Chapter 76: Melon Snacking

“This matter isn’t completely resolved!”

Under Fang Cun’s gaze, Meng Zhixue’s previously hesitant expression gradually solidified.

It was unclear whether she had wrestled with her thoughts internally, but she ultimately shook her head slowly and spoke with resolve.

Slowly raising her head, her slightly misty eyes didn’t appear dull, only clear, as she said, “Many people already see this case as closed, apprehended with clear evidence and undeniable guilt. The only remaining uncertainty is who exactly stole that Human Elixir in the end. But I know in my heart, there’s still something suspicious. The actual demonic cultivator refining the Human Elixir probably hasn’t been…”

Hearing her words, a faint smile appeared on Fang Cun’s face, and he seemed to relax slightly.

“Why do you say that?”

He looked at Meng Zhixue and asked softly.

Meng Zhixue hesitated briefly, appearing to organize her thoughts, before finally saying, “Back behind Ghost Fang Peak, my fellow disciples and I fell into a Demonic Array and sensed a trace of the aura from the person refining the Human Elixir. Though the demonic array suppressed us and the sensation wasn’t clear, I can still be sure of one thing: there wasn’t just one person refining the Human Elixir, and it should have been an aged, dying man. Instructor Lingxiu is elderly, but she has many years of natural life left; it wouldn’t be worth such a risk for her to refine a Human Elixir. So, the one truly refining it…”

She paused slightly before lowering her voice: “…might not have been her.”

……

Fang Cun listened, a smile gradually spreading across his face. He chuckled softly, “Then who do you think it was?”

Meng Zhixue fell silent for a moment, clearly having no leads at all.

Fang Cun picked up his palm-leaf fan, gave it two vigorous waves, and laughed, “I know less about the Academy’s affairs than you do. But I do know this: whoever was refining a Human Elixir together, even to the point of sacrificing their life to cover for the other, that relationship can’t be ordinary. Even if they kept things hidden, traces must remain. Just think carefully, who was Instructor Lingxiu usually closest to?”

Meng Zhixue was silent for a while, then said, “She was usually most fond of refining strange snake and insect concoctions. Her temperament was eccentric, she kept to herself and was quite distant from all the other instructors. She was only slightly closer to a few of the Elder Mentors, especially… especially… Elder Zhong…”

As she spoke to this point, her expression changed abruptly, as if she dared not continue.

Fang Cun knew who she meant. He just smiled noncommittally: “Do you remember what Instructor Lingxiu said when she was exposed?”

Meng Zhixue was taken aback for a moment. She thought carefully and then recounted everything Instructor Lingxiu had said.

Fang Cun listened intently and discovered she hadn’t missed a single word. He silently praised her.

“Biting the hand that feeds you…”

After pondering for a moment, Fang Cun said softly, “She seemed to be cursing everyone connected to the Academy. So, just what kind of ‘biting the hand that feeds you’ would make her feel so self-righteous that even refining a Human Elixir felt somehow nobler?”

Meng Zhixue concentrated, looking seriously at Fang Cun.

She hadn’t expected him to bring this point up, but she didn’t quite understand why.

In fact, most people believed those words were nothing but the mad ravings of Instructor Lingxiu after her exposure.

Pushed to the edge, anyone might say anything!

The reason she had been in low spirits all day was precisely this. She felt deep down that perhaps there was another person involved in the Human Elixir refinement. Yet, she had absolutely no leads. She knew even better that right now, both the Academy and the City Governor’s side were solely focused on finding the Human Elixir. Anything she said now was likely to be ignored, hence her sullen mood.

“Actually, finding that true demonic cultivator isn’t impossible…”

Fang Cun lightly fanned himself with the palm-leaf fan, smiling as if discussing something trivial. “You don’t need to overcomplicate it. Doing bad things is tiring. Every trace requires even more effort to cover up. Cover the head, the tail gets exposed. Even the cleverest schemer leaves behind traces, especially since this person acted rather brazenly. What they did was mainly to mislead. It wasn’t particularly meticulous…”

Listening to this, Meng Zhixue looked at him with growing curiosity. She thought seriously and said, “But within the Academy…”

“If there are no leads within the Academy for now, perhaps think outside of it!”

