Chapter 158: Fratricide and Death

"My lord, here is your saber."

Sun-tanned and weather-beaten, Chen Xingyan had finally arrived at Feiyuan Island.

Floating out at sea, he had no inkling of the events that had transpired in Eastshore City.

Baili Feihong took the Blood Sea Long Saber in his hand.

The Qin Clan's Saber Workshop was already destroyed.

Stroke by stroke, he caressed the Blood Sea Long Saber, filled with a myriad of emotions.

"Xingyan, you've worked hard."

Recovering his wits, Baili Feihong looked at Chen Xingyan. Blessed with the Fire Aspect Talent and refocusing on body refinement, Chen's physique radiated like a blazing furnace, sending waves of intense heat washing over him.

"Not bad at all. Your second blood-refinement has reached great completion. Once your six bones are fully perfected, you can attempt the third blood stage. However, your acupoints are a bit lacking; I will impart the cultivation method for the Diurnal Stellar Acupoints to you."

A faint smile hung on the corner of Baili Feihong's lips.

Chen Xingyan indeed possessed extraordinary talent. Breaking through to the Yuanti realm and achieving the status of a Divine Power Master in the future would be virtually effortless for him.

As for the Dharmic Form, it would depend entirely on his own fortune.

"Thank you, My Lord, for the bestowal."

Chen Xingyan's eyes were filled with pleasant surprise.

In truth, the *Demon-Suppressing Six Paths Scripture* contained methods for acupoint cultivation, but locating those hidden acupoints was an immensely difficult task.

He had previously only managed to unlock eighteen acupoints, which already placed him at the absolute pinnacle among his peers.

"The *Demon-Suppressing Six Paths Scripture* records a supreme divine power known as: Diurnal Stars. It is inextricably linked to the diurnal acupoints. If you fail to open up all three hundred and sixty-five acupoints, this supreme divine power will remain closed to you. Given your talent, once you master this divine power, it will tremendously aid your Fire Aspect. Nourishing the Fire Aspect with the stars of the firmament will ensure that the Dharmic Form you cultivate is bound to the sun itself."

In just a few words, Baili Feihong mapped out Chen Xingyan's future martial path.

Chen Xingyan's eyes gleamed with brilliance, his heart surging with excitement.

"Furthermore, do not address me as 'My Lord' henceforth. Call me Master. From now on, you are my eldest disciple. Although that boy Shangguan Zhen was the first to shout the title, he can only rank fourth."

Chen Xingyan immediately dropped to both knees and kowtowed: "Disciple Chen Xingyan pays respects to Master."

"I shall impart the Dao, teach you skills, and resolve your doubts, but there is little difference in our ages. We needn't be so bound by rigid formalities in the future. I accept this bow, and from this day forward, you are Baili Feihong's disciple."

Baili Feihong was not overly solemn regarding his attitude toward his disciples.

His youth was a glaring fact, and moreover, he had no wish to impose archaic, rigid master-disciple dynamics upon himself and his pupils.

Chen Xingyan was deeply moved, but a thousand words stuck in his throat, unable to be uttered.

"Study hard, and grow stronger. That is the best repayment you can give me."

With those words, Baili Feihong pressed his palm against Chen Xingyan's forehead, transmitting a surge of information directly into his mind.

"The *Blood-Refinement Returning Origin Technique* is a method I created based on the *Blood Origin Technique*. Once you have cultivated the *Blood-Refinement Returning Origin Technique* to perfection, you may then practice the *All-Things Returning Origin Cauldron Technique*. That cultivation method forms the core of my blood-refinement arts."

The *All-Things Returning Origin Cauldron Technique* was the technique predating the upgrade of the All-Things Returning Origin Cauldron, before it had integrated various martial paths such as the *Demon-Suppressing Six Paths Scripture*.

They were incapable of practicing the All-Things Returning Origin Cauldron directly.

The demands of that technique were simply too high; without the Skill Codex, even if they cultivated until the day they died, they might never reach the Yuanti realm.

The *Demon-Suppressing Six Paths Scripture* was equally formidable and could seamlessly integrate the *All-Things Returning Origin Cauldron Technique*.

Chen Xingyan was immensely thrilled.

Who on Feiyuan Island did not know that his master's most formidable mastery lay in the Dao of Blood Refinement?

"As for your other junior martial brothers and sisters, when the time is right, I will hold a master-accepting banquet and take you all in as disciples at once."

The fallout from the destruction of Eastshore City was still fermenting.

However, the most crucial event in the Great Yuan Empire was currently unfolding, and the imperial court had yet to issue an official stance regarding the annihilation of Eastshore City.

"The Dragon ascends to heaven; the grand state funeral is today."

Calculating the dates, the throne had stood vacant for far too long; a decision had to be made.

