Chapter 1097 Care To Explain Yourself!?
Ancestor Dian Alstreim's eyes relaxed as he promptly calmed down. Since it was given as a gift to Alchemist Davis, he did not lay his eyes on it any longer. It was normal to feel desire, but he understood that only if he acted on it would it truly become greed.
Besides, how can he take from the youth whom he deemed to be Alstreim Family's hope?
Nevertheless, he couldn't understand why Alchemist Davis would bring it out at this point in time.
Just to brag? Well, he could understand wanting to show off the Undaunted Purple Lotus Petal, but this just made him angry at Elder Zeno Alstreim.
How dare he not use it on himself or gift it to the family but gift it to an 'outsider' just for the sake of obtaining favor before being awarded a Low-Level Emperor Grade Treasure?
To him, the petal was more important than a single Low-Level Emperor Grade Treasure in the Treasury!
'Wait... Why is Zeno Alstreim's expression strange?' He abruptly noticed.
"Alchemist Davis," Elder Zeno Alstreim respectfully spoke, "I know what you're holding is the Undaunted Purple Lotus Petal, but I'm afraid you have the wrong person as it was not me who sold that to Weiss Alstreim."
"Haha..." Davis laughed as he knew that the other party screwed up at being pressured by every eye present here, "You're truly amusing. I never said something about selling..."
Elder Zeno Alstreim's expression froze.
"In any case," Davis continued, "The younger generation who visited the Purple Guest Palace just a while ago can attest to the fact that I received an Undaunted Purple Lotus Petal as a gift from Weiss Alstreim, and now that we have proved that it is indeed from Elder Zeno Alstreim, I want to show you all something..."
However, Davis remained floating in the air; his hand reached out while he held the Undaunted Purple Lotus Petal in his palm. He didn't make any movements but kept having the same amused smile on his face.
"What do you want to show?" Grand Elder Valdrey Alstreim asked in doubt.
He rather found this ridiculous as he saw the scene play out because it was not they who were being targeted right now but his trusted and loyal subordinate Elder Zeno Alstreim.
What did he have to do with this?
"Why are you all shy? Aren't I holding it out already? Take a closer look at it, preferably with your soul sense..."
'Mhm?' Everyone felt dubious, but a few curious fellows sent their soul sense the next second.
However, they shook their heads, feeling nothing out of the ordinary. Instead, they immersed themselves in the aura of the Undaunted Purple Lotus Petal, feeling that they might perhaps receive a bit of benefit.
"What!?"
Everyone swiveled their heads as they turned to look at the Ancestor in shock! The normally calm Ancestor had his eyes-wide in rage.
"It's poisoned!?"
Every other Elder and Grand Elders became shocked! This is truly something that they can't ignore! Instantly, they sent their soul sense towards the petal once again, but only a select few who were at the Peak-Level Mature Soul Stage were able to find the poison.
"What!?"
"I sense a vague hint of poisoning...!" Grand Elder Lloyd Alstreim exclaimed.
"This is..."
Grand Elder Valdrey Alstreim's expression also simultaneously fell. Indeed, he could find an unknown, seamless, and odorless poison laced on the petal with his soul sense. Slowly, everyone started to become aware of it with the confirmation of the Grand Elders.
"That's right, Ancestor Dian Alstreim. The Undaunted Purple Lotus Petal was clearly laced with poison when I received it."
"Weiss Alstreim, were you aware that the Undaunted Purple Lotus Petal you received from Elder Zeno Alstreim was poisoned?" Davis turned to ask.
"... No." Weiss Alstreim absentmindedly answered.
"Did you poison it then?"
"... No."
"There we have it!" Davis cast his look back to Ancestor Dian Alstreim, "With Weiss Alstreim's statement, it is clear that Elder Zeno Alstreim tried to poison me through Weiss Alstreim..."
Everyone felt dubious of Alchemist Davis's investigation. Wasn't it possible for him to control Weiss Alstreim since Weiss Alstreim was his slave?
He could twist the truth as he wanted using Weiss Alstreim's mouth, so they rather found it difficult to believe.
But to Ancestor Dian Alstreim, who knew that Davis was at the Supreme Soul Stage and almost capable of more than him in terms of Soul Forging Cultivation, could tell that finding a poison of this level should be as easy as reacting to it when it is close by!
He directed a look of calmness at Elder Zeno Alstreim but hidden within it was a stomach of rage that he found hard to suppress. He did not care about the Undaunted Purple Lotus Petal being poisoned, but he felt immense anger at Elder Zeno Alstreim for trying to kill the prodigy of the Alstreim Family!
