CH 123

A deathly stillness pervaded the Evil Sky Pavilion’s great hall.

Lu Zhou’s words shocked everyone.

‘How could this craven, glib, and eccentric man be Great Yan’s Third Prince?’

‘Nothing about him resembles a person from the palace!’

‘Is master getting senile?’

The disciples had different thoughts running through their minds. Naturally, none of them dared to verbalize their thoughts.

Jiang Aijian was momentarily stunned. When he regained his senses, he said, “Old senior, you jest! How can I be the Third Prince?”

Lu Zhou did not expect Jiang Aijian to admit to it immediately. He said calmly, “My disciple, that rascal, Ye Tianxin, spent five years digging through the palace archives, and the conclusion she arrived at was that I’m the one behind the Fish Dragon Village incident. And yet, a rogue cultivator like you managed to discover the truth. How did you manage it?”

Jiang Aijian said, “I’ve told you. I have friends in the palace.”

Hu Wudao who had just entered the great hall asked, “What kind of friend has access to such top-secret information?”

“…” Jiang Aijian was at a loss for words.

Hua Wudao continued, “Greetings, Your Highness.” He was from the Yun Sect, after all. He could never dispose of the convoluted and overelaborate etiquette.

Seeing this, who knew if it was a force of habit or a slip of tongue, Jiang Aijian said solemnly, “You may dispense with the formalities.” As soon as he realized his mistake, he slapped a hand over his mouth. He said hastily, “A misunderstanding! Truly a misunderstanding! Everything’s a mis…” He trailed off with a sigh before he finally said, “Fine…”

Hua Wudao straightened himself respectfully.

Lu Zhou nodded his head and said, “I have time on my hands. I’m not worried you won’t admit to it.”

Jiang Aijian said with a sigh, “I went to so much trouble to send information to the Evil Sky Pavilion. Old senior, I’m very troubled by this treatment!”

Mingshi Yin interjected, “Cut the nonsense! Since you’re a prince, the Evil Sky Pavilion’s obstacles were your obstacles as well.”

It was clear Jiang Aijian had used the Evil Sky Pavilion. Who would be brave enough to do this? Even Yu Zhenghai, the Sect Master of the Nether Sect, did not dare to use the Evil Sky Pavilion when he was trying to expand his territory even though he could have done so.

Jiang Aijian hastily waved his hands and said, “Foul! I’m crying foul! I told the old senior that I hate the schemes and deceptions in the palace. That’s why I left the palace and all the nonsense and disputes there. No matter how many obstacles you removed, old senior, I can’t go back to being a prince.”

Hua Wudao said, “Your Highness, why did you maintain a connection with the palace, then?”

Jiang Aijian sighed again when he heard Hua Wudao’s question. “Although I’m a prince, I do have a few best friends. You can laugh at me if you want, but I admire the lives of the common folks. However, it’s difficult to care only about yourself under the skies of Great Yan. I had no choice but to take on the alias of Jiang Aijian and become a free and unfettered rogue cultivator.”

“The three Sword Freaks possess cultivation bases in the Nascent Divinity Tribulation realm. It’s very impressive for Your Highness to attain this as a rogue cultivator,” Hua Wudao said respectfully.

“That’s only a false reputation…” Jiang Aijian said.

“What a great speech!” Lu Zhou said, “If you have no interest in this, why did you betray your own brother?”

Jiang Aijian was taken aback.

‘The mastermind behind the Fish Dragon Village incident is the Second Prince. Not only did you not defend your brother, but you even stabbed him in the back. Who would believe you have no personal interest in this?’

Everyone’s eyes were trained on Jiang Aijian at this moment. The current situation resembled a court in session where a criminal was being examined. He, Jiang Aijian, was the main character of this hearing.

Jiang Aijian sighed and said, “The most fickle people under the heavens are the princes.”

Inside the palace walls, apart from protocols and rules, nothing else mattered but power and status. There was no place for familial relationships.

Lu Zhou stroked his beard and said, “Back to the topic, do you know why I was investigating the Fish Dragon Village incident?”

“Isn’t it for your sixth disciple?” Jiang Aijian asked in confusion.

Lu Zhou shook his head and said, “That’s not all… Do you know Ding Fanqiu?”

Hua Wudao frowned slightly when he heard Ding Fanqiu’s name. He said, “Ding Fanqiu is a member of my Yun Sect.”

Mingshi Yin retorted, “Elder Hua, please be aware of your current position and attitude. Ding Fanqiu impersonated my master and committed crimes everywhere he went. He defamed master and the Evil Sky Pavilion. According to the rules, he should be cut into eight pieces and thrown to the back of the mountain to feed the wild beasts!”

“…” Hua Wudao’s old face turned red. When he came to the Evil Sky Pavilion, he had already resigned from his post as a Yun Sect elder.

“I’ve heard of him,” Jiang Aijian said darkly.

“Ding Fanqiu told me all the commotion in the Measure Heaven River’s Fish Dragon Village is to find a special bone,” Lu Zhou said.

“Is that so?” Jiang Aijian scratched his head.

“Jiang Aijian… do you think I’m gullible?” Lu Zhou’s cloudy eyes looked at Jiang Aijian pointedly.

Jiang Aijian was discomfited by this and did not know how to react. Finally, he said, “Old senior, since you already know about this, why do you have to ask?” This was as good as an admission.

Lu Zhou asked, “The palace has been fishing out bodies from the river for a decade. In your opinion, did the palace gain anything?”

“No.”

“What’s this special bone?” Lu Zhou asked again.

“Uh…” Jiang Aijian looked around himself. He seemed to be mindful of the many pairs of ears here.

Lu Zhou did not mind this at all. He said, “You should understand that at this point, it’s meaningless to conceal these things from me.”

Jiang Aijian cupped his fists at Lu Zhou. At this moment, his frivolous manner seemed to have disappeared as he said, “I have no need to lie to you, old senior. To be honest, I think that many of them have forgotten that I’m a prince from the palace since I left the palace many years ago. There aren’t many of my friends left in the palace as well. In a few years, perhaps, there won’t be a Third Prince in this world.” He continued to say, “While investigating the incident at Measure Heaven River, two men were killed. Naturally, they can’t blame anyone for their lack of skills.”

The great hall was quiet now.

Jiang Aijian continued, “My brother’s a cruel man. He’s unfit to be the ruler of this nation.”

“I believe you,” Lu Zhou said.

“Thank you, old senior…”

“Jiang Aijian, in your opinion, is it possible that the bone is the bone of the Bai people?” Lu Zhou asked calmly.

“Bai… people…” Jiang Aijian shook his head. “There was a rumor in the palace that the bones of the Bais can help one to overcome the limits of one’s life. If that were the case, what’s the point of fishing up the bones in the river over the past ten years?”

Nobody had succeeded in discovering the alleged treasure after salvaging the bones of the Bai people from the riverbed for a decade. Hence, the objective of this operation might have shifted to something else besides the bones of the Bai sometime during the ten years.

“Old senior, I’ve said what I have to say. I’ll be honest and admit I do have a vested interest in this. It’s fine if you don’t grant me the nice sword,” Jiang Aijian said.

Lu Zhou shook his head and said, “I told you I despise petty men who don’t keep their words. Since I’ve promised you a sword, I’ll definitely fulfill my promise.”

After he finished speaking, Lu Zhou raised his hand and waved it around slowly. A black item appeared and floated toward Jiang Aijian.

At this moment, everyone’s attention was focused on the black item. They could not help but wonder what treasure the Pavilion Master of Evil Sky Pavilion had given Jiang Aijian.