“Master, Lady Fu Lingxi has come to visit.” Zhuang Zhixuan entered to report.
Sauron was startled. Why had Fu Lingxi come at this time, to rescue Fang Qingyi?
There was no need. Everyone knew Sauron could not kill Fang Qingyi. There was nothing to discuss between them. Sauron had captured him to torture him a bit and vent his anger, that was all.
“Let her in!” Sauron said.
Fu Lingxi, who seemed to be growing younger in reverse, was elegant in bearing, graceful in temperament, stunningly beautiful and captivating. Even every step she took was textbook elegance.
Coming before Sauron, Fu Lingxi meticulously curtsied and said: “Greetings, Your Grace the Regent Duke.”
Sauron said: “Lady Fu Lingxi, what matter brings you here?”
Fu Lingxi said: “It is still regarding my father’s matter. Recently, Your Grace the Duke has achieved a great victory and smoothly passed through this financial crisis. Then my father remaining in the heavenly prison serves no purpose. I beg Your Grace the Duke to pity his advanced age and release him!”
Speaking of which, besides venting anger, the more important reason for capturing Count Fu E was to ask him why he had followed Zhi Li all the way to madness, what unspeakable secret lay behind this.
He had not expected that so many major events had occurred during this period, causing Sauron to cast this matter to the back of his mind.
Hearing Fu Lingxi’s words, Sauron could not help but say: “What relation does Fu E’s matter have with the recent crisis? The crime he committed was treason, it cannot be pardoned.”
Fu Lingxi said quietly: “What conditions can release my father, Your Grace the Duke, please speak freely.”
Sauron said: “Very simple. With Count Fu E’s cunning, how could he possibly go mad with Zhi Li at the final moment? It would be too late to draw a clear line. There must certainly be an unspeakable reason behind this. As long as you tell me exactly what reason caused Count Fu E to go mad with Zhi Li to the very end?”
Fu Lingxi shook her head and said: “There is no reason. It is simply that they were bound too deeply and could no longer extricate themselves.”
Sauron laughed coldly, waved his hand and said: “Lady Fu Lingxi, please do as you wish.”
Fu Lingxi raised her beautiful eyes, looking deeply at Sauron, and said: “Sauron, you are my son. Fu E is your maternal grandfather.”
Sauron was somewhat puzzled, because Fu Lingxi’s voice was unprecedentedly soft, carrying a trace of sorrow. In short, it was very strange.
Sauron said: “When you all wanted to put me to death, did you ever think that I was your son?”
Fu Lingxi was silent for a moment, then said: “Sauron, may I say the most despicable words?”
“Yes.” Sauron said.
Fu Lingxi said: “There is a saying that baseness is the passport of the base, and nobility is the epitaph of the noble. Then let us assume that I and Fu E are the base ones, and you are the noble one. Does that not mean you need to have higher moral standards?”
The moment these words came out, Sauron could hardly believe his own ears.
That Fu Lingxi could say such words was truly… truly astonishing.
Such blatant shamelessness, and she could actually say it aloud. Were not the people of the Dragon God Temple always supremely bright and holy on the surface?
Sauron said: “You mean, you are the base ones, so only you are allowed to use base methods against me? And I am the noble one, so I must repay evil with kindness, forgive you no matter what you have done to me? Because you are my mother, and Fu E is my maternal grandfather?”
“Yes, that is exactly what I mean.” Fu Lingxi’s voice remained incomparably gentle and elegant, yet she spoke the most shameless words in this world.
Sauron was truly shocked, truly unable to believe his own ears.
Had Fu Lingxi gone mad? Had she cast aside even her consistently elegant face?
But Sauron calmed down and said: “If I did this, what use would it be? Would you show mercy next time you deal with me?”
“I do not know.” Fu Lingxi said: “Perhaps, it could exchange for a trace of warmth and guilt in our hearts.”
Sauron rose from his seat, walked before Fu Lingxi, and looked deeply into her eyes, trying to find something within them.
However, these eyes were completely still, without any ripple.
“Fu Lingxi, I faintly feel that my shaking my head this time will bring enormous consequences.” Sauron said slowly.
Then, he solemnly shook his head and said: “But I still tell you, no! I will not release Count Fu E. I am no noble one. Do not hope that I will repay evil with kindness.”
“Hoo…” Fu Lingxi let out a long breath, then nodded and said: “Understood.”
She, what did she mean by this? Sauron had refused, yet she instead let out a sigh of relief.
“Farewell.” Just like this, Fu Lingxi departed gracefully.
Sauron was thoroughly confused. Fu Lingxi’s trip here seemed specifically to hear Sauron’s refusal.
…
Accompanied by Princess Zhi Yan, Hidden Continent’s Fang Qingdi and Ji Mengbai went to see Fang Qingzhuo.