If the Great Yuan Empire lacked a Crown Prince, the struggle for the throne would have dragged on even longer.

Yet with the Crown Prince holding the position up until this very day, the Eighteenth Prince had failed to turn the tables. After today, he would no longer have any opportunity.

Today was the day the Martial Ancestor was laid to rest. Anyone wishing to stir up trouble had better ask the Guliang Imperial Family whether they consented.

Meanwhile, within the Imperial Capital.

The atmosphere was oppressive.

The Five Elders of Demon Suppression and the Three Senior Elders of the Divine Supervision Division had all emerged from seclusion.

The Heavenly Guardian Marshal's Mansion deployed its Heavenly Guardian Generals to guard the four directions.

Furthermore, Blood Generals of the Demon Suppression Division stood tall among the clouds, monitoring the surroundings.

The Imperial Capital's Forbidden Army saturated every single street in the capital.

A guard every three paces, the entire Imperial Capital was placed under strict surveillance.

Once the gates of the Imperial Mausoleum closed, the real drama was only just beginning.

The eighteen princes were immediately escorted back to their respective estates.

At the Prince Qin Estate, Eighteenth Prince His Highness Guliang Jinghong was pacing anxiously back and forth in the back courtyard.

"Has the Cabinet concluded its deliberations?"

Anxiety laced Guliang Jinghong's tone.

"Your Highness, the Cabinet meeting is still ongoing, and the Imperial Clan Court has already intervened."

Seated within the pavilion, a bearded scholar wearing a square scholar's cap fanned himself leisurely as he spoke.

"Your Highness must not lose your composure. Facing major events requires a tranquil mind."

"Tranquil? Once my eldest imperial brother ascends the throne, everyone in the Prince Qin Estate will escape neither execution nor purge."

Guliang Jinghong said resentfully. His youthful face contorted, the intense emotional fluctuation causing the veins on his forehead to bulge menacingly.

"With just a single word from Your Highness, the Primeval Demon Palace will make its move and eliminate the Crown Prince..."

Strategist Zhuge Qinglong made a slicing gesture across his neck.

"The Yin-Yang Heaven Sect, the Supreme Profound Sword Sect, the Five Elements Divine Sect, and the Huajian Sect have all dispatched operatives. If the Primeval Demon Sect intervenes, it will inevitably provoke their resentment."

Guliang Jinghong hesitated slightly.

"Your Highness, he who hesitates is lost, and indecision breeds chaos. You must remember, once you become the Emperor of Great Yuan, coexistence with the sects is utterly impossible. Now that they have delivered themselves to our doorstep, we need only borrow their strength to succeed."

Zhuge Qinglong was deeply displeased internally. He plotted and schemed for the Eighteenth Prince; given the prince's aptitude, he should have been rallying an alliance of noble clans, the Demon Suppression Division, the Divine Supervision Division, the Heavenly Guardian Marshal's Mansion, the Military Department, the Imperial Clan Court, and the Cabinet to support him.

Guliang Jinghong halted his steps and fell into deep contemplation.

"It is I who lost my composure and presence of mind. Standing at the threshold and hesitating—how does that differ from a foolish maiden?"

Guliang Jinghong cupped his fists and bowed toward Zhuge Qinglong: "I thank my teacher for snapping me out of it."

"The moment you decided to walk this path meant there was no turning back. If you do not press forward, you face certain death. Since it is a dead end anyway, who cares if the floods wash away the world after you're gone? As I have taught you, heaven destroys those who do not look out for themselves. You are merely one of eighteen princes. With the Crown Prince in power, your chances of contention were virtually nonexistent. Now, rumors abound that both you and the Crown Prince are contenders for the throne. What the world already knows has paved the way for your ascension. If the Crown Prince dies, naturally your turn will come."

Zhuge Qinglong shook his fan, a smile gracing his lips.

"You are reluctant to let the Primeval Demon Sect intervene, but in my eyes, regicide is best executed by the Primeval Demon Sect. Other sects harbor reservations; only the Primeval Demon Sect can do it as a matter of course."

"After all, the Primeval Demon Sect is universally acknowledged as a demonic religion."

"I must ask Teacher to aid me."

Guliang Jinghong's eyes turned sharp, cold, and ruthless.

"Rest assured, the Master of the Primeval Demon Palace will act personally. Within the capital, His Highness the Crown Prince shall undoubtedly die."

Zhuge Qinglong said in a deep voice.

The three supreme masters of the Primeval Demon Sect—the Sect Master and the two Palace Masters—were among the pinnacle powerhouses of the era.

The Master of the Primeval Demon Palace was even ranked first on the Heavenly Dragon Roll, possessing unfathomable cultivation. A single strike of the Primeval Heart Talisman was earth-shattering and impossible to guard against.

