The sect leader and others present at the scene watched as the witnesses went from one disciple to another, the man just kept checking their hands, the only thing he could remember is the culprit's hand but he couldn't tell exactly what it was about the culprit's hand that he needed to remember.

"At this rate, are you sure that your witnesses would be able to identify any of the disciples?" Sect leader Zhou asked in a low voice as he approached sect leader Lin and as usual, he has his fan with the scenery of mountains and rivers drawn on it. ​​

"If they are guilty then we have nothing to worry about but if they are not then there is nothing we can do about it," Sect leader Lin replied, not wanting to make it obvious to him that he wasn't happy with the direction things were heading, after all, they are not very close.

"I wonder what the emperor would do when he finds out about it, he has barely gotten rid of his fear of the flame sect and now, we have given them a reason to come out of their shell without any way of convicting them?" Sect leader Zhou remarked casually even though it sounded quite the opposite for sect leader Lin.

"Your vague manner of speaking has made me confused once again, sect leader Zhou, why don't you get to the point," Sect leader Lin replied, if what he is thinking is correct then sect leader Zhou might be aware of his dealings with the emperor in the past but he really hoped that it isn't what he was thinking, based on his knowledge, he would definitely try to make bargains with him using his collaboration with the emperor.

"Everyone might not know but the both of us should know how wary the emperor is of the four major sects, the founder of the four major sects were all princes except for the talisman sect which was founded by a princess so it can be said that we are all of the royal bloodlines, if one of us is too powerful than the others and the people are also on one side, the emperor would definitely look for a way to destroy that sect, I am not sure of how much the emperor was involved in the downfall of the flame sect but he definitely had a hand in it, if your witnesses are unable to identify any of them then...the emperor's effort in bringing peace to the nation has been wasted," sect leader Zhou explained but sect leader Lin couldn't help but think that there is another meaning hidden in his explanation, if he truly knows his involvement in the plot with the emperor then he needs to find out at all cost.

"based on what you have said, my sect should be the next targeted sect since the wind sect is now the leading sect in the alliance," Sect leader Lin remarked with a neutral expression on his face, while he searched his eyes to see his reaction but as usual sect leader Zhou expression remained as casual as it was at the beginning of the conversation.

"Alliance leader, I doubt that you have anything to worry about, back then, the flame sect was so prosperous that the people regarded them as the government and ignored the court, everyone both young and old strived to enter the flame sect, their weapons were even the best in the country that other countries came to trade weapons with them but they refused, with the peoples love and their extraordinary weaponry, they were fully capable of overthrowing the court, in my opinion, I don't think the wind sect is anywhere near that," Sect leader Zhou answered, his words felt arrows pierced into his chest, he was indirectly comparing the flame sect to the wind sect and his conclusion only meant that the wind sect has failed to catch up to what the flame sect was like even though they are the leader of the sects, he clenched his fist underneath his sleeve but maintained his calm and majestic composure, although he had no intention of overthrowing the court, he was still determined to become the second in command after the court throughout the dynasty.

"Then I should thank sect leader Zhou for your thorough evaluation, this way, I won't have anything to be worried about, as for the emperor, if the alliance finds them guilty or not guilty, the case will still be taken to the emperor, although the sects and the courts are not supposed to interfere with each other, this matter concerns both parties," Sect Leader Lin replied.

"That is a wise move to make, then it is up to the emperor to get rid of his nemesis, it seems like we have nothing to be worried about," Sect leader Zhou remarked once again.

"We...I thought sect leader Zhou was supportive of the flame sect but from what you have said, it doesn't seem so," Sect leader Lin said, hinting at his previous behaviours in the hall when he was speaking with sect madam Huo.

"I am afraid that you have misunderstood my intentions, I am only speaking from the perspective of the emperor, as for me, as long as they are innocent, I have no problem with the flame sect," Sect leader Zhou replied.

{Does he really not know or is he feigning ignorance...}

Sect leader Lin asked inwardly with his eyes searching his eyes for any hint that might help him know if he really means all he just said.

"Sect Leader Lin, we have checked all the disciples but there is no one with the identification mark in all the disciples," the witnesses announced in front of everyone, the disciple immediately heaved a sigh of relief, especially Huo Bingchen and Huo Mei, they weren't worried that the mark will be found on them since they weren't at the crime scene except for Bingchen but they were worried that the witnesses might point them as the culprits even if they are not the culprits.

Sect madam Huo and the elder exchanged glances in relief, the smile on their faces showed how distressed they were seeing the witnesses go from one disciple to another especially when it reached Bingchen's turn to be examined but sect leader Lin and the other sect leaders had a different expression on their faces, their faces all showed their discontentment with the witnesses conclusion.

"How is that possible, they are definitely the culprits, they must have done something hideous to get rid of the evidence?" Sect leader Yang criticized aloud with his finger pointing at sect madam Huo, the other sect leaders murmured in agreement to his statement while sect leader Lin fumed inwardly in anger.

He deeply regretted that he didn't bribe the witnesses from the start or look for other alternatives, now that his so-called witnesses have failed to identify any of the flame sect disciples as the culprits, he has no other way to convict them now.

"Sect leader Yang, don't you think you are making a baseless accusation, You accused my sect of infiltrating your sects and killing a captain but I still allowed you to search my disciples, what right do you have to claim that we have used wicked ways to get rid of the evidence?" Sect madam Huo questioned in a low but fierce voice.

