"In order to lure the Dark North Emperor Beast, one must have something to irk it, and it must be something that is intensely hot. I don't know how you found me in the Alternate World, but I can confirm that the object is on your person. It's in your Sumeru Pouch right now. Isn't that right?"

Wu Yu's voice was full of pressure.

And righteousness.

Duan Yi remained stubborn, but his logic was shaky now. And it was as Wu Yu had said: his Sun's Incandescence was a precious object, and he would not have abandoned it.

He had thought that Wu Yu would not be able to spot his passing. This was his greatest mistake.

And as Wu Yu said this, he took a step backwards. Although nothing was said, this step was enough admission for all the elders present that it was basically right on the money.

After he said this, Yin Xuan and Gong Shenjun's faces paled.

Of course, Duan Yi still argued, "Nonsense! You're trying to find an excuse to search my Sumeru Pouch! Every martial cultivator's Sumeru Pouch is sacred property, and not for anyone else to check! You're imagining something, but I won't let you check. You think you can besmirch me like this? Wu Yu, you're too naive!"

He was truly a slippery one.

However, Wu Yu still had more up his sleeve.

But at this time, Yin Ding bellowed, "Enough! Silence! All of you!"

This shout naturally rendered all of them silent. They were temporarily deafened, and could not hear anything.

Yin Ding firstly turned to Yin Yang, saying, "No matter what the truth is, this is a matter between the Yin Residence, the Li Heavenly Province, and the Master of Justice. None of your business. I will investigate from hereon. Yin Yang, take Wu Yu out first."

This was as Wu Yu had expected.

Yin Ying had indeed been the victim, but Yin Ding did not wish to fall out with the Li Heavenly Province and the Master of Justice simply because of this. Especially the Master of Justice.

They all wished for this to be resolved internally, and not for their dirty linen to be aired in public. If it were made public, then Yin Ding would have no choice but to pressure and make trouble for the Li Heavenly Province and the Master of Justice in order to seek justice for his daughter.

Right now, they already knew the truth, and definitely did not want Wu Yu to remain here to escalate it. Therefore, they had Yin Yang send Wu Yu away.

Actually, if not for the fact that Wu Yu had Princess You Xue's protection, they might not have let him leave at this time.

In the end, the issue was that Yin Ding did not treasure Yin Ying enough. If he loved her dearly enough, he would definitely seek Duan Yi and the others' lives!

What troubled him was that his own son, Yin Xuan, was in the mix. If word of this got out, they would be like one's own hand fighting against one's own foot. Minister Yin's reputation would be in the dirt.

That would be even more of an issue.

Right now, he really hated Duan Yi and his group, and wished for nothing better than to see them dead. But this matter had too many implications, and had to be resolved in a rational manner.

As Yin Ding made this decision, Wu Yu could not help but laugh bitterly. He really felt that Yin Ying was quite pitiful, to have a father that favored sons over daughters.

Hearing Yin Ding's words, Duan Yi and the others breathed a sigh of relief. Before they knew it, they had been covered in cold sweat. They looked at Wu Yu again. Naturally, they looked at him with spite and hate. After today, they would definitely not rest until he was dead.

Wu Yu did not expect Yin Ding to accuse and punish them before him either, for his daughter's sake. This too was within his expectations.

Therefore, besides feeling that Yin Ying had been wronged, he had already concluded that this should not be a place where he should linger.

"Wu Yu!" As he was about to leave, Yin Ding called out to him. This time, he came to stand in front of Wu Yu himself, pinning him down with suffocating pressure. He dictated, "This is a major issue, and we will investigate it thoroughly. We will not let the perpetrator off, but we will also not malign anyone. Right now, the truth has yet to come to light, and I forbid you from blabbing your mouth off outside, or speak of it. Even if someone asks you, keep your mouth shut! If there is gossip outside, we of the Yin Residence will make you pay the price, no matter how much Princess You Xue protects you. Do you believe me?"

Wu Yu had expected this. Since he hoped to settle this matter internally, then Yin Ding would not want news of this to leak. This would not help their families.

He did not expect Wu Yu to reply composedly: "Don't worry. I will not say a single word. This matter does not concern me. Besides, I'm not injured. I just wish there was someone to exact justice for Yin Ying. That girl was striving hard for her chiliarch rank. I admire her, and right now she has met with such a calamity. A pity. Oh, what a pity...."

His tone had a hint of mockery in it, calculated to stoke the anger in Yin Ding's heart. But Wu Yu was right. Yin Ying was a pitiful one. Yin Ding had to feel bad at this reminder!

Yin Yang and the others had ugly expressions too. At this time, he saw that Yin Ding was about to blow up, so Yin Yang scooped Wu Yu up and took him outside.

