The ethereal words caused Murong Shaofeng's smile to vanish completely.
"Mu Yunxuan, you..." Su Zimo glared at him angrily. This girl must have done it on purpose. Her face instantly turned red, and if it sounded so suggestive, how could it not lead people to think inappropriately? Murong Shaofeng didn't need to think twice to understand its implications. Looking at Momo's expression, he felt like he couldn't breathe.
"Momo, you should rest well. I'll come to see you later."
With that, Murong Shaofeng hurriedly left, almost as if he was fleeing.
"Eh!" Su Zimo was speechless. She didn't mean to upset him. Why was Shao Feng running away like that?
"Shao Feng...!" Su Zimo called out loudly, "I haven't finished speaking yet! Why are you running? When-"
Mu Yunxuan heard this and his eyes flickered. Did Mo'er really not know that Murong Shaofeng had feelings for her?
In fact, it couldn't be entirely blamed on Su Zimo. She had never considered that Murong Shaofeng liked her or that she might develop feelings for him. She simply wanted to be a sincere friend to Murong Shaofeng. Even if there were any feelings in her heart, she would quickly suppress them, because she knew the consequences it would bring to Shao Feng.
"So it's the owner. Please excuse my disrespect," Su Zimo turned to Nalan Yi.
"It's alright. If you need anything, just talk to Steward He. But be careful not to wander around since Bright Moon Mountain Villa is surrounded by traps," Su Zimo warned Nalan Yi, knowing that he was aware of their identities after Li'er left them.
"Thank you for the reminder."
"Hmm! Take care of yourselves."
Su Zimo nodded and intended to return to Mingyuexuan. However, she noticed that Mu Yunxuan was still following her.
"Are you really idle?" she asked.
"I feel quite idle when I'm with Mo'er," Mu Yunxuan replied with a mischievous smile. In truth, he wanted to accompany her back to Mingyuexuan. After they returned, he planned to move his belongings there. If she didn't go back to Cloud City with him, he would move to Mingyuexuan and live with her.
In Mingyuexuan, as soon as Su Zimo entered, she saw him sitting at the edge of the flower table, his head lowered.
"Xiao Nuan, why are you hanging your head like that?"
"Ugh!" Li Xiaonuan, who had been lost in thoughts about Su Qi, was startled. She looked up at Su Zimo with a sharp gaze and quickly shook her head.
Slightly taken aback, Su Zimo looked at her with concern.
"Zhuang, owner, Xiao Nuan is fine."
"It's alright. What about Qi'er?" Su Zimo asked casually.
"Gongzi... he..." Li Xiaonuan was flustered. How could she tell the owner? Suddenly, an idea flashed in her mind.
"Lord, Gongzi went to the Dange."
She explained it like this, hoping there wouldn't be any problems. The owner should not doubt her words.
"Going to the Dange?" Su Zimo believed her explanation. However, after walking for a while, something felt off. Wasn't it the fifth, tenth, or fifteenth day of every month when he went to the Dange? Today wasn't one of those days.
Su Zimo abruptly stopped and turned to look at Li Xiaonuan, who seemed relieved.
"What's wrong? Mo'er? Mu Yunxuan doesn't know the rules of the Dan Pavilion, so he naturally wouldn't doubt Li Xiaonuan's words."
"Qi Er isn't going to the Dan Pavilion," Li Xiaonuan blurted out, unable to hide her fear, nor could she meet Su Zimo's gaze.
"Xiao Nuan, where did Qi Er go?" Su Zimo felt a pang of worry. Given the personalities of the Ji siblings, they would undoubtedly do everything possible to find Qi Er and seek revenge.
"He... went... he went to the Dange," Li Xiaonuan replied, her head lowered. She was certain that Su Qi had gone to the Dan Pavilion.
"Did Qi Er tell you to say this to everyone?" That cunning little fox, who knows where he ran off to.
"Lord, Gongzi... he...?" Li Xiaonuan was on the verge of tears, torn between telling the truth and risking Gongzi's disapproval, or not telling the truth and potentially angering the owner. She didn't know what to do.
"Tell me, where did Qi Er go? This is my final question." Su Zimo's face darkened, his voice surprisingly cold.
"Zhuang, the owner, I truly don't know where Gongzi went. All I know is that Gongzi went out and said that if the young master or anyone else asked, he should say that he went to the Dan Pavilion."
Under Su Zimo's cold gaze, Su Xiaonuan had no choice but to tell the truth.
I'm sorry, Gongzi. It's not that I'm not helping you, but the owner simply doesn't believe me.
