"What a miracle."
The crowd exploded in laughter, and Uncle Su was the loudest.
Zhao Bo stood up and faced Zhao Yao with a tightened fist.
Zhao Yao enjoyed Zhao Bo's deathly stare taking it as a great compliment. The mocking look many of his enemies and Elders initially had when the trial began changed to these kinds of death stares. To Zhao Yao, these were confirmation that he was wrecking them really well.
"Haha, who thought that this kid can travel faster than me?" Uncle Su enjoyed the trouble he made.
"Su Clan Leader, it's not appropriate for you to interfere in our clan affairs. We only allowed you to spectate due to courtesy. Considering you do not wish to continue being just a spectator, we will have to ask you to leave." A Grand Elder stood up and said.
'The heck. Without Uncle Su, I am screwed.' Zhao Yao didn't like where this was going, so he decided to turn it over. He also disdained how this particular Grand Elder had ignored the evident false report of Elder Zhao Yang.
"Uncle Su, YOU ARE WRONG. It's not that Zhao Bo is faster than you, it's Elder Zhao Yang's guards who are faster than you.
Who thought they could bring Zhao Bo this fast from FuXi town?
The only error they made was instead of bringing him here, they 'accidentally' brought him to that tower."
Zhao Yao talked over interrupting the Grand Elder while taking a jab at Elder Zhao Yang.
"What are you implying, Zhao Yao?" Elder Zhao Yang asked. Even as a Golden Core Realm cultivator, Elder Zhao Yang couldn't hide his panic after experiencing scrutinizing the looks of the Grand Elders. Large droplets of Sweat covered his face, and his chest heaved with his every breath.
"Weren't your guards 'guarding' him in the tower, instead of bringing him here? You lied to us that Zhao Bo went to FuXi town, and it will late at night to get him back.
Tell us how he magically appeared here now?"
Zhao Yao smashed some more nails into the worried Elder.
"I just believed what my guards reported to me?" Elder Zhao Yang tried to justify using the blame game.
"Don't report anything unless you verified it." Elder Zhao Huamin yelled at his panicking subordinate. "I won't tolerate any more mistakes like this."
Even though he appeared to scold, Zhao Yao was sure that he did it to save his subordinate.
Elder Zhao Huamin then looked at Zhao Yao and the Grand Elders and spoke. "I apologize on behalf of my subordinate. He made...."
"DON'T BOTHER ELDER. I exactly know what you are going to say." Zhao Yao interrupted.
"What?" Elder Zhao Huamin hated the rude interruption and gave a deathly stare making Zhao Yao happier.
"Master Elder, you are going to say that, 'He made a hasty decision believing the wrong report given by his guards.'
And if one of us asks you, whether you going to punish him, you will say, 'I will strictly reprimand him.'
Isn't this right?" Zhao Yao ridiculed.
"You..."
"I was right? Haha. I already have seen this scenario, what about you Grand Elders, remember this?
Why is it that you and all of your subordinates act 'hasty'? I got a feeling that this 'hasty' decisions only happen in my case.
Am I correct?"
"Zhao Yao, conduct yourself. This is not the first time you showed disrespect to Elders of the clan. We cannot tolerate such behaviors." Grand Elder Zhao Chengjiao scolded severely.
"You can punish me for that after this trial.
First, let me make this clear.
Other than you respected Grand Elders, I don't trust any of these Elders. And these three joker Elders, I have no respect for them." Zhao Yao spoke as he pointed his fingers at Elders Zhao Huamin, Zhao Jiang and Zhao Yang.
"How dare you?" Elder Zhao Huamin exploded in a fury.
"Grand Elders, after living for this long, surviving through various turbulent times, I assume none of you are not idiots to not notice what's going on with these Elders. If you know it and still choose to ignore it, I will lose the respect I have towards you.
Punish me if you want. But that can wait till the end of this trial." Zhao made his stance clear.
With the appearance of Zhao Bo, the stage has been set for the endgame. It was time for Zhao Yao to enter the final and crucial phase of his plan.
A stare fest followed suit as the Grand Elders severely looked at him. The crowd also remained eerily silent due to what they heard.
Zhao Yao indirectly called the Grand Elders stupid, and that's open clan defiance, which was simply asking for death.
"Our Zhao Bo friend came to this trial leaving behind his business in FuXi town behind. We shouldn't delay him too much because he had to go back after this even though it will not be a problem for him considering his MAGICAL speed. Respected Grand Elder, can we proceed with his truth ceremony now?"
Zhao Yao broke the solemn mood and pushed forward his main issue.
He couldn't wait to get to the meat and potatoes of this trial fiasco.
The Grand Elders also didn't want this trial to continue longer.
After some whispering between themselves, they asked Master Elder Zhao Huamin to confirm Zhao Bo's identity. He also did some whispering with his own guards before confirming.
Zhao Yao watched them curiously because the time had come for the Grand Elders to pick one side. They can either uphold justice and the clan's honor or they can side with the clan leader and support the clan's stability. If they chose the former path, they have to fallout with Zhao Guang.
"Are you Zhao Bo?" Grand Elder Zhao Chengjiao asked.
"Yes." Zhao Bo replied as there was no point in lying when the Elders can figure out his identity one way or another.
"Proceed with the truth ceremony."
Thus the the 'first' of Zhao Yao's requested truth ceremony began.
As usual, Master Elder Zhao Huamin was in charge.
Holding Zhao Bo's hand, Master Elder Zhao Huamin enveloped him in his soul sense.
"Where were you during the time of the Demon Beast disappearance?" Elder Zhao Huamin started asking.
"I was in the North Mansion."
"He is telling the truth.
Zhao Yao considered this trial a chess game with the clan, mainly with his Uncle Zhao Guang. Weak Zhao Yao and Zhao Ping were the Kings for both ends and targetted each other.
