Chapter 95: Something Is Wrong, Even the Small Stuff Isn’t Going Well

The Prince of Nanming stood in silence, watching the Heir to the Duke of Zhen, who stood not far away, looking exceptionally handsome and dashing. His calm expression twitched slightly as the jade beads in his hand began to rotate slowly.

His gaze then shifted to the Princess of Nanming. She possessed a stunningly beautiful face, yet her demeanor and gestures were as charming as a top courtesan’s; her inherent nobility remained undiminished, blending perfectly with her coquettish allure.

She was beautiful. But the Prince of Nanming felt he could not quite appreciate it.

His lips moved a few times as if to say something, but in the end, no words emerged. He silently turned his body and took a few steps back, pulling out the dagger the Princess had plunged into his kidney. After all, he dared not do anything to this eccentric avatar of the Demon Emperor. At most, he could only vent his helpless rage by acting as a "table-clearing master."

The Prince of Nanming took a deep breath. He still found it hard to believe that this avatar of the Demon Emperor would abandon him. They were supposed to be on the same side; the Demon Emperor shouldn't have gone this far. But the current situation, combined with the avatar's strange temperament, forced him to re-examine the bizarre circumstances.

He swept his gaze over the Great Zhou Emperor and Cheng Zhihai in the sky, then refocused on the Heir to the Duke of Zhen. Seeing the Heir’s brilliant smile, the Prince felt only irritation. He recalled that the earlier exposure of the demon race’s smuggling route was the work of this very Heir. Could this scene at the imperial ceremony also be his handiwork?

The Prince wondered, but he could not understand how the Heir had discovered his plans. Had the Princess of Nanming told him? That didn't seem right. If she had told him this time, that would be one thing, but the last time the Heir discovered the smuggling route, the Princess had not yet made contact with him—at least, not under his own observation.

He thought of the previous martial arts tournament between Great Zhou and Great Wei, which had also been disrupted by this Heir. He had sacrificed the exposure of Qiu Zhimin, the hidden powerhouse and Principal of the Great Zhou Martial Arts Academy, specifically to slaughter the students and incite war between the two nations. Yet, what was the result? Qiu Zhimin died miserably, and his plan was aborted.

Adding to this the previous failure of Bai Shuxuan to seduce Cheng Guang, which resulted not only in the failure of the assassination but also in the loss of numerous subordinates—including an eighth-rank master—the losses were catastrophic. For some reason, the Prince of Nanming felt that every move he made had been anticipated by this Heir, and every step he took led to his plans being thwarted.

The Prince of Nanming slowly turned the jade beads in his hand, looked at the Heir, and asked, controlling his temper: "Was this play today directed by you?"

Cheng Guang spread his hands. "Not me. But does it matter?"

The Prince chuckled. "Indeed, it does not."

Just then, the Great Zhou Emperor and Cheng Zhihai descended from the firmament, landing not far from the Prince. The previously chaotic Mount Shenyue fell into absolute silence the moment the Emperor appeared. The rebellious officials, who were still struggling, turned pale with fear and abandoned resistance upon seeing the Emperor. As long as the Great Zhou Emperor lived, the nation could not fall into chaos. Even those who mourned the late Crown Prince could not stir up trouble under these circumstances.

The court ministers, who had been lying low, suddenly became active—save for the Minister of Rites, the other five ministers did not pretend to be dead. They rejoiced that they hadn't impulsively supported the Prince of Nanming’s enthronement.

"Your Majesty, are you unharmed?"
"Your Majesty, that Demon Emperor attacked so suddenly, we were caught off guard."
"Fortunately, you are safe. If not, I would have fought that Demon Emperor to the death!"
"With the White Tiger Demon Emperor dead, it is truly gratifying! Daring to strike at Your Majesty, he deserved this end!"

The ministers crowded around, bowing and scraping, feigning loyalty. The Emperor’s cold, majestic face remained unchanged. He scanned the crowd, then fixed his eyes on the rebellious officials. The leader, Minister of Rites Wen Shouren, was a high-level cultivator who had previously defied the Jiedeng Division. But the moment the Emperor appeared, Wen Shouren immediately knelt, pulling his son, Wen Qinghe, down with him.

Wen Qinghe felt as if he were dreaming. First, it was said the Emperor was dead, so his father threw in with the Prince of Nanming, and now the Emperor was alive again. He was too confused to understand what was happening, so he simply gave up and lay flat.

