Chapter 824: Bitter Endeavor

Seeing the "savages" attempting to seize the Sky Measuring Emerald Azure Dragon, everyone on the Crown Prince's side became furious.

"Bastards! We killed this Sky Measuring Emerald Azure Dragon. Why should we give it to you?""If you're so capable, go hunt one yourselves!""We worked so hard to hunt it down, and now you show up to steal the fruits of our labor. Have you no shame?"

Hearing her subordinates' barrage of curses, Bi Linglong's expression also turned grim. The subject of this major examination was to hunt the Sky Measuring Emerald Azure Dragon and obtain its dragon sinews as proof. There was no way they could give it to others.

Meng Pan said coldly, "These savages don't know their place. If they don't cooperate, we'll just kill them."

Zhao Xi also clenched his fists, knuckles cracking. "We just fought a ninth-grade Sky Measuring Emerald Azure Dragon and accumulated a lot of pent-up frustration. These savages are perfect for venting."

Zu An approached Bi Linglong. "Be careful, something feels off."

"What is it?" Bi Linglong asked quickly. At this point, she dared not disregard any of Zu An's opinions.

Zu An frowned. "I can't quite put my finger on it, but I have a feeling these savages are not simple."

Bi Linglong also fell into deep thought. For so many years, numerous students from the academy had explored this secret realm, yet no one had ever discovered any savages. Their appearance was indeed very peculiar.

However, she wasn't overly suspicious. After all, the secret realm was vast, and the academy had not fully explored it, so the appearance of indigenous 'savages' wasn't impossible.

It was known that humanity understood little about these secret realms, only that these spatial anomalies that appeared out of nowhere were full of mystery and danger, without knowing how they were formed.

Just then, Liu Xian suddenly stepped forward a few paces, carefully examining the 'savage' leader standing on the dragon's head. He then burst into laughter. "Isn't that Guard Attendant Wei from Prince Qi's Manor? When did you become a savage?"

As soon as he spoke, everyone's expressions changed. Bi Linglong suddenly looked at the 'savages' – they were people from Prince Qi's Manor?

Prince Qi's Manor recruited masters from all over the land, having five grand guest attendants under its command: Lu Xiao, Wei Pingyang, He Li, Mou Ping, and Han Fengqiu, whom Zu An was familiar with.

Han Fengqiu was ranked fourth among the five attendants. The weakest among these individuals were all mid-ninth-grade cultivators.

Among them, Lu Xiao was even at the mid-Grandmaster realm!

When Liu Xian mentioned Guard Attendant Wei, he must have been referring to Wei Pingyang, who ranked second and was an early-stage Grandmaster!

Zu An was also alarmed. How could people from Prince Qi's Manor have gotten in?

Were the Emperor and the Crown Prince's faction, who guarded the secret realm entrance, blind?

The 'savage' leader's expression subtly shifted. "What attendant? I don't know what you're talking about. This dragon corpse is ours. Get lost!"

Liu Xian laughed. "Who are you trying to fool? I remember when you and I visited the Celestial Immortal Pavilion together. You used your superior cultivation to snatch away the girl Lianxiang, whom I fancied. I'd recognize you even if you turned to ashes!"

Zu An was speechless.

This fellow might be useless in other areas, but when it came to eating, drinking, gambling, and visiting brothels, he was truly a master.

At this moment, Bi Linglong's face drastically changed. "Oh no!"

Just then, the 'savage' leader dropped his previous deliberately awkward tone and resumed his original voice. "Originally, I didn't want to reveal my identity and cause a full-blown conflict. Your dragon corpse would have been stolen by mysterious savages, leading to your failure in this grand examination, but at least you would have kept your lives. We wouldn't have had to risk eliminating witnesses. Wouldn't that have been a win-win situation? But who knew a fool like you had to expose my identity. There's no choice now; all of you must die here!"

As soon as he finished speaking, more subordinates dressed as savages gradually emerged from the woods. Each one had their hands on their weapons, their eyes glinting sharply, clearly indicating they were all masters.

Zhao Xi and Meng Pan glared furiously at Liu Xian, realizing they had been utterly doomed by this idiot. They quickly understood that Prince Qi's side clearly hadn't intended to go to such extremes. All they needed to do was sabotage their mission; they didn't want to risk incurring the Emperor's wrath afterward.

