Chapter 102: Confrontation and Self-Proof

"No," Gumo replied straightforwardly.

"Good!" Shen Bai exhaled slowly. He looked at the righteous martial artists and declared loudly, "Fellow martial artists, since you claim that Madam Yan Sanniang and Tang Buyi's guarantee isn't enough, then add me to the list. I, Shen Bai, will also stake my life to guarantee that Gumo is absolutely not a demonic cultist. I wonder, am I, Shen Bai, qualified enough?"

For a moment, there was an uproar. Shen Bai was different from Madam Yan Sanniang and Tang Buyi. Not only was he a highly renowned hero in the martial arts world, but his identity was also extraordinary: he was the personal disciple of Grandmaster Ye Liuyun and the second-generation junior brother of the Azure澜 Sword Sect. These two identities made him a distinguished figure, not just in Yunzhou but throughout the martial arts world of the Qian Kingdom.

Regardless of whether those present were convinced or not, no one dared to say that Shen Bai was unqualified.

At this point, Yin Tianye's expression changed. Seeing that Shen Bai was determined to protect Gumo, he didn't argue directly with Shen Bai. Instead, he turned to Shang Buyu, the senior disciple of the Azure澜 Sword Sect, and cupped his hands. "Hero Shang, what is the meaning of your sect's actions? That Gumo is a member of the demonic cult, and Yang Qingtong betrayed her father. Our Righteousness Alliance has a mountain of blood debts. How many fellow martial artists' blood is on Gumo's hands? Their bodies aren't even cold yet! With our enemies before us, is the Azure澜 Sword Sect trying to bully the entire righteous path of Yunzhou for the sake of a few demonic villains?"

Shang Buyu's face was also extremely grim. He glared at Shen Bai, feeling exasperated. When they received news of Gumo's whereabouts in Qiandeng Town that day, Shen Bai volunteered to go with them. Shang Buyu had been worried then that something might happen, but Shen Bai insisted on coming. On the way, he had repeatedly reminded Shen Bai not to act impulsively, and now, here they were.

While it was true that their Azure澜 Sword Sect was the leading martial arts sect in Yunzhou, their relationship with other sects was not that of master and slave. It was more about reputation, prestige, and established rules. If Shen Bai's impulsive actions led to any mishaps, it would severely tarnish the Azure澜 Sword Sect's reputation. This was entirely impulsive, disregarding the larger picture.

Immediately, Shang Buyu, already annoyed, became even angrier and said, "Junior Brother Shen, don't act recklessly..."

"Senior Brother Shang, Gumo is not only my friend but also my lifesaver," Shen Bai interjected. "I cannot stand by and watch him suffer such an injustice. I stake my life to guarantee that he is absolutely not a demonic cultist. This is my personal action, unrelated to the sect. You can handle it as you deem appropriate."

Shang Buyu said resignedly, "Since that's the case..."

"Oh, and," Shen Bai raised his longsword, "if I die here today, please take this sword back to my master, Senior Brother."

Shang Buyu was speechless.

Shen Bai continued, "Also, Senior Brother, please relay a few words to my master. Tell him that his unfilial last disciple, Shen Bai, won't be able to care for him in his old age, so he should take good care of himself!"

Shang Buyu was speechless.

Immediately after, Shen Bai added, "Oh, and tell Junior Sister Qi Lingling – your master's daughter, the daughter of our Azure澜 Sword Sect's Sect Leader – that our marriage pact will continue in the next life!"

Shang Buyu's mouth twitched. He looked at Yin Tianye and said, "Manor Lord Yin, I believe we should perhaps hear what Gumo has to say about this matter. It wouldn't be too late to make a decision then. If he cannot explain himself, I will personally step in to subdue Shen Bai and ensure no trouble is caused for any of you fellow martial artists. However, if Gumo truly has been framed, wouldn't all of us here today become accomplices? Moreover, if we fall into a trap and are used by the demonic cult, that would be a huge joke!"

Yin Tianye's expression was cold, and he immediately wanted to retort.

However, Shang Buyu turned again and declared loudly to the multitude of righteous heroes, "Now that Gumo is surrounded by us, even if we were to act, a moment's delay wouldn't matter. Why don't we listen to what he has to say?"

"Let's follow Hero Shang's suggestion!""There's no harm in letting that rogue say a few words!"

As Shang Buyu was the representative of the Azure澜 Sword Sect, and he had spoken thus, naturally no one dared to contradict him.

