Chapter 1486: One action leads to another

Four or five rays of light simultaneously flashed across He Yang, indicating the activation of protective magical artifacts meant to ward off fatal damage. Yet, his movements froze, as if solidified with time itself. His eyes remained fixed on He Lingchuan: "You... you..."

How did this happen?

Several wounds appeared on his back, and blood quickly stained his clothes. The power of destruction could not be negated by a few conventional talismans.

He Lingchuan, however, turned his gaze to Qing Yang, not even bothering to spare a glance for He Yang. Then, gripping He Yang's hair with his right hand, he raised his leg and kicked violently! Amidst a spray of blood, He Yang was decapitated and torn limb from limb! His remains scattered across the performance stage, leaving a bloody mess.

This was a clear provocation, a display meant for Qing Yang. He had already killed the man; there was no turning back now. Gasps erupted from the surroundings. Blood splattered onto He Lingchuan's face, but he made no move to wipe it away, which only added to his fierce and ruthless demeanor. Using unfamiliar borrowed magical artifacts in a death match—this was the consequence of not being proficient.

He turned to face King Yao and Qing Yang, raising his spoils high—He Yang, now reduced to a mere fifth of his former self—and declared loudly: "I have not failed in my mission!"

A crisp "pop" sounded from his left arm, like shattering glass. He glanced down reflexively and saw that the surface of the Soul-Devouring Mirror had cracked! The direction, length, and shape of the cracks were identical to those on the small round mirror.

"Ah—it hurts so much!" The Soul-Devouring Mirror's shrieks filled He Lingchuan's ears. "Pain, pain, pain, it's killing me!" He Lingchuan had used He Yang as a human shield, yet it hadn't completely negated the "mutual damage" effect. Fortunately, the Soul-Devouring Mirror was present and absorbed all the remaining damage completely and cleanly. Having been with He Lingchuan for a long time and consumed a vast amount of Emperor's Flow Nectar, the Soul-Devouring Mirror's hardness and strength were far beyond what they once were. It could easily have served as a shield against spears and sharp blades. Yet, it had shattered so cleanly now? If an attack of such power had landed directly on He Lingchuan, he would have been severely wounded, if not dead, and certainly his limbs would not have remained intact.

"Be careful," the Soul-Devouring Mirror whimpered, almost in tears, still reminding He Lingchuan, "I'm cracked, I can't be a shield for now."

Gasps filled the air, and the distinguished guests at the banquet all rose to their feet. Even King Yao, who prided himself on his extensive experience, was stunned. The first person to die on the performance stage today was none other than He Yang, the trusted personal attendant and Left Commander of the Azure Guards, a confidant of Regent Qing Yang!

Qing Yang's gaze swept over the Soul-Devouring Mirror, her brows furrowing in indignation: "Preposterous!" Even with He Yang as a shield, He Lingchuan should not have emerged completely unharmed. Despite her rage, Qing Yang immediately recognized that his defensive magical artifact was extraordinary, capable of absorbing even the damage caused by the power of destruction. How could a mere island lord of Yangshan possess a treasure of such caliber? Could it be that Shuangye had given it to him?

As her anger flared, three Azure Guards from beside the stage immediately rushed onto the performance area. The palace guards stationed by the stage hesitated slightly, unsure whether to intervene. Their duty was to maintain order on the performance stage, but those rushing forward were the Regent's subordinates. In that moment of indecision, the Azure Guards bypassed them and surrounded He Lingchuan.

Someone shouted: "Kill him!"

Ding Qingshan and the others immediately attacked! Simultaneously, Wanqiu Feng, Wang Fubao, and three black-armored soldiers also charged forward, roaring, "Do not harm our lord!" as they launched an assault on the Azure Guards. The performance stage descended into chaos.

The foreign envoys, having not expected this additional show, watched with great interest. Qu Ruhai laughed loudly, "Place your bets, place your bets again! I'm still betting on Island Lord He!" He Xiao had previously bet on him to win, so this was his way of returning the favor. Island Lord He was impressive; he had won him a lot of money.

King Yao finally recovered, his beard bristling with anger: "What an outrage! Separate them!" This was the imperial stage for his birthday performance, not an open brawl space like a marketplace! With the king's clear order, nearly a hundred palace guards swarmed forward, forming a human wall to forcibly separate the two sides. Throughout this process, cries of pain were constant. Many palace guards were injured by the Azure Guards, and three were hit in the back of the head and chest, collapsing on the spot with faint breaths.

He Lingchuan also stepped back, his gaze still fixed on Ding Qingshan. As soon as they clashed, he knew that Master Ding's strength was no less than He Yang's, and his tactics were even more elusive. He Yang sending Ding Qingshan to challenge him to a death match earlier wasn't a slight after all.

King Yao then pointed to the two who had allowed the Azure Guards onto the stage and declared, "Dereliction of duty! Arrest them and await their punishment!" These two, serving in the palace, should have diligently carried out their duties, yet they dared not stop the Azure Guards. If the Azure Guards could surround He Xiao today, they might surround the king himself tomorrow. Would they still not dare to stop them then?

Seizing the opportunity, He Lingchuan pulled out a contract from his robes, waved it around, and called out loudly to Qing Yang: "Life and death are fated; do not blame fortune or misfortune! Commander He personally wrote this!" His voice, full of vigor, could be heard for five miles around, even echoing above the Jade Sounds Palace. Every person present heard every word. This was a death match! Both participants had prepared their last wills beforehand; it was just that He Lingchuan's wasn't needed. It was legal and compliant with rules; death meant accepting one's fate.

