Zilong paid no attention whatsoever to their groans. He was now kneeling by Qing Tian’s side, supporting his father’s body with utmost care.“Father.”Qing Tian opened his eyes wide. For a moment, the two simply exchanged glances. Qing Tian’s face looked so exhausted and full of wounds, but upon seeing his son return completely unharmed, an extraordinary calmness seeped into his heart.“You… really came back.”“Yes, Father.”“Where have you been all this time…?”“In a safe place.”Qing Tian furrowed his brow. “For the past few days… I truly didn't know whether you were still alive or—”“I am fine.”Zilong helped Qing Tian sit leaning against the stone rubble, then channeled a bit of energy to examine the wounds on his father’s body. Qing Tian observed every single movement of his son closely. His gaze then fell upon the black sword blade gripped by Zilong.“Your strength…” Zilong fell silent. “You’ve become far stronger than before.”“A little,” Zilong answered briefly.Qing Tian almo

Dense remnants of energy pressure still lingered in the battlefield air, as if reluctant to disperse. Over the expanse of shattered earth, Zilong stood floating calmly with the black sword in his grip. Below him, Qing Tian sat slumped against the rocks, one hand tightly clutching his injured side.Not far away, the elders of the Wang Clan glared at Zilong with eyes blazing with fury."Step forward! Attack him!" snapped one of the Wang Clan elders, losing his patience.Several clan members immediately charged forward. Zilong narrowed his eyes, his fingers tightening further around the hilt of his sword, preparing to meet the next wave of clashes.However, before the clash could occur."HALT!"A baritone voice laden with authority thundered through the sky. Dozens of figures in battle armor suddenly appeared atop the walls of the outer ruins of the Qing Clan's territory. In the front row stood a middle-aged man wearing a royal commander's robe, holding a gleaming gold token high."In th

The chief elder swallowed hard for a moment, then said stiffly, "That... was merely an old matter, Your Majesty.""An old matter?" the King repeated coldly."Yes. And it has no direct relation to today's retaliatory incident.""If it truly has no relation, why do you look so hesitant to answer my question?" pressed the King.Not a single person from the Wang Clan dared to respond.Zilong remained standing tall in his place. He knew very well that the time had not yet come to completely expose all the rot of the past clearly before the palace. Let the seed of doubt grow first in the King's mind.The King of Tianxuan let out a long breath. "Very well. I will not make a final decision tonight."The Wang Clan elder immediately stepped forward to protest. "But Your Majesty...""Enough!" The King's voice rose, stopping the protest instantly."I have seen tangible evidence that Wang Li lost his cultivation at the hands of Qing Zilong," the King stated firmly. "But on the other hand, I also w

The Wang Clan elders immediately cheered in triumph. "You heard it yourself, right?! He admitted it before royal justice! We demand absolute justice from the palace for what he has done to our genius!"Protests began to rumble from the back ranks. "That's right! There must be a fitting punishment!""He has destroyed our clan's future!""This cannot be tolerated!"Zilong continued to stand calmly, without a trace of intimidation on his face. The royal commander raised his hand, signaling for the commotion to subside."Enough."The atmosphere grew silent again. The commander looked alternately at Zilong and the Wang Clan representatives. "You cannot resolve this dispute with bloodshed in the streets. State all your demands directly before His Majesty the King."The Wang Elder furrowed his brow. "Then what about him?"The commander pointed at Zilong with his chin. "Qing Zilong must also come along to appear."Zilong raised an eyebrow. "Me?""Yes," the commander answered firmly. "Because

After the mediation process and the royal trial were officially closed, the elders of both clans hurried to leave the palace complex carrying tension that had not yet fully dissipated.In a private room isolated from the bustle of official business, King Tianxuan stood tall before a large window, staring straight at the expanse of city lights scattered in the distance.Right behind the ruler stood Kasimir, the head palace eunuch and one of the most trusted advisors. Meanwhile, in another corner of the room, Princess Xiao Yue sat silently in her reverie, her fingers resting gracefully upon the surface of a carved wooden table.For a few moments, silence enveloped the room without anyone opening their mouths.The mental images of the Wang Clan elders being forced to bow before her father's throne still flashed through Xiao Yue's mind. They had indeed declared their willingness to make peace on the surface. Yet for some reason, her instincts told her that the peace was fragile."Will the