I have the face of a great demon.

Chapter 281 Senior Brother Liu's Explanation

Liu Xingchen clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white, but his tone remained calm: "Elder, this disciple truly does not know why this sleeve appeared at the Blood Sacrifice Ground. But this disciple swears that he has never participated in any demonic activities! As for this disciple's appearance... this disciple cannot choose his appearance, but this disciple can choose his actions!"

Elder Wu sneered: "Swear an oath? If swearing an oath were effective, what would be the point of having a Discipline Hall?"

Tie Zhu's face turned red with anger, and he roared, "Elder Wu! You're just spouting nonsense! You're framing an innocent person!"

Ye Sisi also said coldly, "Elder, if we can convict someone based solely on a sleeve and a face, then what is the point of the sect's rules? Please see clearly, Elder, and don't be blinded by appearances."

Elder Wu, his face turning ashen from their defiance, slammed his hand on the table: "Insolence! Are you questioning the decision of the Elders' Council?"

Master Yu Chen finally spoke, his voice steady yet carrying a hint of authority: "Enough."

He looked at Liu Qingfeng, his gaze filled with a complex expression, "Qingfeng, what do you think?"

The hall fell silent as everyone's eyes were fixed on Liu Qingfeng.

Liu Qingfeng was the beloved disciple of Master Yu Chen, and it was he who vouched for Liu Xingchen, saying he was not a great demon.

At this moment, everyone is watching to see how he will defend himself.

Liu Qingfeng smiled slightly, walked slowly to the center of the hall, glanced at the sleeve in Elder Wu's hand, and asked indifferently, "Elder Wu, is this the only piece of clothing from the Blood Sacrifice Ground?"

Elder Wu frowned, his tone somewhat impatient: "Elder Liu, what do you mean by this?"

Liu Qingfeng remained calm and continued, "The blood sacrifice site is located in Canglong Mountain, which is a training ground for our sect's disciples. People come and go there frequently. Are there no other items left behind by other disciples?"

Elder Wu sneered, "There are indeed items left behind by other disciples at the Blood Sacrifice Ground, but this piece of clothing is enough to prove that Liu Xingchen was there! Isn't that enough?"

"Liu Xingchen went there, and other disciples went there too, so why are you only convinced that it was Liu Xingchen who did it?"

"This..." Elder Wu was speechless for a moment.

"Doing sect missions in Canglong Mountain and hunting demonic beasts involves traveling all over the place. Liu Xingchen and his group traveled all over Canglong Mountain to hunt the Crimson Flame Demon Ape. Even if they had been to the Blood Sacrifice Site, what does that prove? Could it be that the villains set up the Blood Sacrifice after they left?"

Elder Wu's face darkened. He opened his mouth, wanting to refute, but couldn't find a suitable reason.

Seeing this, Liu Qingfeng continued, "Elder Wu, our sect values ​​solid evidence, not mere speculation. To conclude that Liu Xingchen participated in the blood sacrifice based solely on a piece of clothing is far too arbitrary. If that were the case, wouldn't everyone in the sect be living in fear?"

Elder Wu's face turned ashen, his fists clenched tightly, clearly deeply offended by Liu Qingfeng's words.

He turned to look at Master Yu Chen, his tone filled with resentment: "Sect Master, this matter is of great importance and must not be left unresolved! Liu Xingchen's appearance is already suspicious, and now there is physical evidence. If we let him go easily, it will be difficult to convince the public!"

Master Yu Chen pondered for a moment, his gaze sweeping between Liu Qingfeng and Elder Wu, before finally speaking slowly:

“Qingfeng is right. According to the sect’s rules, we cannot convict someone lightly. Although Liu Xingchen is a suspect, there is not enough evidence to convict him, let alone convict him based on his appearance.”

“When Liu Xingchen first joined the sect, I said that he was not the great demon Liu Zhantian, and you should not harbor any ill will towards him.”

"This matter is settled. Liu Xingchen and the other two are innocent."

"Continue your investigation into the monster uprising."

Upon hearing this, Elder Wu's face instantly darkened, clearly showing his extreme dissatisfaction with the sect leader's decision. Before leaving, he glared fiercely at Liu Xingchen.

Liu Qingfeng smiled slightly, as if he hadn't heard Elder Wu's words, and turned to Liu Xingchen, saying, "Xingchen, you can leave now."

Liu Xingchen gave Liu Qingfeng a deep look, his eyes filled with gratitude. He stepped forward and bowed respectfully: "Thank you, Senior Brother Liu. Xingchen will remember today's events and live up to the sect's trust."

Liu Qingfeng nodded and said gently, "Go ahead and get some rest. The sect has many tasks to complete, and you all need to conserve your energy."

Liu Xingchen and the other two bowed again and then left the main hall.

After Liu Xingchen and the other two walked out of the main hall, Tie Zhu couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief and pat his chest: "That scared me to death! That was a close call. If Senior Brother Liu hadn't spoken up, we would have been in big trouble!"

Ye Sisi nodded, her tone tinged with relief: "Fortunately, Senior Brother Liu is here. In the entire sect, he's the only one protecting us. Everyone else looks at us with suspicion."

Liu Xingchen was silent for a moment, then said in a low voice, "We will remember Senior Brother Liu's kindness and repay it in the future. However, I'm afraid the matter of today will not end here."

Tie Zhu was taken aback and scratched his head: "What do you mean? Didn't the sect leader already declare us innocent?"

Ye Sisi sighed and explained, "Elder Wu and the other elders clearly have a prejudice against Liu Xingchen, and they are certainly not satisfied with what happened today. I'm afraid they will look for opportunities to target us in the future."

Liu Xingchen nodded: "Moreover, the monster riot came very strangely. It has never happened before. We just took on the sect's mission and such a terrible thing happened. It's no wonder that others are suspicious of us. I always feel that there is some conspiracy behind this."

At the same time, Elder Wu and several other elders gathered together, their faces grim.

An elder said in a low voice, "The sect leader's decision today is far too hasty. That kid Liu Xingchen seems suspicious no matter how you look at it!"

Another elder chimed in, "Indeed, Liu Qingfeng is protecting him so fiercely, but who knows what his true intentions are? If Liu Xingchen really is a great demon, using this as an excuse to infiltrate the sect and collude with Liu Qingfeng, wouldn't our sect be doomed?"

Elder Wu sneered, a sinister glint in his eyes: "Liu Qingfeng can protect him for a while, but not forever. We'll wait and see; sooner or later we'll find something on him!"

Liu Xingchen and his two companions took the inner core of the Crimson Flame Demon Ape to the mission hall to complete the mission.

After the disciples in charge checked and found nothing amiss, they handed them a generous reward—several bottles of high-grade pills, hundreds of spirit stones, and a precious cultivation manual.

Holding the reward, Tie Zhu grinned and said, "This time, all that effort wasn't for nothing. These resources will last us for a while!"

Ye Sisi nodded, her tone relaxed: "Yes, we can focus on our cultivation during this time without worrying about resources."

Liu Xingchen, however, looked grave and said in a low voice, "Let's go back first. I still feel that things aren't over yet."

The three of them walked out of the mission hall, preparing to return to their residence, when they heard the whispers of the surrounding disciples. They tried to keep their voices down, but Liu Xingchen and the other two were highly skilled and could hear everything clearly.

"Have you heard? This monster rampage is said to be related to Liu Xingchen and his group!"

"No way? Weren't they supposed to be hunting Crimson Flame Demon Apes?"

"Hmph, who knows? Liu Xingchen's sleeve was found at the Blood Sacrifice Ground. Although the sect leader didn't pursue the matter, it's definitely not simple!"