"That stubborn boy, as soon as I'm not at home, he goes off doing whatever he pleases."
Su Zimo stormed out.
"Mo'er, with Qi'er's cleverness, he'll be fine," Mu Yunxuan said, reassuring himself as well. Though he was worried, he had faith in his son's abilities.
"Knowing the Ji siblings, they won't easily let go of Bright Moon Mountain Villa. Once they find the slightest opportunity, they will besiege the villa. Since Ji Yu already knows that Qi Er possesses the Soul Devouring Bell and since Ji Yu came for the Eight Great Mysterious Weapons last time, they will undoubtedly focus their attention on Qi Er as the possessor of the eight weapons. Moreover, everyone who knows about the Eight Great Mysterious Weapons knows that the owner of the Soul Devouring Bell is also the owner of the Eight Great Mysterious Weapons. Another thing is that Qi Er went to contract the Phantom Silence."
"Phantom Silence, the third-ranked weapon among the Eight Great Mysterious Weapons?" Mu Yunxuan recalled the words his son had mentioned before.
"Yes, Qi Er's physique is very special. Among the four of us, he has a connection to both the Soul Devouring Bell and Phantom Silence, possessing two Xuan artifacts. It can be said that he's invincible in the world. And my master, in order to allow Qi Er's cultivation to catch up with Que Er's, used the Daye God Bow as a bait. He made a bet with Qi Er, but I didn't expect Qi Er to complete my master's explanation of the cultivation method with such determination, winning the Daye God Bow. Qi Er's body can be said to be filled with treasures. That day, he went to the back mountain of the Dange... and I can't imagine what happened there." Su Zimo shuddered involuntarily, recalling the image of the large snake with red eyes and silver-white scales. It made her heart palpitate, even though she knew it was Bai Suzhen's transformed form, she found it unsettling.
"Mo'er, let's not worry too much for now. Where is the Phantom Silence? Let's go find Qi Er," Mu Yunxuan suggested.
"I don't know. The Xuanji can only be sensed by its destined owner. Otherwise, it can't be found."
Su Zimo halted and extended two fingers, summoning a golden butterfly on her fingertip.
"Jin Die, guide me to Qi Er."
"Great! Let's go, Momo," Mu Yunxuan exclaimed cheerfully. The Golden Butterfly fluttered its wings and took the lead, guiding them on their way.
Mu Yunxuan observed the butterfly with a smile. He thought about how all four of them, including Qi'er, possessed extraordinary abilities and were like walking treasures themselves.
He realized that Qingfeng, Jinghuai, and the others must have secretly protected Qi'er, while some others protected Qu'er. Since they couldn't find Mingyue Mountain Villa, it was likely that they had followed the Ji siblings.
Meanwhile, in the palace, Emperor Haoyue sat on a yellow throne, his gaze fixed on Su Li.
Su Li stood confidently in the center of the hall, facing the cold Emperor Haoyue. Ji Yaotian and Mo Zhai, sitting on the side, looked at Su Li with surprise, joined by He Qing.
Su Li's audacity in not kneeling before the emperor and meeting his gaze directly was deemed disrespectful and bold.
"The emperor, Su Li is here, and I hope you will clarify things," Su Li addressed Emperor Haoyue directly, without any formalities.
"Emperor, this Su Li, despite being the son of the Holy Lord, shows no respect towards you," Ji Yaotian commented, squinting his old eyes as he cast a cold gaze upon Su Li. Deep hatred surged within him as he recalled his precious grandson's recent emergence and encounter with Su Li.
Emperor Haoyue furrowed his brow, his gaze shifting from Su Li to Ji Yaotian. He couldn't help but feel suspicious, as the three of them had come to the palace together to report that Tian'er's disappearance had something to do with Mingyue Villa. They were supporters of the prince, and now they sought justice for Tian'er. Doubts clouded the emperor's mind.
"Don't worry, Su Li is just a child. Xu doesn't need to be concerned about him. Su Li, someone saw both you and your brother at the location where the three princes disappeared. Witnesses claim that there was a secret medicine present. How do you explain this?" Emperor Haoyue questioned.
"Your Majesty, I happened to be there, but there is no evidence to prove that my brother and I were the ones present. Anyone could make such a claim," Su Li replied, making it clear that such words held no value as evidence.
Upon hearing Su Li's response, Ji Yaotian, unwilling to let him off easily, interjected, "The secret medicine found at the scene is the strongest evidence."
