Nine Dragons Saint Ancestor

Swoosh!

A moment later, another whooshing sound arrived, and as everyone turned to look, they saw the Crown Prince of the Xuanyue Imperial Family hurriedly approaching.

”Yan Yong, have you captured the treasure thief Yun Xiao?”

Although Xuan Jiuding’s voice reached them before he did, he asked the question with supreme confidence, fully believing that under his plan, there was no way Yun Xiao could escape alive.

The Crown Prince’s inquiry undoubtedly sent Yan Yong into greater panic. Perhaps compared to the ever-disciplined King, he was more intimidated by the ruthless Crown Prince, knowing his very life could be at risk if he provoked him.

”Reporting to the Crown Prince... Crown Prince, Yun Xiao... he escaped!”

At this juncture, Yan Yong dared not be evasive, trembling as he stated the fact, turning Xuan Jiuding’s expression instantly dark as water upon his arrival.

In Xuan Jiuding’s mind, the primary goal was to trick Yun Xiao into giving up the Black Key, and the secondary was to kill the disrespectful brat outright.

He had arranged for the Yan brothers to ambush in the Treasure Vault, along with numerous Royal Guards attacking, thinking his plan flawless. How could a mere lad at the late stage of the Meridian Rushing Realm, trapped like a rat, stir up much trouble?

At worst, they could have severely injured Yun Xiao and captured him, with both human and physical evidence undeniable. Even if the Sect Master of Jade Pot Sect was present, at most he would return a crippled Yun Xiao, no more a cause for concern.

But now, not only did they fail to kill Yun Xiao, they didn’t even manage to capture him. Instead, he had escaped unscathed, something that was never in Xuan Jiuding’s plan.

Perhaps more infuriating than his anger towards the Yan brothers, Xuan Jiuding felt mocked by Yun Xiao. His flawless plan had failed, a massive irony against his capabilities.

Since becoming the Crown Prince of the Xuanyue Empire, Xuan Jiuding had excelled in both cultivation talent and state affairs, never missing a beat.

Of course, no one is perfect, and even if mishaps occurred, Xuan Jiuding was quick to rectify them. That was not only due to the powerful backing of the Royal Family but also his extraordinary wisdom.

Yet, this time, Yun Xiao’s escape made Xuan Jiuding feel intellectually crushed, especially by a young man far inferior in strength and background, making it impossible for him to swallow this pride.

Slap!

Seething with rage, Xuan Jiuding strode forward, and the sound of a crisp slap echoed in front of the Treasure Vault. Everyone could clearly see the Visibly swelling left cheek of Yan Yong, a genuine mid-stage Spirit Vein Realm warrior and commander of the Xuantie Army.

”Useless waste, you can’t even capture a lad in the Meridian Rushing Realm. What use are you?”

Still unsatisfied after slapping Yan Yong, Xuan Jiuding reached for the sword at his waist and thrust the gleaming green blade toward Yan Yong’s chest.

Perhaps this was the moment when the major families of the Empire or Sect leaders truly witnessed the ferocious side of Xuan Jiuding. Even King Xuan Haoran glanced with a hint of surprise.

In Xuan Haoran’s mind, Xuan Jiuding had always been a calm and cunning individual, managing empire affairs well over the years, truly a rare choice for a successor.

But at this moment, Xuan Haoran suddenly felt an uneasy sensation, as if the disposition of his Crown Prince elder son was mostly a facade.

At least previously, Xuan Haoran had never seen such a brutal side of Xuan Jiuding; barely having exchanged words, he was ready to kill indiscriminately, and the target was the prestigious commander of the Empire’s Xuantie Army.

This was quite unlike Xuan Jiuding’s usual clear distinction between right and wrong. Little did Xuan Haoran know that it was the worn wooden box that had worn out Xuan Jiuding’s patience and Yun Xiao’s disrespect that drove him to murderous intent, further fueled by the failure of his plan, leading him to a confidence-shattering anger and impulsive attack.

Nevertheless, concerning a negligent commander, Xuan Haoran would not challenge his son publicly at this moment, especially with so many onlookers present. Xuan Jiuding, set to be the future King, should also assert his own authority.

Since Xuan Haoran made no move to stop him, the surrounding guests naturally wouldn’t intervene to save Yan Yong; after all, this was an internal matter of the Royal Family.

Clang!

Just then, a crisp sound suddenly rang out, followed by sparks flying. The sword that Xuan Jiuding had thrust into Yan Yong’s chest had shockingly missed its target.

As everyone turned their heads to see who was bold enough to stop the Crown Prince, their expressions changed again.

For the person who suddenly intervened to save Yan Yong’s life was none other than the Sect Master of the Jade Pot Sect, Yu Shu, whose complexion also seemed rather unwell, with a gaze towards Xuan Jiuding that appeared fiery with anger.

”Crown Prince, are you so eager to take action because you intend to silence someone by killing them?”

