"Master Su..."
Xu Xiaohan walked over, trembling.
He didn't know why Su Chen chose to hide his true strength, but he figured that if it was Master Su's decision, there had to be a good reason.
"Master Su, I won't tell anyone what happened tonight."
Xu Xiaohan said solemnly.
'This kid catches on quick.'
Su Chen wiped the blood from his hands and glanced up at him.
Although Xu Xiaohan was nominally Zhang Gui's godson, he had actually served Su Chen for far longer. If Su Chen had wanted it, Xu Xiaohan would likely have acknowledged him as his new godfather on the spot.
Before Su Chen could ask, Xu Xiaohan stood by his side, used tongs to add charcoal to the fire, brewed tea for Su Chen, and, choosing his words carefully, began to recount the recent turmoil in the Imperial City.
"There's something you may not know, Master Su."
"Ever since the Eldest Prince's wrongful death, the Second Prince and the Fifth Prince, despite appearing to be fighting fiercely on the surface, have been secretly and frantically contacting experts of the Third Grade and above from the Jianghu, hoping to protect themselves."
"Master Su, whose heart and liver do you think the Old Emperor first consumed? A mysterious person told the two princes that after receiving the Demon Heart, Your Majesty survived, but his body is rejecting it. Only by using a Secret Skill to consume flesh, blood, hearts, and livers can this pain be alleviated."
"Last night, the two princes finally found the body of the Eldest Prince, who had gone missing. His heart and liver had already been hollowed out..."
As Xu Xiaohan spoke, Su Chen finally understood.
During this time, the Old Emperor had found that consuming the hearts and livers of ordinary people, and even Cultivs, did little to alleviate his suffering. Now, he was preparing to extend his demonic claws toward his own children.
The Old Emperor only had three sons left.
"So, the two princes have joined forces to survive?"
Su Chen asked.
"Yes."
"If they succeed tonight, the dynasty will change, and the new monarch will certainly be one of the two princes..."
Hearing these secrets, Su Chen gazed toward the distant Inner Palace. Even from several miles away, he could still clearly see the terrifying figures of two First-Grade beings colliding.
The Purple-robed First Supervisor, a True Essence Minor Grandmaster.
The First-Grade Daoist from the Celestial Master's Mansion, also a True Essence Minor Grandmaster.
"Who do you think will win?"
Su Chen walked toward the top floor of the Library Pavilion, with Xu Xiaohan keeping pace beside him.
Upon hearing the question,
Xu Xiaohan answered.
"It should be the First-Grade Purple Star Daoist from the Celestial Master's Mansion."
"He's a Peak First Grade, and in the prime of his life."
"This Purple-robed First Supervisor is a relic from the previous dynasty. He's over ninety, likely senile and nearing the end of his lifespan. Besides, I've never heard of him having any notable achievements back in his day..."
Standing atop the Library Pavilion, Su Chen watched the battle unfold, sighing.
"The two princes are too naive."
"Go tell Zhang Gui."
"The Purple Star Daoist is sure to lose."
"Tell him to be ready."
Though his first instinct was to object, Xu Xiaohan looked at Su Chen—spine straight, hands clasped behind his back, eyes glittering like stars as he gazed at the battle—and found himself choosing to believe.
Xu Xiaohan accepted the order and quickly departed.
'Su Chen didn't know the specifics of First-Grade power levels, but as a being blessed with longevity, he could vaguely sense the vitality radiating from the two First-Grade experts.'
'The Purple Star Daoist's vitality felt far too weak.'
'In contrast, the Purple-robed First Supervisor, who appeared ancient and frail with murky eyes, concealed a terrifying wellspring of vitality, ready to erupt at any moment and unleash immense power.'
'I suppose I should go take a look at this dynastic struggle.'
With that thought, Su Chen casually grabbed a cloak and draped it over himself.
The moon was full.
The snow fell heavier and heavier, and the Imperial Palace grew colder and colder.
By the time Su Chen arrived, a bloodbath raged outside the Imperial Study. Thousands of Killing Martial Guards, who were supposed to be stationed outside the city to protect the Imperial City, were now hacking off the heads of the Imperial Guard.
Blood soaked the ground, and corpses piled up like mountains.
In the center of these thousands of elite Killing Martial Guards stood two figures in white robes embroidered with dragons. One was slender and handsome, his eyes bright, a confident, victorious smile playing on his lips.
The other was slightly portly, his small eyes flashing with shrewdness from time to time.