Fang Cun sighed softly, looking at Meng Zhixue. “Besides Instructor Lingxiu, whose situation stands out the most?”

Meng Zhixue frowned slightly, an idea dawning: “The Devouring Sea Gang?”

Fang Cun nodded slightly, neither confirming nor denying, simply waiting for her to continue.

Meng Zhixue’s expression grew serious as she recalled the events of the previous day. After a moment, she said quietly, “The Devouring Sea Gang acted extremely oddly yesterday. Their behavior was far too peculiar, almost like they deliberately lured us to Willow Lake. However, once we guessed the Charity Manor was suspicious, they stopped getting involved instantly. They walked away completely, leaving absolutely no loose ends…”

“It’s okay if they didn’t leave traces; just assume they did…”

Fang Cun waved a hand dismissively, chuckling softly. “And if the Devouring Sea Gang is involved in all this, then what about the City Governor’s side…”

He trailed off there without continuing.

The City Governor of Willow Lake City, as everyone knew, was Meng Zhixue’s uncle.

So far, the City Governor’s office had maintained an appearance of complete distance from the Human Elixir affair. In fact, even the connection Fang Cun had guessed existed between the Devouring Sea Gang and the City Governor had zero tangible evidence. Basing accusations on such speculation alone, dragging the City Governor’s office into the Human Elixir case, felt inappropriate…

“The City Governor…”

Upon hearing Fang Cun’s words, Meng Zhixue visibly stiffened slightly. She lowered her voice: “But right now, the focus is on the Academy…”

“Nobody’s a fool. What appears to be the Academy… might not truly be the Academy…”

Fang Cun uttered this single sentence softly and then fell silent.

Meng Zhixue, however, seemed to have started seriously pondering. The more she thought, the stranger her expression became.

After a while, she suddenly asked, “Do you know about the free-the-tiger affair in the Southern Mountains?”

Fang Cun almost laughed. How could he not know about the incident his own eldest brother had caused in Willow Lake City, an affair known to everyone?

Meng Zhixue, however, appeared quite serious. “Then do you know who was forced into early retirement by the free-the-tiger affair?”

Of course Fang Cun knew.

The former head of the Academy, facing the end of his natural life span, had subdued a Tiger Demon and turned a blind eye to its atrocities in the Southern Mountains. It slaughtered people to absorb Demonic Qi. This was actually a perverse method, using demonic arts to convert stolen life energy to prolong his own longevity and break through to a higher realm. His brother, Fang Chi, discovered this. Fang Chi rode straight to the Southern Mountains, beheaded the Tiger Demon, and returned to the Academy carrying its severed head. Before everyone, Fang Chi exposed the entire conspiracy.

Confronted with undeniable evidence, the former Academy Head had no defense and could only step down in disgrace. Fortunately, he had only stolen life energy via demons; he hadn’t refined a Human Elixir. Also, he had accumulated merit in his youth, and the Prefect at the time had connections who vouched for him. Thus, his punishment was mere retirement, not execution. Effectively, he was simply confined to his estate.

“Actually…”

Meng Zhixue paused briefly before saying, “That former Academy Head forced into retirement… he was the uncle of the current City Governor!”

She added after a slight hesitation, “In terms of seniority, even I should call him ‘Second Great Uncle’!”

“Second Great Uncle?”

Fang Cun smiled, unconcerned. He found the supposed family link interesting; one surname Meng, the other surname Bai.

Moreover, he’d previously witnessed the relationship between Meng Zhixue and the City Governor at the city administrative building. He’d seen no closeness or deference. Quite the contrary, he’d sensed some wariness or even caution from the City Governor towards Meng Zhixue. That didn’t seem like a typical family dynamic.

However, those observations weren’t relevant to the matter at hand, so no need to bring them up.

Meng Zhixue continued, “After he was forced to retire, he didn’t live much longer; he died of illness in his residence shortly after. Many people felt unjust treated on his behalf back then. Because at that time, Willow Lake City was chaotic. Quite a few people were likely using demons for Qi refining. Yet, when this particular scandal broke, everyone scrambled to disavow any connection, even kicked the man while he was down, leaving the former Academy Head alone to bear the full weight of the crime!”

