"I...I..." Xia Mingde's voice trembled so badly it was almost incoherent, and large beads of sweat rolled down his forehead.
He felt his heart pounding wildly in his chest, as if it were about to burst out of his body at any moment.
My throat felt so dry, like it was stuffed with sand, that even swallowing became difficult.
how so?
His legs went weak and he could barely stand.
He simply couldn't believe it...
He thought...this girl was just a self-important jerk...
I also thought... even if she was very powerful, she wouldn't be able to cause any trouble in this royal city...
However, to her surprise, so many cultivators came forward for her sake, and even the sect leader of Xuantian Sect came!
Xia Mingde's face was extremely grim.
He never imagined...
The little girl who used to look so thin and small has become like this.
If he had known this would happen, he should have treated her well when she came back to rely on them, and not let Yuwei bully her.
He should be receiving immense blessings now, but it's all too late!
what to do?
He's going to die here...
Xia Mingde closed his eyes in anguish.
However, at this critical moment, a eunuch's shrill voice suddenly rang out from outside the palace gates: "The Emperor has arrived—"
Xia Mingde's eyes snapped open.
All eyes turned to the source of the sound. There stood the Emperor, clad in a bright yellow dragon robe, surrounded by his guards. His steps were steady and powerful, the gold thread on his robe gleaming majestically in the sunlight. The Third Prince followed closely behind, a hint of worry on his handsome face.
The sudden appearance of so many cultivators finally startled the emperor.
Xia Mingde, as if grasping at a straw, crawled toward the emperor on all fours.
He was covered in dust, his hair ornament was askew, and he was no longer the respectable man he once was.
"Your Majesty! Save this humble subject!" Xia Mingde's voice was hoarse beyond recognition as he gripped the hem of the emperor's dragon robe tightly. "These cultivators have no regard for the law and have no respect for the court! They... they're plotting a rebellion!"
A commotion arose among the onlookers. Some whispered among themselves, some looked fearful, and many more cast expectant glances at the emperor.
In this royal city, the emperor was their heaven and their last refuge.
As long as His Majesty the Emperor uses the dragon energy from the Imperial Seal to drive away these cultivators, they will have no choice but to leave.
However, to everyone's surprise, the emperor raised his dragon boot and kicked Xia Mingde away with a fierce stomp. "Insolence!" the emperor roared, his dragon eyes flashing with cold light.
Xia Mingde was kicked so hard that he rolled away and crashed into the bottom of the palace wall before coming to a stop.
He clutched his chest, staring incredulously at the emperor who had always treated him with such courtesy.
"His Majesty!"
When the emperor turned to the cultivators, the anger on his face instantly turned into respect. He bowed slightly and said humbly, "Esteemed immortals, this Xia Mingde is incredibly audacious, daring to slander the immortal sect. I will seize him immediately and leave him to your discretion."
Master Wei Ji stroked his long, snow-white beard, his eyes gleaming. "No rush. I'd like to hear what other tricks Lord Xia has up his sleeve." He slowly walked up to Xia Mingde, looking down at the official slumped on the ground. "Lord Xia, are you sure those rumors you've spread are true?"
Xia Mingde's eyes darted around nervously, his back already soaked in cold sweat.
He mustered his last bit of courage: "I...everything I said is true. That girl Qingdai really is..."
"Indeed what?" Bai Ying suddenly spoke, her voice as cold as ice. She stepped forward slowly, her snow-white skirt spotless, a stark contrast to Xia Mingde's disheveled appearance.
Xia Mingde's Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed hard, a fine layer of cold sweat beading on his forehead. He forced himself to stand straight, but his voice trembled slightly: "It really...it really attracted the demonic beast, killing Yuwei! I saw it with my own eyes!"
He suddenly raised his voice, turned to the onlookers, and with a flourish of his sleeve, feigned grief and indignation: "Fellow villagers! I, Xia Mingde, am an official appointed by the imperial court, and the biological father of Xia Qingdai. How could I slander my own flesh and blood?" He pounded his chest and stamped his feet, his eyes reddening. "She was wrong, and that's it! How can we just let it go like this!"
A murmur of discussion arose from the crowd. Xia Mingde caught a glimpse of several peasant women whispering among themselves, a barely perceptible glint of malice flashing in his eyes. He seized the opportunity to step forward, his voice growing increasingly mournful: "I know the immortals value Qingdai's spiritual talent, but Yuwei is also my precious daughter!" He suddenly choked up, actually pulling a handkerchief from his sleeve to wipe away tears, "That child... that child died so tragically, her intestines ripped out, her body completely gone... As her father, am I not even allowed to seek justice?"
These words were so poignant that even some women among the onlookers were wiping away tears.
Xia Mingde suddenly knelt down and kowtowed heavily towards the palace: "Do the immortals think our mortal lives are so worthless? Your Majesty, please understand! Even if they wanted to protect Qingdai, they shouldn't have distorted the truth like this! And they shouldn't... they shouldn't have killed so many innocent people!"
These words were spoken with heartfelt sincerity, and many people showed indignation. Someone muttered quietly, "That's right, even cultivators can't bully people like this..."
"That's outrageous!"
"Your Majesty must stand up for us!"
As public anger grew, Xia Mingde secretly rejoiced. He was betting that Bai Ying wouldn't be able to produce conclusive evidence, and that the eyewitnesses were just ordinary people whose words were less credible than those of Xia Qingdai's father.
Wei Ji's hand gripping the sword bulged with veins. He never expected that this ant-like mortal would dare to argue so blatantly even on the verge of death.
There's no point in using so many theories to deal with such cunning mortals.
A flash of cold light appeared, and the three-foot-long sword was already pressed against Xia Mingde's throat. The tip of the sword trembled slightly, reflecting his deathly pale face. Wei Ji's eyes were filled with murderous intent: "Nonsense! I'll kill you right now!"
Xia Mingde staggered backward, the hem of his official robe tripping him, and he fell heavily to the ground. Amidst the flying dust, he still roared with his neck stiff: "I didn't lie! You not only want to torture me into confessing, but you also want to kill me to silence me!" He glanced at the agitated crowd out of the corner of his eye, gritting his teeth inwardly—as long as he stuck to this story, there might still be room for negotiation.
Wei Ji's hand, gripping the sword, veins bulging, had already drawn a bloody gash across his neck. Xia Mingde, however, remained defiant, knowing that even if he died here today, his words would be enough to forever tarnish Xia Qingdai's reputation. Curses could be heard from the onlookers, many pointing and whispering about Xia Qingdai.
However, just as the atmosphere became tense, Bai Ying suddenly chuckled. The laughter, like a clear spring striking a stone, sent a chill down Xia Mingde's spine for no apparent reason.
"Who says a father can't slander his daughter?"
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