Chapter 112: Exposed
Translator: Sparrow Translations Editor:
Mo Wuji did not immediately return to Lotus Sword Summit but went to Medicine King Summit to fetch Yan'Er. He did not wish to put all his hopes on Yan Qianyin. Furthermore, now that he was a Tier 3 Mortal Pill Refiner, he would have other means of participating in the Five Elements Desolate Domain Pill Competition.
"Senior apprentice brother Mo, little sis Yan'Er," Seeing Mo Wuji return with Yan'Er, Fei Bingzhu hurried over to greet them.
"Is anything of the matter?" Seeing Fei Bingzhu's expression, Mo Wuji could tell that there was something on. Furthermore, he had stayed at Pharmacy 19 for quite some time.
Fei Bingzhu spoke with a hint of worry, "Yes. Yesterday, the Second Elder sent some people over. He asked for you pay him a visit the moment you returned from the pharmacy. Also, the backer of that Meng fella is exactly the Second Elder."
Mo Wuji suddenly thought of Qin Xiangyu's brother, Qin Chen. Wasn't his master the Second Elder? He did not expect Meng Boyu's backer to also be the Second Elder.
"Bingzhu, it doesn't matter whether the Treasured Blood Lotuses are mature or not, just dig them up." Seeing that the matter had already reached the ears of the Second Elder, it would be a little troublesome. Might as well get Fei Bingzhu to dig the Treasured Blood Lotus first before further discussions.
He added, "Pack everything up. Get ready to leave at any moment."
Since the Second Elder had already investigated the issue to him, if Yan Qianyin had yet to return, then he would just leave. He couldn't stay here and try his luck.
Fei Bingzhu hurriedly said, "Rest assured senior apprentice brother Mo, I have already prepared a jade box. If you store the Treasured Blood Lotus with spirit stones in the jade box, it would be able to last for a few months without rotting. I will immediately pack the other things.
Mo Wuji nodded, and was about to speak until he saw the Pill Refiner's Hall Deacon Yuan Qi walking over hastily.
"Deacon Yuan." Before Yuan Qi could speak, Mo Wuji took the initiative to go forward and greet him.
Yuan Qi looked at Mo Wuji, without the same warmth as he had the first time they met. He sighed as he said, "Pill Master Mo, the sect head, Pill Master Yan and a few other elders are waiting for you at the Great Hall. Please follow me."
Hearing that Yan Qianyin had returned, Mo Wuji’s heart relaxed a little. It seems like Yan Qianyin hadn't returned to Medicine King Summit, if not they would have met. He believed that Yan Qianyin would help him again, and he only needed her to help him this one time. After this incident, he would no longer have any relations to the Formless Blade Sect.
Mo Wuji nodded, and spoke to Fei Bingzhu with a calm expression, "Bingzhu, do what you need to do. I will go out for a while."
"Rest assured senior apprentice brother." Fei Bingzhu nodded. He did not know whether Mo Wuji could dodge this matter, but at this point, he could only leave it to fate.
…
Mo Wuji followed Deacon Yuan Qi to the Formless Blade Sect's Great Hall. This was the second time he entered the Great Hall; the first time, he came as Shi Jun's ingredient boy. Now, Shi Jun was dead, and he had become a guest pill refiner for the sect.
As he entered the Great Hall, Mo Wuji saw many elders gathered within. Even though he had never met the Second Elder before, he could recognize the Second Elder with a single glance. The Second Elder had a long beard and was donned in grey robes. His gaze was already extremely sharp. By his side, was a heroic looking young man, who looked similar to Qin Xiangyu. Mo Wuji could easily guess that he should be Qin Chen.
Besides the elders, the sect's pill refiners had also gathered. The sect head, Gu Ran, had a cold expression, and he sat at the peak silently. What made Mo Wuji worried was that Pill Master Ju's seat had been shifted next to Yan Qianyin. It seems like Pill Master Ju’s status had already become comparable to Yan Qianyin's.
Mo Wuji clasped his fists, "Lotus Sword Summit's Mo Wuji greets the sect head, as well as the various elders, summit lords and hall masters."
No one spoke for a long time. After a while, Yan Qianyin spoke in a gentle tone, "Pill Master Mo, please take a seat."
Mo Wuji lamented; it seems like the hall of people had been gathered against him.
"Wait, Pill Master Mo, I heard that a service disciple in the spiritual herbs warehouse dispensed the wrong herbs which resulted in Pill Master Ju’s concoction to fail. He was eventually brought away to the Enforcement Hall. But Pill Master Mo ignored the sect's rules, and forcefully brought away that service disciple?" Without waiting for Mo Wuji to sit down, an aggressive looking man stood up and questioned him.
Mo Wuji recognised this person, he was Fire Sword Summit’s Cang Qianxing. He could be considered to have enmity with Mo Wuji.
It was as though he did not hear Cang Qianxing's call for him to stop, Mo Wuji did not hesitate to sit his ass down on a chair.
Seeing Mo Wuji sit down, not just Cang Qianxing, Pill Master Ju and a few elders revealed an expression of rage.
This Mo fella is too arrogant. Doesn't he know that he is being questioned?
Without waiting for a second person to stand up and point fingers at him, Mo Wuji calmly replied Cang Qianxing, "Summit Lord Cang only heard rumors. Well, I can't blame Summit Lord Cang for believing these rumors. Summit Lord Cang doesn't understand alchemy, so it's natural that you don't know the full details. I believe that as long as you know even a little about alchemy, you would know that something was wrong. Pill Master Ju is a peerless pill refiner. Even if his ingredient boy took the wrong herbs, you think Pill Master Ju wouldn't discover it? And even use the wrong herbs to concoct pills?
