Chapter 618 - 617: Take Off Your Clothes

Chapter 618: Chapter 617: Take Off Your Clothes

"Ce Tian, lead a thousand Divine Guards to the lands of the Celestial Nobility Wu Family and apprehend Wu Ruidi. If you encounter resistance, you need not report back. Eradicate them all!"

"This..." Ce Tian was taken aback. ’Just how did the Wu Family offend the Divine Lord to warrant such an order? It’s been a long time since anything like this has happened.’

"Do not doubt. Do not hesitate."

"Your mission is simply to execute my command!"

Thinking of the Divine Guard Army’s duty, any trace of doubt in Ce Tian’s heart vanished. He declared in a resolute voice, "I obey the Divine Intent! I will see Wu Ruidi captured!"

With that, he slowly withdrew.

Instantly, a host of silver Armored Guards assembled, sweeping toward the Wu Family’s territory outside the Divine Capital in a vast and mighty procession. The sheer scale of the mobilization astonished the entire city.

"It’s the Divine Guard Army, the only legion belonging exclusively to the Divine Lord."

"The Divine Guard Army has been deployed. What are they up to?"

"Is there even a need to ask? Besides the Divine Lord, who else can command the Divine Guard Army? Every time they are deployed, it’s either to capture traitors or to annihilate rebels."

"Traitors? Rebels? Who could it be? The direction they’re headed... it’s toward the Wu Family!"

"Heavens! Don’t tell me the traitors are... the Celestial Nobility Wu Family, one of the Seventy-Two Celestial Dukes!"

The Divine Guard Army soared through the air at high speed, their immense power trailing behind them like a tidal wave. The very air thundered with a deafening ROAR, as if a pack of terrifying Fierce Beasts was on the move.

Before long, they arrived at the Wu Family’s estate.

The Commander of the Divine Guard Army, Ce Tian, narrowed his eyes. A terrifying pressure erupted from him, washing over the area like a tidal wave and instantly pinning every member of the Wu Family estate to the ground.

"Celestial Duke Wu Ruidi, come out!"

His thunderous roar shook the surroundings.

An elderly man in a gray robe emerged, calmly adjusting his attire. He walked forward and spoke respectfully to Ce Tian, "I am Celestial Duke Wu Ruidi. Greetings, Commander Ce Tian."

Hm? ’He’s still so composed.’

Ce Tian’s gaze hardened, and he ordered coldly, "Seize him!"

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

A dozen figures shot out and surrounded Wu Ruidi. Immediately after, several streaks of silver light erupted from the void, transforming into silver chains. They coiled around Wu Ruidi like giant pythons, binding him securely in the blink of an eye.

These silver chains were an incredibly powerful Spiritual Artifact used exclusively by the Divine Guard Army for capturing traitors. Once bound by them, even a Venerable would need a significant amount of time to break free. Wu Ruidi was merely a Half-Venerable; he had absolutely no chance of escape.

"Commander Ce Tian, what is the meaning of this?"

Wu Ruidi’s expression twisted in fury. "I am a Celestial Duke, personally ennobled by the Divine Lord!" he roared. "Why are you treating me this way?!"

Ce Tian paid no heed to Wu Ruidi’s furious roar. "Take him away," he said coldly.

Utterly powerless to resist, Wu Ruidi was immediately brought to the Divine Palace.

「The Divine Palace. The Great Hall.」

"Wu Ruidi, you have secretly sold Bone Creation and Reshaping Powder. What punishment does such a crime deserve?"

"Selling Bone Creation and Reshaping Powder? Heavens! Divine Lord, you mustn’t believe the words of some treacherous villain! The Wu Family is upright and blameless. How could we possibly commit such a heinous act, one that would incur the wrath of both Heaven and man?"

A perfectly timed look of panic appeared on Wu Ruidi’s face, as if he were shocked that such a thing was happening, and at the same time horrified that he was being falsely accused.

"You didn’t do it?"

"My Lord, I, Wu Ruidi, swear on my life that I did no such thing."

The Divine Lord looked down toward Meiying. "And what do you have to say?"

Meiying’s brow furrowed. "When I rescued Mo Cang outside the Divine Capital, I distinctly heard several members of the Wu Family admit that they were selling Bone Creation and Reshaping Powder."

