Chapter 490: Heaven‑Shocking Secret

"Great!" Lei En was extremely delighted.

The teacher's bodily collapse issue, which concerns Weizelan's survival, has weighed on him and the Speakers' minds for the past two years, yet they dared not openly seek the superlative Element that could restore the body, acting only in secret.

He had thought it wouldn't be difficult, but it dragged on so long, and unexpectedly yielded a result in Kangjiatuo.

The demon soul of the Spirit Wind Elk contains many Elements, over twenty; besides the most important "Endless Spring Breeze", there is the rare "Child of Wind" and several rare wind spells, even "Swift" at level eight, which is Lei En's first time seeing a Swift Element above level seven.

With such speed plus wind spells, no wonder the two Speakers took three days to finally slay it.

"Speakers, thank you for your hard work this time," Lei En said.

"As long as we can solve the GrandSpeaker's trouble, what does it matter?" Kai De Jia waved his hand, also beaming with joy, but Lei En's Soul Eye detected a fleeting hidden worry flash across his face.

Speaker Kelaoaosi also wore a troubled expression.

Lei En's smile faded as he realized they might have encountered something, so he tucked away his Soul Stone, opened a portal, and stepped through.

The two Wizards followed, appearing in a luxurious bedroom inside Red Dragon Castle, Lei En's temporary residence.

They saw Lei En tear open a scroll of Soundproof Force Field.

Lei En's expression turned serious, "Speakers, have you encountered an enemy?"

"Yes." Kai De Jia was somewhat surprised, "How did you know?"

Seeing Lei En shake his head without answering, he continued, "This Spirit Wind Elk runs fast and excels at hiding its whereabouts, but no matter how fast, it cannot evade spell detection. We chased it north, passing through Brandon Principality into Chekki Peninsula."

A map of the Old Continent flashed in Lei En's mind.

Chekki Peninsula lies at the northeastern tip of the Old Continent, the continent's easternmost point, facing the New Continent across the sea.

This peninsula, sized like two to three Empire provinces, is perennially snow‑covered and one of the world's coldest regions; under extreme low temperatures, only a few Beastmen and some cold‑resistant rare races inhabit the vast frozen soil, thus it barely belongs to the Beastmen tribal domain.

Kai De Jia said, "After we reached Chekki Peninsula, the Spirit Wind Elk's whereabouts were concealed."

"Spell interference?" Lei En guessed.

"Yes." Kai De Jia nodded, "Moreover, the casting method was familiar; Kelaoaosi and I spent effort to dispel the interference and locate the opponent's trail, which turned out to be the two assistants of Ma Erke earlier."

"After engaging them, we wounded them."

"Then we spent two more days finding the Spirit Wind Elk and captured its demon soul."

Kai De Jia brushed it off, summarizing the process with "engaged and wounded," yet Lei En knew the difficulty involved.

Those two Wizards were level eighteen and nineteen; across all of Ai Lun E Si, they are no simple figures. Speaker Kai De Jia is only level seventeen; defeating and wounding opponents is far from as easy as he claimed.

However, Lei En's concern was not the duel but the opponent's motive!

Why did they interfere with the two Speakers' hunt for the Spirit Wind Elk?

That day, countless people watched his duel with Ma Erke. Ma Erke's terrifying regenerative ability led some knowledgeable observers to guess it stemmed from the "Endless Spring Breeze" Element, yet they likely could not discern that his "Endless Spring Breeze" came via a Soul Contract with the Spirit Wind Elk.

Soul Contracts are highly private; anyone who has signed one does not easily let outsiders guess the connection.

Because an enemy could harm a soul partner and thereby harm oneself.

Of course, Dragon Knights are exempt.

Ma Erke clearly intended to conceal his link with the Spirit Wind Elk; he is a Giant Elk Warrior, possessing the Wind‑Rage Giant Elk bloodline, so mastering wind spells is natural, though outsiders can only speculate.

Yet such a link is hard to hide from Legendary High-rank Wizards.

Those two Wizards had dealt with Ma Erke and should be able to pinpoint the source of his "Endless Spring Breeze," thus tracing it back to the Spirit Wind Elk.

The question is, why were they interested in the Spirit Wind Elk? Moreover, they tracked it a half‑step earlier into Chekki Peninsula and set spell interference against the two Speakers!

Clearly, they did not want the Spirit Wind Elk's demon soul to fall into the hands of Weizelan Wizards.

The hidden implication behind this is worrisome!

Lei En saw the same doubt in the Speakers' eyes and whispered, "Could it be a coincidence, that they just happen to want the Spirit Wind Elk's demon soul? After all, its value is enormous, at least worth several hundred thousand Gold Shields."

