The patriarch of the Jin family glanced at Xiao Man before speaking slowly, "I will handle this matter with impartiality. I have already had the disciples who accused you of murder detained separately to question them. I believe the results will be known soon, so please be patient. Who actually killed Jin Quan will be revealed shortly."
After waiting for about half an hour, a disciple returned with a report and presented the confessions.
The patriarch of the Jin family read them and then handed them to the Grand Elder, "You should take a look too. You really should discipline the disciples in your hall properly; they've caused so much embarrassment."
The Grand Elder looked at the patriarch of the Jin family with suspicion, took the confessions, and read them line by line. He found it utterly unbelievable. The person who truly killed his grandson was a disciple from the Martial Arts Hall. How was that possible?
"This is impossible, this is absolutely impossible!"
"This is the fact. You can deal with the disciples who committed the murder. As for the disciples from the Intelligence Hall, they can treat their superficial injuries themselves. If they have injuries they cannot treat on their own, they can seek help from the Alchemy Hall. The Fifth Elder's poison has also been resolved. Everyone made mistakes, so this matter need not be pursued further." The patriarch of the Jin family looked at the Third Elder, "Third Elder, are you satisfied with this arrangement?"
"Patriarch, were the humiliations suffered by the disciples of the Alchemy Hall in vain?" the Third Elder asked softly. "If the disciples of the Alchemy Hall can be bullied by anyone, then what is the point of the Alchemy Hall's existence, and what is the point of my existence as an elder?"
"Third Elder, know when to stop!" Madam Jin said unhappily.
The Third Elder looked at Madam Jin and sneered, "What, Madam, are you going to deal with me like you dealt with the eldest son?"
"Jin Ming!" Madam Jin was furious.
"Enough!" the patriarch of the Jin family roared, interrupting their argument. He sounded exasperated, "Third Elder, Jin Ling was punished for his mistakes. It has nothing to do with Madam."
"If the Patriarch says it has nothing to do with Madam, then so be it. I am also an uninvolved party. However, unlike the Patriarch, who does not protect his own children, I must. The disciples of the Alchemy Hall are like my children. If they are bullied, I, as their elder, must seek justice for them. I request the Grand Elder to preside over this matter for us."
"Let those who injured the disciples of the Alchemy Hall be punished according to the family law," the Grand Elder said calmly. "What is the Patriarch's opinion?"
"Agreed."
"Jin Ming, are you satisfied with this resolution?"
"Thank you, Grand Elder."
"Fend for yourself." The Grand Elder's figure flickered, and he appeared beside Xiao Man. He uttered these four words before disappearing.
Xiao Man lowered her eyes, hiding the fleeting glint. The reason she caused this scene was to draw out the three Nascent Soul cultivators of the Jin family, so that Zhu Qing and Huo Wu could search for people with peace of mind! After such a long time, they should have found Mo Mo by now, right?
The patriarch of the Jin family and Madam Jin walked out, their gazes falling on Xiao Man. "You are called Lan Xiao?" Su Dan Novel Network
Xiao Man nodded and bowed, "Replying to the Patriarch, yes."
"You are very good!" Madam Jin gritted out these three words through her teeth. Since she became the mistress of the Jin family, she had never suffered such humiliation before today.
"Thank you, Madam, for your praise."
Madam Jin felt a surge of blood in her throat, unable to swallow or spit it out. After a long moment, she resentfully flicked her sleeve and left.
The Fifth Elder secretly glanced at the Grand Elder. Seeing that the Grand Elder's face was ashen and he seemed deeply struck, he dared not stay any longer and immediately led his men away.
"Fifth Elder, please hand over the disciples who took action," the Third Elder reminded the Fifth Elder.
"I know!" the Fifth Elder said coldly. "I will hand them over to you for disposal."
"The Grand Elder is the elder of the Punishing Hall and is responsible for dealing with errant disciples. You should hand them over to the Grand Elder, not me." The Third Elder glanced at the Grand Elder, then turned to leave. "I presume the Grand Elder will not bend the law for personal gain. Lan Xiao, let's go back to the Alchemy Hall."
"Yes, Elder."
As the Third Elder and his group disappeared from sight, the Grand Elder remained motionless, like a statue. The Fifth Elder glanced at the Grand Elder, did not dare to provoke him, and could only quietly leave.
The disciples of the Martial Arts Hall, looking at the silent Grand Elder, were all trembling with fear. If the Grand Elder were to fall, their Martial Arts Hall would be in dire straits.
"Grand Elder."
"Why did you kill my grandson?" the Grand Elder asked the kneeling disciple softly.
The disciple trembled, "Elder, we don't know what happened. We clearly went to chase Lan Xiao, and we intended to hit Lan Xiao. But for some reason, by the time we reacted, we found ourselves beating Senior Brother Jin Quan."
"You went to chase Lan Xiao, yet she said she never left the Alchemy Hall! How dare you lie!" the Grand Elder roared. "What exactly happened?"
"We don't know... we really don't know!"
The Grand Elder's figure moved, and he grabbed a disciple by the neck. "Can a single word of 'I don't know' absolve you of the crime of killing my grandson?"
"Elder... spare us!"
"You killed my grandson and still want to live? None of you will live!" With a slight exertion of force, the Grand Elder snapped the disciple's neck. The others, seeing this, scrambled to escape in terror. But before a Nascent Soul expert, escape was impossible. In a moment, they became bloody messes, losing their lives.
The other disciples were also ashen-faced with fear. "Elder."
"Go and investigate Lan Xiao's identity. I want to know her origins, clearly!"
"Yes, Grand Elder."
After everyone had left, only the Grand Elder remained in the great hall. His expression was dark and terrifying, as if he wanted to devour people.
"Lan Xiao, no matter who you are, you are the murderer of my grandson. One day, I will tear you to shreds. Even the Grand Elder will not be able to protect you!"
Jin Xu walked back beside the Third Elder with his head held high and a silly grin on his face. "Master, this is the first time I've ever felt so triumphant!"
The Third Elder looked at the innocent Jin Xu, unsure whether to cry or laugh for a moment. "From now on, our Alchemy Hall disciples must be even more careful. Now that we have offended the Grand Elder, the Fifth Elder, and Madam Jin, it will be difficult to move around in the Jin family."
"Elder, is Madam Jin in charge of the Jin family?" Xiao Man asked abruptly.
The Third Elder's footsteps paused. He remained silent for a long time before replying slowly, "It doesn't matter who is in charge of the Jin family. What matters is whether the person in charge has the capacity to tolerate others."
"Madam Jin does not seem like someone with the capacity to tolerate others."
"Yes, that's why you've really caused me a big mess this time!" The Third Elder glared at Xiao Man. "You, kid, are just like Jin Ling... like that boy, both naive and restless!"