There's no way Guhan Sect didn't have one!
Right now, to prove Song Jue's innocence, they just needed to show the recording. Once everyone saw it, the truth would speak for itself.
The moment those words fell, the crowd's expressions shifted in strange ways. Every gaze turned to Luo Hantian, waiting for him to say something.
Luo Hantian's brows darkened, and he was just about to respond when Song Wanníng suddenly spoke up.
"May I ask why the Sect Master of Wushang Sect insists that my grandmaster is connected to those monsters? Do you have solid proof, or was it something you 'calculated'?"
Her tone was calm, her face gentle, like she was genuinely curious.
The Sect Master of Wushang Sect didn't even blink. He said flatly, "Naturally, it was calculated."
Of course, he couldn't admit someone had sent him that so-called information.
"Oh?"
Song Wanníng perked up instantly, sitting straighter.
"In that case, since you could calculate that the person behind it all is my grandmaster, surely you can also figure out where those monsters' nest is, right?
We've been worrying about how to wipe them out. Perfect timing that you're here."
Her bright eyes locked on the Sect Master, full of anticipation. "Sect Master, please don't be stingy. Share the monsters' location with us. After all, as one of the Five Great Sects of the Southern Region, Guhan Sect has a duty to protect the people!"
She didn't even give him a chance to reply. In one breath, she'd pushed Wushang Sect onto the moral high ground.
Just as expected, everyone's attention shifted to the Sect Master of Wushang Sect.
His expression stiffened a little before he quickly said, "We couldn't calculate the monsters' lair."
"What?"
Song Wanníng's eyes widened. "Is Wushang Sect really that useless? Even we managed to find several nests, yet you couldn't calculate a single one?
With skills that pathetic, you're saying my grandmaster's behind it all? You really think anyone's buying that? How ridiculous."
She leaned back slightly, her voice sharp and cold. "If you're gonna accuse someone, bring proof. Don't bite like a mad dog. You're just making people question your real motives.
My grandmaster's already dead. Guhan Sect mourns him deeply, and now you want to drag his name through the mud again over a baseless accusation? You really think too highly of yourselves."
Her face said it all—you're not even worth my time.
The people of Wushang Sect hadn't expected her to be this blunt, calling them mad dogs right to their faces. Their expressions turned ugly, yet her words left them speechless.
After all, if anyone could be forced to "prove their innocence" just because someone said so, wouldn't that throw the entire Cultivation Realm into chaos?
The Sect Master of Wushang Sect's face hardened as he stared at Song Wanníng.
This woman was sharp-tongued, vicious even.
"Song Zūnzhě," he said coldly, "we may not know where the monsters' nest is, but we did calculate that Song Jue was a threat to the entire Spirit Realm. After his death, the Spirit Realm's crisis disappeared immediately!"
He'd come here with one goal—to drag Guhan Sect's name through the mud. Even if he couldn't destroy them outright, he wasn't about to let them walk away unscathed. He only needed to stick to that story.
As soon as he said it, the place erupted in whispers. A threat to the Spirit Realm—that was serious business.
True or not, no one liked hearing such things. Besides, Wushang Sect and Guhan Sect had no real grudges. There was no reason for them to lie.
As more people started giving her strange looks, Song Wanníng's patience finally wore thin.
She could tell Wushang Sect wasn't acting out of concern for the Spirit Realm. They were just using it as an excuse to serve their own agenda.
So she stood up.
A soft breeze stirred her robes, her entire presence flaring like a sword unsheathed. The pressure was suffocating.
Many couldn't help lowering their heads, not daring to meet her gaze.
"Since Wushang Sect's so amazing," she said coldly, "why don't you calculate your own death date, Sect Master?"
Her voice was icy, arrogant, and sharp enough to slice through the air.
Gasps rippled through the crowd.
"While you're at it," she added with a mocking smile, "why not calculate how the Huo Clan of the Central Region got annihilated?"
The disdain in her eyes was unmistakable. That fearless, almost arrogant aura made everyone's heart pound. It was easy to forget that this was the woman who'd single-handedly wiped out the Huo Clan. Who in their right mind would dare provoke her?
Instantly, the hostility in the crowd vanished.
Instead, several sects stepped forward to speak for Guhan Sect.
"Elder Song Jue devoted his life to the people. When the beast tide broke out, he led his disciples to defend against it and nearly died in the process!"
"That's right, Elder Song Jue was steady and kind. He'd never do something like that. Wushang Sect's accusations are going too far! Slandering the dead based on some baseless 'calculation'? That's despicable!"
"This is the Southern Region's territory! You Eastern Region sects have no right to cause trouble here!"
The sect masters of the Southern Region seized the moment to side with Guhan Sect, making their goodwill clear. After all, in the Cultivation Realm, strength spoke louder than anything else, and Song Wanníng's strength was beyond dispute.
None of them wanted to offend her.
Watching those same opportunistic faces, the Sect Master of Wushang Sect could barely keep his composure. Especially under Song Wanníng's piercing gaze, a chill crept up his spine. But since he'd already come this far, he couldn't just back down empty-handed. He hesitated for a moment, then decided to double down on his accusations.
Before he could open his mouth, though, another voice rang out.
"What's all this commotion? Wanníng, did I come too late?"
A wave of cold air swept over the crowd. Everyone turned in shock to see a group of ghost cultivators descending from the sky, carrying gifts in their arms.
The man in the lead was a Mahayana cultivator, his aura terrifying.
"King Yama?"
Song Wanníng blinked in surprise. She really hadn't expected him to show up.
After all, the passage to the Ghost Realm had only recently opened, and they'd been keeping a low profile ever since. They rarely interacted with the Spirit Realm.
For King Yama to appear at her advancement ceremony, and so openly, was shocking.
"The King Yama? It's really him?"
The crowd stirred again, whispering in awe as everyone tried to get a good look at the ruler of the Ghost Realm.
"Hahaha! It hasn't even been that long, and you've already advanced to the Unity stage?"
King Yama strode forward with a booming laugh that seemed to shake the air itself.
"Last time you were only at the Out-of-Body stage and already managed to fight a Mahayana cultivator. Now that you're in Unity, I bet one punch from you could send me flying!"
He said it like a joke, but everyone could hear the warning buried beneath his laughter.
The Sect Master of Wushang Sect caught it instantly. A chill shot up his spine, sweat prickling at his neck. Now he regretted everything. He'd let greed get the better of him. If he'd known Song Wanníng was this terrifying, he wouldn't have come no matter what!
And before anyone could recover, several clan patriarchs from the Central Region arrived right after the Ghost Realm entourage.
"Please forgive us, Song Zūnzhě," one of them said. "The Central Region's quite far from Guhan Sect. We hurried here as fast as we could, but we're still a little late!"