Chapter 50

Chapter Fifty: You, damn it!

Ding Hao, a demon-cultivating Immortal Master from Wuzhou, had gained the favor of Ling Yunxiao. Ling Yunxiao sensed that there was more to the matter, given that the Tang Family Trading Company and the young prince were in cahoots, likely conspiring to strike against Wuzhou's geniuses. However, with the evidence provided by the head clerk, Ling Yunxiao could not ignore it. He nodded and said, "Then let's go to the Ding family and ask him."

They arrived at the Ding family residence, where Ding Hao was in his meditation room, refining healing powder.

He drained the leaves of the Seven-Injury Tree, channeling spiritual energy into the Star Absorption Stone, which then produced green powder. The powder had astonishing healing effects, but the refinement process was arduous. Ding Hao worked from dusk until midnight to gather enough for a small bottle.

"Ding Hao, come out! You've conspired with demons and practiced demonic arts, and now the truth has come to light! Wretch, come out!"

Outside, Dugu's loud shouts echoed as Ding Hao opened the door to his meditation room. He saw torches blazing and a crowd of people gathered outside. Dugu stood at the front, shouting loudly, with Ling Yunxiao and a white-haired elder behind him, surrounded by soldiers in silver and white armor from the City Lord's residence.

Ding Hao's face showed a hint of confusion as he bowed to Ling Yunxiao, "City Lord Ling, what is this...?"

Ling Yunxiao replied, "This is the head clerk of the Tang Family Trading Company. He has some questions for you."

Ding Hao said, "Come in and talk."

The group entered the meditation room. Dugu immediately noticed a large pile of withered black leaves and shouted, "Look! Evidence! He's researching demonic trees again!"

Ding Hao sneered, "Idiot! Look closely before you speak!"

Everyone could see clearly that these were just withered leaves of the Seven-Injury Tree, which could never turn into demonic trees.

Dugu was about to say more, but the head clerk of the Tang Family Trading Company, who was already annoyed, interrupted, "Enough, let's get to the point!"

Dugu fell silent, and Ling Yunxiao said, "Ding Hao, today the head clerk has come to ask you questions. Answer truthfully and don't hide anything. But don't be afraid; this is Wuzhou City, and I will not allow anyone to falsely accuse our geniuses!"

Ding Hao bowed, "I will follow your command, City Lord."

The head clerk then said, "Ding Hao, quickly confess to your conspiracy with the demon-cultivating Immortal Master and your practice of demonic arts. I will spare your life!"

Ding Hao, surprised by the head clerk's rudeness, retorted, "Head Clerk Tang, you're so old, with white hair, and you can't even speak properly? When did I conspire with demon-cultivating Immortal Masters or practice demonic arts? You are deliberately defaming the reputation of Wuzhou's geniuses, and your intentions are sinister!"

The head clerk slammed the table and roared, "How dare you! At my age, how could I defame a mere child! With the evidence clear, you still refuse to confess. Do you want to die?"

Ding Hao said, "If you have evidence, show it to me. Don't spout lies and slander! Elder, lying will make you childless!"

The head clerk, cursed to be childless, made Ling Yunxiao sweat. He thought, this kid will say anything.

"Evidence?" The head clerk's face was extremely dark as he glared at Ding Hao and said, "I'll make you die a just death!"

As he spoke, he activated the image in his eyeball, showing it to everyone clearly.

After the image, he slammed the table and shouted, "You demon, do you have anything to say? Will you not accept your fate?"

Ding Hao laughed, pointing at the head clerk, "You old man, how shameless! If you're going to show a video, show the whole thing. You edited it to show only what you want. Why don't you show the entire video to everyone? Old man, do you dare swear to the heavens?"

The head clerk coldly snorted, "The image in my eyeball is damaged, and only this much can be shown!"

Ding Hao said, "Nonsense! Why is all the remaining footage unfavorable to me? This damage is too convenient! Did you show the scene of the Ghost Head Knife releasing the ghostly wind? Do you dare say you didn't edit it? Old man, do you dare swear to the heavens?"

The head clerk slammed the table in anger, "Demon, stop your sophistry! Am I interrogating you, or are you interrogating me?"

Seeing their argument, Ling Yunxiao said, "Both of you, you're each sticking to your own story. I will be fair. State your evidence and stop attacking each other; it won't help in uncovering the truth!"

The head clerk knew he needed Ling Yunxiao's help to act against Ding Hao, so he suppressed his anger and said, "Then I ask you, why did Boss Toba help you and let you leave through the north gate? What collusion do you have with him? Are there other demon-cultivators waiting for you at the north gate?"

Ding Hao loudly said, "Pure nonsense! First, Boss Toba didn't help me; he was just maintaining his business. What his intentions were, ask him. Second, I didn't leave through the north gate. Your Tang Family's employees can vouch for me; I even had them deliver my storage pouch to Dugu. Third, I don't know if there are demon-cultivators at the north gate. I think it's you, old man, who colluded with them to wait for me there!"

