Tie Xue Leng spoke again. "Now, analyze this person Fang Yuan."
"Father, do you suspect Fang Yuan?" Tie Ruonan was stunned for a moment, then said, "He's a very rational, very intelligent person. When he introduced the stronghold to us, every word he said was just right, perfectly organized. Hiss..."
Tie Ruonan suddenly drew in a sharp breath.
She frowned. "I didn't notice it just now, but with your reminder, Father, I've realized it! This Fang Yuan is far too eloquent. Every word he speaks is an objective fact, devoid of personal emotion. He speaks from the standpoint of a bystander, calmly stating facts. It's impossible to find any flaws in his words, or to detect any hidden meaning behind them. His words are very... very... very clean." The young girl hesitated for a moment before finally settling on the word "clean."
Tie Xue Leng nodded, then shook his head. "It's not that he's abandoned personal emotion. Everyone has feelings—even the most cold-blooded killer has feelings. He simply hides his personal feelings very well and controls them very well. There is something demonic about this youth."
"Demonic?"
"Indeed. Think about it—at the banquet, he openly admitted that he was afraid and didn't dare to go to the battlefield. Would an ordinary person do that?" Tie Xue Leng asked.
Tie Ruonan shook her head. "No, they wouldn't. Gu Masters value their clan's honor and their own reputation more than life itself. But then again, it's not necessarily so. Throughout history, there have been many who destroyed their own reputations, haven't there?"
"Indeed. But what kind of people were they?" Tie Xue Leng's gaze grew deep.
Tie Ruonan pondered for a moment, her expression turning somewhat shaken. "They were all outstanding figures!"
"Precisely. Throughout history, those who destroyed their own reputations had no more than two purposes. One was grand ambition—compared to their goals, reputation was nothing. The other was self-preservation—tarnishing themselves to avoid suspicion."
Tie Ruonan's eyes suddenly lit up. "Father, are you saying—?"
"You're overthinking it. I just find this youth rather interesting. It's a pity his aptitude is only Grade C..." Tie Xue Leng said.
That night, the moonlight was like water.
Fang Yuan walked along the empty street, his footsteps heavy yet resolute.
Having just interacted with Tie Xue Leng, the man truly lived up to his formidable reputation. Tie Xue Leng possessed the insight to see through worldly affairs, his wisdom and cunning both unfathomably deep. He had roamed the Southern Border for decades, establishing his fearsome name—he was truly a remarkable figure.
Clearing himself of suspicion before such a man would be infinitely difficult. Given enough time, they would absolutely uncover the truth!
"Now it's a race against time. But the Mo branch's recruitment could indeed be put to use." Just a short while ago, at the Mo family courtyard, Fang Yuan had made an outrageous demand—to marry Moyan was fine, but he wanted ten thousand Yuan Stones and ten rare Gu Insects, each at least Third Transformation.
This demand enraged Gu Yue Mochen.
He was going to marry his precious granddaughter to you, and you have the audacity to demand more?!
And to shamelessly ask for such a betrothal gift, so greedily—it was truly intolerable!
So the negotiation collapsed on the spot, and Fang Yuan was thrown out.
Fang Yuan turned and left without a moment's hesitation.
He knew Mochen's thinking and was certain the man would compromise. His outrageous demand was simply the opening bid in a negotiation.
"However, this matter cuts both ways. While I now have Yuan Stones to feed the Heavenly Origin Treasure Lotus, my original plan to withdraw from the political maelstrom has been disrupted. At tonight's banquet, Gu Yue Mochen sacrificed his own position to secure my political future. Next, I'll likely face suppression from all the other Elders." The current political landscape of Guye Stockade was this: the Patriarch was alive; of the two pillars of power, Gu Yue Chilian had died, but the Chi branch was not without people—the heir Gu Yue Chicheng still lived, along with Elders of the same branch like Gu Yue Chizhong. Meanwhile, the Mo branch had lost its heir, and Mochen was gravely wounded, fallen to the Second Transformation stage, unable even to keep his position as Elder.
Both once-mighty factions had fallen on hard times. On the other hand, the Yao branch, mostly composed of healing Gu Masters, had been positioned in the rear with fewer casualties, their strength well-preserved—and they showed signs of rising.
The Yao branch had originally been part of the Patriarch's faction, but now they were fully qualified to stand on their own. Regardless of whether Gu Yue Yaoji chose independence or continued to follow, strengthening the branch would require seizing and absorbing others. And the fallen Chi and Mo branches were the easiest targets.
If they didn't strike now, once these two factions recovered, it would be hard to say.
"The whirlpool of the mortal world leaves one no choice—what era allows one to let their hair down and drift in a small boat? Riding the wind and breaking the waves for thirty thousand miles—that is the way of us on the Demonic Path!" Fang Yuan raised his head to gaze at the moon, letting out a bitter sigh.
He wanted to escape this political whirlpool, but Gu Yue Mochen had dragged him back in by force.
Pressure from all sides was bearing down on him. Tie Xue Leng had already begun working on the case, and on the other side, Bai Ningbing had gained new support.
It was like sailing through hidden reefs, surrounded by danger on all sides—how could he carve out a path to greatness?
The next day.
"What? You're saying the murderer of Jia Jinsheng has been identified? And has even been killed in action?" Tie Ruonan was utterly astonished.
That morning, she had risen early and begun formally reviewing the case.
But she never expected that the first piece of news she received was that the murderer had already been brought to justice.