Chapter 231: Pointing at Themselves

“An error? What error?”

An awkward silence fell over the hall for a moment. Then, the faces of several Nine Immortals Sect Elders changed dramatically. They snatched the dossier from Lu Xiao’s hands and frantically flipped through it. When they reached the sections where the handwriting differed, they each stared intently for a moment before bursting out in a panic, eyes full of unwillingness and anger. “Even if the handwriting varies a little before and after,” they shouted in a panic, “it… it doesn’t prove the dossier is fake! If the content recorded in this dossier isn’t false, then… then the evidence naturally holds…”

“How could they differ? These were all pulled from the case archives!” Magistrate Xue and others beside him were equally shocked. They rose and hurried over to look.

The entire hall became noisy at once.

Someone said: “Indeed, it seems a little different…”

Another argued: “I can’t see any difference…”

Still others were confused: “So what if it’s different? What does it matter?”

“Let me see too…”

Amidst their low, fierce protests, He Zhenzhang, standing near Fang Cun, gathered his courage and stepped forward for a glance.

“Hahaha…” He suddenly burst out laughing, pointing at the words on the dossier. “And you say it’s not fake? The handwriting isn’t just ‘a little different’, it’s actually entirely inconsistent! The flaw is glaringly obvious! Clearly, someone took out a page from the original dossier and forged a new one imitating another person’s writing. And it was precisely this replacement page that mentioned the flaw in that scorch mark! Who knows what the original dossier even said?”

“Who knows,” he added with a sneer, eyes sparkling mischievously, “maybe even this supposed ‘flaw’ in the scorch mark was just added in?”

Hearing his words, the Elders from the Nine Immortals Sect and the Seven Clans all paled significantly, their cold gazes snapping towards him.

Seeing he was just some unknown disciple, their anger flared anew. “What do you know?” one snapped.

He Zhenzhang shrunk his neck under the icy stares of these Golden Core Realm Elders. His chest puffed out slightly as if wanting to show defiance, but his confidence clearly wavered.

“He is a Core Disciple of my Leshui Sect! His innate talent in calligraphy far surpasses most, possibly even yourselves! So how dare you claim he knows nothing?” A hearty laugh suddenly echoed from outside the hall at that very moment.

Everyone looked towards the entrance and saw a group of figures floating down from above on Soaring Clouds, their large sleeves billowing, entering the hall.

Looking carefully, they were shocked to see two distinct groups arriving.

One group was led by the Leshui Sect Leader accompanied by three Elders, trailed by seven Core Disciples at the Condensed Radiance Realm. The other group was led by a remarkably beautiful, captivating woman, followed by seven women dressed in pure white robes. This was the Yun Huan Sect Leader with her seven Core Disciples. The person who had just spoken was unmistakably the Leshui Sect Leader. Though a congenial smile played on his lips, there was an undeniable aura of authority about him.

Shocked and relieved murmurs rippled through the crowd. The Lingwu Sect Leader and others hurriedly rose to welcome them. The arrival of these two powerful sects, bringing their experts immediately to bolster the hall, was a significant reinforcement for the anxious, unsettled atmosphere…

As for the Nine Immortals Sect’s three Elders and the Seven Clans’ Qi Refiners, their expressions darkened considerably upon hearing the Leshui Sect Leader’s words. They had certainly heard what he said.

“Ah, Sect Leader!” He Zhenzhang cried out in delight, rushing forward to bow respectfully.

“Hehe, no need for formalities!” The Leshui Sect Leader had a naturally cheerful face, yet radiated undeniable dignity. He nodded to He Zhenzhang. “I overheard just now. You claim you detected inconsistencies in the handwriting on that dossier?”

He Zhenzhang, startled momentarily, hurriedly confirmed: “Exactly, Sect Leader! Though the forgers imitated well, the stroke details were inherently different!”

A frown tightened on the face of one of the Seven Clans Qi Refiners. “Regarding this matter…”

“Since a Core Disciple of my sect observes a discrepancy in the handwriting, then a discrepancy must certainly exist!” The Leshui Sect Leader spoke lightly with a chuckle, cutting off the Seven Clans’ representative before they could continue. He glanced around the hall, his smile widening. “My Leshui Sect dares not boast about much elsewhere, but in the Dao of calligraphy and script analysis, we still hold a measure of repute within Qingjiang. Especially this disciple named He. He is someone this old man had his eye on, considering him worthy of becoming a True Disciple. His assessment, my friends, surely carries enough weight?”

Instantly, those who had just been questioning He Zhenzhang wore expressions of profound embarrassment, silenced and unable to utter a word.

After all, the Leshui Sect specialized in Talismans. When it came to authenticating handwriting, who in Qingjiang Prefecture dared question their authority?

“A True Disciple?” He Zhenzhang himself stammered in disbelief, shock swiftly replaced by overflowing joy. He bowed deeply again almost collapsing in his reverence. “Thank you, Sect Leader!”

“Hehe, it’s settled then!” The Leshui Sect Leader smiled warmly. “Show more backbone next time. Would a True Disciple of the Leshui Sect be so easily intimidated?”

He Zhenzhang nodded vigorously. Suddenly emboldened, he muttered loudly, “The difference in strokes is blindingly obvious. Only a complete fool wouldn’t see it…”

The faces of the Seven Clans Qi Refiners turned several shades darker.