But with Liu Xian's big mouth exposing their identities, they were forced to eliminate all witnesses. Otherwise, with so many eyes having seen them, it would be impossible to conceal the truth once they left. In that scenario, the Emperor would have a legitimate reason to deal with Prince Qi.

Wei Pingyang was a Grandmaster, and the group under his command, judging by their aura fluctuations, were clearly masters. Even at their peak, the Crown Prince's group would not be their match. Moreover, they had just endured a bloody battle with the Sky Measuring Emerald Azure Dragon and had already suffered heavy losses; they were in no condition to fight.

Bi Linglong, however, remained calmer. She tried to keep her voice steady, looking up proudly at the man on the dragon's head. "How did you all enter this secret realm? It's impossible for His Majesty and my father to have allowed you in."

This was also the question on everyone's mind. Zu An recalled the "curse" of the Gu brothers before their deaths. At the time, he thought it was their dying resentment, but now he knew that Prince Qi truly had another contingency plan.

But the crucial point was, how did these people get in? It made no sense.

Wei Pingyang laughed heartily. "Indeed, with your people guarding the secret realm's entrance, we couldn't get in this time. But not being able to enter this time doesn't mean we couldn't enter at other times."

Bi Linglong's heart jumped, and she blurted out, "You were here three years ago..."

"Exactly!" Wei Pingyang stroked the beard on his chin. "Three years ago, when the academy's secret realm opened, Prince Qi found a way to infiltrate us. That time didn't involve the Crown Prince's grand examination, so the inspections naturally weren't as strict. Do you know how we've lived these past few years? Cohabiting with beasts every day, living a life worse than savages. Everyone was going mad! Fortunately, fortunately, you finally arrived, hahahaha."

Zu An was dumbfounded. Prince Qi was truly cunning and calculating, having set this trap three years in advance. It seemed Prince Qi's Manor had been suffering setbacks recently, but now he suspected they might have deliberately shown weakness just to get the Emperor to agree to this grand examination.

What an old schemer!

The thought of having offended such a person sent a chill down Zu An's spine. He figured Prince Qi's primary focus was on dealing with the Emperor and the Crown Prince, so he hadn't had time for him yet. But once this grand examination was over, if Prince Qi truly made a move against him, it would be troublesome.

At this point, he couldn't help but disdain the Emperor. Was it impressive to rely on being the strongest person in the world? He was completely being manipulated by Prince Qi.

Looking at Prince Qi's methods, they were truly like a hidden serpent, laying dormant for a thousand li, subtly weaving such an inescapable net.

In comparison, the Emperor seemed much inferior. Ever since arriving in this secret realm, the Crown Prince's team had been led by the nose.

If I hadn't been here, the Gu brothers and Shi Tong alone would have been enough to doom the entire team.

Wait, actually, the Emperor hadn't done nothing. He had also sent me, a gold-medal Embroidered Uniform Emissary, to secretly protect the Crown Prince and Crown Princess.

With my cultivation, I should have been capable enough to control the situation.

Presumably, the Emperor also couldn't have anticipated Prince Qi's grand scheme of arranging a Grandmaster and a group of masters to infiltrate three years in advance.

At this point, Bi Linglong calmly stated, "Wei Pingyang, you are truly audacious. Do you think that if you kill us here, His Majesty won't be able to investigate? Anything done always leaves traces."

Everyone secretly admired her. It was no wonder she had been chosen by the Emperor to be the Crown Princess; her innate composure was truly incomparable to ordinary women.

Whether facing the ninth-grade Sky Measuring Emerald Azure Dragon earlier or now facing Grandmaster cultivators, she remained the calmest and bravest in the field, subtly instilling courage in everyone.

Wei Pingyang laughed heartily. "Crown Princess, you don't need to try and scare me. How could Prince Qi not have considered this? Everyone here consists of soldiers who were reported dead or missing in the army over the years. In all official records, they simply don't exist. How could His Majesty possibly investigate them?"

Bi Linglong's beautiful brows furrowed tightly. Prince Qi truly put immense effort into this; such preparations must have begun many years in advance.

She coldly gazed at him. "They might not exist in any documents, but what about you? You surely haven't gone missing or died, have you?"

Wei Pingyang ceased smiling. "That's none of your concern. Once you're all dead, naturally no one will know of my existence."