416: Chapter 416 King Murder

"Since everything has been made clear, let First Prince Li Chengqi and Venerable Fire come out as well. We'll head out together to meet with General Leng."

Lin Xiao stood up and said, "I'm sure General Leng is already waiting anxiously."

Upon hearing this, Crown Prince Xiao Shian's expression became subtle as he said, "Worthy son-in-law, I'm afraid you'll be disappointed. Chengqi and Venerable Fire are not here."

"Oh? Then where are they?"

Lin Xiao looked at An Ya. "Does Sister Ya'er know?"

Xiao An Ya nodded immediately. "Yes, Big Brother is currently..."

"Ya'er!!"

Xiao Shian interrupted her, frowning with a warning look in his eyes.

Realizing something, An Ya lowered her head and bit her lip, not daring to speak further.

Lin Xiao said with some dissatisfaction, "Father-in-law, what is the meaning of this? Do you not trust this Prince?"

"Worthy son-in-law, it's not that I don't trust you, but Chengqi and Venerable Fire's movements have always been erratic; I cannot say for certain."

"How about this? If you need to find them, just have Ya'er send word through the Moon Worship Cult's intelligence network."

Xiao Shian smiled and said, "Rest assured, I am now all alone and must rely entirely on you, my worthy son-in-law. How could I have any other intentions?"

Lin Xiao's gaze gradually turned cold, though a harmless smile remained on his face.

"Father-in-law, you just said that history is written by the victors, but have you ever considered another question..."

"What?" Xiao Shian frowned, feeling a faint sense of unease.

"That is, how exactly do you become the winning side?"

Lin Xiao said mockingly, "You didn't think that a self-righteous cult leader—someone with no real ability who disregards human life, associates with villains, and treats his own children as disposable pawns—could actually become a figure who writes history, did you?"

"Even if you can have your way for a moment, how can you have it for a lifetime?"

"This Prince will tell you an eternal truth—evil can never prevail over the righteous!!"

Xiao Shian's face turned pale with rage. He was about to slam the table and curse when his vision went dark, knocked unconscious by a direct blast of true qi!

"Father!"

Xiao An Ya cried out in alarm, but was immediately knocked out by an elbow strike from Leng Bingyan!

"Hey! Yaner, what are you doing?" Lin Xiao asked.

Leng Bingyan said gleefully, "Husband, I knew you wouldn't let him off. See how fast my reactions are?"

"I didn't plan on letting the old man off, but I didn't say you should hit Xiao An Ya!"

Lin Xiao said speechlessly, "She has no martial arts. You hit her too hard. If you turn her into an idiot, we won't be able to get any information out of her!"

Leng Bingyan scratched her head awkwardly. "I didn't think that far ahead. I thought I was coordinating well with you..."

"Forget it, forget it. She should just be unconscious," Lin Xiao said, not letting it bother him.

After her initial surprise, Xiao Qingxuan gave a knowing smile. "So Husband said all that just to trick him into revealing Li Chengqi's whereabouts. Even I was fooled."

"You're being modest, Wife. I was just giving it a try. It's just a pity this old fox didn't take the bait."

Lin Xiao was a bit frustrated. Even though he was an Earth Immortal, he didn't have any techniques like 'Soul Bewitching' at his disposal.

However, learning that Xiao An Ya controlled the Moon Worship Cult's intelligence network was still a gain.

His greatest need regarding Nanling and Baiyue was intelligence; after all, he didn't lack money or resources.

One day later.

Night, in the valley where the Black Dragon Cavalry was stationed.

Xiao Shian opened his eyes groggily and found himself beside a campfire.

Not far away, a figure sat boldly on a rock, none other than General Leng Duo in casual military attire.

"You're awake, Your Majesty."

Leng Duo was using a white cloth to wipe the long blade in his hand, his voice indifferent.

Xiao Shian's pupils constricted. "Beloved Minister Leng? Why are you... Hiss, where is this?!"

"Stand up and look around, and you'll know."

Xiao Shian sat up and looked around, and his whole body shuddered!

He saw hundreds and thousands of Black Dragon Cavalry warriors sitting around campfires in the surrounding area!

