Master Dongye's shout drew countless gazes from every direction.
The rogue cultivator seized the moment. "Young Lord Zhen, you certainly are a clever schemer. Yesterday you staged that appraisal segment, putting on a show of fairness and impartiality for everyone. But behind the scenes, you pull this — deliberately undervaluing my Spiritual Medicine to drive down the price. Is this what you call fairness? This Dragon Tiger Summit is nothing more than a sham you've cooked up to serve your own interests!"
The Jiao Brothers of Huaishan heard this and immediately bristled.
"Boy, did you come here specifically to cause trouble?"
Instead of showing fear, the rogue cultivator sneered repeatedly. "The Jiao Brothers of Huaishan — what an imposing presence. What's the matter, Young Lord Zhen? Can't argue your way out, so you resort to intimidation?"
"You can bully me, but can you bully the tens of thousands of rogue cultivators under heaven?" The man struck a posture of unyielding pride.
In an instant, countless stares converged on the scene, each pair brimming with suspicion.
Jiang Chen raised a hand, restraining the impulsive Jiao Brothers.
The great emperors of the Glazed Royal City were also converging swiftly. It was clear that everyone had realized something was amiss.
This sudden complication caught Jiang Chen off guard for a moment, but he quickly regained his composure.
"What a wonderful representative of the rogue cultivators under heaven," Jiang Chen said, his tone indifferent. "Friend, I don't care where you come from or what your motives are. At this Dragon Tiger Summit, so long as you behave yourselves, the Glazed Royal City will treat you as honored guests. However, if you've come here with the deliberate intention of causing trouble and humiliating the Glazed Royal City, then this Young Lord will not stand for it. You keep invoking 'rogue cultivators' — so let me ask you one question: what is your name? Among all the rogue cultivators under heaven, is there a single one who recognizes you?"
The rogue cultivator remained perfectly composed. "Young Lord Zhen, you keep circling back, trying to probe my background and name. Could it be that you plan to retaliate against me afterward?"
"Tell me — among all the rogue cultivators who came here today, aren't there some who came under assumed names? Our kind have a hard life wandering the jianghu. Concealing one's identity is common practice. You, Young Lord Zhen, keep insisting that I reveal my name. Did you think I wouldn't see through your plan to settle the score later?"
The man had a glib tongue, and his words were powerfully inflammatory — each sentence precisely aimed at Jiang Chen, painting him as a scoundrel.
Jiang Chen smiled faintly. "You want to hide in the shadows, so you invent high-minded excuses for it. Very well — you've been jumping up and down, doing your best to smear my reputation. I'll gladly let you have your fill today. Keep talking. The truth only comes out through open debate."
The man cried out, "What more is there to say? You took my Spiritual Medicine, which is over six thousand years old, and flatly declared it to be a thousand-year-old herb. Isn't that plain enough? And if I keep pressing, who knows whether you'll fly into a rage and kill me on the spot?"
"I walk upright and stand straight. This Spiritual Medicine has been appraised by Master Dongye's Vajra Dharma Eye as well. The difference between six thousand years and a thousand years — even a blind man could see it. Young Lord Zhen, all I can say is, your table manners are appalling. The fairness and impartiality you performed yesterday — has it already been thrown to the winds after a single day?"
Credit where it was due — this man was eloquent. So much so that Jiang Chen found it somewhat surprising. The speech sounded rehearsed, every link in the chain slotting neatly into the next, flinging accusations at Jiang Chen with seemingly solid reasoning. It was precisely the sort of rhetoric that could easily whip up onlookers.
At that point, Han Qianzhan of the Xia Yu Heavenly Sword Sect could hold back no longer. "Friend, reason does not depend on volume. I, for one, trust Young Lord Zhen's character. Everything so far amounts to nothing more than your side of the story. Since you believe you're in the right, why not lay everything out openly — drum against drum, gong against gong — and let the logic speak for itself? Once the facts are on the table, right and wrong will speak for themselves."
Han Qianzhan's words sobered up many of the rogue cultivators. Their emotions had been inflamed by the man's performance, but after hearing Han Qianzhan, their heads began to clear.
One had to admit, the rogue cultivator world was peculiar like that. When it came to a dispute between a single rogue cultivator and a major power, they instinctively sided with the rogue cultivator. Subconsciously, they found a rogue cultivator's words more credible.
It was a curious psychological phenomenon — and exactly why the man's rhetoric had produced such an effect.
But after Han Qianzhan's reminder, everyone had to concede that he had a point. It was still entirely one-sided testimony.
Right and wrong were not so easily judged. At the very least, Young Lord Zhen's behavior yesterday had not been nearly as disgraceful as this man claimed.
If it truly were as the man described, then Young Lord Zhen's acting skills would have to be extraordinary — fooling every rogue cultivator under heaven?
But nothing Young Lord Zhen had done seemed fake in the slightest. The Dragon Tiger Summit had genuinely brought everyone a wealth of new experiences and opportunities.
So the mental scales of the crowd slowly drifted back to center.
"Indeed — words alone prove nothing. Both sides should speak, and let everyone judge fairly."
"Exactly. The more famous you are, the more jealousy you attract. Young Lord Zhen has such a towering reputation now — it's not impossible that someone would try to smear him."
But the man seemed to have Jiang Chen completely cornered. He stared at Jiang Chen with a cold smile, eyes brimming with provocation, wearing the mask of a self-appointed crusader for truth. "Young Lord Zhen — in front of everyone here, do you dare face me in a direct confrontation?"
Jiang Chen gave a contemptuous smile. "A jumping clown."
With that, he paid the man no further attention and strode toward the platform. As he walked, he spoke: "Since you want a confrontation, then come up. Master Dongye — if you intend to testify, come up as well and share your wisdom."
Master Dongye chanted a Buddhist invocation. "This humble monk acts only to keep his conscience clear. Naturally, I shall testify. Young Lord Zhen — in this matter, you are truly in the wrong."
Watching Master Dongye's sanctimonious expression, Jiang Chen felt a sudden urge to kick the old fraud square in the teeth. The bald donkey was far too skilled at playing the part.
Once on the platform, the man spoke again. "Words prove nothing. Today, I seek justice. I humbly invite friends from all sides to come up and offer their judgment."