If you force me to take the blame, I'll spend a day in jail and gain a year's worth of spi

"Zhang Yu?"

After a brief silence, a burst of suppressed gasps and murmurs erupted in the hall.

Who is Zhang Yu?

The vast majority of high-ranking members of the royal family were unfamiliar with the name "Zhang Yu".

"The eldest son of the Marquis of Yong'an, that...that famous 'martial arts failure' and 'abandoned son of the Marquis's family'?"

"How is that possible?"

"Has Princess Fenghua mistaken you for someone else?"

Even if someone recognizes Zhang Yu, their impression of him is limited to that of a family outcast and a sycophant.

"Impossible, absolutely impossible."

A prince exclaimed, his face filled with absurdity and disbelief:

"I've heard a little about Zhang Yu from the Yong'an Marquis's mansion; he's just a good-for-nothing with only a first-grade cultivation level."

Moreover, he was weak-willed and only knew how to please his stepmother and younger siblings, making him a notorious laughingstock in the capital.

How could he possibly possess such extraordinary abilities?

"Niece Fenghua, are you sure you're not mistaken?"

"Yes, that's absurd."

Others echoed this sentiment, finding it utterly unacceptable.

It was even harder for them to accept that a "good-for-nothing" in their eyes had slapped the face of the entire royal family than being slapped in the face by a reclusive master.

This is a double insult to their intelligence and royal dignity.

However, Du Jun suddenly stood up from his seat, staring intently at Zhang Yu on the light screen, his eyes filled with unprecedented shock and... a bitter realization.

"It's him...it really is him..."

Du Jun muttered to himself, incredulously saying:

"It's simply unbelievable. Zhang Yu is not only a master of alchemy, but he also cultivates array formations, and his array formation skills are no less than those of Xiao Xuan, a master of array formations. How did he do that?"

He simply couldn't imagine how one person could simultaneously cultivate both formations and alchemy.

"President Du, do you know this person?"

Xiao Xuan suddenly turned his head, his sharp gaze shooting towards Du Jun like a hawk.

Du Jun gave a bitter laugh, his smile filled with self-mockery and a deep sense of powerlessness: "It's more than just knowing him... he's my... close friend despite the age gap."

"A friendship that transcends age?"

Everyone was shocked once again.

Du Jun was the president of the Pharmacists' Guild, a figure even the emperor treated with deference.

He actually became "friends with a young man in his early twenties who was abandoned by a noble family?

"That's right."

Du Jun took a deep breath and said in a deep voice:

"Gentlemen, we have all misjudged the situation."

Zhang Yu is by no means a "martial arts failure" or a "discarded son of a noble family".

His mastery of alchemy... is no less than mine, and may even be... higher.

"What?"

These words were like another thunderclap, exploding in the hall.

His mastery of alchemy is no less than that of Du Jun?

Du Ke was the foremost alchemist in the State of Wei, a grandmaster and master alchemist.

Zhang Yu, a twenty-year-old young man, has a higher level of alchemy skills than Du Jun?

How is that possible?

"Brother Du, is this really true?"

Xiao Xuan's expression became extremely solemn, and his voice even changed slightly.

A young man whose array formations are divine and whose alchemy skills are comparable to Du Jun's?

Is this...is this even human?

"Absolutely true."

Du Jun's tone was absolutely certain, a complex light flashing in his eyes:

"I have personally witnessed him refining elixirs; his techniques were incredibly skillful, and his understanding of the properties of medicines reached an unbelievable level."

Moreover… he could casually produce the 'Bodhi Pill,' a sacred elixir that had been lost for a long time.

"Bodhi Pill?"

Everyone gasped again.

That's a legendary elixir, a sacred medicine that can improve aptitude and help people break through bottlenecks.

How could Zhang Yu just casually take it out?

"Your Majesty, Ancestor."

At this moment, the intelligence chief, who had been silent all along, presented a well-organized and detailed intelligence report about Zhang Yu.

Xiao Zhengshan took the intelligence report, quickly scanned it, and his expression became increasingly complex.

From doubt, to shock, and then... bewilderment and profound disbelief.

The intelligence report contained a detailed record of Zhang Yu's life.

This...this is the perfect, complete image of a "good-for-nothing," a "loser," and a "family outcast."

The "mysterious master" in the light screen who controlled the Heavenly Prison Formation, rendered the Grandmaster helpless, and received endless praise from Du Jun was actually two different people!

"What... what exactly is going on?"

Xiao Zhengshan's hands trembled slightly as he held the intelligence report. He looked at the intelligence chief, his voice hoarse, "Are you sure... this intelligence report is correct?"

The intelligence chief, his forehead dripping with cold sweat, bowed and said, "Your Majesty, the intelligence... is absolutely true, and has been verified repeatedly. As for why... this subject... this subject does not know."

Yes, why?

This was also the biggest question in the minds of everyone in the hall.

How could someone who was clearly described in intelligence as a "waste" suddenly become a peerless genius with divine array formations and unparalleled alchemy skills, shocking even Du Jun and Xiao Xuan?

The only explanation is... he's been faking it all along!

They kept up the pretense for three whole years, or even longer.

The thought sent chills down everyone's spine.

What a profound and cunning scheme!

What a brilliant disguise!

They actually fooled everyone in the Marquis's mansion, fooled the eyes and ears of the entire capital, and even... fooled their royal family's intelligence system!

"What a Zhang Yu... what a 'discarded son of the Marquis's mansion'..."

Looking at the still calm young man in the light screen, Xiao Xuan's eyes flashed with an unprecedented sense of apprehension and... a nameless fear.

"After three years of patient endurance, he has made a name for himself. This temperament, this method... this young man is terrifying."

Inside the main hall, a deathly silence fell once again.

Everyone is processing this disruptive and terrifying fact.

"Then... what do we do now?"

Xiao Zhengshan looked at Xiao Xuan, his voice carrying a hint of fear that he himself was unaware of.

Inside the main hall of the Imperial Clan Court.

The atmosphere was so heavy it was almost suffocating.

Xiao Xuan's indecisiveness, the pillar of the royal family, weighed heavily on everyone's hearts.

Just then, Du Jun, seeing his old friend Xiao Xuan's furrowed brows and solemn expression, suddenly chuckled, breaking the suffocating silence.

"My friend, there's no need to panic."

Du Jun's voice carried a hint of reassurance and certainty:

"I have had a few interactions with this young friend Zhang."

This young man is not a vicious person; his sudden outburst today must have a reason, perhaps some misunderstanding.

Upon hearing this, Xiao Xuan's eyes flickered slightly as he looked at Du Jun: "Brother Du, are you sure?"

"I wouldn't say I'm 100% sure, but I'm about 70-80% sure."

Du Jun nodded confidently, "Let me ask him."

Without further hesitation, Du Jun stepped forward.

He addressed the suspended light screen, speaking loudly:

"Young friend Zhang, why are you making such a commotion? Do you want to demolish the Ministry of Justice's prison, or do you want to overturn Old Man Xiao's Imperial Clan Court?"

Look how scared Old Man Xiao is, he's sweating bullets.

"What's wrong? Let's talk it out. There's no need to make a scene."

Inside the prison, Prince Jing, Xiao Fenghua, and the others were all taken aback when they heard Du Jun's words.

This further confirms that Zhang Yu and Du Jun have an unusual relationship; his tone of voice is too casual.