Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
Hastily, the Crown Prince glanced at the gray disk. Seeing no reaction from it, his spirits rose immediately.
He glared at Ye Jiuge and rebuked her in an arrogant and imposing manner, “Ye Jiuge, you staged an ordinary man's corpse with a pile of human skins to pa.s.s him off as a Sorcerer. What were you trying to achieve?”
Ye Jiuge could not be bothered to explain to the Crown Prince. She simply said, “He is a Sorcerer!”
“Bullsh*t! Do you think I am blind? This Black Magic Detection Disk shows no reaction at all.” After reprimanding Ye Jiuge, the Crown Prince turned toward Dongfang Yao. He said, “Imperial Uncle, you have been deceived by Ye Jiuge. She is a liar.”
Dongfang Yao gave a slight frown.
He pondered momentarily before taking out a bottle of white liquid medicine from his bosom. To the Crown Prince, he said, “I made this Black Magic Detection Solution. If there is Black Magic in the corpse, the solution will turn gray.”
Having said so, he poured some onto Jiang Shengjie's body. The white translucent solution immediately turned pale gray.
Dongfang Yao's heart sank immediately.
If the man were a Sorcerer, the solution would turn dark gray. Darker colors represented higher cultivation levels.
“Great Master Dongfang, this man's corpse has been stashed together with many human skins. It is normal for it to be contaminated with some Black Magic. However, such a change cannot prove that this man is a Sorcerer.”
As a Rank Five Alchemist, Ye Yuxuan had made some Black Magic Detection Solution before.
“Eldest Sister, if you wished to prove your innocence, you should not have used an innocent person's corpse and tried to pa.s.s it off as a Sorcerer!” Ye Shanshan looked at Ye Jiuge in distress and anguish.
“Sinful daughter, you have refused to change despite repeated warning and continued to repeat your errors. Today, I must punish you and earn back the honor of our clan, which you have tarnished.” A green-red flame lit up on Ye Yuxuan's hand again. He looked as though he was going to strike Ye Jiuge down at any moment.
“Wait.” Dongfang Yao lifted his hand and said solemnly, “There's something strange about this Sorcerer's corpse.”
“Great Master Dongfang, I respect you as a Great Master, but why are you always trying to help Ye Jiuge?”
Ye Yuxuan narrowed his eyes and sized up Dongfang Yao up suspiciously. He looked as though he suspected that there was something shameful going on between Dongfang Yao and Ye Jiuge.
After all, Ye Jiuge was gorgeous.
Dongfang Yao had a straightforward personality, and he almost exploded when he understood Ye Yuxuan's intimation.
He was of the same generation as Yun Tianwei. Strictly speaking, Ye Jiuge should address him as “Grandfather.” Ye Yuxuan's insinuation that there was something between them was akin to reprimanding him for not behaving as an elder should.
Ye Jiuge was calm. She said coldly, “I thought that, as a Rank Five Alchemist, Great Master Ye should be able to unravel the mystery behind this corpse. However, you know nothing. I wonder where you earned your t.i.tle of ‘Great Master.' It seems that you are merely angling for fame and cannot live up to your name.”
“Ye Jiuge, do you know whom you are speaking to?” Ye Yuxuan reprimanded her viciously.
“Of course, I know. I am speaking to ungrateful and cold-hearted sc.u.m.” Ye Jiuge's every word was like a blade stabbed into Ye Yuxuan's heart.
When she said this, there was yet another uproar from the crowd.
Although filial piety was not one of the virtues enshrined above all others on the Canglan Continent, it was unprecedented for a daughter to insult her Father in such a manner on the street.
Ye Yuxuan's entire body trembled with rage. He regretted not strangling his sinful daughter to death when she was in her infancy so that he would not have to be so infuriated by her.
“Well said!” Dongfang Yao clapped his hands. Then he praised, “Back then, this Ye Yuxuan relied on your Grandfather and Mother to become prosperous. Yet, now, he wants to get rid of you. You would be better off without such an immoral Father!”
