"There’s no need for you to be so impatient right now. As for whether it is fabricated, what matters is concrete evidence.
Qi Ping, speak up. Honestly recount what you know. Otherwise, you are well aware of the consequences."
Shoudi Laoren said lightly.
"Master, I'm sorry, but I can no longer hide things for you. Please forgive me."
Qi Ping looked at the Third Elder with an apologetic gaze.
"Qi Ping, what nonsense are you spouting?
Don’t be afraid. As long as I’m here, no one can touch you.
Even if he is the Gate Master, he can’t falsely accuse our master and disciple pair without cause. I don’t believe the Earth Gate has already become his dictatorship.
Everyone, do you all see this?
Nan Gongshi is clearly targeting the two of us.
Over these years, I have worked diligently for the Earth Gate, dedicated and conscientious for all to see.
The moment he returns, he immediately moves against me. He must be resenting the fact that I have been presiding over the Earth Gate these years, seizing his authority. That’s why, filled with resentment, he wants to eliminate me the moment he returns."
After hearing Qi Ping’s words, the Third Elder’s eyes first flashed with a trace of panic before he roared furiously, as if denouncing Nan Gongshi.
"In truth, there’s no need for you to be like this. Although I have been presiding over the Earth Gate’s affairs all these years, that is only because you were not here.
Naturally, I would return the authority of the Earth Gate to you after your return. I never intended to vie with you for the position of Gate Master. There’s no need for you to use such dirty methods to persecute my disciple and me.
At worst, we will leave the Earth Gate right now and never return. That way, we can’t threaten your position within the Earth Gate."
The Third Elder’s gaze then shifted to Shoudi Laoren, speaking with grief and indignation.
"The tone this fellow uses sounds quite sincere, but he has a problem. He is lying."
Ye Yunfei had been using mind-reading techniques to probe the Third Elder’s thoughts, ideas, and the fluctuations of his soul body. Hearing this, he couldn’t help but let out a cold sneer.
"Yes, I also feel something is off with this fellow. Otherwise, why would he suddenly ambush you in that dangerous land?
Logically speaking, since you rescued the Gate Master of the Earth Gate, you should be a distinguished guest of the entire Earth Gate.
As the Third Elder of the Earth Gate, he has no reason to kill you. So there must be a problem."
Hun Lao said.
"Hahaha…
Third Elder, your words flow sweeter than any song.
What, feeling wronged now?
If you truly intended to leave, why have you been hiding on this continent all this time?
Moreover, why did you suddenly launch an ambush, trying to kill Young Master Ye while he was cultivating?
It’s nothing more than because Young Master Ye rescued me, sabotaging your schemes from back then, filling you with resentment and prompting you to move against Young Master Ye.
If Young Master Ye’s combat power wasn’t far stronger than you imagined, he would have likely been killed by you already."
Upon hearing this, Shoudi Laoren couldn't help but burst into laughter before speaking.
"Nan Gongshi, please don’t slander me.
The reason I haven’t left yet is because I have lived on this continent for a long, long time and have deep feelings for it…"
The Third Elder hurriedly explained.
"Enough, no more excuses.
Qi Ping, speak up. Honestly recount what you know. I have no patience to listen to this old fellow making excuses here."
Shoudi Laoren’s gaze shifted to Qi Ping.
"Very well, Gate Master. I will now speak about how my master colluded with the Blade Realm and the Divine Sword Sect back then."
Qi Ping gritted his teeth, as if making a decision, then nodded heavily and spoke.
"Qi Ping, what are you doing?!"
The Third Elder roared angrily.
He was beginning to feel a bit flustered because Qi Ping was his confidant. Qi Ping had been aware of all his schemes over the years, and many of those plots were even executed by Qi Ping on his behalf.
"Back then, my master competed with the Gate Master for the position of Gate Master, but failed in the end. Therefore, my master has always held a grudge, even thinking about retaking the Gate Master position if the opportunity arose. This is the main reason he acted against you, Gate Master."
Qi Ping said.
"After that, my master would act against members of the Gate Master’s lineage whenever an opportunity arose.
For example, the reason the Gate Master’s sixth disciple perished during external training back then was actually because our master sent us to assassinate him.
I still remember all the various circumstances from that year clearly. The general process was like this…"
Qi Ping continued.
"Qi Ping, what utter nonsense are you spouting?! You don’t have to fear Nan Gongshi’s threats.
Rest assured. As long as I’m here, even if I have to risk my old life, I will protect your safety. Stop spouting nonsense."
Upon hearing Qi Ping’s words, the Third Elder was shocked and enraged, immediately roaring.
Then he took a step forward, wanting to charge over.
Rumble…
A vast, enormous yellow net rolled through the heavens and earth, directly blocking in front of the Third Elder, barring his path.
The terrifying energy emanating from this yellow giant net caused the Third Elder’s face to drastically change.
He recognized this as one of the most fearsome large-scale earth formations within the Earth Gate, called the Heaven-Encompassing Net. Once deployed, it could absorb the energy of the entire continent and all earth energies in the surrounding void. Its power was extremely fearsome; it could be considered the Earth Gate’s ultimate sect-defining secret skill.
With his strength alone, he simply could not contend against that Heaven-Encompassing Net.
Forced to retreat repeatedly, the Third Elder roared continuously in anger.
"Third Elder, I never imagined my sixth disciple was actually killed by you back then.
Very good. You and I have another score to settle."
Shoudi Laoren said coldly.
"What?
The young prodigy Ding Datu of our Earth Gate back then was actually killed after being targeted by the Third Elder?"
