From that night in Jinjiang when he overheard the conversation between Ji Yunshu and Fu Bo, Wei Yi had already mentally prepared himself.

Now, he had come to accept his identity, but—

He found it difficult to accept that this person before him, filled with hatred, was his father!

He didn’t want to acknowledge him!

He didn’t dare acknowledge him!

Because he knew that once he acknowledged him, he would have to accept the blood feud upon himself, and it would also mean… Jingrong was his enemy!

He stepped backward. “I cannot stay here.”

However, Duke Yuguo grabbed his hand. “I am your family, your only family in this world.”

“Shu’er is!”

“Xi’er…”

He struggled free from Duke Yuguo and told him clearly, “Since you’re unwilling to tell me what happened back then, I won’t ask anymore. Over these twenty-one years, I’ve already built my own life. I don’t want to get involved in what happened back then, and I don’t want those so-called things either.”

“Those are what we deserve.”

“Not me, you!” he said firmly.

Duke Yuguo was disappointed, his gaze darkening. He said, “Father has already paved the way for you. You don’t need to do anything!”

Wei Yi: “…”

“Before the annual sacrifice, the Emperor will leave the city for Ji Mountain. Once he leaves the capital, he’ll be like an eagle without wings. Then the entire realm will be ours.” That extremely grotesque face bore an endless desire for power.

Not greed!

Hatred!

Wei Yi was both shocked and frightened, his pupils dilating. He kept trying to step backward. “Jingrong and Shu’er won’t let you do this.”

“Jingrong?” He laughed loudly. “He himself can barely escape, unable to save himself.”

“…”

He didn’t understand! Duke Yuguo smiled sinisterly: “To investigate the ‘Linjing Case,’ he actually sent people up Ji Mountain to dig up coffins and examine corpses, wanting to know who was really in that coffin. As a result, he destroyed those skeletal remains completely and was caught by the capital guards. You can imagine how serious his crime is. Right now at this moment, he should already be imprisoned in the heavenly prison. How can he save the Emperor? Moreover, the Emperor has withdrawn all guards on Ji Mountain related to this matter and arranged a new batch to enter—and that batch… has already been secretly replaced with our people. When the time comes, my one hundred thousand troops will surround and blockade Ji Mountain, coordinating from inside and out. Even if the forces inside and outside the capital react and immediately rush up Ji Mountain to rescue him, it will be too late. The day of the annual sacrifice will be the Emperor’s death day, and Prince Rong will also die in prison that same day. As for that Lord Ji, if she still stubbornly refuses to see reason, I will kill her too.”

Huh?

Wei Yi’s body trembled!

His terrified eyes showed a trace of shock as he shouted at Duke Yuguo, “If you want to kill them, then kill me first.”

“At a time like this you’re still thinking of them? Put away your mercy!”

“Jingrong and Shu’er risked everything to find out the truth about the fire at Duke Yuguo’s manor back then, to clear your name. But now, you want them dead instead. Is it that you’re too cruel? Or am I too merciful?” he roared with all his might.

“Enough!” Duke Yuguo said harshly. “If you must blame someone, blame him for being the Emperor’s son!”

“You…” “Over seventy people in our Duke Yuguo manor were burned alive, including your mother. If not for the Emperor, I wouldn’t have secretly sent you and your mother away back then, and your mother wouldn’t have died on the road. The person sitting on that throne now is a murderer, our enemy! Even making him die a hundred times wouldn’t be enough to repay the debt he owes in this life!”

“But it has nothing to do with Jingrong!”

“A father’s debt must be repaid by his son—it’s only natural!”

Roaring!

The sound echoed through the pavilion, deafening, as if venting his years of resentment.

Wei Yi’s eyes turned bloodshot. He could no longer utter a single word! Duke Yuguo pointed at his own face. “Look, look at what I’ve become now—neither human nor ghost. Xi’er, this is what they left me with! For these fifteen years, day and night I remember that fire. Over seventy people trapped by the flames, their screams of agony, their cries for help, all echoing endlessly in my ears. Yet the murderer gets whatever he wants, wind or rain. All these years, I’ve lived on barely, a life worse than death, surviving until today, all to wait for this day. They deserve what’s coming to them! They’ve taken what belongs to us for over twenty years. Now it’s time to return it. Once the Emperor dies, once his son dies, this Da Lin realm will be yours, yours!”

He forcefully jabbed his finger into Wei Yi’s chest!

The realm?

Ha ha!

Wei Yi laughed coldly, his laugh tinged with sarcasm. He met his father’s bloodthirsty gaze and said, “If obtaining the throne requires killing so many people, I’d rather have nothing at all!”

These words completely enraged Duke Yuguo. As he gritted his teeth, the scars on his face tightened together, making him appear even more grotesque and terrifying.

He said, “Listen to me. Right now it’s not about whether you want it or not, whether you wish it or not. It’s what you deserve, what I’m giving you, and you must accept it!”

Wei Yi looked at him stubbornly: “When will this cycle of revenge end? Stop!”

“Enough!”

“…”

“Someone come.” Duke Yuguo called out.

Zhao Huai quickly entered.

He ordered: “Watch the Young Master carefully. Before the annual sacrifice, absolutely nothing must happen to him!”

“Yes!”

He swept his sleeves and left.

Leaving Wei Yi standing there in a daze.

Zhao Huai approached. “Young Master.”

“My surname is Wei!” He corrected Zhao Huai, turned to look at him, and asked, “Do you really want them to die?”

Huh!

Zhao Huai: “…”

“Don’t forget, back at Gaoshan Stronghold, it was Jingrong who spared your life. Your life was given to you by him. But now, you’re turning around to kill him!”

“I’m following orders!” “Just because you’re following orders, you disregard the lives of the innocent? Zhao Huai, I know you’re not an evil person. There must be some conscience in your heart. Otherwise back then… you wouldn’t have severed your own arm to honor your dead brothers. But now, Jingrong and Shu’er have nothing to do with this matter. Do they deserve to die?”

There was a sense of righteousness flowing in Zhao Huai’s bones.

Facing Wei Yi’s words, he actually felt deeply ashamed.

Indeed, Jingrong had spared his life back then. By rights, he should be his benefactor!

Wei Yi saw through his thoughts, walked up to him, and continued, “Take me to find Shu’er. I must tell them about this. We cannot let Ji Mountain become a river of blood. The tragedy of that year should not be repaid with human lives!”

Huh!

Zhao Huai froze!

His eyes widened, staring directly at Wei Yi. His Adam’s apple bobbed for a long while before he suddenly came to his senses. He stepped back, recovering his previous expression, and said, “Young Master, I cannot obey. If you notify them about the annual sacrifice, then all the Master’s efforts over these years will have been in vain. We’ve waited fifteen years for the truth. The Emperor, for the sake of his throne, was ruthless enough to eliminate so many people. The Master is right—he deserves to die. Young Master, the realm and throne were yours to begin with! You should listen to the Master. Those people aren’t worth your help at all!”

Ha ha!

Every single one of them, bloodthirsty demons!

Wei Yi laughed at this. “If you dare harm Jingrong and Shu’er, then kill me first.”

“Young Master…”

“I’ll say it again, my surname is Wei!”

His voice was extremely loud!

Resounding through the frigid air.

Zhao Huai’s expression was a complex mixture of emotions.

An extremely cold and severe look flashed between Wei Yi’s brows. Finally, he said no more.

He turned and walked away. Zhao Huai followed closely behind—he must watch him carefully!