[天命为凰]

Untitled Part 103

103 Convincing the Masses

All eyes turned to Lu Mingshu.

Lu Mingshu, face as pale as a ghost, whose frail body was covered with blood, and the same person who had won eighteen fights in a row and created a historical moment.

She stood there quietly and expressionlessly. She didn't try to defend herself, and she didn't look guilty either, as if the whole situation had nothing to do with her.

On the other hand, Gao Xiang was like a cat on hot bricks. He stood up to defend Lu Mingshu, "Elder Zhou, where's your evidence?"

"Evidence?" Elder Zhou sneered. He pointed to the horribly mangled body, "Look! Just look at him. He passed the lower door with Lu Mingshu and his body was found near the lower door as well. Doesn't that seem fishy? And as for evidence... we could just match the cut on the neck to the murder weapon, do you want to have a go?"

"No need for all the hassle," Lu Mingshu calmly cut off Elder Zhou, "I killed him."

This caused many disciples to cry out in surprise. The heroine who won eighteen fights and reached the top ten is a murderer? This...!

"Mingshu!" Gao Xiang panicked, "You...!"

But Lu Mingshu had no intention of correcting herself.

Gao Xiang urgently debated with Elder Zhou, "Please think carefully, everyone! What reason does she have to kill? She's much more powerful than most, so there's no need for her to get rid of her opponent. Who would waste such unnecessary energy on someone like Liang Zongping?" He shouted, "And if you wanted to say that she killed for wealth, that's even more ridiculous! How wealthy could a normal disciple like him be? Besides, his belongings are all still with him!"

"What are you blabbering about, kid?" Elder Zhou bellowed, "She already admitted it!"

"What my disciple means," An Tongchen started coldly, "is that no matter what, there's no reason for Lu Mingshu to kill. There must be something else going on here."

"That's right!" With his master backing him up, Gao Xiang felt more daring, "Yes, it's a crime to murder, but it's not a crime to kill someone in self-defense!"

Elder Zhou sneered, "Youngster, as you said earlier, she's more powerful than others. What's the need for self-defense then?"

"Why not?" Gao Xiang increased his volume, "Everyone saw it, they were together at the lower door, which shows that they were teammates! Under normal circumstances, why would you hurt your teammate for no reason? Unless... he betrayed her during a fight or tried to harm her!" He tried to reason with Elder Zhou.

The crowd nodded in agreement. That makes sense. Liang Zongping was an ordinary disciple, while Lu Mingshu was aiming to be a genuine successor disciple. He was hardly a rival for her; it made no sense to kill Liang Zongping unless he did something to her first.

"Haha, you're quite a good storyteller! What you've said is certainly reasonable, but where's your evidence?"

"Then where's yours? She's a genuine successor disciple of this Heavenly Door competition and yet you want to fix her up as a murderer before she can even explain herself? Is that how the Nine Jade Palace treats their genuine successor disciples!?" Gao Xiang shouted at the top of his lungs. He then pulled Lu Mingshu forward, "Mingshu, explain!"

Lu Mingshu slowly lifted her head. She made eye contact with Elder Zhou and smiled, "Elder Zhou, I think perhaps you're missing something here."

Elder Zhou stared daggers at her, "What are you trying to say?"