After hearing Qi Ping’s words, the other high-level Earth Gate members also revealed expressions of shock.
Back then, Ding Datu was not only a disciple of Shoudi Laoren but also a famously prodigious young talent of the entire Earth Gate, possessing extremely high aptitude in the Art of Geomancy. He was cultivated as a key core disciple of the Earth Gate, but later perished during an external training expedition.
At that time, Earth Gate’s high-ranking members lamented his loss for a long time, but everyone believed Ding Datu had likely perished during treasure-hunting and exploration, so they had to let it go.
Because many sects and factions often lose truly budding talents; this was somewhat unavoidable.
But now, after hearing Qi Ping’s words, quite a few Earth Gate higher-ups began to harbor suspicions.
"Qi Ping, you actually slander me.
Ding Datu clearly perished during a treasure-hunting and exploration expedition. Why do you say I caused his death?
It must be Nan Gongshi forcing you to say this."
The Third Elder roared again, appearing full of grief and indignation.
"Master, I still remember the details from back then very clearly.
The course of events was like this…"
Qi Ping proceeded to narrate in detail the entire process of how, after receiving his master’s command, he, along with several fellow disciples, secretly trailed Ding Datu, then designed a trap, launched an ambush, and caused Ding Datu’s death. He even listed the specific individuals involved.
"So that’s how it was.
Back then in that secret realm, after I parted ways with Senior Brother Du, I wondered why a person with Senior Brother Du’s strength and talent met his demise in just half a day."
Upon hearing Qi Ping’s words, a middle-aged man in the distance couldn’t help but speak up.
This middle-aged man belonged to the same generation of disciples as Du Datu back then, and he had also participated in that secret realm exploration. Thus, he was quite familiar with some details of that incident.
"From the sound of it, could it be true that Du Datu was indeed targeted and killed by the Third Elder’s people back then?"
Hearing Qi Ping’s and that middle-aged man’s words, the crowd couldn’t help but think to themselves.
"Qi Ping, I truly never imagined that in order to defect to Nan Gongshi, you would actually betray me, trying to ingratiate yourself with Nan Gongshi by slandering me. All the teachings and cultivation I poured into you over these years truly went to the dogs."
At this moment, the Third Elder appeared utterly grief-stricken and indignant, speaking each word with weight.
"Master, every word I spoke is true."
After saying this, Qi Ping’s emotions had already begun to calm down.
Initially, he felt psychological burden over betraying his master, but now he seemed to have let go, his tone even becoming much calmer.
"Master, back then, Steward Wen was also someone you sent me to assassinate. At that time, to assassinate Steward Wen, I brought a considerable number of people and trailed him for a long period before finally finding an opportunity to strike.
Moreover, during the confrontation, Steward Wen resisted fiercely, even killing three trusted confidants you had nurtured before he was ultimately killed.
However, one of Steward Wen’s disciples managed to escape in the chaos. After fleeing, that disciple of Steward Wen hid outside, unwilling to return to the Earth Gate, presumably because he guessed those who attacked must have been from within our Earth Gate.
Because during the battle, those trusted confidants you nurtured accidentally used some of our Earth Gate’s techniques and secret arts, arousing Steward Wen’s suspicion. He shouted questions on the spot, but Steward Wen was soon surrounded and killed."
Qi Ping spoke again.
"What? Steward Wen was also killed by people sent by the Third Elder?
Steward Wen was indeed one of the Gate Master’s confidants back then."
Upon hearing Qi Ping’s words, many Earth Gate higher-ups couldn’t help but murmur in low voices.
"Third Elder, so it was you who orchestrated the deaths of my master and those fellow disciples back then.
What my master guessed indeed wasn’t wrong—those who attacked back then were indeed from within our Earth Gate. But my master surely never imagined that the mastermind who caused his and those fellow disciples’ deaths was none other than the Third Elder he usually respected.
Hahaha…
Master, have you heard it in the heavens?
It was the Third Elder who caused your deaths and those of the fellow disciples!"
Right at this moment, suddenly, a geomancer from afar stepped on a compass, treading through the air as he approached, fixing a venomous gaze on the Third Elder before speaking with sorrow.
"That’s right. He is that disciple of Steward Wen who escaped back then. I never imagined he returned secretly."
Qi Ping glanced over and nodded.
"In that case, those incidents from back then indeed could have been done by the Third Elder, because many of these details match up."
At this point, even more Earth Gate higher-ups began to suspect the Third Elder because many details from what Qi Ping said lined up.
"This is bad. If this continues, I will become the target of public criticism. I must escape from here immediately. Otherwise, once those fellows surround me, I won’t be able to leave even if I want to."
At this moment, the Third Elder grew increasingly anxious. He knew the various things he did in the past would soon be impossible to conceal.
"Qi Ping, to curry favor with Nan Gongshi, you actually betray your master, abandon your conscience, and slander me.
Everything you said is fabricated out of thin air, shifting blame onto me.
I understand now, Qi Ping. In truth, you were already Nan Gongshi’s person back then. When you took me as your master, it must have been Nan Gongshi who sent you to my side as a spy, waiting for an opportunity to cooperate with Nan Gongshi in framing me.
Fine, Qi Ping. Never in all these years, while I poured my utmost into cultivating you, did I imagine I was raising a treacherous wolf."
The Third Elder still appeared filled with grief and indignation, bellowing.
"Third Elder, are you still quibbling at this point?
I said I only care about solid evidence. Now that the evidence is laid out right before your eyes, is there any meaning in you still quibbling?"
Shoudi Laoren sneered coldly and spoke.