"Don't you think you're being too hasty, Elder Xian?"

Elder Yang showed up, followed by Feng Xue, Zi Ling, Lin Ming, and Chen Xiaoyun. Worried expressions could be seen on their faces.

"We've seen the First Elder!"

"Disciples greet the First Elder!"

"Oh, I don't know what the First Elder means, I'm just handling the disciple who violated our sect's rules. Did I do something wrong?"

Elder Xian put on a shocked expression and asked, pretending to be surprised by the First Elder's action.

"I think we shouldn't rush to a conclusion lest we punish the wrong person. We need to investigate it properly before deciding who's right and who's wrong. "

"First Elder, do you want to interfere with the matter of the Law and Punishment Hall?"

"It's not my intention." Elder Yang shook his head and said, "But I think this matter isn't that simple. And, the Sect Master also gave instructions to handle this matter carefully."

"What's other conclusion could there be? Everybody here had witnessed what Disciple Snowy had done to Bu Yu. It's the undeniable truth."

Elder Yang observed the other's reactions, and as he expected, Elder Xian seemed to be obstinately trying to pin the blame on Snowy.

'Maybe he was trying to judge her value by purposefully driving her to the corner to see what kind of reaction it would bring out,' pondered Elder Yang carefully.

The crowds realized that this wasn't just about a mere Snowy and Xian Bu Yu anymore, but had escalated to a showdown between Sect Master's faction and Second Elder's faction. Although, people who had a good relationship with Snowy, like Meng Qi and the Qi Twins wanted to stand up for her, they didn't dare to do it recklessly. For now, they seemed to adopt a "wait and see" attitude before deciding to become involved in this matter.

Of course, there were also some people who did otherwise.

Feng Xue, who was fuming in anger, couldn't help but refute him, "It's impossible. Snowy won't injure, or even kill a person without someone provoking her first, or they were innocent. I can vouch for her character. Please give it a second thought, Second Elder."

A young man, who from the start stood quietly behind the Second Elder, squinted his eyes, looking at Feng Xue sharply, "Then, doesn't that mean there is a chance she will kill someone if she feels provoked or when she denies their innocence? If I am not wrong, he might have done something that she deemed a provocation. She has the motive, I presume?"

"Luo Ruan, you're just twisting my words!"

"What a ruse," Xian Qingruo retorted, her lips slightly curled in a sneer, "this wench must've been the murderer all along!"

"You.. Watch your mouth!"

"Heh, what do you don't want to admit it? Or maybe you are also accomplished?"

Feng Xue snapped at Qingruo, but instead of being scared by her, she was emboldened instead, taunting Feng Xue aggressively.

"Enough!"

Sensing that it was about to turn into a catfight, First Elder didn't hesitate to chide them before the commotion blew out of proportion.

"Let's do it this way, why don't we listen to the story from another perspective first, for example, the elder who had a duty as the examiner. Maybe there is an important clue that we've been missing out on. Is there someone who could tell us what had happened here?"

"It's like this.."

Elder Nong, as the elder who had been in charge of the fifth group, started recounting what had happened from the start of the first match until the death match between Snowy and Xian Bu Yu without omitting anything.

"Why did you interrupt the fight and approach Xian Bu Yu?"

"At that time, I felt his energy burst out of control and was afraid something would happen to both of them, so I tried to stop him, but I was suddenly yanked instead."

"You were beaten by him?"

The elder scratched his head, let out a helpless laugh, and gave a weak nod, "Well.. yes."

"How can it be? Wasn't he just in the Qi Transformation stage? "

"I don't have anything to say other than I'm not capable enough.. what I told First Elder just now is all true. You can ask everyone present if you don't believe me."

Elder Yang looked at the crowds and asked, "Is it true?"

"Elder Nong speaks the truth, First Elder."

"Yeah, that's basically what we saw."

Everyone hurriedly nodded, like a chicken pecking at rice.

"And there was also the incident where the barrier suddenly malfunctioned after Xian Bu Yu knocked Elder Nong away. I don't think it was a coincidence," added Elder Lan.

"Something fishy is going on here." Said Zi Ling solemnly.

"I agree with what Sister Zi Ling said. This matter is really suspicious." Lin Ming nodded in agreement.

"Do you think there was a third party involved here?"

"Maybe it's all her own doing," Elder Xian snorted, "She could be a spy sent by enemy to mess up with Heaven Sword Sect. That is one more reason to put her in our custody."

"There's no way Snowy could be a spy, Second Elder!" Feng Xue said adamantly.

"This is a matter for the elders to handle. There's no need for a disciple to be involved. If you're still stubborn, I'll consider you as her accomplice. "

The tension suddenly turned worse, Elder Xian seemed hell bent on apprehending Snowy regardless of the circumstances.

"You're being unreasonable here, Elder Xian." Elder Yang said with a frown.

"So you want me to easily let her go? Whether there was a third party in play here, the fact that she had killed one of Xian's family members and our sect disciple at the same time couldn't be ignored."

"Do you really insist on this, Second Elder?"

"I'm only doing it according to the sect's regulations, or does the first elder want to make an exception?"

Elder Yang shook his head and muttered inwardly, 'No, I'm just giving you a way out, unfortunately..'

"Sigh.. so be it."

"Master?!"

"Elder Yang?!"

"First Elder?!"

Feng Xue and all the people on Snowy's side exclaimed in disbelief.

"Do you have anything to say, Snowy?"