"Back then, Saint Lord Alex slaughtered the three thousand villagers of Jade Dragon Village, using their blood to nurture a Jade Dragon Egg."
"I wonder. Has this Jade Dragon Egg finished hatching yet?"
Knox was not overbearing today.
Not arrogant.
He talked and laughed like an old friend of many years. His acting was brilliant enough. But in Alex's eyes, he was still far too green.
Slaughtering a village to nurture a dragon egg. That had indeed been done.
More accurately, it was something the original Alex had done.
In the novel. Over two hundred years ago. Forget Knox. Even Knox's father hadn't been born yet.
So how did Knox know about ancient events like these?
Aurelia had fed him the script.
The trap was simple.
If Alex engaged at all, whether he confirmed the egg had hatched or denied it entirely, it would equal an admission. A confession served on a platter.
In the original novel, Alex had been adorably stupid.
He declared arrogantly that the Obsidian Jade Dragon had finished hatching and was currently cultivating.
He even bragged that once it finished, death would come for the entire Heavenly Flame Dynasty.
Not only did Lily capture the perfect confession, Knox also walked away with critical military intelligence.
Aurelia and the others researched the Obsidian Jade Dragon's weaknesses in advance. The trump card Alex had staked everything on was killed the moment it debuted.
But now?
Alex had no intention of jumping into the trap.
"Brat, what kind of nonsense are you spouting?" Alex smiled faintly.
"The Jade Dragon Egg is nothing but an ancient legend."
"Whether it even exists is another matter entirely."
"Even if it truly existed, how could I possibly massacre three thousand commoners for a single egg?"
"I cannot bear the weight of such a heavy accusation."
Knox faltered.
Based on everything he understood about Alex, being confronted with such deeds should have produced the opposite reaction.
Alex should have worn them as glory. Shown them off without shame.
Righteous words. Awe-inspiring denial. Was this still the tyrannical Saint Lord of the Hale family?
Knox steadied himself and pressed forward.
"Is that so? What a pity."
"There is one more thing."
"I heard that Saint Lord Alex once single-handedly bathed the entire Seven Wounds Sect in blood. And that you refined the head of the Seven Wounds Sect Master into a spiritual treasure of unfathomable power."
"I wonder if Saint Lord Alex could allow this humble scholar to take a look at such a treasure?"
"Brat, cease your wild drivel," Alex said calmly.
"The Sect Master of the Seven Wounds Sect was a close friend of mine for many years."
"Back then, he was murdered by treacherous villains. It brought me immense grief."
"I traveled across the entire Heavenly Flame Dynasty to investigate the culprit. Alas, I found nothing."
"How could it possibly be me who murdered him?"
Knox grew uneasy.
He brought up five more atrocities. Each one pulled from the depths of Alex's past.
Alex remained entirely unhurried. Unruffled. His stance never wavered.
I didn't do it. It wasn't me. Stop talking nonsense.
One by one, every accusation bounced off like rain against stone.
Knox's expression turned ugly. His heart began to pound.
Was the intelligence Aurelia gave him wrong? Was his entire understanding of Alex wrong?
"Brat, it seems you came here today simply to amuse yourself at my expense." Alex's expression darkened. His voice dropped several degrees colder.
"If you have no actual business, leave immediately. Stop pestering me with this nonsense."
"I still have an honored guest to entertain today."
Knox blurted out before he could stop himself. "What honored guest?"
At that exact moment, Alistair Blackwood pushed the doors open and walked in.
"Elder Brother Alistair, you've arrived right on time." Alex smiled faintly.
"Come, let me introduce you..."
Before he could finish.
A raging inferno erupted from the jade pendant at Knox's waist.
"ALISTAIR!"
Lily had been hiding on Knox the entire time. Disguised as a jade pendant.
As a trusted confidante of the Heavenly Flame Empress, she was no stranger to composure. Even listening to Alex offer every excuse under the sun, absolutely refusing to confess, she had merely sneered inwardly. An old fox with deep schemes. Nothing more.
But then she saw Alistair Blackwood's face.
A face that was a literal nightmare to her.
The fury suppressed for years could no longer be contained.
She transformed into a blooming flame lotus and manifested fully in the hall. Her slender hands morphed into claws of raging flame. She thrust straight toward Alistair Blackwood without hesitation.
"Who?!"
Alistair's expression shifted. He stepped back instinctively.
Lily's cultivation sat at only the third level of the Supreme Realm. Weaker than his seventh. But Alistair's mind had been entirely fixed on the Hibiscus Divine Tree. Inside the Hale family's holy land, his guard was completely down.
The sneak attack landed clean.
He was blasted back several meters. Crashed to the ground. Coughed up blood.
"Elder Brother Alistair!"
Alex feigned absolute horror. On the inside, he was blossoming with joy.
"Alistair Blackwood, back then you murdered my father and exterminated my entire clan!"
"Today, I will avenge them and wash away this sea of blood!"
Lily's eyes narrowed. Killing intent boiling over. She charged again, conjuring a blade of fire aimed at Alistair's neck.
Just as the blade descended.
Alex's expression darkened.
"Insolent!"
A furious roar from a seventh-level Supreme Realm cultivator landed like an imperial decree.
Lily's arm froze mid-air. Completely immobile.
The Third Elder, Tobias, materialized in the same instant and swept Alistair safely to the side.
Alex sat high upon his throne. Looking down at Knox and Lily with an expression as dark as deep water.
"You impudent whelp, barging into my Hale family's holy land. You truly did harbor malicious intentions."
"Men, capture them for this seat!"
"Hold it!"
Knox raised his hand.
The Hale family disciples halted.
Surrounded on all sides, Knox showed no fear. He lifted his chin and sneered.
"Alex, do you even know who she is?"
"She is the sworn sister of Her Majesty the Heavenly Flame Empress."