The many ministers and star lords of the Immortal Chu Dynasty were already gathered in the grand hall, their expressions grave. Many of them could not hide the anger in their eyes.
They had all learned that Chu Xiao, the most beloved son of Chu Gucheng, the ruler of the Immortal Chu Dynasty, had been publicly executed by Di Kun, the Seventh Prince of the Demon Court, in the Southern Wilderness Ancient Domain.
At first, they couldn't believe it, thinking it impossible. But as the news continued to spread, they had no choice but to accept this shocking revelation.
Chu Xiao was indeed dead. Chu Gucheng himself had confirmed it—his soul lamp had extinguished, his life token had shattered, and even the Dao Law Avatar left by Chu Gucheng had collapsed.
Di Kun of the Demon Court had not even bothered to conceal his aura. A simple deduction was enough to confirm that he was the one who had killed Chu Xiao.
They never expected Di Kun to be so arrogant and domineering, daring to descend upon the Southern Wilderness Ancient Domain and kill Chu Xiao in front of so many forces.
This was clearly an act of revenge for the death of the Ninth Prince of the Golden Crow Clan, Di Wen, with no regard for the consequences.
Did Di Kun not fear an all-out war between the Immortal Chu Dynasty and the Demon Court?
The atmosphere in the grand hall was extremely oppressive. All the ministers, star lords, and generals remained silent.
Chu Gucheng also stood in silence, his back turned to everyone, seemingly still unable to recover from the overwhelming grief.
He could hardly accept that his most beloved son was now forever separated from him.
The thought that Chu Xiao had left the Immortal Chu Dynasty to search for a birthday gift for him only deepened Chu Gucheng's sorrow, cutting into his heart like a knife.
He wished he could leave the Immortal Chu Dynasty himself, find Di Kun, and avenge Chu Xiao.
But as the ruler of the Immortal Chu Dynasty, he was not just Chu Xiao's father. He couldn't act so selfishly—he had to consider the bigger picture.
Chu Gucheng felt both hatred and helplessness. If this had happened in his youth, he would have spared no cost to make the Demon Court pay a terrible price.
But now, he was no longer the hot-blooded young man he once was.
Though he thought this way, Chu Gucheng still couldn't let go of his resentment.
If he hadn't listened to his wife and insisted on having Chu Xiao brought back, perhaps this tragedy wouldn't have happened.
But there were no "what ifs" in this world. Even someone as powerful as him had no means to revive Chu Xiao, whose true spirit had been extinguished and whose body had been reduced to ashes.
Unless he could rewrite the past and alter the long river of time in the Prime-Origin Civilization.
But such a feat would overturn the entire Prime-Origin Civilization. Even a End of the Path-level existence couldn't achieve it, nor bear the terrifying consequences.
"Xiao'er is dead, but the situation is suspicious. I suspect someone is secretly plotting against the Immortal Chu Dynasty, deliberately pushing for a war between the Demon Court and us."
"Until this matter is fully investigated, do not provoke a conflict with the Demon Court. We must avoid falling into someone else's scheme."
After a long silence, Chu Gucheng finally regained some composure and spoke, his voice slightly hoarse.
He knew that the news of his son's death at the hands of Di Kun would soon spread throughout the Immortal Chu Dynasty, causing an uproar and stirring public outrage.
Chu Gucheng was worried that some might ignore his orders and arrangements, rushing out to seek revenge against the Demon Court.
Although Chu Xiao had been arrogant and domineering in the past, causing trouble within the Immortal Chu Dynasty, he was still Chu Gucheng's son. It wasn't right for others to celebrate his death.
"Your Majesty…"
All the ministers and star lords in the hall looked worried but also somewhat relieved upon hearing this.
Faced with such a sudden tragedy, they had been concerned that Chu Gucheng might be blinded by rage, disrupting all previous plans and arrangements, and affecting the bigger picture.
Fortunately, Chu Gucheng remained clear-headed.
In the eyes of many, Chu Xiao, though Chu Gucheng's son, was incomparable to his other children—like heaven and earth.
He had often bullied men and harassed women, relying on his status to act recklessly within the Immortal Chu Dynasty, even boasting that he was the number one prodigy of the dynasty.
Some ministers' wives and daughters had been targeted by him, as he compiled lists of the most beautiful and talented women, causing scandals that embarrassed many officials.
Now that Chu Xiao had provoked trouble outside, exposed his identity, and been targeted by Di Kun for revenge, it could be said that he had brought this fate upon himself.
If the dynasty were to go to war with the Demon Court over such an unworthy son, it would be unwise.
This would also contradict the image of the wise, rational, and diligent ruler they knew Chu Gucheng to be.
As for whether someone was secretly plotting behind the scenes, that was another matter. In the current situation, going to war with the Demon Court would only play into the hands of other forces, allowing them to reap the benefits.
Chu Gucheng did not say much more to his ministers. With a wave of his hand, he dismissed them, seeming exhausted.
He was well aware of what his ministers were thinking, and that was precisely what he had to consider.
"Master…"
"Do you think Xiao'er's death at the hands of Di Kun was a mere coincidence, or is someone behind it? I have an uneasy feeling, as if we're being watched by some unseen presence."
After the ministers and star lords left, the grand hall felt even more empty. After a long silence, Chu Gucheng finally spoke.
Behind him, a figure in a wide white robe appeared, exuding an ethereal aura. It was his master, the Law Sage.
The Law Sage looked solemn and said, "From beginning to end, the Primordial Chaos Jade I left with Xiao'er showed no signs of tampering. It doesn't seem like someone was plotting against him. Moreover, his fate was concealed by you. Only someone far stronger than you could have detected his fate and learned his identity."
"But if no one was plotting behind the scenes, why did Di Kun coincidentally appear in the Southern Wilderness Ancient Domain right after Xiao'er's identity was exposed? Could another force have allied with him, informing him of Xiao'er's location at the perfect time?"
Chu Gucheng nodded. He already knew all this, and it was precisely what worried and confused him.
If it was a coincidence, it was far too convenient.
But if it wasn't a coincidence, what kind of existence could have plotted against Chu Xiao without him or the Law Sage noticing?
Such a being would be terrifying, silently orchestrating everything without leaving a trace.
"If we want to uncover the truth, the best way is to use the Mirror of Reincarnation to replay Xiao'er's past fate and see if we can detect any anomalies. I suspect it's not just one force behind this but multiple forces working together to plot against the Immortal Chu Dynasty," the Law Sage said gravely.