Chapter 748: Chapter 449: Endless Demon King_2

“Only today, the person who attempted to assassinate Logan claimed it was by command of the Grand Elder. This piqued my curiosity: was it truly the Grand Elder’s manipulation or was it a fabrication to falsely accuse him? I wonder if the Grand Elder could provide an explanation. After all, Logan is now the benefactor of the Monster Beast Clan, and we must not let our benefactor be disheartened.”

“King, you came with ten thousand men, claiming merely to inquire? Don’t you already preconceive the facts!” The Grand Elder was not perturbed by the Demon King’s words but instead countered with a prickly retort.

The other party’s words were barbed, intending to watch him make a mistake and thus reveal the truth, yet what grand event had he not witnessed in his thousand years of life?

The Demon King paused for a moment and then said, “Grand Elder, do not misunderstand. The recent events have forced me to be cautious. These ten thousand men are not to ward off the Grand Elder but to fear possible ambushes along the way. Ten thousand men are here for my protection—how could the Grand Elder feel uneasy?”

“Would I fear these mere ten thousand men? Lord Demon King, if you are just here to inquire, then I will tell you that I know nothing of the matter and have not misled anyone. As for why those several dozen people mentioned me—a mystery to me as well—I suppose they thought involving me might spare them.”

The Grand Elder appeared nonchalant, looking at the Demon King: “As the Great Elder of the Demon Race, I have served with dedication through three generations of Demon Kings. The clan has seen it. If the Demon King has no evidence but insists on blaming me, it would chill the hearts of our people.”

“Grand Elder, it is not that I believe solely one side of the story, but all those several dozen men are Elders. They usually pay no mind to me, the Demon King, and have always followed the Grand Elder’s commands—how do you explain this? And without someone’s instigation behind them, would they dare to be so bold?”

The Demon King pressed on with his questions, causing a brief flicker of panic in the Grand Elder, who soon regained his composure. After all, as long as he used the lack of evidence as an excuse, even if the Demon King’s suspicions were logical and well-founded, it would ultimately be hard to convince others, at least the ordinary members of the Monster Beast Clan.

“Lord Demon King, when one desires to fabricate an accusation, they will find the words. I reiterate, I cannot prove my innocence, but I am indeed innocent!”

The Grand Elder stated each word distinctly, and at that moment, the people of his lineage also rushed over, a thousand strong, standing behind the Grand Elder.

But following them were tens of thousands more, all having learned of the conflict between the Demon King and the Grand Elder, they hastened to the scene.

Neither the Demon King nor the Grand Elder wanted conflict, as it would only lead to divisiveness within the Monster Beast Clan, making them a laughingstock to others.

“Grand Elder, you are an elder of the Monster Beast Clan. If there wasn’t conclusive evidence, would I dare to come here? As the Demon King, of course, I must be fair and just.”

The Demon King spoke coolly, very unsatisfied: “Today, if you do not provide an explanation, do not blame me for being ruthless. Logan is the benefactor of the Monster Beast Clan, and this justice must be served.”

“Demon King, it’s futile to talk more. What does it matter if one dies? Today, in front of all the Demon Race, take action. But I absolutely refuse to plead guilty.”

The Grand Elder stepped forward, looking at the tens of thousands of onlookers: “I have toiled for the Monster Beast Clan all my life. Now that I am old, I must endure this false accusation. Well, if sacrificing myself will appease the Demon King’s rage and stabilize the Monster Beast Clan, then I am willing to make that sacrifice.”

“Grand Elder, don’t say such things; everyone has seen it. For many years you’ve been dedicated, and the clan has observed your efforts.”

“Demon King, do not punish the Grand Elder. Even if the Grand Elder is suspected, it’s not unlikely that it’s a frame-up by outsiders. The Monster Beast Clan has made many enemies; surely this is a ploy to sow discord.”

“Logan saved the Secret Land, and the Monster Beast Clan should be grateful, but that doesn’t mean we should let everything slide. Couldn’t we just give some Spirit Stones to send him on his way?”

The crowd was visibly moved, all addressing the Demon King. The Grand Elder’s heart revealed a trace of smugness—indeed, these people were easy to sway.

