Wayfarer

Chapter 570: Assassinating Mo Shanhe

Everyone stared at Ao Shuai, causing him to blanch.

Beside him, the disguised Martial Aspect of Violetfrost sent him a mental transmission. "You can't admit to it, Master. You've fallen for Mo Shanhe's trap. You need to tell the public that you were just passing by and browsed a few stores in Dayin. You didn't sell the Sunfell Bow, and you have no idea how someone might have framed you."

Ao Shuai understood immediately. He shouted, "It's none of my business! Who dares claim that I sold the Sunfell Bow? Mo Shanhe, you knew that I was vacationing in Dayin and deliberately tried to frame me!"

Mo Shanhe turned to the elder beside him, who bowed and replied, "This curse is known as the Fettered Yoke. It only works between an item and a person who have been in close proximity for an extended period of time. All who know the curse can confirm this for themselves."

In the distance, Ao Shuai twitched. Mo Shanhe clearly didn't intend for him to wriggle free of this accusation.

Beside him, the Martial Aspect of Violetfrost sent him another mental transmission. "Do not admit to it at any cost. Claim that you were wronged; the problem will be resolved for you. The important thing now is to reject all accusations."

Ao Shuai nodded and shouted back, "I've never sold anything of the sort. Mo Shanhe, to what lengths are you willing to go to frame me?!"

The cultivators all around glanced between the two parties, momentarily unable to discern who was telling the truth.

Mo Shanhe smiled. "Young Master Ao, the truth cannot be fiction, and fiction cannot be the truth. Why don't we allow the victim to tell us what he thinks?"

Mo Shanhe turned to Xiao Nanfeng, who lay within the barrier. Everyone else turned to him as well.

The 'truth' had all been revealed now; someone from the Imperial Court had kidnapped the princess and prepared this ploy to kill him! This gossip would surely stain the reputation of the Imperial Court.

Xiao Nanfeng was deep in thought as well. It was clear that Mo Shanhe was a skilled tactician. He had laid a trap for Mo Shanhe, who had overlaid a trap to leave Ao Shuai responsible instead. Not only could he tarnish the Imperial Court's reputation, he would also free himself from blame.

As for why Ao Shuai had done something so foolish, that might well be part of Mo Shanhe's plot as well. Perhaps Ao Shuai had a Dayin spy by his side egging him on.

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"The Fettered Yoke, you claim? I shall claim the Sunfell Bow and Sunstrike Arrows for further investigation and confer with experts familiar with them. Mo Shanhe is correct: the truth cannot be fiction, and fiction cannot be the truth. The culprit shall not escape," Xiao Nanfeng said coldly.

He placed the bow and arrows into a jade box, then sealed it away, cutting the cursed link between the bow and Ao Shuai. The black smoke quickly dispersed.

Xiao Nanfeng placed the jade box in a storage ring, then turned to Ao Shuai. "Ao Shuai, your father and I are both officials of the Imperial Court, and we maintain rather good relations. I don't think you would have any reason to kill me. Do you?"

"Of course! I would never hurt you, Martial Aspect Xiao. This is all slander!" Ao Shuai replied.

He thought that Xiao Nanfeng was intending to keep the peace and naturally cooperated with him. If word of this were to spread and it became a stain on the Imperial Court's reputation, he would be done for.

"Relax. If you're not responsible, no one will be able to get away with slandering you. On the other hand, if you were responsible, no one will be able to save you."

Ao Shuai stiffened, suddenly feeling simultaneously ashamed and resentful. With all the spectators watching their exchange, however, he hardly dared to provoke Xiao Nanfeng.

Meanwhile, the Martial Aspect of Violetfrost sent another mental transmission to Ao Shuai. "Xiao Nanfeng, at least, has the big picture in mind. He's not going to make life difficult for you right now, but he has claimed possession of the Sunfell Bow and Sunstrike Arrows. That's important evidence that he might use against you, so you had better be prepared—no, he mentioned the Eastern Aspect, too. He might use this against him!"

"Not only me, but my father, too? We can't stay here any longer!" Ao Shuai spat out, exasperated.

"No—you can't leave. If you do, others will think that you're guilty, and that will make matters worse. Hold on a little. I can't show myself lest I end up getting involved and Xiao Nanfeng targets me as well."

Ao Shuai scowled, though he had no choice but to wait patiently.

Not far away, Mo Shanhe called out in dissatisfaction, "Martial Aspect Xiao, Dayin has its fair share of expert researchers regarding curses who can provide more insight into the Sunfell Bow. Shall I summon them on your behalf?"

"Didn't you hear what I said? I need to find people I can trust. I don't trust your subordinates," Xiao Nanfeng replied.

Mo Shanhe frowned. He didn't want the situation to end like this. He wanted to make a bigger fuss about everything, but Xiao Nanfeng wasn't giving him the opportunity to do so.

