Fairy, please don't do this!

'Letting them live, sending them to the dungeon, and letting them live a good life is indeed more agonizing than killing them outright.'

Gu Jinzhao thought to himself.

Xiao Qingyi said meaningfully, "There's no need to throw him into the dungeon. Let him live out his days in peace at the Zhao family. What does Your Majesty think?"

Upon hearing this, Emperor Yongxing clenched his fists tightly, his eyes already bloodshot.

The other party knew about Zhao Linyuan and Chen Rong's relationship with him, so they deliberately spared their lives to humiliate him.

If he ever regains power in the court, he will surely tear him to pieces.

Mu Yiren nodded: "I will obey Your Majesty's decree."

"Now that things are settled here, it's time to go back."

Xiao Qingyi glanced at Emperor Yongxing, her beautiful red lips curving slightly upwards.

"Prepare the carriage and return to the palace."

Jing Shu immediately waved her hand, and several palace maids dressed in palace attire carried a magnificent and majestic phoenix palanquin forward.

Just as Xiao Qingyi was about to step onto the phoenix carriage, the Zen Master's voice rang out, causing her to pause: "Amitabha! Deputy Commander Gu, I have something to ask you."

Gu Jinchao remained outwardly calm, but inwardly he was already on guard: "Venerable Zen Master, please speak freely."

"Was Zen Master's death related to Benefactor Gu?"

The Zen Master clasped his hands together and asked calmly.

The voice rang in everyone's ears and also spread through Gu Jinzhao's mind, directly confronting his true nature.

"Uh!"

Gu Jinzhao's body trembled violently, as if a storm was raging in his mind, as if countless chants were being sung at the same time.

His face turned pale instantly, but he gritted his teeth and tried his best to resist the Zen sound that penetrated his soul.

"Humph!"

Just as he was about to be unable to resist, a cold voice suddenly rang out in the arena, suppressing the Zen sound.

Gu Jinchao felt a lingering stinging sensation in his soul, and involuntarily clutched his chest, breathing heavily.

Xiao Qingyi's pale golden phoenix eyes flashed with cold light as she stared coldly at the Zen Master: "What does the Zen Master mean by this?"

"To actually use the 'Zen Sound Inquiry' technique on an official of the court right in front of me?"

Zen Sound Inquiry is a secret Buddhist technique for questioning the mind, which directly affects the soul of the person being questioned. If not handled carefully, it can damage the soul.

The Zen Master's expression remained calm as he clasped his hands together and said, "Your Majesty, please calm your anger!"

"I have no ill intentions, but I suspect that Deputy Commander Gu is the real culprit who killed Chanzi."

He went to the Corpse Demon Cave and used the Rewind Technique to recreate the scene of that day, but found that the secrets of heaven there had been disturbed, making it impossible to do so.

Therefore, it is suspected that Zenzi was not killed by the Earth Demon.

If the Earth Demon had killed someone, why would it need to go through all this trouble?

Coincidentally, Gu Jinzhao also entered the Corpse Demon Cave and had a great battle with Zenzi.

The Daoist Master took a step forward and landed in front of the Zen Master: "To use the [Zen Sound Inquiry] on a Daoist disciple based solely on your own doubts, Zen Master, are you perhaps trying to provoke a conflict between Buddhism and Daoism...?"

As soon as he finished speaking, the atmosphere in the room suddenly plummeted to freezing point.

Chapter 312, "Zen Master's death is indeed related to me!" (3K)

Although the three supreme experts standing at the peak did not make a move, the invisible clash of their auras had already distorted the surrounding space.

The guards in the arena felt as if a mountain was pressing down on their chests, their breathing became rapid, their faces flushed, and even breathing became extremely difficult.

Even worse, some people collapsed to the ground with a thud.

"Amitabha."

The Zen Master clasped his hands together, but his gaze passed through Xiao Qingyi and the Daoist Master who were blocking his way, landing directly on Gu Jinzhao.