Only Yin Tianye was speechless.

"Gumo," Shang Buyu looked at him, "Since you claim to be wrongly accused, you must have your own explanation, right?"

Only then did Shen Bai sheath his sword. He stepped back two paces to stand beside Gumo and said, "Brother Gu, speak boldly. Senior Brother Shang will surely preside over justice for you and clear your name!"

Shang Buyu remained silent, simply saying nothing.

Gumo cupped his hands to Shen Bai, then instructed Gu Chudong, "Chudong, bring out those two heads!"

Immediately, Gu Chudong ran back to the inn where the fight had occurred. From inside, she retrieved a scholar's box and poured out two cloth-wrapped heads onto the ground. She opened the white cloth, revealing the heads of the stout and thin Taoist priests.

As it was currently the twelfth lunar month, deep winter, the heads showed no signs of decay and were perfectly preserved.

"Some of you should be able to recognize these two heads as belonging to the Stout and Thin Taoists, masters from the Moon Worshippers Cult," Gumo stated. "On the night of the sixteenth of the twelfth lunar month, my sister and I were passing through Wohniu Mountain when we encountered these two pursuing Yang Qingtong..."

Subsequently, Gumo briefly recounted his experience on Wohniu Mountain that day, concluding, "On the sixteenth of the twelfth lunar month, I was still on Wohniu Mountain. You can send people to investigate; my whereabouts were not concealed. Where would I have found the time to go to Tai'an County and kill people from the Wutong Sect?"

Yin Tianye retorted coldly, "This is merely your side of the story. Who knows if these two heads weren't deliberately produced by your Moon Worshippers Demonic Cult to gain trust? You claim you killed members of the Moon Worshippers Demonic Cult on Wohniu Mountain; you say it, but who can prove it? Why should we believe you?"

Gumo said in a deep voice, "You claim I killed those from the Wutong Sect, but isn't that also just the Righteousness Alliance's side of the story?" As he spoke, Gumo turned to Shen Bai and asked, "Brother Shen, have the people from the Righteousness Alliance arrived?"

Gumo was blind and couldn't see the flags of the various sects. He also didn't recognize Yin Tianye and couldn't tell who he was by voice.

Shen Bai immediately said, "The one who just spoke with you is the representative of the Righteousness Alliance, Manor Lord Yin Tianye of Nantian Mountain Villa!"

Gumo instantly spoke to Yin Tianye, "That's convenient then. The first group to declare me, Gumo, a demonic cultist was your Righteousness Alliance. Since you claim to have witnesses, do you dare to bring them out now for a face-to-face confrontation?"

"Hmph, a confrontation it is," Yin Tianye snorted coldly, then instructed the Righteousness Alliance disciples behind him, "Bring out young heroes Chu Yunzhou and Xiao Han of the Wutong Sect!"

Shortly after, from the crowd, a few Righteousness Alliance disciples led out two young men dressed in Wutong Sect attire. One was slender, the other more robust, and both had rather ordinary appearances. These two had no fame in the martial arts world and were even obscure figures within the Wutong Sect itself.

Yin Tianye introduced them to the crowd: the slender young man was Chu Yunzhou, and the robust one was Xiao Han, both personal disciples of the Wutong Sect Leader.

Yin Tianye addressed Xiao Han and Chu Yunzhou, "Young Hero Xiao, Young Hero Chu, today, in front of all these righteous heroes, please recount what happened that day when Gumo colluded with Yang Qingtong to murder your Wutong Sect members. The truth of the matter will be judged by the heroes of various sects!"

The slightly older Chu Yunzhou bowed to the representatives of the various sects and then slowly began, "On the evening of the sixteenth of the twelfth lunar month, my master led many of our fellow disciples through Dabao Mountain. Seeing that it was getting late, we prepared to stay overnight in a dilapidated temple in the mountains.

We never expected to see Yang Qingtong in the temple. My master had met Yang Qingtong before, so he recognized her. He immediately prepared to act on behalf of heaven and eliminate that evil villain who betrayed her father.

However, Yang Qingtong's martial arts were formidable. Although our Wutong Sect had many people, we couldn't apprehend her quickly. As the fight reached a stalemate, my master secretly signaled for Xiao Han and me to go for reinforcements.

Just then, Gumo and his sister happened to appear outside the dilapidated temple and offered to help. During that period, 'Blade Catcher' Gumo was widely renowned as a hero, known for his hatred of evil. Naturally, no one from our Wutong Sect suspected him, and we gladly invited him to help us eliminate the villain.

