Elderly Prince: My Spirit Increases by 1 Point Daily

Chapter 35: Chapter 35: The Elder Crown Prince’s Suspicion

”Do you recognize this?”

As Bai Qingzhi lay on the brink of death, Xia Wuyang produced Fifth Class Attendant Wang’s Vermilion Hairpin. ”This pin was in her hair when you killed her.”

As he spoke, Xia Wuyang slowly drove the Vermilion Hairpin into Bai Qingzhi’s throat, brutally severing his neck until his head tumbled to the ground.

Bai Qingzhi finally understood true despair. The physical agony was more terrifying than having his heart devoured by ten thousand ants, yet the torment in his Spirit allowed him to feel it all with perfect clarity, magnified a hundredfold.

Especially as he saw the bodies of those slain by the Blood Shadow Palm Technique, Bai Qingzhi knew with certainty that no one would ever suspect Xia Wuyang. Everyone would assume this was the work of his old enemy, the Blood Shadow Monster.

’After all, how could a decrepit elder Crown Prince, who was just whiling away his days waiting to die, possibly have the strength to annihilate his entire family?’

’And this was all just for a Fifth Class Attendant with whom he supposedly had a poor relationship. Xia Wuyang had just accepted their apology gifts, so how could he suddenly turn and commit such a vicious slaughter?’

At this thought, Bai Qingzhi was overcome with terror and regret, watching helplessly as his own life was taken.

Xia Wuyang had finally avenged Fifth Class Attendant Wang.

Remembering the days they had chased each other playfully through the peach groves, Xia Wuyang could not help but let out a sigh.

By the time the Sound of the Fifth Drum echoed, Xia Wuyang had already returned to Wenhua Hall. He resumed sleeping beside his Palace Maids, the corner of his mouth still stained with grape juice from the evening feast, as if nothing had ever happened.

He had also used the Soul Capturing Technique to probe those nearby, confirming that nothing unusual had occurred during his absence and that no one had noticed anything amiss with him.

Meanwhile, a great fire was raging through the Bai family’s estate. Bai Qingzhi’s corpse was quickly burned to charcoal, his head completely incinerated.

Many other members of the Bai Family were similarly burned beyond recognition. It could only be faintly discerned that they had died from the Blood Shadow Palm Technique before the fire.

The Patrol Camp, the West Gate Guard, and the Patrol Constables all rushed to the scene but found nothing. Ultimately, they could only draw one conclusion: this was all the work of Bai Qingzhi’s old nemesis, the Blood Shadow Monster.

CRASH—

The Cyan Jade Table in the Fifth Prince’s Mansion shattered under a heavy palm strike. ”Useless! All of them are useless! A Standard Fifth Grade Military Officer, wiped out in his own home without a single survivor? Is the Blood Shadow Monster truly so rampant?”

”Investigate! Investigate this thoroughly! I want to see just who is pulling the strings. What was the elder Crown Prince doing last night? Could this incident be connected to him?”

The Guard Commander, kneeling on the floor, was drenched in cold sweat. ”Everything is normal on the elder Crown Prince’s end. According to our spies, he spent all of last night in his Sleeping Palace, frolicking with several Palace Maids. When he grew tired, he rested. Besides, the elder Crown Prince accepted the reparations from Bai Shoubei and us. He wouldn’t do something like this, nor does he have the ability. It was most likely the work of Bai Shoubei’s old enemy, the Blood Shadow Monster. The timing is just a coincidence.”

”Even so, we can’t let our guard down. How could it be such a coincidence? Fifth Class Attendant Wang was just killed, and now Bai Qingzhi’s entire family has been annihilated.” The Fifth Prince’s expression was grim. ”Perhaps the Blood Shadow Monster has been hired by someone else, who chose this specific moment to act, hoping to use us to move against the elder Crown Prince.”

The Guard Commander nodded repeatedly. ”Your Highness is absolutely right. We understand.”

