"This kind of invisible Supreme Clarity Charm—even our Sigil Sect can't make it!" Lily Bai grinned. "Honestly, in all of Drake Abyss, you're probably the only one with one. Who else could it be but you?"
Henry Xiao waved his hands frantically. "It wasn't me! Mother, I swear, I didn't do it!"
Liz Li shot Lily Bai a look and said, "Fine! Since things have come to this, I'll tell the truth. The Thunder-Heaven Void-Breaking Chain was never lost! But you know why I did it? Because you all are useless! It's been a hundred years and you still haven't caught that wretched son—haven't even touched the hem of his robe!"
The Five Dragon Lords fell silent.
"I did all this just to capture Sean Shaw and Baxa!" Liz Li's aura pressed down on the hall. "Guards! Seize them—along with those three Sigil Sect accomplices!"
No one moved. All eyes turned to First Prince Brandon Xiao.
"Brandon, have you forgotten what Sean did to your mother?" Liz Li’s eyes reddened. "He killed my palace guards and loyal servants, then took the Puresteel Sword your father gave him and hacked at me five or six times—cut off one of my legs, and chopped off my hand! If you and your brothers hadn’t fought to save me..."
Brandon Xiao shuddered at the memory of that day.
"Even now, my limbs have healed, but whenever it rains, the pain is unbearable!" Liz Li choked out. "That was the Puresteel Sword’s wound—I'll never be fully healed! You're my son, Brandon. Shouldn't you arrest Sean and his accomplices and make him pay?"
"Mother, please calm down," Brandon Xiao soothed her. "The Drake Abyss Legal Code stands. Whatever needs to be done, will be done."
Liz Li looked vulnerable but relieved. "Good! Mother trusts you, Brandon. As long as you bring them to justice, if any of my schemes break the law, then so be it—let the law decide!"
Brandon Xiao nodded, then turned to Sean Shaw. "Fifth Brother, all these things are connected—we have to start from the beginning and tackle them one by one. So first up: the assassination attempt on Mother. Do you admit it or not?"
Sean Shaw’s aura was almost frightening. He answered, "She deserves it."
"Who are you saying deserves it?" Henry Xiao’s face twisted in rage. "You’re the one who deserves to die! You bastard—if anyone should be dead, it’s you!"
Sean ignored him, fixing his gaze on Brandon. "If we’re starting from the very beginning, then let’s start with Lucia Lu’s case."
He stepped forward, standing at the center of the hall, and addressed the assembled Gods: "Back then, when Lucia Lu confessed under torture, she also had an invisible Lightning-Attracting Talisman on her. She was just a Saint Maiden—wouldn’t the Genesis Bolts on the Execution Platform have killed her? Why put a Lightning-Attracting Talisman on her as well?"
The assembled Gods glanced at each other, but no one spoke.
"That’s because Liz Li knew I’d try to save her. That talisman was meant for me! The one she’s always wanted dead—it’s been me this whole time!"
"That’s bullshit!" Henry Xiao yelled, furious. "You’re talking nonsense! Everyone knows Father loved you best! Lucia Lu hurt Father—how could Mother possibly guess you’d risk everything to save her?"
Sean Shaw said, "A hundred years ago, Lucia Lu supposedly swallowed the Divine Crimson Pill and confessed to pushing Father into the Wormhole. I was shocked and lost at the time. But later, I overheard two palace guards whispering that from their angle, Lucia Lu never actually swallowed the pill."
Sean paused, then said, "I loved Lucia Lu. I know exactly what kind of person she was. I already doubted the story, but after hearing that, I got even more suspicious. So I checked every medical text about the Divine Crimson Pill—and that’s when I found the fatal flaw."
"What flaw?" Lord River Drake asked, curious.