Hearing this, Yang Jing, who was sitting opposite her, felt the corner of his mouth twitch almost imperceptibly.

He remembered that when his master had asked Senior Sister Ning Xiang to brew tea just now, he had specifically told her not to use the good tea. This was just ordinary tea for guests.

For Zhou Ling to praise it so extravagantly seemed far too deliberate. It reeked of an obvious attempt to curry favor, as if she were terrified of his master.

A flicker of doubt arose in Yang Jing’s mind.

’The Hall Master of Po Mountain Martial Arts Hall, Wang Kui, is also a Huajin Martial Artist. As his Direct Disciple, Zhou Ling has a Huajin Powerhouse backing her as well. Even if she respects Master Sun Yong, there’s no need to act so... ridiculously, is there?’

’This level of caution just makes her seem to be lacking in confidence.’

As he was pondering this, Sun Yong, seated at the head of the room, broke the strained flattery with a calm voice. "Speak. You came all this way to find Yang Jing. What is it you want to ask? He’s right here. You might as well be direct."

The smile on Zhou Ling’s face vanished. She quickly straightened her posture, clasped her hands in a salute toward Yang Jing, and said with a smile, "Junior Brother Yang, it’s nothing major, really. I just wanted to ask you a few minor things about Senior Brother Shen Lie. I hope you don’t mind." 𝕗𝕣𝐞𝐞𝘄𝐞𝚋𝚗𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹.𝚌𝕠𝚖

Yang Jing nodded slightly. "Senior Sister Zhou, please go ahead."

Zhou Ling took a deep breath, her gaze fixed on Yang Jing’s face as she asked seriously, "I was wondering if Junior Brother Yang has seen or had any contact with Senior Brother Shen Lie recently?"

Yang Jing shook his head without the slightest hesitation. "No. Other than our match during the tournament finals, I’ve had no interactions with Brother Shen Lie. We haven’t even seen each other since."

Hearing this, Zhou Ling nodded gently. This matched what she had expected before coming.

She paused, then pressed on, "So... truly no other contact at all? For instance, did you happen to see him from a distance somewhere? Or has anything happened that was related to Senior Brother Shen Lie?"

"No." Yang Jing shook his head again, his brow furrowing slightly. His tone carried a frank confusion. "Senior Sister Zhou, with all these questions, are you suggesting you suspect I had something to do with Brother Shen Lie’s death?"

He leaned forward slightly, his gaze clear as he looked at Zhou Ling. "Brother Shen Lie and I were opponents in the tournament, but once the match was over, our grievances were settled. There was no deep-seated hatred between us. Besides, I was the one who won that match. If I were to resort to murder over a single victory, what kind of person would that make me? Brother Shen Lie wasn’t the only opponent I defeated in the tournament. Am I supposed to kill them all, one by one?"

His words were spoken with such candor, carrying the sharp edge of youth, that they caught Zhou Ling somewhat off guard.

She quickly waved her hands, an apologetic smile on her face. "Junior Brother Yang, you’ve misunderstood. That wasn’t my intention at all."

"Senior Brother Shen Lie was a Core Disciple of our Po Mountain Martial Arts Hall. Now that he’s met with such a disaster, our master and all of us fellow disciples are devastated. We have to get to the bottom of this and get justice for our fallen brother," Zhou Ling explained. "It’s not just you. We’ll be questioning everyone who had any dealings with Senior Brother Shen Lie. I hope you can understand, Junior Brother."

Seeing the sincerity in her eyes, Yang Jing slowly relaxed his furrowed brow, and his tone softened. "I see, so that’s how it is. I understand now. I’ve told you everything I know. If there’s anything else you want to ask, as long as I know the answer, I’ll tell you the truth."

Seeing Yang Jing’s frank attitude, which didn’t seem feigned, the last trace of doubt in Zhou Ling’s mind dissipated. She smiled and said, "In that case, I have no further questions."

She stood up and saluted Sun Yong and Yang Jing in turn, her tone sincere. "Senior Brother Shen Lie was one of our Po Mountain Martial Arts Hall’s Anjin Core Disciples. His death has been a huge blow to everyone at the Martial Arts Hall. Our master and all the senior and junior brothers are anxious to find the killer, so our judgment may be clouded by our concern. If I was presumptuous in any way just now, I hope Elder Sun and Junior Brother Yang will forgive me."

Yang Jing nodded slightly. "Senior Sister Zhou, you’re being too serious. I understand."

Zhou Ling looked at Yang Jing again and added, "If, in the future, Junior Brother Yang happens to stumble upon any clues related to Senior Brother Shen Lie’s death, please be sure to inform us at Po Mountain Martial Arts Hall. As long as we can catch the murderer, we will reward you generously."

