You don't want your secret to be revealed by others, right?

"""

"Seventeenth Prince!"

The woman in the red robe with a bald head furrowed her brows tightly, her expression icy as she said, "You claim the martial arts from the Human Ancestor's inheritance is from the Demon Clan Ancestor, you question the existence of our Liangwang City, you doubt the token of Senior Xiao Yao I presented, and now you don't believe even when a direct disciple of the Daoist Ancestor verifies it. How have we offended you, Your Highness?"

It was evident to everyone that she was genuinely furious.

They could understand, after all, a Saint being questioned repeatedly like this, if it weren't for his royal status, she would've likely taken action already.

At this moment, she only resorted to verbal retaliation, subtly mocking him as the 'smallest prince.'

"What?"

Lin Yue slightly narrowed his eyes, indifferently stating, "As the direct disciple of the Main Hall Master, under the orders of my master to host this Inner Hall assessment, I harbor suspicion towards you Eternal Night visitors. There remain doubts, am I not allowed to suspect you?"

The woman in the red robe coldly laughed, "Fine, then I would like to hear what exactly Your Highness is still suspecting. Does Your Highness also doubt the State Preceptor of Great Yu?"

With the Temple Master of Yizhi Temple guaranteeing it, as the second Primordial Spirit of the Daoist Ancestor, the State Preceptor of Great Yu must have willingly assisted this group, there's no doubt about that.

Should there be suspicion, then it could only be that the State Preceptor of Great Yu himself had issues.

Upon hearing these words, no one dared to voice their doubts.

That was the second Primordial Spirit of the Daoist Ancestor!

It was virtually akin to questioning the Daoist Ancestor himself, who would dare propose such a query?

"Indeed, I do harbor such suspicion."

Lin Yue said calmly, "While it is true the State Preceptor of Great Yu aided you, can one truly assert there are no issues with that?"

"Your Highness."

The Temple Master of Yizhi Temple pondered for a moment, then said, "I understand there remains doubt concerning this matter, but since this group carries the Lifebound Spiritual Object of the State Preceptor of Great Yu as a token, it means the State Preceptor trusts them."

"I understand," Lin Yue replied, "but hasn't the State Preceptor of Great Yu vanished since the fall of the previous dynasty, and now to suddenly emerge in the heart of Demon Clan territory, doesn't it warrant scrutiny?"

The Temple Master of Yizhi Temple spoke softly, "But the explanation given by this lady indeed seems plausible, otherwise, how else should it be explained?"

"You think we are traitors groomed by the Demon Clan, do you also suspect the second Primordial Spirit of the Daoist Ancestor to be a traitor as well?" The woman in the red robe mocked.

Lin Yue cast her a glance and coolly responded, "Naturally."

The entire scene fell silent.

At this statement, everyone was stunned, staring blankly at the Seventeenth Prince.

Was this prince insane?

To actually... publicly question an ultimate expert who had proven perfect martial arts, and moreover, the second Primordial Spirit of the Daoist Ancestor!

Given the Daoist Ancestor's tremendous contributions to the Human Clan, who would dare question it?

Its second Primordial Spirit was tantamount to another Daoist Ancestor, such doubt seemed as though it targeted the Daoist Ancestor himself!

"First, the second Primordial Spirit is still only a second Primordial Spirit."

Lin Yue stated dispassionately, "Even though it's a piece from the Daoist Ancestor, it's still an independent person. Different experiences bring different changes, don't you all know the risks of avatars becoming independent?"

Glancing once more at the woman in the red robe, he continued, "Second, what of the Daoist Ancestor's second Primordial Spirit? Simply because he's the Daoist Ancestor's second Primordial Spirit, does that mean he cannot be scrutinized?"

The crowd remained silent.

It was indeed a fact.

But how many dared to question like this?

It seemed that only a child of the God Emperor, who was also the direct disciple of the Main Hall Master of the Ancestor Hall, dared to publicly question the second Primordial Spirit of the Daoist Ancestor like this.

"Your Highness is not wrong," the Temple Master of Yizhi Temple gently nodded, "Even though he's the second Primordial Spirit of the Daoist Ancestor, he's still human. Having doubts naturally warrants questioning."

"I'm glad the Temple Master understands."

Lin Yue nodded slightly.

There was one more aspect he had not vocalized—

The Supreme Elder of Yizhi Temple, Baili Fengzhi's mother, Yan Yue the God Monarch, had already betrayed the Human Clan and gone to Eternal Night. It wasn't entirely impossible for the second Primordial Spirit of the Daoist Ancestor to betray as well.

Although he had benefited from the previous dynasty's State Preceptor during his time in the Upper Cave Heaven of the previous dynasty, the doubts in this affair were too glaring.

