Phantom Shadow Demon Trace

Volume 2: Phantom Shadow Demon Trace, Chapter 16: The Death of the Crown Prince

Finally, as the atmosphere grew increasingly heavy, a brave soul stepped forward.

"We're going to the Dingguo imperial capital." Tang Ruowei muttered.

The Minister of Justice's voice trembled slightly.

"Hmm, it's nothing to worry about." Bai Qiuran walked out of the entrance of the Joyful Realm, only to find his disciple squatting by the door with another disciple from the Hehuan Sect, her shoulders trembling slightly.

"Replying to Your Majesty." That Hehuan Sect disciple laughed, "Senior, you really love to joke. Not to mention the Azure Nether Sword Sect, the only cultivator within the Righteous Path Alliance who holds the highest-level token of the Demonic Sect Alliance is..."

The Hehuan Sect disciple giggled, "Oh my, Senior, this little sister of yours is so much fun. When you get tired of playing with her, are you interested in bringing her to our Hehuan Sect?"

"Is this not enough?"

"This, replying to Your Majesty."

Bai Qiuran was in a great mood. He turned to Tang Ruowei and said, "Let's go. Let's not make a fool of ourselves here. I've found a good training opportunity for you; I'll take you there."

He walked over curiously and patted Tang Ruowei on the shoulder. When Tang Ruowei looked up, her face was covered in tears.

She didn't dare reach out to take Bai Qiuran's hand, instead stumbling backward and landing on her bottom at the entrance of the Joyful Realm.

"Then what about my bounty? Has that group of martial artists who boast of their great skills made any progress?"

"Actually, I lied to you. I'm not from the Demonic Sect; I'm from the Azure Nether Sword Sect, and this is my disciple."

Bai Qiuran paused for a moment and asked the Hehuan Sect disciple, "Did you bully her?"

Emperor Qu Peng was just looking for an outlet for his frustration, and this brave soul had walked right into his line of fire. He wiped the tears from his face and roared, "That's easy for you to say! It's not your son who died!"

Tang Ruowei looked up at him, somewhat dazed.

Emperor Qu Peng roared, "Regardless of whether the culprit is human or ghost, I will tear whoever killed the Crown Prince into ten thousand pieces! Go!"

"Ah?"

But it was useless. Two eunuchs had already begun drafting the imperial decree, and his colleagues nearby looked at him with expressions of both admiration and pity.

Bai Qiuran understood immediately. With a wooden expression, he asked, "So, did she tell you the rest of the story?"

Bai Qiuran reached out a hand to her gently.

"Heh heh."

"In other words..." Bai Qiuran thought for a moment and replied, "I just happened to kill the previous Sect Master of the Hehuan Sect."

The Emperor of Dingguo, Qu Peng, was the strongest mortal martial artist in Dingguo and even the entire Cangzhou region. His body was nearly two and a half meters tall and incredibly burly, with a face like an angry Vajra deity. Even mortals who didn't know he was the emperor would be too terrified to move under his gaze.

"We are incompetent. Regarding the matter of the Crown Prince, we still... have no leads."

"Oh my."

"I didn't lie to you. Including what this Senior added, these are indeed my true experiences."

Bai Qiuran glanced at her and pulled her arm up.

"A bunch of trash!"

"Hello, I am Bai Qiuran."

"But Your Majesty, to attract cultivators, the price..."

But at this very moment, this mighty and extraordinary emperor sat on his dragon throne, clutching his chest, weeping bitterly.

The Minister of Justice, who was in charge of the matter, bit the bullet and stepped out of the ranks, burying his head until it was level with his waist.

Tang Ruowei followed closely in Bai Qiuran's footsteps. The two walked out of the red-light district. Then, Tang Ruowei looked back toward the Joyful Realm and asked, "Master, why was that Hehuan Sect disciple so afraid of you?"

"The rest of the story: after that girl was sold to the Hehuan Sect, she worked diligently, studied the Hehuan Sect's techniques, and quickly climbed to the core ranks of the sect. Then, she found that Demonic Cultivator and turned him into an ox that worked itself to death in the fields."

"My son..."

Bai Qiuran shot a sideways glance at the Hehuan Sect disciple and continued, "You, this is the Hehuan Sect, one of the three major sects of the Demonic Sect, okay? Don't think that just because they are running a shop properly now, they are kind-hearted. The customers in this shop are just Hehuan Sect servants; the disciples running the shop are the real guests, you know? The Hehuan Sect values women over men. Would your emperor father cry and howl and threaten suicide just to sleep with a woman?"

"Now I suddenly feel much better. By the way, how is the investigation into the murderer of the Crown Prince going?"

As she spoke, she seemed to remember something and looked Bai Qiuran up and down.

"Wait, white hair, white eyebrows, dressed like a martial artist, from the Azure Nether Sword Sect..."

"Ah?"

Hearing this name, the Hehuan Sect disciple's face turned pale, her beauty drained by terror.

Emperor Qu Peng was furious, "Since the martial artists can't handle it, then increase the reward! Invite higher-level Cultivators! And what about the Venerables? Where did those Venerables I support die off to?! Tell them to go investigate for me!"

Watching the Minister of Rites return to the ranks of officials with a white face, daring to be angry but not daring to speak, Emperor Qu Peng clutched his chest honestly and let out a long sigh.

Emperor Qu Peng slapped the dragon throne, making the two eunuchs beside him shrink back.

His wailing grew louder. The two eunuchs nearby hurriedly tried to soothe him, but none dared to make a sound.

"Azure Nether Sword Sect?"

"My condolences?"

"I spent half my life conquering this great empire, all intended for you to inherit. Who would have known that today, you would just let go and leave me behind, forcing me, the old, to bury the young?"

"Your Majesty."

Tang Ruowei thought blankly for a moment, then turned to the Hehuan Sect disciple and shouted, "You lied to me!"

He pondered for a moment, then announced, "Someone, execute the son of the Minister of Rites!"

"Nice to meet you."

The Minister of Justice hesitated.

"Your mother's Dingguo is not short of money! Increase the reward for me!"

Emperor Qu Peng covered his face, tears streaming uncontrollably through his fingers.

He stepped out of the ranks of officials, bowed to Emperor Qu Peng, and tried his best to use his most sincere voice to persuade him, "Please accept my condolences..."

In the imperial palace of the Dingguo capital, in the Golden Throne Hall, the most powerful civil and military officials of Dingguo were gathered, but at this moment, no one dared to make a sound.

"Hmm, speaking of that..." Tang Ruowei replied with a sob, "It's just that this older sister told me about her past... being captured by a Demonic Cultivator, toyed with, and then sold to the Hehuan Sect... Wuwu, it's so pitiful."

Bai Qiuran smiled proudly and gave the Hehuan Sect disciple a thumbs up.

"Oh."

"None."

Following Bai Qiuran out of the city gate, Tang Ruowei asked, "Master, where are we going next?"

"Those martial artists who took the job... none of them came back..."

"What did they do?"

As the Minister of Rites, a high-ranking official of the imperial court, he dared not defy Emperor Qu Peng's decision. If he dared to say half a word of "no" now, Emperor Qu Peng, whose martial prowess was unrivaled in the world, would likely crush his skull with one palm.

The Minister of Rites, who had bravely stepped forward, was so terrified that his face turned the color of earth and he shook like chaff.

"Damn it!"