Chapter 88

Ruchangming remained unperturbed, wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth and stepping forward.

"Hmph, the one who accused me is named Gu Xuyao, who has no connection whatsoever with our Ru family. How can his words be trusted? Besides, everything needs evidence. Now, without any proof, you can say whatever you want."

Ruchangming was not a rash child. He had long anticipated such a situation and had already devised a plan to deal with it.

At this moment, Rulimeng squeezed out from the crowd, seeing the corpse of Maizi on the ground and the two people with drawn swords, she came to Gu Xuyao's side with a look of bewilderment. At the same time, Ru Hongming also came to his father and brother's side.

"You may not believe what I say, but these few people," Gu Xuyao said, stepping aside to reveal several people still hugging Maizi's corpse and crying. "They are direct descendants of the Ru family and had a very good relationship with Maizi. Tonight, they were with me when Maizi told us that Ruchangming had secretly met with outsiders in the Black Bear Cave. When I went to investigate the Black Bear Cave, I was immediately attacked, and the other party even captured Maizi and killed him in front of me."

The several night patrolmen did not disappoint Gu Xuyao. They recounted the events of that night, and for a moment, the eyes of the Ru family cultivators looking at Ruchangming were filled with resentment and suspicion.

Even Ruchangming and Ru Sanzhen showed a look of surprise upon hearing these words, which Gu Xuyao noticed.

"Don't listen to their nonsense!" Ru Sanzhen could no longer sit still and hurriedly defended his eldest son. "Everything needs evidence. This matter is serious; how can you determine my son is guilty just because of a dead man's judgment and a coincidental attack?"

Gu Xuyao coldly snorted and took out a piece of wood from his treasure gourd, which he found in the Black Bear Cave.

"This piece of wood from the treasure gourd was found by me in the Black Bear Cave. It has scorched marks, clearly indicating it was damaged. I want to ask, has any of our cultivators gone missing recently?"

Upon hearing this, everyone began to whisper, their expressions changing endlessly.

"Speaking of missing, there haven't been any," Ru Dongsheng said at this point. "However, several cultivators said they went to search for the White Fungus Pond but have been gone for a long time, which is unusual. Our Ru family cultivators are very rational and wouldn't waste too much time on a legend."

The management of the Liao Wu residence was too lax, so the whereabouts of the cultivators were unknown. Even if those who went to search for the White Fungus Pond were really killed, who would know?

"Hmph, the head of the family has already said it, so there is no solid evidence. Gu Xuyao, you are spreading rumors, what is your intention!"

The evidence Gu Xuyao had was too little to prove that Ruchangming had ulterior motives, but the numerous accusations had already brought Ruchangming and Ru Sanzhen's reputation to an all-time low. Ru Sanzhen's loud shout received no response from anyone else.

Seeing this, Ru Sanzhen could only awkwardly shut up and look at Ru Dongsheng, leaving everything to the head of the family's decision.

"Head of the family, although there is no solid evidence, I believe you have heard everything. Ruchangming definitely has something to hide. I think it's better to expel him from the Ru family."

Gu Xuyao bowed, though he was an outsider and should not meddle in others' family affairs, after seeing Maizi's death, he couldn't help but want to punish this person.

Ru Dongsheng glanced at Maizi's corpse on the ground, then turned to look at the three father and sons not far away, and took a deep breath.

"The matter tonight ends here. Everyone, go back and continue your cultivation." After saying this, he looked at Gu Xuyao. "Gu Gongfeng, follow me."

Saying this, Ru Dongsheng led the way out. The others, seeing this, also dispersed. The three father and sons, Ru Sanzhen, left with grim faces.

As the head of the family, Ru Dongsheng's residence was naturally more spacious than that of ordinary clan members.

"Head of the family, the Ru Sanzhen father and son must have some ulterior motives, you should have seen this, why..."

As soon as he entered, Gu Xuyao couldn't wait to speak.

"Gu Gongfeng, you are an outsider, you don't understand the situation in the Di Xiang Ze. Usually, you only cultivate and don't ask about other matters. Today, I will tell you."

Ru Dongsheng sat down and made a gesture for Gu Xuyao to sit as well.

"Although the Di Xiang Ze is peaceful and there is no war between the families, this is at the cost of sacrifices. As you know, the nature of cultivators is greedy. Frictions between the members of two families are inevitable, and once there is a casualty, a solution must be found. In the Di Xiang Ze, the most common method is for the weaker party to hand over the clan member who has entanglements with others, leaving them to the other party's disposal."

Saying this, Ru Dongsheng sighed and continued, "Although this method is shameful, it is the only rule to maintain peace. Even if no one dares to start a war due to the guardian deity of the Di Xiang Ze, the large families can slowly consume the small families by dispatching cultivators to hunt the members of the small families near their territories."

