Song Xing: I am cultivating immortals in Qingcheng Mountain

Chapter 567: Bloody Truth, Red Night Without Light
The night at the Jixia Academy was as thick as ink. Xiao Se looked up at the sky, but saw that the moonlight was blocked by thick clouds. The scene reminded him of some sentimental things, and a gloom rose in his heart.

Does his father know about the old imperial examination? Does Beili still have a future under such rules?

"Xiao Se, it's time for us to go."

Sikong Qianluo saw Xiao Se still standing there and reminded him softly that they had just had an unpleasant argument with Xiao Yu, so the two groups of people split into two groups, one group went to the west wing and the other group went to the east wing.

At this moment, time was very precious and they could not afford to delay. Xiao Se retracted his gaze, followed the corridor, and walked forward. His footsteps were particularly clear in the quiet corridor as he walked along the bluestone road. Behind him were Tang Lian, Lei Wujie and Sikong Qianluo. After a while, the three of them arrived at a place.

"Xiao Se, Wu Jingqi's residence is in front."

Lei Wujie lowered his voice and pointed to a room in front of him with a dim light.

Xiao Se recalled the information Ji Ruofeng had given him before. Wu Jingqi was born in the Wu family sword tomb and had a deep family heritage. However, since entering Tianqi, he had never displayed martial arts in front of anyone. So now they are not sure whether this person can practice martial arts or not, and whether his level is high or low?
"Be careful later."

Xiao Se nodded slightly, his fingertips unconsciously stroking the hilt of the Tianzhan Sword at his waist. The sword body vibrated slightly, as if sensing the inner unrest of its owner.

Looking at the lighted room, Xiao Se couldn't help but think of the files he had read before, the truth about Zhuge Jingxuan's three failures in the imperial examinations, the irrefutable evidence that Minister of Rites Xu Kaihou had accepted bribes, and the poor scholar Shen Buyan who committed suicide by taking poison twenty years ago.

Each clue is like a sharp dagger, dissecting the rotten core beneath the shiny appearance of the Beili Imperial Examination.

"Sure enough, Sixth Brother, you are also looking for Wu Jingqi!!"

Xiao Se stopped in front of the door and was about to raise his hand to knock when he suddenly heard hurried footsteps behind him.

Xiao Yu's voice came from the darkness, with a bit of deliberate surprise. Behind him followed Su Changhe and another Dark River master. The three of them appeared from the other side of the corridor and appeared at the other end of Xiao Se and the wing room. At this time, he was facing a student in white.

A cold light flashed in Xiao Se's eyes, but his face remained expressionless.

"Seventh brother, if I'm not mistaken, this student should be called Li Dangxin, right?"

Xiao Yu chuckled and stroked the jade pendant on his waist with his fingers.

"Sixth brother, you have good vision. You guessed who this person is the first time you met him!!"

"In that case, can I trouble you for a favor? Can you give up this Wu Jingqi to me?"

The two people's eyes met in the air, and there seemed to be invisible sparks. Sikong Qianluo couldn't help but step forward: "Xiao Yu, at the beginning we agreed that you go to the West Wing and we come to the East Wing. Now you don't keep your word and want to take our people away. I think you are itching for trouble again!!"

A sinister look flashed across Xiao Yu's eyes, but it was quickly covered up by a smile.

"Miss Sikong is still so straightforward, but..."

He changed the subject and said, "This Wu Jingqi is involved in a murder case during the imperial examination. I want to take her back for interrogation first. Will Sixth Brother stop me?"

Xiao Se's heart trembled. Xiao Yu also locked onto Wu Jingqi at the same time. It seemed that the other party knew the identities and origins of the two through some channel, which was why he was so quick.

Hearing this, he didn't show it on his face, but just said calmly: "What a coincidence, I was also thinking of asking Master Wu and Master Li to assist in the investigation, why don't we work together?"

"No need."

Xiao Yu flicked his sleeves and narrowed his eyes.

"Sixth brother, the emperor asked you not to interfere in this matter. I think you'd better avoid suspicion. Otherwise, the emperor will punish you for disobeying the emperor's order!"