But who would have known that Gumo harbored malicious intentions? While we were unprepared, he suddenly launched a sneak attack. My master, caught completely off guard, was severely injured by a palm strike from behind. Following that, the siblings swiftly attacked, catching us off guard. In a short time, our fellow disciples were tragically slaughtered one by one. Only Xiao Han and I, during our escape, encountered people from the Righteousness Alliance and were thus saved!"

Yin Tianye picked up the narrative, saying, "That's right. As for what happened next, everyone knows. Gumo and the two others pursued Xiao Han and Chu Yunzhou to the foot of Dabao Mountain, where they fortunately encountered our Righteousness Alliance's patrolling disciples. It was then that they were startled away. At that time, many members of our Righteousness Alliance personally witnessed Gumo and Gu Chudong pursuing the two young heroes of the Wutong Sect. Afterward, we also went to Dabao Mountain to inspect the scene, and it was exactly as young heroes Xiao Han and Chu Yunzhou described!"

Having finished speaking, Yin Tianye looked at Gumo and said in a deep voice, "Gumo, what more do you have to say in your defense?" He then turned to Shen Bai and asked, "Hero Shen, do you still wish to guarantee this villain? Are you still going to be deceived by him?"

Shen Bai scoffed coldly, "You've finished speaking, but Brother Gu hasn't even opened his mouth yet!" As he spoke, he looked at Gumo and said, "Brother Gu, your turn!"

Gumo stepped forward, stating in a deep voice, "After all that talk, you still don't have a shred of evidence."

"With everyone watching, what more evidence do you need?" Yin Tianye asked, momentarily stunned.

Gumo said in a deep voice, "This is all nonsense. You just casually arrange two people to point at me and declare me a demonic cultist? Your Righteousness Alliance has a lot of nerve! Should we just find two more people to accuse Sect Leader Qi Tianshu of colluding with the demonic cult, and then he'll become a demonic cultist too?"

"Stop spouting such absurdities," Yin Tianye rebuked. "Gumo, we righteous heroes are here today not to listen to your glib tongue. Everyone here is giving you a chance to prove yourself out of respect for Hero Shen Bai. If you cannot prove your innocence, even Hero Shen Bai won't be able to protect you!"

"Prove myself? My martial arts are the best proof!"

Gumo suddenly took a step forward, his figure flickering like a ghost, moving too fast for the eye to follow. Before anyone could react, Gumo had already darted three to five zhang forward, closing in on Xiao Han and Chu Yunzhou.

Before the two could react further, Gumo's hands moved like lightning. With one hand on each, he seized their necks and lifted them, declaring loudly, "Do you honestly believe these two insignificant nobodies could have escaped from my hands if I, Gumo, were truly pursuing them?"

Before his words finished, Gumo hurled the two men towards the Righteousness Alliance disciples. With a whooshing sound, Xiao Han and Chu Yunzhou's bodies, imbued with a terrifying force, slammed directly into the crowd.

In an instant, a colossal and unparalleled surge of qi erupted from the two men as its epicenter, like a raging tide or a surging tempest. Wherever it swept, the Righteousness Alliance disciples were utterly powerless to resist. The front-row disciples were sent flying by the impact, crashing heavily into those behind them. For a moment, cries and groans intertwined.

The crowd fell in disarray; some were knocked to the ground, thrashing their limbs; others squeezed together, huddled in a heap; and some were directly thrown several zhang away, spitting blood upon impact, their lives hanging in the balance.

"These two lack the qualifications to escape my grasp. Who among your Righteousness Alliance members that day was qualified to make me, Gumo, flee in panic? Step forward and let me weigh your capabilities!"

Gumo suddenly tilted his head back and roared furiously. His voice was like a dragon's roar, reverberating through heaven and earth. Sound waves rolled, piercing through layers of clouds, like crashing thunder carrying immense power. Wherever the sound passed, the air cracked and hummed, and the sand and stones on the ground were shaken upwards, blurring everyone's vision.

Those present, hearing this sound, felt as if they had been struck by lightning.

Some collapsed directly to the ground, their faces as pale as paper, legs trembling uncontrollably; some tightly covered their ears with their hands, yet found it difficult to block the piercing sound, feeling their internal organs churning; and some, with shattered livers and gallbladders, coughed up blood, their eyes filled with terror and despair, their breaths flickering like a candle in the wind, on the verge of extinction.