If these words had been spoken by anyone else, perhaps no one would have believed such a bizarre and outlandish tale. But the fact that it was Qian Shan who said them forced everyone to reconsider. After all, Qian Shan was a person close to Immortal Suhua, and everyone deeply trusted Immortal Suhua's character.
But was it possible?
Unclear.
Everyone was half-convinced, half-doubtful. No one truly knew what the reality of the situation was.
The various major sects discussed the matter fervently, yet no one made a move.
Firstly, it was out of respect for Immortal Suhua, whose face Qian Shan represented.
Secondly, the matter was simply too strange, with its mix of truth and falsehood containing too many bizarre elements.
Most importantly, their target today was neither Han Dong nor Ouyang Ye, but rather that Young Lord Chiyan. Whether it was to avenge the sect's deceased Elders and disciples, or for that rock-solid Profound Turtle, the key point was that Young Lord Chiyan had not shown himself. Even if they disregarded Immortal Suhua's face, killing Han Dong and Ouyang Ye would be pointless. Rather than that, it was better to first understand the situation clearly before making a decision.
After all, the matter involved Lord Chixiao.
No one dared to be careless.
If that Lao Jiu truly was Young Lord Chiyan and the Monarch's heir, then everyone would have to carefully weigh the consequences of taking action. This applied to all the major sects and immortal mansions without exception.
Furthermore, the existence of that Young Lord Chiyan, whose authenticity was unknown, was simply too eerie. Even if he wasn't Young Lord Chiyan or the Monarch's heir, the fact that he had killed dozens of Direct Disciples from various major sects with a single roar at Wuse Mountain was enough to make everyone wary. Especially considering he had slain the reincarnated Young Lord Chanchu with a single palm strike—who would dare be careless?
Of course.
Some did not think this way.
At the very least, Second Elder Feilu of Yao Yue Palace, Zhong Yulong, and others were among them.
They also wanted to obtain that rock-solid Profound Turtle from Gu Qingfeng's hands. But before obtaining it, they had originally intended to use this opportunity to eliminate Han Dong and Daozun Feiyan, and even Ancestral Patriarchs like Fenghua of Yao Yue Palace. They hadn't expected Qian Shan to appear halfway through, and after her explanation and persuasion, the major sects were clearly prepared to let Han Dong and Ouyang Ye go.
Second Elder absolutely could not allow his plan to be disrupted by Qian Shan like this. He said, "Everyone, do not be deceived. A person who has turned to ashes cannot come back to life. This is a law, a principle that no one can break."
"Others may not be able to, but that doesn't mean the Monarch's heir cannot. Back in the day, the Monarch defied the heavens and returned from death more than once," Qian Shan retorted. "How do you know his heir doesn't possess such ability?"
"Even if that were so, how could such a coincidence exist in this world? That the impersonator Ouyang Ye found just happened to be the Young Lord Chiyan who turned to ashes three years ago? What a joke!"
To be honest.
Qian Shan also felt this matter was too coincidental, so coincidental that even she found it hard to believe. But she steeled herself and responded, "Nothing in this world is absolute. If Lao Jiu truly isn't Young Lord Chiyan, then how do you explain his Bedrock Physique, his Absolute Force, his unparalleled mastery of Musical Arts? If he isn't the Monarch's heir, how do you explain 'Wind Rises Over Great Green Mountain,' 'Youth's Journey,' and 'Drunken Chant of the Azure Sea'?"
Qian Shan's words left Feilu unable to refute her. This was also the biggest point of doubt in the entire matter.
Leaving aside 'Wind Rises Over Great Green Mountain' for now.
'Drunken Chant of the Azure Sea' and 'Youth's Journey' both carried the emotional journey of the Monarch from back then.
To this day, no one in the world had ever been able to play these two pieces with their true artistic conception. Yet that Gu Qingfeng, with a single performance, could stir the spiritual resonance of the crowd, allowing their spirits to wander heaven and earth, to dream back to antiquity. With this alone, who would dare say he wasn't?
"Hmph! Let's not discuss for now whether that person is or isn't the Monarch's heir, Young Lord Chiyan. The fact that he killed the Direct Disciples of various major sects at Wuse Mountain is indisputable. Just because he impersonated Young Lord Chiyan, are we supposed to let it go?"
