Chapter 425: Request

Chapter 425: Chapter 321: Request

“So that’s what this is about.”

Zhou Mingwu thought for a moment before saying seriously, “Brother Han, I can’t make any promises about this. I can only go and ask for the National Preceptor’s opinion.”

“It’s only possible if he agrees to meet with you.”

He spoke with sincerity, without a hint of perfunctoriness.

After all, a figure like Ling Yunzi had no need to humor a Prince like him.

“That’s more than enough.”

Han Yuan nodded lightly.

“Then I’ll get back to it.”

“I’ll have to ask Brother Han to come over as well in a little while.”

“It’s not that I suspect you, Brother Han. I just want you to help me observe and see which of them seems suspicious,”

Zhou Mingwu said.

Han Yuan was taken aback for a moment, then smiled. “No problem. I’ll cooperate.”

Since he was also someone invited into the Great Li Imperial Palace to observe the praying to heaven ceremony tonight, no one would be suspicious if he blended in.

「Soon.」

All the Divine Sea Experts who had entered the Great Li Imperial Palace to observe the praying to heaven ceremony were gathered in a side hall.

At first, these experts were quite cooperative.

But after an hour passed with no one coming to see them, some began to grow impatient.

“What is the meaning of this?”

“Are they just going to leave us here and ignore us?”

A hot-tempered Divine Sea Expert said in frustration.

“Exactly… It’s not like we’re unwilling to cooperate.”

“We all came in here, but no one has come to deal with us.”

“What do they take us for?”

A Divine Sea Expert said coldly.

Everyone able to enter the Great Li Imperial City to observe the ceremony was the most powerful figure from their respective faction. They were not used to being treated this way, so upon hearing these complaints, they all started to chime in.

Han Yuan stood in a corner, silent.

His gaze fell upon a middle-aged man with ordinary features and a short beard.

After the hot-tempered Divine Sea Expert had spoken, this man had immediately chimed in, his words extremely inflammatory, stirring up the emotions of all the Divine Sea Experts present.

If he had to say who among them was suspicious, Han Yuan felt this guy was the most likely suspect.

Just then, Zhou Mingwu walked in with a burly man dressed in a Python Robe, exuding a powerful aura.

Upon seeing this man, the many Divine Sea Experts whose emotions had been stirred up all showed a flash of apprehension in their eyes.

Han Yuan noticed this.

But he truly didn’t recognize the man and could only guess that he must be an expert from the Great Li Royal Family, and one of extremely high status at that.

Otherwise, he wouldn’t be able to intimidate the Divine Sea Experts present.

“I am King Xiaoyao, Zhou Tai. It is a pleasure to meet you all.”

“You are all aware of what happened tonight.”

“This matter of the Source Evil Seed secretly infiltrating the Great Li Imperial Palace must be investigated until the truth is uncovered.”

“Therefore, I must ask for your cooperation.”

The burly man said in a deep voice.

He knew that many of those present recognized him.

However, some of the Divine Sea Experts had traveled from other regions and might not have met him before, which was why he introduced himself.

‘King Xiaoyao…’

Hearing this name, his heart stirred.

In the Great Li Dynasty, the name King Xiaoyao was legendary, and tales of him were widespread among the common folk.

This King Xiaoyao was the current Emperor of Great Li’s biological younger brother and had displayed immense talent for Martial Arts from a young age.

After coming of age, he spent years leading troops against the Profound Nether Dynasty, winning every battle. He had even come close to marching on the Profound Nether Dynasty’s Capital on one occasion.

In the end, it took the ten great Divine Sea Grandmasters of the Profound Nether Dynasty joining forces to force King Xiaoyao into retreat.

However, after that battle, King Xiaoyao returned to the Great Li Capital and no longer commanded troops.

Some speculated that the Emperor of Great Li feared his younger brother’s achievements were becoming too great and threatening his throne.

There were also rumors that King Xiaoyao had been grievously wounded by the Profound Nether National Preceptor, damaging his foundation, and had been recuperating all these years.

In short, all sorts of rumors abounded.

But Han Yuan hadn’t expected that tonight’s events would be enough to draw out this legendary figure.

“Your Highness, we will proceed with the investigation however you see fit.”

“I, Song Zhou, will certainly cooperate!”

A Divine Sea Expert was the first to declare his stance.

He hailed from a major Noble Family in the Great Li Capital and had very close ties with the Great Li Royal Family.

“Very good.”

“These are Dust-Departing Talismans…”

“If any of you have come into contact with the Source Evil Seed, the talisman will automatically combust.”

King Xiaoyao, Zhou Tai, took out a stack of Spirit Talismans.

But Han Yuan spoke up at this moment. “I have fought with that Source Evil Seed before. What about me?”

King Xiaoyao smiled. “You must be the master of the Great Demon Palace, Han Yuan. I am already aware of your situation. You don’t need to be tested.”

Hearing this, the Divine Sea Experts had no objections.

After all, Han Yuan was the one who had discovered the Source Evil Seed in the first place and had even fought with it.

With such a record, there was naturally no need for a Dust-Departing Talisman to verify his innocence.

「Soon.」

Each of the Divine Sea Experts in the side hall took a Dust-Departing Talisman from King Xiaoyao’s hand.

In the end, not a single Talisman Paper reacted.

“It seems there are no issues here. You may all leave.”

Seeing this, King Xiaoyao stated directly.

Upon hearing this, the numerous Divine Sea Experts took their leave one after another.

Han Yuan was the last to leave.

A little eunuch led the way for him, taking him on a looping path through the Great Li Imperial Palace, only to surprisingly end up back at the same side hall.

King Xiaoyao had already left, and only Zhou Mingwu remained in the side hall.

“It seems you’ve already found the culprit,”

Han Yuan said with a smile.

“How can you be so sure, Brother Han?” Zhou Mingwu asked in astonishment.

“Otherwise, you wouldn’t have let those people go so easily,”

Han Yuan said.

“Mm… We used a Dust-Departing Talisman on a little eunuch and detected the aura of the Source Evil Seed.”

“This little eunuch left the palace three days ago. He must have been bewitched by someone from the Immortal Sect Organization back then.”