Mystique Soul: A Cultivator's Flame
Chapter 97

Chapter 97: Chapter 97

The emperor sat upon his golden throne, the weight of his crown light compared to the burden of ruling an empire on the brink of unrest. Yet, as he observed the young woman before him. poised, unyielding, and bearing the undeniable mark of the Feng bloodline, he felt a rare spark of satisfaction.

Feng Jiao Xue had not only returned, but she had returned with strength, intellect, and a sharpness that the court had not expected. In his eyes, she was no longer just the neglected pitiful miss of the Feng Clan but a formidable force standing beside his favored son, Liang Feng.

His gaze swept across the grand hall, taking in the divided expressions of the nobles. Some still reeled from the power shift in the court, while others, particularly those from the old noble factions, eyed Feng Jiao Xue warily, recognizing the threat she now posed to their schemes.

Slowly, the emperor leaned forward, the flickering candlelight casting long shadows across his regal face.

"Jiao Xue" he said, his voice carrying through the chamber, steady and rich with meaning.

Feng Jiao Xue met his gaze, lowering herself into a respectful bow. "Your Majesty."

The emperor studied her for a moment longer before a slow, knowing smile touched his lips.

"You’ve grown well."

It was a simple statement, but the meaning behind it was anything but. It was acknowledgment. It was approval. And, most importantly, it was a declaration to the court that the emperor saw her, favored her, and would not easily cast her aside.

The murmurs in the hall grew hushed, as those who had assumed Feng Jiao Xue to be merely an opportunist realized that she had just gained the emperor’s favor in a single move.

With an air of casual authority, the emperor shifted his attention to the gathered ministers. "Lady Feng has presented us with much to consider. It is clear that there are those in this court who underestimate loyalty, cunning, and the weight of true alliances." His voice darkened slightly. "Let us hope they do not come to regret it."

The veiled warning sent a chill through the third prince’s faction.

Feng Jiao Xue remained silent, her head slightly bowed, but inwardly, she knewthis was the opening she had been waiting for.

The court fell into a tense silence as the imperial sorcerer stepped forward, the weight of the moment thick in the air. The emperor had given his approval, and now there was no turning back. This was the moment of reckoning.

Tian Hao knelt in the center of the grand hall, bound by the emperor’s decree and the power of the spell about to be cast upon him. His face was pale, his hands trembling slightly, though he tried to mask it with defiance.

Feng Jiao Xue stood beside the sorcerer, watching him with cold, calculating eyes. She had spent years learning the intricacies of truth-binding magic, and she knew that, once cast, there would be no escape unless one had been given the means to deceive it.

The sorcerer raised his hands, chanting in a deep, resonant voice as golden runes formed in the air, circling Tian Hao like a constricting chain of light. The spell took hold, wrapping around him like an invisible force pressing against his very soul.

A sharp intake of breath escaped Tian Hao’s lips, his muscles tensing as the magic dug into his mind, seeking the truth.

The emperor’s voice was calm yet commanding. "Begin."

Feng Jiao Xue stepped forward, her tone steady and without hesitation. "First question. Have you ever lied under a truth spell before?"

Tian Hao’s lips parted, but hesitation flickered across his face. The magic coiled tighter, demanding an answer. Finally, his voice, though strained, spilled the truth.

"Yes."

A ripple of murmurs coursed through the court. The spell would not allow a lie, and yet he had admitted deception.

Feng Jiao Xue narrowed her eyes. "How?"

Tian Hao exhaled shakily. "The third prince... gave me an artifact that protects the mind. A small, inconspicuous peacock pin. I hid it beneath my jacket."

Gasps echoed across the hall. The third prince stiffened but kept his face impassive, though those watching closely would notice the slight twitch of his fingers against the armrest of his chair.

The emperor’s eyes darkened, his fingers tightening on the arm of his throne. "The artifact. Produce it."

With visible reluctance, Tian Hao reached into his inner jacket and pulled out a tiny pin, a delicate piece of jade shaped like a peacock feather. The moment he held it up, the imperial sorcerer extended a hand, and with a single flick of his fingers, the artifact shattered into dust.

The court erupted into whispers.

Even Feng Jiao Xue was surprised as she didn’t think he still had it with him. Her eyes darkened slightly.

