The ice in Xue Ye's eyes thawed slightly, but his fury had not abated; it had merely shifted its target. He slammed a hand against the armrest of the dragon throne, his voice cracking like thunder:
"The Crown Prince is absolutely right! Such despicable conduct could never have been the work of the heir apparent! This is a blatant attempt to frame him! Their goal is to drive a wedge between the imperial family and the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect and shake the foundations of Heaven Dou!"
His gaze swept over the ministers in the hall like a hawk's, then settled on the Vice Minister of Justice and the commander of the City Defense Department. His voice brimmed with unquestionable authority and towering fury:
"Ministry of Justice! City Defense Department! I give you three days! Within three days, you must find the real culprit! Whoever is involved, whoever is pulling the strings, I will make them pay!"
"Investigate! Investigate this thoroughly for me! Search all of Heaven Dou City. Turn over every stone if you have to—find those brazen thieves and drag them out! Sect Master Ning,"
Xue Ye turned to Ning Fengzhi, whose expression remained grave. His tone softened, but remained heavy. "This happened in the imperial capital. It was my failure! I will give you—and the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect—a satisfactory explanation!"
"Thank you, Your Majesty!" Ning Fengzhi bowed, his voice touched by grief and gratitude. "Fengzhi believes in Your Majesty's wisdom. You will surely clear the innocent and bring the true culprit to justice."
The scales in his heart also tipped further toward the theory that someone had framed the Crown Prince. But the sect's disciples had been brutally killed, and no matter what, there had to be an answer.
Xue Ye nodded faintly. Then his gaze returned to Ye Yang, and beneath the emperor's majesty lay a trace of concern, subtle but unmistakable—the concern of a father.
He said gravely, "Crown Prince!"
"Your son is here," Ye Yang replied, bowing.
"Until this case is solved, the thieves have already made you their target. They were able to torture the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's disciples to death; their methods are ruthless, their actions meticulous. They clearly came prepared, and they have nerves of steel!"
"To prevent any mishaps, and to keep the situation from growing more complicated and giving the thieves an opportunity..."
Xue Ye said helplessly, "Starting today, you will remain in the East Palace. Without my permission, you may not leave the palace! Court sessions will continue as usual, but all activities outside the palace are suspended!"
"Your son understands," Ye Yang replied.
He paused, then looked toward Ning Fengzhi and Xue Ye with sincere concern. "This case has far-reaching implications. Though I cannot investigate it in person, I remain deeply concerned about its progress."
"I hope the honored officials of the Ministry of Justice and the City Defense Department will work together and catch the real culprit as soon as possible, so the spirits of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's disciples may rest in peace, and Heaven Dou City may once again know peace and justice!"
[Ding! Handled the situation appropriately. Acting +1, Authority +1]
His words once again earned the quiet approval of many, including Xue Ye and Ning Fengzhi.
The Crown Prince truly knew how to put the greater good first and consider the bigger picture. Even at the heart of the maelstrom, he had not forgotten to comfort the victimized sect and urge the officials investigating the case onward.
"Good." Xue Ye's expression eased. He was pleased by the Crown Prince's "obedience." "You understand, then. Court is dismissed! The Ministry of Justice, the City Defense Department, and Prince Xue Xing will stay behind to discuss this matter!"
"Court is dismissed!"
With the sharp announcement of the attendant, the morning court came to an end.
The ministers left the Golden Throne Hall with thoughts of their own, murmuring among themselves.
Under the complicated gazes of the gathered ministers, Ye Yang maintained the dignity of the Crown Prince and turned toward the East Palace.
Yet at the instant he turned, a faint but unmistakable flash of irritation and viciousness flickered deep in his warm, jade-like eyes.
"Heh. Let's see who thinks they can frame me."
That evening, after returning to the East Palace.
"Clap!"
A sharp clap rang out. The guards stationed at the East Palace, along with the two Titled Douluo Snake Lance and Pufferfish hidden in the corners, suddenly froze. Their bodies could not move, and even their consciousness came to a halt.
"I have to say, this Zen Seal really is useful." The East Palace gates swung open, and a golden-armored figure emerged. It was Ye Yang, now transformed into Emperor Hero.
The Zen Seal was a standard ability of the Five-Element Armor, and the Emperor Armor naturally possessed it as well.
The Zen Seal could stop time in the surrounding area. It was an absurdly powerful ability.
"Emperor Colt!" Ye Yang flicked the switch on the right side of his belt. The next moment, a card shot out from the belt, and a golden flying machine emerged from it.
It resembled a dragon's head, its entire body golden and radiating an air of nobility.
It was none other than the Emperor Armor's exclusive mount—the Emperor Colt!
"Let's go!"
Ye Yang sprang onto the Emperor Colt. In the next instant, it shot into the sky at a speed too fast for the eye to follow, heading toward the site of the incident.
Not long after Ye Yang left, the Zen Seal wore off. The guards at the gate, along with the two Douluo Snake Lance and Pufferfish, noticed nothing amiss.
The Emperor Colt tore through the curtain of night, becoming a golden streak too swift for the eye to catch. In an instant, it reached the crime scene on the outskirts of the city, where bloodshed and deathly silence hung in the air.
Ye Yang hovered in midair, the golden Emperor Armor gleaming with a majestic, icy sheen beneath the cold moonlight.
Looking down from above, he swept his gaze over the area sealed off by Soul Masters from the City Defense Department.
The scene was a mess. The marked locations of the bodies, the dried black stains of blood, and the trampled, disordered grass and trees all spoke of the previous night's carnage.
[Ding! Surveyed the scene. Insight +1]
"Hmph. They certainly cleaned up 'well,'" Ye Yang murmured, his voice carrying a metallic resonance through the armor.
At a thought, the Emperor Colt slowly descended, landing silently in the shadow of an undisturbed treetop.
He did not remove the armor. The Emperor Armor's extraordinary senses spread outward like invisible ripples.
In his vision, a sinister aura extended farther and farther into the distance.
"I'd like to see who did this."
Following the aura, Ye Yang traced it step by step until he reached a secluded courtyard. The source of the aura was inside.
"Interesting. A death warrior? Then the real culprit must be someone else." Ye Yang pondered.
The Emperor Colt, hovering in midair, suddenly blazed with dazzling golden light. Its engine let out a low, majestic dragon's roar!
The next instant, it became a brilliant meteor tearing through the night sky, wrapped in an unstoppable force as it plunged toward the dilapidated courtyard below where the death warrior was hiding!
BOOM!!!
A deafening roar erupted, as if Heaven itself had passed judgment!
The Emperor Colt crashed straight through the courtyard's roof!
Amid the billowing dust, blinding golden light descended like the sun fallen to earth, banishing every shadow in the courtyard!
The Emperor Colt hovered steadily half a foot above the ground. At the center of the enormous crater it had made stood Emperor Hero—Ye Yang—clad in golden armor and wreathed in streaming light, a war god descended from myth!
The ground beneath his feet cracked and sank in a web of fractures. A terrifying pressure poured from him like a tangible tsunami, sweeping across the entire courtyard!
[Ding! Descended like a divine weapon from the heavens. Presence +1, Authority +1!]
Before you continue