This Is What a Villain Is Like

Chapter 144: Chapter 88: A Seed of Disappointment Has Been Planted, Where Is That Big Jiang Lan?

Han Yiming’s expression was cold as he stood there, surveying the crowd of cultivators before him.

The disciples of the Ancient Inquiring Sect surrounded them, penning in all the suspected cultivators to prevent their escape.

"This is outrageous! Can the Ancient Inquiring Sect just decide who lives and who dies so easily?"

"We know nothing, and we can’t possibly be the murderers. Is this how a great sect is supposed to act, just herding us all up like this?"

"We didn’t even leave our rooms yesterday! All the fellow Daoists here can vouch for us. Why would we kill someone from the Ancient Inquiring Sect? Are we suicidal? Do we have a death wish?"

Many faces showed discontent, simmering with anger and indignation.

Several older-generation cultivators with considerable cultivation levels even snorted coldly, their words laced with mockery and displeasure.

The disciples from Immortal Sect Influences like the Celestial Demon Hall, Human King Hall, and Biyou Grotto Heaven stood off to the side, their expressions indifferent, faintly showing signs of backing the Ancient Inquiring Sect.

In the Nine Provinces Land, the gap between the renowned major sects and the Loose Cultivators was like the difference between the clouds and the mud.

At the same cultivation realm, it was nearly impossible for a Loose Cultivator to defeat a sect disciple, unless they were blessed with profound fortune or had other fortuitous encounters.

The disciples of the various major sects regarded these Loose Cultivators with indifference, disdaining to even speak to them.

"What’s happened?"

"Why all the arguing so early in the morning?"

Jiang Lan walked over, surrounded by a retinue of Knights and Celestial Prides. Seeing the scene, he asked with feigned surprise.

"Reporting to the young master, it seems someone from the Ancient Inquiring Sect died last night," Ao Xu replied from the side.

Jiang Lan smiled casually. "Just a death? The Ancient Inquiring Sect is certainly throwing its weight around. Are they planning to interrogate everyone?"

Naturally, the death of Han Yiming’s younger brother was his handiwork.

Jiang Lan hadn’t actually expected that this severing of a lifeline, this stripping away of life, wasn’t just a random death but followed some sort of underlying, logical rule.

But even if Han Yiming’s brother hadn’t been killed by the Banner Array set up by the Zixia Daoist, he probably would have died later from some accident, like Qigong Deviation or something similar.

’This method, carrying the will of heaven and controlling life, is rather like being a grim reaper walking the mortal world.’

Hearing Jiang Lan’s words, Han Yiming’s face darkened, but he didn’t dare to act imperiously toward Jiang Lan.

"Han, would you allow me to examine the scene? We can make a decision after that."

Just then, Ling Zhuyun approached. Her figure was tall and well-proportioned, her skin as fair and lustrous as jade. Though her face was veiled with light muslin, it could not hide her sacred and otherworldly aura.

As the Quasi-Saintess of the Jasper Pool Sect, she was far from being comparable to an ordinary True Inheritor, and her words naturally carried weight.

"I’ll have to trouble Saintess Zhu Yun, then."

Han Yiming nodded without objection. He then led Ling Zhuyun away, and the other cultivators followed, also wanting to know who could be so vicious as to cruelly murder his younger brother right under his nose.

When Ye Ming heard the news and left his courtyard, he too was rather surprised. He had finished his investigation and returned to his room just before dawn, unaware of what had happened during the night.

’According to the Old Ghost, it might be because of the Array...’ he speculated internally.

"As expected..."

Upon arriving at the scene of last night’s murder, Ling Zhuyun only needed to glance at the residual energy fluctuations to understand what had happened.

Jiang Lan also feigned surprise, moving closer to take a look.

Behind him, Li Daoyi glanced over, a look of shock in his eyes. He pondered for a moment before saying, "Saintess Zhu Yun must have some idea, right?"

Ling Zhuyun looked at the crowd and nodded. "There’s no mistake. This is related to the Blood Immortal Sect. It’s their method of collecting materials for blood sacrifices."

As she said this, a flash of coldness appeared in her eyes, but it vanished just as quickly.

Hearing this, Han Yiming, She Mou, Qi Heng, and the other young Celestial Prides were all stunned. When they came to their senses, their expressions all shifted.

The name Blood Immortal Sect was, of course, no stranger to them.

Even now, it was a name that made many cultivators pale. Back then, the Blood Immortal Sect had nearly overturned the entire Nine Provinces Land.

"If even Saintess Zhu Yun says so, then it must be the work of a Blood Immortal Sect remnant! To think someone from the Blood Immortal Sect has infiltrated our group," one of the young Celestial Prides immediately said, his face filled with anger.

His words, however, made many people’s expressions turn sour. If that was the case, didn’t it mean that anyone around them could be a Blood Immortal Sect remnant, and could also be last night’s murderer?

"Some time ago, I heard that the Ten Thousand Laws Sect in Danzhou County was harboring Blood Immortal Sect remnants. They were purged by the Immortal Suppression Bureau, several Elders were killed, and a nest was even discovered in the end."

"Even a renowned major sect like the Ten Thousand Laws Sect couldn’t guarantee that none of its disciples had ties to the Blood Immortal Sect."

"It seems everyone present is a suspect, then," Jiang Lan said leisurely, a faint smile on his lips. He didn’t seem to mind blowing the situation out of proportion at all.

’Anyway, everyone else was a suspect, but not him. After all, who would suspect a frail young noble with no strength to even truss a chicken, one who relied entirely on others for protection?’

Jiang Lan’s words made everyone’s face sink.

Even Ao Xu and the others behind him exchanged glances, revealing a hint of caution and vigilance.

Ling Zhuyun glanced at Jiang Lan, feeling a slight headache at his blatant attempt to escalate the situation and incite panic.

"It seems I’ll have to trouble all of you to prove your own innocence," Han Yiming said, his face wooden.

He hadn’t expected his brother’s death to be connected to the Blood Immortal Sect.

"We were with our fellow sect disciples all of last night. They can all prove it."