"Your Majesty, I have something to report!"
Ge Long finally could not hold back.
The more he looked at Wei Fan, the more convinced he became that Wei Fan was the petty thief who had stolen the Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud.
After turning it over in his mind, he decided to expose this fellow at the celebration.
Ge Long's sudden step forward drew everyone's attention to him.
Ning Rongrong clenched her delicate hands, her palms beginning to sweat with nerves.
We're done for!
Wei Fan is bound to be exposed this time. How can I save him?
No matter how hard she thought, she could not come up with anything.
"Marshal Ge Long, please speak."
Xue Ye said.
"Your Majesty, a petty thief infiltrated our Heaven Dou Imperial Palace just now. I suspect that person was Wei Fan."
Ge Long's words shocked everyone present.
Wei Fan was a petty thief?
He had just been dancing onstage and had even received a reward from Xue Ye.
Many of them also knew his other identity.
The champion, Wei Fan, stealing things?
How was that possible!
Ning Fengzhi gave Chen Xin a questioning look, hoping to get an answer from him.
Chen Xin shook his head. When he arrived, he had only seen Ge Long in a sorry state. There had been no sign of anyone else, not even a trace of their aura.
Ge Long had told him earlier that the person's martial soul was a trident, but he remembered that this young man named Wei Fan had a water martial soul.
He was rather baffled by the whole affair!
"Marshal Ge Long, do you have any evidence?"
Xue Ye was equally surprised.
"No!"
"But I have a way to prove that this man is the thief."
Ge Long spoke with confidence.
He had already worked out a method. This time, he would pin down the thief who had stolen their national treasure and leave him no room to escape.
"What method?"
Xue Ye asked again.
"Search him!"
"The thief stole something from the imperial household just now."
This was the method Ge Long had come up with, simple and practical.
As long as the Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud was found on Wei Fan, that would explain everything.
A search?
Xue Ye had expected a good idea. This rotten suggestion was the worst possible option.
He had just rewarded Wei Fan, and now he was supposed to have him searched.
He had intended to try recruiting Wei Fan into the Heaven Dou Empire's service. If they searched him now, would Wei Fan still have a favorable impression of their Heaven Dou Empire?
Would that not amount to giving up on a gifted soul master?
Ning Fengzhi's expression remained unchanged. Searching a soul master's soul tool was a grave taboo on the Douluo Continent.
No one wanted others prying into their private affairs!
Ge Long was being far too rash. Even Ning Fengzhi could barely stand to watch.
"Marshal Ge Long, you've gone too far."
"Wei Fan is my friend. How could he possibly be the thief you're talking about?"
Xue Ke stepped forward to defend Wei Fan.
"Your Highness, a search will reveal whether I am speaking nonsense."
When Ge Long stepped forward, he had anticipated opposition. He simply had not expected it to come from Princess Xue Ke.
This Wei Fan was no simple fellow!
Even the princess was protecting him.
"Ge Long, even a search requires evidence. You just stated quite clearly that you had none, so why should Wei Fan let you search him?"
"As a marshal, you represent the Empire's image!"
"Everyone here today was invited by the Empire. How could there possibly be a thief among us?"
"..."
Seeing the displeasure on Xue Ye's face, some nobles began laying into Ge Long. This old bastard did nothing but upset Xue Ye.
Of course, besides those trying to curry favor with Xue Ye, others who had long disliked Ge Long joined in as well.
"Your Majesty, please dismiss your attendants."
Seeing Xue Ye hesitate, Ge Long took two steps forward and spoke a few words in a voice only the two of them could hear.
Xue Ye's pupils suddenly contracted, and his hands involuntarily tightened around the arms of his dragon throne.
The missing item was actually the Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud!
This was far too serious!
No wonder Ge Long had demanded a search of Wei Fan's Storage Soul Tool.
Xue Ye still hesitated. Although he could not really be considered a soul master, he had seen the strange phenomenon on the horizon earlier. Could a teenage boy have caused that?
"Father, while Marshal Ge Long's proposal is somewhat inappropriate, it is still a possible solution."
"Looked at another way, this method would also allow Wei Fan to prove his innocence."
Qian Renxue stepped forward.
She, too, wanted to find out whether the person from that night was Wei Fan.
Even if it was him, she would certainly not let him off!
"All right, I agree!"
Wei Fan readily accepted.
He removed the bright silver bracelet that served as his Storage Soul Tool from his wrist.
"But what if Marshal Ge Long fails to find what he's looking for?"
Wei Fan asked.
Ge Long said, "What do you want?"
"If you find nothing, give me three years of your salary!"
To him, money was what mattered most.
Because with money, he could treat people to meals!
The corner of Ge Long's eye twitched. Three years of salary, three years of salary...
That was no small sum!
He looked into Wei Fan's eyes, as still as an ancient well.
Suddenly, realization dawned on him!
Playing mind games with me, are you? The calmer you look now, the more you're panicking inside.
He understood that trick!
The Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud had to be inside this brat's Storage Soul Tool.
Trying to make me back down with a stunt like this?
Not a chance!
"Fine, I agree!"
Ge Long's booming voice rang out as he extended his broad hand, demanding the soul tool in Wei Fan's grasp.
"Ge Long actually agreed?"
"That's three years of salary. If he loses, he'll be eating dirt from now on."
"Judging by that smug look, Ge Long seems pretty confident!"
"Could this Wei Fan really be the thief?"
"Let's keep watching!"
"..."
The nobles were all shocked that Ge Long had accepted those terms.
Three years of salary!
How would he get by if he lost?
That big idiot!
Ning Rongrong stamped her feet anxiously.
She had thought Wei Fan would refuse, but instead...
With the soul tool in Ge Long's hands, that item would certainly be found. Then they would be in real trouble.
"Hmph!"
Ge Long looked at Wei Fan, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly.
He had never expected things to go so smoothly. This time, he would make Wei Fan show his true colors.
He poured soul power into the Storage Soul Tool and took out its contents one item after another.
Rice, flour, noodles...
Ge Long's face grew darker and darker.
What the fuck!
Was this man a cook?!
Once everything had been taken out, Ge Long was dumbfounded.
Why the hell was it all food?
He had even searched through the flour, yet there was not so much as a shadow of the Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud.
"Hehehe~~"
Ning Rongrong clutched her stomach and giggled.
Wei Fan was simply too entertaining. If he could go to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect and play pranks with her, the two of them would make a perfect pair.
After she finished laughing, a question lingered in her mind.
Where exactly had he hidden that blue thing?
If she got the chance later, she would definitely ask him properly!
"Impossible!"
"You must have hidden it somewhere."
Ge Long refused to accept it.
He was certain this man was the thief he had fought.
"You've already searched everywhere you could."
Wei Fan spread his hands.
"Do you dare release your martial soul?"
Ge Long pointed at Wei Fan and demanded angrily.
"Marshal Ge Long, aren't you going too far?"
An icy voice suddenly rang out, sending a chill down everyone's spine.
Ning Fengzhi's expression changed abruptly. He exchanged a glance with Chen Xin, and each could see the surprise in the other's eyes.
Neither had expected the person stepping forward to speak for Wei Fan to be Salas, the Spirit Hall's Platinum Bishop.
Could Wei Fan have already joined Spirit Hall?
Yet they had heard no such news.
"The thief I fought had a trident martial soul, and his soul rings were extremely strange. Although he was a Soul King, all five of his soul rings were ten-thousand-year..."
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