The forest was silent. Countless gazes fell on Zhexiu, each with different emotions. Zhu Luo slightly squinted his eyes, thinking about something. Mei Lisha was not there at all. In front of the green mountain, he stared at the Garden of Zhou that had already disappeared. His aged face was filled with an indescribable expression.
"So that's how it is." The Mount Li elder looked at Zhexiu and said expressionlessly.
Footsteps and the sound of rushing wind could be heard from the forest. The cultivators of the southern Longevity Sect and Holy Maiden Peak did not wait for orders to be given. They spread out, vaguely blocking off all possible routes that Zhexiu could take. Based on the situation, they would strike at the very next moment. Logically, there was no reason for everyone to firmly believe Zhuang Huanyu's accusation that Zhexiu was a demon spy. The problem was that Liang Xiaoxiao, who was on the stretcher, stared at Zhexiu without concealing the hatred and vigilance in his eyes. Moreover, he did not say a word of objection.
Liang Xiaoxiao was one of the Divine Kingdom's Seven Laws, and Zhuang Huan Yu was a proud disciple of the Heavenly Dao Academy. The testimonies of these two people were very powerful, and the most important thing was that Liang Xiaoxiao was severely wounded, and his true essence was scattered. He was about to die, and no one would doubt his words. Who would lie at the moment of death?
Zhexiu was not a human cultivator, and had no relations with the many cultivation sects of the Central Plains. However, he had killed demons on the snowy plains, cooperated with the Great Zhou Army, and achieved many military merits. Many nobles in the capital admired him. In essence, it was an exchange of benefits and considerations, but it did not prevent people from wanting to help him.
The status of the Li Palace was relatively high. The cardinal who had just treated Liang Xiaoxiao slightly frowned. He thought that the sword wounds on Liang Xiaoxiao's body did not seem to be the method Zhexiu used to kill. He hesitated and said, "I think the most fatal … should be the sword wounds."
An instructor of the Star Seizer Academy looked at Zhuang Huanyu with a cold expression and said, "Correct, how do you explain that? Zhexiu has achieved military merits time and time again, and killed who knows how many demons on the snowy plains. You actually say that he colluded with the demons to kill people in the Garden of Zhou. How can anyone believe that? "
It was indeed so. Especially the sword wounds on Liang Xiaoxiao's body, they clearly did not come from Zhexiu's hands. This question was even more fatal. Many people once again looked towards Zhuang Huan Yu, wanting to hear how he would explain. After a moment of hesitation, Zhuang Huan Yu said, "Perhaps, he had been concealing himself all these years, and wanted to use those military achievements to win the trust of us humans."
"The accusation of colluding with the demon race cannot be used with the word 'or'." The instructor of the Star Taker Academy said bluntly. He did not care about his identity at all.
Zhuang Huanyu's eyes were slightly red. It was unknown whether it was because of anxiety or anger. He opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something, but in the end he didn't. He seemed to subconsciously look towards the stretcher.
Liang Xiaoxiao shook her head with difficulty and said, "Don't say it."
Upon seeing this scene, the Mount Li elder vaguely understood that his conjecture had become true. His complexion became extremely pale and his body shivered. Hearing Liang Xiaoxiao's weak voice, Zhuang Huanyu tightly shut his mouth. His face was pale and his body was slightly cold. However, his coldness was not the same as that Mount Li elder's coldness.
Looking at the blood-covered Liang Xiaoxiao on the stretcher, thinking of the previous conversation in the Garden of Zhou, as well as the several dozen mournful sword glows, he couldn't help but feel a chill in his heart.
At the time, outside the Mountainside Whispering Wood, Liang Xiaoxiao saw the scene of Zhexiu carrying Qi Jian out of the Garden of Zhou. He very calmly gave a few instructions to Zhuang Huanyu, then without any warning or hesitation, he unsheathed his sword from its sheath and displayed an extremely powerful sword move.
That sword move was the last move of the Mount Li Sword Style, it was the most heroic and decisive. Using this sword move could bring the greatest harm to the enemy, but it would also mean that the user would die under this move. Back in the Grand Examination, the reason why Gou Han Shi had withdrawn from the battle was because he saw that Chen Chang Sheng had decided to use this sword move.
Liang Xiaoxiao had used this cold and tragic move on his own body.
Zhuang Huanyu was stupefied. He had never seen such a cold and cruel person. If he was so cold and cruel to himself, then how could he be so cruel to others?
Yes, this was a scheme that Liang Xiaoxiao had come up with on the spur of the moment. He used his death and those sword wounds to accuse Zhexiu and Qi Jian of colluding with the demons and harming their fellow disciples.
He did not say Qi Jian's name in front of so many people, because he was a Mount Li disciple who loved his fellow disciples and valued the reputation of the sect above his own life. Even if he was about to die, he did not want Mount Li's clean reputation to be tarnished. He still felt pity for his junior.
And it was precisely because he was such a person that his words were all the more trustworthy. Using his own death to exchange for benefits, Liang Xiaoxiao was truly very frightening. The most frightening thing was, before he made this decision, he did not have the slightest hesitation. Moreover, it was clear that he did not care whether Zhuang Huanyu would act according to his plan or not.
Liang Xiaoxiao had used his own death to weave a conspiracy, causing Zhuang Huan Yu to be incomparably terrified. He wanted to escape, but he knew that he couldn't escape. From the moment that Chen Chang Sheng's group of three had been assassinated by Liang Xiaoxiao and the demon race's experts at the lakeside, and from the moment that he hadn't appeared, he had walked onto a wrong path.
In the past, there were many moments where he had the opportunity to correct his path, including now, he could have said the truth of the matter, but … he would be a coward if he did that, so he did not. Afterwards, he had to continue on this path, unable to turn back.
