Chapter 783: Chapter 258: I Am Not the Killer!
The situation took a drastic turn!
The City Guard Army of White Paper Immortal City heavily surrounded Tingyou Pavilion.
The great array of Tingyou Pavilion had already been activated, and Sun Ning and his companion were unable to escape into the void, becoming like birds in a cage, fish in a barrel!
“My lord!!!” The City Guard Army stormed into the pavilion and found the corpse of Sang Le Youling, letting out a sorrowful cry in unison.
“Impossible, this is fake.”
“Lord Sang Le Youling was skilled in divination, how could he have perished so easily?”
“Catch him, he is the murderer, the killer of Lord Sang Le Youling!!”
Many were in disbelief, many were panicked, and many were filled with hatred and anger, vowing to kill Ning Zhuo.
“I’m not the killer!! I’m merely at the Foundation Establishment Stage, how could I possibly kill a Golden Core Cultivator, let alone someone like Lord Youling?!” Ning Zhuo cried out desperately.
At this moment, his face was ashen, showing expressions of terror and anger. There were elements of performance, but also genuine emotion.
Heaven have mercy!
He was about to take out a white candle to reveal his true identity and explain his need for divination. After waiting so long for this meeting, who would have thought that Sang Le Youling would be dead.
Clearly, she was fine in the morning, continuously meeting with male concubines who were about to be promoted. After having lunch, by afternoon, she ended up like this?!
The City Guard Army would naturally not stand by just because of Ning Zhuo’s self-defense.
They pounced on Ning Zhuo one after another.
Ning Zhuo took a step back, standing directly next to Sang Le Youling’s corpse: “Stop! Whoever tries to come closer, I will destroy the body.”
“Anyone who dares to provoke me will bear the guilt of desecrating the corpse of a hero of White Paper Immortal City.”
The City Guard Army halted abruptly, looking at Ning Zhuo with a mix of shock and anger, and berated him for his audacity!
Ning Zhuo raised his head, let out a loud laugh, then with a fierce expression, he snarled, “Since I’m going to die anyway, if you dare to lay a hand on me or frame me, then I might as well take you all down with me before I die. I absolutely mean what I say!”
The City Guard Army was stunned, looking at each other in dismay, then cursed loudly at Ning Zhuo, but ultimately did not advance.
Ning Zhuo did not stop but pointed his finger at the crowd: “You idiots, hurry up and report this. With Sang Le Youling dead, the enemy is sure to launch an attack. The military situation is urgent, and if you delay even a step, it will end in both internal and external troubles, the Immortal City will fall, and you’ll all be sinners!”
Just as Ning Zhuo finished speaking, several explosions were heard, flames burst into the sky from a corner within the city, and simultaneously, tremors were felt from outside the city, accompanied by countless ghostly wails and cries of wolves, indicating another fierce assault by the Ghost Tide on White Paper Immortal City.
The City Guard Army’s expressions changed drastically.
Ning Zhuo’s words came true far too quickly!
And judging by the momentum, the intensity of the enemy’s attack was unprecedented.
“What are you all standing around for? I couldn’t escape before, do you think I can escape now? Comparatively, White Paper Immortal City is ten thousand times more important than me!” Ning Zhuo continued to scold, “You idiots!!”
The City Guard Army wavered once again.
At this moment, a figure swiftly descended onto the scene: “Yellow-faced brat, shut up!”
The newcomer was none other than Wen Ruanyu.
It turns out, this group of the City Guard Army had already reported the death of Sang Le Youling at the first opportunity.
Wen Ruanyu stormed into Tingyou Pavilion, staring intently at the corpse of Sang Le Youling, the last glimmer of hope in his heart completely extinguished.
His expression turned exceptionally grim, his gaze as sharp as the edge of a knife, fixing on Ning Zhuo.
Ning Zhuo placed one hand on Sang Le Youling’s neck, immediately snorting coldly: “Lord Wen, I didn’t kill him!”
“Outside the city, you saw me. I was sent by Qing Yan’s command, I’m a local.”
“But if you accuse me without any evidence, then there’s only one possibility—you are the traitor! All the City Guard Army present can testify!”
Wen Ruanyu’s pupils contracted, his momentum halted.
The City Guard Army was dumbfounded; just moments ago, Ning Zhuo had been scolding them, now he was suddenly asking them to testify, quite the rogue.
But upon second thought, well, there’s some logic to it.
Several members of the City Guard Army began to secretly observe Wen Ruanyu.
Feeling these subtle glances, Wen Ruanyu was so infuriated that murderous intent spread: “Lord Sang Le Youling is dead, you were the closest, and should be rigorously interrogated, yet you dare threaten me now?”
Ning Zhuo shook his head, smiling bitterly: “Lord Wen, I’m forced into this. If I hesitate or cower even slightly, I’ll become a prisoner.”
“I’m not afraid of death, but I’m worried I’ll meet my end without ever having control over my own fate.”
“Moreover, I’m also a victim. Lord Sang Le Youling was indeed not killed by me, I have a clear conscience!”
“Lord Wen, let me advise you as well, don’t make a foolish mistake.”
“If you want to extort a confession and frame me as the culprit in a short time as a scapegoat to stabilize the city’s morale, you will instead fall into the enemy’s trap.”
“Because once the enemy reveals evidence of their actions, you’ll be held even more accountable, and when the Immortal City realizes that even high-ranking individuals like you were easily deceived, the morale will take an even bigger hit.”
Wen Ruanyu’s face had turned as black as the bottom of a pot: “Sharp-tongued fellow. I won’t trouble you either, put this on yourself, if I have to make a move, it won’t look good.”
With that, he tossed a talisman sealed with red jade, shooting it to Ning Zhuo.
