Chapter 526: Those Suspicious Unsolved Cases

Chapter 526: Those Mysterious Cases

Xia Longyuan fell silent, his gaze at Zhao Changhe oddly strange.

There was a pity in it, as if asking, "Are you mad?"

Yet, as if out of courtesy, he did not say it outright, only stating flatly, "Do you know how vast the scope of 'Imperial' is?"

"No, but such conceptual matters don't matter much," Zhao Changhe said. "Perhaps the Imperial Realm has several stages, or there are several realms beyond it—it's just a concept, irrelevant. For instance, the one in the Maitreya Secret Realm is one tier, the ancient Four Symbols must be higher, and the Night Emperor higher still. What I can judge is that you display greater power than any Imperial Realm deity I've seen, likely on par with the ancient Four Symbols."

"Close enough... None in this world have even reached the Imperial Realm, but I am already in the next stage." Xia Longyuan's tone was faintly amused. "Do you grasp the magnitude of this gap? Do you think I'm Xue Canghai? Even Xue Canghai was only surpassed by one level."

Zhao Changhe shook his head. "Arguing this is pointless; you may disbelieve as you wish. Since you won't heed advice, then as a fellow countryman, tell me your thoughts on this immediate matter of the Sea Clan."

"Because the Sea Clan is the pressing issue now. You want to intervene?"

"Yes."

"Even if your intervention ends up protecting my realm, like when you fought the barbarians before?"

"Yes. Because the one I protect is not you."

Xia Longyuan's expression held a hint of lament, as if unable to fathom that the Blind One had truly brought forth a chivalrous hero. He clicked his tongue, then finally extended his palm: "Look."

Zhao Changhe glanced at it—a droplet-shaped blue crystal, its energy reaction already imperceptible.

"This is the soul crystal left after I drained the soul force of that Sea Clan member who attacked you. If you carry it, it will grant you the ability to walk through water." Xia Longyuan tossed it over casually. "The ancient deities are like vermin in the gutter, unwilling to show themselves directly. Knowing the enemy is hard; I've waited for them to reveal a flaw for ages. Finally, one popped out, so of course I captured it first."

So that Sea Clan member had been beaten down and then telekinetically snatched from afar to the capital—a truly fantastical feat.

Draining the soul force might have been more than just soul-searching; it could have extracted some traits of the Sea Clan, which explained Xia Longyuan's eagerness to make his first public move.

"That strike wasn't aimed solely at this one. If it were, I could have avoided harming you and Wenjing. But the opportunity was fleeting; if the Sea Emperor behind him had intervened to save him, soft-heartedness might have ruined everything. So I had to kill in one blow, leaving the Sea Emperor no time to react."

Xia Longyuan finally offered an explanation for his earlier action, whether out of consideration for his daughter sitting quietly nearby or for Zhao Changhe's demeanor as a loyal minister and knight-errant.

"Of course, I must admit I wasn't trying to save you." Xia Longyuan looked Zhao Changhe up and down, shaking his head. "And you probably didn't need saving."

Zhao Changhe asked, "Its strength is below the Imperial Realm?"

The implication was that as long as it wasn't the Imperial Realm, even at Triple Secret Vaults, he had confidence in self-preservation and escape.

Xia Longyuan said, "Correct. Such things are at most Triple Secret Vaults; in a one-on-one fight, they might not even be a match for Wenjing. Because they are merely constructs, no matter how strong their creator."

"Constructs..."

"The Sea Clan is divided into two types: one is these aquatic energy bodies, which serve as spellcasters and vessels for the Sea Emperor's will; the other is sea creatures—fish and turtles—granted sentience to become fishmen and such, serving as warriors. As for the true ancient Sea Clan, they are clearly extinct, leaving only the Sea Emperor, who is barely clinging to life... If he dared set foot on land, I am confident I could strike him down."

Zhao Changhe said, "So why did they push the Wang family to rebel? To test your strength?"

"Sea power and land power involve a shift in fortune. The stronger the Sea Clan's rule, the more complete the Sea Emperor's recovery."

"Then why not just raise a tsunami to destroy the world?"

"Of course, he cannot, and he dares not. The ancient immortals are not only him; others desire the land. If he dared provoke such universal wrath, it wouldn't just be me beating him." Xia Longyuan laughed heartily. "So he uses proxies, gaining land rule through this mode of conquest, and in a sense, acquiring what he needs—fortune, faith, and recovery."