It seemed that from the very beginning, his opponent had already calculated what his choice would be.
Looking at the blood-covered, dying Liang Xiaoxiao on the stretcher, Zhuang Huanyu felt that he was looking at a demon.
Liang Xiaoxiao was also looking at him, his eyes were somewhat gloomy, but very calm.
When their gazes met, everything became a foregone conclusion.
Zhuang Huanyu was silent, he slowly lowered his head and said with a slightly trembling voice: "I'm sorry, I can't say anything."
In the eyes of the crowd, Zhuang Huanyu appeared to be very sad, but also very unwilling.
He could not say anything, but in reality, he had already said a lot, and it was even more terrifying than saying it out loud.
Zhu Luo slightly raised his eyebrows and looked at the crowd, at the still unconscious Qi Jian.
Qi Jian had no idea what had happened.
"What do you have to say?"
The new instructor of the Heavenly Academy came to the scene. Hearing the situation, his expression was slightly cold, and he looked at Zhexiu under the locust tree and asked.
Zhexiu expressionlessly said: "Liang Xiaoxiao was a spy of the demons … but I did not kill him."
The scene was once again in an uproar. The Mount Li elder said with a cold expression: "What did you say?"
Zhexiu recounted what had happened by the lake. He was not good with words, so he spoke very slowly, but it was precisely because of this that his story was somewhat believable.
The Star Seizer Academy instructor asked: "What you said, do you have any witnesses?"
Zhexiu and Liang Xiaoxiao accused each other of being a spy of the demons, but there was naturally no evidence, so they could only seek witnesses.
At this moment, there were not many people present who believed Zhexiu's words. The words of the Star Seizer Academy instructor were undoubtedly an opportunity that Zhexiu had to grasp.
After a moment of silence, Zhexiu said: "I know that you will not believe my words. When Qi Jian wakes up, you will naturally understand."
The cardinal met the gazes of the crowd, shook his head and said: "His injuries are too heavy, and there are some serious problems with his meridians. I don't know when he will wake up, or even …"
Zhuang Huanyu sneered, and said with grief and indignation: "If he won't wake up, then …"
The two did not finish their words, but the crowd understood what they meant.
It was possible that Qi Jian would never wake up.
If this was the case, Zhuang Huanyu would feel very happy.
It was still the same saying: sometimes, not saying it, or not saying it thoroughly, was more destructive than saying it clearly.
These details, in addition to the sword wounds on Liang Xiaoxiao's body, had already made many people think that they had roughly guessed what had happened in the Garden of Zhou. They knew why Zhuang Huanyu was so indignant and wanted to say something, but stopped. They also knew why Liang Xiaoxiao was about to die, but was still unwilling to say more.
"According to what Zhexiu said, you were not there at the time." The Star Seizer Academy instructor looked at Zhuang Huanyu and asked.
Zhuang Huanyu was silent for a very long time, and finally raised his head. He had made his choice, so he appeared very calm.
To choose between being a coward for a lifetime and a warrior for a quarter of an hour, was very easy.
He had already been a coward once, so in the story he was telling, he would obviously be a warrior.
Even though he was very clear that this was the behavior of a coward.
… …
… …
After listening to Zhuang Huanyu's story, the scene once again became quiet.
Under the scholar tree, Zhexiu felt the strange gazes from all around him, felt the pressure that was gradually solidifying. He slightly lowered his head, very confused.
He was currently unable to see, so he was even more confused as to how humans could so easily lie with their eyes open.
In order to cover up a lie, more lies were needed, and there would inevitably be loopholes. Zhuang Huanyu's story was completely fabricated by Liang Xiaoxiao in a very short amount of time, so it was obviously impossible to guarantee that all the details were perfect. Zhu Luo, who had been silent all this time, suddenly said: "Chen Chang Sheng was also there?"
In Zhexiu's story, Chen Chang Sheng played a very important role, but in Zhuang Huanyu's story, Chen Chang Sheng appeared, but was only mentioned in a few words. Zhexiu did not understand, and said: "Yes, Chen Chang Sheng can testify."
The professor of the Heavenly Academy looked at him and slightly frowned: "Chen Chang Sheng did not leave the Garden of Zhou, he should already be dead … you know this, so you purposely said this?"
Hearing that Chen Chang Sheng had died in the Garden of Zhou, Zhexiu was silent, no longer saying anything.
Liang Xiaoxiao's voice became weaker and weaker: "So he did not leave the Garden of Zhou … then it's nothing."
After saying this, he sighed, a little regretful, a little happy, and a little perplexed. In short, it was very complicated.
The forest once again became quiet, everyone was shocked speechless.
Could it be … that Zhexiu's collusion with the demons actually involved Chen Chang Sheng?
How could one weave a perfect lie? It was not to constantly use new lies to make up for it, but to be like drawing, one needed to know how to leave blank, to give people space to think.
Liang Xiaoxiao did this, and it was very successful.
Of course, even at this moment, this lie could not be said to be perfect, because the words of a living person, were never more trustworthy than the words of a dead person — life was the most precious thing in the world, and the accusation of life was the most powerful. Many times, it was even more weighty than the truth.
If Liang Xiaoxiao died at this moment, then his framing of Zhexiu, Qi Jian, and Chen Chang Sheng could be considered perfect.
He closed his eyes, and smiled tiredly.
His face revealed a very complicated expression: unwillingness, grief, relief, and … forgiveness.
Then, he died.
… …
… …
(Yesterday, I said that if my body was fine, I would strive to write more, but I really can't. I'm sick, so I can't write more. Fortunately, I'm quite satisfied with what I wrote. Liang Xiaoxiao is really amazing, I like him. Also, last night, I also dreamed of Tai Yan. Also, was the fatty's Han Yu written by Han Mao … …)
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