126: Chapter 126 A Bloodstained Choice

Xuanyuan Zhanxian finally raised his eyes.

His gaze fell upon the trembling Third Prince Wu Huang.

Those eyes were as cold as ice blades tempered for millions of years in the depths of the extreme northern glaciers; there was not a trace of warmth, as if he were not looking at a living person, but a long-stiffened corpse.

His thin lips parted slightly, and his voice was low and slow, yet every word struck like a heavy hammer, slamming fiercely against Third Prince Wu Huang's heart:

"Third Brother."

"Assassinating the legitimate prince of the current dynasty... according to the laws of Great Wu, what is the punishment?"

Third Prince Wu Huang shuddered violently.

His teeth chattered, his knuckles turned white from gripping so hard, nearly digging into his palms.

How could he not know?

Assassinating the legitimate prince—this was a monstrous crime punishable by the extermination of one's entire clan.

Even as a prince, the lightest punishment would be the crippling of his cultivation, demotion to a commoner, and imprisonment in the Celestial Dungeon, never to see the light of day again.

Just thinking about that dark, sunless prison made his whole body go cold and his scalp tingle.

"Imperial Brother, forgive me!"

Second Prince Wu Yuanchen, sitting to the side, could no longer remain seated. He rose abruptly, stepped forward quickly, his tone carrying undisguised urgency:

"Third Brother was just confused for a moment, misled by villains; he truly never meant to harm you! I implore you, Imperial Brother... for the sake of our brotherhood, spare him this time and give him a chance to repent!"

"Second Brother, there is no need to plead for him."

Xuanyuan Zhanxian raised his hand, calmly cutting off Second Prince Wu Yuanchen's words.

There was not a ripple in his voice, yet it carried an unquestionable majesty, like an emperor wielding a brush to decide life and death, instantly severing any possibility of pleading.

He walked slowly until he stood before Third Prince Wu Huang.

Looking down from above.

That posture was like a lion looking down at the trembling prey beneath its claws, carrying an overwhelming sense of absolute control.

At his fingertips, a speck of intertwined black and white light slowly condensed.

Though only the size of a grain of rice, it seemed to compress all the Yin and Yang power of heaven and earth within it, emitting a heart-stopping aura of destruction.

Everyone in the hall—even those Shadow Guards at the Void Refining Realm—subconsciously held their breath, not daring to move, fearing they would be caught in the wake of that speck of light.

"Third Brother."

Xuanyuan Zhanxian's gaze swept over Third Prince Wu Huang's paper-white face, each word clear as if carved in stone:

"I am not a bloodthirsty man. Today, I will give you two paths."

The black and white light at his fingertip flickered slightly, causing Third Prince Wu Huang's pupils to shrink sharply.

"First, I will cripple your cultivation right now and personally escort you to see the Emperor. How you are to be punished will be decided entirely by him."

Third Prince Wu Huang shuddered, retreating in panic—

But he was held fast by the iron-clamp-like hand of Commander Yingsha behind him.

The force was so great it nearly crushed his bones, leaving him unable to move.

He could only watch as the light at Xuanyuan Zhanxian's fingertip grew brighter and brighter; the aura of destruction contained within it made every hair on his body stand on end.

"Second."

Xuanyuan Zhanxian paused.

The black and white light at his fingertip suddenly surged, blindingly bright, casting Third Prince Wu Huang's face in a deathly pallor; even his shadow on the ground trembled violently.

"You personally dispose of these three servants who incited you to rebel."

"If you do, I can temporarily suppress this matter and pursue it no further."

As his voice fell—

The three Guardians held behind Third Prince Wu Huang turned instantly pale as paper.

The white-bearded elder leading them struggled to lift his head, his voice trembling:

"Your Highness! This has nothing to do with us! We were merely following orders—"

"Shut up."

The short blade at Shadow Guard Ying Yue's waist was suddenly unsheathed.

A cold glint like a shooting star broke through the air, grazing past the elder's ear—

"Clang!"

With a sharp ring, the short blade drove deep into the red wooden pillar behind, sending wood chips flying.

The residual force made the pillar hum.

The cold light on the blade was reflected in the elder's wide, terrified eyes.

Shadow Guard Ying Yue's eyes were cold, the killing intent in her voice nearly tangible:

"When our master speaks, what right does a servant have to interrupt?"

"If you dare say another word—"

"The next blade will slit your throat."

A line of blood slowly seeped from the side of the elder's neck, blood sliding down his cheek and dripping onto his collar, blooming into a dark red stain.

He trembled all over, not daring to speak again, and could only stand stiffly in place, gazing hollowly at the ground, filled with despair.

Second Prince Wu Yuanchen watched this scene, fine cold sweat seeping from his temples.

He suddenly remembered the death of Minister of War Leng Jiangchan.

—That was right.

His "long unseen" Imperial Brother was not giving him a choice at all?

He was clearly forcing Third Prince Wu Huang to personally sever his own last wings.