Summit Lord Cang, it's fine since you don't know, but you cannot suspect Pill Master Ju’s standards. I believe that none of the pill refiners here would make such a novice mistake. I went to the Enforcement Hall, and after clarifying the full story from the person there, I immediately knew that the service disciple had been framed. That's why I took him away. As to Summit Lord Cang's words of me forcefully taking him away, I guess that’s just you coming up with a story to entertain yourself."
Naturally, Mo Wuji wouldn't stand because someone disallowed him. At this moment, once he loses his standing, he would be endlessly trampled. Furthermore, he wasn't saying blind words. If a pill refiner couldn't recognize the herbs he threw in the pill furnace, he should just kill himself.
This time, no one else in the hall stood up to talk, not even Pill Master Ju. After all, what Mo Wuji said made sense. If a pill refiner really made a mistake with the herbs he was using, he really shouldn't be concocting pills.
It seems like this was really a matter of someone framing that service disciple.
The Second Elder suddenly asked, "Pill Master Mo, have you recently seen Pill Master Meng?"
Mo Wuji hurriedly stood up and clasped his fists towards the Second Elder and asked in a confused manner, "Elder Xu, I don't really interact with others in the sect. May I know who is this Pill Master Meng?"
Before killing Meng Boyu, he did not even meet Meng Boyu. The sect would definitely be able to investigate that. There would be a problem if Mo Wuji actually replied that he didn't see Meng Boyu. Clearly, this Second Elder was quite devious with his words.
A man with pale, white skin and squinted eyes opened his mouth and said, "Pill Master Mo, according to my Enforcement Hall's investigation, Pill Master Meng left the sect once a few months ago. Thereafter, he never returned. Instead, it was Pill Master Mo who returned. According to my investigation, there have not been any records of Pill Master Mo leaving the sect."
Mo Wuji's heart sank. This was the only loophole, but he couldn't help it. He did not have any means of soundlessly and silently returning to the sect.
"Recently, I left the sect twice consecutively. As to why there weren't any records, I believe the person Hall Master Sha should be questioning isn't me, but the recording disciple." Mo Wuji was bent on saying that he had left the sect openly; he definitely couldn't confess. Even if the other party was sure that he was the one who killed Meng Boyu, he also wouldn't confess. He just needed to leave the sect, then he wins.
"I suspect that the Pill Master Meng who left the sect those months ago wasn't actually him, but…"
"Hall Master Sha, if you don't have any evidence, you cannot casually suspect him. I understand Pill Master Mo, he's not a person who likes to find trouble." Yan Qianyin suddenly voiced out and interrupted Hall Master Sha's words.
Even though Hall Master Sha was the Enforcement Hall Master, he did not dare to make light of Yan Qianyin's words and forcefully swallowed the rest of his words. Even though everyone knew what he was going to say, he would not continue to say it.
Mo Wuji was really grateful. Even if everyone suspected him, as long as this incident wasn't brought to light, he would still have some manoeuvring space. Once things were brought to the open, things would get tricky.
The Second Elder's icy cold gaze swept across Mo Wuji's body. Mo Wuji could clearly feel a sharp killing intent. He was sure that even though the Second Elder didn't say anything, the Second Elder definitely would not let Mo Wuji off. It was just that Yan Qianyin was currently protecting him. The moment he left this Great Hall, his little life could easily be reaped by this Second Elder. This feeling where he had no control over his own life vexed Mo Wuji.
He had already felt this as a mortal in Rao Zhou, now he's experiencing it here again as a cultivator.
Gu Ran broke the silence and pressure within the Great Hall, "Let's leave the matter of Pill Master Shi aside for now. Hall Master Sha can continue to investigate. After all, a Tier 2 pill refiner disappearing without a trace is no small matter. At the same time, Pill Master Mo is also our sect's Tier 2 pill refiner. If there isn't evidence, Hall Master Sha should not disturb him."
"Yes," Hall Master Sha hurriedly replied. He knew that this resolution wasn't due to Mo Wuji's position as a Tier 2 pill refiner, but due to Yan Qianyin's words. In the sect head's eyes, she was the number one person in the sect after him.
Seeing that there wasn't any dissent from the Enforcement Hall Master, Gu Ran nodded and continued, "Next, let's discuss on the matter of the Five Elements Desolate Domain Pill Competition. The competition is commencing soon and we will immediately leave after this meeting. Due to the incident at Formless Blade Mountain, the only pill refiners we will be sending are Pill Masters Yan and Ju…"
Yan Qianyin once again spoke out, "Sect head, Pill Master Mo has a unique understanding towards ingredients, perhaps not beneath mine. I hope that we could bring him along to help, there might be some unexpected benefits."
"Impossible!" Before the sect head could even speak, the Second Elder stood up and said, "Pill Master Mo is still embroiled in Pill Master Meng's case. Even though we still don't have evidence, we still should not let him represent the sect in the pill competition."
Mo Wuji's heart sank. If Yan Qianyin leaves, staying behind in the sect would simply be waiting for death. Now, the Second Elder wasn't even giving Yan Qianyin face, and was bent on killing him.
As he thought of this, he no longer cared about anything else as he stood up and said, "Elder Xu, I don't mind that you suspect me over Pill Master Meng's disappearance. After all, this is just mere suspicions. But if you confine me within the sect because of your suspicions, then that's far too tyrannical."