Chai Xing’er displayed an innocent and bewildered smile. “What do you mean by that, Senior Xu?”

“What do I mean?” Xu Qi’an smiled and asked back, “Aren’t you the mastermind behind all of this?”

Li Lingsu’s expression slightly changed.

Jingxin and the other monks also looked over in surprise, including Jingyuan, who had regained consciousness but still looked pale.

Chai Xing’er shook her head. “Senior, you’ve misunderstood me.”

The woman, truly befitting an actress, spoke with sincere and innocent eyes and tone, showing no signs of guilt.

You’re putting on an act in front of the great Xu Silver Constable of Great Feng… Xu Qi’an scoffed:

“Don’t rush to deny it. Listen to what I have to say first.

“I’ve investigated Chai Jianyuan’s case quite thoroughly lately. Let’s review the case from the beginning. First, according to your account, Chai Jianyuan was killed by Chai Xian in the study at night. When you all arrived, you saw Chai Xian and Chai Jianyuan inside the room…

“And the latter was already dead, correct?”

Chai Xing’er nodded. “This was witnessed by everyone in the Chai mansion. Senior, do you think I’m lying?”

“Of course, you’re not lying. What you saw was real, but it might not be the truth,” Xu Qi’an said. “Both Chai Jianyuan and Chai Xian were at the Fifth Layer of Qi Condensation, with tough skin and strong bones. Even if Chai Xian launched a surprise attack, it would be impossible to kill Chai Jianyuan in such a short time. However, when you arrived, Chai Jianyuan was already dead. The Chai mansion isn’t that big.”

Li Lingsu’s eyes lit up slightly, remembering what Xu Qi’an had said before. “It was poison. Chai Jianyuan was poisoned beforehand.”

Jingxin nodded slightly, agreeing with Li Lingsu’s statement.

The other monks listened silently.

Xu Qi’an continued, “For this reason, I deliberately snuck into the cellar and dissected Chai Jianyuan’s corpse. I found signs of poisoning.”

As he spoke, he walked to Chai Jianyuan’s side and tore open the clothes on his chest, revealing the “wound” that had been stitched up underneath.

Chai Xing’er’s expression became complex. She said, “So it was you who snuck into the cellar that night…”

After a pause, she said in a deep voice, “It seems Chai Xian had premeditated this, secretly poisoning my elder brother.”

Everyone’s gaze immediately fell on Chai Xian, who was questioning his life. He lowered his head, muttering something, completely oblivious to his surroundings.

He’s withdrawn into himself…

“Amitabha,” Jingxin shook his head, chanting the Buddha’s name in a low voice.

“No, the one who poisoned him wasn’t Chai Xian. It was you, Chai Xing’er,” Xu Qi’an announced loudly.

Everyone suddenly shifted their gaze to Chai Xing’er.

Li Lingsu’s eyes widened.

Chai Xian’s muttering stopped for a moment.

Chai Xing’er’s pretty face stiffened slightly. “Senior, you still don’t believe me?”

Xu Qi’an ignored her and continued speaking confidently:

“Do you all remember why Chai Jianyuan didn’t tell Chai Xian about his background? Was it simply because he was afraid of shocking him? Anyone who can cultivate the Fifth Layer of Qi Condensation must have a strong mind. What kind of shock would this be?

“At first, I couldn’t figure it out either. But when I saw Chai Xian’s soul-leaving condition, I suddenly understood why Chai Jianyuan would conceal his background. This would only worsen his condition and perhaps lead to some undesirable consequences. Like the outcome we’re seeing now.”

Everyone seemed lost in thought.

Li Lingsu had a sudden realization but then frowned and asked, “But what does this have to do with Xing’er?”

Xu Qi’an glanced at the beautiful married woman:

“Chai Xing’er’s former husband died because of Chai Jianyuan. You harbored resentment, so you took advantage of the conflict between father and son over Chai Lan’s marriage. You secretly revealed Chai Xian’s background to him, triggering the worsening of his soul-leaving condition.

“At the same time, you poisoned Chai Jianyuan, making it reasonable for him to die at Chai Xian’s hands. Chai Xian has been extreme since childhood, and his other side is even more extreme and ruthless. When he discovered that Chai Jianyuan was the culprit behind his miserable childhood and that Chai Jianyuan was also going to marry off the girl he loved to someone else, how do you think he would react?”

