Stubborn as a duck

Ning Qi's question left Ning Li momentarily speechless.

Upon hearing Ning Qi's words, everyone seemed to have thought of something. On one hand, they felt that it made a lot of sense, but on the other hand, they felt that the matter could not possibly be unrelated to Ning Shu, the only survivor.

All I can say is that Ning Shu's very existence was a mistake.

Ning Shu listened quietly to their conversation. She looked at Ning Li, wanting to hear what else Ning Li could say in her defense.

The original owner is dead, but she must fight for the apology and justice that belong to the original owner. Only in this way can she have peace of mind.

Ning Li didn't answer for a long time, so Ning Qi pressed, "Can't you answer?"

"Since you can't answer that, let me ask you a different question."

Ning Qi said, "Ning Li, wasn't it you who allowed Shu'er and her group to go to the Star Dou Great Forest without their elders' supervision?"

Ning Li was slightly taken aback, and denied it again: "No! Seventh Master, what do you mean? Do you think I did this?"

"I never said you did it!" Ning Qi snorted and said, "Going to the Star Dou Great Forest requires at least one Soul Saint to lead the team, but Shu'er and the others went to the Star Dou Great Forest on their own. Shouldn't you explain that?"

"Seventh Master, wasn't it Ning Shu who insisted on going herself? What does it have to do with Ning Li?"

Before Ning Li could answer, the others present responded.

"That's right, it was Ning Shu who insisted on going!"

"Shu'er insisted on going?" Ning Qi couldn't help but sneer. "Even if Shu'er insisted on going, don't the others have legs? Don't they have hands? Or do they lack brains? The choice is their own. If they go with Shu'er and something goes wrong, you'll put all the blame on Shu'er? If it were someone else who survived, would you still say the same thing?"

"this……"

The crowd looked at each other, their anger noticeably lessened compared to a year ago, and they were no longer truly aggressive.

Ning Qi continued, "You blame everything on Shu'er simply because she's still alive, simply because there are so-called witnesses. Today, I'm going to tell you that those so-called witnesses were taught by Ning Li, and Yu Shui has already brought them back!"

"What?!"

"Was she trained by Ning Li herself?"

"How could that be?"

"What exactly is going on?"

In an instant, the hall became lively again.

The crowd was abuzz with discussion, unable to believe that the witness was someone Ning Li had personally trained.

Ning Li was also taken aback. She tried her best to remain calm. "Seventh...Seventh Master, what do you mean by this?"

"What do you mean?" Ning Qi scoffed. "The literal meaning!"

Then, he turned his gaze to Yu Shui and said, "Bring the person in."

Yu Shui nodded. "Bring them in!"

Soon, a young girl was brought into the hall. Everyone stood up to check, confirming her identity one by one, and exclaimed, "It's her! It's her! A year and a half ago, she was the one who testified against Ning Shu!"

Ning Qi nodded. "Okay, now that the witness is here, you believed everything the witness said a year and a half ago, so you should believe it now too. Yang Mei, tell me, what exactly did you see in that incident a year and a half ago?"

Upon seeing Yang Mei, Ning Li couldn't help but panic. She had clearly sent her to the Star Luo Empire, so how could she still be found?

She glanced at Yang Mei furtively, her expression saying it all.

Yang Mei looked up and exchanged a glance with Ning Li.

Yang Mei's eyes were vacant, and she said expressionlessly, "Yes."

"One year and a half ago, Ning Shu broke through to level 30. As her classmate, I was going to offer my congratulations. I was just about to go find Ning Shu when the Third Madam suddenly stopped me."

The Third Madam refers to Ning Li.

Ning Qi asked, "What did the Third Madam say to you when she stopped you?"

Yang Mei said, "The Third Madam stopped me and told me that Ning Shu had already set off for the Star Dou Great Forest and that I shouldn't go with her. But there wasn't much to do during that time, so I secretly went with her anyway."

At this point, everyone felt it wasn't a big deal.

Just because Yang Mei spoke to Ning Li, does that mean Yang Mei is now Ning Li's woman?

Then, Yang Mei added, "I went with them, but I didn't see Ning Shu. The Star Dou Great Forest was too dangerous, and I didn't dare to go in alone. So, I stayed in a nearby town outside the Star Dou Great Forest for a few days."

"A few days later, I heard from the merchants that several people had died in the Star Dou Great Forest. I had a bad feeling and went there immediately. When I arrived, I only saw Ning Shu unconscious. Later, when I went a little deeper, I found that all the sect disciples had died."

"I brought Ning Shu back, and I should have told her the truth. But that day, the Third Madam found me and threatened me with my future, forcing me to slander Ning Shu. In order not to be expelled from the sect, I had no choice but to testify against Ning Shu. Who knew that after this incident, she did not give me the resources she promised, and even wanted to send me to the Star Luo Empire."

"I resisted to no avail and had no choice but to obey, but a few days ago I really missed home, so I came back and that's when I met the Third Elder."

"I am very sorry for defaming Ning Shu."

"..."

After Yang Mei finished speaking, the hall fell silent, and no one uttered a sound.

Is Ning Shu truly innocent?

The crowd exchanged glances again, none of them expecting that Ning Li hated Ning Shu to this extent, even going so far as to pin such a crime on her.

But some people still didn't believe it. "That's what she said, but who knows if she's telling the truth or lying? What if she was bribed or threatened by Ning Shu?"

Was she bribed and threatened by Ning Shu?

Yu Shui frowned and said, "Fourth Elder, can you think before you speak? What ability does Shu'er have to bribe her?"

"Why wouldn't she have the ability?" the man called the Fourth Elder said. "The intelligence gathered by the sect's spies shows that Ning Shu has joined the Spirit Hall and has an unusual relationship with the Pope. Isn't that enough to give her the ability to bribe this Yang Mei?"

"Joined the Spirit Hall? Really?"

"And he has an unusual relationship with the Pope?"

People started talking about it again.

Ning Li took this opportunity to relax. Unless there was irrefutable evidence, she would never admit it.

Listening to everyone's words, Yang Mei lowered her eyes and spoke again: "I swear on my words, if there is even a single lie, may I be struck by lightning and die a horrible death. Ning Shu has never bribed me, and I have no connection with the Spirit Hall. Elders, if you don't believe me, then surely you believe those who saw Ning Shu unconscious?"

"The things I said a year and a half ago were taught to me by the Third Madam. The truth is what I just said. And what I just said is not something I was the only one who saw Ning Shu unconscious. Everyone in the town at that time knew it."

"..."

Everyone knows.

These words immediately silenced those who claimed not to believe. Ning Li stared blankly at Yang Mei, never expecting her to say such things.

This is definitely going to drag her down with us!

Ning Li stood up. "Yang Mei, you're slandering me!"

Yang Mei remained calm. "I'm not making baseless accusations. It won't take long to verify this. Elders who don't believe me can send someone to verify it."

"you!"

With so many people present, Ning Li couldn't possibly lay a hand on Yang Mei. If she did, wouldn't that be a clear indication that she had something to hide?

Now everyone has a clear understanding of the situation.

The Fourth Elder said, "Then let's send someone to investigate."

"..."

Everyone agreed, but Ning Li felt utterly hopeless and abruptly sat down in her seat.