Chapter 399: The Old Confidant

Emperor Qian'an is dead!

The Emperor is dead!

Someone has assassinated the Emperor!

With the old Confidant's roar, the news of Emperor Qian'an's death spread instantly throughout Wan Yi.

The noble families of Wan Yi, who had been waiting for news from Emperor Qian'an, all erupted like a boiling pot.

Some family heads, upon hearing the news, went black in the face and nearly fainted.

As for the truth of this news,

no one doubted it anymore.

The eighth-rank battle above the imperial palace had already proven everything.

Seeing the old Confidant charging at him like a madman, Star Lord Tianyang was stunned.

His first thought: this was a setup—he had been framed!

The accusation of assassinating Emperor Qian'an was a heavy burden to bear.

It would trigger a chain reaction and turn Great Chen into an irreconcilable enemy.

If this news reached home, it might even stir the Great Hong Emperor.

Make the Great Hong Emperor restless again!

Killing an emperor was a red line.

Crossing it, Star Lord Tianyang wasn't afraid of Cheng Yuexiao coming for him.

The problem was, this black Guo was too massive—if he took the blame, it would destabilize all of Great Hong.

It would shatter the Great Hong Emperor's sense of security.

His second thought: who framed him, Star Lord Tianyang?

Cheng Yuexiao?

Impossible!

Could it be Star Lord Cangming?

Also impossible.

Star Lord Cangming lacked the ability.

In an instant, countless thoughts flashed through Star Lord Tianyang's mind, chaotic and overwhelming.

But Star Lord Tianyang grasped one crucial point.

He absolutely could not take this black Guo!

Once it stuck, it could never be washed off.

Right now, he had to muddy the waters—only then might he have a chance to clear his name.

Even if he couldn't clear it, he'd at least have a plausible explanation for the future!

Otherwise, the assassination of the Great Chen Emperor would leave him with no defense whatsoever!

Especially after just seizing the State Seal, Star Lord Tianyang was so furious he wanted to curse.

He'd been fooled!

The State Seal, this treasure, emitted no starlight at all; its surface was riddled with fine cracks, more than half destroyed.

Holding it now, he had little use for it.

Not to mention the extremely strict conditions for its assimilation—it required Great Chen imperial bloodline to activate.

The key point was, it was more than half destroyed.

Judging by its condition, it would take at least ten to twenty years to restore, and he'd have to pour in vast quantities of rare treasures to repair it.

In short, he had wasted a precious directional teleportation rune, raced to the Great Chen imperial palace, seized a State Seal that was more than half destroyed, and taken on a massive black Guo!

Realizing this, Star Lord Tianyang felt so depressed he nearly spat blood.

But Star Lord Tianyang was a veteran of countless storms; in an instant, he devised a response!

"Old Confidant, I only came to investigate!

It was the Blood Sect's demons!

When I arrived, the Emperor was already stabbed.

The assassin was a Blood Sect demon!

Look, the corpse is right over there!"

Star Lord Tianyang parried the old Confidant's furious assault while explaining.

"Tianyang, do you think I'd believe your lies!

Where's the corpse!

Where's the corpse of the Blood Sect demon?!" the old Confidant roared.

Star Lord Tianyang whirled around to look at the spot where he had slain the Blood Sect demon—and froze.

Where was the corpse!

There was nothing but a pool of blood!

In an instant, three words flashed through Star Lord Tianyang's mind: Blood Puppet!

The Blood Sect's unique survival technique: Blood Puppet!

No wonder he'd felt something was off back then—it was the Blood Puppet technique.

He'd been about to inspect it, but the old Confidant had arrived and blocked him; otherwise, the culprit wouldn't have escaped.

He'd seen the Blood Puppet technique before—it usually moved the user a few hundred meters.

But now—

"Old Confidant, be rational! It was truly the Blood Sect demons who assassinated him! Think: why would I kill the Emperor when I was still cooperating with him?

Killing the Emperor brings me nothing but harm!

