"Absurd, utterly absurd."
"What does the Xiyuan Sacred Hall mean by this? Without any evidence, they dare to question the identity of the Saintess Xiyuan? Does the Xiyuan Sacred Hall intend to appoint a new saintess?"
"Our Immortal Chu Dynasty has always been upright and honorable. When have we ever colluded with the remnants of the Black Calamity? This is truly a case of 'when you want to accuse someone, any excuse will do.'"
In the palace, many old ministers were furious, condemning the Xiyuan Sacred Hall for its rash judgment.
A heavy, oppressive atmosphere hung over everyone.
However, Chu Gucheng remained silent, his cold gaze fixed on the direction outside the palace.
Elder Jin, Ouyang Ji of the Carefree Heavenly Palace, Elder Xingying of the Yinxu Cave, and other guests who had not yet left the Immortal Chu Dynasty also watched in silence.
Chu Xinyue, who had been impersonating the Saintess Xiyuan, now stood in the grand hall.
Looking at the fearful and uneasy expressions of the ministers, she felt a sense of confusion. She didn't know where things had gone wrong or why it had come to this.
The real Saintess Xiyuan was still imprisoned in a spacetime cage. She had been responsible for guarding the saintess during this time, so how had the news leaked?
Apart from her father and a few others, no one knew about their imprisonment of the saintess.
How had the Xiyuan Sacred Hall found out?
Chu Xinyue's mind was in turmoil. She even felt her vision darken for a moment, and she didn't hear the voices of the old ministers pleading for her to take charge.
"Your Majesty, I demand an explanation."
At that moment, a thunderous roar erupted outside the palace.
Accompanied by a violent, terrifying aura, dark clouds descended from the distant sky, as if the heavens themselves were collapsing, bringing an oppressive weight.
Standing within the clouds was a towering figure clad in armor.
It was none other than Champion Marquis Chu Heng.
Behind him were the former Grand Tutor, Han Feng, Chu Bai, and others, their expressions grave. The former Grand Tutor's face was filled with deep sorrow and disbelief.
Champion Marquis Chu Heng had led his army back from the border at great speed.
However, the army had not followed him to the imperial capital. Instead, it remained stationed outside.
"Champion Marquis…"
Many ministers in the court turned their heads upon hearing the furious shout.
The eldest prince, Chu Wushang, grew even paler, struggling to stand firm.
When his gaze fell on Champion Marquis Chu Heng and the pair of jade pendants tightly clutched in his hand, his face finally turned ashen.
He didn't know how the lost pendant had ended up in Champion Marquis Chu Heng's hands.
But now, seeing the pendant, it was clear why Champion Marquis Chu Heng had abandoned his post and rushed back from the border overnight.
Chu Gucheng's expression was as calm as still water, his eyes deep and unreadable. His gaze shifted to Champion Marquis Chu Heng, and for the first time, a flicker of emotion appeared on his stoic face.
He coldly asked, "Champion Marquis, you abandoned your post, disregarding the safety of the border and withdrawing your troops, putting the safety of the Immortal Chu Dynasty at risk. What punishment do you deserve?"
Champion Marquis Chu Heng descended from the sky and strode into the palace. He coldly scanned the ministers before finally fixing his gaze on the pale-faced eldest prince, Chu Wushang.
"At this point, Your Majesty, are you still trying to shield the eldest prince? I have been loyal to the Immortal Chu Dynasty, expanding its territories and fighting on its behalf for years, achieving countless merits. Is this how you repay me?"
As he spoke, he unfolded the pair of mandarin duck jade pendants in his hand, his eyes filled with undisguised anger and coldness.
Chu Gucheng's gaze shifted to the pendants, his tone calm and unflinching. "I don't understand what you mean, Champion Marquis. I have always treated you well, like my own son. I taught you techniques and divine abilities, provided you with countless resources and opportunities, and placed great trust in you, helping you rise to where you are today."
"And now, are you betraying me by siding with outsiders?"
The ministers in the hall were stunned.
Many who were unaware of the truth didn't understand why Champion Marquis Chu Heng was so furious that he would defy orders and abandon the border.
However, some guessed the truth, their expressions changing dramatically, filled with disbelief.
Seeing that Chu Gucheng was still trying to cover up and feign ignorance, Champion Marquis Chu Heng felt even more disheartened.
Originally, he had felt some guilt about his actions today, but that feeling was now completely gone.
Chu Gucheng had indeed treated him well, and his achievements were largely due to Chu Gucheng's support.
But the fact remained that Chu Gucheng had treated him as a pawn, allowing his own son to humiliate his wife.
Before coming to the palace, Chu Heng had already contacted Han Feng, Chu Bai, and others, retrieving the other pendant.
When the two pendants were combined, they formed a special field, recreating the events of that day and allowing him to reconstruct the scene of his wife's humiliation.
The images that emerged made Chu Heng's eyes burn with rage. He was filled with such fury that he wished he could turn back time and return to that day to kill the perpetrator.
