Elder Zhou Haoran's face contorted.
"You are the one who did it!"
He pointed a trembling finger at her.
"The day before, you had a falling out with my son for harassing you. You also have the strength to kill him and his accompanying inner disciples without effort." His voice rose. "Who else could do that and still have time to hunt the monster afterward? Who else but you?!"
Liu Qingmei's eyes narrowed.
"Watch your accusations, Zhou Haoran." Her voice was cold now. "Are you saying I haven't taught my disciple better than to go around killing fellow sect members?"
She leaned forward.
"If she's so strong, why didn't she ever do it before? Your son has been harassing her for years."
"She saw this as her chance…"
"Bullshit."
Liu Qingmei cut him off, her smile vanishing completely.
"What did my disciple need a chance for? In fact, if that brat harassed her one more time, I was thinking of killing him myself."
Her eyes glinted dangerously.
"It's a shame he's already dead. A pity his father has taken over the harassment now." She tilted her head, her voice dropping to something almost playful. "Maybe I should just kill the father and eradicate this dog family entirely."
"You…!"
Elder Zhou Haoran's aura exploded outward, pressing down on the hall.
Liu Qingmei matched him instantly.
Her own aura surged, colliding with his in the center of the room. The air between them crackled.
"Move a single inch," she said softly. "I dare you."
"Enough."
Sect Master Feng Tianlong's voice cut through.
Both auras receded - but neither elder looked away from the other.
Elder Zhou Haoran turned to the Sect Master, his face red with anger.
"Sect Master! Are you just going to let this outsider and her dog disciple walk all over us?!"
Liu Qingmei's eyes flashed.
"What did you just call me?"
"Calm yourselves."
The Grand Elder finally spoke, his aged voice carrying effortlessly through the hall. His eyes remained half-closed, but there was weight behind his words.
"You are giving the Sect Master a difficult time."
Liu Qingmei scoffed but settled back into her seat, crossing her legs elegantly.
Elder Zhou Haoran's jaw tightened. After a moment, he too sat down, though his expression remained murderous.
Sect Master Feng Tianlong spoke carefully.
"I understand both sides. There are few disciples with enough strength to do what Su Mei is alleging." He paused. "If that is the case, she would also fall under suspicion…"
Liu Qingmei shot him a look.
"...alongside others with the same capability, of course," he added quickly.
Liu Qingmei rose from her seat.
She walked forward, her steps measured and deliberate, until she stood beside her kneeling disciple.
"From now on," she said, loud enough for the entire hall to hear, "my disciple is grounded. She will not leave our pavilion while the investigation is ongoing."
Su Mei bowed her head.
"Disciple obeys."
Liu Qingmei turned to face the hall, her gaze sweeping across the elders.
"No one has any objections, right?"
Elder Zhou Haoran's face twisted. This was clearly just a way to protect her - keeping Su Mei close at all times, under her watch.
He opened his mouth to protest.
Sect Master Feng Tianlong hesitated for a moment, then spoke.
"...No."
Liu Qingmei's gaze moved to the other elders.
"And you?"
Most of them avoided her gaze. A few muttered quietly.
"Nothing to say."
"No objections."
Liu Qingmei smiled.
"Then this matter is settled."
She turned and began walking toward the exit.
"Let's go."
Su Mei rose to her feet and followed her master.
The two of them walked out of the great hall.
…
The doors of the Moonthread Pavilion closed behind them.
Su Mei followed her master inside, watching her carefully. Liu Qingmei's graceful demeanor had shifted the moment they left the great hall. Her jaw was tight, and her fingers tapped against her arm with barely concealed irritation.
"Master," Su Mei said softly. "Why do you look so worked up?"
Liu Qingmei sighed heavily.
"It's nothing." She waved her hand dismissively. "Those accusations are just so annoying. Especially when we're being blamed for something we didn't do."
She turned, her expression souring further.
"It's a pity, really. Someone else killed that brat. It would've been better if you'd done it."
Su Mei blinked.
"Being played by someone else..." Liu Qingmei's voice dropped. "I don't like it."
"Master?"
Liu Qingmei seemed to return to herself. She shook her head slightly, then looked at Su Mei with focus.
"Ah. You said you encountered a servant?"
Su Mei nodded. "Yes. He was passed out near the edge of the sect."
"And the monster was close to him?"
"Yes. It seemed to have been chasing him."
"And which direction did the sword fly from?"
Su Mei thought for a moment. "It seemed to have flown from the side the servant was running to."
Liu Qingmei's eyes narrowed.
"You think the servant threw it?" Su Mei asked. "There's no way. I checked. Not only was he heavily injured, he had no qi at all. He wasn't even in the Body Refining Realm."
Liu Qingmei nodded slowly, but her mind was already working.
Someone threw from the servant's side.
For someone to throw from that angle, the servant would be somewhat in the way. The chance of hitting him would be high.
Unless...
Unless the person was extremely talented and intentionally controlled the trajectory to avoid the servant.
Her brow furrowed.
But there aren't many people who care about servants in this dog sect. Most wouldn't bother with the effort. They would just kill the servant too as collateral.
If someone went out of their way to avoid the servant... it makes no sense to then leave them there to die.
Her fingers drummed against her arm.
Something very suspicious is going on here.
…
The door to the Alchemy Pavilion creaked open.
The middle-aged man stepped inside, letting out a long, weary sigh.
"This sect is really going to fall apart soon."
He shook his head as he walked in.
There was no way Senior Sister Liu and Brother Zhou would let go of this matter. It was going to be a bloodbath soon.
He scratched his head.
Which faction should I join?