Xiao Nanfeng scanned his surroundings, then continued, "Alright. We've dealt with the origins of the Sunfell Bow. Now, we're going to continue the interrogation from before. Who wrote me this letter? Who among you kidnapped the princess?"

The archer was mystified. "Martial Aspect Xiao, didn't you already uncover the culprit?"

"You only provided evidence as to the origins of the Sunfell Bow, which still needs to be proven. My investigation deals with the princess' kidnappers. We can't conflate the two. I intend to continue my investigation."

He turned toward the mid-stage True Yin cultivator bound by the golden net. "You mentioned that you would reveal the culprit behind this affair. This is your opportunity."

"I'm friends with him," the True Yin cultivator said hastily, pointing at the archer. "I was with him when he bought the Sunfell Bow and Sunstrike Arrows. The culprit he brought up was the one I was going to talk about!"

"So you're lying to me, then? You had no information to report and attempted to trick me," Xiao Nanfeng accused.

"I didn't! I—" The mid-stage True Yin cultivator panicked.

"If I hadn't been prepared, I would already have died at your hand. Since you continue to lie to me, I'll dispose of you as I would any who dared to assassinate an official of the Imperial Court!" Xiao Nanfeng raised his divine undying blade up high and prepared to thrust it into the cultivator's prone body.

"No!" the mid-stage True Yin cultivator cried out. "Prime Minister, save me!"

"Xiao Nanfeng, he's a descendant of a Dayin official. Dayin would willingly compensate you for your loss, so—" Mo Shanhe pleaded for mercy, but Xiao Nanfeng ignored him and thrust his blade into the True Yin cultivator's body.

The True Yin cultivator's body dispersed in a cloud of smoke.

"You!" Mo Shanhe cried out.

Xiao Nanfeng turned toward the cultivators who had surrendered. "Don't expect to get away unscathed, nor for those outside to rescue you. If you don't provide a full confession as to what you've done, none of you will leave."

The cultivators who had surrendered blanched. Four of Xiao Nanfeng's golden crows had perished, and he was intent on venting his anger by killing these cultivators. He had killed a mid-stage True Yin cultivator despite the prime minister's presence; he would easily do the same to them. What were they to do? They looked toward Mo Shanhe hopefully.

After all, Mo Shanhe was the one who had them deal with Xiao Nanfeng. He could hardly discard them now!

"Martial Aspect Xiao, you are currently a participant in Dayin's martial tournament. I ask that you not make a farce of this entire affair, or I'll expel you for violating the fairness of the tournament," Mo Shanhe warned.

He had no choice but to intercede; otherwise, those cultivators being interrogated might well reveal his culpability. It would be Dayin's reputation that was tarnished then.

Xiao Nanfeng smirked. "Mo Shanhe, I broke no rules of the tournament. I registered and participated as any cultivator would, but you intend to interrupt the tournament yourself. Could you be the culprit behind the princess' kidnapping?"

"Martial Aspect Xiao, please be mindful of what you're doing. The culprit you were looking for is Ao Shuai, but you're venting your anger on Dayin cultivators. Do you think we won't dare stand for our people?" Mo Shanhe demanded.

Neither cultivator looked as though they would back down.

Afar, Ao Shuai's eyes flashed with hatred. "Does Mo Shanhe think that I'm an easy target?"

Just then, a loud howl came from the skies. "Mo Shanhe, how dare you besmirch my young master's reputation?! Die!"

Everyone looked up as countless strikes of lightning. surged toward the officials of Dayin, sending them flying as they exploded. Mo Shanhe was surrounded in a bombardment of lightning and flame.

"Protect the prime minister!" a group of guards shouted.

Two men attacked simultaneously, launching incandescent golden palms at their assailants.

Lightning and fire blazed; it seemed as though both parties were fighting with Golden Immortal relics. The lightning and fire spread to ten times their original size, implicating countless spectators as well.

Many of Dayin's officials, like the spectators, were sent flying by the lightning storm. They shrieked and yelped.

Only then did everyone notice a giant purple dragon at the center of the lightning storm, shining with scintillating lightning. He shot toward Mo Shanhe.

"Isn't that the Martial Aspect of Violetfrost? He's taking revenge on Mo Shanhe on Ao Shuai's behalf!"

"How strong he is!"

Countless cultivators began to shout and scream.

Ao Shuai gaped in disbelief as he looked toward one of his disguised subordinates. "Violetfrost, is someone impersonating you?"

"Who dares?" the Martial Aspect of Violetfrost thundered.

Mo Shanhe blanched, suspecting that things were far more dire than they seemed. "An attack from a Martial Aspect? Is the Imperial Court already poised to take down Dayin? Weren't we supposed to have a five-year grace period? It's only been three and a half. Damn it, what are we going to do?!"

Xiao Nanfeng immediately realized that the interloper was none other than Emperor Feng. He watched on expectantly.

Mo Shanhe was a skilled strategist, but many could lay claim to such a title. Emperor Feng was sly and crafty in his own right, and he had now become the star of the show.