How could he allow such a thing to happen on his watch!?
"Zeno Alstreim!!! Care to explain yourself!?" He bellowed.
Elder Zeno Alstreim felt a chill up his spine as his expression became cowardly, "No! It was true that I was the one who sold the Undaunted Purple Lotus Petal to Weiss Alstreim, but I wasn't aware of it being poisoned!!"
"Ha!" Davis coldly chuckled, "So now you accept that you were the one who sold it when you just denied it a while ago? Rather convenient, huh?"
"No... No! It was not me who poisoned it!!!" Elder Zeno Alstreim trembled as he looked at everyone. It was almost as if he was searching for someone who could help him back up his statement.
Davis sneered at Elder Zeno Alstreim.
Before at the Purple Guest Palace, he had considered Immeth Alstreim and Elder Zeno Alstreim or a third party whom he hadn't seen yet to have tried to poison him but to think that it was Elder Zeno Alstreim all along.
Although the character responsible was caught and leaving aside the motives, Davis still didn't understand how this idiot could easily let go of an Undaunted Purple Lotus Petal like that by poisoning it.
In the first place, he still couldn't understand how this bloke obtained such a treasure but failed to use it on himself, or give it to the Alstreim Family but use it to poison him.
Perhaps, was Elder Zeno Alstreim trying to incite discord, a flint that would light up in an instant upon being grazed? Not between him and Grand Elder Valdrey Alstreim but between the Dragon Queen and Grand Elder Valdrey Alstreim!
In Elder Zeno Alstreim's perspective, if they both fought, he would be the one to come out in the top in the end! In that perspective, perhaps using the Undaunted Purple Lotus Petal to poison him was worth it, not to mention that it would be truly tempting and effective to a person such as Alchemist Davis, who specialized in Soul Forging Cultivation.
Davis mused that Elder Zeno Alstreim probably thought Alchemist Davis would consume it as soon as he obtained it. Hence, it would be unexpected for him to be exposed at this moment, making him intensely nervous and cause him to make mistakes in his excuses as he was unprepared.
Davis already knew that Elder Zeno Alstreim possessed ill intentions, so he was convinced that it was Elder Zeno Alstreim who tried to poison him to death!
"Stop refuting, Zeno Alstreim. You are the one who tried to kill me, and if you say you aren't, prove to me otherwise!" He coldly uttered.
But, Elder Zeno Alstreim just shook his head in denial, unable to provide an answer.
Everyone also became convinced by Alchemist Davis's investigation that was conducted in front of them.
However, Ancestor Dian Alstreim also didn't understand the motive behind Elder Zeno Alstreim's actions. He couldn't understand why Elder Zeno Alstreim would sabotage like this when it is disadvantageous to his master's amicable relationship with the Dragon Queen.
He had heard how Elder Zeno Alstreim was loyal to Grand Elder Valdrey Alstreim. Unless Elder Zeno Alstreim and Grand Elder Valdrey Alstreim had fallen out, he couldn't see a scenario like this occurring.
"Zeno is it true about... what you did...?" Grand Elder Valdrey Alstreim's expression trembled.
Elder Zeno Alstreim increasingly trembled. His back started to sweat, and his eyes darted around, but his eyes suddenly went wide before he heaved a deep sigh and closed his eyes in resignation.
"It was indeed me..."
Everyone's expression changed.
"How dare you!?"
"To poison an exemplary guest of the Alstreim Family... were you trying to invite a calamity to the Alstreim Family!?"
"If the Dragon Queen came to know about this, do you know what would happen!?"
The Elders and Grand Elders raged as they bellowed.
If Alchemist Davis had fallen prey to the poisoned Undaunted Purple Lotus Petal, then they would have no choice but to make an enemy of the Dragon Queen, not to mention the immensely powerful Protector.
At that point, even if they managed to survive in the end, it was rather clear that they could no longer remain in the Territory and would have to run for their lives!
This is a crime deserving of death!
"I understand my wrongs... and I am extremely appalled and ashamed to say that I did it in a moment of delusion. Revered Ancestor, I have no face nor pride or status to remain here. I deserve death!" Elder Zeno Alstreim quickly went on all fours and lowered his head towards Alchemist Davis in the air.
He quickly interchanged his position and kowtowed towards Ancestor Dian Alstreim and Grand Elder Valdrey Alstreim. He kept on kowtowing towards the three of them and blamed himself as if seeking forgiveness.