The Demon King, upon hearing these ignorant statements, naturally grew even angrier, but if he were to strike at them, wouldn’t that just please the Grand Elder? The Grand Elder had been so persuasive over the years that people had extraordinary trust in him, unwilling to believe what others did.

Logan showed a hint of amusement—the situation was becoming increasingly interesting, only he wondered, what choice would the Demon King make next?

This was not just about seeking justice for oneself, but more importantly, the credibility of the Demon King was at stake. Now, who did the members of the Monster Beast Clan truly listen to?

If the Demon King let today’s matter slide, the Grand Elder would only gain more leverage, and inevitably, one day, he might unite everyone to drive away the Demon King.

The reason the Demon King was still king was simply that he was stronger, but as soon as the Grand Elder advanced further in his realm, he could fight on par with the Demon King. Add to that the support of many others, while the Demon King could rally only tens of thousands of troops, obviously not enough.

If Logan were the Demon King, he would have executed the Grand Elder first, no matter how much others sympathized with the Grand Elder; as long as the opposition became dead, who would go to war with the Demon King over a dead person? The Demon King was looking back and forth, showing none of the decisiveness expected of a king.

The Demon King stared at the Grand Elder, then suddenly laughed out loud, “Grand Elder, I never said I wanted to kill you. I just came to ask and confirm the truth, that’s all.”

“Demon King, Your Excellency, you have already asked. If there is nothing else, you may leave,” the Grand Elder said, brimming with triumph, as the Demon King eventually took a step back.

“No rush, let’s wait a moment,” the Demon King said casually, waving his hand. “In a moment, there will be a result. I believe it will also clear the Grand Elder’s name.”

“What do you mean by that, what do you want to do?” The Grand Elder asked, puzzled yet very cautious. The Demon King’s words seemed to carry a certainty about owning him.

Ignoring the others’ opinions, could it be that the Demon King was thinking of making a move on him regardless? He suddenly took a sharp breath; if that happened, he was done for. While tens of thousands of people currently sympathized with his plight, if it really came down to defending him, everyone would steer clear of the conflict.

A moment later, the Demon Race General came to the Demon King’s ear and whispered, “Demon King, Your Excellency, we did indeed catch his confidant sneaking out the back door of the Grand Elder’s residence. We found thirty Space Storage Bags on him. I checked them personally, and each Storage Bag contained a massive amount of Top-Grade Spirit Stones and Heavenly Treasures.”

“By conservative estimates, they are worth ten thousand Top-Grade Spirit Stones, equivalent to the entire foundation of the Demon Beast Secret Realm. Not even the Grand Elder’s lineage could amass such wealth without eating or drinking for ten thousand years. It’s clear he’s been skimming from the Secret Realm for years. No wonder the number of Spirit Stones has halved over the years.”

“At the same time, the Teleportation Array a mile outside the residence was activated. The Grand Elder must have realized something was amiss, afraid that we would actually make a move, so he prepared to flee with the Spirit Stones through the Teleportation Array. Luckily, you took precautions, ordering people to surround the back door, enabling us to capture everyone involved,” the General reported.

“Good, let’s see what the Grand Elder has to say now!” The Demon King laughed out loud and instructed the Demon Race General, “Bring the man here. With tens of thousands gathered, let the people of the Monster Beast Clan see for themselves who their respected Grand Elder is, and whether he is truly selfless.”

Afterward, one of the General’s subordinates brought someone forward. Everyone recognized him as an underling of the Grand Elder, someone the Grand Elder had always trusted greatly. He had always been up to no good, but because of the Grand Elder’s face, people had put up with him time and again.

Upon seeing the Grand Elder, Demon Xiao Wu immediately burst into tears: “Grand Elder, the Demon King’s generals are too presumptuous. They not only killed more than a hundred of our men but also beat me severely, and even the Space Storage Bags were snatched away. Everything is lost, even the Teleportation Array has been shut down.”

“Damn it.” The moment Demon Xiao Wu was brought forward, the Grand Elder realized something was wrong, and upon hearing this news, he nearly passed out. All the foundations he had accumulated in his lifetime were taken away? If he didn’t have these resources, what would he do?

Most crucially, even if Demon Xiao Wu was captured, why speak out in public? Now, he couldn’t even begin to defend himself.