Chapter 469: Reason

Qinghua took the initiative with a preemptive strike; her stunning face wore a cold expression, and a tremendous pressure filled the air.

She came from an extraordinary background and carried an inherent air of authority.

She actually did not know the truth about Qingzui's death; she only wanted to come and bluff Yu Yaonu.

Yu Yaonu looked at Qinghua, a look of confusion on her face: "Qinghua, your cousin... what do you mean?"

Yu Yaonu's expression was blank, as if she knew nothing at all.

"Yu Yaonu, stop pretending. You had people kill my cousin; the evidence is conclusive." Qinghua's words remained unkind.

Qingzui was her cousin, but also surnamed Qing, which was not uncommon in a large family like the Qing Family.

"Qinghua, I really don't know what you are talking about." Yu Yaonu still denied it.

She was still too weak and simply had no qualifications to deal with a large family like the Qing Family.

She had heard Yaoyue say that the Qing Family was the undisputed Overlord of the Nanhuang Realm.

The current Qing Family was simply not someone Yu Yaonu could oppose.

And Qinghua was, furthermore, the leader of the Qing Family's younger generation.

Qinghua looked at Yu Yaonu, her face gloomy.

She had taken the initiative to strike first, wanting to intimidate Yu Yaonu.

An ordinary timid person, being bluffed like this, might just confess.

However, Yu Yaonu's reaction looked truly innocent.

This made Qinghua somewhat suspicious of whether she had suspected the wrong person.

Yet, various pieces of evidence indicated that her cousin had indeed headed toward Yu Yaonu.

"My cousin died outside on July 8th, and you are a major suspect!" Seeing that she couldn't bluff her, Qinghua had to speak the truth.

Yu Yaonu shook her head: "Qinghua, first, I don't know your cousin, and second, why would I kill your cousin?"

Qinghua looked at Yu Yaonu, her gaze icy: "You don't know my cousin, but my cousin knew you."

"You are being somewhat unreasonable," Yaoyue couldn't help but say.

Qinghua coldly glanced at Yaoyue, her eyes slightly surprised; perhaps she rarely saw a woman with such temperament.

However, Qinghua did not pay much attention to it, instead saying: "Yu Yaonu, I also want this to be a misunderstanding, that you didn't kill my cousin.

But my cousin's death is indeed related to you. I hope you can come with me, cooperate with my investigation, and once it is cleared up that it has nothing to do with you, I will restore your innocence!"

Qinghua's words were earnest and sincere.

Yet, what she said made no sense at all.

If she suspected that Qingzui's death was related to Yu Yaonu, she should find evidence, not Imprison Yu Yaonu.

Her action was ill-intentioned.

Qinghua's action was indeed ill-intentioned.

Compared to other Qingque Favored Ones, Yu Yaonu had the lowest background, and she also felt she was easier to control.

"You are being somewhat unreasonable speaking like this; I have no reason to cooperate with you," Yu Yaonu said.

In fact, she was also somewhat helpless.

Qinghua was able to enter the Academy without anyone stopping her, which meant that this matter was tacitly approved by the Academy.

"Yu Yaonu, I am speaking to you politely now. If you don't cooperate, I won't care about your status as a Zhuque Favored One!"

Qinghua's voice turned cold again.

If it were others, they might be wary of the status of a Zhuque Favored One, but Qinghua was one too, so naturally, she was not afraid.

"On the afternoon of July 8th at one o'clock, where were you?" Qinghua asked Yu Yaonu, "After you left the Academy, who did you go to see?"

Yaoyue spoke up again at this moment: "Yaonu has no need to tell you these things; this is her privacy."

Only then did Qinghua seriously size up Yaoyue: "I am speaking with Yu Yaonu; what right do you have to interrupt?"

She looked at Yu Yaonu again: "You don't want to answer now, no problem. Come back with me, and I will naturally investigate and restore your innocence.

Yu Yaonu, don't force me to use force; that would be embarrassing for both of us."

"If I leave with you, my life and death will be entirely in your hands. Whether I killed your cousin or not will be up to you to spout nonsense about," Yu Yaonu's tone hardened.

She could not leave with Qinghua; that way, her life and death would be entirely in Qinghua's hands.

However, Qingzui, she also had to kill.

Otherwise, the one who would die would be her.

There is too much helplessness in life; it is either you die or I live.

Qinghua looked at Yu Yaonu, her face gradually turning cold: "Are you sure you won't come with me? And peacefully cooperate with my investigation?"

Yu Yaonu did not speak, which counted as an affirmation.

"It seems my reputation as Qinghua is still not big enough." After finishing, Qinghua pressed toward Yu Yaonu; a powerful aura permeated at this moment, and the entire courtyard was filled with a stifling atmosphere.

The aura Qinghua revealed at this moment was shockingly that of a King-level Beast Master!

This was a huge gap compared to Yu Yaonu.

She decided to forcibly take Yu Yaonu away.

However, just at this moment, Yaoyue spoke again, her voice carrying a trace of disdain: "The Qing Family has such a big mouth; could it be... that you are the Heaven of the Nanhuang Realm?"