The room suddenly fell silent.

Chai Xing’er could feel all those gazes focused on her at this moment.

She just glanced at Li Lingsu and said:

“Senior Xu, these are all your speculations, without evidence. Moreover, Xiao Lan is still missing. She was close to Chai Xian and might have known about his identity. Perhaps she had seen his six toes long ago. That’s why she wouldn’t fall in love with Chai Xian.”

“On this point, you can ask Chai Xian if he knew about the six toes on his left foot,” Chai Xing’er continued. “She didn’t want to marry into the Huangfu family, so she poisoned my elder brother, secretly revealed Chai Xian’s true identity, and then fled. To this day, she remains missing. Senior, isn’t my deduction reasonable?”

Still not admitting it!

“Just because she didn’t want to get married?” a young monk couldn’t help but question.

“Then Xing’er wouldn’t kill her elder brother just because Chai Jianyuan turned her former husband into an iron corpse,” Li Lingsu said in a low voice. “Senior, Chai Jianyuan had no choice but to turn Xing’er’s former husband into an iron corpse. It wasn’t intentional. Even if Xing’er harbored resentment, it would just be resentment.”

Xu Qi’an ignored him and smiled:

“I don’t quite understand your motive, but that’s a matter for later. Chai Xing’er, do I need to reveal who’s locked in the secret room under the ancestral hall?”

Chai Xing’er’s face instantly turned pale.

Xu Qi’an looked around at everyone, then turned to Chai Xian: “Chai Lan is being held by Chai Xing’er in the secret room of the ancestral hall. I’ve already found her.”

Chai Xian suddenly raised his head, his lips trembling: “Is she… is she alright…”

“Li Lingsu, go bring her here,” Xu Qi’an nodded towards the door.

“Me?” Li Lingsu pointed at himself.

“Who else?” Xu Qi’an asked back.

But I don’t know where the secret room is… Li Lingsu instinctively didn’t want to go, afraid of uncovering the truth. But he saw an orange cat standing at the door, unhappily lifting its paw to pat the threshold.

So he knew that if he didn’t go, that old Xu Qian would get angry. He had to reluctantly step out.

The room fell silent, and no one spoke.

The Buddhist monks were half expectant and half apprehensive. They were expectant about the progress of the case, but apprehensive because they didn’t know how Xu Qi’an would deal with them later.

The Chan Masters still had some fighting strength, but they knew they had no chance against that mysterious and unpredictable sword. Moreover, the other side also had a puppet that could nullify their precepts.

As for Jingxin, he knew best about Xu Qi’an’s identity and cultivation level.

While others might still have thoughts of fighting, Jingxin harbored no such illusions.

Half a quarter of an hour later, Li Lingsu carried in a disheveled woman. The orange cat that had left with him earlier didn’t return.

Chai Xing’er’s face paled even more.

Chai Xian stared intently at the woman. As they got closer, he could see the woman’s face through her messy hair.

“Xiao Lan…”

He trembled, making a sound like a cry.

Chai Lan opened her mouth, but overcome with emotion, she couldn’t speak and burst into tears.

“Xiao Lan, Xiao Lan…”

Chai Xian twisted his body, moving in front of her, carefully examining her several times, with mixed joy and sorrow: “It’s good that you’re alright, it’s good that you’re alright.”

Xu Qi’an scrutinized the beautiful married woman: “Do you have anything else to quibble about?”

Chai Lan’s appearance was iron-clad evidence against Chai Xing’er. There was no point in forcefully quibbling because the precepts were still waiting for her.

Chai Xing’er understood this logic. She didn’t say anything more, but slowly walked towards Li Lingsu, raised her hands, cupped the handsome face of the Holy Child, and said softly:

“Li Lang, I knew early on that you were a playboy. From the moment I saw you, I knew what kind of person you were.”

She sighed and said, “I originally didn’t want to pay attention to you, but you insisted on pursuing me. After you returned from Thousand Cliff Valley, I could no longer go against my heart and fell in love with you. At that time, I thought, even if you were a playboy, a man willing to risk his life for you, even if he’s a playboy, I still like him.”

“Xing’er, why… why do this…” Li Lingsu said with pity.

For the sake of a grudge, why go to such lengths? Just because Chai Jianyuan turned her dead husband into an iron corpse?