"I only want to know whether Zenzi's death... is related to Deputy Commander Gu."

Xiao Qingyi narrowed her pale golden phoenix eyes slightly, took a step forward, and stood in front of Gu Jinzhao: "If you suspect that Gu Qing killed Chanzi, then produce the evidence."

"Otherwise, don't blame me for punishing you for slandering important court officials."

Dao Zun also spoke up: "With Zen Zun's cultivation, if he truly wanted to find out the truth, why would he make things difficult for a junior here?"

"By entering the Corpse Demon Cave and deduce a thing or two, one can understand the whole story."

At this point, his voice suddenly turned cold: "Or does the Zen Master think that my Daoist sect has no one to rely on, that we don't respect the imperial court, and that we can bully them at will?"

In just a few words, the conflict has escalated from Gu Jinchao's personal issues to the level of the imperial court's authority and the Taoist sect's reputation.

The Zen Master's aura remained locked on Gu Jinzhao: "I have indeed entered the Corpse Demon Cave, but the secrets within have been completely disrupted, making it impossible to recall what happened that day."

"Coincidentally, the same thing happened when Deputy Commander Gu fought against the Buddhist nun and his soul was taken into the [Void-Colored Glazed Realm]."

"If I'm not mistaken, you possess a supreme treasure capable of defying the laws of heaven."

A treasure capable of defying the laws of nature.

These words sent a jolt through the hearts of many powerful figures present.

These treasures are all extraordinary and shocking, involving immense causes and secrets.

Xiao Qingyi snorted coldly, her jade-like face covered with frost: "According to the Zen Master, possessing such a treasure makes one the murderer of the Zen Master?"

"Then, wouldn't everyone in the world who is guilty of possessing a treasure be arbitrarily accused by your Zen realm?"

She knew, of course, that the supreme treasure the Zen Master spoke of was the "Earthly Branches Mirror".

Gu Jinzhao used this semi-immortal artifact in the Corpse Demon Cave Heaven, most likely to set a trap to kill Chanzi and erase all traces.

"Possessing such a treasure does not necessarily make one a murderer."

The Zen master, with a calm expression, took a step forward.

As this step was taken, golden lotuses instantly sprang to life, radiating dazzling Buddhist light, accompanied by a chorus of chanting that resounded throughout heaven and earth.

The next instant, a solemn and majestic Buddha face slowly emerged from the clouds.

Its size blotted out the sky and seemed to cover the entire Jade Capital.

Those glassy eyes looked down indifferently at the masses.

This is a Great Dao Dharma Body that only the strongest beings who have reached the First Grade Dao Integration Realm can condense.

"If the Zen Master wishes to fight, I will accompany you."

Xiao Qingyi parted her red lips slightly and took a step forward as well.

The void behind her suddenly twisted, and a phantom of a Valkyrie, with her feet planted on the ground, her head reaching the sky, and her body clad in black armor, abruptly materialized.

Its face was also covered by a half-silver-white mask, and it exuded a terrifying aura that looked down upon the heavens and the earth, standing in stark contrast to the giant Buddha face in the sky, each vying for supremacy.

"Immeasurable Heavenly Venerable! Last time, in the battle with the Zen Master in the palace, I was not able to fully enjoy myself."

Dao Zun also revealed a gentle smile.

The void behind him also distorted, and a dharma body with a refined face and wearing a Taoist robe slowly emerged, standing side by side with Xiao Qingyi's valiant dharma body.

The auras of three great Dao bodies—one Buddha, one Daoist, and one martial artist—collided in the air.

The clouds above Yujing were churning and swirling with these three forces, accompanied by lightning and thunder.

The atmosphere in the room instantly became extremely tense, as if the air itself had frozen.

Everyone's heart was in their throat.

If the three supreme experts were to actually fight here, even just the aftershocks would be enough to turn the entire Jade Capital into ruins.

Emperor Yongxing's face was extremely gloomy.

He knew very well that if the two sides completely broke off relations and actually started fighting, there would be no room for reconciliation.