’I would have preferred to make it more seamless,’ Xia Wuyang thought, ’for instance, by waiting for things to die down before using the Blood Shadow Monster’s identity to annihilate Bai Qingzhi’s family.’

’But I really couldn’t wait that long. Fifth Class Attendant Wang’s body was barely cold. How could I just sit back and do nothing?’

’Even if it meant taking a small risk, it was worth it.’

’Fifth Class Attendant Wang had kept herself pure for me; why shouldn’t I be willing to attract a little suspicion for her?’

’This was only right. It was one thing for the dignified Crown Prince to be unable to protect his own concubine. But if I couldn’t even avenge her at the first opportunity, what difference would there be between me and trash?’

’Besides, I now have the strength and the means to clear myself of suspicion.’

He pushed the thoughts aside and deliberately summoned the peerless beauties of various races—a gift from the Fifth Prince—to drink and revel with him.

During the revelry, he sensed the Fifth Prince’s spies and informants watching him in secret. They were clearly suspicious. However, upon seeing him acting as debauched as ever, and seemingly delighted with the beauties the Fifth Prince had sent, they slipped away, no doubt to report back to their master.

Xia Wuyang used his Soul Capturing Technique to read their surface thoughts and knew he had passed this test.

If even the Fifth Prince no longer suspected him, the other Princes and Princesses were even less likely to. This matter had very little to do with them, after all.

Outside Wenhua Hall, Crown Prince Consort Yun Liyue arrived in secret. Peeking through a crack in the window lattice, she saw the elder Crown Prince inside, lost in wine and revelry.

However, her exquisite, picturesque face showed no hint of anger. Instead, she noticed an air of relief lingering in Xia Wuyang’s expression.

After being married for so many years, she could still discern such a subtle change.

Yet when she had secretly come to see him yesterday, she had clearly seen his expression filled with anguish and sorrow, without the slightest trace of relief.

Now, however, there was a hint of ease about him. Recalling the news that had just arrived from outside, a glint flashed in Yun Liyue’s bright eyes. ’Could the annihilation of Bai Qingzhi’s family have something to do with Xia Wuyang?’

’If it didn’t, why would he look so relieved? But isn’t everyone saying the destruction of the Bai family was the work of the Blood Shadow Monster, a calamity Bai Qingzhi brought upon himself years ago?’

’As far as I know, the Blood Shadow Monster has no connection to Xia Wuyang, and no one in the Eastern Palace practices the Blood Shadow Palm Technique. So, is the elder Crown Prince truly involved in this or not?’

Her delicate brows furrowed. Yun Liyue couldn’t be sure. She watched in secret for a long time but detected nothing else out of the ordinary.

She secretly reasoned that perhaps the elder Crown Prince had simply heard about the Blood Shadow Monster’s revenge, and that was why he seemed so relieved, knowing Bai Qingzhi’s family was destroyed.

’Still, Bai Qingzhi had just killed Fifth Class Attendant Wang, only to have his entire family immediately wiped out by the Blood Shadow Monster. Could it really be such a coincidence? Or is someone deliberately stirring the pot?’

Yun Liyue was full of questions, much like the other concubines of the Eastern Palace. The other Consorts and Fifth Class Attendants... they were all discussing the same matter at this very moment.

As for Yan Jiuge, she had hastily recalled the Fire Spirit Race assassin she had just dispatched. She had originally planned to secretly teach Bai Qingzhi a lesson—or even kill him, if the opportunity arose.

She had known Fifth Class Attendant Wang for decades, and the two were on good terms. Since the elder Crown Prince was unable to avenge Fifth Class Attendant Wang, she had decided she would do it herself.

’He was merely a West Gate Guard. If the elder Crown Prince couldn’t kill him, I could.’

But she never imagined that before she could make her move, Bai Qingzhi’s entire family would be annihilated without a single survivor.

’In this situation, who was left for me to take revenge on?’