Chapter 1132: Framing
"Hmph, clearly hiding behind and yet claiming defamation."
"I said if, there’s always an if in everything."
"No ifs!"
"Are you so sure?"
"I’m sure."
Thunder Wolf finally said firmly, and at this moment, Chen Tianlong felt it was the right time and spoke up: "Since you’re so sure, Mo Xiaowan, Xiao He, come out."
Chen Tianlong spoke with a cheerful smile, seeming completely unbothered. Thunder Wolf was suddenly stunned.
What’s going on, coming out so soon? Why did you argue with me for so long, what does it mean?
Thunder Wolf cursed inwardly.
"Haha, Chen Tianlong, you finally admitted."
Hao Kan said happily, "Grab him for me."
"Hold on, what right do you have to arrest me? Who do you think you are?" Chen Tianlong’s attitude suddenly became sharp as he spoke to Hao Kan.
"You, you captured them and hid them." Hao Kan couldn’t think of any other reason.
"Oh? I captured them? Which eye of yours saw that, and why don’t you ask them yourself if I was the one who captured them." He turned to the two behind him and said, "Brother Xiao He, Sister Mo Xiaowan, come say your part."
Xiao He didn’t have much to say; he had no memory of previous events, seemingly knocked unconscious upon reaching the mountain top.
However, Mo Xiaowan was a bit embarrassed, as not long ago, Xiao He had indeed taken advantage of her.
But she was a considerate and understanding girl, knowing Xiao He was drugged, she didn’t want to pursue it further.
At this moment, Mo Xiaowan walked over and embraced Master Mie Wo.
"Master."
"Xiaowan, are you alright?"
Mo Xiaowan wiped her tears, feeling somewhat aggrieved but not appearing panicked, so Master Mie Wo knew it wasn’t a big deal. Thus, she asked, "Xiaowan, what exactly happened last night, tell your master!"
"Master, I was sleeping last night, and suddenly felt the air turning stuffy, and then I lost consciousness for a while, when I woke up, I was tied under that big tree."
Mo Xiaowan pointed to the large locust tree behind her.
"Oh? So, someone really kidnapped you; was it that kid Xiao He?"
Master Mie Wo glared in the direction of Xiao He.
"No, Master, Xiao He was captured too; he seemed to have been knocked out, and later... later this young guy found us and saved us....."
Mo Xiaowan glossed over many details, choosing advantageous ones, and spoke vaguely.
"You’re lying."
A voice suddenly came from the crowd, and everyone looked over. It was Hao Kan.
"I’m not."
Mo Xiaowan became somewhat anxious, afraid he’d reveal some secret.
"Not? Dare you say after being captured, Xiao He did nothing to you?"
Hao Kan sneered.
"Haha, this is funny. Mr. Hao, you act like you were at the scene, how do you know Xiao He did anything to Mo Xiaowan?" Chen Tianlong interjects, coming forward to help Mo Xiaowan.
"You... can’t I speculate?"
Hao Kan was infuriated by Chen Tianlong, always ruining his plans at critical moments.
"Speculate? Then I can speculate it’s you, can’t I?"
Chen Tianlong began to shift the focus onto Hao Kan.
Hao Kan got anxious, momentarily speechless, stammering for half a day before blurting out: "How, how could I have brought both of them up here."
"Heh, that’s a good question. Here’s one for you: How could I, just one person along with Lin Wushuang, a mere girl, possibly bring these two unconscious ones to the top? Does that sound possible?"
Chen Tianlong retorted.
The crowd suddenly understood and started discussing among themselves.
"Then, then, even I can’t do these things alone."
Hao Kan hurriedly excused himself.
"I didn’t say you were alone, you could have colluded with others like Thunder Wolf." Chen Tianlong intentionally suggested, observing his expression.
"What?"
Hao Kan jumped in shock, thinking Chen Tianlong had discovered something, and hurriedly refuted: "Kid, don’t spit slander, this has nothing to do with Thunder Wolf."
"Oh..."
"Oh?"
Being somewhat nervous after exposure, Hao Kan accidentally let slip, now feeling a bit awkward.
At this moment, Thunder Wolf quickly stepped forward: "Chen Tianlong, I know there’s bad blood between us, but you can’t use this moment to slander me, right?"
Clearly, Thunder Wolf was a bit angry. Yet, Chen Tianlong still smilingly took a step forward and said: "I only said, for example, it’s purely hypothetical, why are you so agitated."
"Even hypothetically, it’s not okay. I’m a principled person; I don’t like being used as an example." Thunder Wolf waved his sleeve and turned his head, speaking angrily.
"Haha, has everyone gathered?"
A voice came from the mountain entrance, followed by a graceful and dignified man in his forties appearing before the crowd.
"Salute, Daoist Taiyi."
The sects in the front, seeing Daoist Taiyi had arrived, urgently greeted him respectfully.
Daoist Taiyi is the second uncle of the Celestial Pill Sect, responsible for selecting trial personnel. Many major factions came over to fish in troubled waters, so the Celestial Pill Sect set up such a checkpoint.
From these people, they choose someone with leadership qualities to lead them in the trial, acting like a captain, preventing a scattered mess upon entering the trial field.
"Since everyone is here, I invite all trial takers to come and sign in for selection registration." He ordered his men to bring a prepared table, covered with white paper, equipped with pen and ink.
Cheng Qianjin walked up, took the brush, and signed with a flourish, then Master Mie Wo followed and wrote diligently for a while, next was Thunder Wolf, who picked up the pen and signed directly without much thought.....
Before long, all twenty-plus sects had signed. At this moment, Daoist Taiyi leapt skyward, quickly landing at the center of the field.
"Comrades, as per custom, anyone wishing to be the captain must first compete against me. I will suppress my power; the victor stays, and the final winner can become captain, leading qualified trial takers to the Celestial Pill Sect for the trial." Daoist Taiyi announced the rules.
"Remember everyone, it’s about moderation, and don’t harm the good relations between the sects because of this."
Daoist Taiyi specifically reminded them.
After speaking, he took a deep breath: "This trial differs from previous years, tasks will be heavier, and conditions will be eased. Hence, for lower-level cultivators, it undoubtedly presents a greater challenge."
Daoist Taiyi’s words made Chen Tianlong frown deeply. Eased conditions indicate there will likely be many advanced cultivators during the trial. For instance, those of Celestial Dao Seven Stars, perhaps even experts of Great Perfection Celestial Dao Seven Stars?
If that’s the case, it indeed poses a significant threat to those lower-level cultivators.