Making the Dead Speak

Xu Tinglan shook his head. "I'm afraid it won't be that easy. This guy acted with the intention of dying."

"Whoever was behind him will definitely have cleaned everything up."

"And we have no way to make a dead man talk."

Ju Zi suddenly spoke up.

"There is a way."

All four pairs of eyes turned to the girl, staring at her in surprise.

Ju Zi was expressionless, her eyes seeming to reflect the flames.

"His Soul Ring configuration was one white, one yellow, three purple, and one black. He wasn't a noble, so he was likely a death warrior selected from childhood."

"The targets were Xu Tinglan and Xiao Hongchen."

"Most likely because the two of them have the highest talent."

"And they aren't familiar with us either. Otherwise, Jiang Nannan would have been the first target. Without the Gravity Field, killing the other three of us would have been easy."

Ju Zi looked at the corpse coldly.

"The answer is already obvious."

Only then did Xiao Hongchen and his sister seriously look at the girl.

At that moment, Ju Zi was unlike her usual adorably dazed self. She did not seem like an ordinary girl at all.

Ju Zi turned around and looked at Xu Tinglan.

"Most importantly, I know how to make a corpse speak."

"Come with me to see His Highness."

The school invigilators saw the signal and hurried over as well.

When they heard that these few had joined forces to kill a Soul Emperor, the invigilators' faces showed astonishment.

But they soon turned solemn.

This year's assessment trial was canceled.

A thorough investigation was launched in Mingyue Forest.

News of students being assassinated swiftly reached Sun Moon Academy, Mingde Hall, and the imperial family.

The court and the public were thrown into turmoil.

With such a major incident having occurred, there was naturally no need for the assessment trial to continue.

Xu Tinglan knew Ju Zi was right.

When the werewolf had not attacked Jiang Nannan, he had guessed that the man was not one of the teachers around them.

At the very least, he had nothing to do with Sun Moon Academy.

After resting, he headed to the imperial palace with Ju Zi.

The Sun Moon Imperial Palace stood at the very center of Ming Capital.

It occupied the most prestigious land in the entire city. The area surrounding the palace was filled with magnificent mansions behind imposing gates.

Everyone who lived there was among the Sun Moon Empire's most illustrious nobles.

The Royal Soul Engineer Corps guarded Ming Capital within and without.

They were the emperor's most loyal force and the Sun Moon Empire's core military strength.

Qian Palace.

The emperor wielded a horsewhip, lashing it fiercely across a young man's back.

The young man's back was covered in bloody welts.

It was a horrifying sight.

The emperor was consumed by rage as he shouted curses.

"What exactly are you trying to do, you beast? I can understand why you had Xu Li executed by a thousand cuts."

"I will not hold that against you."

"But why did you kill Xu Wei?!"

The young man raised his head, his face filled with resentment as he gritted his teeth.

"Your Majesty wanted to make Prince Wei the Crown Prince in my place! You let him move into Wenwu Palace!"

"Have I done anything wrong before this?"

The emperor's eyes blazed with fury. "Tianran!"

The young man roared, "Please address me as Crown Prince!"

The emperor lifted his head and drew a deep breath, his gaze carrying the majesty of one long in power.

"Tianran, what exactly are you trying to do?!"

Xu Tianran clenched his fists. "You killed your own brother!"

"I merely did not want Prince Wei to replace me!"

Xu Tianran put on his clothes, covering the injuries on his back, then pushed his wheelchair out of the palace.

An indifferent smile gradually appeared on the young man's face.

After experiencing Xu Li's assassination attempt, he was no longer softhearted.

Xu Wei truly had not made a move against him, but that did not guarantee he would not do so in the future.

Xu Wei, favored by the emperor, would surely gain the support of others before long.

He might even be urged by others to assassinate him.

His father had killed his only elder brother for the throne, then slaughtered the remaining five members of the family. What was wrong with him merely killing his younger brother?

As a member of the imperial family,

one was fated for kin to become enemies and lovers to kill one another!

He had realized this years ago.

Upon returning to Wenwu Palace,

a eunuch's shrill voice delivered a message. "Your Highness, Ju Zi wishes to see you."

Xu Tianran draped himself in clothing and arranged his appearance before the mirror.

Only then did he say to the eunuch,

"Quickly bring her in. Do not keep her waiting."

Xu Tinglan and Ju Zi entered Wenwu Palace together.

They met the Crown Prince.

A warm smile appeared on the young man's face as he said to the boy,

"You must be Elder Kong's newly adopted son. Please, have a seat."

"Meeting you truly surpasses hearing of you!"

"Greetings, Your Highness."

After greeting him, Xu Tinglan naturally sat down nearby.

He had not expected Xu Tianran's legs to have been crippled so early.

Xu Tinglan was not overly courteous toward this Crown Prince.

In terms of status,

he was Kong Deming's adopted son and final disciple. His standing was not much lower than the Crown Prince's—perhaps even higher than that of the now-disabled Crown Prince.

Ju Zi told Xu Tianran everything that had just happened.

The young man slammed his palm onto the Jinhua Wood table and said angrily,

"This is outrageous."

"I know someone who can indeed make the dead speak. Do you dare come and see for yourselves?"

Xu Tinglan pondered inwardly.

He had not expected Xu Tianran to have colluded with the Holy Spirit Cult so early.

That made sense. Without the Holy Spirit Cult supporting him from behind,

this man would likely have died long ago.

As a crippled Crown Prince, the other members of the imperial family were generally unwilling to support him, weren't they?

"Where is this person?"

"Within the imperial palace—the Inquisition Court."

Having received a definite answer,

Xu Tinglan decided to go with them. Since Xu Tianran and Ju Zi were both going, what did he have to fear?

From everything that had happened since entering,

Xu Tianran clearly wanted to win him over.

The man obviously did not trust the other imperial princes, or he would not have placed such importance on Ju Zi.

Following the road,

they arrived at the Inquisition Court.

That corpse had already been moved there.

About the time it took an incense stick to burn later,

a black-clad old man entered the Inquisition Court. He gave the Crown Prince a slight bow, his palm hovering over the dead man's forehead.

His voice was aged and somewhat unpleasant to hear.

"It is very fresh. Soul Summoning can be performed."

The Crown Prince nodded. "Sorry to trouble you, Elder Yun."

Xu Tinglan watched coldly.

From the beginning, he had guessed that the arrival could not possibly be the Death God Douluo. That Limit Douluo was not someone who could be summoned so easily.

Darkness filled the room.

A green soul body appeared before them.

Though this was the second time Ju Zi had seen something similar, she still felt uneasy inside. Yet she forced herself to watch.

She understood that this world would not refrain from hurting you merely because you were afraid.

The soul body stared at his hands in terror.

He had never imagined that even suicide would not prevent someone from awakening him. What kind of evil method was this?

The black-clad old man tilted his head.

"Ask."

Xu Tianran said leisurely, "Who exactly are you?"

The soul body answered instinctively.

"I am a White Tiger Assassin under the White Tiger Duke."

The man's soul body was filled with terror. He discovered that he could not control himself and could only speak the truth.

Ju Zi's breathing grew heavier, and her eyes reddened.

Just as expected.

Xu Tinglan said coldly, "I have no grudge against the White Tiger Duke, and I have never killed anyone."

The soul body opened its mouth, soul fluctuations spreading forth.

"You are young now and indeed have not killed anyone, but how can you guarantee that you will not lay hands on people from the White Tiger Legion in the future?"

Xu Tinglan smiled.

"No guarantee is needed."

"The White Tiger Legion, is it? I will destroy it."