Even if Liangwang City truly existed, it surely was not preserved by the State Preceptor of the previous dynasty using the Human Ancestor's soul as leverage. It had to be a Demon Clan conspiracy, a so-called 'bird in a cage.'

Yet, he had no means of proving the secrets he had obtained were authentic, nor could he hand over the Human Ancestor as proof.

For now, he could only use this method to press the other side into divulging more information.

Offending the Daoist Ancestor?

With the protection of the Main Hall Master as his master, being allied with the Fifth Prince, and seemingly being noticed by the Second Prince, he feared Daoist Ancestor little.

Moreover...

Among the Three Religions Ancestors, it was the Daoist Ancestor he feared the least.

Rumored to have achieved the perfect proving of martial arts, blending with the realm of the Heavenly Dao, though unable to borrow the power of the Heavenly Dao, he also did not share its properties.

Yet as a person of inscrutable fate, he logically feared the Heavenly Dao the least.

So why not question it?

"So, what now?"

The woman in the red robe spoke icily, "Does Your Highness have any concrete evidence while continually questioning us and questioning the second Primordial Spirit of the Daoist Ancestor as a traitor?"

Lin Yue chuckled indifferently, saying, "Firstly, you all are already covered in doubts. The fact that I haven't arrested you yet is a grand courtesy, and secondly... Who said I lack concrete evidence?"

"Oh?" The woman in the red robe looked at him.

Everyone around also turned to look at this Seventeenth Prince. He had concrete evidence, which explained why he dared to question so boldly.

"I'll only ask you all one question."

Sweeping his gaze slowly across the people present, Lin Yue finally fixed his eyes on Yan Fang, "Where did you learn your body refining techniques?"

Yan Fang paused, then replied immediately, "Naturally, it's passed down from my sect."

"Haha..."

Lin Yue laughed and said, "Sect? Do you know who created the Three Thousand Hell Body, a body refining cultivation method comparable to the highest of the Demon Clan?"

Yan Fang slightly frowned.

He hadn't known the name of this cultivation method, learning it just now from what the prince said, knowing now it was created by that prodigy who held the highest record in the battle of life and death over a thousand years ago, known as the Three Thousand Hell Body.

He originally thought that the Great Yong's Human Clan might have secretly hidden this body refining cultivation method, but now it seemed not to be the case?

"Don't know? Then I'll tell you."

Lin Yue said calmly, "The genius who created the Three Thousand Hell Body one thousand six hundred years ago was named Xiahou Shou, a traitor of the Human Clan! Around one thousand six hundred years ago, he transformed into the Demon Clan, nearly annihilating the Human Clan with the Demons, and he did not leave the cultivation method with the Human Clan. Therefore... the method you practiced can only come from the Demon Clan!"

Yan Fang was caught off guard.

The others could not help but be startled as well.

This was indeed an irrefutable piece of evidence; since it wasn't left with the Human Clan and the creator defected to the Demon Clan, then only the Demon Clan could have learned it.

"So, do you still wish to clear your ties to the Demon Clan?" Lin Yue sneered as he asked.

"Hold on."

The woman in the red robe interjected, "Seventeenth Prince, our Liangwang City has body refining cultivation methods comparable to the highest-level secret transmissions of the Demon Clan, not just a single one. How can you be certain it's the Three Thousand Hell Body you mentioned?"

"Because I have practiced it myself." Lin Yue replied coolly, "Is that reason sufficient?"

He shook his body slightly, exuding the aura of the Three Thousand Hell Body after achieving Perfection.

Observers could see clearly that this aura was indeed very similar to what emanated from Yan Fang's body, obviously the same type of body refining cultivation method!

"Then I must ask Your Highness..."

The woman in the red robe stared at him, her voice cold, "Since the so-called traitor Xiahou Shou did not leave this technique with the Human Clan, how did Your Highness learn it? If Your Highness could learn it, couldn't others as well?"

"That was my opportunity, and this matter concerns His Majesty the God Emperor, hence it's not for you to know." Lin Yue replied dispassionately, "Moreover, the question is directed at you, not at myself."

"So merely for an unknown source of cultivation technique, you wish to label us as the Demon Clan?" The woman in the red robe's tone was low.

"Perhaps you're just pawns of the Demon Clan, truly innocent." Lin Yue said calmly, "But since there's suspicion, nothing can be done about that."

The woman in the red robe's voice turned cold, "What does Your Highness intend to do?"

Lin Yue said slowly, "I would ask you to bind yourselves and reside in the Ancestor Hall's prison for some time. Once we in the Ancestor Hall determine your innocence, you will naturally be released."

"Does Your Highness truly dare to do this?"

Suddenly, the woman in the red robe let out a cold laugh and pointed to Yan Fang, saying, "Does Your Highness even know who he is?"

"""