Li Lingsu couldn’t understand. He was about to say something when Chai Xing’er, who was cupping his face, suddenly reversed her palms and struck her forehead.

The change came too quickly. Li Lingsu was caught off guard and could only watch, his pupils rapidly contracting, as the palm filled with qi energy struck Chai Xing’er’s forehead.

Suddenly, a hand appeared in Li Lingsu’s vision, gripping Chai Xing’er’s wrist.

“Trying to commit suicide? Did I allow it?” Xu Qi’an sneered.

“Senior Xu…” the Holy Child suddenly became delighted, thinking, Senior, you’re truly reliable. You’re always my support.

Then, feeling a surge of fear, Li Lingsu pressed down on Chai Xing’er’s shoulders, shocked, angry, and pitying:

“Suicide? You claim to love me, then turn around and try to kill yourself? Why?”

Chai Xing’er ignored him and turned her head to look at Xu Qi’an, saying bitterly, “Senior, I have nothing more to say. I can only atone for my crimes with death. Do you have to interfere with that too?”

“I haven’t finished asking questions yet. Isn’t it a bit hasty to want to die now?” Looking at Xu Qian’s half-smiling, half-mocking expression, facing his burning gaze, Chai Xing’er suddenly felt as if she had been stripped bare, unable to hide any secrets.

What does he mean?

The mastermind has already confessed, and the truth of the case has come to light, what else is there to ask?

Amidst the puzzled expressions of everyone, Li Lingsu said, “Senior?”

“I have two doubts that I’d like Aunt Chai to clarify,” Xu Qi’an swept his gaze over everyone. “Don’t you all find it strange? Chai Xing’er’s former husband died nearly three years ago. Why did she remain inactive for these three years, only to act now?”

Jingxin and Li Lingsu frowned simultaneously.

They understood Xu Qian’s words. The premise of patience is to seek opportunities or accumulate strength. But what had prevented Chai Xing’er from taking revenge in the past three years?

Chai Xing’er pursed her lips and said frankly, “I was waiting for an opportunity, an opportunity to worsen Chai Xian’s soul-leaving condition. The marriage alliance between the Chai family and the Huangfu family was that opportunity.”

“Heh, given Chai Xian’s condition, it wasn’t something that happened overnight. Even without the Huangfu family affair, he might have committed patricide anyway. Of course, if you insist on saying you were waiting for an opportunity, that’s fine too.”

Xu Qi’an’s expression was calm, with the coolness and confidence of an experienced detective:

“The second doubt is, why did you imprison Chai Lan?

“Assuming all your plans were for revenge, Chai Jianyuan was your enemy, Chai Xian was your tool, but Chai Lan was an outsider. Why did you imprison her?”

Chai Xing’er remained silent for a long time, her eyes flashing with resentment. “Do you know why my husband and elder brother were ambushed by enemies when they went out on business that day?”

She scoffed, looking around at everyone, and said mockingly: “There were no so-called enemies at all. It was all a trap set by my elder brother.”

“Nonsense,” Chai Lan refuted loudly, choked with emotion. “Why would Father do such a thing? Aunt, you’ve harmed Father, and now you want to slander him too?”

Chai Xing’er coldly laughed:

“Of course, it was for his illegitimate son. My husband and I were both at the Fifth Layer of Qi Condensation. My husband married into the Chai family and became part of it. His two sons were good-for-nothing, only Chai Xian had exceptional talent, but he suffered from the soul-leaving condition. He was looking for a cure while worrying that if Chai Xian’s condition couldn’t be cured, how could he, as an adopted son, inherit the position of the family head?

“Would the clan members support an outsider or us, the married couple? He was confident that while he was alive, he could suppress us, but once he died, the Chai family would be in our hands.

“So, he wanted to eliminate my husband before I had any children, to maintain the balance. This way, even if Chai Xian’s illness couldn’t be cured in the future, he could still assist the second or third son as an adopted son.

“To prevent the position of the Chai family head from falling into my hands.

“He caused my husband to die tragically, so I wanted to repay him in kind, targeting his most beloved daughter. But Lan’er is still my niece after all, and I couldn’t bring myself to kill her.”

“How could this be…” Li Lingsu was completely unprepared for such hidden secrets behind this case.

“Amitabha, fame and fortune are but passing clouds. Devotee Chai Jianyuan committed a grave mistake for his selfish reasons. Devotee Chai Xing’er, unable to let go of her hatred, also committed a grave mistake,” Jingxin shook his head and sighed.

