King of Creation
Chapter 214: Chapter 211 I Killed
The Third Prince Zhu Kun failed to return home overnight, and no news of his whereabouts came through. All the Talisman Communications sent out from his Prince Mansion also disappeared without a trace, like clay oxen sinking into the sea.
Out of sheer panic, the Grand Steward of Third Prince Zhu Kun’s Prince Manor reported the matter to the Imperial Palace, and it didn’t take long before Emperor Yuankang was alarmed.
The disappearance of a prince, especially one who could be an heir to the throne, immediately shook the entire Black Water King’s City.
Once the Empire’s machinery began to move at full force, its power was truly terrifying.
It took only two hours to discover the secret whereabouts of Third Prince Zhu Kun, and another two hours later, he was found in a rather secluded private residence.
However, what they found was the body of the Third Prince.
An unbearably gruesome corpse.
It was not only the body of the Third Prince that was found, but also his personal eunuch bodyguard had been slain.
And the cultivation of the Third Prince Zhu Kun’s guard eunuch was as high as the fourth stage of the Spirit Transformation Realm.
The news of Third Prince Zhu Kun’s gruesome murder shook the entire Black Water King’s City. In an instant, the Imperial Guard entered the city and sealed off the whole Black Water King’s City.
Moreover, secret agents within the Imperial Palace scurried everywhere and even Chu Taiping, the Sect Master of the Water Sect still in the Royal City, was stirred into action, sending out Sect experts to assist.
After all, everyone in the world knew the intricate connections between Third Prince Zhu Kun and their Water Sect. The bizarre and tragic death of Third Prince Zhu Kun also caused the Water Sect to lose face completely.
There was a stir in all directions, a massive search throughout the city.
Although the several servants within the private residence of Third Prince Zhu Kun were all silenced, under the operation of the state machinery, a clue was still discovered a few hours later.
A eunuch from the Royal Family Inner Court, upon the orders of Third Prince Zhu Kun, had brought someone to this private residence to meet secretly with the Third Prince Zhu Kun.
That person was Ye Zhen, who had recently been granted the title of Duke Wusan.
Thump thump thump!
The urgent knocking sound awakened Ye Zhen, who was healing in the Silent Chamber.
"Senior Brother Ye, there’s big trouble! Third Prince Zhu Kun has been killed, and the investigation has led to suspicions about you. Now, the tributors from the Royal Family and several elders from the Water Sect have come to question you!" Han Shi’s voice came from outside the chamber.
"Understood. I’ll finish my cultivation recovery and then head over."
"They’ve arrived quite quickly. But, even if they suspect me, what of it?"
Ye Zhen had long anticipated this situation.
To kill a prince eligible to be Crown Prince, and an impromptu killing at that, had too many unavoidable leaks and clues. Ye Zhen simply did not care at all.
A prince, killed just like that, even if they suspect it’s me, Ye Zhen, what of it!
Taking a deep breath, surging spiritual power flowed swiftly across his chest, taking away a portion of the cold yin energy clinging to his bones like maggots.
However, even after a circuit of his spiritual power, only a strand of the yin cold energy was refined away. The majority lingered stubbornly within the spiritual power, extremely difficult to purify.
If things continued like this, Ye Zhen estimated, it would take a month for his injury to heal – the old eunuch’s Yin Evil Bone Transforming Palm was just too malicious.
But Ye Zhen had the Mirage Dragon Pearl!
The Mirage Dragon Pearl seemed to be the nemesis of this type of yin malicious energy. Whether it was the massive amount of negative energy contained in the demon core he previously refined, or the toxicity of the Yin Evil Bone Transforming Palm, any time it was run through the Mirage Dragon Pearl, it was thoroughly purified.
Even so, since Ye Zhen returned and began his silent cultivation for recovery until now, he has only improved halfway after a day and night of effort.
Thinking back to yesterday’s battle, Ye Zhen still feels a lingering fear. Were it not for the old eunuch’s carelessness, failing to anticipate Ye Zhen possessing a killing move like the Origin Sword Vein and being struck by a sword and severely injured, coupled with the assistance of the Black Wind Medium-Grade Armor, Ye Zhen might have been the one killed.