Before reconstructing the scene, he had imagined countless possibilities.
But he had never expected that the culprit would be the eldest prince of the Immortal Chu Dynasty, Chu Wushang.
This truth struck him like a thunderbolt, leaving him stunned and unable to believe it. He even wondered if he had seen it wrong.
Chu Heng knew that his wife, Qinglan, and Chu Wushang had been childhood friends.
Before he was adopted by Chu Gucheng, Qinglan and Chu Wushang had always trained together, growing up as close companions with mutual affection.
Later, Qinglan had married him because of his genuine feelings for her.
Chu Heng had always treated Chu Wushang as a brother, never overstepping any boundaries.
It was only after Qinglan confirmed that she had no romantic feelings for Chu Wushang and saw him only as an elder brother that Chu Heng began to pursue her.
He hadn't known that Chu Wushang harbored such deep feelings for Qinglan, even believing that she had betrayed him.
This was the root cause of the events that had led to Qinglan's humiliation by Chu Wushang on the night of Chu Gucheng's birthday banquet, after Chu Heng had left the imperial capital.
Now, no matter how much Chu Heng regretted or raged, it was too late. Regardless of why Chu Wushang had done such a thing, he had to make him pay. Otherwise, how could his wife rest in peace?
"At this point, there's no use saying more. If Your Majesty insists on shielding the eldest prince, then let the ministers here see the truth."
Chu Heng's expression was icy, his gaze like a blade of frost, causing the surrounding space to tremble.
With a wave of his hand, the pair of mandarin duck pendants flew out, emitting a multicolored radiance. The hazy light projected a blurred domain in the air, and images began to appear.
It was a grand architectural complex, with towering pavilions and high eaves. A beautiful woman, dressed in white fur with a shawl draped over her shoulders, stood in a quiet courtyard, gazing into the distance with a hint of sorrow, seemingly worried about her husband on the battlefield.
Although Chu Heng had obscured the woman's face with his magic, the ministers present recognized her as Champion Marquis Chu Heng's wife, Qinglan.
"Is this a reconstruction of the night Champion Marquis's wife was killed?"
A minister exclaimed softly as he saw the scene.
Everyone in the hall now focused their attention on the images.
Previously, many in the Immortal Chu Dynasty had investigated the cause of Champion Marquis's wife's death, and some had tried to reconstruct the scene, but all had failed.
Now, Champion Marquis Chu Heng had somehow managed to recreate the events of that night.
In the blurred images, Qinglan was seen in the courtyard conversing with her maid, expressing concern over the aggressive movements of the Demon Court and Purple Mist Mountain, fearing that her husband might be in danger.
Everything seemed normal, with nothing out of place.
Chu Gucheng watched coldly, his eyes following the images. But when another figure appeared in the scene, his pupils contracted, and his expression changed dramatically, as if he couldn't believe what he was seeing.
"What?"
Many ministers exclaimed in shock, some even standing up, their eyes wide with disbelief.
Chu Heng felt his heart ache as he watched the scene again, but he didn't stop it. Only when his wife was about to be humiliated did he withdraw the pendants.
The hall fell into an eerie silence, with no one speaking.
"This is everything that happened before Qinglan was killed," Champion Marquis Chu Heng said coldly, breaking the silence.
"How could it be…"
The ministers were utterly shocked, their minds reeling.
If they hadn't seen it with their own eyes, how could they have believed that the true culprit was the eldest prince, Chu Wushang?
The eldest prince, who had always been steady and reliable, the one they had placed such high hopes on?
Now, many turned their gazes to Chu Wushang, their eyes filled with disbelief, including Chu Gucheng's other descendants.
Chu Wushang's face was pale, and he didn't look at anyone. Instead, he slowly closed his eyes.
It seemed he knew that the situation was already decided. The moment Champion Marquis Chu Heng presented the evidence, his fate was sealed.
His actions, in the eyes of everyone present, were tantamount to admitting that he had personally committed the crime.
"Why?"
Chu Gucheng's expression was grim, as if he couldn't believe what he had just seen.
"Whether these images are real or not, everyone can see for themselves. At this point, I only want Your Majesty to give me an explanation."
Chu Heng said coldly, his gaze fixed firmly on Chu Gucheng's expression.
He didn't believe that Chu Gucheng had only just learned of this.
Previously, an Ancestral Dao Realm existence must have intervened to erase the karma, covering up Chu Wushang's tracks.
After all, without Chu Gucheng's permission, how could Chu Wushang have gotten an Ancestral Dao Realm existence to act on his behalf?
Now, Chu Gucheng was pretending to be unaware, but who could he fool besides those who didn't know the truth?
"I am sorry. I didn't know it was Wushang who did this."
Chu Gucheng looked at Champion Marquis Chu Heng with a pained expression, his voice trembling slightly, as if he too was deeply distressed and struggling to accept this.