She had searched and made sure he didn’t have anything that carried trace of magic or Qi with him.

Of course it would have such a self camouflage function. This could have ruined everything if he had magic to activate it!

Feng Jiao Xue didn’t waste a second. "Second question. Did you truly witness the crown prince’s man coming out of the mastermind behind His Majesty’s poisoning’s cabin?"

Tian Hao swallowed hard. His eyes darted toward the third prince’s faction, but the magic clamped down once more, forcing his answer.

"No."

Silence fell. A heavy, suffocating silence that pressed against every corner of the grand hall.

Tian Hao’s voice trembled, but he continued. "The steward... told me to say so."

The emperor’s expression did not change, but the shift in his aura was unmistakable. A slow, simmering rage. His gaze flickered toward the third prince, sharp and knowing.

Before the third prince could react, before his faction could protest, he opened his mouth to argue but the emperor raised a hand.

"Enough."

The weight of that single word crushed the third prince’s argument before it could even begin. His mouth snapped shut, his face betraying none of the frustration surely boiling inside him.

The emperor turned back to Tian Hao, his voice eerily calm. "Continue."

Tian Hao clenched his fists. He had no choice. He had to tell the truth.

The hall remained heavy with silence, the weight of Tian Hao’s confession pressing down on the gathered officials like a suffocating fog. The emperor’s gaze remained locked onto him, unreadable yet imposing, his patience worn thin by deceit.

Feng Jiao Xue did not hesitate. "Who is the mastermind behind His Majesty’s poisoning?"

Tian Hao squeezed his eyes shut, his entire body trembling as if fighting the words clawing their way up his throat. The spell would not allow him to resist for long. His lips parted, his breath coming out shaky before he finally admitted

"The third prince."

A thunderous silence followed.

Then the court erupted.

Gasps, shouts, and accusations overlapped as officials turned to one another, either in disbelief or in dawning realization. The third prince’s faction immediately sprang into action, voices raised in protest.

"This is absurd!" one official barked. "The crown prince’s people must have tampered with the spell!"

"That’s impossible!" another cut in. "Truth magic does not lie!"

The emperor did not move, but his mere presence commanded silence. His gaze remained fixed on Tian Hao, waiting.

Feng Jiao Xue’s eyes did not waver. "You claim the third prince ordered His Majesty’s poisoning. Do you have proof?"

Tian Hao’s breath hitched, sweat beading along his forehead as the spell compelled him to speak. "The steward... he arranged everything. I was only told what to say. The poison was supplied through the third prince’s contacts... I don’t know all the details, but... I overheard them. They planned to weaken His Majesty, force him into early retirement."

"You lying b@st@rd!" One of the third prince’s men roared, stepping forward, only to be restrained by guards.

Tian Hao let out a shuddering breath, his voice shaking. "I swear it! I swear on my life, I was only a pawn! The third prince promised me riches, power, a future in his court!"

The third prince, up until now composed, slowly stood from his seat, his expression dark and unreadable. "This is nothing but slander" he said smoothly, voice calm despite the storm brewing in his eyes. "A desperate attempt to frame me just as I am to ascend."

The emperor’s eyes snapped to him, sharp as a blade. "Then you would not mind answering under the same spell?"

For the first time, the third prince’s composure faltered. It was slight, so slight most would have missed it. But the emperor did not.

The hall held its breath.

The truth spell continued to press against Tian Hao, forcing every last ounce of truth from him. "I-I don’t have hard evidence... but I know what I heard. The steward always reported directly to the third prince. The orders always came from him!"

The emperor turned his gaze back to his third son, whose hands clenched at his sides. The once-calculating gleam in his eyes had dulled, replaced by something darker, something more desperate.

"You dare to..."

"Enough" the emperor’s voice cut through the rising tension like a blade, bringing the hall to an abrupt stillness. His expression, which had been unreadable before, now carried the weight of utter disappointment.

The third prince did not move, but in that moment, it was clear, he had lost control of the situation. The tides had turned against him.

Feng Jiao Xue frowned.

She knew that the third prince was involved expected it but...

Her eyes flickered to her second uncle who was trying to cut his loses.

Feng Haotian would not harm family, he would not have dared risk poisoning her grandfather but her second aunt...

She was sure that she was part of this plot and had hoped that she would be named.