These three Guardians were the core power that Third Prince Wu Huang's mother, the consort, had secretly cultivated for him for many years.

If they were gone, Third Prince Wu Huang would truly become a loner in the imperial court.

"Third Brother."

Xuanyuan Zhanxian's fingertip slowly raised.

It was only an inch from Third Prince Wu Huang's brow.

The terrifying power contained in that speck of black and white light made Third Prince Wu Huang clearly feel—that if it advanced even a fraction, his Dantian would instantly shatter, and his lifelong cultivation would vanish into nothingness.

"Do not force me to act."

Xuanyuan Zhanxian's voice remained flat, yet it carried an unquestionable pressure:

"My patience... is limited."

Third Prince Wu Huang's gaze darted tremulously between Xuanyuan Zhanxian's cold eyes and the terrified faces of the three Guardians.

His lips quivered, and for a long while, he could not squeeze out a complete sentence.

He knew it all too well in his heart.

This was no choice.

This was a death trap laid by Xuanyuan Zhanxian himself.

—If he killed the Guardians, he would be severing his own Foundation, leaving him with no one to use in the court.

—If he did not kill them, he would have his cultivation completely crippled today and be imprisoned in the Celestial Dungeon forever.

Save his life...

Or save his power?

In the depths of Third Prince Wu Huang's eyes, a trace of bottomless regret finally flashed.

He should not have been impulsive, and even more so, he should not have... underestimated Xuanyuan Zhanxian's ruthlessness.

But now that things had come to this, it was too late for regret.

There was only...

"Wu Zhanxian..."

He squeezed these three words out from between his teeth, his voice hoarse, carrying the desperation of burning his boats and a hint of venomous unwillingness:

"You win—!!"

The three Guardians were struck as if by lightning, looking at him in disbelief.

The white-bearded elder's voice trembled, carrying a final shred of hope:

"Your Highness! How could you do this! We, for your sake... have even gambled the lives of our entire clans!"

"For my sake?"

Third Prince Wu Huang violently broke free from Commander Yingsha's restraint, stumbling toward the nearest Guardian, a look of fierce cruelty erupting in his eyes:

"Then—do it for me one last time!"

Spiritual power gathered crazily in his palm, veins bulging, and without hesitation, he slammed his palm onto the other's crown!

His voice was low and hoarse, yet it carried a hint of hypocritical comfort:

"Go in peace."

"Your families... I will take care of them."

"Ah—!!!"

The shrill scream tore through the silence of Lanyue Tower.

That Guardian's Divine Soul instantly shattered, his body falling softly to the ground, his eyes wide open, frozen with his final terror and unwillingness.

The other two saw this and knew that begging for mercy was useless, so instead, they were incited to a desperate fight, rising up simultaneously—

Their Void Refining Realm spiritual power exploded, like raging fire burning their bodies, attempting to break through the Shadow Guards' blockade!

But as soon as they moved—

Several powerful Void Refining pressures suppressed them from all directions, like an invisible giant net, pinning them firmly in place.

Commander Yingsha and Shadow Guard Ying Yue flashed by like ghosts.

"Snap!"

"Snap!"

Two crisp sounds.

The two men's necks were snapped instantly, and they fell heavily into the pool of blood.

Blood gushed out like a spring, soaking the blue bricks, and a thick, bloody stench instantly filled the air.

Commander Yingsha even crushed their Divine Souls, cutting off any chance of Possession.

Third Prince Wu Huang stood in the center of the pool of blood, his body splattered with warm blood.

He slowly raised his head, glaring at Xuanyuan Zhanxian with eyes splitting, his voice hoarse as if grinding sand, every word venomous:

"Wu Zhanxian..."

"This humiliation today, I, Third Prince Wu Huang, will remember."

"One day—"

"I will return it a hundredfold!!"

Having said that, he did not linger, turning and stumbling toward the door.

Every step felt like treading on the tips of blades, yet his back remained straight, refusing to turn around.

The attendants behind him had long since lost all color in their faces, hurriedly lowering their heads to follow; no one dared to take another look at the carnage inside the building.

Li Chengsi, who had been sitting quietly in the corner, rose slowly at this moment.

He raised his hand, leisurely straightening the cuffs of his brocade robe, as if everything that had just happened had not occurred.

He walked up to Xuanyuan Zhanxian and Second Prince Wu Yuanchen, bowed, and spoke in a calm, waveless tone:

"Your Highness, Second Prince."

"The night is deep; it is inconvenient for me to disturb you further, so I shall take my leave."

After speaking, he turned and walked toward the door.

Upon reaching the door, his footsteps paused slightly, as if he were about to speak—

But he was lightly interrupted by a crisp, smiling, and somewhat teasing female voice:

"Oh."

"In this Lanyue Tower..."

"It is quite lively indeed."

Everyone looked up at once.

They saw a woman in red, leading several Cultivators in brocade robes, stepping into the door without haste.

Her hem brushed across the threshold, trailing a pool of light as bright as blood.