Would I kill the Emperor just to make Cheng Yuexiao happy?

It's a misunderstanding!

A colossal misunderstanding!" Star Lord Tianyang explained.

The old Confidant, raging like a mad tiger, paused slightly and recalled.

"Also, this State Seal is destroyed, yet the residual energy on it is Thunder!

And it's an extremely potent Thunder energy.

I've cultivated all five elements—Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, Earth—but I've never touched Thunder!" Star Lord Tianyang explained again.

As he spoke, he tossed the nearly destroyed State Seal to the old Confidant.

As the old Confidant grasped the State Seal, his expression changed sharply.

The residual energy on it was indeed an overwhelming Thunder star force—pure, yang, and immensely powerful.

Honestly, when he first arrived, the furious old Confidant had already concluded Star Lord Tianyang was the killer.

He'd wanted to kill Star Lord Tianyang on the spot to avenge the Emperor.

But now, as Star Lord Tianyang explained and the State Seal lay in his hands, the old Confidant gradually calmed down.

On the surface, Star Lord Tianyang could have infiltrated the Great Chen imperial palace.

But theoretically possible.

Only theoretically.

Under the watch of Grand Master Cheng Yuexiao in Wan Yi, Star Lord Tianyang could not possibly have infiltrated the imperial capital.

From the motive standpoint, Star Lord Tianyang had no reason whatsoever to kill the Emperor.

Not a single one!

Given the Emperor's conduct, the Emperor being alive was most beneficial to Star Lord Tianyang!

Also, elemental energy cannot be faked.

The terrifying Thunder energy lingering on the State Seal was the most authentic evidence.

In the past, the old Confidant would have immediately suspected the Wood Spirit Palace.

Because across the entire world and the Star Battlefield, the Wood Spirit Palace was the best at Thunder star arts.

Of course, other factions also cultivated Thunder star arts.

But their skill was far inferior.

You could say: if the Wood Spirit Palace's Thunder skill was nine points, then every other faction's Thunder skill in the world didn't exceed five.

The gap was enormous.

But that was the past.

Just now, Grand Master Cheng Yuexiao's performance had shattered the old Confidant's understanding.

Just now, in the battle above Wan Yi, Grand Master Cheng Yuexiao's Thunder star art had reversed and defeated the Wood Spirit Palace's master!

Even when the Wood Spirit Palace's master activated their ancestral treasure, the Purple Thunder Annihilation Pearl!

This proved that Grand Master Cheng's Thunder star art was even stronger than the Wood Spirit Palace's master!

If judged by elemental energy, the only two suspects who could have killed the Emperor were the Wood Spirit Palace's master and Grand Master Cheng!

At this realization, all the tangled questions swirling in the old Confidant's mind suddenly connected.

Also, why did Grand Commander Pei Ze insist on keeping him back when he said the Emperor had met with misfortune and he needed to leave?

Normally, if the Emperor met with misfortune, Grand Commander Pei Ze wouldn't bother rescuing him—but he certainly wouldn't forcibly detain him.

And even now, Grand Commander Pei Ze had not arrived.

Why would Grand Viceroy Pei Ze do such a thing?

And how many people in this world could make Grand Viceroy Pei Ze make such a decision?

Few indeed!

But the most likely one is only a single person: State Master Cheng Yuexiao!

Only State Master Cheng Yuexiao could make Grand Viceroy Pei Ze turn around and detain him in the military camp!

Suddenly, the Elder Patron understood.

A single tear of muck slipped silently from the corner of his eye, instantly evaporated!

In his view, the twin pillars holding up Great Chen were the Emperor and State Master Cheng Yuexiao!

Now, the Emperor might very well die because of State Master Cheng Yuexiao!

Then where should he turn?

Avenge the Emperor?

Go and perish alongside State Master Cheng Yuexiao?

Chaotic thoughts surged in his mind, finally condensing into two words: Ancestral Code!

His lineage had long received imperial grace and acted according to the Ancestral Code of Great Chen's Holy Ancestor!