"Probably not," Kelaoaosi replied dismissively, "They came prepared."

Kai De Jia nodded in agreement.

Lei En's expression flickered, meaning the news of the teacher's injury might have leaked.

Yet he couldn't understand; only members of the Six‑person Council knew, so who had reason to leak? While in Weizelan, he often covertly used his Soul Eye to watch other Speakers, even the teacher was observed a few times, and he was certain there were no traitors in the Six‑person Council.

"That's wrong!"

Lei En suddenly realized that the Six‑person Council wasn't the only one aware of the inside story.

Another person might know the teacher's condition: the Holy Soul Lich who struck the teacher with the Death Finger—Sa Zhasitan!

At that time, Sa Zhasitan saw his spell fail and was driven back by the teacher, but as a Holy Soul‑ranked caster, he should have sensed something amiss afterward, perhaps noticing the teacher's anomaly. The teacher hasn't left Weizelan for two years; for a Holy Soul wizard, two years is a brief span, even decades without venturing out is normal.

Yet, considering the effect of that Death Finger, Sa Zhasitan could likely deduce the truth!

Those two Legendary High-rank Wizards seemed to be testing whether the teacher was injured.

Yet this contradicts Ma Erke's dying words; those two Legendary High-rank Wizards hail from a floating city of the Empire, while Sa Zhasitan is on the New Continent as the chief Lich of the "Dead Knot Seal," a great distance apart—how could…

Lei En suddenly shivered all over, eyes widening.

He seemed to witness the world's most terrifying sight; his pupils contracted then dilated, his expression flickered, and his hands gave off barely perceptible tremors, appearing a bit unseemly.

"Lei En, what did you discover?"

"Lei En?"

"Lei En…"

Kai De Jia saw Lei En's oddity, calling his name several times before he regained composure.

He exhaled a long breath; the two Speakers stared intently at him, his thoughts racing. This matter was extremely serious—if true, it would be the most shocking news in the Empire's two‑thousand‑year history, its impact so great it could even overturn the current ruling order of the Empire!

Yet this was only his speculation, not certain; the fewer who know, the better.

"Speakers," Lei En said solemnly, "I have a hypothesis now, but I cannot tell you yet; I must return to Weizelan to report to the teacher before a decision can be made, to avoid unnecessary trouble. Please understand."

His expression earlier was too obvious, unable to hide from the two Legendary High-rank Wizards, so he spoke frankly.

Kai De Jia saw his earnest seriousness, nodded, and did not press further.

Kelaoaosi pursed his lips with slight displeasure; as a red dragon, he, like most great dragons, possessed strong curiosity, and Lei En's momentary lapse surely held crucial information, itching his mind, making him eager to know immediately.

"When will you return to Weizelan?" Kaidejia asked.

Lei En thought for a moment, "Ai Milisi's coronation ceremony is in two days; I also have matters that require me to stay a few days, then I will set up a teleportation array in Dragon Ridge City and return to Weizelan."

"The two chairmen need only leave one to attend the coronation, just in case. The Wizard Corps must also garrison at Kangjiatuo for two to three months, until the situation stabilizes and Ai Milisi fully controls the kingdom, after which the Wizards will withdraw step by step."

"The other can return to Weizelan first and hand over the magical soul of the Spirit Wind Stag to the teacher."

He took out the soul stone.

The sooner the teacher's bodily issue is repaired, the sooner everyone can be at ease. As for that astonishing secret, it is of great importance but not an emergency; I haven't fully worked out the details, so telling the teacher a few days later won't matter.

The two chairmen exchanged a glance, and Kelaoaosi spoke first: "I'll stay. A new queen's coronation should be interesting. Moreover, she still owes us money; my ledger is crystal clear—thirty million Gold Shields plus those spoils, not a single Gold Shield can be omitted."

Speaking of the war's gains, the Red Dragon's eyes glimmered faintly.

"Then I'll go back first," Kaidejia said. He lives a detached life, devoted to studying Arcane, cares little for wealth or fuss, and has no objection to this arrangement.

He took the soul stone, opened the portal without hesitation, and left.

The next day, at noon.

Grand, resonant bells rang throughout the capital Jinsilan, every clock tower sounding; along the city's main streets, the Scale‑riding Blood Guard loudly announced that on the plaza platform before Red Dragon Fortress there would be a trial, and the accused were the traitors of Kangjiatuo.

Most residents were unsurprised; the sovereign's guards had posted notices around the city that morning.

The notice listed today's execution list, with the first name shockingly being Duke Brandon! A noble duke to be executed—this news stunned countless people, sparking discussion everywhere. Many had arrived at the plaza before Red Dragon Fortress hours earlier, crowding it to the brim.