Having managed the Medicine Refinery City for so many years, Dongfang Yao had good moral standing and a respected reputation in the city.
Due to his approval of Ye Jiuge's actions, the surrounding commoners immediately changed their tone. Instead of reprimanding Ye Jiuge for being unfilial, they praised her for rising up to fight evil.
Ye Jiuge was still calm and unaffected. Without expressing anything about their opinions, she turned to Dongfang Yao and said, “Great Master Dongfang, there is a magical weapon hidden in this Sorcerer's body. Your solution does not work because it conceals his Black Magic.”
She signaled to Bai Songling with her chin.
Bai Songling flipped over Jiang Shengjie's body. Using a sharp blade, he sliced open a piece of skin on Jiang Shengjie's back and scooped out a red, palm-size magical weapon engraved with many magic symbols.
Once the magical weapon was scooped out, Jiang Shengjie's slightly tanned skin immediately turned white with a touch of green.
The gray disk in Su Junqing's hands began to rotate frantically.
The solution that Dongfang Yao had poured onto the corpse of Jiang Shengjie also turned dark gray.
“He is really a Sorcerer!”
The surrounding commoners were stunned by the turnaround, and they began to discuss spiritedly again.
“Let me have a look at the magical weapon,” Dongfang Yao said to Bai Songling.
“Please, give me a moment,” Bai Songling tore a piece of the hem off his clothes and wiped off the bloodstains from the magical weapon.
Hu Lin, who had been hiding at the sides, moved closer again. With jiggling b.u.t.tocks, he produced a ball of water and said flatteringly, “Why don't I wash it for you?”
“Alight!” Bai Songling was aware that Hu Lin was timid, afraid of getting into trouble, and easily swayed. He did not fault Hu Lin for fleeing earlier when the battle broke out.
After was.h.i.+ng the magical weapon, he received it from Bai Songling and respectfully pa.s.sed it to Dongfang Yao.
Dongfang Yao took it and examined it carefully. After infusing some Spiritual Power into the magical weapon to inspect it, his face turned solemn.
The magical weapon was of the third grade and had an exceptional function. Only a Rank Five Weaponsmith or above could forge such a thing.
Dongfang Yao thought: Only the Weapon Refinement Sect has Rank Five Weaponsmiths. Could it be that someone from that sect has colluded with the Sorcerers? If so, that would certainly be troublesome.
A myriad of thoughts ran through Dongfang Yao's mind, but his expression remained calm. After putting away the magical weapon, he said to Ye Jiuge, “As the water recedes, the rocks appear. Your innocence has been proved. Thank you for your trouble.”
“Many thanks to you, Great Master Dongfang, for believing that I am innocent,” Ye Jiuge expressed her thanks solemnly.
She was genuinely grateful to Dongfang Yao.
If Dongfang Yao had believed that she was the Sorcerers' leader like the rest of the people, she would not have been able to prove her innocence so easily.
“Even if I don't trust you, I do trust Old Codger Yun. Why would his only granddaughter become the Sorcerers' leader? Would she be able to earn as much as the Sorcerers' leader as a Spiritual Alchemist?” Dongfang Yao laughed heartily and said.
When the rest of the people heard this, they could not help but laugh along. They began to discuss among themselves: “That's right. In our Lei Kingdom, Spiritual Pract.i.tioners are the most revered, followed by the Alchemists. If a Spiritual Alchemist can reach a high level in both areas, he has boundless prospects in the Lei Kingdom. Only a fool would try to become the leader of the Sorcerers instead.”
“Ye Yuxuan, you seem very disappointed that your daughter's innocence has been proven.” Dongfang Yao changed the subject as he addressed Ye Yuxuan, who was standing to the side.
“Great Master Dongfang, you must be joking. Jiuge is my daughter. Why would I be disappointed to see her innocence proved? I am truly happy for her.” Ye Yuxuan forced a smile.
He regretted his decision to listen to Ye Shanshan's instigation and travel to the Medicine Refinery City, ready to punish his family member if justice demanded it. It had caused him such humiliation.