"Finally arrived." Xichen stretched his stiff body, staring through the carriage window at the vibrant city outside.
He had traveled for a week from the Blue Wind Empire to the Divine Phoenix Empire and had even encountered an assassination attempt on the way. However, he had easily disposed of the other party, even granting himself the opportunity to test the Immortal-Devouring Demonic Art.
By devouring the assassin, who was at the 7th Tyrant Profound Realm, Xichen's power had risen from the 3rd Tyrant Profound Realm to the 5th Tyrant Profound Realm in just one week—something absolutely unprecedented.
"It seems things are about to get interesting..." Xichen muttered as a flicker of purple, demonic light flashed in his eyes. Upon entering the imperial palace, Feng Ximing was already waiting for him.
Feng Ximing appeared as a man in his thirties with red hair and blue eyes. His body was slightly round due to fat around his midsection.
Xichen alighted from his carriage nonchalantly, his white robes fluttering slightly behind him as he began walking towards the imperial palace gate.
"Look who decided to return..." A sneering, contemptuous voice rang out from Ximing. "If it isn't the Thirteenth Brother, finally decided to come back?"
Feng Ximing waved his hand slowly, smirking contemptuously as he stared at Xichen from the top of the marble steps leading to the main gate. Around him stood several imperial guards clad in crimson armor adorned with the emblem of the blazing phoenix, but none dared to intervene in this escalating tension.
Xichen smiled a cold smile that didn't reach his eyes and continued walking forward with steady steps, not pausing.
"Did I miss anything important during my absence? Or are you still playing the role of the false crown prince while covering up your failures?" he said in a calm voice, yet it carried an underlying tone of threat.
Feng Ximing's features contorted for a moment, but he quickly regained his arrogant smile as he slowly descended the steps until he stood close to Xichen.
"Still as insolent as ever... you haven't changed," he said with a disdainful tone, then added while staring sharply into his brother's eyes: "But this isn't the Blue Wind Empire... Here we are in the heart of the Divine Empire, where names mean nothing without power."
However, instead of replying, the corner of Xichen's mouth curled into a faint smile, while a mark of a golden flame shimmered on his forehead.
"I wonder if you'll still hold the position of Crown Prince after the Father King sees this," Xichen said with a mocking smile, placing his hand on the stunned Ximing's shoulder and whispering so only he could hear: "He might even grant me Xue'er, as there is nothing better than bearing children with a direct phoenix heir."
"How dare you!!" Upon hearing Xichen's words, Ximing's face paled, but at the mention of Xue'er, his expression twisted into rage and madness, as if he could devour a person whole.
"No need to get so worked up," Xichen said with a simple smile, but it was merely a mask over deadly ice. As his hand rested on Ximing's shoulder, he suddenly tightened his grip, the sound of bones grinding audibly under the pressure.
Feng Ximing's face contorted in pain, and he immediately stepped back, trying to hide the agony and humiliation behind an angry expression.
"You've become far too confident, Xichen..." he snarled while adjusting his injured shoulder, but his eyes trembled—not just from anger, but from fear too... Something had changed in this "Thirteenth Brother," and it wasn't just an increase in power— "Don't forget you're of tainted lineage, just like that woman."
BOOM!!
The moment Ximing finished his words, he felt a murderous intent and rage emanating from Xichen, who was radiating a terrifying pressure.
"Do you want to die, you bastard?" Xichen glared at Ximing with killing intent, tongues of golden flame dancing around him as he slowly reached his hand towards Ximing's throat, amplifying the fear and terror in his heart. "Don't you dare insult her, or I'll make sure you live a life worse than death."
"Aah!!" Ximing screamed in terror, soiling his robes from fear and quickly losing consciousness, white foam appearing at his mouth.
The moment Feng Ximing fell unconscious, the imperial palace square fell into a solemn silence. No one dared make a sound. All the guards, even those at the Sky Profound Realm, felt as if the very air had become incredibly dense, gravity seemingly multiplied tenfold.
Xichen stood his ground, unmoved, staring at Ximing's limp body on the ground. He released a cold, disdainful snort and continued walking to meet Hengkong. He still had plenty of time to play with Ximing, and he would make sure he regretted insulting her today.
In the past two years, he had fully accepted himself. The current him, born from the fusion of the reincarnator and the original Xichen, was who he was now, and he had no intention of rejecting any aspect of himself.
As soon as Xichen left, the imperial guards quickly moved to help Ximing up and took him for a medical examination, fearing he might have sustained any injuries.
"The Thirteenth Prince has changed a lot," one guard said to his colleague. "Not just his appearance, but his temperament and strength. Before, he was lazy and weak-willed, but now he managed to make the Crown Prince faint with just a single look."
The other guard said, looking in the direction Xichen had gone: "And it seems his ambition is immense, daring to treat the Crown Prince like this."
"Do you mean..." The first guard stared at his colleague in shock. Although he didn't finish, the meaning was clear, and his colleague understood.
"Most likely, the Thirteenth Prince is coveting the position of Crown Prince," the other guard said in a low voice, not daring to speak these words aloud.
"It seems the empire will face a storm in the coming days," the first guard muttered, a flicker of fear appearing in his eyes as he recalled history. He had lived since the time of the previous emperor and knew how Hengkong, who was the Fourth Prince back then, had obtained the throne.
...
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