Even the Supreme Dao Master had failed in his attempt to assassinate him back then, which spoke volumes about the sheer terror of that individual.

"Has Gongyang Yan's whereabouts been found?"

Guliang Jinghong suddenly inquired.

Zhuge Qinglong sighed inwardly, *Why must Your Highness be in such a rush? Once you sit upon the Great Yuan throne, the entire world will be yours, let alone a mere woman.*

"Teacher, she is different. With her assistance, I can successfully cultivate the Imperial Sovereign Dharmic Form of the *Imperial Supreme World-Ordering Book*."

Guliang Jinghong's eyes blazed with intense heat, though a sudden thought darkened his expression: "I heard she imparted the *Demon-Suppressing Six Paths Scripture* to a Demon Suppression Envoy, and moreover, she holds great interest in him."

"He is the Guardian Envoy of Feiyuan Island. He is both a talent and a threat."

"Order the Primeval Demon Sect to take action and slaughter him. What qualifications does this country bumpkin have to contend with Me?"

Guliang Jinghong said coldly.

"As you command, Your Highness."

Zhuge Qinglong flicked his fan, and a strand of divine sense pierced through the legal net of the Imperial Capital, landing in a remote corner of the city.

Deep in the night, within the Crown Prince's Estate.

An inescapable net had been cast across the estate, awaiting the other desperate princes to leap into it.

Aside from the Eighteenth Prince, numerous other princes were also engaging in covert struggles.

Until the final moment, any accident could occur.

Tonight, His Highness the Crown Prince had not rested; instead, he summoned the ministers of his estate to discuss the grand matter of his ascension.

It was not until after the third watch that his close ministers finally dispersed.

Yet His Highness the Crown Prince remained in high spirits.

He made his way to his concubine's bedchamber.

After a bout of intimacy, the Crown Prince felt thoroughly satisfied.

Yet he understood that this naturally exquisite concubine was merely an ordinary mortal who could never withstand his robust physique.

Having held the position of Crown Prince for sixty years, his cultivation had already advanced into the Dharmic Form realm.

It took the endless, unlimited supply of every pill the Great Yuan Empire possessed to pile him up to this level.

In truth, the Crown Prince understood that given his aptitude, ascending the throne would be exceedingly difficult.

His position as heir apparent was merely a temporary expedient.

Otherwise, he would not have retained the title for a full sixty years.

According to his late father's intentions, his status as Crown Prince would be stripped away within the next year or two.

The Eighteenth Prince would be installed as the legitimate heir.

In doing so, eighty years of stability could be guaranteed for the Great Yuan Empire.

He refused to accept defeat and had been fighting back all along.

Yet his father's favoritism was obvious to anyone with eyes.

It was only because his father had been assassinated and driven to an untimely death that an opportunity opened up for him.

According to the laws of Great Yuan, he should have long since ascended the throne as Emperor. Yet many veteran ministers and factions in the court saw that he was advanced in age; even if he lived to be a hundred, he would only reign for twenty-three years. How could he compare to the other princes?

He was already approaching seventy-seven. Unless he became a Martial Saint, living to a hundred would be a tall order.

"Hmph, even if I am Emperor for merely a single year, I will still elevate my son to the throne."

Otherwise, his descendants would lose their right of succession.

Gradually, they would be reduced to marginal bloodlines of the royal family.

Gazing at the sleeping beloved concubine beside him, the Crown Prince closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep.

Yet black markings began to crawl across the body of the beloved concubine sleeping beside him, and simultaneously, a peculiar seal manifested upon the Crown Prince's body.

As he slept, the Crown Prince heard the roar of a giant dragon and jolted awake in terror from his dream.

Beside him, however, his beloved concubine had already perished, her life essence drained.

"Guards..."

His limbs felt heavy as lead. Hoarse was the voice of His Highness the Crown Prince, his entire body weighted down. Deadly poison was spreading through his veins, causing his Imperial Sovereign Dharmic Form to dissipate.

"God-Demon Fall!"

Feeling the changes within his body, the Crown Prince immediately realized that the lethal poison he had contracted was the most terrifying toxin handed down from the Primeval Era, specifically designed to erode the power of gods and demons.

Had his blood-energy undergone the Eighteen Refinements, he could have expelled the poison.

However, a cultivation built entirely on pills was utterly incapable of resisting the erosion of this toxin.

The corpse beside him suddenly flipped over, its body writhing with black tadpole-like runes. The exquisite hand he once loved so dearly morphed into a terrifying sharp awl, fiercely stabbing down straight toward the center of his brow.

The Soul-Turbid Awl!

The un-transmitted secret art of the Primeval Demon Sect.