As for County Magistrate Xue, propriety was the last thing on his mind. With Leshui Sect confirming the dossier’s questionable handwriting, it effectively proved foul play. Consumed by urgency, he disregarded sensitivity, whirling around towards a Secretary behind him and bellowing: “Zhang Sanquan!” His voice was sharp. “Previously, you led the team surveying the terrain around the murder scenes and recording the dossiers! The archiving of this dossier was also your responsibility! Speak! What is the meaning of this?”

From the back of the crowd emerged a slender Secretary with a thin moustache. He trembled uncontrollably, his face a mask of hesitation. “I… I already harbored suspicions earlier…” he stammered. “When… when my team surveyed the crime scene surrounding earlier… I… I definitely didn’t discover any rock bearing such a scorch mark! There… there shouldn’t be any such record within the dossier! Who… who on earth could have added it?”

“What?” Zhang Sanquan’s testimony struck the hall like thunder. Everyone froze, utterly baffled and scratching their heads. If there had never been such a scorch mark, then what exactly was this whole commotion about?

… …

“Isn’t it glaringly obvious by now?” Fang Cun sighed softly at this point, his voice tinged with weary languor as he finally spoke. “Who knows what offence our Shoushan Sect has committed? Clearly, someone seeks to intentionally frame us.” He chuckled, a cold, mirthless sound. “Tinkering with official County Mansion dossiers, archived at the county level… Where does such audacity come from? It’s as if they consider the County Mansion their own backyard to enter and exit as they please! Isn’t this equivalent to spitting directly in the face of Old Master Fan?”

A profound silence engulfed the hall once more as everyone slowly nodded in horrified realization. If someone truly had tampered with the dossier, then this was indeed the only possible explanation!

But… who would frame the Shoushan Sect like this?

Imperceptibly, gazes within the hall began sliding towards the faces of Magistrate Xue and his party. The County Mansion, after all, had taken immediate charge and dispatched investigators when the Ghost Official killings first appeared. These dossiers originated from the County Mansion…

“Aside from you, who else has access to these archives?” Magistrate Xue demanded, voice laced with cold fury, his glare scorching the moustached Secretary. His rage was palpable and utterly genuine: first, the Seven Clans’ initial actions had exceeded his jurisdiction, essentially making a fool of him; second, the Ghost Official’s subsequent strike had drastically escalated the situation. As County Magistrate, he knew suppressing this was impossible. His focus was singular: find the real Ghost Official. And now, sabotage from within? Someone was actively obstructing justice? Now? Was the County Mansion destined to perpetually clean up their messes?

“Also… also…” the tremble in Zhang Sanquan’s voice intensified as he frantically racked his brain. “Aside from me… there are… there are the four or five junior Secretaries below… There’s Shen Xiaoyin, Meng Xiaoyin… Ah! That’s right! Shen Xiaoyin! He also had unrestricted access to the dossiers! And this time… this time, he’s the one who personally used the teleportation array to transmit the County Mansion’s archived dossier over here! It was… it was him! Shen Xiaoyin!”

“Is he the one meddling?!” Magistrate Xue fumed, fury radiating like heat.

Zhang Sanquan lowered his voice cautiously. “Magistrate Xue…”

“What is it?”

“It’s…”

“Out with it! Stop stammering!”

“The… that Shen Xiaoyin… his family originates from the Shen Clan! A branch family!”

“What?!” Magistrate Xue froze on the spot, the volcanic rage momentarily extinguished. His mind raced. The County Mansion was filled with Qi Refiners originating from the Seven Clans. He himself traced roots to the Xue Clan, though distantly. Bonds, however paternalistic, remained. If Shen Xiaoyin was confirmed as Shen Clan… acting under their orders? Tampering with files to frame Shoushan?

The Qi Refiners of the nearby Seven Clans also jerked in surprise, instantly feeling the weight of countless suspicious stares piercing them.

“Impossible! Absolutely not done by anyone of the Seven Clans!” They erupted moments later, faces flushed crimson with indignation. They, who had suffered devastating losses from the Ghost Official, they, who desperately needed the killer found to avert further disaster for their kin – they would orchestrate this? Frame Shoushan using clan resources? In their view, Fang Cun was the culprit. They merely needed to wait for Divine Eye Young Master to expose him. Fabricating evidence was madness! Utterly redundant!

Despite their fervent protests and vehement denials, the atmosphere within the hall had irrevocably shifted. The suspicion in the eyes of those around them was now impossible to conceal, almost driving the Seven Clans representatives to fury. Set for a spectacle exposing Shoushan Sect… but now the investigation threatened to turn inwards?

… …

“What in the world is happening?”

Among those most astonished were likely Lady Hongtao and her companions outside the hall, watching the unfolding scene within with pure bewilderment.

“It was said from the very start: If this Divine Eye Young Master intervenes and all cooperate, then certainly, evidence would be found…” Lin Jiyi’s voice, laced with quiet amusement, murmured beside Lady Hongtao. “We couldn’t be certain whether the Divine Eye Young Master could find definite proof amidst the ocean of archives… but controlling which dossier he even received was well within our capability…”

Hearing this, Lady Hongtao brightened immediately. “So Shen Xiaoyin… he’s one of ours?”

Lin Jiyi gave a slow, steady shake of his head.

Lady Hongtao frowned slightly. “Then… Zhang Sanquan?”

Lin Jiyi chuckled and shook his head again.

Lady Hongtao, growing impatient, snapped. “Meng Xiaoyin?”

Lin Jiyi shook his head once more.

Frustration flashed in Lady Hongtao’s eyes, making them seem sharp enough to kill.

Lin Jiyi chuckled softly, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. “They all are… The amusing part? They don’t even know about each other.”