Fang Xing only gave Ye Chen a cursory glance. By rights, he would never bother with such a minor character.
But Ye Chen had just tried to dump all the blame onto Qin Luo. Whether Qin Luo had done those things or not, Fang Xing would never allow the Great Qin Dynasty to be used as a scapegoat.
"If His Highness the Ninth Prince wishes to investigate, he naturally may." After Fang Xing spoke, his gaze fell on Liu Changhe. "What does the Holy Lord of Tai Xu think?"
Though phrased as a question, it was essentially a notification.
Before Liu Changhe could answer, Ye Chen cut in.
"No!"
"There are my secrets inside that ring. I, Ye Chen, will never allow anyone to inspect it!"
"Besides, Qin Luo's theft is already a fact. What is there to argue about?"
"Is this Tai Xu Bell fake?"
"Just because he's the Ninth Prince of Great Qin, he thinks he can twist black into white and run rampant in my Tai Xu Holy Land?"
"The disciples of my Tai Xu Holy Land have backbone. How can we let you, Qin Luo, bully us at will?!"
He spoke with righteous indignation, trying to drag all of Tai Xu Holy Land onto his war chariot.
The Tai Xu disciples really did start murmuring.
"The Tai Xu Bell is right there. Could it be fake?"
"Qin Luo's clearly using power to bully others."
Qin Luo sneered and pointed at the bell above his head. "You keep saying this is Tai Xu Holy Land's Tai Xu Bell, but do you even know what your own Tai Xu Bell looks like?"
"My Tai Xu Bell is a hundred times stronger than the broken thing your sect had—and then some."
"I'll say it again." Qin Luo's gaze turned to Liu Changhe. "You claim this is Tai Xu Holy Land's Tai Xu Bell. Then call it and see if it answers you."
"Don't tell me you, the dignified Holy Lord of Tai Xu Holy Land, don't even have the ability to activate your own sacred artifact."
With every word, Liu Changhe's expression grew heavier.
Everyone stared at him, waiting for him to activate the Tai Xu Bell and slap Qin Luo in the face.
But Liu Changhe stayed silent.
No one thought to ask why he hadn't tried to control the bell earlier, when Qin Luo used it to smash Tu Shouyi—because he couldn't control it at all.
Sensing things going sideways, Ye Chen rushed to patch it up. "That's only because you, Qin Luo, cut off the Holy Lord's connection to the Tai Xu Bell. That's why he can't control it now."
Qin Luo snorted. "Are you an idiot, or do you just think everyone else is?"
"What realm am I in? I'm only at the Divine Power Realm. What realm is your Holy Lord in? He's a Saint. I cut off his connection? Why don't you say I can also chop him to death with one sword while you're at it?"
"Fine, let's pretend all of you really *are* idiots and believe I can do that. Then let me ask Elder Lin."
His gaze landed on Lin Ruoxuan. "Elder Lin, answer me this: is the Four Symbols Swordplay in Tai Xu Holy Land complete or incomplete?"
Lin Ruoxuan had cultivated this technique herself, and answered without hesitation, "The Four Symbols Swordplay in Tai Xu Holy Land is an incomplete scroll. We only have the move 'Fire Dance Nine Heavens.'"
"And how many moves did I just show?" Qin Luo asked.
Lin Ruoxuan was quiet for a moment, then said, "You demonstrated an additional move of the Four Symbols Swordplay."
Qin Luo laughed. "I can also display the remaining two moves, and even perform the Four Symbols Unification. Do you believe that?"
As soon as he finished speaking, his aura shifted.
It was as if a light rain fell all around—Four Symbols Swordplay's 'Rainfall Without Gaps.'
Lin Ruoxuan's eyes flew wide open in shock. Once again, Qin Luo shattered her understanding. This kind of talent… he might truly be a monster on the path of the sword.
"If you only have one move and I hold the complete set, then tell me—who do you think stole from whom?"
With that one line, everyone from Tai Xu Holy Land fell silent.
They only had an incomplete scroll. Qin Luo held the complete Four Symbols Swordplay.
"So all of this is mine," Qin Luo said coolly. "Your so-called charges just now were nothing but their slander."
Liu Ruyan spoke up weakly. "Senior Brother Qin, but… you already admitted it earlier."
Qin Luo's sharp gaze swept over, and she panicked.
"Admitted it? If I didn't admit it, what choice did I have?"
"When the situation is stronger than the man, all of you in power pile on to crush me. Even if I refused to confess, wouldn't the blame still land on my head?"
Liu Ruyan wanted to argue but had no words.
Qin Luo turned back to Ye Chen, his tone flat. "Ye Chen, slandering me has a price."
"Isn't it just the Holy Son position you want? And that bitch?"
He pointed straight at Liu Ruyan, making her heart feel like it was being torn apart.
"Bitch… Senior Brother Qin actually called me a bitch?" Liu Ruyan felt her heart riddled with holes.
[Liu Ruyan's mental state has slightly collapsed. Luck -5000. Host gains 5000 Villain Points.]
"To me, those things are just dirt," Qin Luo said with open disdain.
"You want them? Sure. But slandering me—that's on you."
"Today, that ring of yours *will* be opened. If not, you're not leaving."
Feeling Qin Luo's relentless pressure, Ye Chen once again felt that suffocating helpless rage.
The last time had been in his clan, when those people forced his father to abdicate and chased them out of the Ye Family.
He had sworn then that he would kill those clansmen—and later, he had done it, returning to the Ye Family to slaughter everyone who had humiliated him that day.
Now, a similar scene was unfolding. His hands clenched into fists.
"Master," he growled under his breath. Right now, only his master could save him.
His master sighed. "I told you before you were too impulsive. Now, as expected, something has gone wrong."
Even so, she was also a beneficiary of this mess—the Origin of the Tai Xu Bell was currently nourishing her soul.
Ye Chen was her disciple. With him in crisis, she naturally had to step forward.
A soft sigh echoed in many people's ears. Fang Xing's originally calm face grew solemn.
Everyone looked toward Ye Chen's side, where a phantom figure slowly rose from his ring.
When they saw her, many eyes widened.
"Peerless beauty," "nation-toppling enchantress"—every idiom for devastating beauty seemed to fit this woman perfectly.
Even Liu Ruyan felt a stab of inferiority.
After the woman appeared, her eyes fell on Qin Luo. She spoke lightly. "How about we let this matter go?"
"Call it Chen'er's mistake. I'll owe you a favor."
As she spoke, a terrifying aura spread from her soul body. Feeling that power, Fang Xing moved to stand beside Qin Luo, watching her warily.
Though she was only a soul, its strength had already reached the Saint King Realm.
"Is she very strong?" Qin Luo asked quietly.
"Her soul is powerful," Fang Xing replied, "but it's *only* a soul."
Understanding, Qin Luo said coldly, "Right is right, wrong is wrong. What do you mean 'let's just say Ye Chen was wrong'?"
"Did *I* slander *him*?"
"If you say I framed him, then show evidence. Otherwise, today Ye Chen and I fight to the death."