“Think about what you’ve done,” Lin Yun said, staring at Si Hongyi.
“This… Honoured Lin Yun, don’t jest with me. No matter how I rack my brain, I can’t think of anything I’ve done to offend you,” Si Hongyi replied with a dry laugh.
“I’ll tell you before you die,” Lin Yun said.
“You…” Si Hongyi’s face darkened. “Lin Yun, you may be strong, but coming here to trouble me without cause? I’m not to be trifled with. The Si family is under the Baili clan and the Tianqian Emperor, who’ll be here soon!”
As he spoke, Si Hongyi sent a distress signal to the Tianqian Emperor via his communication bracelet.
“Fine, let him come. We’ll settle this then,” Lin Yun said, showing no intent to act yet.
He hovered in place, waiting.
Si Hongyi, puzzled but helpless, could only wait as well, being part of the Tianqian Emperor’s faction.
Soon, a figure sped from the distance.
It was the Tianqian Emperor.
Seeing him, Si Hongyi felt as if he’d grasped a lifeline. “Your Majesty, I have no grudge with Lin Yun, yet he’s here causing trouble. Please uphold justice for me!” he pleaded.
The Tianqian Emperor looked at Lin Yun. “Lin Yun, why are you targeting Si Hongyi?” he asked, visibly displeased.
He knew Lin Yun’s prowess but saw this as a challenge to his authority, as Si Hongyi was under his banner.
“Tianqian Emperor, aligning with Si Hongyi now might not be wise,” Lin Yun said calmly.
“Hmph, don’t play games. You had a feud with my son once. Is this your revenge?” the Tianqian Emperor retorted coldly.
“Tianqian Emperor, I’ll be blunt. Si Hongyi has committed a grave offence: colluding with the demon clan,” Lin Yun declared.
“What?” The Tianqian Emperor’s expression shifted.
Si Hongyi’s heart jolted. “Lin Yun, don’t slander me! How could I collude with demons?” he retorted sharply.
“So eager to deny it? Feeling guilty?” Lin Yun sneered.
“You’re pinning baseless charges on me! How can I not be upset? Lin Yun, you’re despicable!” Si Hongyi said, feigning rage.
He turned to the Tianqian Emperor. “Your Majesty, please defend me! He’s framing me with such a crime. How can I bear it?”
The Tianqian Emperor glared at Lin Yun. “You claim Si Hongyi colludes with demons? Show me proof. Without it, I could just as easily accuse you of colluding to frame a human immortal.”
“I have no proof yet, but Si Hongyi knows best whether he’s guilty,” Lin Yun said, his gaze piercing.
“Don’t defame me!” Si Hongyi spat venomously.
“Without evidence, leave. We act on proof. If you cause chaos without it, my Tianqian Empire faction will deal with you!” the Tianqian Emperor said coldly, implying his faction’s immortals would fight Lin Yun if needed.
At that moment, another figure sped toward them.
Lin Yun, the Tianqian Emperor, and Si Hongyi turned to look.
It was Deputy Palace Master Yao.
“Deputy Palace Master Yao, why are you here?” the Tianqian Emperor asked, surprised.
Si Hongyi was equally shocked.
Lin Yun stepped forward. “Deputy Palace Master, any results?”
His question left the Tianqian Emperor and Si Hongyi confused.
“Lin Yun, as you suspected, that place was a key demon clan intelligence hub, with an underground station,” Yao said.
Lin Yun had tipped off Yao to raid the city.
“A demon intelligence hub?” the Tianqian Emperor exclaimed.
“Any major findings?” Lin Yun asked.
“None. The demon spies, fully human in form, killed themselves when cornered, leaving no key clues,” Yao replied, revealing a corpse.
“Lin Yun, is this the one?” Yao asked.
Lin Yun confirmed it was the black-robed man who met Si Hongyi. “That’s him.”
“This one’s at least a sixth-tier heavenly demon. A big catch,” Yao said.
Seeing the corpse, Si Hongyi staggered in midair, visibly shaken.
“Si Hongyi, what do you have to say now?” Lin Yun demanded.
“I… I didn’t collude with demons! You can’t pin this on me just with a demon spy’s corpse!” Si Hongyi said through gritted teeth.
“Still denying it? Fine, don’t resist. Let us probe your mind with divine consciousness, and we’ll know,” Lin Yun said with a cold smile.
Si Hongyi’s face turned ashen, his body trembling. “I… I…”
He couldn’t allow a probe.
“Si Hongyi, you… you really colluded with demons?” the Tianqian Emperor glared, shocked and furious.
“I didn’t collude! I just… joined their coexistence pact,” Si Hongyi said desperately.
“Coexistence pact?” Lin Yun, the Tianqian Emperor, and Yao were stunned, unfamiliar with the term.
“Si Hongyi, explain this pact!” Yao roared.
Sweating profusely, Si Hongyi stammered, “Deputy Palace Master, I’ll explain! Joining the demon clan’s coexistence pact means if they war against humans, they won’t kill us. If they win, they’ll allocate us territory to survive. In return, we don’t fight them earnestly in battle, just put on a show. I’m not the only human immortal who joined!”
“What!?”
Lin Yun, the Tianqian Emperor, and Yao were floored.
This was an earth-shattering secret.