Qinghua looked at Yaoyue, feeling disgusted; this woman had provoked her again and again: "So what if my Qing Family is the Heaven here?

Today I am taking Yu Yaonu away; do you still want to stop me?"

Qinghua knew that this Yaoyue might have some status, but so what?

Her Qing Family was the true Overlord of the Nanhuang Realm.

Others, especially those she did not know, could be completely ignored.

"Do you not even put the Imperial Palace in your eyes?" Yaoyue's voice was ethereal, and as she spoke, she took out a crystal-clear Jade Slip.

The Jade Slip only looked like it had a better material; it had no other special features.

However, on it, there was a single character: "Imperial".

Seeing this character, Qing Hua's expression changed drastically; she looked at Yaoyue with an expression of disbelief, and then her expression became respectful.

"Greetings, Inspector of the Imperial Palace!"

The Imperial Palace has Inspectors, who hold noble status.

The current Nanhuang Realm is controlled by the Imperial Palace.

Although many people from the Qing Family hold high positions in the Imperial Palace of the Nanhuang Realm, the position of Inspector is something the Qing Family cannot touch.

Inspectors are all Beast Masters who can only be controlled from the front lines, and they hold a transcendent status in the Imperial Palace.

Let alone Qing Hua, even the head of the Qing Family would need to be respectful upon seeing an Inspector of the Imperial Palace.

The strength of Inspectors varies, but their status and position are absolutely high.

Qing Hua did not expect that this woman was actually an Inspector.

She felt some regret, feeling that she had been a bit abrupt.

Although, as a Zhuque Favored One, she was not very afraid of Inspectors as long as she became the Zhuque Saintess.

But just because she was not afraid did not mean her family was not afraid.

"Is the Qing Family the heaven of the Nanhuang Realm?" Yaoyue looked at Qing Hua, her gaze indifferent.

Qing Hua was stared at by Yaoyue's gaze, and she felt endless killing intent.

It was as if she were not facing a person, but a fierce beast with hands stained with blood.

"Inspector, please forgive me. My cousin died unexpectedly, and I was in deep pain and distress, speaking without thinking and losing my sense of propriety." Qing Hua lowered her head, her previous arrogance completely vanished.

"Do you still intend to take Yu Yaonu away?"

"I... Yu Yaonu is not at fault, so naturally I will not take her away."

"Since she is not at fault, why don't you apologize?" Yaoyue scrutinized Qing Hua.

A trace of killing intent flashed in the depths of Qing Hua's eyes, but on the surface, she remained very docile: "Yu Yaonu, I'm sorry, I was abrupt just now."

After Qing Hua finished saying this, her expression was one of humiliation.

Yaoyue glanced at Qing Hua, her voice indifferent: "If you were not a Zhuque Favored One, I would have already erased you."

Yaoyue had experienced many great battles, and slaughter was a daily routine for her.

She did not just slaughter fierce beasts, but also Beast Masters.

After all, in that kind of environment, there were not a few Beast Masters who betrayed their race.

A trace of fear flashed through Qing Hua; she felt that Yaoyue would truly kill her.

She dared not say anything more, bid farewell to Yaoyue, and left the courtyard.

The courtyard returned to tranquility, and Yu Yaonu looked at Yaoyue: "Thank you for resolving the situation."

Yaoyue smiled: "I just couldn't stand her. Moreover, you are all Zhuque Favored Ones; your births were bought with the blood of countless people, and I do not wish to see you die in internal strife."

As Yaoyue spoke, she added: "Don't look at that Qing Hua as arrogant and domineering now; once she heads to the front lines, her personality will change."

Qing Hua gave Yu Yaonu a meaningful look.

"Does contracting a Zhuque affect a Beast Master's personality?" Yu Yaonu caught the key point.

"Yes, but it is only some subtle influence; you are still you.

Those influences are all positive." Yaoyue did not hide it from Yu Yaonu.

"Is that so?" Yu Yaonu felt some resistance in her heart, but she did not care too much; she looked at Yaoyue, "In any case, thank you."

Actually, she still had some worries in her heart.

She had also heard of Inspectors, who held transcendent status.

Yaoyue was an Inspector; if an accident occurred at the Swallowing Whale Trial Ground, Yaoyue might be the variable that affected their plan.

Yaoyue looked at Yu Yaonu: "You becoming the Zhuque Saintess and sealing more Red Pupils is my greatest expectation."

"I will try my best," Yu Yaonu said in her heart.

Actually, she was not that expectant about becoming the Zhuque Saintess.

What she was most urgent about now was awakening the Pet Beast within her body.

Or rather, healing it.

"The bridge guards of the Qingtian Domain at that time were led by the Ziyi Marquis.

The Ziyi Marquis is one of the 100,008 marquises of the Imperial Palace, a Beast Master above the Mythical level.

Such a figure, even I have never seen.

I did not expect that you actually came to the Nanhuang Realm from the Lost Zone.

I am very curious, how did you cross the Imperial Heaven Staircase?" Yaoyue looked at Yu Yaonu, her face filled with curiosity.

