Without the slightest hesitation, Long Xiaoyao soared into the air and flew toward the Federation Court at full speed.
At that moment, inside the Federation Court.
The conference room.
Long Yeyue, a Federation judge, Speaker Li Yuntian, Chen Xinjie, Yu Guanzhi, the director of the Federal Research Institute, and several jurors were holding a meeting.
The matter concerned Ye Zhaolu colluding with the Holy Spirit Cult to ambush War God Long. The breadth of its implications and the severity of its impact were rarely seen in the world!
Naturally, the senior figures of all parties concerned had come to discuss how to handle the matter.
Chen Xinjie spoke:
"As I see it, there's nothing to discuss. Ye Zhaolu possesses an evil martial soul. The evidence is conclusive. Just sentence her to death."
"I have other matters to handle as temple master. Those two Dark Heavenly Kings still haven't been caught."
Long Yeyue nodded. "I agree."
"We agree too."
With both the master of the War God Temple and the vice pavilion master of the Sea God Pavilion nodding their approval, the judge and the other factions naturally had nothing more to say.
Even the director of the Federal Research Institute had nothing to say. His son had indeed been pursuing Ye Zhaolu, but now that she had been classified as an Evil Soul Master, he naturally dared not wade into these muddy waters.
In fact,
the director of the Federal Research Institute was currently rejoicing that his son had failed to win Ye Zhaolu over. Otherwise, the one who had been set up might have been his son instead of War God Long!
His son wasn't as hard to kill as War God Long. Surrounded by two Dark Heavenly Kings, he probably wouldn't even have left any ashes behind.
At that moment, Yu Guanzhi spoke:
"I object! It's true that Ye Zhaolu possesses an evil martial soul, but her collusion with the Holy Spirit Cult is still only speculation. There's no concrete evidence!"
"The matter hasn't been fully investigated. Why sentence her to death so soon? Why not wait until those two Dark Heavenly Kings are caught?"
Chen Xinjie frowned. "Yu Guanzhi, what do you mean by that? Simply possessing an evil martial soul is enough to have her executed!"
"Even if we take ten thousand steps back and say she didn't collude in the attack on War God Long, she'd still receive a death sentence! What difference does it make whether she's sentenced once or ten times?!"
Long Yeyue hurriedly spoke as well. "Chen Xinjie is right. The one injured this time was a war god of your War God Temple. Yu Guanzhi, what are your intentions in speaking up for an outsider like this?"
Yu Guanzhi glared.
These two old bastards, especially Long Yeyue, had turned around and slapped a label on him.
Facing these two senior figures, Yu Guanzhi thought for a moment, then still gritted his teeth and spoke:
"What intentions could I have? If someone is to be sentenced to death, do we need any reason to investigate their charges thoroughly?!"
"Of course there's no difference between one death sentence and ten, but one is one, and two is two!"
"We haven't even gotten to the bottom of this yet. Vice Pavilion Master Long, you're so eager to sentence Ye Zhaolu to death. Could it be that Shrek overlooked something while handling the case?!"
"Insolence!"
Before Long Yeyue could speak,
Chen Xinjie suddenly slammed the table in fury and roared:
"Yu Guanzhi, is Vice Pavilion Master Long someone you can criticize?! I think you're out of your mind, defending an Evil Soul Master! Where does that leave our War God Temple?!"
Chen Xinjie's voice was extremely loud, and he even used his soul power to pressure Yu Guanzhi.
All to make him shut up!
Long Xiaoyao had already delivered a resounding slap to Shrek's and Long Yeyue's faces during the one-on-one competition. He had wanted to make Long Xiaoyao come apologize, but had been stopped.
This time, Long Yeyue had made a special trip to Mingdu. No matter what, he, Chen Xinjie, couldn't let his old flame suffer any grievances!
Long Yeyue's gaze was unfriendly at that moment as well.
Although she hadn't yet figured out the inside story, based on her understanding of Cai Yue'er, Long Yeyue knew that this surprise attack by the Holy Spirit Cult and Ye Zhaolu's downfall
most likely involved some unlawful measures Cai Yue'er had taken.
Thus, Long Yeyue naturally hoped to have Ye Zhaolu executed as soon as possible. That way, there would at least be one fewer potential piece of leverage against Shrek.
Yu Guanzhi let out a muffled grunt and sat back in his chair.
"In any case, I reserve my opinion."
Yu Guanzhi turned his head away.
Speaker Li Yuntian concluded, "Since your opinions differ, let's discuss this again in the afternoon. Everyone, take a break first, and we'll reconvene afterward."
Chen Xinjie snorted coldly and sat back down as well.
If not for the Central Legion backing Yu Guanzhi, he probably would already have attacked him.
"Fine, Yu Guanzhi. I'll give you some time to cool down. We must have a result this afternoon. I have no time left to play games with you!"
