keep looking!"
We demand to see him alive or dead!
How is this servants' quarters managed?
What a mess! It's full of useless idiots and morons. What a jinx!
"Yes, Senior Brother!" Tong Lu dared not say more and quickly bowed his head to accept the order.
......
However, the impact of this matter extends far beyond the disciples; it has already alarmed the sect's higher-ups.
Inside the council hall of the Heavenly Demon Sect's core main hall, clouds and mist swirled, and the aroma of spiritual tea filled the air.
The five highest-ranking officials of the sects sat among them, each with a different expression.
The man sitting in the center had a refined and scholarly appearance, exuding an imposing aura without anger. He was none other than Luo Tianxing, the sect leader of the Heavenly Demon Sect, a late-stage Golden Core cultivator whose demonic arts were unfathomable.
At this moment, he remained calm, as if the turmoil outside had nothing to do with him.
At the head of the table was an elderly man with a hooked nose, white hair, and a youthful face. He was none other than Pang Tianjue, the Peak Master of Haoyang Peak and the Law Enforcement Elder.
His beard and hair stood on end, and he slammed his hand on the armrest of his chair in a fit of rage, directly pointing the finger at the head of the group: "Sect Master! This matter is no fabrication; someone is surely trying to maliciously slander us and shake the foundation of our sect."
Such a meticulous and vicious frame-up is something no ordinary disciple could accomplish!
You must give me, and all my disciples, an explanation!
He directly characterized the incident as a power conspiracy targeting his faction, bluntly throwing the problem to the sect leader.
Sect Master Luo Tianxing remained calm, his tone steady as water: "Senior Brother Pang, please calm down. It is precisely because the situation is serious, concerning the sect's reputation and Pang Sicheng's innocence, that I have summoned everyone to discuss this matter together."
At this moment, a middle-aged female cultivator, still charming and graceful, wearing a light purple dress, slowly spoke: "Sect Master, Elder Pang, in my opinion, the source of this matter lies with that menial disciple, Hu Wenbiao."
Once we find him, everything will become clear.
This person is Du Tianmei, the only female Golden Core cultivator in the sect and the peak master of Bixia Peak.
"Hmph!" A thin-faced old man with sinister eyes snorted coldly. He was none other than Luo Tianjing, Pang Tianjue's junior brother.
Immediately, Luo Tianjing said in a deep voice, "Elder Du, this statement is rather naive."
Given how things have escalated, do you think Hu Wenbiao is still alive?
In a few days, the grass on his grave will be as tall as a person.
"Senior Brother Luo, do you mean the sect leader killed him to cover it up?" A middle-aged scholar-like cultivator replied calmly, his sharp gaze sweeping over Luo Tianjing.
He was none other than Feng Tianheng, the junior brother of Sect Master Luo Tianxing.
Upon hearing this, Pang Tianjue slammed his fist on the table again and stood up: "Feng Tianheng! Stop talking nonsense and making veiled accusations!"
When did I say it was the sect leader's doing? This is clearly a malicious slander!
Whether Pang Sicheng practiced evil arts or not, all of you here have sharp eyes, can't you see it?
Besides, even if he really wanted to cultivate, he's not stupid; why would he make it public knowledge?!
Feng Tianheng said calmly, "Although we demonic cultivators are ruthless, we have our bottom line. We are the Demonic Sect, not the Evil Sect. Using our fellow disciples as furnaces is rather..."
Pang Tianjue slammed his fist on the table in anger, shouting, "Using a fellow disciple as a furnace? You actually believe such a ridiculous claim?! Besides, such a thing can be easily investigated."
As a result, the senior executives spoke back and forth, clearly forming three factions.
Sect Leader Luo Tianxing and Scholar Feng Tianheng belong to the same faction.
Pang Tianjue and Luo Tianjing are from the same lineage.
The female nun Du Tianmei remained neutral.
"Alright." Sect Master Luo Tianxing coughed lightly and said authoritatively, "I believe in Pang Sicheng's character and Dao heart; he would never do such a despicable thing."
He paused, his tone carrying an undeniable determination: "Since the key figure Hu Wenbiao has already disappeared, he is presumably in grave danger, with no way to verify the truth."
"Then let this matter rest. Elder Pang, in your capacity as the Enforcement Elder, issue a decree strictly forbidding any sect disciples from discussing this matter further; violators will be severely punished."
"That's the end?!" Pang Tianjue trembled with rage, his teeth grinding together. "Sect Master! My Pang family members have been framed and their reputations ruined for no reason. You think you can just let it go with a casual 'That's the end'?"
Hu Wenbiao was just a pawn; there must be someone behind him instigating him!
Just because he disappeared, should we stop investigating and let the mastermind go free?
Luo Tianxing gave him a meaningful look and said in a calm tone, "Elder Pang, as you said yourself, he has disappeared, so there is no way to verify his identity."
What results could there be if we continued to investigate, besides fueling the rumors and causing further turmoil within the sect?
Some things, if you keep dwelling on them, will only cause more trouble. It's better to put them aside for now and wait and see.
"This matter shall be handled as I have instructed."
Pang Tianjue was speechless, his chest heaving violently, a surge of frustration stuck in his throat, unable to be spit out or swallowed, his face extremely pale.
He knew that if he couldn't find Hu Wenbiao, he would always be in a passive position, and arguing any further would be futile.
He sighed inwardly and said, "...Yes, Sect Master."
Luo Tianxing nodded slightly, then added, "Also, Elder Pang, Pang Sicheng's reputation isn't very good. We should never mention his relationship with my disciple Duanmu Yao again."
Upon hearing this, Pang Tianjue's anger intensified, but he had no way to express his bitterness.
He could only nod in agreement: "Understood."
......
As night deepened, the bright moon hung high in the sky.
Shen Li slowly awoke from her meditation, her eyes gleaming with inner light. She felt the magical power within her body had solidified further, and she felt a sense of joy.
Thinking of the various rumors circulating in the sect about Pang Sicheng recently, a slight smile appeared on his lips. He figured that the inner sect prodigy must be in a terrible predicament right now.