Ji Mengbai had a noble and pure bearing, but did not speak much. After seeing Princess Zhi Yan, he merely performed a salute, called out “junior sister,” and said nothing more.
After the sisters met, Fang Qingzhuo appeared very cold, whereas Fang Qingdi appeared very affectionate, continuously recounting her longing over these years.
Fang Qingzhuo said coldly: “If there is something to say, say it. Do not beat around the bush.”
Fang Qingdi’s words were interrupted, yet she was not annoyed. She said softly: “Elder sister, Father sent me to bring you and the children back.”
“Back to where?” Fang Qingzhuo said.
“Of course Hidden Continent.” Fang Qingdi said: “That is your home.”
“No, here is my home.” Fang Qingzhuo said coldly: “You people of Hidden Continent are truly forgetful. Not long ago you sent people to assassinate me, and now you want me to go back.”
Fang Qingdi said softly: “Elder sister, that was merely Fang Qingyi’s own decision.”
Fang Qingzhuo shook her head and said: “No, I absolutely will not go back. Here is my home.”
A trace of sorrow appeared on Fang Qingdi’s stunningly beautiful face. “Elder sister, go back. No one will assassinate you anymore. Zhi Li… is already dead.”
The moment these words came out, Fang Qingzhuo’s delicate body trembled.
She had thought that hearing this answer, she would feel no sorrow whatsoever. Yet sorrow still surged boundlessly like seawater, invading her entire body.
Fang Qingdi said: “He confessed everything, dragging our Hidden Continent and the Zhidu Sacred Hall all down with him. After confessing, he committed suicide.”
Fang Qingzhuo was too sorrowful to speak.
Fang Qingdi said: “Elder sister, Zhi Li may have done many things that wronged you. But at the final moment, he used his last strength to protect you all. Fang Qingyi, Luo Ge, and Ge Li were all dragged down by him.”
Fang Qingzhuo was startled. Regarding the matter of demon blood, it was completely operated by Fang Qingshu in collaboration with the Sacred Hall laboratory. It had absolutely no relation to Fang Qingyi, Luo Ge, and Ge Li.
Very quickly, Fang Qingzhuo understood.
Zhi Li was protecting Fang Qingzhuo and her daughter, and also using his last strength to protect the Fury Wave Kingdom.
Zhi Li had suffered a great defeat. After Zhi Yan ascended the throne, Hidden Continent and the Zhidu Sacred Hall would certainly not let Zhi Yan and Sauron off. They would certainly raise heaven-shaking waves and overturn the Fury Wave Kingdom.
So Zhi Li simply dragged Hidden Continent young master Fang Qingyi, Sacred Priest Ge Li, and Grand Inquisitor Luo Ge all down with him.
This way, Hidden Continent and the Zhidu Sacred Hall would no longer have the strength to deal with the Fury Wave Kingdom.
When all the madness faded, when all ambition scattered, Zhi Li returned to normal humanity, wanting to protect his family, protect his motherland, protect his clan.
At this time, perhaps he finally understood why his father Zhi Lan had died?
Perhaps at this time, he completely let go of his hatred toward King Zhi Bian, and was able to feel Zhi Bian’s innocence.
The ones who were wrong were him and his father Zhi Lan. They were the ones who sold out their country.
So after dragging Fang Qingyi, Ge Li, and Luo Ge all down with him, he immediately chose suicide.
Because he knew that the Dragon God Temple’s spirit techniques were extremely formidable, easily able to break down his spiritual defenses and discern the truth of his confession.
And once he committed suicide, that confession could never be reversed. It would bring fatal destructive power to the Zhidu Sacred Hall and Hidden Continent.
Hearing this result, Fang Qingzhuo was no longer that sorrowful. Instead, a wave of warmth welled up, and she felt happy for Zhi Li.
Death was certainly a terrifying thing.
Yet what was more terrifying was dying without any value.
Zhi Li’s entire life was not only a life without value, but a life of negative value.
His existence brought enormous disaster to his family, to the entire Fury Wave Kingdom.
His existence caused the Fury Wave Kingdom’s economy and people’s livelihood to regress by over a decade, caused the Fury Wave Kingdom’s national power to regress by several decades, caused several civil wars within the kingdom with hundreds of thousands of casualties.
Yet before dying, he had made the choice to protect his family and protect the kingdom, paying the price with his life.
This prevented his entire life from being so completely without value.
Similarly, this also made Fang Qingzhuo feel that her marriage was no longer completely without value.
Why did Zhi Li make this choice before dying? Because there was no longer hatred in his heart, but warmth, attachment, and reluctance to part.
And this warmth, attachment, and reluctance were all brought to him by Fang Qingzhuo and their daughter.
