The entire crowd turned to look at Huo Zhizhao who stepped forward with a heroic and valiant spirit shining through him. The man looked like a normal tall and fairly handsome prince without remarkable features that would make him stand out.
However, he was raised in the palace, so his temperament was exceptional.
When he spoke, he commanded respect and admiration from the entire crowd.
The attitude from the crowd was a little different from the way they treated Long Jingyi even though both were revered figures in their generation.
Long Jingyi was an aspirational individual who inspired the people to become the best cultivators and stand at the top of the pyramid. He was the neighbour's child who every parent liked and used as an example to challenge their children.
On the other hand, Huo Zhizhao was someone the young cultivators could only look up to without additional thoughts because of his royal blood. He was admired and envied, but people knew that they could never reach where he was.
His excellence was in his blood.
"Zhizhao, what are you talking about?" His aunt asked with a seriousness that concealed her earlier good humour.
"Little brother Delan separated from our group shortly after we entered the hidden domain. You know his personality is a little wild, so he did not want to be a part of our crew. He wanted to seek opportunities for himself and recover his cultivation." Huo Zhizhao shook his head in lamentation about his foolish brother.
The princess was quite familiar with Huo Delan's carefree and wild personality. She knew it was an attitude he developed because of the countless challenges he encountered since his birth. Like his imperial brother, she also doted on the young man quite a lot.
Therefore, she could not help the pain that came with hearing about his death. However, unlike the unreasonable Principal Feng, she did not jump to conclusions or attack Yuan Haoran before hearing the full details.
Not to mention, she was quite aware of the rivalries that occurred in the palace. Almost all the royal siblings hated Huo Delan, but no one was as hostile as Zhizhao. He was the most objectively qualified as a crown prince, so it was reasonable for him to be dissatisfied with the emperor's fondness for Delan.
"Continue." She encouraged Zhizhao but lowered her eyes slightly to the ground to conceal her tumultuous thoughts.
Huo Zhizhao did not expect his aunt to believe him right away. She was not foolish, but she would not embarrass the imperial family by airing their dirty laundry among commoners.
"As far as I know, Delan was in a good state through the entire training period. Although his cultivation is low, he has a lot of tools to protect him." Huo Zhizhao concealed his resentment as he thought of how the emperor always gave his little brother the best resources.
"However, yesterday, I came across a scene that chilled me to the bones. As we were returning to the gate, we saw little brother Delan collapsed just outside the forbidden area. I did not have a chance to act before this man threw him into the thunderfield."
Huo Zhizhao pointed at Yuan Haoran, causing the crowd to gasp in horror even though they knew exactly who was being accused.
"Yuan Haoran, is this true?" The princess asked with a deep look in her eyes.
She knew her nephew was full of tricks and plots, but he would not do something foolish like accusing someone without confidence. Therefore, she was concerned that the accusation was not baseless and that this cloaked stranger had killed Little Delan.
Yuan Haoran did not have the chance to answer before someone else joined the saga.
"It is true, Imperial Aunt." A soft sobbing voice followed the statement.
The princess looked at the person who called her Imperial Aunt with a lot of dissatisfaction. She hated hearing the title from Bai Zhen because the young woman was pretentious and dishonest. She was always full of tricks and plots.
It made her a good potential imperial concubine or empress, but she was a poor match for Huo Delan. If they were to get married, Delan would not know what happened before he was murdered. Plus, she hated it when she pretended to be soft and cried at everything.
"Speak clearly, or step back, Bai Zhen." She ordered.
Bai Zhen stiffened but she wiped her tears. "I am sorry, Imperial Aunt. I am just a little overwhelmed at losing my fiancé. When I saw him cast into the field full of lightning, I wished I could rush in there and die with him."
The words were too corny and stupid, but she was a beautiful girl who looked good-tempered and sincere. If anyone could have those fake words said to them by a quality lady like that, they would still feel quite good.
Therefore, no one looked down on her despite her acting and sweet nonsense.
However, this did not apply to the person who had heard her plot a vicious murder and been killed while looking at that attractive face. That level of betrayal could not be swept away with a few tears and an empty declaration.
"Then, why didn't you?" A voice interrupted her before she could continue her performance.
Huo Delan, who had been hiding himself at the back waiting to see what his brother and so-called fiancée would do, stepped forward. He was different from Huo Zhizhao in appearance with a shorter figure, childish features and a lively aura.
His presence was not commanding, but he had a demeanour that made him more relatable to commoners. As a result, he was more well-liked in comparison to other royals and aristocrats on the Obsidian Continent.
"What are you doing here?" Bai Zhen was too shocked and failed to censor herself.
Huo Delan smiled brazenly. "I heard my fiancée was missing me so badly, so I asked the King of Hell if I could come back and bring you with me. I am happy I can fulfil your wish to die with me. I am a qualified husband, aren't I?"
Bai Zhen almost choked on her anger as she looked at this man. She felt disgusted for saying those words now that he was alive. She thought she could cultivate an image of a devoted lover and use it to further her agenda.
Even though Huo Zhizhao thought they were going to get together, she had no such plans. She did not want to be tied down in the small Obsidian City where there were limited prospects. Her dream was to join the legendary sects that people thought were fictional.
If she had a fiancé or a husband, she would just be saddled with a burden. Her future would be affected, and she would not be able to rise to higher heights.
Therefore, she planned to act like a grieving widow after the death of Delan was announced. She would refuse to acknowledge a relationship with Zhizhao and find a way to leave the city under the pretence of painful memories.
Now, the return of her cursed betrothed ruined everything.
"I can see my fiancée is so happy to see me that she is speechless." Huo Delan turned to Huo Zhizhao. "What about you, big brother? Are you happy to see me too?"
Huo Zhizhao was better at pretending than Bai Zhen. "Of course, I am happy you are alive! Our family would not be the same without you. I do not know what I saw, but I was clearly mistaken. The hidden domain must have some strange effects."
"Alright, alright. We should all get ready to depart." Their Imperial Aunt decided to end the farce. "The forbidden zone is forbidden for a reason. The area was built by a devil cultivation sect. The illusions can seem realistic. All in all, it is good that everyone is safe."
With that, no one dared to bring up anything else, including the rotten body of Shademantle's Xiao Xun. Everyone knew better than to get involved in the scandals of the royal family. So, the different teams regrouped and started to leave.
"You are not a popular guy." Long Jingyi teased Yuan Haoran with a loud laugh as the crowd dispersed. "And it looks like the prince you killed is coming to settle scores with you."