Chapter 556: Elder Wu Apologizes

"How long has it been?" Elder Wu was clearly flustered as he turned to the side to ask the eunuch who was serving him, even cold sweat broke out on his forehead.

"Elder, it's nearly an hour now."

Once an hour was up, the eminent monks would stop chanting.

When the time comes, if Helian Wei Wei remains unaffected, then he...

No!

He would never let that happen!

It was then when the eunuch beside Elder Wu reminded him, "Elder, I think it's time."

Elder Wu abruptly turned around and glared at him fiercely, "I will know whether the time is up or not!"

The eunuch did not know why Elder Wu was furious but he was so scared that he immediately kept his mouth shut.

Elder Wu glared at Helian Wei Wei's back.

This was impossible!

Something must have gone wrong somewhere!

"Elder Wu seems to be very disappointed because I'm unaffected," Helian Wei Wei smiled at him effortlessly. The arch on her lips was like a smack on Elder Wu's face.

He clenched his fists and ordered with gritted teeth, "Chant again!"

The eminent monks naturally heard him, but there was bound to be a pause before they could continue.

With this pause, his voice was apparent enough for everyone to turn and look at his direction.

In spite of that, Helian Wei Wei looked up and her lips formed a smile, "Elder Wu, it is time. The eminent monks should have expelled all the bad luck by now. Yet, Elder Wu had requested for the eminent monks to continue chanting. Is Elder Wu sure that this is for praying purposes and not because you are unsatisfied with me and is therefore trying to frame me?"

"The Princess Consort is right." Nangong Lie came in from outside, "It's hard for us to not suspect what ulterior motives Elder Wu has. This concerns performing exorcism in the imperial palace, yet Elder Wu did not notify us, the Worship Hall, but had invited other eminent monks. Elder Wu, it is against the rules for you to do this."

As he said this, he raised his eyebrows and gave Baili Jia Jue a glance. His meaning was clear, see, I followed your order and came at the perfect time, right?

There were no changes in Baili Jia Jue's expression. His side profile was cool and his eyes were emitting extreme coldness.

He too gave Nangong Lie a look, yet that look was far more malevolent than Nangong Lie's, and if one were to convert it to words.

It would be in eight words.

Toy with him to death in my name!

Nangong Lie looked at Baili Jia Jue in the eyes and could not help but gulp as he wondered to himself as to how had this Elder Wu offended Ah Jue.

To the point that he would give out such command...

Elder Wu had yet to realize his circumstances but he knew that inviting eminent monks into the palace had offended the Worship Hall. However, the mean would not matter if Helian Wei Wei showed her true form under the pressure of the mantra.

Yet, he never thought that Helian Wei Wei would actually be unaffected!

"Your Majesty." Nangong Lie still acted like a fearless young master of a noble family, "If Your Majesty thinks that my Worship Hall is unable to protect the peace of the imperial palace, Your Majesty could easily cast us, the Nangong family, out of the capital. If Your Majesty were the one to ask, Ah Lie would naturally abide. Therefore, there is no need to ask for other eminent monks to embarrass the Worship Hall."

The Worship Tribe was very influential in the whole of Divine Mainland.

When the Emperor heard what Nangong Lie said, he was no longer silent, his tone was persuading the latter to stay, "Ah Lie, you're thinking too much. I agreed to Old Wu's suggestion because I didn't want to trouble anyone from the Worship Hall any further since all of you are relentlessly investigating the case. Besides, Old Wu had no other intentions. He was just worried about the disturbances in the palace and wanted to help me solve the problem."

"Since that's the case, did Elder Wu find anything?" Nangong Lie stood aside and an air of wickedness surrounded him.

Elder Wu did not speak.

Helian Wei Wei stood up and brushed away the dust on her, "Elder Wu did not investigate into anything. He was busy opposing me by claiming that I was possessed and even asked the eminent monks to chant the Evocation Incantation again and again."

"Evocation Incantation?" Nangong Lie furrowed his brows and turned to Elder Wu with a devilish smile, "Elder Wu, I might not be that wise but don't lie to me. I have been involved in sacrificial offerings for such a long time but this is the first time I have heard that one would use the Evocation Incantation to pray and be rid of bad luck. Are you trying to calm the resentment or complicate things in the palace? Elder Wu is truly bold for recklessly lying to His Majesty, aren't you worried for your head?"

Nevertheless, Elder Wu had been through many tidings so he was composed and did not lose his footing nor was he spooked by Nangong Lie's interrogation.

He turned to face the Emperor and said, "Your Majesty, the matter of inviting the eminent monks to the palace in order to chant the Evocation Incantation was something I have long reported to Your Majesty, so how is that lying to the Emperor? Your Majesty, please support what I've said!"

"Old Wu had told me about this." The Emperor was absent-minded as always when he said perfunctorily, "Ah Lie, you are all my subordinates and I know that you have always done things with the peace of the palace in mind. Since Old Wu had investigated and found nothing, naturally that's for the best, so let's not dwell on it."

Nangong Lie narrowed his long fox-like eyes and the corner of his lips twitched downwards mockingly, but he did not reply.

However, Baili Jia Jue gradually parted his lips, "Evidence is crucial even if it is for the peace of the palace. Yet, shouldn't Elder Wu apologize properly for framing me and my Princess Consort?"

When he spoke, his posture was no different than before with him standing tall and surrounded by an aura of nobility and refinement.

In spite of that, Elder Wu felt like he was being looked down upon.

This was what he loathed the most!

The Emperor looked at Elder Wu before glancing at Baili Jia Jue who was increasingly cold as well as Nangong Lie's disgruntled face.

He knew that if he did nothing now, it would be impossible for them to make peace in the future.

After weighing things out, the Emperor changed his mind and pushed the responsibility to Elder Wu, "Since it has come to this, Old Wu should apologize to the young ones, it's not that big of a matter."

"Your Majesty!" In a blink of an eye, Elder Wu's face had changed drastically from delight to a pale white.

He had been an elder for three generations and everyone in the hall knew his image and dignity in the War Dragon Empire.

Yet now, His Majesty had asked him to publicly admit defeat and apologize to Helian Wei Wei, someone who was younger than him!

This was more upsetting than killing him!

"What?" Casually sitting in her seat, Helian Wei Wei slightly crossed her legs as she lay back, "Is Elder Wu trying to defy His Majesty's order?"

"Old Wu," the Emperor urged again, his voice clearly lower than before.

Elder Wu snatched a cup of tea from the eunuch and took a deep breath. While he was walking up to Helian Wei Wei, he was so angry that the muscles on his face were almost trembling. At this moment, he wanted nothing more than to dig a hole for himself and make his way into it...