Many ministers were still in shock, their minds buzzing, feeling as if the world had gone dark.
What was happening to the Immortal Chu Dynasty? Was this a destined calamity? With enemies at the gates, how could such an unbelievable event occur within?
Champion Marquis Chu Heng simply watched Chu Gucheng coldly, unmoved.
At this moment, Chu Wushang, who had been silent with his eyes closed, finally spoke.
"I have failed Your Majesty's trust and the high hopes placed in me by the ministers. Everything that happened that day was my doing. Afterward, I used an ancient artifact to erase the traces of karma. Later, fearing that Champion Marquis would discover the truth, I forged Your Majesty's decree and had his trusted aides ambushed on their way back, and eliminated his informants in the imperial capital…"
"I am unworthy of being the eldest prince of the Immortal Chu Dynasty. My actions were beastly and have brought shame to the dynasty and to Your Majesty."
He looked at the ministers in the hall, his face filled with pain and regret, as if he deeply regretted what he had done. But gradually, his expression became calm.
"Why would you do such a thing, eldest prince? This is completely unlike you."
Many old ministers were heartbroken and unwilling to believe that Chu Wushang could have done this.
Chu Wushang smiled bitterly and shook his head. "Qinglan became an obsession and a demon in my heart. I deserve this punishment."
At the same time, he looked at Chu Heng, his eyes showing a hint of guilt, but gradually, they became calm and indifferent.
"You have betrayed my trust and disgraced the title of eldest prince of the Immortal Chu Dynasty. I have always been fair and strict. Today, I will uphold justice and give Champion Marquis the explanation he deserves."
Chu Gucheng's expression was cold as he looked at Chu Wushang.
As soon as he finished speaking, he swung his sleeve, and with a single palm strike, he aimed directly at Chu Wushang's forehead.
With a pfft, blood mixed with brain matter splattered across the hall.
Even though Chu Wushang was a Dao Realm existence, under Chu Gucheng's furious strike, there was no chance of survival. His soul immediately shattered and collapsed.
Of course, to everyone present, it seemed that Chu Wushang had already resolved to die and hadn't resisted at all.
Seeing this, the ministers who had been about to intervene were stunned, unable to believe what they had just witnessed.
Chu Gucheng had acted so ruthlessly and decisively, personally killing his own son in front of everyone?
Observing such a cold and ruthless Chu Gucheng, many couldn't help but feel a chill.
Champion Marquis Chu Heng hadn't expected Chu Gucheng to be so merciless, willing to abandon even his own son without hesitation.
But from the moment he presented the evidence to Chu Gucheng killing Chu Wushang, everything had happened too quickly.
Or had Chu Gucheng anticipated this all along, and had Chu Wushang already resolved to die?
"Wushang is dead. He has paid the price for his actions. I hope this explanation satisfies you, Champion Marquis."
After personally killing Chu Wushang, Chu Gucheng slowly closed his eyes, as if to hide the pain within.
At this point, Chu Heng could say nothing more.
The explanation he had demanded had been given. Chu Wushang's life had been exchanged for his wife's. What more could he ask for?
Yet, this did nothing to alleviate the bitterness and anger in his heart.
The fact that he hadn't been the one to exact revenge, and that Chu Wushang had died so easily, left him deeply unsatisfied.
"Now that we face a great enemy, I hope you will prioritize the greater good, Champion Marquis. The safety of countless citizens of the Immortal Chu Dynasty now rests in your hands."
Chu Gucheng spoke again, seemingly having regained his composure.
Chu Heng nodded. "Your Majesty, rest assured. I know what must be done."
Chu Gucheng nodded and said no more, though a flicker of pain crossed his eyes when they fell on Chu Wushang's body.
As the ministers in the hall began discussing strategies to deal with the crisis facing the Immortal Chu Dynasty, a vast and surging wave of energy suddenly erupted from the far reaches of the sky.
In that direction, spacetime trembled, and a massive rift appeared.
Someone was establishing a spacetime tunnel from the other end, leading to the Immortal Chu Dynasty.
Brilliant, dazzling light seemed to tear the universe apart, as if a terrifying hand had reached out from the other side of the sky, forcefully ripping open the heavens.
Holy, radiant light rain drifted down from the spacetime tunnel, illuminating the barriers between worlds, making them seem transparent.
Blurry figures stood on the other side of the tunnel, gazing at the Immortal Chu Dynasty.
"The Immortal Chu Dynasty has colluded with the remnants of the Black Calamity, imprisoned Saintess Xiyuan, disregarded natural order, and subverted the rules of the Prime-Origin Civilization. We call upon all factions to join forces and destroy them."
The voice echoed across the universe, coming from the distant end of the spacetime tunnel, reverberating throughout the Immortal Chu Dynasty, causing countless cultivators and beings to tremble in fear.
On the other side of the spacetime tunnel, more and more figures began to appear, as if preparing to cross over and descend upon this world…