"How are we supposed to get rid of the evidence when we don't even know what it is?" Huo Ying added confidently while she stood firmly beside her mother.

"You...you must have done something, there is no way the culprits are not among you" Sect leader Yang insisted aloud, then he turned to face sect leader Lin.

"Alliance leader, please don't be fooled by them, my sect has suffered injustice and the court has also been offended, you must absolutely not allow them to go scot-free," Sect leader Yang beseeched with his hands cupped and raised above his chest, his voice sounded like someone whose family has just been murdered without any culprits apprehended. Sect leader Lin furrowed his forehead with the corners of his eyes crinkled, he was already annoyed with the witnesses not finding anything and he has to be bothered by the idiot of a sect leader, he wished he could just lash out at him and tell him to be quiet.

"Sect leader Yang, the investigation will not stop here but now that they are unable to find the evidence of the flame sect involvement with the death of the captain and the infiltration of the vitality sect, I would like to ask the witnesses to disclose what the evidence is," Sect leader Lin with his eyes fixed on the man, he was certain that something had gone wrong at the last meeting so if the man is unable to state what his evidence is then he might be able to turn the situation around.

He immediately raised his head and widened his eyes in fear of the sudden question, if he could remember what is it then it wouldn't have been a problem but now that he is unable to state it, he might be in trouble for deceiving the alliance or accused of aiding the culprits in misleading the alliance, he ransacked his brain for an answer to give while he fiddled with his hands, the sect leaders and everyone present at the scene watched him in silence but they confused his nervousness, they were already beginning to suspect that something had really gone wrong.

Huo Ying tried to make eye contact with the man to test if the voice in her mind might work again but the man kept shifting his gaze from one place to another so she just couldn't lock her eyes with his eyes, her mother turned to her side to look at her then she realized that even Huo Ying had a nervous look on her face, she faced forward again, ignoring the intuition that tells her that Huo Ying definitely did something to the man.

"One of the culprits had a burn scar on his left hand," the man answered as soon as he made up his mind to lie or be in trouble.

"Are you sure of this?" Sect leader Lin asked with his eyes squinted at the witness in suspicion of his answer.

"I...I am very sure of this sect leader Lin," the man answered, summoning all the courage he could gather to lie before the four major sects.

"There is no disciple with a burn scar in my sect, I don't think there is further verification needed, hence, my sect will no longer bear or tolerate further accusations made by the alliance," Sect madam Huo announced as she slowly stood up from her seat in an authoritative and firm manner.

"I disagree with you sect madam Huo," a strong and masculine voice said behind them, then they all turned to see who it was, they didn't even need to see the person to know that the person who had just spoken is a person of influence and might judging from the voice, seeing who it was, they were all astonished by the presence of this person in the territory of the flame sect.

"Regional commander!" the sect leaders greeted in unison as the regional commanders and the soldiers following behind him approached them, he stopped when he got to where sect madam Huo stood then he cupped his hands and pushed it forward to greet her first before turning to sect leader Lin to greet him.

"he doesn't even put the alliance leader in his eyes, how could he greet sect madam Huo first," one of the sect leaders of the minor sect who followed the four major sect leaders to the flame mountain whispered to his partner.

"He has gone too far," his partner whispered but his words flew into sect leader Lin's ear, he was already embarrassed by the regional commander's actions but hearing the gossip between those two made him infuriated.

With a false smile on his face, sect leader Lin arched his sleeved in front of his waist and walked to the front of the regional commander who was giving all his attention to sect madam Huo with his face showing how pleased he was to see her and the elders, the sect leaders could see from his expression that the both of them must have been familiar with each other.

"I wonder what has brought the regional commander to the flame sect today, it so happens that your visit coincides with the alliance gathering at the flame sect?" sect leader Lin inquired, the bright expression on the regional commanders face immediately turned dark at the mention of the purpose of his visit, he cleared his throat and turned to face sect leader Lin.

"I am here for the same reason why the alliance has gathered here today," he replied vaguely, not wanting to make the issue to seem as serious as it really is, sect madam Huo looked at him with a serious expression as she heard his answer, if it is for the same reason then it means that...

"Regional commander, you mean..."

"Yes, I am here by the order of the emperor to summon the flame sect leader to the court to investigate the flame sect involvement with the death of captain Wang Shang," the regional commander announced with a regretful look in his eyes as he avoided her gaze because of his past relationship with the flame sect which no one knows about, he couldn't bear to look into her eyes and he felt ashamed to tell her that he came to the flame sect to bring them to the court.

However, the sect leaders of the three major sects and the vitality sect were overjoyed with this news even though they concealed the joy on their faces, seeing as the case has reached the emperor, they no longer have to get rid of the flame sect themselves since the issue no longer concerns the alliance but also the court.

"Regional commander, may I know why the emperor suspects my sect of this crime, we have been in seclusion for years and now both the alliance and the court are suspecting my sect of causing trouble again, don't you think I deserve an explanation?" She asked with a wronged expression on her face, she has barely managed to exonerate her sect from the alliance accusation but now the court is also suspecting the flame sect too, she knows that if the court suspects the flame sect then there must be a solid reason for it and this is exactly why she is terrified of being investigated by the court.