But to follow the Ancestral Code, he found himself somewhat...

At this moment, the eighth-rank Elder Patron's emotions were utterly complex!

Even the rhythm of his assault on Star Lord Tianyang slowed.

"Elder Patron, have you figured it out?"

"Your Majesty, I did not assassinate him, did I?"

"Only by joining forces can we uncover the true killer and avenge Your Majesty!" Star Lord Tianyang cried urgently.

Hearing this, the Elder Patron said nothing, only turned back with a complex expression to glance at the battle above Wan Yi.

The battle above Wan Yi was nearing its end.

Thanks to the return of the state relic Nine Sheng Bells and the main tower of the Star-Picking Tower, plus Peng Lao's breakthrough to eighth rank and his entry into battle, State Master had slain two eighth-rank disciples of the Nirmala Palace and the Wood Spirit Palace in one breath.

He held overwhelming advantage!

If only the two masters of the Wood Spirit Palace and Nirmala Palace unleashed their full power without reservation, they could still handle the ferocious Cheng Yuexiao.

But at that very instant, Grand Viceroy Pei Ze shot up from the Star-Patrol Camp.

Another eighth-rank had joined the fray.

Initially, it had been six against one.

Just now, it had become four against two.

Now, it had abruptly become three against four.

And on Great Chen's side, they still held home-field advantage. Cheng Yuexiao, wielding the Nine Sheng Bells and the main tower of the Star-Picking Tower, was ferocious beyond measure.

What further startled the Nirmala Palace Master and Wood Spirit Palace Master was that they had just heard the sound of Great Chen's Emperor being assassinated.

Whether this news was true or not.

Whether Emperor Gan'an of Great Chen was dead or not, the assassination was real.

For above the direction of the Great Chen Imperial Palace, two extremely powerful eighth-rank qi signatures were locked in fierce battle.

The outcome of that battle didn't matter.

But it was certain: Emperor Gan'an of Great Chen could no longer help them restrain Cheng Yuexiao.

He could no longer disable Cheng Yuexiao's deadly weapons—the Nine Sheng Bells and the main tower of the Star-Picking Tower.

With these two deadly artifacts in his hands, they could never kill Cheng Yuexiao.

Moreover, Cheng Yuexiao's reinforcements had arrived.

After a brief exchange, the Nirmala Palace Master and Wood Spirit Palace Master made their decision: retreat!

But before retreating, they must first ensure their own disciples escaped.

They could flee easily, but if they weren't careful, the disciples they brought would be left behind by Cheng Yuexiao.

The losses would be catastrophic!

Cultivating an eighth-rank disciple was extremely difficult.

Their two palaces had only a handful of eighth-rank disciples.

Today, each had lost one—already enough to make them want to spit blood; they could not afford another death!

If they lost another, would the two palace masters have to handle every matter themselves from now on?

What use would expansion be then!

Instantly, the Nirmala Palace Master and Wood Spirit Palace Master unleashed their full power, activating their ancestral treasures—the Stringless Qin and the Purple Thunder Soul-Slaying Pearl—to bombard Cheng Yuexiao, while their remaining two disciples, Zong Yan and Lu Shu, obeying their orders, retreated at full speed!

Zong Yan immediately shattered his Spatial Teleportation Seal and vanished in an instant.

Peng Lao, who had just broken through to eighth rank, charged toward the Wood Spirit Palace's third disciple, Lu Shu, who instantly transformed into a streak of lightning and fled far away, leaving Peng Lao far behind.

In speed, Peng Lao, newly broken through to eighth rank, was still lacking.

Meanwhile, Grand Viceroy Pei Ze had just arrived.

He could only watch helplessly as the two disciples of the Nirmala Palace and Wood Spirit Palace escaped to safety.

The next instant, Grand Viceroy Pei Ze, having arrived, instantly charged toward the Nirmala Palace Master.

With Grand Viceroy Pei Ze blocking him, State Master Cheng Yuexiao, who had been under concentrated fire from both masters, now had room to act.

