I Don’t Want to Get Hurt, So I’ll Max Out My Defense - Chapter 713:

Chapter 713: Chapter 714: Suffer the Consequences, Inescapable Doom

In the great hall, a massive Luminous Pearl was brought forth. Carved with a Formation using the Eastern Sea Mermaid’s Essence, it had been crafted into a bloodline detection instrument. Originally, it was intended to measure the strength of the Bloodline Power in the cultivators of the Sea Clan, as well as their bloodline compatibility.

The Luminous Pearl would emit a red glow of varying intensity; the higher the bloodline compatibility, the more intense and dazzling the glow would be, making it easy to distinguish.

“This is our clan’s Magic Treasure for testing the strength of a cultivator’s Bloodline Power. Having been bathed in the blood of ancestral True Dragons, the two individuals who need testing simply need to place their palms on it, and it will discern for itself,” the Old Dragon King stated indifferently.

“Tortoise Prime Minister, would you preside over this matter?”

“By your command, this old minister will spare no effort to restore the Prince Consort’s reputation of innocence!”

A hint of a smile flashed in the eyes of Tortoise Prime Minister. He rose respectfully and said, despite being the current Prime Minister, whose powers were heavily intertwined and spread throughout the court. Even if the Old Dragon King knew that he was playing tricks behind the scenes, he dared not move against him lightly — to affect the whole by a single hair was the beauty of being a bureaucrat.

“Lady Bai, if you please.”

Li Xiaobai gestured for her to proceed with a faint smile.

“Xiao Bao, place your palm on the Luminous Pearl.”

Bai Lianhua’s eyes flickered uncertainly, and without meeting Li Xiaobai’s gaze, she spoke to the child beside her.

“Daddy hold.”

The child called out obediently and pressed his hand onto the Luminous Pearl.

“To use such a small child as a pawn, how utterly cruel and insane.”

Li Xiaobai’s expression darkened slightly as he too gently placed his palm on the Luminous Pearl.

“Next, this old minister will initiate the Formation contained within the Luminous Pearl to measure the Bloodline Power of these two individuals. The truth of their innocence will be clear at this moment. Please, everyone, bear witness!”

The Tortoise Prime Minister shouted decisively, forming a Seal Spell with his hands, sketching out an intricate talisman in the air which responded to the flashing light within the Luminous Pearl.

Simultaneously, a layer of pale red light emerged from within the pearl. Li Xiaobai felt warmth in the center of his palm, but after the red light flickered a few times, it suddenly extinguished.

The onlookers automatically widened their eyes in shock. They had never seen such a scenario before. Since all cultivators had Bloodline Power, even if the compatibility was low, they would still emit a faint red glow. There was never a case of it shutting off immediately — what was happening currently?

“What’s going on, why did the Luminous Pearl suddenly go out?”

“Does this mean that the Prince Consort has no ties to the child, that everything was a fabrication made up by that woman named Bai Lianhua?”

“Could it be that the Formation carved in the Luminous Pearl has been damaged, and therefore it malfunctioned?”

“Could it be…”

The civil and military officials burst into a commotion, unable to comprehend the evolving situation. In their understanding, only mortals would not have their Bloodline Power identified. Since the child clearly had Spiritual Power within and Li Xiaobai was definitely no ordinary person, how could there be a situation where the glow extinguished?

Sweat broke out on the foreheads of Tortoise Prime Minister and Bai Lianhua; this situation was completely unexpected for them.

The child had been modified by them, with all his blood replaced, making him highly compatible with anyone. How could there be a situation of absolute mismatch?

“The Formation seemed not to function properly just now, let’s try it once more.”

The Tortoise Prime Minister wiped the sweat from his forehead and operated his Cultivation Technique to delineate the charm and runes once more, activating the Formation within the Luminous Pearl.

Whoosh!

The Luminous Pearl shone brightly once more, a red glow slowly rising, growing more and more intense, but just as he was beginning to relax, the light extinguished again.

Once could be a coincidence, but twice was definitely not.

Li Xiaobai’s lips curved into a cold smile. This thing was meant to detect cultivators, and he was not a cultivator at all. Forget about Bloodline Power, he didn’t even have Spiritual Power in his body, merely being an ordinary person with a slightly stronger defensive power.

“Tortoise Prime Minister, since the Luminous Pearl did not shine with red light, can it be said that I have no connection to this child, and that all these events are entirely fictitious, fabricated by this woman to frame me?” Li Xiaobai spoke indifferently.

“This is impossible, the Formation must be broken. This is your own flesh and blood. How could it not be detected?”

“Someone must have tampered with it from the inside, all to erase the truth!”

Bai Lianhua’s face showed great shock as she explained anxiously. To know, she and the Tortoise Prime Minister had meticulously prepared for this moment for a long time; it was not supposed to go wrong.

“Then let’s try someone else to see if the Formation is working or not.”

“Young Master Gui Xuan, among many young talents present here, I have always admired you the most. You and I are of similar age, and you are a young genius. Please come forward and test with this child to see if there’s really something wrong with the Formation.”

Li Xiaobai smiled faintly, gesturing towards where Gui Xuan stood.

He had almost certainly guessed it. The Tortoise Prime Minister’s behavior was erratic, always implicitly supporting Bai Lianhua. All of this was undoubtedly a scheme of the Gui family.

As these words were spoken, Gui Xuan’s complexion changed in an instant. The child had been tampered with by them. No matter whose Bloodline Power was tested, it would show a high degree of match. Although he did not understand how Li Xiaobai managed to extinguish the Luminous Pearl, if he were to step forward and test, it would undoubtedly show that the child was his own, and he would not be able to clear his name even if he leapt into the Yellow River!

He never imagined that the trap they set for Li Xiaobai would one day become the pitfall that could doom him.

“There’s no need for that. I have always believed in the Prince Consort. The matter now seems clear enough. All of this has been provoked by this woman, deliberately tarnishing the Prince Consort’s reputation. Her heart deserves condemnation!”

Gui Xuan forced a smile, his face devoid of any color.

“No, no, no, I always like to convince people with virtue. Since Lady Bai has suggested that there was a problem with the Formation, we must properly prove it, leaving no regrets. If it is as she said, I will test again. Young Master Gui Xuan, you wouldn’t refuse this small favor, would you?”

Li Xiaobai spoke with a smile that carried an irrefutable undertone.

The surrounding crowd also sensed something was amiss. It was just a simple test of Bloodline Power, yet why did Gui Xuan seem so panicked? Could there be some unspeakable secret?

“The Luminous Pearl is not faulty; I have already examined it. The Formation is intact, and the Prince Consort is innocent of any blood relationship with this child!”

“Guards, take this woman away and detain her. After the Prince Consort’s wedding ceremony, she shall be executed!”

The Tortoise Prime Minister suddenly gestured grandly, speaking to the guards outside the hall.

“Wait!”

“In fact, I also feel that there’s been a mistake with the Formation. It’s no big deal for Young Master Gui Xuan to come up and verify. Why such haste, Prime Minister?”

Long Xue, who had been observing coldly, spoke lightly, directly dismissing the guards, causing the ministers to gasp in shock.

This was the first time the little princess referred to herself as ‘this palace.’ It meant that the opposing party was truly angry today, truly assuming her identity as a princess, exercising her authority.

The Old Dragon King also felt surprised; he hadn’t expected his granddaughter to display such a domineering side. He then looked at Gui Xuan and ordered, “Gui Xuan, I command you to come forward and test your Bloodline Power.”