At this, Wu Ruidi leaped forward, pointing an accusing finger at Meiying. "Who is this demoness?!" he roared. "How dare you stand here, spewing malicious lies to deceive the Divine Lord!"

"Silence!"

It was the Divine Lord who cut him off with a low, sharp command. "Do you have any idea who she is?"

"I do not," Wu Ruidi replied, a flicker of confusion in his eyes.

"She is the Chancellor of Meiying County, one of the five counties of my Divine Country... She is Meiying!"

Wu Ruidi drew a sharp, startled breath at these words.

’The Chancellor of Meiying County?’

That status was countless times higher than his own as a Celestial Duke.

After all, no matter how vast the Wu Family’s lands were, how could they possibly compare to an entire county!

He gritted his teeth. "Even the Chancellor of Meiying County cannot falsely accuse me! The Wu Family has a spotless record and has never broken the law. I implore the Divine Lord to see the truth!"

"Oh? A spotless record? I’m not so sure about that."

An indifferent voice cut through the hall.

Qin Ya slowly walked up to Wu Ruidi, his eyes filled with a chilling coldness. If anyone present hated the Wu Family the most, it was undoubtedly him.

To him, the Alchemy Dao was a righteous and noble path; it should never be used for evil ends. Refining an Elixir like the Bone Creation and Reshaping Powder was, in his eyes, a crime worthy of death.

"And what are you babbling about, you mere Child?"

Wu Ruidi sized up Qin Ya for a moment. ’Why is this little brat, whose Cultivation is merely at the King realm, even qualified to stand in this hall?’ he wondered. ’And how dare he question me?’

But Qin Ya simply gave a cold smirk. "While I’ve never seen this so-called Bone Creation and Reshaping Powder, there’s no hiding the scent of herbs clinging to you."

"The scent of herbs?"

Wu Ruidi’s expression flickered, but he quickly scoffed, "Utter nonsense."

Qin Ya’s expression remained unchanged as he listed them off indifferently, "Seven-Pestilence Seven-Star Grass, Five-Grain Soul-Reaping Flower, Glazed Haitang, Hundred-Year Spiritmoon Tear, the venom of a Violet-Poison Centipede..."

As Qin Ya recited the string of ingredients, the Divine Lord, seated upon his throne, furrowed his brow. With a flicker of his Divine Thought, a sheet of golden paper appeared in his hand.

Inscribed upon it was none other than the formula for the Bone Creation and Reshaping Powder.

Though he had slain the Alchemists who created it years ago, he had not destroyed the formula; it had remained in his possession. With every ingredient Qin Ya named, the Divine Lord’s expression grew darker. By the time Qin Ya finished, the cold fury blazing in his eyes was enough to make the very heavens and earth tremble.

"Wu Ruidi," the Divine Lord’s voice was low and menacing. "Do you have anything else to say for yourself?"

"I’ve been framed, Divine Lord!" Although inwardly terrified, Wu Ruidi maintained his facade of a wronged man, crying out hoarsely, "My Lord, this is an absolute frame-up! I have no idea what this boy is talking about!"

At the same time, he was deeply confused. ’After he learned the secret of the Wu Family’s sales of Bone Creation and Reshaping Powder had been exposed, he had personally destroyed all the herbs at the first opportunity. He never imagined that a lingering scent on his clothes would be identified by some unknown brat. Good heavens, what kind of freakish sense of smell is that?’

’Besides, even if the scents of the herbs did linger on him, they were all mixed together! Even the most brilliant Alchemist shouldn’t have been able to distinguish each individual ingredient. How could a boy so young possibly possess such an ability?’

Seeing Wu Ruidi still stubbornly denying everything, Qin Ya let out another cold laugh. "The formula for Bone Creation and Reshaping Powder is certainly unique, but it is nothing more than a heretical art. It requires the bones and blood of a Celestial Human to act as a catalyst. Without that key ingredient, all these other herbs are useless. Since you refuse to admit your guilt... do you dare to remove your robes?"

"Er... what?"

’Weren’t we talking about the formula? Why is this suddenly about taking off my clothes?’