Long Yeyue declared.
Yu Guanzhi and Li Yuntian exchanged a glance, both their hearts tightening at her words.
Yu Guanzhi was anxious.
Li Chen, just when is your evidence coming... I really can't fucking stall any longer.
He had stood his ground against two senior figures and found every excuse he could to delay the trial for three days. He had already done his utmost!
If the speaker hadn't sided with him, Ye Zhaolu would have been tried and executed long ago!
Li Yuntian was frowning at that moment too.
Although he trusted his son Li Chen deeply, this matter involved the Federation authorities, so Li Yuntian couldn't drag it out too long either.
After all, the entire Sun Moon Federation was watching him.
Meanwhile,
in the Federation's temporary underground prison.
Iron chains pierced Ye Zhaolu's hands and feet, binding her to a cross.
Beneath the cross, filthy blood covered the ground.
Cai Yue'er sat on a stool, looking at her with a cold sneer.
"Ye Zhaolu, have you made up your mind?"
"As long as you insist that Long Xiaoyao is also with the Holy Spirit Cult, and that everything at the West Mountain Tunnel was a performance he staged with the Holy Spirit Cult's two Heavenly Kings, I'll spare your life."
Ye Zhaolu raised her head, her breathing weak, her entire body covered in blood as she panted heavily.
"Do you hate him that much?"
"Hate?" Cai Yue'er spat.
"Why would I hate a piece of scum who has eyes but can't recognize Mount Tai?!"
"Let me tell you, Ye Zhaolu. I caught you red-handed with an evil martial soul. We at Shrek have ten thousand ways to make you beg for a death you can't have."
"Agree to this now, and I guarantee you'll be fine."
Cai Yue'er narrowed her eyes. Her only concern now was how the Holy Spirit Cult's two Heavenly Kings had entered Mingdu.
She had to find a scapegoat for this.
Otherwise, she wouldn't be able to explain it afterward at all.
Ye Zhaolu suddenly smiled. "I won't do it. Go ahead."
"You!"
Cai Yue'er abruptly stood up and seized Ye Zhaolu by the throat. "Are you really not fucking afraid to die?! I want you to identify Long Xiaoyao!"
Ye Zhaolu shook her head. "I told you, I won't testify against him. Even if I die, I can't ruin him."
Smack!
Cai Yue'er slapped Ye Zhaolu hard across the face.
"You bitch, why are you putting on this act of devotion? Do you think this makes you pure as ice and spotless as jade?"
"Let me tell you, Long Xiaoyao knows nothing about everything you've done for him, the Martial Soul Reshaping Surgery you've researched for over a decade, or the brutal torture you've suffered these past three days!"
"In his eyes, you're just an Evil Soul Master, one who even harbors sinister designs against him!"
"Throwing away your life for an outsider you've known for a few days-are you stupid or sick in the head?!"
At those words, sorrow welled up in Ye Zhaolu's eyes for the first time.
She knew Cai Yue'er was right.
Judging by her earlier conversations with Long Xiaoyao, he clearly hadn't recovered his memories of his previous life.
Even the news outside, and indeed the entire incident, pointed to her, Ye Zhaolu, as the chief culprit who had ordered the Holy Spirit Cult to assassinate Long Xiaoyao.
Perhaps, in Long Xiaoyao's eyes right now, she was merely an Evil Soul Master woman pretending to be close to him.
But a moment later,
Ye Zhaolu forced out another smile. "It doesn't matter. I love him. It's enough that I know it myself. He doesn't need to know."
"You, on the other hand, Cai Yue'er, are ten times more pitiful than I am right now. If I'm a stupid woman, then what are you?"
Cai Yue'er froze. "What did you say? You called me pitiful?!"
Though bound, Ye Zhaolu revealed a look of contempt.
"Aren't you?"
"You're just a pitiful wretch who can't get the love she seeks. No, you don't even understand what love is."
"What lies within easy reach for me is something you've pursued bitterly throughout your century-long life without ever obtaining."
"Everything you do is to satisfy your possessiveness, for yourself."
"For that desire, you can cast aside every shred of human dignity, conscience, and morality, and trample all laws and other people's lives at will!"
Ye Zhaolu gritted her teeth, utter disdain showing on her face, then spat a mouthful of bloody saliva into Cai Yue'er's face.
"Cai Yue'er, you're nothing but scum."
"If I'm an Evil Soul Master, then you're scum that doesn't even qualify as human!"
Cai Yue'er was stunned, then instantly flushed red with rage.
"Insolence! Someone, come here! I'm going to cut out her tongue!"
Cai Yue'er walked out through the cell door, roaring in fury.
Just then, someone suddenly called her.
"Your Eminence Silver Moon, this is bad! War God Long is here to break someone out of prison!"
Cai Yue'er froze, then immediately panicked.