"That's not what I meant. It's just that right now, none of us know where Young Lord Chiyan actually is," Qian Shan persuaded. "While Han Dong and Ye Ye were wrong to find someone to impersonate Young Lord Chiyan, their crime does not warrant death. I hope you all can be magnanimous and, considering their youth and ignorance, spare the two of them."
"Spare them?" Feilu sneered. "Young Lady Qian Shan, you speak so prettily. It wasn't the Direct Disciples you painstakingly trained who died."
As he spoke, Feilu raised his voice to address the crowd. "Everyone, listen to me! Han Dong and the others found someone to impersonate Young Lord Chiyan, deceiving us all. Their hearts are truly malicious!"
"Feilu, do not exaggerate! If you hadn't coveted the position of Palace Mistress of Yao Yue Palace, making things difficult for Han Dong at every turn, why would she have found someone to impersonate Young Lord Chiyan to deceive your Yao Yue Palace?"
"The deception Han Dong orchestrated by impersonating Young Lord Chiyan probably wasn't aimed solely at our Yao Yue Palace, was it? I believe her goal was definitely to swindle our entire Great Northwest! Don't forget the incident with Gu Tiansheng fifty years ago. That swindler used the identity of the Monarch's descendant to deceive all the sects of our Great Northwest!"
Hearing mention of the Gu Tiansheng incident from fifty years ago, the people present immediately grew vigilant.
Thinking about it carefully, Feilu's words weren't without reason. Han Dong and the others finding someone to impersonate Young Lord Chiyan was ill-intentioned from the start. Who could guarantee she only wanted to intimidate Yao Yue Palace, and wasn't planning to use the identity of the Monarch's heir to swindle the major sects?
"If it was only to intimidate our Yao Yue Palace, then why did that person kill the Direct Disciples of various major sects at Wuse Mountain? In my opinion, their target isn't just our Yao Yue Palace, but the entire Great Northwest! It's highly possible they want to use this opportunity to eliminate all the sects of our Great Northwest!"
After Feilu finished speaking, other Elders of Yao Yue Palace also stepped forward, angrily denouncing and adding fuel to the fire.
"That person's cruel torture of Elder Kumu at Wuse Mountain is the best proof!"
"Correct! And our Yao Yue Palace's Elder Fenglie was also brutally murdered by him!"
"Han Dong and the others must have planned this long ago. Even if she wasn't the one who acted, she cannot escape responsibility for this matter. We absolutely cannot let her go today."
Watching as more and more people stepped forward, and seeing the major sects beginning to look moved, Qian Shan grew very anxious internally, yet she was unable to persuade them.
After all, the fact that Gu Qingfeng had killed the Direct Disciples of various major sects was indisputable.
Although she knew that at Wuse Mountain, those Direct Disciples had acted because they wanted to seize the Profound Turtle from Gu Qingfeng, and she believed these people had deserved to die, how could she say such a thing in front of the major sects? Saying it would undoubtedly be like adding oil to the fire.
"Ancestral Patriarchs! That person at Wuse Mountain brutally murdered our Yao Yue Palace's four Direct Disciples, Leng Yefei and the others, as well as several Elders. Every Direct Disciple represented a future hope for our Yao Yue Palace!" Feilu's face flushed red as he cupped his hands and shouted, "I beseech the Ancestral Patriarchs to uphold justice for our Yao Yue Palace!"
Then, a group of Elders including Fengsha also cupped their hands and shouted in support, followed by Zhong Yulong and a group of Direct Disciples doing the same.
Clearly, Elder Feilu not only wanted to kill with a borrowed knife, but also intended to use the hands of the Ancestral Patriarchs to eliminate Han Dong and the others. Moreover, he was preparing to kill two birds with one stone.
If Ancestral Patriarch Fenghua took action to eliminate Han Dong and the others, that would be perfect.
If Ancestral Patriarch Fenghua hesitated or refused to act out of consideration for Daozun Feiyan, then Elder Feilu could take this opportunity to falsely accuse them of collusion and eliminate them all together.