"After returning to the mountains, I must quickly condense the Spiritual Power Seed and achieve Spirit Transformation! Only after transforming can I ensure I have the power to protect myself!"
Gently patting the head of the Cloud Winged Tiger, Ye Zhen stood up and headed towards the front hall of the Black Water Dao Field.
The moment he entered the hall, a cold and exceedingly piercing gaze, like that of a venomous snake, shot towards Ye Zhen.
"Ha, Ye Zhen, this is Wum Han, the Chief of the Imperial Palace’s Inner Guards. The others, you’ve already met!"
Seeing Elder Bao’s courteous demeanor towards this old eunuch, and feeling the faintly emanating qi, Ye Zhen took a step back in surprise; this Wum Han was undoubtedly a terrifying figure.
Apart from Wum Han, the Chief of the Inner Guards, the others were old acquaintances of Ye Zhen. There was Niu Qing, the newly appointed Commander of the Imperial Guard Army, Departure Stone Elder from the Water Sect, Tong Wei, and two unfamiliar faces, probably tributors from the Royal Family.
"Ye Zhen, did you kill the Third Prince?" Wum Han’s voice, high-pitched like a drake, aggressively interrogated Ye Zhen. Amid the questioning, a horrific yin cold energy suddenly soared and pressed towards Ye Zhen.
"Third Prince Zhu Kun is dead?"
"Yes, I killed him!"
The direct admission from Ye Zhen left everyone present in great shock; Ye Zhen had simply acknowledged the deed so straightforwardly.
Elder Bao’s expression turned exceedingly ugly.
They had considered the likelihood of Ye Zhen eliminating Third Prince Zhu Kun to be small, but even if Ye Zhen had done so, it wouldn’t have mattered much. Disputation was something anyone could do.
However, once Ye Zhen directly admitted to it, they were put in a very passive position.
"How audacious!"
"Daring to plot the murder of a prince, your entire family should be executed!" As Wum Han’s shrill voice ripped through the air, his scrawny claws, indistinguishable from those of the Third Prince Zhu Kun’s personal guard eunuch, lunged straight at Ye Zhen’s chest.
He actually wanted to take down Ye Zhen on the spot.
Boom!
As spiritual power exploded, Elder Bao and Wum Han each took a step back.
"Elder Bao, you wouldn’t be thinking of shielding a murderer, would you?"
"Where is the question of shielding? Even if we are to seize someone, we should clarify the facts first, right?"
"Ye Zhen has already admitted it, hasn’t he?" Wum Han said with a cold expression.
"Eh, that’s impossible. The Third Prince Zhu Kun’s eunuch guard possesses the fourth stage of the Spirit Transformation Realm Cultivation. How could Ye Zhen possibly kill him? Not to mention one Ye Zhen, even if there were three or four more of him, it would still be impossible to kill a fourth stage Spirit Transformation Realm expert so silently and without a trace, right?"
Commander of the Imperial Guard Army Niu Qing furrowed his brows tightly.
Hearing this, Wum Han’s eyes suddenly brightened, "Right, Ye Zhen, you must have an accomplice. Speak quickly, who is your accomplice?"
"An accomplice, of course there is!"
"Speak, who is it!"
"Sect Master Guo Qijing!"
Ye Zhen casually blurted out a name.
"Nonsense!"
"Ridiculous!"
Even Elder Bao couldn’t stand it anymore, but just as he became angry, a look of astonishment flashed across his face, his anger subsided, and a hint of joy emerged instead.
"Ye Zhen, you had better come clean. The torture methods of my Inner Guards Mansion - let’s not even talk about a Spirit Summoning Realm martial artist, even those in the Spirit Transformation Realm can’t endure it," he said.
"Not suitable? Then the accomplice is Elder Lut Changchuan!"
"Or is it Elder Hong Banjiang?"
"Or perhaps Instructor Liao Feibai...."