After Yu Shu used his weapon to parry Xuan Jiuding’s long sword, he spoke coldly, his tone filled with questioning, which startled Xuan Haoran at his side.

In fact, although Xuan Jiuding, agitated by Yun Xiao, was infuriated, he had not lost his reason. His attack on Yan Yong did indeed carry the intention of silencing by murder, but unexpectedly, Yu Shu pointed it out directly, leaving him somewhat at a loss.

Moreover, Xuan Jiuding caught a glimpse of an unusual look in his father’s eyes and was secretly alarmed, thinking that he must not let his father discern these thoughts, or his position as Crown Prince might become unstable.

”Heh, Sect Master Yu Shu, what are you talking about? I am merely disciplining a useless subordinate. What does it have to do with your Jade Pot Sect?”

Naturally, Xuan Jiuding was sharp-witted. He initially spoke in a jovial manner, but his tone turned colder towards the end, and many of the surrounding guests felt it to be reasonable.

”Crown Prince, the matter here is not yet clear. Aren’t you trying to cover up your eagerness?”

Yu Shu, suppressing the anger in his heart, made a point that seemed logical, sparking curiosity among the crowd. To be honest, they were indeed curious about what Yun Xiao had stolen from the Royal Family that had the Crown Prince so enraged.

”Hmph, what am I trying to cover up? It is clearly you, Sect Master Yu Shu, who acted unrighteously and let the treasure thief Yun Xiao escape. How are you going to explain this to our Royal Family?”

Over the years of handling state affairs, Xuan Jiuding had developed a skillful rhetoric, and in an instant, he turned the conversation around, questioning the Sect Master of Jade Pot Sect instead.

Furthermore, Xuan Jiuding paused briefly and a cold smirk flashed through his eyes as he continued, ”Could it be that you, Sect Master Yu Shu, have been colluding with Yun Xiao, and that you orchestrated this whole affair?”

With these latter remarks by Xuan Jiuding, if what he said was proven true, the Royal Family and the Jade Pot Sect would likely become irreconcilable enemies. Thinking of this consequence, the master and disciple of Qingshan Sect, Li Feng and Li Yue, exchanged a look, both seeing a trace of excitement in each other’s eyes.

Over the years, the Jade Pot Sect had prospered significantly, and its numerous Meridian Masters showed a trend of becoming the foremost among the three great sects of the Xuanyue Empire, making the Qingshan Sect, which was always at odds with Jade Pot Sect, extremely frustrated.

But now, watching Yu Shu and Xuan Jiuding verbally spar and perhaps on the verge of physical confrontation, it was an eagerly anticipated sight for the master and disciple of Li Feng.

”Jiuding, speak carefully. I trust the Jade Pot Sect and believe they would not do such a thing!”

However, just as Li Feng and his disciple were hoping for both to come to blows, a majestic voice sounded, coming from Xuan Haoran, the reigning King of the Xuanyue Empire.

What other guests could think of, how could Xuan Haoran not?

Now at the crucial moment of his old age and impending retirement, he didn’t want to cause irreconcilable conflict with such a significant sect as the Jade Pot Sect on the verge of his son’s ascension to the throne, which could lead to countless unforeseen complications.

As soon as Xuan Haoran spoke, everyone knew the confrontation between the Royal Family and the Jade Pot Sect wouldn’t escalate, but resolving today’s matter would likely require further complications.

”Father is absolutely right. I also trust in Sect Master Yu Shu’s character, who definitely would not stoop to colluding with a thief like Yun Xiao. I misspoke earlier!”

A gleam of victorious scheming flashed in Xuan Jiuding’s eyes, and he gracefully conceded, or rather, chose not to refute his father’s words, directly offering an apology.

However, on the other side, Yu Shu did not relax because of the few words from Xuan Jiuding. Instead, he became even more wary of this young Crown Prince, whose age did not reflect his shrewdness and eloquence, hardly inferior to many veteran powerhouses.

And recalling the incident that occurred in the Jade Pot Cave, Yu Shu almost spat out blood in frustration at the thought of drowning Xuan Jiuding, for it was these men who had conspired to steal the Sect Treasure of the Jade Pot Sect, yet now Yun Xiao was labeled as the treasure thief. Such manipulative tactics were indeed hard to contend with.

”Crown Prince, you say Yun Xiao stole the Royal Treasure, I am not fully aware of that, but the Third Prince of the Royal Family, along with the Commander of the Xuantie Army, Yan Chun, stole the Sect Treasure of my Jade Pot Sect—surely you can’t deny that?”

At this point, Yu Shu knew if he kept dwelling on Yun Xiao, he would merely be led by the nose by Xuan Jiuding. It was better to turn from passive to active, basing his argument on the incident that happened in the Jade Pot Cave, perhaps creating an opportunity for reversal.

”Hm?”

Suddenly hearing this statement, not only did the surrounding guests pause abruptly, but even King Xuan Haoran was taken aback, as he had not been informed about this matter. Nonetheless, he was familiar with the two names mentioned by Yu Shu.