“I don’t believe it, I don’t believe it…” Chai Lan shook her head desperately.

Chai Xing’er looked at Xu Qi’an: “Senior Xu, if you don’t believe me, you can use the precepts to interrogate me.”

“I believe you,” Xu Qi’an nodded and smiled. “But you’re still lying.”

At this, everyone shifted their gaze from Chai Xing’er to Xu Qi’an.

Chai Xing’er’s face changed.

“What you said is true. Chai Jianyuan might have indeed harmed your husband back then. But this has nothing to do with you imprisoning Chai Lan. If you couldn’t bring yourself to do it, you could have simply not killed her. If you could, you would have killed her. You spoke at length with conviction, but in fact, you were trying to divert our attention.”

Trying this attention-diverting, concept-swapping rhetoric in front of me? Heh, woman, you don’t know how the three characters ‘Xu Silver Constable’ are written… Xu Qi’an only regretted that he didn’t have eyes to give a piercing glare.

“Moreover, Chai Jianyuan had two sons. If you wanted revenge on him, shouldn’t you have chosen your two nephews? Why specifically choose your niece? If I’m not mistaken, your purpose in imprisoning Chai Lan was to keep Chai Xian in Xiangzhou.”

Thump thump thump… Chai Xing’er retreated several steps. Her expression was very strange, as if she had seen a devil.

All her secrets had been seen through.

“Who… who exactly are you!?” Chai Xing’er screamed.

Li Lingsu and Jingxin vaguely understood some of it, but as for the others, their thoughts could no longer keep up.

Including Chai Xian and Chai Lan.

“Who I am is not important. Now, please answer my last doubt: Why did you want to keep Chai Xian in Xiangzhou?”

Chai Xing’er gritted her teeth, refusing to say a single word.

Xu Qi’an snapped his fingers.

Hengyin straightened up, stepped forward, and raised his hand in a military salute: “Yes, sir.”

Then, the abbot of Sanhua Temple put his palms together and said slowly: “Do not speak falsely!”

An invisible but overwhelming force enveloped Chai Xing’er, putting her in a state where she couldn’t lie.

“Why did you imprison Chai Lan?” Xu Qi’an asked.

Including Li Lingsu, everyone turned to look at Chai Xing’er.

Chai Xing’er’s face twisted for a moment, but ultimately unable to go against her true feelings, she truthfully said: “To keep Chai Xian in Xiangzhou.”

So it was like that!!

Everyone present immediately understood that everything was as Xu Qian had predicted.

“What’s the reason?” Xu Qi’an asked the most crucial question.

… Chai Xing’er’s beautiful face had completely twisted, and she said word by word:

“He… he is the host of the Dragon Qi… Before the superiors arrived, I couldn’t let him leave Xiangzhou.”

Does she know about the Dragon Qi host?! Xu Qi’an and Jingxin’s faces changed dramatically.

Dragon Qi host, Dragon Qi again? What is Dragon Qi? What happened in the outside world during the half year I was confined by the Eastern sisters… Li Lingsu thought in confusion.

In the Pagoda, he knew that the golden dragon that Xu Qian and the Buddhist sect were fighting over was called Dragon Qi.

But he didn’t know any more information, Xu Qian hadn’t told him.

Xu Qi’an’s expression became grave. After pondering for a moment, he asked, “What is your identity?”

Chai Xing’er struggled for several seconds: “I am a secret agent of the ‘Tianji Palace’, collecting intelligence on Zhangzhou and the jianghu for the organization.”

“What kind of organization is Tianji Palace, which force does it belong to?”

“I… I’m not clear…”

“Tell us everything you know,” Xu Qi’an said in a deep voice.

“Not long ago, the organization sent intelligence, asking me to pay attention to any anomalies in the Zhangzhou area. This included some sudden major events, jianghu figures who suddenly became famous, experts whose cultivation improved rapidly, and so on.

“The intelligence said that the Dragon Vein of Great Feng had collapsed, and the Dragon Qi had scattered across the Central Plains states, choosing hosts to inhabit. Soon after, I discovered that Chai Xian’s cultivation had improved rapidly, and he had grasped Qi Condensation in a short time.

