Chapter 94: Chapter 94: A Joint Frame-up
"Lord City Lord," Wang Hai said, cupping his hands toward Leng Tian. "This brat harbors sinister intentions. He acts with arrogance and impunity. I suspect there’s a conspiracy behind this so-called Cold Condensing Pill, and I hope Your Excellency will see the truth."
"Is that so?" Ye Xuan smiled faintly, full of confidence. "Patriarch Wang, you needn’t be in such a rush to convict me. Although the Wang and Zhou families’ methods were incredibly subtle, anyone with a discerning eye can see through them."
"You damn brat, you’re spewing malicious lies!" Zhou Tong said furiously. "Lord City Lord, if you don’t convict him today, how can we possibly rest easy?"
The crowd watched all this in utter astonishment. No one had expected a perfectly fine banquet to escalate to this point. This was truly a spectacle, the likes of which Blue Moon City hadn’t seen in decades.
Leng Tian clearly hadn’t expected things to turn out this way either. He looked at Ye Xuan, his face dark, and asked, "You claim the Wang family and the Zhou family framed my daughter. Do you have proof?"
Leng Tian’s gaze was grim, and an aura unique to those in positions of power pressed down on Ye Xuan.
Yet Ye Xuan seemed completely unaffected, smiling faintly. "The proof, of course, is on Senior Leng Yingying."
The entire hall immediately erupted in an uproar.
Leng Tian said coldly, "Then show it to me. If you can produce it, I will pardon you. If you can’t, don’t blame me for being merciless."
Ye Xuan acted as if he hadn’t heard Leng Tian’s threat. He walked up to Leng Yingying and said with a smile, "Senior Leng Yingying, would you please hand me the gifts from the Wang and Zhou families?"
Leng Yingying was taken aback for a moment, then she removed the Heart Nourishing Jade and the Autumn Water Sword.
Ye Xuan held them high. "The proof is right here."
Seeing this, Wang Hai laughed in fury. "You little bastard, what kind of proof is that?"
Zhou Tong also shouted, "Lord City Lord, this man has sinister motives and is slandering us! If you don’t give us justice, we will not accept this!"
"Haha." Ye Xuan chuckled lightly. "You two put on a fine act. But no matter how clever your words, you can’t escape my discerning gaze."
He said coldly, "This Heart Nourishing Jade and Autumn Water Sword are indeed fine treasures. Any Martial Artist would cherish them. But if they are used together, especially by someone like Senior Leng Yingying who possesses a Cold Attribute martial soul, they will lead to some unforeseen consequences."
Ye Xuan enunciated each word, "At best, her cultivation will stagnate, making it impossible to advance. At worst, her Profound Veins will rupture and her martial soul will shatter, resulting in death."
"What?!"
Leng Tian cried out in shock. His furious gaze shot toward the Wang and Zhou families. If what Ye Xuan said was true, then the intentions of those two families...
Cold sweat broke out on the foreheads of the Wang and Zhou family members. They hurriedly said, "Lord City Lord, don’t listen to his nonsense! We bought these treasures at great expense. Our families had no knowledge of what the other was giving. How could we possibly be trying to harm Miss Leng Yingying?"
"Haha, whether it’s a setup or not isn’t for me to decide. I believe there must be others here who can see the problem. Is there anyone present who has some knowledge of the way of arrays? Please, feel free to come up and take a look."
The crowd’s gazes immediately focused on three people: Zhu Weichen, Jiang Xun, and Hua Luoxuan.
Hua Luoxuan smiled faintly. "Lord City Lord, since Young Master Xuan has spoken, this old man also has some meager understanding of the way of arrays. How about I..."
"Lord City Lord, this must be a conspiracy between the Ye family and the Alchemist Association!" Seeing Hua Luoxuan step forward, a possibility immediately occurred to Wang Hai and Zhou Tong, and they shouted before he could finish his sentence.
Hua Luoxuan’s expression turned ugly. He snorted coldly and retracted the step he had just taken. "Lord City Lord, since the two Patriarchs have said as much, this old man will not perform the inspection."
Leng Tian’s face was grim. He turned to Head Steward Mu Shan at his side. "Mu Shan, go and summon Master Luo Zhen and Master Qin Shang."
Luo Zhen and Qin Shang were the City Lord’s Mansion’s own Alchemist and Soul Refiner. One was Second Grade, the other First Grade. With Leng Yingying’s safety at stake, Leng Tian didn’t trust anyone else present.
Soon, two old men dressed in Alchemist and Soul Refiner robes came out. Leng Tian briefly explained the situation, and the two men immediately walked over to Ye Xuan.
"Masters, please take a look." As Ye Xuan handed over the two items, he lightly brushed his finger over the Heart Nourishing Jade. Imperceptibly, he had subtly altered one or two of the hundreds of array pattern nodes on the jade. No one present—not top experts like Hei Zhuo, not masters like Jiang Xun, not even Luo Zhen and Qin Shang standing right in front of him—had noticed.
"A Gathering Profound Array is meant to gather Profound Qi. However, the Gathering Profound Array on this Heart Nourishing Jade is different from a normal one. The path the Profound Qi travels has been altered. If used alone, it’s not a major issue. But when combined with the Cold Spirit Array on this Autumn Water Sword... well, Masters, you can simulate it for yourselves. The truth will become clear."
Ye Xuan explained calmly.
Following Ye Xuan’s explanation, Luo Zhen and Qin Shang carefully examined the array pattern pathways on both treasures. As they looked, their brows immediately furrowed.
Leng Tian couldn’t help but ask, "Masters, what do you see...?"