Inside Red Dragon Fortress, Lei En, Ai Milisi, and others stood on a spacious balcony of the castle, which sits atop a hill, allowing a view over the entire plaza.

Ai Milisi, surrounded like the moon among stars, stood at the center, her beautiful face utterly calm.

Lei En scanned with his soul eye, seeing that her mood, though serious, held a hint of pleasure; yet the noble lords of the great families appeared indifferent outwardly while their hearts churned constantly.

With another bell toll, a squad of Scale‑riding Blood Guard dragged out a transcendent bound by magically forged alloy chains, and they stepped onto the trial platform in the plaza.

"Duke Brandon!"

"It really is him…"

"By the gods above, do they truly dare to execute Duke Brandon?"

A huge uproar rippled through the onlookers, the commotion spreading outward as people scrambled to glimpse the figure on the platform, trying to discern Duke Brandon's appearance. Not to mention a duke— even a baron is a lofty, priceless figure to commoners.

Now a duke has become a common prisoner, about to be beheaded; while shocked, people also feel a touch of schadenfreude.

The crowd surged, tens of thousands of civilians pushing toward the platform, each wanting to get closer.

On the platform, Duke Brandon's complexion was pallid; the destruction of the Ice Wolf Knight Order and Marq's death had hit him too hard, and he still couldn't accept the reality. His severe wounds hadn't healed, and he coughed up fresh blood intermittently, ignoring the crowd below and not struggling like the others.

A senior transcendent stepped onto the stage, opened the scroll, and loudly recited, listing Duke Brandon's crimes.

This transcendent had followed Ai Milisi for years.

He had once been a noble, born into an earl's family; generations of ancestors had served the dragon‑blooded, but during the usurper war his family was annihilated. Of the hundreds, only he escaped, a teenager, rescued after being found by Varogen.

Over the years, he has constantly plotted revenge for his family, bearing deep hatred toward Marq and the three great houses.

Now that goal is finally about to be realized.

Ai Milisi has already pledged to restore his family's honor and lands, bestowing upon him the title Count Tar; consequently, he volunteered to become the judge, intending to personally kill the murderer who once annihilated his entire family.

Count Tar's voice boomed, amplified by the "Amplification Technique," allowing half of Jinsilan's populace to hear his verdict.

He announced Duke Brandon's sole crime: treason!

Then came the others; these noble lords had committed various atrocities during the usurper war—murder, arson, plundering civilians, and so on. Finally, the deceased Marq himself was mentioned, exposing his plan to threaten the city with total incineration, backed by Marq's own handwritten letter as evidence.

Count Tar swore in the name of the Dragon God, issuing the gravest indictment against Marq.

The entire Jinsilan populace boiled with fury.

Only then did they realize they had almost been burned to death by Marq; some were terrified, while more cursed loudly, gradually coalescing into a single chant: "Kill them!"

"Kill them!"

"Kill them!"

The crowd's roar rose higher and higher, echoing into the heavens.

Duke Brandon, who had been listening with a numb expression, suddenly looked up when Count Tar "revealed" Marq's scheme; his face lit with emotion, but a Wizard had placed a silence spell on him, so despite his desperate attempts to speak, not a word escaped, his whole body trembling uncontrollably.

The Scale‑riding Blood Guard drew their longswords and pinned the upper halves of the criminals onto the execution platform.

Count Tar brandished a two‑handed greatsword gleaming with icy light—the very "Frost Giant Sword" of Duke Brandon. He ordered the Scale‑riding Blood Guard to hold Duke Brandon, raised the Frost Giant Sword, and a cold glint flashed in his eye.

The blade flashed, Puff!

Duke Brandon's head struck the ground.

Simultaneously, the Scale‑riding Blood Guard also sprang into action, swinging swords to behead; over a hundred heads were cleaved at once, blood gushing out and staining the trial platform crimson.

The onlookers were silent for a few seconds, then erupted into enthusiastic cheers.

And this was only the first batch; the Scale‑riding Blood Guard quickly hauled up a second group of prisoners. After Count Tar's verdict, execution followed immediately. Heads fell batch after batch, the blood on the trial platform spilling onto the plaza; the sharp stench of gore made people recoil, their faces turning pale, the cheers dwindling until silence prevailed.

The trial and executions lasted over two hours.

Ai Milisi watched the entire proceedings.

The noble lords on Red Dragon Fortress's balcony dared not leave early; all were silent as cicadas. They all understood this was Her Majesty the Queen's warning to them.

This is the fate of traitors!

(End of Chapter)