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"Master, please take care of yourself!"

Lu Hong's face turned pale, and he quickly stepped forward to support him.

Lu Sidao shoved Lu Hong aside, looked anxiously at Niu Sengru, and roared hoarsely, "Lord Niu, there's definitely something fishy about this result!"

He pointed at Chen Yuan not far away, his expression ferocious: "I suspect this brat secretly tricked and used insidious schemes to kill all the members of my Lu family!"

"Lu Sidao, you're spouting nonsense!"

The Chen family members immediately stirred. Chen Qingtian puffed out his beard and glared, retorting on the spot, "My young master is a kind-hearted boy who wouldn't hesitate to kill a chicken. How could he possibly use any ruthless tricks? You son of a bitch, don't make baseless accusations!"

Upon hearing this, many people present secretly rolled their eyes.

Is it true that Chen Yuan is so kind-hearted that he hesitates to kill even a chicken?

That's a huge joke.

But faced with Lu Sidao's unfounded accusations, everyone felt contempt.

No one believed that Chen Yuan and his group alone could scheme to annihilate the cultivators of the other eight major families.

Chen Qingcang could not contain his anger either, and rebuked him in a deep voice: "Lu Sidao, you should speak with evidence. If you don't have a brain, don't make baseless accusations, or you'll become a laughing stock."

A low chuckle rippled through the room.

Lu Sidao was furious, but since he was determined to overturn the result, he could only suppress his anger:

"Okay, even if he was kind-hearted, why were they the only ones who survived, while everyone else perished?"

As soon as Lu Sidao finished speaking, the noisy square fell silent instantly.

Everyone nodded slightly.

Yes, those with pure hearts die even faster in those secret realms of divine and demonic ruins.

Niu Sengru's face was grim, his gaze fixed on Chen Yuan, and he said coldly, "Tell me, what exactly happened in the secret realm?"

Chen Yuan looked at Chen Qingcang, and seeing that the other party nodded in acknowledgment, he quickly explained what he had planned long ago.

Of course, most of the truth was also concealed.

They only said that evil spirits and disasters had occurred at Duanyun Mountain.

After the explanation was finished, the room fell silent for a moment before erupting into another uproar.

"What? A calamity caused by evil spirits has broken out in Cloudfall Mountain?"

"Countless rotting corpses burst from the ground, killing anyone they saw, including a giant rotting corpse whose strength rivals that of a late-stage Yellow Court cultivator?"

"Cloudbreak Castle has always been a haven for adventurers; who would have thought it would be a lair of evil spirits?"

······

The crowd was abuzz with discussion, their expressions filled with horror.

"Nonsense! If Cloudfall Mountain were a den of evil spirits, how could you have survived?"

Lu Sidao still refused to believe it and raised his voice in question once again.

Chen Yuan glanced at him indifferently: "Because we never set foot in Yunduan Mountain from beginning to end."

In one sentence, Lu Sidao was left speechless.

"Besides, as you have seen, even in a relatively safe area, we still lost more than a hundred of our people."

Chen Yuan looked indignant.

After careful consideration, everyone agreed that this statement made sense.

Only Gou Zongdao narrowed his eyes, a hint of doubt in his mind.

He clearly remembered that the teleportation array sent Chen Yuan and his group into the Evil Blood Demon Cave. With their strength, how did they manage to escape?

"Send someone to investigate immediately!"

Gou Zongdao gave the order in a stern voice.

Just then, Chen Guohai received intelligence from afar and immediately read it aloud to the public.

The intelligence was exactly as Chen Yuan had said.

Indeed, a calamity of evil spirits broke out at Yunduan Mountain. A bottomless abyss split open at the mountaintop, and a large number of rotting corpses and evil spirits roamed at the bottom and around the abyss.

With the truth laid bare before them, no one had any more doubts, and their gazes toward Chen Yuan and his group were filled with disbelief.

"They're so lucky!"

"It was truly a stroke of luck. We lost a hundred men in the early stages, but then we found a cave to hide in and managed to survive until the end of our training period."

······

Discussions rose and fell.

Chen Qingcang's spirits lifted, and he turned to look at Niu Sengru, saying loudly, "Lord Niu, the training competition has now come to an end, and only the disciples of my Chen family have survived."

"According to the rules, all the resources and cultivation qualifications of Tianqing County for the next ten years should be enjoyed exclusively by my Chen family. The other families can only live off the land and wait for another ten years."

He glanced at the other major families, a smile playing on his lips: "Gentlemen, please wait patiently. Perhaps you'll have better luck in the next assessment."

The three high-ranking officials from Li, Tang, and Zhang immediately turned ashen-faced, filled with grief and indignation.

Wow!

The entire venue erupted in cheers once again, with all eyes fixed intently on the Chen family.

However, Lu Sidao, Gou Zongdao, and other members of the Xiangshou family were filled with resentment.

They had originally intended to take this opportunity to eliminate the young prodigy of the Chen family and strip him of his cultivation qualifications, but now their plan had completely failed, leaving them feeling extremely frustrated and filled with boundless hatred.

Niu Sengru's face was ashen, and he was unwilling to let the matter rest until he was publicly announced as the winner of the Chen family's championship.

"I still believe there are many suspicious points in this matter, and it must be that Chen Yuan has used a conspiracy."

Sun Chengzong stepped forward, his eyes full of suspicion. "Could it be that the Chen family members used a forbidden magical artifact?"

For example, could they secretly possess a magic boat, hovering in mid-air to evade the pursuit of rotting corpses?

These words caused an uproar in the room.

Lu Sidao's eyes lit up, and he immediately chimed in, "That's right! That must be it!"

With their strength, there's no way they could escape the evil spirits' search and pursuit!

They must have been secretly possessing a magic vessel, violating the imperial prohibition!

