Chapter 35 35: Injured Third Prince
"Impossible!" Qin Ye subconsciously blurted out.
However, as soon as he noticed that everyone was looking at him, including Xu Shan, he closed his mouth. He was sure that Xu Shan's father was also observing the situation.
Moreover, he was also sure that the Emperor had already sent over ten of his Generals! They had already surrounded them from all sides!
Even the Celestial Palace Elders couldn't leave this place alive if they couldn't prove that Xu Shan had done what they accused him of!
The unsettling sensation he experienced stemmed from the fact that the future he had anticipated had been altered unexpectedly. It left him with a sense of unease, almost as if someone had been playing a game with him.
He found himself in an unusual state of uncertainty, which was rare for him as he preferred to have a clear understanding and strategy for everything.
He was desperate to use the Book of Destiny and determine whether any changes had occurred. It was a matter of safety for him, but he couldn't find the opportunity to use the book in this moment. He couldn't just leave.
"I mean, it's 'impossible' for Xu Shan to have done it!" Qin Ye clarified right away. "If the letter is wrong about the place where you'll find the body, how can you believe it?!"
Confused and frustrated, he couldn't comprehend why the events had changed like that despite his lack of interference during that time.
'This can't be. It'll be such a wasted opportunity if I don't do anything.'
"The disappearance of the Saintess is a significant issue that cannot be ignored. If she could be harmed, it raises concerns about the safety of everyone else in this world. We must conduct a thorough investigation to fully understand the situation." He then took a moment to gather his thoughts and compose himself. Or at least that's the impression he wanted to give everyone!
Even though he didn't know what had changed, it was still fine! He could still control the situation even without knowing the exact future!
"Prince Shan, I'm sure the Celestial Palace is restless. No matter how much I believe you, they will always be suspicious. It might affect the relationship between the two places." He innocently shifted his attention to the Third Prince as if he had another idea!
No matter how this future changed, he believed he could still get it right on track! He had thousands of methods to expose Xu Shan.
"How about we make sure that this seed of suspicion is destroyed forever, proving your innocence?"
"And how will you do that?" Xu Shan asked. He was somewhat curious what trick Qin Ye was going to use next.
Xu Shan had meticulously planned every aspect, leaving no room for errors. However, he still found it amusing to witness Emperor Qin's attempts to trap him, despite failing in his initial plan.
He wanted to relish the moment until it was time to bring the matter to a close. In fact, he was really curious as to what kind of twisted expressions Qin Ye was going to reveal at the end.
'Struggle... struggle as much as you can. Since you've targeted me, I'll make sure the Qin Dynasty disappears from this world, using your own plan!'
Xu Shan didn't reveal his true thoughts on his face. "And how do you want me to prove my innocence?"
"Why not try Star Heart Grass? It has the power to prevent one from lying. You could eat it and prove your innocence," Qin Ye suggested with a reassuring smile. "I believe you are innocent, so let's put an end to this situation today."
Xu Shan was somewhat impressed at how fast this guy came up with a new plan. Then again, he had already expected something like this. There was no way he would've forgotten about the herb he used on Yu Fei.
Usually, a prince could easily lie and no one would've dared to accuse him of lying, in fear of offending the Royals. That's also why Chen Rouyin hadn't eaten the Seven Star Grass to prove her innocence.
If her father had failed to protect her by paying a heavy price, only then would she have asked for something like this at the last resort. However, even then, she was sure that the Emperor wasn't going to give her an opportunity to use the grass. How could the Emperor watch his son be proven a liar?
It was useless for Chen Rouyin to demand something like that. However, with Qin Ye personally asking while pretending to be on Xu Shan's side... It was almost impossible to reject.
"And what if I don't?" Xu Shan asked, frowning. "Why should I care what they think? They're not worth a single blade of grass in my garden."
"You should tell them to leave or I'll kill them myself!" Xu Shan arrogantly stated, aiming his Sword at the Elders.
The Elders were overcome with indignation and their emotions were beyond their control. In their rage, they resolved to teach Xu Shan a lesson!
Even if they were to be punished by the Emperor later on, they couldn't take the arrogance of this person.
However, they also knew they couldn't seriously hurt him! They didn't have a death wish!
The First Elder exuded a strong energy that seemed to be directed at Xu Shan. His intention was simply to nudge the young man backward and demonstrate the gap in their skill levels, without causing any actual harm.
However, the moment the first Elder emanated his aura, his countenance turned pale due to what he witnessed!
He had only used a weak aura to push back Xu Shan a few steps. However, for some reason, Xu Shan shot back, coughing out a mouthful of blood as if he was attacked by a full strength attack that was intended to kill him.
"Your Highness!" Zi Huang exclaimed with horror. He couldn't believe that these people actually had the audacity to target Xu Shan.
He swiftly soared forward, catching Xu Shan carefully in his embrace. Xu Shan's complexion had turned pale and blood was trickling down his lips.
"W-what?" The First Elder's mind went blank! He hadn't done it! How could Xu Shan fly back like that? It wasn't because of his attack! Instead, it was as if Xu Shan had planned it!
As he thought of it, his face lost all color. "Wait, he is pre-"
Swiss ~
Without warning, a swift arc of a sword descended and sliced the First Elder's body in half, spilling blood on the ground as he crumpled to the floor.
The ten generals, who had been in hiding, were taken aback by the unexpected attack on the prince and finally emerged from their hiding places.
In fact, initially, even the ten Generals didn't want to interfere. They were also hoping that Xu Shan might be in the wrong so that he could be dealt with later. They long hated the Third Prince for his past deeds.
Unfortunately, thanks to the Emperor, they couldn't do anything. Despite being dispatched to this location, they held back and refrained from revealing their presence. It was almost as if they were observing from afar, patiently waiting for the Celestial Palace to provide concrete evidence of Xu Shan's wrongdoing.
Regrettably, due to Xu Shan's grave injuries, they were left with no other option but to reveal themselves and take action, lest they incur the wrath of the Emperor.
As soon as they came out, they killed the First Elder!
After the death of the First Elder, the remaining Elfers were gripped with fear and promptly transmitted a message to the Celestial Palace Master.
The Master of the Celestial Palace was left astonished as soon as the message was conveyed. One of their esteemed Elders had been mercilessly killed in such a short span of time.
He split open the void and entered right away.
A new void appeared in front of Xu Shan's palace, and the Celestial Palace Master finally emerged from within it.
As Xu Shan stood there, another void suddenly appeared beside him. A middle-aged man emerged from it, his expression filled with worry for Xu Shan. It was none other than the Emperor of Eternal Dynasty!
At the moment, the overlords of two Dynasties and one Supreme Palace were all at the same place! Just as Xu Shan wanted, he had managed to drag all of them here!
Everything was in place now!