Luo Zhen and Qin Shang exchanged a glance and conferred with each other for a few moments. Then, they bowed and said, "Reporting to the Lord City Lord, the Gathering Profound Array patterns on this Heart Nourishing Jade are indeed slightly different from normal ones. When combined with this Cold Spirit Array, there will certainly be some changes. However, the engraving of array patterns is the domain of an Array Master. We two only have a superficial understanding and cannot simulate the true outcome. As for whether it would cause the consequences he described, it’s impossible for us to judge."
"Hahaha! Did you hear that, you brat? What do you have to say for yourself now?" Wang Hai and Zhou Tong shouted in unison.
Ye Xuan said contemptuously, "Idiots. They only said they couldn’t judge, not that it wouldn’t cause such consequences. In that case, why not let Senior Leng Yingying test it out in front of everyone? With so many masters present, any consequences should be clear at a glance."
"Fine. Yingying, you try it," Leng Tian said coldly.
Ye Xuan smiled faintly from the side. "Senior Leng Yingying, just wear this Heart Nourishing Jade, then activate your martial soul and use the Autumn Water Sword’s Cold Spirit Array to continuously launch your strongest attacks. After a few strikes, the result will be clear."
Under everyone’s watchful gaze, Leng Yingying immediately put on the Heart Nourishing Jade and gripped the Autumn Water Sword. With a low cry, a layer of blue ice materialized above her head. This was the purest of Cold Attribute martial souls: the Ice Martial Soul.
After releasing her Ice Martial Soul, Leng Yingying began swinging the Autumn Water Sword, continuously practicing her techniques.
Shimmering blue Profound Qi flared throughout the hall, causing the temperature of the entire banquet hall to drop significantly.
"Amazing! As expected of Miss Leng Yingying! She’s only at the First Layer of Warrior, yet she can display such power. I fear even an ordinary Second Layer Warrior wouldn’t be her match."
"It’s more than that! Look at this move—its power is extraordinary! As her Profound Qi surges, the very air seems to freeze. I doubt even a common Third Layer Warrior would dare to face that head-on!"
"The power of this Autumn Water Sword is truly astonishing. It really is a top-grade, first-rank Profound Soldier."
The crowd discussed amongst themselves, all singing Leng Yingying’s praises.
Confident smiles also appeared on Wang Hai’s and Zhou Tong’s faces. But before their smiles could fade...
"Hn!"
Abruptly, Leng Yingying’s face paled. In the middle of a move, the Profound Qi around her fluctuated violently. The next moment, she let out a muffled grunt and dropped to one knee.
What was happening?
Everyone’s expression was one of stunned disbelief. Luo Zhen and Qin Shang instantly rushed forward. After a quick examination, their expressions changed drastically. "Lord City Lord, the cold energy in the young miss’s body has stagnated, and her martial soul is injured!"
"What?" The crowd was utterly and inexplicably shocked.
Leng Yingying was the owner of an Ice Martial Soul and hadn’t been fighting anyone. How could her cold energy suddenly stagnate and her martial soul be injured? It was completely absurd.
Ye Xuan said calmly, "Masters, observe carefully. One might initially think Senior Leng Yingying’s condition is due to her exerting Profound Qi too forcefully. In reality, it’s because the synergy between the Heart Nourishing Jade’s Gathering Profound Array and the Cold Spirit Array causes cold energy to condense and enter her body as she circulates her Profound Qi. The first time, it’s fine. The second time, it’s fine. But after a few times, her martial soul is bound to be injured."
Leng Tian’s burning gaze fell upon them.
Luo Zhen and Qin Shang looked at each other and nodded. "Lord City Lord, what he says is true. If the young miss were to continuously practice her martial techniques while wearing these two items, over the months and years, her cultivation would stagnate at best. At worst, her martial soul would shatter and her Profound Veins would rupture, leading to her death."
"Senior Leng Yingying, your injury isn’t serious. And if you use this pill of mine to treat it, you might find an unexpected reward." Ye Xuan suddenly crushed the porcelain bottle he had gifted her. With a light flick, a blue pill shot into Leng Yingying’s hand.
"Young miss, don’t just take any pill—" Luo Zhen had just started to speak, but Leng Yingying had already swallowed the pill in one gulp.
VMM!
A blue light instantly blossomed from her body. The surrounding cold energy immediately began to swirl like a vortex, gathering toward Leng Yingying’s core.
The intense cold energy made the temperature in the hall feel as if it had dropped by more than ten degrees in an instant.
POP!
Abruptly, a flash of light flared from Leng Yingying’s body. Her eyes flew open, and a powerful, profound aura erupted from her.
Leng Yingying, who had been at the First Layer of Warrior just moments ago, had broken through to the Second Layer of Warrior right before everyone’s eyes.
Everyone in the hall stared, their mouths hanging open in shock, as their gazes turned toward Ye Xuan, the one who had produced the pill.
Just what kind of treasure was this Cold Condensing Pill?
Facing everyone’s stares, Ye Xuan simply smiled faintly. ’I did use this girl a little bit earlier,’ he thought. ’This Cold Condensing Pill can be considered compensation.’
"Lord City Lord, I imagine it’s now clear at a glance who is loyal and who is treacherous, isn’t it?"
Ye Xuan’s words snapped everyone out of their shock.
"The two of you have some nerve." Leng Tian fiercely slammed the cup on the table before him, utterly enraged.
"I... Lord City Lord, a misunderstanding! This must be a misunderstanding!"
"Brat, it must have been you! You must have tampered with something! Lord City Lord, we’ve been framed!"
The members of the Wang and Zhou families all turned pale, their hearts filled with terror as they began to shout in protest.
They never could have imagined that things would turn out like this.