King Yao's heart was filled with mixed emotions. He did want to severely thwart Qing Yang and let out his frustration, but He Xiao had suddenly killed the Azure Guard commander. This... this... Had he gone too far in venting his anger? A flicker of unease crossed King Yao's mind. But seeing Qing Yang consumed by rage, he also felt a thrill of satisfaction. His capable subordinate had been slain; hehe, it was time for that old witch to experience the pain he had suffered days ago. On the other hand, He Xiao had only killed Qing Yang's bodyguard, not torn the Regent sent by Bajia into pieces. In truth, it wasn't a big deal. When the boss doesn't show up, don't the subordinates just slaughter each other for fun? Besides, He Yang was killed by a foreign merchant, not a native of Yao.

King Yao pondered, striding onto the performance stage as the surrounding palace guards gathered around him to prevent him from accidental injury. He took He Yang's death-match contract from He Lingchuan, glanced at it, and then declared with renewed vigor, "The death-match contract is valid, He Xiao is innocent! This performance was truly spectacular." The atmosphere had been built up to this point; before his officials, he couldn't afford not to support He Xiao.

Gu Xuan and others immediately applauded enthusiastically. One, two... at first, the applause was sparse, as the officials were still immersed in shock. The court struggles and factional alignments they understood weren't so brutal, so immediately life-and-death. In a daze, it felt as if something had fundamentally changed. But everyone around was applauding, especially the officials who had purchased villas in secluded Lake Villa, who clapped with great fervor. So, other officials hesitated, then had to raise their hands and join in. With some leading the way, the applause quickly spread throughout the entire venue.

Fan Shuang stood below the stage, his palms red from clapping. Amazing, He Xiao was truly amazing! He knew He Xiao wouldn't die!

Qing Yang stared intently at King Yao and He Xiao, who were surrounded by palace guards in the center, her face etched with icy displeasure. King Yao had set the tone for the event by calling it a "performance." Imperial duels had always included death matches, and people had died in them throughout the years. If others could use them as a triumphant start, why couldn't Qing Yang's subordinate? Thus, He Xiao was not only innocent, but King Yao might even reward him later. If he continued to be so arrogant, more officials would dare to purchase villas in secluded Lake Villa. This, in turn, meant more officials would align themselves with King Yao. But Qing Yang also understood that King Yao had momentarily won this round, and it was not a good time for her to act further.

"Rules are rules. Since this was an imperial death match, and He Yang was simply inferior in skill, what crime has He Xiao committed?" Qing Yang's calm voice echoed in everyone's ears. "Everyone, return." The Azure Guards then put away their weapons, lifted He Yang's body, and returned to the Regent's side.

Qing Yang's gaze settled on He Lingchuan, and she gave a sinister smile: "He Xiao, you entered the capital under the guise of a merchant, yet your combat prowess is formidable. You even killed He Yang with such ease. I believe even Xue Zongwu would be no match for you. Truly, heroes emerge from the young."

The Soul-Devouring Mirror exclaimed, "Oh, oh! That old witch is so malicious, implying you killed Xue Zongwu!"

He Lingchuan's expression remained unchanged. If Qing Yang had evidence, she would have produced it long ago; she wouldn't be making baseless accusations now. "My humble skills are hardly worthy of the Regent's notice. I merely scraped a narrow victory by relying on a superior magical artifact. The Regent's subordinates are plentiful with talent; who among them isn't stronger than me? Even General Chongwu could easily best me."

He Lingchuan refused to accept such a loaded compliment and immediately threw it back at her. If he could kill Xue Zongwu, then Qing Yang and her many subordinates would be even more capable. To today's audience, Qing Yang's overall power was far greater than He Xiao's. Moreover, there was already a rumor circulating in Yao Capital that Xue Zongwu had been killed by the Regent!

General Chongwu's face changed. He hadn't expected to be sitting there and suddenly be implicated. What did it have to do with him? These two were at loggerheads, why drag him into it?!

But to King Yao and the officials, these words carried a different, deeper meaning: If General Chongwu was truly stronger than He Xiao, as He Xiao claimed, then the earlier imperial duel, where he drew with Qu Ruhai, must have been an act! To intentionally draw a match and even sustain injuries, what did that imply? It implied that General Chongwu possessed formidable control over the fight, and that his combat strength was significantly greater than Qu Ruhai's for him to be able to act with such ease.

Everyone looked at Qu Ruhai again. The Luodian man stroked his beard and remained silent. His silence was an acknowledgment. An acknowledgment that Chongwu was stronger than him. Otherwise, given the Luodian man's temperament, he would have protested loudly by now.

So, why was General Chongwu concealing his true strength? Was he afraid people would associate him with Xue Zongwu? That's right, it was rumored that his whereabouts were unknown on the night Xue Zongwu was murdered, and the excuse he gave King Yao's special envoy was rather peculiar. Considering General Chongwu's relationship with Qing Yang, could it truly have been him? A ripple of whispers spread among the officials. This feast truly hadn't been in vain; bombshell revelations were exploding one after another.

King Yao was half-believing, half-doubting. If Chongwu was truly stronger than Qu Ruhai, why didn't he firmly overpower him in the earlier fight? He clearly knew that King Yao wanted to teach the Luodian people a lesson! Was it just because he wanted to hide his true abilities that he disregarded the prestige of the Yao Kingdom and only fought to a draw? This was the king's birthday celebration; could he not even bring glory to the nation? At this thought, King Yao's expression grew somewhat grim.

General Chongwu's face turned liver-colored with rage: "He Xiao, what do you mean by this?!"