Ning Zhuo snorted coldly, extending his hand to reveal his Lifebound Magical Artifact.
A flash of mirror light appeared, and out of thin air, a massive figure emerged.
It was the Heavy Blood Ape – Dasheng!
Yuan Dasheng stood in front of Ning Zhuo, reaching out to catch the talisman.
In an instant, the City Guard Army gasped softly.
“A Golden Core Level Mechanical Puppet!” Wen Ruanyu’s complexion changed involuntarily, increasing his vigilance.
The Tingyou Pavilion’s great array was fully activated, binding space, making Ning Zhuo unable to escape into the void. However, the space inside the pavilion was unified and not suppressed.
This was something Ning Zhuo had just discovered, and he immediately released Yuan Dasheng.
But soon, Yuan Dasheng’s Golden Core aura was heavily suppressed, directly falling to the Foundation Establishment Stage.
This is the White Paper Immortal City, where the entire city is under the influence of the City Protecting Great Array.
“Little Zhuo, the talisman has no issues.” Inside the Ten-Thousand-Li Travelling Dragon, Sun Lingtong used Spiritual Eyes to observe and secretly transmitted thoughts.
Yuan Dasheng then handed the sealing talisman over to Ning Zhuo.
Ning Zhuo glanced at it, tucked the sealing talisman into his bosom, showing no intention of self-sealing, but instead clasped his hands, “Thank you, Lord Wen, for the talisman.”
Wen Ruanyu gave a laugh of extreme anger and finally lost patience.
As he was about to act, he heard a voice behind him, “Stop.”
Wen Ruanyu and the City Guard Army soldiers simultaneously changed their expressions and quickly turned, saluting the newcomer, “Greetings, City Lord!”
The White Paper Immortal City Lord was in poor condition, always in a sealed state, but now able to appear?
Ning Zhuo was shocked and suspicious, raising his eyes to look, suddenly realizing.
He saw the person who spoke, towering two meters high, face as white as paper, lips ink black. A head of long hair, twisted into 3,600 threads of snow-white strands, hung down to the waist. The neck and shoulders were supported by the fine bone structure made of bamboo strips, and thin paper layered over the shoulders formed intricate pleated patterns.
The wide white skirt was densely covered with runes, and as the hem dragged along, it stirred waves of chill.
A striking red string was tied around the waist, with a bronze bell hanging at its end, yet no sound could be heard.
Behold, a Magic Treasure Level Paperman Puppet!
The Paperman Puppet exuded the aura of a Nascent Soul Level, drifting like a white cloud containing rolling Yin Qi into the Tingyou Pavilion.
Without even looking at Ning Zhuo, she focused her gaze on Sang Le Youling’s corpse.
Though her face was expressionless, a deep sorrow and grief permeated her long gaze.
“Little Le, I didn’t expect you to fall in this Inner and Outer Conflict.” The White Paper City Lord’s Paperman Avatar spoke softly.
The scene was silent, with only the sound of the ghost tide outside the city and the renewed chaos within resonating intermittently here.
The Paperman Avatar stood silent for a moment, then raised her gaze to Ning Zhuo, “My mood is terrible, I want to kill!”
“I’ll give you three breaths to prove you have nothing to do with Sang Le Youling’s death.”
“After three breaths, you can accompany Little Le in death.”
Ning Zhuo was startled, drenched in cold sweat.
He wanted to argue, but the Paperman Avatar had already started counting down: “Three.”
“One.”
Even Wen Ruanyu’s heart jumped; the Paperman Avatar skipped counting two, directly jumping, revealing her impatience and murderous intent.
“Little Zhuo, I’ll cover you, you go first!” Sun Lingtong’s sweat stood on end, ready to rush out of the Ten-Thousand-Li Travelling Dragon.
Ning Zhuo, hanging by a thread, terrified, suddenly extended his hand: “I can prove it!”
In a short moment, he was already drenched in cold sweat.
Ning Zhuo stared firmly at the White Paper Avatar, “Just need to dissect Lord Sang Le Youling’s belly to prove my innocence.”
Wen Ruanyu immediately shouted angrily, “How dare you! You want to desecrate Lord Sang Le Youling’s body!”
The City Guard Army also became restless, but dared not speak due to the presence of the City Lord’s Avatar.
The White Paper Avatar fell into contemplation.
Suddenly, she extended a finger, making a sharp motion.
Mana like a knife, directly slicing open Sang Le Youling’s belly, also severed the stomach.
Seeing the remnants of spirit food in the stomach, Ning Zhuo felt relieved.
He clasped his hands and said, “City Lord, Lord Sang Le Youling was treating himself by consuming Netherworld Cuisine. These Netherworld Cuisines are difficult to digest and can’t be aided by mana for digestion, or it would be in vain.”
“After lunch, as arranged, I was the first male concubine to meet Lord Sang Le Youling.”
“If I killed Sang Le Youling, it must have been shortly ago.”
“But the undigested spirit food in Sang Le Youling’s belly proves he died earlier, attacked soon after eating the Netherworld Cuisine!”
The crowd was silent.
Everyone’s gaze turned to Sang Le Youling’s corpse, then shifted to Ning Zhuo.
Sun Lingtong rejoiced, “Little Zhuo, makes sense!”
Wen Ruanyu frowned.
Ning Zhuo exhaled a breath of stale air, “I had no time to commit the crime, because at that time, I was at the dining room of Cangyang Villa, eating Netherworld Cuisine in person. Many people witnessed it!”
The Paperman Avatar snorted coldly, murderous intent still lingering, “Your reasoning is correct. However, you cannot completely clear your suspicion. Who exactly are you?”