A few days ago, Yu Yaonu asked her to investigate some matters, and only then did she understand Yu Yaonu's identity.

She was also clear about the Lost Zone.

It was a world lost when the Beast Master world faced attacks from fierce beasts and Red Pupils.

In some of the lost worlds, the fierce beasts had almost all perished, and the Red Pupils had not yet fully descended; the environment there was harsh, and a group of descendants of sinners lived there.

However, the Lost Zone could be destroyed at any time.

"I also don't know how I crossed the Imperial Heaven Staircase." When Yu Yaonu said this, her mind was in a trance.

Yaoyue looked at Yu Yaonu, her gaze complex: "Was it the first Pet Beast you contracted?

A Pet Beast at the Awakening Stage being able to bring you through the Imperial Heaven Staircase, this... is moving."

Yaoyue had more experience than Yu Yaonu, so she naturally knew how difficult it was for a Pet Beast at the Awakening Stage to bring someone up the Imperial Heaven Staircase.

This also indicates that the Pet Beast contracted by Yu Yaonu must be of a very high grade, perhaps even possessing Mythical-level potential.

Of course, Yaoyue does not know that at the time, Yu Yaonu did not summon that Pet Beast; rather, it was that Pet Beast that forcibly broke through the Beast Space and then carried Yu Yaonu up the Imperial Heaven Staircase.

If she knew the truth, it would be more than just a sigh.

"Perhaps," Yu Yaonu was still somewhat dazed, "I only remember fainting on the Imperial Heaven Staircase, and when I woke up, I was in the Nanhuang Realm; I do not know who helped me."

"Perhaps it was your contracted Pet Beast that carried you up the Imperial Heaven Staircase, and then you encountered other kind-hearted people; otherwise, you would not have been able to cross the bridge.

These matters, I fear, are known only to that group of bridge guards under Ziyi Marquis.

However, with your current status and position, you have no qualifications to see Ziyi Marquis at all.

You need to become the true Zhuque Saintess to have the qualifications and the opportunity to see Ziyi Marquis," Yaoyue said patiently.

"Mm." Yu Yaonu was actually somewhat confused as well; she was not clear about what happened at that time.

If the Pet Beast inside her body helped her ascend the Imperial Heaven Staircase, that would be a bit... exaggerated.

After all, she did not summon her Pet Beast.

According to the Beast Master theorem, without a Beast Master summoning them, a Pet Beast cannot leave the Beast Space.

Therefore, the probability that her own Pet Beast helped her ascend the Imperial Heaven Staircase is not high, but... it cannot be completely ruled out either.

Moreover, in her dreams, she often dreams of that little boy.

She suspects that her ability to survive might be related to that little boy.

She also does not know if that little boy has any connection to her Pet Beast.

If she could see Ziyi Marquis, everything would become clear.

Therefore, she also hopes in her heart to be able to see Ziyi Marquis.

But as she is now, she is still too far away from seeing Ziyi Marquis.

"You say that in your dreams, you often dream of a little boy.

If I remember correctly, when Ziyi Marquis went to guard the bridge, one of his subordinates brought a doted-upon grandson along by his side.

Judging by the age, it does match the little boy you speak of.

By the way, that little boy was even disciplined for rashly appearing outside the realm boundary.

That little boy, named Zhao Qiankun, is now also a brilliant figure of the younger generation in the Qingtian Domain.

If it was him who helped you ascend the Imperial Heaven Staircase and let you cross the bridge at that time, it is very likely."

"Zhao Qiankun?" Yu Yaonu was somewhat confused.

The two chatted for a while, and Yu Yaonu prepared to take her leave and head to the library.

Yaoyue looked at Yu Yaonu and offered a reminder: "Yaonu, no matter how big the matters in the Nanhuang Realm are... they are not the real issue.

You must understand that those fierce beasts in the Trial Ground, as well as Red Pupil, are your greatest enemies.

Do not waste too much time and energy here."

During this period, Yu Yaonu has often gone out, appearing and disappearing unpredictably.

Yaoyue has vaguely sensed that Yu Yaonu seems to be mixed up with a mysterious organization.

"Mm," Yu Yaonu nodded, "Thank you for the reminder."

Yaoyue is genuinely good to her.

Although this kindness might be seventy percent due to Yu Yaonu's status as a Zhuque Favored One.

However, she has clearly received this kindness, and Yaoyue even helped her block the trouble from Qinghua; she is grateful and truly thanks Yaoyue.

Yaoyue watched Yu Yaonu's back and let out a sigh.

"An Ancient God?" A cold expression appeared in Yaoyue's eyes.

She would like to see for herself who that Ancient God is and who is playing at being a god or ghost.

The Trial Grounds of the Qingtian Domain have all been subjected to Purification.

The Ancient Gods inside cannot even be considered War Puppets; they are merely decorations.

Now that an Ancient God has actually revived, this looks very strange, and someone must be playing tricks behind the scenes.

She did not notify the Imperial Palace about this matter; she intends to see for herself what kind of sacred being that Ancient God really is.

(End of this chapter)