When Zhao Yao chose to attack and threatened Zhao Ping directly, his clan leader uncle came to his son's rescue, and this chess game was initiated.
His Master and the Clan Leader, Zhao Guang, were the Queens.
'Cough...' It was weird to call them queens. He didn't care about his Uncle, but he couldn't do that to his great Master.
The west popularized the weird notion of naming the most vital chess piece, the Queen. There were some strong Queens in the World, but it didn't make sense for a Queen to fight to save the King as both represented the Crown. The East calls the piece, the Minister or vizier, but Zhao Yao liked to call it 'the General.' The one who battles for the Crown, and the one who controls the army.
Thank God, he wasn't on Earth. If he said this on Earth, especially online, he would get the label of a sexist, even though General is a gender-neutral title.
But, standing beside this Ancient clan with extreme gender oppression, Zhao Yao felt like he was the most progressive person on the planet.
Both his Master and his Uncle remained hidden while helping Zhao Yao and Zhao Ping, respectively.
Zhao Yao had his Uncle Su as his only main piece, while his Uncle had many Elders at his command.
'Master. Can you reply?'
'What is it?'
'Do you think Grand Elder Zhao Chengjiao is an honest person?'
'Yes, he appears to be one. But who can predict human nature.'
'Master, can you swap the soul communication target of Zhao Guang from Elder Zhao Huamin to Uncle Su and the Grand Elders.'
'Now?'
'When I start talking.' Zhao replied with a slight smile.
"Did you inform Young Master Zhao Ping about this?" The 'truth' ceremony was going on as Elder Zhao Huamin selectively asked questions that proved Zhao Ping's innocence and the unintentionality of the theft.
"No."
"He is telling the truth."
As always.
"Elder Zhao Huamin, why didn't you ask anything about his FuXi town visit and how he got back?" Zhao Yao walked near them with a grin and asked.
"That..." He couldn't reply and chose to scoff Zhao Yao. "Don't interrupt the ceremony."
"I have no intention to interrupt, I want to participate and ask some questions on your behalf since you have the problem of forgetting important questions due to 'hastiness.'"
"NO, you can't."
Zhao Yao ignored Zhao Huamin's rejection and loudly asked something none of them expected.
"Zhao Bo, did you help Zhao Ping to RUIN MY ARRANGED MARRIAGE WITH Su Ruo?" Zhao Yao used his loudest voice so that the entire crowd can hear.
"What are you asking?" Elder Zhao Huamin hands, which were holding Zhao Bo, shook.
Zhao Bo's mouth opened wide, and he started shivering.
"Just some questions. ANSWER ME, Zhao Bo. If you say nothing, then you are proving your guilt."
"You can't ask questions like that." Elder Zhao Huamin objected.
"What nonsense are you trying now, Zhao Yao?" One of the Grand Elder also stood up and used his Martial Lord pressure on him.
Uncle Su also stood up, stunned by this unexpected turnout.
"So are you guilty, Zhao Bo? Is that why you aren't answering?" Zhao Yao ignored everything and pushed on.
"NO...No," Zhao Bo replied.
"HE IS TELLING THE TRUTH." Elder Zhao Huamin proclaimed almost immediately, and Zhao Bo let out a sigh of relief.
But Zhao Yao wasn't concerned by their defense as he played the next move.
"Are you aware that Zhao Ping DRUGGED ME with an APHRODISIAC when I drank WINE WITH HIM the night before?"
"N..no..."
"He is telling the truth."
"Did you CARRY THE UNCONSCIOUS ME to the SHED WITH THE MERP and stripped me?"
"No."
"He is telling the truth."
"Did you close the door after I gained consciousness, and the aphrodisiac took over?
"No."
"He is telling the truth.
"Did you wait outside the shed and played along when Zhao Ping framed me in the morning?
"No."
"He is telling the truth."
Zhao Yao asked the questions, he wanted to ask all along. Even though Elder Zhao Huamin lied about the truth ceremony results, Zhao Yao had a wide smile.
He turned to look at the Grand Elders.
More than surprised by his questions, they looked around strangely as if they are looking for someone.
"Who is that?" One Grand Elder asked, looking nowhere.
"Who the heck is that? Telling me to lie." Uncle Su also stood up and roared, "Is that you, Zhao Guang? Bring your sorry ass here instead of hiding and manipulating like a snake."
Zhao Yao, with a profound grin, went straight to Grand Elder Zhao Chengjiao and bowed.
"Respected Grand Elders, I want to make use of my two truth ceremony requests RIGHT NOW.
I want you, Grand Elder Zhao Chengjiao, to personally subject Zhao Bo on the same questions I asked.
And my last request is for you to subject Master Elder Zhao Huamin on a truth ceremony on whether he LIED about the truth ceremony results.
If you still found they were telling the truth, I will CUT MY OWN HEAD to offer as an apology.
But Grand Elder Zhao Chengjiao, I don't want to see you manipulate the truth ceremony like Elder Zhao Huamin. Please swear to the heavens, the ancestors' grave, the founder's honor, and your own dignity that you will not manipulate the ceremony results."
Zhao Yao waited for the chaos that's about to happen.
From the beginning onwards, his target wasn't the untouchable Young Master Zhao Ping, but rather the secret holder Zhao Bo.
A distraction.
When Zhao Yao attacked the King itself, his opponent panicked and tried to save him all the while forgetting this second important strategic piece. The weak link, the key holder to all the secrets. Zhao Bo was the crucial strategic piece, and it's Zhao Yao's now.
This was why when the Elders dismantled his marriage and erased the murder charge, he kept calm.
He used the most explosive method to distract them all from catching this small fry.
Zhao Bo was that key to his revenge and Zhao Ping's defeat.
"Checkmate."