Especially Fang Qingzhuo, who in order to protect Zhi Ning and her son, exposed Zhi Li’s demon blood at the final moment. She knew clearly that doing so would bring fatal danger to herself as well, yet she still did it.
This brilliance of humanity, this justice and kindness, brought warmth to Zhi Li.
Though she had betrayed Zhi Li himself, it also made him feel that this world was no longer so cold and terrifying, so despairing.
Fang Qingzhuo said softly: “He must have died very peacefully, able to close his eyes in death.”
“Elder sister, no one will come to assassinate you anymore.” Fang Qingdi said softly: “Let’s go, home.”
Indeed no one would come to assassinate Fang Qingzhuo and her daughter, because Zhi Li was already dead.
For the Zhidu Sacred Hall and Hidden Continent, this disaster had already descended. The Yan Empire’s eldest princess, the Dragon God Temple’s supreme holy maiden Ji Xiuning, had successfully raised a heaven-shaking great case.
“No, even if no one comes to assassinate me, I will not return to Hidden Continent.” Fang Qingzhuo said quietly: “Here, is my home!”
…
Night fell!
Thirty golden griffons flew into the airspace above the royal capital Zhidu.
This world had airspace rights. Griffons entering any country’s airspace required reporting and application.
Last time, when Ji Xiuning brought several dozen griffon warriors into the Fury Wave Kingdom, she publicly reported and applied to Sauron, and was only allowed entry after approval.
But these thirty griffons before them entered the airspace of the royal capital Zhidu without any application or report.
However, the Fury Wave Kingdom’s griffons did not step forward to intercept.
Because these were all golden griffons, and on each griffon there was a banner.
The banner of the Sky Sacred Hall!
As long as they were golden griffons, regardless of whether they had the Sky Sacred Hall’s banner, they could enter and exit the territory of any human nation, with the exception of the Eastern Li Kingdom.
The Sky Sacred Hall represented the highest power, the highest faith of the entire world!
And riding on the golden griffons were the highest enforcers of the entire world, the Sky Sacred Knights!
This kind of golden griffon, ordinary people might not see one even once in their entire lives.
Once the Sky Sacred Hall dispatched griffon sacred knights, it represented only one thing.
Something of heaven-shaking magnitude had occurred, a heaven-shaking upheaval had taken place!
The Zhidu Sacred Hall’s Sacred Priest Ge Li and Grand Inquisitor Luo Ge had heard the news several hours ago.
Zhi Li had dragged them and Hidden Continent all down with him. The Sky Sacred Hall was enraged and would investigate to the end.
Instantly, Ge Li and Luo Ge’s entire bodies turned completely cold, sitting dully on their thrones.
Boundless endless darkness, boundless endless despair!
Once the Sky Sacred Hall dispatched Sky Sacred Knights, it could no longer be reversed.
Even if the final investigation cleared them of demon blood, it would be of no use.
The Sky Sacred Hall was absolutely correct. Once they arrested you, you were certainly in the wrong.
Even if they were cleared regarding demon blood, would it not be easy to find their crimes elsewhere?
Whether it was women or embezzlement, a hundred great crimes could easily be found. And Luo Ge and Ge Li’s backsides were certainly not clean.
So, once Sky Sacred Knights were dispatched, Ge Li and Luo Ge knew they were finished!
Boundless endless pain…
Fifty years! They had struggled for over fifty years to reach their current lofty positions.
In this process, how much hardship had they paid, how much bitterness had they experienced, how much humiliation, how much sin? Only to reach this step today, and now everything was reduced to ashes, all prospects flowing away like water!
Finished, everything was finished!
Very quickly, thirty Sky Sacred Knights flew into the Zhidu Sacred Hall and began to descend.
Nine sacred knights came before Grand Inquisitor Luo Ge and said: “Lord Luo Ge, on suspicion of opposing the Dragon God faith and opposing Dragon God power, by order of the Sky Sacred Hall, you are under arrest!”
This once supreme Grand Inquisitor Luo Ge offered no resistance, obediently raising both hands to be put in shackles.
Another nine Sky Sacred Knights came before Sacred Priest Ge Li and said: “Lord Ge Li, on suspicion of opposing the Dragon God faith and opposing Dragon God power, by order of the Sky Sacred Hall, you are under arrest!”
Tears slid down Ge Li’s face. He raised his hands and was put in shackles.
Another five Sky Sacred Knights entered Fu Lingxi’s castle, their expressions blank as they said: “Lady Fu Lingxi, on suspicion of opposing the Dragon God faith and opposing Dragon God power, by order of the Sky Sacred Hall, you are under arrest.”
Instantly, Fu Lingxi’s face lost all colour, her delicate body trembling violently!
In Zhi Li’s dying confession, there was actually also Fu Lingxi’s name!