Tang Lian frowned, his hand already on the hidden weapon bag at his waist. Lei Wujie even drew out his heart sword, the blade glowing coldly in the moonlight.

"Seventh brother, you got one thing wrong. Father told me not to interfere in the investigation. That's for after daybreak. It's not even daybreak yet. Do you think it's possible for you to disobey the order?"

Just when the two sides were on the verge of a fight, the door of the wing room suddenly creaked open.

A young man in a green shirt stood at the door, his face was handsome but a bit fierce. He glanced at everyone and finally stopped at Xiao Se's face.

"Your Highness Prince Yong'an is visiting you so late at night. What can I do for you?"

Just as Xiao Se was about to answer, he heard the sound of orderly footsteps in the distance. A team of imperial guards came with torches in hand, lighting up the entire courtyard. The imperial guards separated, revealing Xiao Chong's calm figure.

"Second brother?" Xiao Se and Xiao Yu spoke at the same time, with surprise flashing in their eyes.

Xiao Chong had a solemn expression on his face, holding a bright yellow scroll in his hand.

"According to the order of the Emperor, the imperial examination murder case has been concluded. It was committed by a student who failed the exam out of resentment. The student involved has been taken into custody by the Dali Temple, and the case is closed."

He paused, his eyes shifting between Xiao Se and Xiao Yu.

"Two brothers, accept the order!!"

When Xiao Se heard this, his eyes narrowed immediately and his fingers tightened unconsciously. He looked at Xiao Chong, trying to find clues from the other's eyes, but he only saw an unfathomable calmness.

Xiao Yu's expression was uncertain, but he finally forced a stiff smile: "Second brother, you are so clever! Your son, I will accept your order!!"

"impossible!"

Sikong Qianluo blurted out, I finally found the clue, and now I just hand it over? ? And the reason given by the other party is so outrageous.

"Even though they found so much evidence, those officials..."

"Qianluo!"

Xiao Se shouted to stop him, but it was too late.

Xiao Chong's eyes turned cold: "Miss Sikong, please be careful with your words! Father is wise, how could he wrongly accuse an innocent person? The evidence in this case is irrefutable, there is no need to discuss it further."

He turned to Wu Jingqi and Li Dangxin.

"Two students, please follow the Imperial Guards! Don't worry, it's just a routine inquiry."

Wu Jingqi and Li Dangxin exchanged a glance, the former's mouth curled up with a hint of sarcasm: "What a 'conclusive evidence'."

But he did not resist in the end, and followed the imperial guards away in silence.

After everyone left, the courtyard returned to silence.

Xiao Yu suddenly sneered: "Sixth brother, it seems that you still don't understand father's mind."

He leaned close to Xiao Se's ear and lowered his voice, "Do you think that the emperor doesn't know about the dirty things in the imperial examination? He knows it better than anyone else, but some things can't be put out in the open."

After saying that, Xiao Yu turned and left, his back casting a long shadow in the firelight.

Xiao Se stood there, feeling as if a piece of ice was pressing on his chest. He thought of the red comments of Emperor Mingde in the archives, the records of Shen Buyan's family being buried in the sea of ​​fire, and the description of Zhuge Jingxuan being beaten and covered with wounds.
Everything told him that this ending had been foreshadowed.

"Desolate."

Tang Lian called out worriedly.

Xiao Se shook his head and said in a hoarse voice: "Go back."

He took one last look at the direction Wu Jingqi left, and a hint of determination flashed in his eyes.

In the secret room of the Red Prince's Mansion, Xiao Yu sat cross-legged in the middle of a pool of blood, surrounded by dark green candlelight, which made his face look hideous.

"Old man, since you are unkind, don't blame me for being unjust."

In the snowy villa, in the desolate courtyard, he looked up at the starry sky. The Sky-Slashing Sword was suspended in front of him, and the sword reflected his tired but determined face. He whispered to himself.

"Father, is this the peace you want?"

"Peace bought with the blood of innocent people?"

(End of this chapter)