Hearing this, Fang Cun became somewhat curious. “So, Instructor Lingxiu’s words about ‘biting the hand that feeds you’… could that stem from this incident?”

Meng Zhixue replied, “But the former Academy Head is already dead…”

Fang Cun glanced at her and simply waved his fan lightly, offering no further comment.

Meng Zhixue also caught on and didn’t elaborate. For Qi Refiners, all sorts of bizarre methods existed…

Fang Cun also thought silently for a while before saying, “Lao Chao likely has an unclear, ambiguous connection with the City Governor’s faction. Moreover, while the Human Elixir is a vile poison, the method for refining it isn’t common knowledge. Plus, consuming it carries disastrous consequences. Only someone already so decrepit they could barely walk, with life nearing its end, would likely risk the world’s condemnation to refine such a thing. Therefore…”

“This is exactly what I meant to bring up.”

Meng Zhixue looked at Fang Cun, pausing thoughtfully before speaking in a lowered voice, “That… former Academy Head… he had a servant in life who also practiced cultivation. After the Head passed away, this servant left the City Governor’s household as well. I once overheard one of the City Governor’s servants mention, unintentionally, that this man was actually…” She bit her lip before finishing: “…the current leader of the Devouring Sea Gang, Lao Chao!”

“So it really is…”

Fang Cun heard this and was slightly taken aback.

He had previously suspected a connection between Lao Chao and the City Governor’s faction; now it was confirmed.

“Regardless, I will find a way to investigate the specifics further!”

Meng Zhixue declared softly, her attitude firm. Noticing Fang Cun looking at her with some surprise, a faint blush colored her fair cheeks. “Actually… I was hesitant before. I feared people would say I only brought up my concerns to seek attention, or to show off… or even that I was deliberately trying to emulate Immortal Master Fang Chi, creating trouble where there was none, making a mountain out of a molehill… that’s why…”

She trailed off, then looked up with a smile: “But since you also suspect this, I feel more certain now!”

Fang Cun just smiled and didn’t respond to that observation.

Meng Zhixue also felt a little embarrassed and quickly changed the subject, saying earnestly, “In any case, as long as that person exists, we can uncover him. If Lao Chao gives us no leads, we can investigate through pill refinement techniques. The person who understands Human Elixir refinement methods and is adept at setting up Demonic Arrays — capable of summoning clouds to conceal mountains and block detection — such abilities are beyond an ordinary Qi Refiner. They cannot hide such depths forever!”

Fang Cun nodded lightly in agreement.

This was challenging work — precisely the kind Meng Zhixue was most suited for…

After all, she was Meng the… Meng the Fairy! The very capable Meng the Fairy!

…

The discussion was done, the matters clearly defined. They sat in silence for a moment. Fang Cun swayed his large palm-leaf fan. Meng Zhixue hesitated slightly before speaking softly, “Second Young Master Fang, yesterday, when we were frustrated by Lao Chao, a senior suddenly showed up to advise us, pinpointing our mistake…”

She spoke while looking at Fang Cun with a hint of suspicion in her eyes: “That senior…”

“Huh?”

Fang Cun suddenly looked startled. He waved his hands, laughing, “Wasn’t me! Don’t think it’s me! Don’t look at me like that…”

Hearing this, Meng Zhixue could only look away, her gaze betraying helplessness.

“Young Master, the melon is nicely chilled…”

It was at this very moment Xiao Qingliu’s cheerful voice called out.

Hearing Xiao Qingliu’s voice, Meng Zhixue snapped her head up to look at him.

The very next instant, her eyes instantly shifted back to Fang Cun, sparkling with unmissable excitement.

“Haha, forget it! Enough about that. Eat melon, eat melon!”

Fang Cun shot a quick glare at Xiao Qingliu, then waved a hand dismissively, beckoning Meng Zhixue. “We managed to skip lessons. Thinking too hard about stressful things is hardly treating ourselves kindly. Much better to enjoy the view and feel the cool breeze…”

For worldly pleasures, could anything surpass watching the show unfold while snacking on melon and earning Merit?