"Elder Fang Yuan, is it true that you massacred old Wang Laohan and his entire family?" Gu Yue Bo asked in a low voice from the seat of honor.
All eyes focused on Fang Yuan. The young Elder let out a cold laugh. "It is indeed true."
Fang Zheng closed his eyes in anguish.
Though he had slain many electric wolves, he had never taken a human life. The moment he heard Fang Yuan admit it with his own lips, he suddenly felt that his own elder brother was a complete stranger—distant and unfamiliar.
This distance carried a fearful respect born of ruthless methods, as well as the anger of being dragged into things innocently.
"Fang Yuan, you slaughter innocents so casually—don't you feel any guilt? Perhaps you have your reasons. You can explain them." Tie Ruonan frowned deeply. Filled with a sense of justice, she despised people like Fang Yuan the most.
"I killed them, and that's that. My story doesn't need to be told. However, I didn't know beforehand that the missing Wang Er was a Demonic Path Gu Master, nor could I have predicted that Fang Zheng would be implicated." Fang Yuan spoke the plain truth.
"Brother, don't you have anything to say to me?" Fang Zheng opened his eyes, his rims red.
"Say what? Comforting words, or an apology? ...Hmph, little brother, you're still too green." Fang Yuan sneered.
"Damn it, brother... Don't think you're all that just because you've been promoted to Elder. Let me tell you—I already have the qualification to attempt the Third Transformation..." Fang Zheng gritted his teeth, veins bulging on his clenched fists.
"Enough!" Gu Yue Bo could watch no longer and barked in a low voice. "Fang Zheng, step down! What kind of conduct is this shouting?"
His words carried another meaning, implicitly expressing dissatisfaction. Tie Ruonan didn't catch it, but the Divine Catcher Tie Xueleng immediately understood. He stepped forward and cupped his fists.
"Guye Patriarch, and all you Elders—my daughter barging into your council hall was indeed inappropriate. I apologize for the offense!"
The Elders hurriedly rose to their feet, saying they wouldn't dare accept such an apology.
Gu Yue Bo's expression softened.
But Tie Xueleng continued, "However, this young brother Fang Yuan still carries suspicion due to his involvement in the Jia Jinsheng case. I hope he will remain in the stockade and refrain from traveling to other strongholds as much as possible."
Gu Yue Bo rubbed his temples and sighed. "Our Guye Clan very much wishes to give Lord Jia Fu an explanation. Since the Divine Catcher requests it, Elder Fang Yuan, until your name is cleared, you'll have to bear with some restrictions. I hope you can understand."
Gu Yue Bo looked at Fang Yuan, his expression sincere but his gaze deep and unfathomable.
Fang Yuan had indeed killed the Wang Laohan family, but they were merely mortals. What wrong was there for a Gu Master to kill mortals? Especially when that Gu Master was a clan Elder. Therefore, there would be no punishment.
"Understood." Fang Yuan glanced at Gu Yue Bo and answered flatly.
"Damn it, always like this!" Tie Ruonan punched a tree trunk, shaking loose leaves to the ground.
She was seething with indignation, teeth clenched. "He clearly killed people, yet everyone turns a blind eye with no reaction at all. Father, are mortals not people? Why does everyone take it for granted that Gu Masters can kill mortals?"
Tie Xueleng stood nearby in silence, like a statue.
The sky was overcast, and gusts of wind swept through, rustling the forest leaves.
Tie Ruonan suddenly lowered her head, her expression crestfallen. "I'm sorry, Father."
She apologized. "I didn't follow your instructions—I used the Intuition Gu again."
*Sigh...* The Divine Catcher let out a long, deep sigh, his profound gaze falling on the girl. "You child—so full of hatred for evil, so brimming with a sense of justice. You're just like I was when I was young. As a father, I'm both proud and worried."
"Worried about what?"
"Your ideals are even greater than mine were. When I was young, my ambition was to arrest every criminal in the world and fill the Demon Suppression Tower to the brim. But you—you want equality for all. You want Gu Masters and mortals treated the same, want justice and law to extend across the world. Such ambitions and ideals... they're too vast, too heavy." Tie Xueleng's words carried the weight of years.
"But Father, if the law, justice, and righteousness don't treat everyone equally, then what意义 do justice and law have? If young people don't hold ideals that seem a bit arrogant, how can they call themselves young? I believe that what happens depends on what people do. As long as I work hard, there's no reason it can't be realized!" Tie Ruonan's voice trembled with emotion, her eyes shining with the light of hope.
Tie Xueleng fell silent. After a long pause, he spoke. "One day you'll understand, Ruonan. But that's fine—the path of youth should be walked by oneself. Setbacks will bring maturity. Your father is old now and won't interfere anymore. I only hope you can live the life you want."
As he spoke, he reached into his breast pocket and produced a letter, handing it to Tie Ruonan.
"This is...?!" Tie Ruonan opened the letter and was overcome with joy.
It was Jia Fu's reply, recording all the information regarding the Jia Jinsheng case—including Fang Yuan's past stone gambling, his possession of the Wine Worm, how the Bamboo Lord Gu was used to interrogate Fang Yuan, and even the details of the second trading expedition, Fang Yuan's bidding, the talent he displayed during the transaction, and the fact that Jia Fu had tried to recruit him.
Tie Ruonan read the section about "Fang Yuan's bidding" three times over, her eyes blazing with intensity.
"This Fang Yuan is not only ruthless in his methods and cruel in temperament, but he also possesses cunning and strategic thinking. My intuition tells me he is highly suspicious. If he truly is the murderer, then he's genuinely terrifying. He lied without causing the Bamboo Lord Gu to change color—what kind of skill is that?" Tie Ruonan murmured to herself.