<h4>Chapter 873: Pay Back</h4>


    Jiang Yucheng’s remaining words instantly got stuck in his throat, and he almost choked as his expression changed incredulously!


    When the crowd saw this scene, their reactions weren’t any better than that of Jiang Yucheng as they were collectively stunned!?<i>W-what’s going on? What happened to the high and mighty Tianling Power Staff that everyone has to bow down to? What happened to the fact that only the person who holds the Tianling Power Staff can control the royal family and ascend to the top? Why did it suddenly be like this?!</i>


    The previous moment, the Tianling Power Staff was very fierce and directly knocked the Third Princess away. Yet, in the next moment, it was so, so…


    This was too strange!


    The surroundings were too quiet as countless pairs of eyesnded on Chu Liuyue with various gazes.


    Chu Liuyue was also shocked herself. She had vaguely guessed something in her heart when she saw the Tianling Power Staff flying toward her, but she didn’t expect it to be so intimate with her.


    Yes, intimate.


    When it flew over and poked her cheek, the first thought that surfaced in Chu Liuyue’s mind was:?<i>The Tianling Power Staff seems very close to me and likes me very much.</i>


    This feeling was ridiculous but genuine.


    Chu Liuyue blinked and stared at the Tianling Power Staff in front of her.


    At this point, it was still wrapped in a faintyer of light, but she could roughly see its appearance since it was very close to her.


    It was a dark, cylinder-shaped staff that was wide at the top and narrow at the bottom, roughly about three feet tall. Its head seemed to be carved with a dragon, and its tail was sharper as if it were engraved with some sort of pattern.


    Even though it had already retracted its surrounding aura, one could still faintly feel the tremendous ancient suppressioning from it.


    Chu Liuyue could clearly feel that the Tianling Power Staff was indeed going for her, and there was this one moment where she had the urge to hold it in her hands directly!


    However, she hadn’t forgotten what ce this was, much less the countless pairs of eyes staring at her in the surroundings.


    Just as she was nning to suppress her thoughts, an angered and sharp voice sounded. “Chu Liuyue, how dare you?!”


    The ear-piercing shrill instantly woke quite a few people up.


    Chu Liuyue also looked over.


    The person talking was Shangguan Wan. At this point, she was staring at Chu Liuyue furiously with her eyes wide open.


    She looked enraged. “The Tianling Power Staff is a holy item that we’ve treasured for many years in the Tianling Dynasty. It’s the symbol of the royal family’s power! How dare you taint it!?”


    Quite a few people’s faces instantly became incredulous.


    If one wasn’t blind, they would’ve clearly seen that the Tianling Power Staff flew to Chu Liuyue on its own and that it took the initiative to get close to the girl.


    <i>From start to end, Chu Liuyue just stood there and didn’t do anything. Yet, Shangguan Wan said that she tainted the Tianling Power Staff… Her words have distorted the truth…</i>


    Chu Liuyue raised her brows and wasn’t angry as sheughed and lightly said, “Third Princess, do you mean that I summoned this Tianling Power Staff and that I controlled it to do the previous things?”


    Shangguan Wan was stumped.?<i>If I say yes, won’t it be akin to admitting that the Tianling Power Staff can be controlled by a mere Chu Liuyue? If word gets out, won’t it humiliate the royal family?! If I say no… Why would the Tianling Power Staff be so weird?! It rejected meing near it and even directly injured me, yet it was so gentle and obedient toward Chu Liuyue the next moment! Such a thing has never happened in the Tianling Dynasty’s thousand-year-long history!</i>


    <i>The most awkward thing is that the Tianling Power Staff is still quietly floating beside Chu Liuyue as if it’s bent on following her and has no intentions of returning. I need to pick up the Tianling Power Staff! How do I do it in such a situation?!</i>


    Shangguan Wan felt extreme hatred.?<i>Chu Liuyue—it’s Chu Liuyue again! The previous night, Jiang Yucheng confessed to her and took the initiative to propose to her. Today, even the Tianling Power Staff willingly followed her and apanied her!</i>


    “Who knows what methods you used!” Shangguan Wan was so enraged that she almost fainted as she pointed at Chu Liuyue.


    She wanted to scold thetter directly, but she was quickly stopped by Jiang Yucheng. “Wan’er, calm down!”


    He clutched Shangguan Wan’s hand tightly and nced at her with warning.?<i>Why isn’t she looking at herself now! If she loses her temper and causes amotion, it will bepletely over!</i>


    Shangguan Wan tightly bit her lips and controlled her emotions.


    Jiang Yucheng looked at Chu Liuyue deeply and the Tianling Power Staff in front of her, his mind also a mess.


    “Elder Chen Ke,” he called out. “You’ve always been in charge of guarding the Tianling Power Staff. Do you know what exactly is going on?”


    Elder Chen Ke, who was called out, also looked confused. “I-I… I also don’t know what’s going on… The Tianling Power Staff rarely leaves the ck Xuan stone…”


    “You’re the head of the eight royal family elders, and you are personally responsible for all of these matters. If even you don’t know, who else will know?” Jiang Yucheng’s voice became much colder. “No matter what, you must invite the Tianling Power Staff back! If it dys the Third Princess’s ascension ceremony, you will be held responsible!”


    Elder Chen Ke felt wronged.?<i>What has this got to do with me? Not to mention the fact that nobody can control whether the Tianling Power Staff willingly looks for Chu Liuyue, can Shangguan Wan definitely lift it up if Chu Liuyue isn’t here? Everyone here witnessed what happened just now! The Tianling Power Staff was extremely resistant to Shangguan Wan and wasn’t even willing to let her touch it, let alone do anything else! Dy her ascension ceremony… She needs to have the ability to ascend first! Without the Tianling Power Staff’s recognition, today’s ceremony can’t even continue!</i>


    When Elder Chen Ke thought of this, his expression became much more nonchnt. “Prince Consort, I am in charge of guarding the Tianling Power Staff, but I could never control it! Please forgive me for being useless, but I might not be able to do what you just said.”


    Jiang Yucheng instantly became anxious.


    Upon hearing this, Shangguan Wan was even angrier as she raised her voice and pointed at Chu Liuyue. “No matter what, you must invite the Tianling Power Staff back to the ck Xuan stone. If not, how do I continue?”


    Elder Chen Ke cupped his fists, bowed, and said carefully, “Third Princess, it’s not like you don’t know that this Tianling Power Staff is a holy item that has been passed down in the Tianling Dynasty for years. It has its own spiritual mind. If it acknowledges you, it will naturally ede to your request. No matter where it is, you will be able to pick it up. It doesn’t have to be on the ck Xuan stone. However, if it doesn’t acknowledge you… Then, none of us can do anything about it!”


    Shangguan Wan’s face flushed red.?<i>I-is he openly scolding me for not having the right to ascend this throne?!</i>


    She clenched her fists tightly and looked at Chu Liuyue. “I’mmanding you to return the Tianling Power Staff immediately!”