"Wu Yu, I know that you want to get back at those who harmed Yin Ying, but this matter is over, and none of your concern. I know that your motive at Dark North is to use Princess You Xue's aid to gain cultivation resources and strengthen yourself. Remember your goal. Don't stick your nose in our business, or my big brother will truly make you regret it. Hear me?" Yin Yang said outside.

Wu Yu nodded frankly. "I know that you want to find out the truth as well. But this matter implicates too many, and so you are obliged to settle this internally. I get no benefit from leaking this. Don't worry, I know what to do."

Yin Yang nodded. "It’s good that you understand. Remember, if not for Princess You Xue, you might not even have been able to leave the Yin Residence today. Understood?"

Wu Yu nodded as well. "No need to see me out, I'll head back to the camp myself."

Saying so, he turned and left.

Seeing that he was no idiot, Yin Yang was a little more relieved.

"Little Ying really had bad luck this time. She was caught up with someone important! Scolding and punishment were acceptable, killing was not. When the Li Heavenly Province and the Master of Justice find out, they will probably come personally to apologize and compensate, and think of ways to save Little Ying. Duan Yi and Gong Shenjun will probably not be heavily punished. At most, Xuan Er will take a beating." Yin Yang sighed as he headed back to the Yin Residence. Yin Ding had probably already sent out core-tail talismans to the Master of Justice and the Li Heavenly Province.

......

"You're just gonna back down and let it rest, just like that?" Along the way, Ming Long grumbled.

Wu Yu had left too quickly today. It was unlike him.

Wu Yu returned to the Burning Skies Barracks very quickly. He said, "Why would I give up so easily? Here at the Dark North Kingdom, the last thing I'm afraid of is death. There must be justice in all things. If Yin Ying's family will not seek justice for her, then I will have to be the judge."

With Princess You Xue and the Somersault Cloud, he was truly afraid of neither heaven nor hell.

"What do you plan to do?" Ming Long asked curiously.

"Just wait and see." Wu Yu had just received a core-tail talisman from Princess You Xue, asking him what had happened.

Wu Yu directly replied, "I'm going to prepare something drastic. Prepare to support me at any time."

After Princess You Xue understood the situation, she naturally did not challenge Wu Yu's decision. Instead, she said, "No matter what, I will help you stand against these people."

After all, she approved of his decision. She and Yin Ying actually knew each other, and had gotten along fairly well. It was simply that Yin Ying was more of a loner, and they had not met often.

Back at the Burning Skies Barracks, Wu Yu did not return to his own quarters, but headed for a place called the Merit Hall.

This was where one recorded merits.

Wu Yu had prepared all the proof of the Alternate Creatures that he had killed in the Alternate World, including Yin Ying's share.

The people manning the Dark North Merit Hall were independent of the Burning Skies Barracks. This place was manned strictly. At any time, there would be multiple stringent checks of many tiers, so that no one would claim a single extra merit.

However, the Dark North Merit Hall was currently in a state of confusion, perhaps because of the fiasco in the Alternate World. Everyone was discussing the Dark North Emperor Beast. Within the Dark North Merit Hall, no one had come to record merits.

When Wu Yu appeared here, not many recognized him at first, regarding him as an ordinary dark north soldier.

"Take out your merit proof." Wu Yu came to a wooden table, and the person there casually informed Wu Yu while dealing with someone else.

Wu Yu nodded. He opened his Sumeru Pouch and took them out. He had a lot of evidence, and it was all very thorough. He shocked them all with the sheer volume.

"A dark north soldier has that much?!"

"That's a Black Storm? This is a Stygian River? These add up to what? 200 merits?"

"A dark north soldier has that many merits from a single expedition?"

Ordinarily, you would immediately go and register your merits after each trip into the Alternate World. An ordinary dark north soldier would not have so much, unless they stayed at Alternate World for a few years.

But dark north soldiers needed a centurion to accompany them. How could they stay inside alone for years?

"Isn't that guy Wu Yu? I heard that he was with Yin Ying when trouble happened. He escaped, although Yin Ying did not!"

"This is the Wu Yu who Princess You Xue brought back?" Instantly, a hubbub broke out, and Wu Yu was thronged by curious onlookers.

"Wu Yu, did you really meet the Dark North Emperor Beast? How is Yin Ying now?"

"That's not right, how did you manage to escape from the Dark North Emperor Beast?"

They pestered him, concerned.

Wu Yu asked, "I came to record merits. Can I do it first?"

"Merits? These were all from hunting with Yin Ying?" Everyone knew that his ability was no less than Yin Ying's, so it was understandable that he could get this many.

But it was still a lot - after all, Wu Yu had spent only a short time inside.

"That's right."

"So you have to come with Yin Ying."

Hearing this, Wu Yu's face fell. He looked at them and said, "That's tricky. She might not be able to come ever again, and even worse, there isn't even anyone who can exact justice on her behalf for this disaster...."