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Chapter 71: Search
Xiao Haisheng floated silently in the air, his face dark as he gazed down at the Cultivators below, creating an atmosphere of palpable pressure, inducing silence all around.
"Our Elder, Xiao Shenqiang, died under mysterious circumstances, and I must investigate the truth to give the deceased an explanation," he declared solemnly. "I'm in a terrible mood right now, so you better be honest."
Xiao Haisheng's gaze swept across the faces of Old Man Bamboo Stick, Liu Dachuan, and Guang HongDaoist, who were all powerful Foundation Building cultivators. Naturally, they were the prime suspects for the murder.
Shan Ying stood behind Xiao Haisheng, his face cold. He worried that Xiao Haisheng might blame himself for Xiao Shenqiang's death, and he was also angered by the loss of a fellow sect member.
Xiao Shenqiang was a kinsman of Xiao Haisheng and had always been his trusted confidant. Given Xiao Haisheng's protective nature, this matter was unlikely to be easily resolved.
Two Foundation Building cultivators from Twin Success Valley had come with Xiao Haisheng and were leading a team of disciples to search the sand monster's lair meticulously.
Within Twin Success Valley, there was a special positioning technique. Xiao Shenqiang's body was quickly found and brought before Xiao Haisheng.
Although Xiao Shenqiang's body had turned into an ice sculpture and was broken into several pieces, the marks on the body were still evident.
"Poisonous Cold Yin Thunder, Liu Dachuan, do you have anything to say?" Xiao Haisheng glared at Liu Dachuan, his face filled with killing intent.
Cold sweat broke out on Liu Dachuan's forehead. "Xiao Haisheng, don't wrong an innocent person. Poisonous Cold Yin Thunder may be a unique technique of my Liu Family, but it's not uncommon to find it in the market. Who knows who ended up with it?"
"That's right, Sect Master Xiao. Liu brother isn't lying. Poisonous Cold Yin Thunder is occasionally sold in the market. Who knows who acquired it in the end?" Guang HongDaoist chimed in, not wanting to directly confront Xiao Haisheng but trying to be fair to Liu Dachuan.
"Just relying on Poisonous Cold Yin Thunder as evidence to accuse Liu brother of murder may not convince everyone," Old Man Bamboo Stick added in an indifferent tone.
Xiao Haisheng knew that the three Foundation Building cultivators in front of him weren't easy to deal with. Even if he managed to suppress them for now, he couldn't dispose of them arbitrarily.
"Hand over your storage bags," Xiao Haisheng said with a fierce look, showing a strong intention to take action at any moment.
Whether out of the fear of losing face or not wanting to anger Xiao Haisheng further, the three of them swallowed their pride and let Xiao Haisheng inspect their storage bags.
Knowing Xiao Shenqiang well, Xiao Haisheng had a general idea of what items Xiao Shenqiang carried.
He carefully examined the storage bags of the three individuals but found nothing incriminating.
Either these three were indeed innocent, and the real culprit behind Xiao Haisheng's murder was someone else, or they were smart enough not to covet the items on Xiao Shenqiang's body.
Suppressing his anger, Xiao Haisheng returned the storage bags to them. Old Man Bamboo Stick received his bag with a disdainful snort.
Xiao Haisheng then shifted his gaze downwards.
The crowd below consisted of Refining Qi cultivators who had entered the sand monster's lair together with the three Foundation Building cultivators. In the previous chaos, they had suffered considerable losses. Following Xiao Haisheng's strict orders, they were now arranged according to their sects, standing quietly below.
At Xiao Haisheng's command, two Foundation Building elders who had come with him and a group of Twin Success Valley Refining Qi disciples began the search.
They meticulously inspected everyone's storage bags and even conducted rough body searches. Their scrutiny was so thorough that not even a needle could escape their inspection.
The first to be searched were the disciples of Liu Family. Coincidentally, they found a folding fan on one of the Liu Family disciples.
This folding fan was just an ordinary First Rank magic tool with nothing special about it. However, Twin Success Valley disciples who were familiar with Xiao Shenqiang knew that it was the same folding fan he often carried and played with, revealing his refined taste. A Twin Success Valley enforcement disciple held the folding fan and questioned sternly, "Where did this come from? Tell me, did you kill Elder Xiao Shenqiang?"
Being unjustly accused of such a serious crime, the young disciple panicked and stammered, "I-I-I found it in the sand monster's lair."
As he spoke, he looked for help toward Liu Dachuan, who was standing above from the Liu Family.
"Found it? It's so easy to pick up a First Rank magic tool? Why didn't I have such good luck?" the Twin Success Valley enforcement disciple mocked.
Under the watchful gazes of everyone, Liu Dachuan would never abandon his own disciple.
"It's normal to find a magic tool in the chaotic sand monster's lair," Liu Dachuan said, firmly supporting his disciple.
Xiao Haisheng had already decided that the Liu Family disciples were the prime suspects and paid no attention to Liu Dachuan's defense. Instead, he shouted in a stern voice, "Continue the search."
The results of the subsequent searches, however, surprised everyone present and left Xiao Haisheng in a difficult position.
They found no suspicious items on the Liu Family disciples. But on a disciple from Green Bamboo Mountain, they discovered a Second Rank magic tool that Xiao Shenqiang often used.
Questioned, this disciple's response was the same as the Liu Family disciple's—he found it in the sand monster's lair.
The search continued, and even the Twin Success Valley disciples who had followed Xiao Shenqiang into the sand monster's lair were not exempted.
The search results were beyond anyone's expectations and put Xiao Haisheng in a difficult position.
On the disciples from various sects and families, they found belongings that belonged to Xiao Shenqiang. Even the jade pendant that Xiao Shenqiang had always kept hidden and only a few people knew about was found on a Twin Success Valley disciple.
Finally, in the panicked eyes of Zhao Family's Elder Zhao Renlong, the Lesser Foundation Building Pill inside his storage bag was also discovered.
Xiao Haisheng was thoroughly enraged. Even the previously respectful Zhao Family dared to play tricks behind his back.
Among the many vassal forces of Twin Success Valley, Xiao Haisheng believed he had treated Zhao Family well. Ten years ago, he had even sold a Lesser Foundation Building Pill to Zhao Family at a low price.
It was essential to know that Twin Success Valley's production of Lesser Foundation Building Pills was limited. Even many disciples within the sect struggled for years without obtaining one. Each Lesser Foundation Building Pill produced by Twin Success Valley was wrapped in a special shell with a hidden mark on it.
The Lesser Foundation Building Pill found on Zhao Renlong was precisely the one Xiao Shenqiang had prepared for his own son.
With a swift motion, Xiao Haisheng pulled Zhao Renlong's
body to his side.
"You heartless and ungrateful scum! You don't know how to be grateful and are taking advantage of the situation," Xiao Haisheng exclaimed furiously. "Zhao Sect Elder, you claim to have found this pill, but spare me the lies!"
In a panic, Zhao Renlong turned his pleading gaze towards Zhao Family's patriarch, Zhao Yanbei, who had already kneeled down with the rest of his family members while Xiao Haisheng was venting his anger.
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