Yang Jing nodded in agreement. "Rest assured, Senior Sister Zhou. Although I didn’t know Brother Shen Lie well, I heard about his brutal death. The killer’s cruelty is truly appalling. If I do find any clues, you won’t need to offer a reward. I will certainly let you know. I only hope that justice can be served for Brother Shen Lie soon."

Upon hearing this, a softer expression appeared on Zhou Ling’s face. She bowed to Sun Yong once more. "Then this junior will not disturb Elder Sun and Junior Brother Yang any longer. I’ll take my leave now."

Sun Yong grunted in acknowledgment and said coolly, "Take care."

Yang Jing also stood and clasped his hands in a gesture of farewell.

Zhou Ling quickly departed from the inner courtyard, maintaining a respectful posture from start to finish, never once overstepping her bounds.

Watching Zhou Ling’s proper and courteous departure, Yang Jing couldn’t help but think, ’She must have had a very strict upbringing.’

Once she was gone, Yang Jing turned to Sun Yong and bowed. "Master, if there is nothing else, this disciple will return to his fist practice."

Sun Yong looked at him, a gentle smile on his face, a stark contrast to the coldness he had shown Zhou Ling. "Go on, train hard. Remember, on the path of the Martial Dao, only by becoming powerful yourself can you stand firm in this Jianghu, where no one can touch you."

His tone suddenly shifted, taking on a teasing quality as he asked, "Tell me, if I were the one who killed Shen Lie, would Wang Kui of the Po Mountain Martial Arts Hall dare to come seek revenge for his disciple? Or, for that matter, would he dare to question me the way Zhou Ling questioned you and ask, ’Was it you who killed Shen Lie?’"

Yang Jing was stunned by the question and instinctively looked at his master.

The smile remained on Sun Yong’s face, as if he were discussing the most ordinary of matters.

Before Yang Jing could give it much thought, Sun Yong waved his hand dismissively. "Alright, go on."

"Yes, Master. This disciple will take his leave."

Suppressing the confusion in his heart, Yang Jing bowed again and turned to leave the main house.

When he reached the Moon Gate, he glanced back and saw Sun Yong still sitting in the Grandmaster’s Chair, a teacup in hand, his gaze fixed on the banana leaves outside the window, lost in thought.

Sunlight streamed through the window lattice, casting an aura of unfathomable authority around him.

Yang Jing composed himself, turned, and walked briskly toward the front courtyard.

’His master’s words may have been a joke, but they made him understand a fundamental truth: in the end, strength is all that matters in the Jianghu.’

...

In the main hall of the inner courtyard.

Not long after Yang Jing had left, Sun Ningxiang came in with an empty tray. Seeing her father sitting there alone, she asked softly, "Dad, what did the people from Po Mountain Martial Arts Hall want? Why was Junior Brother Yang involved?"

Sun Yong set down his teacup and said flatly, "Shen Lie is dead. People from their Martial Arts Hall came to ask Yang Jing if he had seen Shen Lie, and if he had anything to do with his death."

"What?" Sun Ningxiang’s brow furrowed instantly, her voice filled with indignation. "Aren’t they just barking up the wrong tree? Junior Brother Yang is always so honest and dependable. He’s the most down-to-earth person in the Martial Arts Hall and never causes trouble. All he does is train. How could he possibly be connected to Shen Lie’s death? He won the tournament match, that’s all. Are they really going to suspect him of murder because of that?"

Seeing his daughter’s indignant expression, a faint smile touched Sun Yong’s lips. He nodded. "Yes, they are making a bit of a fuss over it."

He lifted his teacup for a sip, his gaze drifting back outside the window as his mind turned to other matters.

’Truthfully, he didn’t believe for a second that Yang Jing had anything to do with Shen Lie’s death. Yang Jing might be able to defeat Shen Lie, but to kill him without a trace would be nearly impossible—that was why he hadn’t pressed the matter earlier. Still...’

Sun Yong’s fingertips gently traced the rim of his teacup as the image of Yang Jing practicing his fist forms from earlier involuntarily surfaced in his mind.

’That set of Mountain-Shattering Fist... The sequence of moves wasn’t much different from yesterday, and the explosion of power seemed ordinary. Any other Huajin Martial Artist would have surely thought nothing had changed. But as I stood by watching, I faintly sensed something different. An ordinary person wouldn’t see it; even the other Huajin Martial Artists in Yuhe County would likely miss the subtle change. But I am different. In my youth, I came into contact with higher realms of the Martial Dao. My understanding of its true essence and the circulation of Inner Strength is far more profound than that of most Huajin Martial Artists in this small county.’

’I had a vague sense that Yang Jing’s Inner Strength had undergone some kind of indescribable change compared to yesterday.’

’The power hidden beneath his fist techniques seemed placid on the surface, but within, it felt as if it had gained a trace of condensation and weight. It was as if... he had grown much stronger.’

...