"Empty words, where is the proof?"

Chen Qingtian glared at him, his anger burning.

These people refuse to admit defeat; it's utterly despicable.

"certificate?"

Lu Sidao sneered repeatedly, staring intently at Chen Yuan and his group, "How could this group of people with mediocre cultivation levels escape the pursuit of evil spirits?"

Many of our clan's Yellow Court Realm cultivators perished in it; why are they the only ones who survived?

"Patriarch Lu is right."

Gou Zongdao chimed in, his gaze turning icy as he looked at Chen Yuan and the others. "Everyone present has their doubts."

Even the elites of my five great beast-eating families have all perished. How do you think you can hold out for a whole month?

Niu Sengru's eyes suddenly turned cold, and he questioned Chen Yuan sharply: "What methods did you, a mere human cultivator, use to evade pursuit?"

Did the Chen family secretly purchase prohibited legal vessels for you?!

As soon as he finished speaking, the powerful members of the various beast-eating families all cast murderous glances at him!

They targeted Chen Qingcang.

Once it is confirmed that the Chen family is secretly possessing prohibited magical artifacts, not only will Chen Yuan and his group be doomed to death, but the entire Chen family will also be dragged into the abyss.

Chen Yuan and the others were both angry and annoyed, but also secretly alarmed.

The Dharma Boat has indeed been well hidden by them, and for now they can only deny it to the death.

"Lord Niu, Lord Gou, everything must be based on evidence; do not make baseless accusations!"

Chen Qingcang stepped out, his expression somber.

"Indeed, one should not falsely accuse others without evidence."

Chen Guohai spoke at the opportune moment.

As the Grand Master of the Wuxiang Sect, his words carried great weight, and even the Prefect and the Assistant Prefect had to show him deference.

The group also thought of searching the bodies.

However, they immediately gave up.

If Chen Yuan and the others truly relied on the magic boat to save their lives, they would never have carried the magic artifacts with them.

"It's not difficult to tell whether they escaped through their own abilities or by using forbidden magical artifacts."

At this moment, Sun Chengzong spoke again.

All eyes immediately turned to him.

"Oh? What insightful opinion does Lord Sun have?"

A glint of light flashed in Niu Sengru's eyes.

"Even the prodigies of my Beast Clan could not escape the pursuit of evil spirits, but only the Chen family members survived, which proves that they are exceptionally strong."

In that case, let them demonstrate their strength in public.

Sun Chengzong spoke slowly, and the square fell into a deathly silence.

"How can we verify that?"

Niu Sengru's gaze sharpened.

His son's tragic death fueled his rage, and he was determined not to let the Chen family reap the benefits for nothing.

"Simple!"

A cruel look appeared on Sun Chengzong's face. He pointed at Chen Yuan and his group and said, "Let's add a match on the spot and have the disciples of the Chen family fight against the disciples of my Xiangshou family!"

If they can win, it will prove that they are strong enough and deserve to enjoy all the resources!

If even our disciples are no match for them... Hmph, the consequences are self-evident.

"This method is excellent!"

Gou Zongdao immediately agreed.

Niu Sengru nodded slightly, his eyes filled with a chilling intent.

The onlookers showed pity, and many human cultivators sighed inwardly.

This is clearly bullying others by abusing one's power.

Everyone believed that the Chen family had survived by sheer luck, and now with another competition, their good fortune might not come again.

"They're planning to take this opportunity to wipe out all of the Chen family's dozens of members."

"Not only that, but they also pinned the charge of using prohibited magical artifacts on the Chen family."

Even without concrete evidence, let's put the Chen family on the suspect list!

······

Some people muttered to themselves, their expressions complex.

This method is simply killing two birds with one stone!

The Chen family members all turned red in the face, feeling both angry and aggrieved.

They would rather fight a bloody massacre than suffer slander and injustice!

"Lord Niu, Lord Gou! The rules of the Aristocratic Clan Assembly have always been based on the number of survivors in the secret realm, a rule established by the prefectural city. By what right do you arbitrarily add this assessment? Do you have the right to change the rules?"

Chen Qingtian spoke out angrily, his voice icy cold!

Niu Sengru, Gou Zongdao, and others were speechless for a moment.

In every clan gathering, the winners are determined by their ability to go out and gain experience and survive. This rule has been followed for hundreds of years without any change.

"Lord Niu, please announce the results in public!"

"My Chen family has already come in first place at this conference. Do you all intend to use your power to oppress my Chen family?"

Chen Qingcang's gaze was deep, and he spoke loudly, "If you insist on acting recklessly, I will risk my old life to go to the Prince of Zhendong and file a complaint against you!"

Upon hearing this, Niu Sengru and the others looked even more grim.

In the end, the other party brought up the backing of the Prince of Zhendong, clearly indicating that they wanted to break off all pretense of civility.

"What the Chen family said is true. The officials of the prefecture have no right to tamper with the rules of the aristocratic family tournament, let alone the right to force the Chen family members to continue the competition and prove their innocence."

A calm voice came from high above.

Immediately afterwards, a tall and imposing figure stepped through the air, hovering in mid-air and looking down over the entire scene.

It's Song Tianwen!

Everyone present tensed up and bowed respectfully.

Just by looking at the way he walks on air, one can tell that this person is a True Man of the Purple Mansion!

Countless people looked on in awe and envy at the figure walking on air.

To be able to stand in mid-air is the dream of countless cultivators.

At this moment, there was a cultivator standing in mid-air, looking down at all the living beings in the entire county.

It was as if, apart from him, everyone else in the arena was an ant!

The Chen family members breathed a slight sigh of relief, secretly believing that Song Tianwen had come to uphold justice and help them out of their predicament.

But what he said next shocked the entire audience once again.

"But I do."