Instantly, the Nine Sheng Bells rang repeatedly, the starlight torrent from the Star-Picking Tower, and the five-colored meteors all slammed toward the Wood Spirit Palace Master.

At the moment he saw his disciple escape far away, the Wood Spirit Palace Master instantly transformed into a streak of lightning and fled, the lightning exploding into eight separate beams, each darting forward as a clone.

State Master Cheng Yuexiao's Nine Sheng Bells rang again and again; each ring shattered one lightning clone.

Under the bombardment of the starlight torrent and five-colored meteors, four of the clones were ultimately shattered.

The other four clones merged into one, reforming the Wood Spirit Palace Master's true body.

The moment he reappeared, his face turned deathly pale as he spat out a jet of blood.

Each clone contained his primordial spirit energy and a trace of his divine soul essence; now, that essence was severely wounded.

But his Thunder Star Art escape technique was extremely swift, and he had already escaped beyond the borders of Wan Yi City.

If Cheng Yuexiao pursued now, he would lose most of his home-field advantages.

Moreover, even Pei Ze and Peng Lao, both eighth-rank, could not catch him at such speed.

He was safe.

At the very moment the Wood Spirit Palace Master retreated, the Nirmala Palace Master also moved. His Stringless Qin emitted a piercing "kong kong" sound; as layer upon layer of invisible spatial barriers materialized, his form began to fade!

"Is it that easy?!"

State Master Cheng Yuexiao sneered, and instantly the Nine Sheng Bells and the five-colored torrent of the Star-Picking Tower converged in a focused barrage upon the Nirmala Palace Master, as did Grand Viceroy Pei Ze.

Instantly, the dozen or so spatial barriers the Nirmala Palace Master had erected for retreat shattered one after another!

Just as the attacks were about to strike the Nirmala Palace Master and disrupt his Spatial Teleportation Star Art,

the Nirmala Palace Master spat a mouthful of essence blood onto his Stringless Qin.

Instantly, a crimson spatial barrier appeared, firmly blocking the combined assault of State Master Cheng Yuexiao and Grand Viceroy Pei Ze.

Only then could the Nirmala Palace Master's form fully fade and vanish.

But before vanishing, the Nirmala Palace Master spat another mouthful of blood.

He was severely wounded!

The next instant, both the Nirmala Palace Master and Wood Spirit Palace Master appeared fifty li outside Wan Yi City, coldly staring at the city.

State Master Cheng Yuexiao, holding the Nine Sheng Bells, flew with Grand Viceroy Pei Ze and Peng Lao to the edge of Wan Yi City, then called out loudly to the two, "Your gifts today, I, Cheng, shall personally visit your doors to thank you in due time!"

"Please, both palace masters, guard your homes well!"

"If I come and no one can stop me, I may well slaughter without mercy and wash your two palaces in blood!"

At these words, the Nirmala Palace Master and Wood Spirit Palace Master were both shocked and furious.

"You dare!"

This threat was terrifying!

Cheng Yuexiao's displayed power today placed him among the top tier of eighth-rank combatants.

If the two of them were truly absent from their palaces, they might indeed be wiped out!

But the problem is: you can't guard against a thief forever.

This was a serious matter!

"You can do it—why can't I?"

"Your gift today, I shall seek every day and night to repay!" Cheng Yuexiao sneered.

The Nirmala Palace Master and Wood Spirit Palace Master exchanged a glance, both feeling helpless.

Today's affair had backfired—trying to steal a chicken and losing a handful of rice!

Mainly because Emperor Gan'an had failed to cooperate!

From now on, whenever they left their palaces, they'd have to tread carefully!

This was troublesome!

But for now, there was nothing else to be done.

"State Master, the Imperial Palace—over there—it seems Star Lord Tianyang has gone!" Pei Ze warned.

"What? Star Lord Tianyang?"

Cheng Yuexiao's face changed instantly; his first concern was Xu Jin's safety.

Inside the imperial palace, the old venerable saw clearly the moment the State Master emerged victorious!

