Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

After studying the Bodhi Seed for a bit, Ye Mo lost interest. After absorbing Dragon Power for so many days, only a tiny sprout had grown out of it. He tossed it into his Dimensional Bracelet.

Then, Ye Mo took out Huang Shihu’s Dimensional Bracelet and easily dispelled the seal placed on it before studying the contents within. There were more than 10,000 Mixed Energy Pills inside and a name list.

Ye Mo frowned after taking a look at the name list. This was a list of people suspected to be Martial Faction members. At the top of the list, the names of Feng Qingyang and Yun Tianxie were written with a remark confirming that these two had been determined to be members of the Martial Faction.

Under their names were a list of names with many people who Ye Mo did not know. Yao Qingyun’s name was also on the list. Ye Mo knew nobody else.

“The names recorded on this list are people suspected to be in the Martial Faction. Are they planning to go after these people one by one?” Ye Mo memorized the name in the list before destroying it. This was a list that could not be shown to anybody else.

“There’s also a scroll here?” This was a scroll with golden frames and the head of a phoenix drawn on it. “Is this an imperial edict?”

Ye Mo was somewhat astonished when he saw the scroll. Imperial edicts were something that only the Emperor could issue. When seeing the edict, one had to act as if one was before the Emperor.

“I don’t think this is an imperial edict. This is probably the Empress’s decree. Only the Empress can use the picture of the phoenix as her symbol.” Ling’er immediately knew the truth. The Emperor used the dragon as his symbol while the Empress used the phoenix as her symbol.

Of course, the Emperor rarely issued imperial edicts. When he was angered, he only needed to issue his imperial divine decree. With the imperial divine decree, not even a True Energy Realm fighter would dare disobey.

Ye Mo opened the scroll. Within, these words were written: The Empress decrees: Considering League Chief Xuan Ji’s loyalty and her status as a great fighter, the Empress wishes to recruit her under the Empress’s wing. The Empress hereby bestows upon League Chief Xuan Ji the position of the first female marshal of the kingdom. For the Emperor, for the eternal rule of the kingdom.

This was a short message, yet it was an extremely shocking one. The Empress was actually trying to recruit League Chief Xuan Ji. Judging by the tone used in the decree, the Empress was almost begging for Xuan Ji’s help.

“I never expected League Chief Xuan Ji to be this powerful, to the point even the empress is trying to recruit her.” Ye Mo was extremely shocked. He had once heard from Yao Qingyun that League Chief Xuan Ji had always been neutral. She had never aligned herself with the kingdom and had always stayed at the Qingyun League cultivating and training new talents.

“That Xuan Ji is probably even stronger than Yao Qingyun. If the Emperor Faction manages to recruit her, their strength will grow considerably,” Ling’er reasoned.

“I don’t think League Chief Xuan Ji has received this decree yet. But Huang Shihu’s death will be discovered sooner or later. A new decree will probably be issued soon. I need to go see how things are going on at the Xuan Ji Sub-League.”

Whoosh!

Ye Mo unfurled his wings and left his training spot and headed straight to the Xuan Ji Sub-League.

The moment he arrived, he saw the league members gathering at the internal building discussing something. Among the crowd, Ye Mo saw some people from the kingdom.

Two of them were filled with arrogance. They stood there, seemingly waiting for something. Next, the door of the meeting room opened. A middle-aged man with a scroll in his hand snorted coldly before walking out of the room.

“Leave,” he said, fury in his voice. With a flick of his sleeve, he left with the other two.

“That Xuan Ji does not know what’s good for her. The Empress is humbly recruiting her yet she dares to completely ignore the Empress,” the person holding the decree muttered while walking past Ye Mo.

“Whatever. Huang Shihu got himself killed by the Martial Faction and lost the decree and the Martial Faction’s name list. The Empress is furious and has captured everyone in the Windmoon Restaurant to force them to reveal details about the assassin. It is rumored that the assassin is an important member of the Martial Faction and is also a member of the Qingyun League. A decree has been issued to capture the assassin. This time, the Empress has used the imperial divine decree with Lord Cao Zhengchun personally taking charge of the implementation of the decree. They will definitely be able to capture the people from the Martial Faction.”

Ye Mo’s face fell when he heard this. If it had been a regular general, his death wouldn’t have much implication. However, Huang Shihu was a person in possession of the name list and the Empress’s decree. How could the Empress not be furious with the lost of these two items?

“It’s over.” Ye Mo’s heart sank as anxiety within him. Without stopping, he rushed straight towards the Elite League area.

Swish!

A black figure streaked through the air. Then, his pupils shrank when he saw a huge number of imperial guards. With his own eyes, he saw Yao Yue being tied up with two female imperial guards guarding her. The person leading the guards was Cao Zhengchun.

Ye Mo instantly charged over and blocked the advance of the imperial guards. Cao Zhengchun was startled by his sudden appearance. When he saw that it was Ye Mo, he sneered instead, “Ah, so it’s Ye Mo? I do have quite an impression of you.”

“Why are you arresting Senior Sister Yao Yue?” Ye Mo asked.

“She assassinated the kingdom’s general, Huang Shihu. The Empress has decreed to have her arrested and sent to the Luosha Prison. Her execution has been scheduled for one month from today at Heaven’s Wall City. She will be used as an example to show the power of the kingdom, to teach the Martial Faction that this will be the result of going against the kingdom.”

Cao Zhengchun then started leaving, ignoring Ye Mo. Yao Yue gazed at Ye Mo. She did not say anything, yet her eyes made one thing clear: she hoped he wouldn’t do anything rash.

Ye Mo looked at the departing imperial guards with his fists clenched tightly. He then charged straight towards the League Chief Pavilion. Only Yao Qingyun was in the League Chief Pavilion at this time. Worry covered his face as he sighed repeatedly.

“League leader, what happened?” Ye Mo asked anxiously.

Yao Qingyun sighed before he spoke, “That Huang Shihu is actually someone under the Empress’s wing. His death has angered the Empress. The Empress had commanded to have everyone in the Windmoon Restaurant arrested and tortured.”

“So they got Senior Sister Yao Yue’s name from the interrogation?” Ye Mo asked.

“Yes.”

“But I am the one who had killed Huang Shihu,” Ye Mo said.

“With the resources available to the Empress, if she really wants to figure out who’s the actual killer, she will definitely be able to find out you are the killer. However, Yao Yue has confessed that she was the killer.”

Ye Mo felt whole body go numb when he heard this. Not everyone at the General’s Mansion was dead. They would definitely be able to figure out that Ye Mo was the actual killer. However, Senior Sister Yao Yue had taken on the blame for him.

“Can’t you defend your own daughter like how you had defended me? You weren’t afraid even when facing three Spirit Devour Realm warriors the other day. Why did you allowed the imperial guards to take your daughter?” Ye Mo roared, his face vicious.

“This time, the Empress used the imperial divine decree. The Emperor had allowed the Empress and the imperial concubine three chances each to use the imperial divine decree. I wouldn’t dare to disobey the imperial divine decree.” Yao Qingyun started sobbing as he continued, “I am a useless father. For the sake of the Martial Faction, I had no choice but to allow them to take her away. If I didn’t have anyone relying on me, not even the imperial divine decree will be able to make me watch as they take her away.”

Of course, the decree alone couldn’t do anything against a Spirit Devour Realm warrior. However, that decree was a symbol of the Emperor’s dignity. Who would dare disobey the Emperor?