At this point, Gu Xuyao suddenly remembered the scene where the Heavenly Evil Pearl slaughtered all the members of the Taiheng Sect in one night. Spending too much time in the Di Xiang Ze, he almost forgot that the cultivation world was a place of the strong preying on the weak.

"Ruchangming has a marriage agreement with the Green Smoke Manor. Regardless of what he is doing, just the fact that he is about to become a son-in-law of the Green Smoke Manor means we cannot do anything to him..."

In fact, as the head of the Ru family, Ru Dongsheng was well aware of the plots and schemes happening under his nose. But sometimes life is like this; you can see it, understand it, but can't do anything about it.

Hearing Ru Dongsheng say this, Gu Xuyao felt a sense of helplessness.

"Never mind, Gu Gongfeng, thank you for doing so much for the Ru family. We owe you a great favor."

When Ru Dongsheng said this, his body trembled slightly, for some unknown reason.

"Head of the family, you are too polite. The Ru family has taken me in and given me a place to cultivate, which is already a great favor. Everything Gu Xuyao has done is just to repay the Ru family. Since you say so, I won't say anything more, but please be cautious of the Ru Sanzhen father and son in the future."

After saying this, Ru Dongsheng pursed his lips and nodded heavily, and Gu Xuyao took his leave. At this moment, the sun had just risen, and the gradually brightening sky still had an unshakeable gloom.

When he returned to his residence, Rulimeng had been waiting outside for a long time. Seeing Gu Xuyao, she was already teary-eyed.

"Big Brother Gu..."

Saying this, she threw herself into Gu Xuyao's arms and sobbed.

Gu Xuyao gently stroked her hair and comforted her softly.

"Big Brother Gu, I was really scared just now. I heard that you were fighting with that Ruchangming. I was so afraid, so afraid that something might happen to you..."

Hearing Rulimeng's words, Gu Xuyao felt a bit guilty. He pulled her out of his embrace and looked into her red eyes.

"Why are you looking at me like that..."

Tears still hung at the corners of her eyes, but the intense gaze of Gu Xuyao made her blush.

Gu Xuyao smiled slightly. In the next moment, he leaned forward, and Rulimeng shivered, her body trembling. Before she could react, Gu Xuyao kissed her.

Their lips intertwined, and he held her tightly in his strong arms. She soon relaxed, closing her eyes.

The dawn of that day was particularly gentle, with the light filtering through the thick leaves, sprinkling on their bodies. The slightly salty air of the marshland, the flying hair of the two, and the newly quiet Liao Wu residence allowed them to hear each other's heartbeats. The air was filled with the fragrance of their bodies, and the rustling of insects became festive.

Spring warmed the branches, and summer leveled the hills. In the Di Xiang Ze, there was no clear distinction between the four seasons. The passionate kiss between the two seemed to make time fly through the seasons, even in the icy cold, there was the warmth of the other.

Unfortunately, the beautiful moment did not last long. A distant explosion interrupted their embrace.

"Boom!"

Gu Xuyao could feel the ground trembling slightly. The two separated their lips, and Rulimeng looked at Gu Xuyao with concern.

Gu Xuyao nodded at her and ran in the direction of the explosion.

This direction, Gu Xuyao would not be mistaken. It was the direction of the Black Bear Cave, but the Black Bear Cave had already been destroyed. Why was there still a disturbance there...

"Ah!"

Before reaching the Black Bear Cave, a panicked person flew towards Gu Xuyao from the front. Gu Xuyao frowned and, with a few quick movements, stopped him.

"He, he, they..."

The person was none other than Ru Sanzhen's second son, Ru Hongming!

"They are crazy, they are crazy!"

Ru Hongming pointed in the direction of the Black Bear Cave. At this moment, Ru Dongsheng also arrived, looking at Ru Hongming in Gu Xuyao's arms. The two nodded at each other and rushed to the explosion site.

The Black Bear Cave, which had already been shattered by the black-clothed men, was now just a pile of dust in several large pits. There were several large craters on the ground, and some severed limbs.

"This..." Ru Dongsheng's face turned pale as he looked at Ru Hongming.

"They are crazy, they are crazy..." At this moment, Ru Hongming was disheveled, his clothes tattered, and blood on the corner of his mouth. Upon closer inspection, it was clear that he had multiple injuries, but he was completely unaware at this moment.

"Snap out of it!" Gu Xuyao slapped him, but Ru Hongming showed no reaction. At this moment, more cultivators were arriving one after another.

Seeing this, Ru Dongsheng frowned. He nodded at Gu Xuyao and, to prevent the matter from becoming known to the entire family, went to the back to intercept the arriving cultivators, ordering them to return to their residences.

"Ru Hongming..." Gu Xuyao looked at the still dazed Ru Hongming in his arms. "What are you and your father doing..."

At this moment, the sky was bright, and the gloom of the Liao Wu residence had just begun.