Chapter 3585 — Framed and Set Up
The Blossom Guardian · Page 1 of 3
"Is there anyone else?" Meng Jueming bellowed again with great fanfare.
The newcomers who had finished their inspections and come back out all shook their heads; the restrictive spells on their caves were still intact, and nothing inside had gone missing. Relieved, they now wore the relaxed expressions of spectators taking in a show.
Such was the way of the cultivation world: draw the curtain on others' troubles and hang them high; it's the fellow cultivator who dies, not the poor monk. Whoever loses out is simply unlucky—so long as it isn't you.
Not only that, but though Meng Zhou and Li Zhengming had not shown off quite as conspicuously as Wei Zhao, they had nonetheless been the special beneficiaries of Meng Jueming's favor. Watching those fine caves and spirit jades fall into their hands, it would have been a lie to say the other newcomers felt not the slightest envy or jealousy. Just now, every one of them was secretly gloating.
Gloating over what, you fools? A pack of idiots being played in the palm of someone's hand and not even knowing it!
Meng Zhou cursed inwardly, resolving that once Wei Zhao was dealt with this time, he would settle accounts with this bunch of blind, clueless creatures as well, and make them see clearly just who the leader here really was!
"It seems no one else has been robbed, correct?" Meng Jueming let his gaze sweep deliberately over the crowd, and seeing that no one spoke, raised his voice aloud: "The theft of spirit jade is no small matter! By the rules of our Welcome Pavilion, this affair must be investigated from the very beginning, the culprit seized, and punishment meted out without mercy!"
"Senior Brother Meng is wise indeed—you must drag this damned thief out and give us justice!" Meng Zhou and Li Zhengming immediately cried out in chorus, playing along with great cooperation.
"Hmph. Beneath my very eyes, Meng Jueming's, no petty scoundrel has ever yet slipped through!" Meng Jueming curled his lip and snorted coldly, then turned to face the crowd: "First, one thing can be certain. Since the thief stole spirit jade, and moreover singled out Meng Zhou and Li Zhengming to strike at, it is clear he is rather familiar with you people."
The newcomers exchanged bewildered glances. After a moment they came to a sudden realization and nodded one after another.
Of all the newcomers, Meng Zhou and Li Zhengming had the largest spirit jades—this was something every newcomer present knew. Yet outsiders beyond their number could scarcely have been aware of it. To say it was purely a blind cat stumbling upon a dead mouse, sheer luck landing on those two caves in particular, would be stretching coincidence far too thin!
Could it be that the true thief of the spirit jade was hiding among these very newcomers?
The thought sprang up in every newcomer's mind at once, and the more they dwelled on it, the more plausible it seemed. After all, only their own number knew who held the largest spirit jades, and only they—newcomers desperately short of cultivation resources—would risk everything for a spirit jade or two, would they not?
Having successfully sown suspicion among them, Meng Jueming smiled smugly, then put on a show of impartiality: "As the senior brother who oversees you, in my heart of hearts I absolutely believe every one of you is a man of upright conduct, a good fellow who would never disgrace the good name of our Azure Cloud Pavilion. But since this affair has occurred, before we go hunting for outsiders we must first see that our own conduct is straight and our footing square. Only when there is no problem on our side can we have the confidence to investigate outsiders. You would all agree this is the proper reasoning, would you not?"