True Heir of Chaos: From Villainess to Empress

It hadn't even been a full hour when news of the Ma Clan Patriarch's death reached the Heavenly Demon Palace. The entire upper echelon of the sect was immediately stirred. Two cultivators, one after the other—perhaps even at the same time—had perished. That alone was cause for suspicion.

A Void Refinement Realm Zhūnzhǔ and a Divine Transformation Realm Jūnshàng. Unless a Unity Realm Zūnshàng had made a move, there should have been traces left behind. Who had they offended?

While speculation spread like wildfire throughout the sect, a group clad in black robes arrived at Jian Dan's simple cave residence at Mo Yan Peak.

"Mó Yuè Jūnshàng, please come to the Heavenly Demon Hall. The Palace Master wishes to see you."

Jian Dan nodded without hesitation. With a slight gesture toward the man sprawled unconscious on the ground, she said, "You should bring him too."

The leader of the black-robed guards gave a subtle signal. One of them stepped forward and hoisted Shi Ci off the ground. Together, the group set off toward the main peak where the Heavenly Demon Hall was located.

Midway there, Mo Su and Mo Yi joined them. With silent nods of greeting, the group entered the great hall.

"Greetings, Palace Master."

The three bowed and stood side by side in the center of the hall.

Seated at the main seat above them was Palace Master Mo Lie. On either side of him were eight peak masters. For now, they were all communicating via divine sense, not one speaking aloud. Jian Dan stood in silence, choosing to wait. Since no one had spoken, she wouldn't speak either.

"Ahem." Mo Lie finally broke the silence. "Mó Yuè, you were summoned today because Peak Master Ma Feijun of Mo Ying Peak has fallen. You were the last to see him, so we have a few questions for you."

Jian Dan could tell from his tone that he was addressing the matter fairly, without favoritism. She gave a small nod and replied calmly, "Palace Master, I did see Peak Master Ma today, but I was not alone. Senior Brothers Mo Su and Mo Yi were also present. And I was not the last to see him alive. If we're speaking of that, you should ask Shi Ci."

Mo Su and Mo Yi both nodded. Mo Su, rarely one to speak, said, "The three of us were viewing the blood plum blossoms at the outer peaks. We returned only when the moon rose. Since I reside on the same peak as Mó Yuè, we walked back together. The time between our return and the sound of the death wail was no more than half an hour."

"So in that half hour, no one can verify your whereabouts," another voice cut in.

It was the Peak Master of Mo Yun Peak. Tall and gaunt, nearly two meters in height, he gave off a gloomy presence. His words came soft but carried a biting edge.

"Senior Brother, do you have some kind of grudge against Mo Yan Peak?" Jian Dan's voice was polite but icy. "Why insist on forcing the blame for a dead man onto me and Senior Brother Mo Su?"

"Hmph. Only you would know the answer to that."

Though Jian Dan had exposed his intentions, he refused to back down. The air grew tense.

At that moment, a cultivator entered the hall. Though his aura was retracted, his presence was undeniable. Standing two meters tall, with dark skin, square features, sharp brows, and a calm air, he walked in like an immovable mountain.

"Mo Zhang, you're here," Mo Lie said, finally showing a bit of relief.

Mo Zhang clasped his hands. "Greetings, Palace Master."

He walked to the upper section of the hall. The peak master seated to the right of the Palace Master immediately rose and gave up his seat.

"What did your investigation find?"

Mo Zhang cast a glance at the three below before speaking. "Ma Yi and Ma Feijun died almost simultaneously. The deaths occurred at Ma Feijun's cave."

Hearing this, those seated above exchanged glances and spoke in hushed divine whispers. The peak master from earlier said nothing now.

Everyone understood. Jian Dan, as a newly advanced Divine Transformation Realm cultivator, didn't have the ability to kill both men at once.

"Any clues?"

"The attacker was swift and left no spiritual trace. I could not track them. Based on the residual force in the cave, the one who struck was a dao cultivator with cultivation at least at the Unity Realm."

A collective gasp followed.

Unity Realm and above—everyone knew what that meant.

In this world, cultivators beyond Unity Realm were ancient monsters. They rarely emerged. Most remained in secluded cultivation or roamed deadly realms in search of a chance to break into Mahayana.

What kind of deep grudge could make someone act so decisively, killing both father and son in the dead of night, without even alerting the sect's protective formation?

"Those two from the Ma Clan weren't saints. Their deaths were only a matter of time," Mo Yi said bluntly, not even bothering to hide his schadenfreude.

"Mo Yi, what are you implying?"

"Nothing. Just calling it how I see it. Don't pretend you all don't know what kind of filth Ma Feijun was involved in. How do you think he reached the Divine Transformation Realm? I'm sure everyone here has their own guesses. And now that something's happened, you're all looking for someone to take the blame. But you should make sure the person can actually bear that burden."

"That's enough, Mo Yi. If you stayed silent, no one would think you were mute. This is just an inquiry. Why call it scapegoating? Do you take this Palace Master for a fool?" Mo Lie's voice turned sharp. If Mo Yi said one more word, the last shred of civility would be torn apart.

Jian Dan lowered her gaze, a faint smile tugging at her lips. This Mo Yi certainly knew how to speak. But since someone was speaking up for her, she had no reason to sit back and take the fall. That filthy water—she would return it all.

"Everyone's suspicion stems from a minor argument I had with Lord Ma earlier today. But let me make it clear. I publicly invited him to a duel. The wager was our lives and all we owned."

The hall fell silent.

Before anyone could respond, Jian Dan continued, "But before I could even send the challenge formally, he sent someone to drug me."

She turned and gestured to Shi Ci, who had been kneeling silently all this time.

"Shi Ci, tell them the rest."

Shi Ci knew his life hung by a thread. He dared not lie and spilled everything in a single breath.

"This afternoon, Ma Jūnshàng stopped me and handed me a bottle of medicine. He told me to find a chance to give it to Mó Yuè Jūnshàng. If I refused, my entire clan would be killed. He even gave me a formation disk and ordered me to plant it in Mó Yuè Jūnshàng's cave."

As he spoke, Jian Dan sent out the black bottle with a flick of her magic.

All present swept it with their divine senses, only to awkwardly retract them a moment later.

"I serve as Mó Yuè Jūnshàng's steward. But Ma Jūnshàng threatened my clan, so I had no choice but to use the formation disk. As for the medicine, I dared not deliver it. Instead, I told Mó Yuè Jūnshàng everything."

He drew a deep breath. "Just after that, we heard the alarm. Mó Yuè Jūnshàng sent me to investigate. That was when we found that Ma Feijun was already dead."

"Hahaha! So he was ready to make his move, but ended up getting offed first. Classic," Mo Yi chuckled.

"I speak the absolute truth. If I've lied, may the heavens strike me down and my cultivation never advance."

Shi Ci swore an oath under the Heavenly Dao. A moment later, the oath took hold. There was no thunder—proof that he had spoken the truth. And that meant Jian Dan had not yet retaliated and was, in fact, a potential victim.

Silence settled once more in the hall.

Then Jian Dan laughed coldly and said, "Someone wants to frame me, all because I am the master of Mó Yuè Zhǎn."

As she finished speaking, a weapon shot out from her dantian—a half-moon blade a meter long, exuding pure and dense demonic energy. It floated in the air, humming softly.

"Mó Yuè Zhǎn is here. If anyone wants it, come and take it from me."