If the Emperor were to die, the new monarch would certainly be one of these two.
"It looks like the Purple Star Daoist is about to win."
The two said simultaneously.
In an instant, the Killing Martial Guards sprang into action, about to charge into the Imperial Study and usher in a new era.
Just then, Xu Xiaohan arrived.
Trembling, he faced the thousands of Martial Artists, his gaze fixed on the black-robed man beside the slender Fifth Prince. He spoke slowly.
"Master Su sent me with a message: the Purple Star Daoist is going to lose."
As soon as these words were spoken, the Killing Martial Guards froze for a moment, then burst into uproarious laughter.
"HAHAHA!"
"Where did this fool come from?"
"The Purple Star Daoist is a newly ascended First-Grade Expert of this generation, the current Sect Leader of the Celestial Master's Mansion, an absolute Peak expert! The Purple-robed First Supervisor is already coughing up blood..."
The battle in the sky was clear for all to see.
The Purple Star Daoist, looking every bit the handsome, middle-aged immortal with his fine beard and Dao Bone, was overwhelming the ancient Purple-robed First Supervisor. The First Supervisor had just coughed up his ninth mouthful of blood.
"What fool is this, spouting such mad talk."
The Fifth Prince laughed heartily.
But then he was shocked to see his confidant, Zhang Gui, begin to waver.
'Su Chen...'
The black-robed man, Zhang Gui, hesitated. His brow furrowed, clearly shaken. He seemed to actually believe the Little Eunuch's words and was on the verge of pulling out.
"Zhang Gui, if you leave now, you'll forfeit your share of the glory from this succession."
"You'd better think carefully,"
the Fifth Prince said with a frown.
"I think the Purple Star Daoist might actually lose."
Zhang Gui finally made up his mind and prepared to leave.
A Third-Grade expert, and so young at that—even a future new monarch would want to win him over. If Zhang Gui wanted to leave, no one could really stop him.
"What proof do you have?"
The Second Prince also frowned and looked over.
No matter how you looked at the battle, the Purple-robed First Supervisor's death seemed certain.
"I have no proof. I just trust my friend."
With that said, Zhang Gui withdrew and departed.
The Fifth Prince immediately spat angrily.
"That fool! Daring to leave at such a critical moment, he's lost his mind! To think the Purple Star Daoist would lose? Ridiculous, absolutely ridiculous! He and his so-called friend are both idiots."
Finishing his tirade, he snapped his head up, urging the First-Grade Expert above.
"Lord Ziwei, please strike quickly and kill..."
BOOM!
The next instant, the world itself seemed to change color.
The thousands of Killing Martial Guards present, as well as the two noble Princes in their white, dragon-embroidered robes, all stared, their eyes looking as if they would split from their sockets, their faces masks of ultimate terror.
All they saw was the endless wind and snow gathering, coalescing into a single sword in the hand of the Purple-robed First Supervisor. In that moment, any trace of his former decrepitude vanished. As if a Withered Wood were returning to life, he transformed into the image of a young man.
"I've lived for one hundred and three years, and this is the first time I've met someone who could force me to draw this sword!"
"So, die."
The blizzard for a hundred miles around the Imperial City became the sword in the purple-robed youth's hand. With a single strike, the very heavens seemed to shift. Before the shocked and enraged Purple Star Daoist could react, the Peak First-Grade Expert from the Celestial Master's Mansion was severed in two, his body drifting to the ground.
"A First Grade has fallen."
Led by the two Princes, everyone stared in such terror that they felt their eyes would split from their sockets. 'Zhang Gui's so-called friend had been right. How is this possible? This was a legendary duel between Peak First-Grade masters...'
"Kill!"
The Killing Martial Guards instantly erupted, drawing their blades.
'That's right.'
"We still have a chance! We can capture and kill this Evil Demon Emperor..."
The two Princes, as if waking from a dream, raised their arms and shouted.
However, the next instant, their expressions froze.
The Imperial City's Killing Martial Guards, who had just been rallying around them, instantly betrayed them. They surrounded the two Princes and began to cut them down.
From a palace balcony, Su Chen watched this scene, sighing to himself.
'So this is the awesome power of a First-Grade expert.'
'Before a First-Grade expert, all beings are but ants. Even an army of thousands of Cultivs would have to submit.'
Tonight, the dust had settled.
It was likely the Human World had seen the last of these two incomparably noble Princes.