Zhao Changhe suddenly saw the light.

It was agonizing not knowing what others were up to; whether one could win or not, understanding the cause and effect was far more comfortable. From this perspective, Cui Wenjing was truly clear-headed—if the Sea Emperor recovered before other ancient deities, he could indeed bring about destruction...

Everyone's survival needs were different!

"Then what is the Wang family thinking? Are they controlled, or are they courting disaster?"

"As for Wang Daoning's thoughts, I cannot say." Xia Longyuan smiled faintly. "From three or four years ago, the Wang family seemed off... The Crown Prince visited the Wang family, and when he returned, I discovered that the composition of his genes had changed to that of the Sea Clan."

"...So you killed him."

"Yes." Xia Longyuan spoke as if of something unrelated to himself. "They tried to usurp rule silently through such means, but they didn't know my strength had surpassed their imagination—I saw through it at a glance. With his genes changed, was he still my child? They call me cold-hearted for killing my own son, but that's not quite accurate."

It was ruthless enough, though... At least the Crown Prince's soul hadn't changed; he still saw you as his father in his heart.

He could have been deposed, imprisoned, and the illegitimate daughter brought back to be the new heir—at least the realm would have been stable, with only the Wang family causing trouble, far less severe than the current chaos. The killing likely had other considerations; it felt as if the turmoil in the realm was itself orchestrated by Xia Longyuan.

Zhao Changhe glanced at Xia Chichi, whose face showed no expression.

But no wonder the Crown Prince's death couldn't be explained to the outside world—it was inexplicable, so it had to remain a mystery.

Huangfu Qing had observed the palace for so long; she must have sensed the rift between Xia Longyuan and the Crown Prince earlier, so the Four Symbols Sect secretly orchestrated the massacre of the Luo Family Manor. Just as Xia Longyuan killed his son, his illegitimate son also "disappeared"—a move Xia Longyuan likely hadn't anticipated.

By a twist of fate, Xia Chichi survived. This wasn't Xia Longyuan's prearrangement, only luck. So what were you so confident about? Many things could slip beyond your expectations and control. The whole world was against you, and every party doing something unexpected would make things spiral out of control.

Yet, based on his overwhelming strength, he remained so confident.

Zhao Changhe sighed and said no more, only offering, "Thank you for the clarification."

Xia Longyuan chuckled. "You thank me for that?"

"I'm too curious by nature; if many things aren't made clear, I can't sleep well."

"Someone has taken a liking to that trait of yours." Xia Longyuan hinted, "It might prove useful."

Zhao Changhe said, "I have other traits that are even more useful."

Blind: "..."

Xia Longyuan laughed heartily. "You've finished scolding and clarifying. Leave some space for me and Chichi to speak alone for a bit?"

Xia Chichi stood up. "I had things to say to you, but now I don't. Changhe has said everything I wanted to say and learned everything I wanted to know. I am the Four Symbols Saintess, your rebel. If you don't want to arrest me, I'll take my leave."

Xia Longyuan looked at her as if watching a rebellious child, shaking his head with a smile, then said to Zhao Changhe, "Say a few words of persuasion."

Zhao Changhe scratched his head. "First, make this old geezer drop his gold coins, then rebel later."

Xia Longyuan: "Damn..."

Xia Chichi actually understood the remark and shook her head calmly. "If I accept his legacy, I won't be able to rebel against him so resolutely. Better not. Including that so-called succession—I don't want this mess, and neither should you."

Xia Longyuan pointed leisurely at the sky. "What if I give you your mother's legacy? You were young then; she had many things she didn't have time to teach you, but I will."

Xia Chichi looked up at the sky, where the Azure Dragon and White Tiger constellations suddenly blazed brightly.

Xia Longyuan said slowly, "Also, since you called me an old geezer, I might as well stir up trouble for your Four Symbols Sect and that ghost-fire youth beside you."

Zhao Changhe: "?"

"Just one sentence: The Night Emperor is not dead. That ghost-fire wants to pretend to be the Night Emperor's reincarnation or heir to take over the Four Symbols Sect—no more." Xia Longyuan picked up a teapot beside him and took a comfortable sip. "That's for calling me names."