"The secret medicine on the ground could have been sprinkled by the people accompanying the three princes. What does it have to do with us?" Su Li questioned, refusing to let the blame fall on Mingyue Villa without substantial evidence. He continued, "You are the ones supporting the prince. Your actions are even more suspicious."
Su Li's final words left Ji Yaotian, He Qing, and Mo Zhai uncertain. If they couldn't find a suitable candidate, how could they personally come forward?
"My Emperor, Su Li speaks the truth. There is nothing substantial. The three princes are also your children, and it is the duty of loyal ministers to share your concerns. It is not a matter of whom we support. I hope my Emperor will not let any suspicious person go unchecked," Ji Yaotian argued eloquently, but the memory of their past conflicts with Mingyue Villa lingered in his mind.
Su Li, determined to protect the reputation of Mingyue Villa, spoke up, "My Emperor, please don't easily believe those who rely solely on empty words. Mingyue Villa and the Three Princes have no grievances between them. Even if my mother was dismissed by the Three Princes years ago, it is an old story. She has long moved on and returned to the capital of Haoyue Country. We wish to live peacefully in the capital. How can we be foolish enough to carry the burden of killing a prince?"
Su Li rarely spoke so much, but he knew the schemes of these three old men and refused to provide further information. He couldn't let them succeed.
"You claim that it wasn't done by you and your brother. What evidence do you have to support that claim?" Ji Yaotian persisted, refusing to be defeated by two young boys.
"And what evidence do you have to accuse us?" Su Li retorted, his expression icy and his starry eyes flashing.
Emperor Haoyue observed them deeply. He worried for his son's life, and though he had doubts about Su Li, he didn't want to be deceived.
"Enough. Su Li, tell me honestly, is there any connection between you and the Third Prince's disappearance?" Emperor Haoyue demanded.
"Emperor, there is no connection between our family and the disappearance," Su Li quickly replied, affirming that their presence was unrelated to the incident.
"Emperor, we have a witness who can testify that the two Su Li brothers were present at the location where the three princes disappeared," He Qing stated, knowing that dealing with the young Su Li would be difficult. They had arranged for a witness to support their claims.
"Bring forth the witness," Emperor Haoyue ordered without hesitation.
"Yes, Your Majesty," Duke Qin responded, promptly leaving and returning with a man dressed in black.
Su Li paid no attention to the witness. He knew that these three old men wanted to frame Mingyue Villa, so they had likely arranged everything.
"Greetings, Your Majesty. Long live the Emperor," the man in black knelt on the ground, showing utmost respect.
"Did you witness the two Su Li brothers taking the Third Prince away?" Emperor Haoyue questioned, his eyes still clouded. He didn't want to be manipulated.
"Your Majesty, yes. I happened to pass by the alley at that time and saw Su Li and Su Qi standing at the spot where the secret medicine was scattered. The two brothers looked identical. One of them squatted down, picked up the secret medicine from the ground, and sniffed it. However, I was too far away to hear their conversation clearly," the witness testified.
Ji Yaotian sneered as he looked at Su Li. Now, it was up to Su Li to find a way out of this situation.
When Su Li heard this, he sneered, realizing that the situation at hand was reminiscent of the incident. The secret medicine scattered on the ground had left Qi'er's handprint, and from the size, it appeared to be a child's fingerprint.
"Did you really witness with your own eyes that it was my brother and I who took the Third Prince away? What time of day was it?" Su Li looked at the so-called witness on the ground with a cold gaze.
The man in black hesitated for a moment and replied, "Um... It was probably during the 'You' hour. I saw the two of you standing and talking to the three princes in the alley as I was passing by. I was also walking through that alley on my way home, and when I approached, you had already disappeared."
"Hmph! He can really spout nonsense with his eyes wide open. Your Majesty, even if he is a witness, there must be physical evidence. That day, my brother and I returned to the village with the others after the alchemy competition. We never went to the alley he mentioned. And during the 'You' hour, we bought chicken drumsticks and rice cakes on Qingyun Street. We returned to Mingyue Mountain Villa before the appointed time, and the vendors on Qingyun Street can attest to it. Su Li dares to guarantee that no one saw us at the scene. I have detected the aura around us, and there was no one nearby at all. I will not admit that my brother and I were in that alley. After all, the Third Prince is the son of the emperor. It's not that I, Su Li, am afraid, but I'm afraid of causing unnecessary trouble."
During the 'You' hour, he and Qi'er did go to buy chicken drumsticks, although it was a brief moment, the shopkeeper recognized them and naturally remembered their visit.