Knowing the seriousness of the matter, Gu Jinzhao took a deep breath and slowly stepped forward: "Zenzi's death is indeed related to me."

All eyes in the room fell on the handsome figure in the purple tiger-patterned robe, their faces filled with disbelief.

Was Zenzi really killed by Gu Jinzhao?

You still dare to admit it to my face?

This really shows a complete disregard for Zen Realm and Zen Master, who are only half a step above the highest level.

The Buddha and Taoist avatars behind the Zen Master spoke, their voices booming like thunder in one's ears: "Did you kill Zen Master?"

Gu Jinzhao shook his head: "I didn't kill Chanzi."

Xiao Qingyi frowned slightly, as did the Daoist Master.

They're all confused.

If you didn't kill him, why do you say that Chanzi's death is related to you?

Isn't this a contradiction?

The Zen master asked, "What is the meaning of this statement?"

Gu Jinzhao pondered for a moment, then slowly said, "Zen Master once tried to kill me, and I had a great battle with him."

"In the end, he lost."

"I also had the urge to kill him, but I was stopped by the restrictions..."

He recounted how Ning Muchi, Chanzi, the Buddhist nun, and Zhao Wuji, a fourth-rank retainer of the Zhao family, had joined forces to kill him in the Corpse Demon Cave.

"If it weren't for the fact that I seriously injured Chanzi, he probably wouldn't have been able to take advantage of the situation by that earth demon."

"From this perspective, Zenko's death is indeed related to me."

Gu Jinzhao sighed: "If the Zen Master thinks that I am an accomplice who indirectly caused the death of the Zen Master, you may take action."

Before setting up the trap to kill the Zen Master, he anticipated that the Zen Master might become suspicious of him, which is why he did not take action himself.

Now, facing the "Zen Sound Inquiry," if he dares to lie, he will inevitably be discovered.

But the question is, did he lie?

No!

Zenko's death was indeed related to him, but only indirectly.

The person who ultimately killed him was the Buddhist nun Miaotan.

Of course, the Zen Master probably never imagined that Miaotan had already become his person.

Upon hearing this, Shen Wenyuan, the Chancellor of the Imperial Academy, immediately rebuked him, saying, "This is utter nonsense."

"Ning Muchi is a centurion of the Demon Suppression Division, and the Zen Master and Buddhist nun are compassionate. Why would they want to kill you?"

"Shen Jijiu is still as protective of his own as ever!"

Gu Jinzhao gave him a half-smile, then said, "If you don't believe me, just summon the Buddhist nun to confront Ning Muchi."

"I believe that under the influence of [Zen Sound Inquiry], all lies will be exposed."

Seeing his confidence, Shen Wenyuan turned to Emperor Yongxing and asked, "Your Majesty, shall we summon Ning Muchi?"

Emperor Yongxing remained expressionless and did not respond.

Killing Gu Jinzhao was his idea, which Shen Wenyuan and the others were unaware of. However, if Ning Muchi were summoned, under the influence of [Zen Sound Inquiry], he would likely reveal everything, which would not be good for him.

At this moment, the Zen Master gave Gu Jinzhao a deep look and dispersed his Buddhist and Taoist Dharma bodies: "Deputy Commander Gu did not lie."

He originally intended to use this incident to drag the Taoist sect into the mess, but he didn't expect Gu Jinzhao to handle it so well.

Now that the death of the Zen Master is a foregone conclusion, even if it is truly related to the other party, the Buddhist sect has no grounds for action and has no excuse to intervene.

"Ahem... Thank you, Venerable Zen Master, for clearing my name."

Gu Jinzhao's face was pale, he coughed, and a trickle of blood spilled from the corner of his lips.

"Are you OK?"

Mu Yiren hurriedly stepped forward and fed him a pill.

Gu Jinzhao looked sorrowful and sighed softly, "My soul was injured by the Zen sound, and my foundation for cultivation has been broken. I'm afraid I will be stuck at the fifth rank for the rest of my life."