In an instant, countless thoughts flashed through his mind!

Countless ideas surged forth!

Yet in the end, they all condensed into two words: ancestral decree!

The first rule of the Sacred Ancestor of Great Chen: spare no cost to preserve the imperial throne and the imperial bloodline!

In an instant, the old venerable understood—he stood at a crossroads requiring choice!

What he did next would determine the entire fate of Great Chen!

If he allied with Star Lord Tianyang and stubbornly accused the State Master of regicide, Great Chen would collapse at once; after the conflict, how much of the imperial bloodline would remain was uncertain!

If he stubbornly blamed Star Lord Tianyang for regicide, yet Star Lord Tianyang would produce numerous suspicious pieces of evidence!

Moreover, if he chose to preserve Great Chen, how would he face the State Master in the future?

By this point, the old venerable had roughly figured it out: the regicide was not committed by the State Master himself, but was inextricably tied to him!

Indeed, it was arranged by the State Master!

This judgment arose from the convergence of power, timing, and motive!

Though he often kept his heart still as still water, he doubted he could endure facing the regicide day after day!

Nor could he face the Emperor in the afterlife!

Moreover, though the Emperor had been assassinated, he still deserved a dignified state funeral!

And the imperial bloodline must be placed upon the throne!

He could not accomplish any of this!

But the State Master could!

Yet whether the State Master would choose to do so was another matter entirely!

In an instant, the old venerable thought of many things!

In the end, he found himself a way out!

In a mere instant, the old venerable made his decision, his gaze hardening with unyielding resolve!

The next moment, the old venerable roared in fury!

"Star Lord Tianyang! You assassinated our Emperor of Great Chen, then stole the State Jade Seal! Today, even if I burn my very soul, I shall perish with you to avenge His Majesty's blood-deep grievance!"

As he roared, the star pavilion behind the old venerable erupted in countless beams of light, manifesting layered illusions that surged toward Star Lord Tianyang!

This was a sudden, furious strike from the old venerable—Star Lord Tianyang had just been considering allying with him, hoping to shift the blame onto Cheng Yuexiao!

He had not expected the old venerable to turn on him so abruptly!

In an instant, he was trapped!

But just as the old venerable was about to ignite his Nascent Soul and detonate his star pavilion to perish alongside Star Lord Tianyang, he suddenly saw the body of Emperor Gan'an!

If he did this, Emperor Gan'an's corpse would be utterly destroyed!

No.

That would not do!

The next instant, the old venerable, whose star pavilion had already begun burning his Nascent Soul, seized Star Lord Tianyang and shot skyward!

Star Lord Tianyang was both furious and terrified!

Not only had he been framed, but if he was seriously wounded now, Cheng Yuexiao would surely trap him!

Intense starlight erupted from Star Lord Tianyang's body, and ninety-nine layers of star pavilions instantly appeared; in that instant, the starlight shattered the old venerable's arms, blasting them away from his body!

But mere dozens of meters away, the old venerable's star pavilion exploded into a torrent of starlight, a celestial river of radiance crashing toward Star Lord Tianyang!

At the moment of impact, a small pavilion materialized out of thin air, shielding Star Lord Tianyang!

Simultaneously, Star Lord Tianyang shattered his space-translocation talisman!

In the instant he was struck, a small pavilion suddenly materialized, shielding the Tianyang Star Jun.

At the same time, the Tianyang Star Jun crushed his space-teleportation token!

As the small pavilion shuddered violently, Star Lord Tianyang's lips spilled blood continuously—and vanished!

Upon the small pavilion, fine cracks began to appear!

At the same moment, the State Master Cheng Yuexiao's Star-Plucking Command Token flashed repeatedly!

As the pavilion shuddered violently, the Tianyang Star Jun spat blood from the corner of his mouth and vanished!

Above the small pavilion, fine cracks began to appear!

At the same moment, Grand Master Cheng Yuexiao's Star-Plucking Order flashed repeatedly!

(End of Chapter)