Ye Zhen linked the names of several top figures one after another. As Elder Wum Han was furiously angry, Lik Shi couldn’t sit still anymore and couldn’t help but say, "Ye Zhen, what on earth are you trying to do? What’s the use of your random accusations?"
"What exactly am I trying to do?"
"Isn’t this the answer you all want?"
"You all came to the Black Water Dao Grounds with such aggression. With three thousand soldiers stationed outside the grounds, didn’t you already conclude that I’m the killer?"
"We didn’t say you were definitely the killer, did we? Aren’t we still asking?" said Departure Stone Elder somewhat sheepishly as he touched his nose.
"If I say I’m not the killer, would you believe me?"
"Let alone you all not believing me, even I wouldn’t believe myself!"
"Before the Third Prince Zhu Kun died, he had found such a secret place to trick me into meeting him, and then he was killed. If I’m not the killer, then who is?"
"Just like you all said, the eunuch guard of the Third Prince Zhu Kun was a fourth stage Spirit Transformation Realm powerhouse. If I didn’t implicate a Sect Leader or Sect Elders, how could I silently kill a fourth stage Spirit Transformation Realm expert? I definitely couldn’t accuse the Sect Elders of Lishui Sect as accomplices, right?"
With these words, Ye Zhen made the Departure Stone Elder lose his temper, but the expression on Chief Wum Han’s face became even colder.
"Then tell us, what did the Third Prince invite you to such a secretive place for?" asked Wum Han in a chilling voice.
"Do you really want to hear?"
"It’s simple. The Third Prince Zhu Kun asked for my support to help him seize the position of Crown Prince. Just that simple," said Ye Zhen.
"What a joke. You, a mere Soul Summoning Realm shrimp, him asking you for help?"
Ye Zhen’s gaze, however, turned towards Lik Shi, "Elder Lik Shi, do you really want me to speak out the whole matter?"
Upon hearing this, Lik Shi’s complexion changed drastically.
Ye Zhen, who has the War Soul Blood Flag, certainly has the ability.
However, the fact that Ye Zhen possesses the War Soul Blood Flag was, at the moment, the highest secret of Black Water Kingdom and absolutely could not be leaked.
"Leave!"
Elder Lik Shi suddenly stood up and left with the rest of his people.
"Elder Lik Shi?"
Seeing this, Wum Han became anxious.
"Grand Steward Wum Han, let’s go. Ye Zhen is absolutely not the killer of the Third Prince. He neither has the capability nor the need!" Lik Shi stated.
"That’s impossible, ah, after this whole investigation, Ye Zhen is the most suspicious!"
"Didn’t you hear the little eunuch say Ye Zhen was tricked by the Third Prince Zhu Kun to fetch the Golden Register and Jade Seal? As for why Ye Zhen can’t be the killer, if you just tell His Majesty the reason the Third Prince sought Ye Zhen, His Majesty will understand."
What a joke, Ye Zhen, with the War Soul Blood Flag in his hand, directly influences the rise and fall of the Empire over five years. With the support of the War Soul Blood Flag, Ye Zhen could even gain the support of the entire Military Faction of the Black Water Kingdom. At that point, dealing with a prince would be like child’s play, why would he need to take such a risk?
Moreover, to silently kill a fourth stage Spirit Transformation Realm martial artist, not just one Ye Zhen, even ten Ye Zhens couldn’t do it.
"This..."
Stunned, Wum Han could only helplessly follow along and depart.
Seeing this crowd leave and the troops stationed outside the Black Water Dao Grounds retreating like a strong wind, Ye Zhen heaved a sigh of relief. With the matter of killing the prince handled, Ye Zhen managed to get through this ordeal.
"Senior Brother Ye, the Sect Leader asks for your presence," Han Shi’s voice came from behind.
"Alright!"
In the deepest, most serene chamber of the Black Water Dao Field, Ye Zhen met with the Sect Leader Guo Qijing, who was immersed in silent cultivation.
Hearing Ye Zhen enter, Guo Qijing’s long eyebrows rose, and his eyes, as bright as starlight, suddenly opened.
"Ye Zhen, speak, why did you kill the Third Prince Zhu Kun?"

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