*The Primeval Demon Sect is assassinating me!*

His Highness the Crown Prince exhausted his divine sense to transmit the fluctuation.

Within the Crown Prince's Estate, a Martial Saint of the Guliang Imperial Family snapped his eyes open.

"Oh no, something has happened to His Highness the Crown Prince!"

Guliang Qing roared.

The experts guarding the Crown Prince's Estate instantly changed complexion, charging into the back courtyard and bursting into the Crown Prince's bedchamber.

The two peak Dharmic Form experts stationed outside the doors had failed to detect any anomalies whatsoever.

Pushing open the doors, what met everyone's eyes was the Crown Prince's beloved concubine straddling the Crown Prince, horrific toxins already manifesting upon his skin, accompanied by a heavy, fragrant aroma.

Guliang Qing turned pale with fright and exclaimed: "Demon-God Fall?!"

He hurriedly retreated several steps.

At that exact moment, powerful blood-energy erupted throughout the Imperial Capital. Streams of blood-energy surged like dragons, emitting roars as they slaughtered the invading enemies.

Guliang Qing's expression turned gloomy: "Notify the Imperial Clan Court, the Demon Suppression Division, the Divine Supervision Division, the Cabinet, and the Military Department. The Crown Prince has been poisoned to death, slain by the Demon-God Fall poison and the Soul-Turbid Awl. It was the handiwork of the Primeval Demon Sect. Initiate Plan B."

The Crown Prince was the orthodox heir, though not the true emperor chosen by the Great Yuan Empire.

Yet with the Martial Ancestor's sudden demise, the situation had escalated to a white-hot phase. To preserve imperial orthodoxy, they had no choice but to select the Crown Prince; such was the mandate of heaven.

Now that the Crown Prince had fallen, the contingencies left behind by the Martial Ancestor during his lifetime could finally be activated.

"The rest of you, follow me to slaughter the sect factions!"

Guliang Qing roared with utmost fury.

"Hehehe, kill one of me, and thousands more shall take my place. The Five Elders of Demon Suppression are indeed formidable, but when it comes to killing, compared to our Primeval Demon Sect, they are still a bit lacking. We of the Primeval Demon Dao Sect can even assassinate gods and demons."

Amidst wild laughter, the Master of the Primeval Demon Palace was torn to shreds by blood-energy.

"Primeval Demon Sect, I will surely exterminate your entire lineage!"

Guliang Qing bellowed furiously.

The death of the Primeval Demon Palace Master was merely an avatar under his control.

This individual was merely a Dharmic Form realm expert controlled by the Primeval Heart Talisman.

Yet, he carried eighty percent of the Primeval Demon Palace Master's power.

As for being killed, it was all part of the plan.

After all, having exerted the maximum limit of the Primeval Heart Talisman's power, this body would have died sooner or later.

All the Primeval Demon Palace Master had lost was a strand of divine sense.

The loss was negligible and would be recovered by him very soon.

As for the blood-feud between the Guliang Imperial Family and the Primeval Demon Sect, one more debt mattered little.

"With the Eighteenth Prince ascending the throne, the sects raising their heads, and the world in turmoil, this is precisely the moment for our Primeval Demon Sect to emerge."

The Primeval Demon Palace Master laughed heartily from a thousand miles away.

"Good, good! My eldest brother is finally dead."

Hearing the commotion within the Prince Qin Estate, bright laughter rang out, yet no one dared to utter a word.

The guards within the Prince Qin Estate all knew that the final obstacle on the Eighteenth Prince's path to becoming the dragon had finally been cleared.

"Congratulations, Your Highness—no, congratulations, Your Majesty."

Zhuge Qinglong stood up, brushed his sleeves, and fell to his knees in prostration.

Guliang Jinghong stepped forward hastily, reaching out to raise his teacher Zhuge Qinglong.

Hidden within the sleeve, a blood-stained dagger shattered its seal, plunging soundlessly and ruthlessly into Guliang Jinghong's heart.

"You..."

Guliang Jinghong could hardly believe it.

"Your heart is too soft; you would have been controlled by the Primeval Demon Sect."

Zhuge Qinglong sighed, pushing Guliang Jinghong away. An avatar materialized, possessing the exact same aura as Guliang Jinghong.

A mere Yuanti realm cultivator could never withstand a God-Slaying Dagger.

"Prince Qin shall close his doors to visitors, awaiting the imperial court assembly. Until then, no one is permitted to enter the back courtyard."

Zhuge Qinglong swaggered out of the Prince Qin Estate, not forgetting to issue a few instructions before boarding a carriage and driving toward another street in the Imperial Capital.

Special rune power masked the carriage's trail, ultimately leading it straight to the estate of His Highness Prince Jing.