Many of these soldiers were still wounded, with cloth wrapped around their heads. Some were even missing arms or were blind in one eye.

But without exception, the faces and eyes of every warrior revealed a beast-like tenacity and sharpness.

"Your Majesty, do you know how many people died on the day Yan City fell?"

"..."

"Do you know... how many brothers the Black Dragon Cavalry originally had?"

"..."

Leng Duo slowly stood up and walked over to Xiao Shian, looking down at him.

"Answer me!!"

Xiao Shian took a deep breath, stood up, and looked Leng Duo proudly in the eye.

"There were 350,000 people inside Yan City. Counting the farmers outside the city, there were 630,000. On the day the city fell, 110,000 people died, including soldiers and civilians!"

"The Black Dragon Cavalry originally had 23,000 men. Now, only a little over 3,000 remain."

"Yes, many people died, but so what?"

"For the restoration of Great Zheng, to take back the rivers and mountains that belong to us, is it possible to do so without people dying?!"

Xiao Shian looked around proudly and said, "I am the Son of Heaven, following the mandate of Heaven to rule the mountains and rivers! It is your honor to die for my great cause of national restoration!"

"Should I be forced to bear the guilt just because some insignificant commoners died!?"

"What a joke! Flowing through my body is the supreme bloodline of the founding emperors of Great Zheng!"

"Do the lives of these people even deserve to be compared to mine!?"

"Leng Duo, if you wish to commit treason against your superior and become a rebel who will leave a foul reputation for ten thousand years, then come and commit regicide... Ah!—"

Before he could finish his sentence, Leng Duo's blade severed one of Xiao Shian's arms!

"So what if I leave a foul reputation for ten thousand years!?"

Leng Duo's eyes were wide and red-rimmed as he said, "This arm is what you owe my brother, Ma Chuang!!"

Not far away, the one-armed Ma Chuang felt his blood boil as he watched.

He strode forward. "General! This subordinate will be a rebel with you!"

With that, Ma Chuang plunged his blade into Xiao Shian's abdomen!

Xiao Shian screamed and fell to the ground in agony, his face filled with terror.

"You... you all... summon the imperial physician... ah... no... quickly save me... Xuan'er! Xuan'er..."

"Worthy son-in-law... I will tell you Chengqi's whereabouts..."

But Lin Xiao and Xiao Qingxuan did not respond at all.

Instead, the surrounding Black Dragon Cavalry soldiers approached him step by step, their faces filled with murderous intent.

"Dog Emperor, Big Brother Tong Yu actually gave a lifetime of loyalty to someone like you. Today, prepare to be hacked into ten thousand pieces!!"

"Brothers! One blade per person, avenge our fallen brothers!!"

Before long, shrill wails echoed through the valley.

However, after a short while, they could no longer be heard.

The night wind wailed.

On a high cliff, Lin Xiao held Xiao Qingxuan as they gazed at the distant full moon.

"Husband, is this really okay? General Leng must be feeling a lot of pain in his heart."

"There's no other way. General Leng and the Black Dragon Cavalry both need to understand that they aren't fighting for the imperial family, but for the brothers beside them and the people behind them."

Lin Xiao gently stroked the woman's slightly damp cheek. "On the other hand, Wife, you must be feeling bad in your heart after all."

Xiao Qingxuan snuggled into the man's chest. "Husband, being awake is so tiring. I want to faint and lose consciousness..."

Lin Xiao's spirits lifted as he heard this, and he grinned. "With your current cultivation level, Wife, it won't be easy to faint. I'll do my best..."

...

Cang Province, Yangquan Prison.

A man covered in wounds and more dead than alive was being held on a torture rack.

In a daze, he saw a figure wearing a black hooded robe walking toward him.

"Qihai, you've worked hard."

"Your... Your Highness?"

"To have not talked for so long, you truly are my most trusted subordinate."

Hot tears flowed from Liu Qihai's eyes. "Your Highness, why are you here? It's very dangerous here... Ugh!!"

Before he could finish, a dagger was plunged into his heart.

"I have naturally come to see you off on your final journey..."

Pulling out the dagger, the man turned and left.

Before long, a ball of fire ignited within the prison.