“You should know that he had just entered the Sixth Layer last year, and with his talent, it would take at least five years to comprehend Qi Condensation. I reported the intelligence to my superiors, waiting for news while observing Chai Xian.

“I suddenly realized this was an opportunity, a chance to both take revenge on my elder brother and take control of the Chai family. So I planned all this…”

Li Lingsu closed his eyes and sighed: “Xing’er, it was you who leaked the information about me and Senior Xu to Jingxin and the others, right?”

Chai Xing’er nodded bitterly:

“I imprisoned Xiao Lan to keep Chai Xian here, waiting for the superiors to arrive. But I didn’t expect you and the Buddhist sect to come instead. What’s more frustrating is that you all became intensely curious about Chai Xian.

“To prevent you from finding Chai Xian and ruining my plans, I leaked your and his information to the Buddhist sect, making you focus on dealing with each other and ignoring Chai Xian. Unfortunately, Jingxin couldn’t find Senior Xu.”

I have the “Moving Stars and Changing Constellations” technique of the Heavenly Gu, of course, he couldn’t find me… Tianji Palace, this familiar name, if I’m not mistaken, is the spy organization established by that unfilial son.

Ordinary jianghu forces couldn’t possibly know about the scattering of the Dragon Qi. As one of the culprits behind the Dragon Qi scattering, how could he not collect the Dragon Qi?

As a Second Layer “Qi Practitioner” planning to rebel, his spies and secret agents couldn’t possibly be limited to Yunzhou. I didn’t expect to encounter one here.

Perhaps I can uproot all of that unfilial son’s secret agents through this line of Chai Xing’er… Well, that would be too simple. With that unfilial son’s intelligence, he couldn’t be that stupid… Xu Qi’an pinched his brow.

The Dragon Qi of Great Feng has scattered? What are they talking about… Li Lingsu felt strangely out of touch with the times.

He quickly looked at the others, shocked to find that except for the Chai Xian and Chai Lan siblings who were as confused as he was, the others didn’t seem surprised at all, as if they had known for a long time.

Wait, Dragon Qi? Dragon Vein?!

Li Lingsu suddenly remembered the knowledge about Dragon Veins he had read in ancient books at the Celestial Sect.

He then associated it with the incident where the Emperor of Great Feng was killed by Xu Silver Constable.

Could the two be related?

At this moment, Jingxin suddenly said: “How does Devotee Xu intend to deal with them, and how to deal with us?”

The power of life and death over everyone present was entirely in Xu Qi’an’s hands.

He first looked at Chai Xian.

Extracting the Dragon Qi is necessary, but as for Chai Xian, he has committed numerous crimes, yet he’s a mentally ill patient, not a subjective criminal. According to the laws of my previous life, such a person should be confined in a mental hospital for life… But according to Great Feng’s laws, such a person would be executed by lingchi… I’m indeed only suitable for solving cases, not being a judge.

Xu Qi’an was pondering.

At this time, Chai Xian raised his head and said: “Can you untie my ropes?”

His expression was completely calm, and his tone seemed undisturbed as if he had already made a decision.

Xu Qi’an drew out his Taiping Sword, and with a flash of the blade, easily cut through the magical rope.

Chai Xian nodded to him and said softly: “I will atone for my sins with my life. He was right, I was too weak, I never dared to face myself.”

This “he” referred to his other personality.

“When I was eight years old, my mother passed away due to illness, and I began to live by begging, enduring all kinds of bullying. When I was starving, I even had to fight with dogs for food. At the most unbearable times, I wished I could die immediately, death would be a relief. I hated my birth father every moment. Later, my adoptive father found me and brought me back to the Chai family…”

He turned his head, looking at Chai Lan beside him, smiling gently: “I found a reason to live, but unfortunately, it was just an illusion.”

Chai Xian reached out his hand, wanting to touch Chai Lan’s cheek, but his hand froze halfway.

“If I could go back in time, I wouldn’t enter the Chai family. I’d rather never have met you in this life.”

The hand frozen in midair was withdrawn and patted his forehead.

Bang!

Amidst the sound of breaking bones and Chai Lan’s screams, Chai Xian’s body suddenly stiffened, blood oozing from his eye sockets, and then he collapsed limply to the ground.

A thick strand of Dragon Qi flew out from Chai Xian’s body, baring its fangs and brandishing its claws as it rushed towards the ceiling, attempting to leave this place.