Si Yu’an’s sword-like brows lifted slightly, as if in thought.

Ruan Qin, however, asked with keen interest, "This Xu Ximing... what’s his situation?"

Off to the side, Kou Xuejiao said hatefully, "I know this person. Thirteen years ago, the Evil Sea also had a bout of turmoil, though it wasn’t as severe as this time. Wu Bingyi came then as well, and even brought his Disciple Xu Ximing, probably for a trial. In the end, when Xu Ximing faced the Evil Observation, he began to doubt himself and left the Evil Sea. Wu Bingyi deemed it desertion from the Human Race battlefield, blocked him at the Door of Mortal World, personally punished him according to the law, and threw him back into the Evil Sea to atone. Xu Ximing was overwhelmed with shame, found an opportunity, and killed himself... Wu Bingyi is nothing but a blade of law, without the slightest trace of human feeling!"

Thinking of the things he had talked about with "Xu Ximing," thinking of Xu Ximing’s admiration for Wu Bingyi, and his pride when speaking of the Zhu Li Sword, Jiang Wang was momentarily stunned.

He could more or less understand now why Xu Mingsong had said that Wu Bingyi was the most impartial man under heaven. Because this Grandmaster of the Legalist Sect was just as harsh toward his own Direct Disciples.

It even explained why, before the True Monarch of Blood River, Huo Shiji, went to his death, he still specially begged that the matter end with him and that the disciples of Blood River Sect not be punished. He must also have known Wu Bingyi’s way of doing things.

But even though he said so, it still did not change Wu Bingyi’s decision.

Kou Xuejiao was describing Wu Bingyi’s cold-bloodedness.

What Jiang Wang suddenly recalled, however, was when Wu Bingyi first appeared in his field of vision, reached out to push him aside, and said that line—"Young man, this is not your battlefield. Fall back!"

Such a stern and cold person had finally, after thirteen years, admitted that the Evil Sea was not a battlefield for the young.

However, compared to what Jiang Wang was feeling, for the True Monarchs present, the more terrifying part was—

Why had Xu Ximing, who had already died thirteen years ago, appeared in the Evil Sea to be seen by Jiang Wang?

And he had even managed to deceive the insight of so many True Monarch-level powerhouses traveling with them. Just what kind of existence was it?

Looking across the entire Evil Sea, there were in fact not many existences that could fit the bill...

"Jiang You." Chen Pu looked over. "What did that Xu Ximing you spoke of chat with you about?"

This should have been the question that Xu Ximing’s master, Wu Bingyi, asked. But Wu Bingyi had asked nothing and had already left, carrying Xu Mingsong with him.

Jiang Wang vaguely felt that he had already been locked onto by a certain Power; wherever the gaze fell, shackles followed. Chen Pu’s wariness at this moment was extremely obvious.

Even Si Yu’an’s hand had come to rest on that stalk of grass.

And it was at this moment that Ruan Qin took a step forward, came to stand beside Jiang Wang, dispelled all the pressure, and said in an even tone, "This young man has a sense of responsibility and dared to enter the Evil Sea to shoulder it. Whatever went wrong ought to be on you fellow True Monarchs. Do you all not agree? If none of you managed to perceive anything, yet you demand insight from a young man barely past twenty, isn’t that rather unfair?"

"Ruan Jianzheng, you misunderstand." Chen Pu said calmly, "I have no demands of Jiang You, I am merely asking a few questions."

Ruan Qin glanced at Chen Pu, then at Si Yu’an, and only then said unhurriedly, "With you questioning him like this, the young man’s thin-skinned; it’s inevitable he’ll get nervous. Why don’t you step back a bit?"

Chen Pu took two steps back. "If Ruan Jianzheng feels this is safe, I certainly have no objection."

Si Yu’an shrugged, indicating he didn’t mind either way.

Jiang Wang stood there in silence, and, unexpectedly, he did not feel nervous at all—in this kind of mutual suspicion, he should by rights have felt fear. 𝘧𝓇𝑒𝑒𝑤ℯ𝑏𝓃𝘰𝑣ℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮

Ruan Qin looked at Jiang Wang with a smile. "In light of certain suspicions that everyone inevitably harbors, Jiang You, would you mind if I conduct a brief inspection? I’ll use some special methods, won’t touch on the secrets of your Cultivation, only search for clues related to the Evil Sea. Of course, if you’re unwilling, no one can force you. I’ll simply take you back to Linzi."

"If you’re willing to help inspect me, that’s naturally for the best." Jiang Wang said with a bitter smile. "It’ll set my mind at ease as well."

Ruan Qin stood next to Jiang Wang; his features, at a glance, looked even more youthful than Jiang Wang, who was only twenty-one.

He raised his hand, and a layer of starlight shrouded it. He simply placed it lightly on Jiang Wang’s shoulder, like two friends of similar age. Smiling, he said, "You can go ahead and talk with Dean Chen and the others. They’re all very well-mannered seniors and won’t make things hard for you."

So Jiang Wang looked toward Chen Pu and spoke quite calmly, "To answer Dean Chen’s question. The first time I saw Xu Ximing was after Master Wu arrived at Saint Water..."

From Xu Ximing’s questions, to their talk about the Zhu Li Sword, it even included Xu Ximing’s evaluation of Peng Chongjian, and finally Xu Ximing asking him whether he felt that the scene of Huo Shiji going to his death was resplendent.

Jiang Wang held nothing back and recounted everything once.

Because he understood that that "Xu Ximing," or rather the fellow who had used Xu Ximing’s identity to converse with him, was definitely an extremely terrifying existence. If it harbored any designs on him, at least with his own strength alone, he absolutely had no possibility of resisting. Any slightest omission in detail might cause the several True Monarchs to stray from the truth.

After listening to Jiang Wang’s account, Chen Pu and Si Yu’an exchanged a look, both finding it somewhat hard to comprehend.

From the way "Xu Ximing" had interacted with Jiang Wang, everything seemed perfectly normal. Even the combat style of Xu Ximing as described by Jiang Wang showed nothing unusual. It truly gave one the feeling that the person who had spoken with Jiang Wang was Xu Ximing himself!