Shang Xingyan pondered, "The soul tainted with demonic nature? If that's the case, the Haoran Zhengqi (righteous energy) is indeed nurturing a demon."

"That's right! Since the demonic nature has been expelled by righteous energy, how could the soul in the coffin kill people?"

Pei Hao Hong said, "According to our ancestor Pei Yu's explanation, the Confucian School is like healing a wolf."

"Even if Haoran Zhengqi and the morals of sages are used to heal a wolf's wounds, it won't change its carnivorous nature."

Shang Xingyan nodded noncommittally. "Continue."

Pei Hao Hong said, "After deducing this truth, our ancestor Pei Yu became restless."

"In his words, he was like a man possessed, uncontrollably wanting to uncover the secrets of the Soul Gathering Coffin and save Banxian Village."

"Our ancestor also knew that someone among the five elders of Banxian Village must know all the secrets."

"Even if he made all the evidence public, he would be regarded as a madman, or even a traitor to Confucianism."

"But he couldn't do nothing and just watch Banxian Village be destroyed."

"Our ancestor tried to lead the Pei family out of Banxian Village, but the Pei family members had already integrated into the life of Banxian Village and were proud of it. No one would support our ancestor's decision."

"Helpless, our ancestor came up with a plan, which was to take away the Soul Gathering Coffin, forcing the person hidden in Banxian Village to tell the truth."

"Our ancestor did this, but he not only failed to force that person out, but also made himself a traitor to Confucianism."

"Our ancestor did not betray Banxian Village, but the Pei family betrayed our ancestor."

Pei Hao Hong said resentfully, "Those shameless people, in order to return to Confucianism, actually passed the news of our ancestor gathering them to Banxian Village."

"As a result, our ancestor was besieged and could only break through and escape with one of the Soul Gathering Coffins."

"From then on, our ancestor disappeared!"

"In those days, the group of people who betrayed our ancestor not only failed to return to Banxian Village, but were also spurned by Confucianism. They either died in depression, or never mentioned that they were Confucian disciples again."

"Only our branch of the family has always believed that our ancestor was wronged. In order to clear our ancestor's name, we secretly returned to Banxian Village to pursue the secrets of that year."

"It wasn't until many years later that we discovered the Soul Gathering Coffin buried by our ancestor under the Shanglin Memorial Arch, as well as the notes left by our ancestor before his death."

Pei Hao Hong said with infinite emotion, "After learning the truth, everyone in the Pei family cried and laughed!"

"They laughed because the ancestor of the Pei family did not betray them, and the Pei family was worthy of Confucianism!"

"They cried because the ancestor of the Pei family was inexplicably wronged, and how should we clear the Pei family's name?"

Hearing this, a sneer could not help but rise from the corner of Shang Xingyan's mouth: "So what! What solution have you come up with?"

Pei Hao Hong said, "We have come up with a solution!"

"That is to destroy the Demon Suppression Stone Forest and let the fierce demon be born."

"Only when Banxian Village sees the essence of the fierce demon can everything our ancestor did be verified."

"So, I have been cultivating traitors to Confucianism. Xia Mengying of the Xia family was one of the targets I locked on back then."

Shang Xingyan smiled and said, "Interesting, really interesting! Tell me, how do you cultivate traitors to Confucianism?"

Pei Hao Hong said, "The first step in cultivating traitors to Confucianism is to shake their beliefs!"

"That time, I appeared in the Linjian Academy of Banxian Village in order to plant a seed that could generate a traitor to Confucianism among those children."

"After I saw Xia Mengying, I lost interest in the other children. My goal was to turn Xia Mengying into a traitor to Confucianism."

"This time, my first step has been completed. I let the traitor to Confucianism quietly bring the ghost into Banxian Village, so that Banxian Village mistakenly thought that the stone tablet forest was loosening and the fierce demon was born, so they had to close the mountain gate."

"Xia Mengying will also be sent here smoothly to seek my help in saving Banxian Village!"

Shang Xingyan said in a deep voice, "Who is the traitor to Confucianism in Banxian Village who is helping you?"

"Xia Chuan, the head of the Xia family!" Pei Hao Hong said his secret contact without hesitation.

Shang Xingyan frowned: "Xia Chuan? The head of the Xia family? How did you control Xia Chuan?"

Pei Hao Hong replied truthfully, "I had grasped Xia Chuan's weakness a long time ago, so he would obediently listen to me."

Shang Xingyan said, "What weakness did you grasp about him?"

Pei Hao Hong said, "The person who had an affair with Xia Yuting back then was not Li Chunfeng, but Xia Chuan!"

Shang Xingyan's eyes suddenly widened: "Are you sure?"

Pei Hao Hong said, "I have conclusive evidence."

"Back then, I saw them two meeting in private in the academy with my own eyes. Xia Chuan also left behind his jade pendant. That jade pendant is in my hands!"

Shang Xingyan asked continuously, "Why did you discover their private meeting? Did someone remind you, or did you accidentally stumble upon it?"

"How long did the two meet in private? How much did you see?"

"What did the two say during their private meeting? And where did they each go afterwards?"

"Speak!"

Shang Xingyan's last word "speak" was like a thunderclap, which immediately frightened Pei Hao Hong into shivering.

Pei Hao Hong told the story of what happened that year in detail. Shang Xingyan walked back and forth in the house a few times before sneering: "Pei Hao Hong, you are so bold!"