When Wen Shouren noticed the Emperor’s gaze, tears streamed down his wrinkled face as he wailed, "Your Majesty, I am truly happy to see you unharmed!"

The Emperor replied coldly, "Happy? Not disappointed?"

Wen Shouren lamented, "How would I dare? Everything was forced by circumstances! When I saw the Demon Emperor attack you, my heart shattered..."

The Emperor had no interest in his drivel. He frowned slightly and looked at Cheng Zhihai. "He is related to the late Crown Prince, is he not?"

Cheng Zhihai nodded. The Emperor looked at the kneeling traitors, silent for a moment. "Then execute them. Execute all of them."

The rebellious officials turned cold with terror. They had not expected the Emperor to be so ruthless, especially since they represented a significant portion of the court’s power and were backed by influential families. As they begged for mercy, the Jiedeng Division officers did not hesitate. Had the Emperor not appeared, they would have been dead already.

Blades flashed. A sea of heads fell to the ground. Blood stained the dust.

Wen Shouren, watching his peers be slaughtered, collapsed in despair, his previously upright posture now hunched. "Your Majesty, I deserve to die, but my son… my son knows nothing. Please, spare him."

The Emperor did not answer. Wen Shouren understood. He looked at his son, who still wore a blank expression, and sighed. A moment later, the Minister of Rites fell into a pool of blood. Wen Qinghe, still dazed, felt a sharp pain and collapsed beside his father, his final thought being, *Father, what are you doing?*

The traitors were executed on the spot. The sacred Mount Shenyue became an execution ground. Even the loyal officials trembled in the cold atmosphere, becoming as quiet as mice.

The Emperor turned to the Prince of Nanming. The Prince displayed a look of timely concern. "Your Majesty, I thought you were… that is why I acted as I did. It was my mistake."

The Emperor looked at him coldly. "For so many years, I have been kept in the dark by you. You truly have impressive means, Imperial Brother."

The Prince turned his beads faster. His concern faded, replaced by a look of bewilderment. "Your Majesty, what do you mean?"

The Prince was out of options. He had to gamble—gamble that the Princess of Nanming, the Demon Emperor’s avatar, would not betray him, and gamble that the Emperor still held some fraternal affection. In his eyes, the Emperor valued family; even if he knew the truth, he wouldn't dare strike if the Prince maintained his facade.

The Emperor watched him coldly. The ministers, having heard the exchange, whispered among themselves. "Is the Prince of Nanming actually the late Crown Prince?" "How did he change his appearance?" "If he is the Crown Prince, then where is the real Prince of Nanming?"

The Emperor realized this too. He felt a trace of sorrow, but quickly suppressed it. He looked at Cheng Zhihai. "Can you restore his true appearance?"

Cheng Zhihai nodded. He looked at Cheng Guang with pride and gestured. "Guang’er."

The Emperor was puzzled, as were the officials. The Prince of Nanming felt a surge of dread. He looked at the Princess of Nanming, realizing the situation was far worse than he had imagined.

Under the gaze of the court, the Heir to the Duke of Zhen walked up to the Princess of Nanming and removed the jade pendant from her neck. She looked conflicted but did not resist; she merely sighed at the Prince. As the Demon Emperor’s avatar, she possessed some autonomy. If she didn't help the Heir, she would die now. If she did, she might live a little longer until the primary consciousness descended. She could do that math.

The moment the pendant was removed, it emitted a faint, eerie light. The Prince of Nanming felt his skin wither, his hair turn white like winter snow, and his stature shrink. He transformed into an old man with one foot in the grave.

The ministers gasped. The Empress Dowager, Li, gripped her cane tightly, her expression shifting.

The Emperor watched his brother transform, his hand trembling slightly. It wasn't just sorrow he felt; it was the humiliation of having been played for a fool for years.

The Prince, or rather the late Crown Prince, stood tall despite his aged appearance. He looked at the Heir and the Princess, then shook his head and laughed. "I have lost again."

The Emperor replied coldly, "Imperial Brother, when have you ever won? You escaped once, but today, you shall not."

The Emperor raised a finger, and a brilliant golden light bloomed. A vast divine aura surged like a tide. He did not wish to speak more; he could strike now that the facade was gone.