The head clerk was speechless, and Ling Yunxiao thought, "Well done." He asked, "Head Clerk Tang, is what Wuzhou's genius said true?"

The head clerk didn't answer, angrily slamming the table and shouting, "I am a Fourth Layer Cultivation Immortal Master. If you call me an old man again, I will punish you for disrespect!"

Ding Hao said, "Old man, City Lord Ling is asking you a question! If you don't answer, you are disrespecting our City Lord!"

Ling Yunxiao asked again, "Head Clerk, is what he said true?"

The head clerk's face turned awkward, and he said, "Wretch, you're sharp-tongued!"

He still didn't answer directly, and Ling Yunxiao became a bit angry, his face darkening. "Head Clerk, do you think my words are not worth your response?"

The head clerk had no choice but to say, "City Lord Ling, I was confused by his words. Regarding Boss Toba, there are indeed doubts, and his suspicions cannot be completely ruled out..."

But before he could finish, he slammed the table again, "Wretch, what is your relationship with the dead female demon-cultivating Immortal Master?"

Ding Hao laughed, "You really want to frame me, don't you? That female demon-cultivator was at the Cultivation stage. Do you think I have the ability to kill her? Besides, even if I did kill her, it would be a great deed to eliminate a demon. How did it become a conspiracy with demons? Head Clerk, have you lived these past few decades as a dog, with no logic at all?"

"You..." The head clerk's face was twisted, and he said, "Ling Yunxiao, look at your Wuzhou genius. This is how he speaks to his elders! I have never had anyone speak to me like this!"

Ling Yunxiao shouted, "Ding Hao! Speak politely! A mere Seventh Stage Innate, what are you so arrogant about?" After scolding Ding Hao, he turned to the head clerk, "Head Clerk, although this boy speaks rudely, his words seem to make sense. To accuse him of conspiring with demons based on a female corpse is too far-fetched."

The head clerk's face turned awkward, and he glared, "Then how did she die? Who knows if there's more to it!"

Ling Yunxiao said, "Ding Hao, speak honestly, and I will protect you."

Ding Hao said, "It was like this. I was passing by when I encountered four Immortal Masters from the Nine Provinces Academy ambushing a demon. There were three men and one woman. One of them, Liu Yunkun, is my friend. We chatted and drank tea, reminiscing about our friendship. The strongest among them was an Immortal Master named Bai Tiancang, wow, Fourth Layer Cultivation! His strength is incredible! He and I hit it off immediately. He told me he is a friend of the Wandering Prince and that he would introduce me to the Wandering Prince. He also said that once I enter the Nine Provinces Academy, he would personally seek me out! Then the demon suddenly appeared, and they released four flying swords. Bai Tiancang was the strongest, and he beheaded the demon in one strike. That's what happened."

Ding Hao mixed truth with lies, portraying Bai Tiancang, with whom he had a strained relationship, as a friend, and using the Wandering Prince, who he had no connection with, as a shield.

The head clerk, unaware of the complexity behind the scenes, listened with a darker face. He didn't know if Ding Hao was telling the truth, but he knew that the Wandering Prince was one of the most prominent geniuses at the Nine Provinces Academy.

Ling Yunxiao was also surprised, realizing that Ding Hao had already established connections with geniuses from the Nine Provinces Academy. The strongest in the Nine Provinces world were all at the Nine Provinces Academy! If Ding Hao could connect with some powerful figures, it would greatly benefit Wuzhou!

He immediately asked, "Is it true?"

"More real than gold and silver! You can ask at the Nine Provinces Academy." Ding Hao then asked, "Head Clerk Tang, do you know if the Wandering Prince really exists at the Nine Provinces Academy? I wonder if he will value me when we meet."

The head clerk was even more shocked, thinking, this little brat has a grudge against my Tang Family. If he joins the Wandering Prince, he might bring more enemies! It's better to get rid of this little brat early!

Thinking this, he said with a sinister smile, "Alright, since the first two incidents are not related to you, explain where the eight-tentacled demon vine came from."

Ding Hao said, "I didn't know about the demon vine beforehand. I bought it from a small shop in the border village. It was a spiritual wood seed shop, and the shop owner might not have known it was a demon vine. There was no label on the bottle, and she sold it to me for 12 yuan stones. I bought it because it was cheap."

"Nonsense!" The head clerk shouted, "A bottle with no label, and you don't know what seeds are inside, yet you were willing to spend 12 yuan stones on it! You're lying!"

Ding Hao said, "I'm not lying. Bring the female shop owner here, and you'll know."

At this moment, Dugu interjected, "The female shop owner of the Wu Family Seed Shop is already dead, and you can't bring her here! Little brat, don't spout lies!"

Ding Hao, hearing this, was startled and coldly asked, "How do you know I mentioned the Wu Family Seed Shop? Did you go there and eliminate the female shop owner in advance? You are the real beasts, killing innocent people to frame me. You, damn it!"