While the King, he then turned to look at the white cloth in his hand.

Like a short message.

​​

His brow furrowed faintly, he slowly opened the fold of the cloth and sure enough, writing with blood spots was there.

Seeing the contents, his brow furrowed, his hands clenched into fists, and seconds later, The King stepped out of the place without any orders. Leaving a big question mark to the royal commander and several guards who at that time immediately followed him.

Instead of walking towards his pavilion, quite the opposite, they stepped into the dungeon.

Even so, no one asked the slightest.

While the Queen and Fu Xie Yan at that time also left where the welcoming party was held. Unlike the king, the two of them walked towards their respective residences with expressions that could be said to be a little panicked?

.

.

.

Entering a very quiet area, only a few people were seen guarding.

"Give me the key," said the king to the guard standing there.

"Please Your Majesty," said one of them while handing him some keys.

Descend the stairs at a fast pace. several torches appeared to be burning dimly on the walls of the hallway, the cold and humid air mixed with the fishy smell of blood immediately greeted everyone's sense of smell.

It was unusual for the king to visit the dungeon at night.

"Allow me to help Your Majesty," said the royal commander.

The King nodded and handed the key in his hand to the man when he was in front of the iron entrance.

The clanging of keys sounded so loud.

"You wait here," said the King and then began to walk into the dungeon.

Some of the prisoners were surprised to see the Emperor visit. There were occasional groans of pain.

No one dared to approach. All huddled in a corner and just watched His Majesty the King pass in front of them they were locked up.

Walking a few minutes, he then turned at the end of the hall, entering a very dark and stuffy area.

He stopped, turned to face a prisoner who was at the very end. The figure of an aging man entered his view. His irises were so cold it seemed as if he was skinning the figure inside alive.

"A weak human like you dares to threaten me?" he said then raised one of his hands while muttering as if he was reciting a spell.

And seconds later a scream of pain was heard from the man inside. His breath sounded very weak. Even to lift his head he looks very difficult.

His golden robes were torn formless, with faded colors, sat drooping with his hands and feet chained. The wrinkles on his face were visible under the dim light that only lit up the place. His hair was also completely white.

The wounds on his wrists and legs explained that the figure had been chained to this place for a very long time.

"Where are my wife and my daughter?" a faint murmur escaped his lips.

Every time the Emperor visited the man, only those words were always heard by him.

He'd been a little lenient with him all this time, but not this time.

The message he received just now made him so furious.

Satisfied with torturing and hearing the man's screams of pain, he then summoned several dungeon guards.

"Torture him."

"Watch it, and don't let it go from this place," he ordered and then go.

"Don't kill him," he said, stopping and then walking again.

.

.

.

Immediately the clatter of chains and whips resounded, followed by a grievous scream that reverberated through the dungeon passage.

It makes anyone who hears it shudder and feel bone-chilling. The sound is more like a death song.

.

.

"Watch this place."

"Don't let anyone in, expect me. Got it?"

"As per Your Majesty's orders."

Walking out of the dungeon, the emperor did not immediately return to his residence.

Neither the emperor nor the others, no one noticed that a pair of eyes were watching their movements.

***

"How is your condition?" asked Fu Xie Lan turning towards Ju Xian.

"It's better," replied the young man.

"Drink this," said Fu Xie Lan immediately handing a small porcelain bottle filled with pills to Ju Xian.

"Thank you," he replied then downed the pill without asking what kind and use.

"I should be the one thanking you."

"Thanks to your help, I was able to retrieve the ruby ​​star stone from Prince Shen Zue very easily," said Fu Xie Lan again, as she took out the necklace pendant she had to take at the event earlier.

Immediately all pairs of eyes turned to Fu Xie Lan's palm.

"Is this the ruby ​​star stone?"

"I didn't think you would get it so easily," Xue Ning replied.

Fu Xie Lan just nodded, slowly took out Voltex from her cosmic bag.

She put the pendant containing the ruby ​​star stone there.

At the same time, the two objects gave off a faint glow. The red color that was inside the pendant also slowly moved out, separating and merging with one of the patterns formed in the Voltex.

Leaving a plain white pendant without any red in the middle.

Fu Xie Lan and the others looked on in amazement, seeing the reaction of the Voltex and the ruby ​​star stone.

Now there were seven more pieces they had to find.

"What's your next plan, Xie Lan?" Xue Ning asked when she saw the girl put the Voltex back into her cosmic bag.

"Where else are we going to find the next piece?" she asked again.

"Something we have started in this palace, we must finish," Fu Xie Lan replied.

"Okay, I'll follow you."

"By the way, I'm curious Xie Lan, what's in the writing on the white cloth who you put on my arrow to?"

Fu Xie Lan smirked, "I just bullied him a little, nothing more."

"Your arrow almost missed the mark, you should practice more," Wan Lie said in his trademark voice.

"Hey, it's not easy to shoot arrows in such a state. After all, the wind was so strong."

"Weak."

"You two are better, As for me?" Ju Xian muttered.

"Fu Xie Lan only ordered to hurt me," Ju Xian said with a sigh.

Yes, everything that happened at the welcoming party was the work of the four of them.

Ju Xian wasn't injured from being hit by a hard object or hit by the strong wind, but rather injured himself.

Fu Xie Lan asked him directly with the purpose avoid any suspicion that might lead to them.

Even though they used the name of the Hunter Village which was known to be weak, it was not enough.

This was the first time the Hunter Village had appeared at an event like this. It makes it easy for anyone to think badly of them.

Fu Xie Lan understands very well how strong people can easily scapegoat the weak, using even seemingly impossible excuses.

Getting hurt like the average person would dispel or even prevent people from pointing fangs at them.

To quell and calm everyone's panic in a short amount of time, Fu Xie Lan knew very well what the royal side was going to do.

Not looking for the mastermind, but finding someone who deserves to be appointed as the perpetrator.