The Crown Prince looked at the Emperor and laughed again. "Escape? Why should I escape? I do not care for reputation, but you do. Wu Shang, you will stain your hands with the blood of kin. You stole my throne; I do not regret killing your sons or the Empress Dowager. But if you kill me, how will you face our ancestors?"

The Emperor remained unmoved. "Go on your way, Imperial Brother. Leave my affairs to me."

The Emperor unleashed a divine strike, a sword light that pierced toward the Crown Prince. The Prince, stopping his beads, struck back with a palm of primordial fire. The two forces collided, creating a blinding light that left many unable to see.

Cheng Zhihai shielded Cheng Guang and the royal family. When the light faded, the Emperor stood alone, looking lost. Before him, the Crown Prince lay in a pool of blood, his life force fading.

"I am… the true Emperor," the Crown Prince murmured, his head drooping.

A pillar of light rose from his body, and the heavens seemed to weep. The Emperor remained silent. The ministers knelt in terror. The Crown Prince, who had hidden for decades, was finally dead. The Emperor wouldn't repeat the mistake of letting him live.

With a wave of his hand, the Emperor dispersed the Prince’s remains and his residual soul into stardust. He would leave no loose ends.

The Emperor then turned and walked toward the palace. The royal family followed in silence. The festival had been ruined.

As Princess Wuyue passed Cheng Guang, she checked on him with concern. "Guang’er, are you hurt?"

"I'm fine," Cheng Guang smiled.

Wuyue sighed, relieved, and noticed the Princess of Nanming. She frowned but didn't say anything, telling Cheng Guang to return home while she accompanied the Empress Dowager.

Cheng Zhihai walked over. He knew the Princess of Nanming was a demon, but he followed Cheng Guang’s lead and did not strike. "Guang’er, I will go to the palace to request a reward for you. Go home and rest."

As they left, the capital was in an uproar. News spread of the Emperor’s near-death, the exposure of the Crown Prince, and the secret involvement of the Heir to the Duke of Zhen in every major event. People realized that the Heir was not just a spectator, but a key player in everything.

...

In the Taihe Hall, the Emperor sat on the throne, looking at his decimated court. He tapped his finger on the armrest and looked at Cheng Zhihai. "Zhihai, I owe you this time."

"The Jiedeng Division did well," the Emperor acknowledged. He didn't blame Cheng Zhihai for keeping the secret; he knew his own nature.

"It was all thanks to Guang’er," Cheng Zhihai replied. "Without him, I wouldn't have discovered the Crown Prince's location so quickly."

"Oh?" The Emperor was intrigued. "Guang’er again? He has made many contributions recently."

The ministers were envious. Such a merit would change an ordinary man's life, though for the Heir, it was just another day.

"I need to think of a reward for him," the Emperor mused. "Zhihai, any suggestions?"

Cheng Zhihai smiled. "Your Majesty, he is to be married soon. Would you grace the wedding with your presence?"

The Emperor’s smile froze. *That is not a simple guest appearance,* he thought. *If I go, I have to give a massive gift.* He felt a headache coming on.

...

Back at the Duke’s residence, Cheng Guang returned to his room. He was still worried about the Princess of Nanming. Killing her might summon the Demon Emperor, and he wasn't ready for that. *I’ll keep her here for now,* he decided. *If I can hide her, I will. A few days of peace is worth it.*

He used his pet, Heizai, to suppress her power and went to his bedroom. The system notification had already sounded: the mission to kill the Prince of Nanming was complete.

"System, claim reward!"

Golden light materialized in the air, forming a sword. It was the "Tongyou Sword."

As Cheng Guang gripped the hilt, it solidified. A surge of information flooded his mind: the *Tongyou Sword Technique*. It was complex and profound, even more so than his previous techniques. If he mastered it, his strength would leap to a new level.

He felt the sword breathe, absorbing energy and feeding it back to him. It was practically an artifact.

"Master, dinner is ready," Qingluan called out.

Cheng Guang walked out to the pavilion. Over dinner, he told Qingluan about the events of the day. She listened, laughing and gasping in turn. It was a peaceful moment.

As they finished, Song Yunqi emerged from the shadows. "Young Master, the slave you asked for, Zhang Shunlong, has been found."

Cheng Guang’s eyes lit up. This was the future "True Yang Martial God."

"Where is he?"

"He is in Ping'an County, near the capital," Song Yunqi said with a strange expression. "But… he doesn't seem to be an ordinary slave."

Cheng Guang smiled. *Perhaps he has already awakened.*