"You are all contradicting each other. Now, the only way to uncover the truth about the Third Prince's disappearance is to find him as soon as possible," Emperor Haoyue said with a headache. He no longer believed anyone at this point. Ji Yaotian had his own revenge plot against Mingyue Villa, and Su Li was cunning.
"Li'er, since you're rare in the palace, why not stay for a couple of days and I'll send someone to Mingyue Mountain Villa to verify your words. We'll also send someone to Qingyun Street to confirm your alibi."
Emperor Haoyue's suggestion was to keep Su Li in the palace as a hostage.
"In that case, I request that the emperor swiftly uncover the truth behind the Third Prince's disappearance. There are many things waiting for me to attend to in Mingyue Villa, and if anything were to happen to me today, I expect an explanation," Su Li's tone was cold, his face filled with anger, and his small fists clenched tightly.
"Time is running short, Your Majesty..."
"My Emperor, the Haoyue Kingdom has many talented individuals, and it's impossible to not find a trace of the Third Prince! The three gentlemen here were confident in finding the head of Mingyue Villa, so they should also be capable of finding the whereabouts of the three princes. I suggest the emperor sets a deadline for them to do their best in sharing your concerns," Su Li looked coldly at Ji Yaotian, He Qing, and Mo Zhai. If they wanted to play games with him, Su Li would play along.
The ball was now in their court, and the expressions on Ji Yaotian's trio turned gloomy as they exchanged glances, realizing that the situation had taken an unexpected turn. Dealing with Su Li, a young child with remarkable abilities, proved to be more challenging than they anticipated. They feared that Emperor Haoyue would side with Su Li.
"Why, Duke Zhen, do you not wish to share the burden with the Emperor?" Emperor Haoyue looked at Ji Yaotian suspiciously.
Ji Yaotian's old face grew gloomy. The situation was developing differently from what he had imagined. Based on his understanding of Emperor Haoyue, who was considered a benevolent ruler, once there were clues, he should immediately apprehend the suspects. However, Emperor Haoyue's reaction was unexpected. As for the physical evidence, they had brought it, but after listening to Su Li's words, they dared not present it. They could only do so after confirming the events on Qingyun Street. However, given the current circumstances, they had no time to find more substantial evidence.
"No, it is an honor for this old minister to assist the Emperor in this matter. This old minister will gather the other officials and the Yulin Army to search for the Third Prince's whereabouts. We will leave no stone unturned, even if we have to dig three feet into the ground," Duke Zhen replied reluctantly.
With that, the farcical confrontation came to an end. Ji Yaotian, accompanied by Mo Zhai and He Qing, left in frustration.
In the distant Unreturnable Mountain, the king appeared disheveled, his clothes slightly messy, and his face covered in stubble, hidden beneath his unkempt hair.
At this moment, he was devouring roasted Warcraft meat in large bites, savoring its tender taste. Recalling how he woke up in this Unreturnable Mountain and found himself face-to-face with a towering monster with gaping jaws, he felt a chill run down his spine. He had never been to the Unreturnable Mountain alone, and the moment he opened his eyes, he saw a monster towering above him, making him feel small and insignificant.
But in order to survive and uncover the truth of who brought him here, he fought desperately to stay alive. During a battle with a Warcraft creature, he fell off a cliff, but it turned out to be a fortunate fall, saving his life.
He had been wandering in this area for two days and eventually stumbled upon a cave at the bottom of the cliff. Unexpectedly, the cave was already inhabited, and it was there that he discovered the legendary cultivation artifacts: the Spirit Flaw and the Qiankun Demon Heavenly Ring, which could devour cultivation. Jun Lantian cast away the lingering pain in his hand and examined the two artifacts in his possession. Despite the potential dangers associated with these artifacts, he knew that they could rapidly enhance his cultivation, allowing him to trample upon those who looked down on him. He had no reservations in his heart.
After the recent events, he realized that if a person did not cultivate or possess a special artifact to alter their abilities, then living was akin to death. His status as a king held no weight in the face of strength. Only by becoming strong could he change everything.
Jun Lantian carefully examined the Spirit Flaw, a rectangular box with a crystal-clear bead embedded in the center, exuding a particularly beautiful aura.
Jun Lantian smirked coldly. This experience turned out to be a blessing in disguise. With no further worries, he decisively dripped blood onto the Spirit Flaw and the Qiankun Demon Heavenly Ring, instantly forming a contract between the two artifacts.
As the power of the contract cultivation artifact flowed within him, Jun Lantian felt a surge of excitement.