452: Chapter 452 Great Battle

After Di Pingjian, the Heir, and the others successfully killed all the members of the First Prince's Jinyi Squad, they did not hesitate for a moment. They immediately turned their horses around and galloped toward Chaotian City.

At this moment, the most important thing for the Heir was to return to Chaotian City as soon as possible to inherit the throne that belonged to him. As for other matters, they could be dealt with later.

On the way back to Chaotian City, Di Pingjian and the Heir unexpectedly encountered the five hundred members of the Shadow Kill Squad that Di Pingjian had left behind to deal with the other princes' subordinates.

These five hundred Shadow Kill Squad members had clearly gone through an intense battle, but surprisingly, not a single one of them had been killed; only a few dozen had sustained minor injuries.

Both Di Pingjian and the Heir were very satisfied with this result. One had to know that although the enemies these five hundred Shadow Kill Squad members had faced were not the powerful subordinates of the First Prince, the people sent by the other princes to intercept and kill the Heir were definitely elites.

Because of this, many of the five hundred Shadow Kill Squad members left by Di Pingjian had suffered minor injuries.

However, compared to the number of enemies they had faced, such a result was already quite good.

The former Sixteenth Prince actually had the strength and courage to compete with the First Prince.

However, ever since he lost the competition for the position of Heir to the Twelfth Prince, the Sixteenth Prince's fate seemed to have undergone a world-shaking change.

According to the intelligence gathered by Di Pingjian, since then, the Sixteenth Prince had been in a slump, indulging in a decadent life all day long, as if he had lost all will to fight and hope.

For this reason, as the Heir's group continued forward, Di Pingjian thought to herself that the Sixteenth Prince probably wouldn't send people to intercept the Heir like the other princes did this time.

Sure enough, as they traveled along the way, they did not encounter any surprises.

Di Pingjian, the Heir, and the others proceeded smoothly toward the city.

However, just then, Di Pingjian suddenly seemed to think of something important. She stopped abruptly, and after a brief discussion with the Heir, decisively sent out a small team of a hundred people.

This small team quickly mounted their Flying Horses and galloped away like arrows from a bow, their speed so fast it was astonishing.

An hour passed in a flash, and the small team that had been sent out finally returned, looking travel-worn.

Di Pingjian and the Heir immediately went forward, impatiently asking about the news they had brought back.

After a detailed report, Di Pingjian and the Heir had a clearer understanding of the current situation.

It turned out that the First Prince's main force was heading this way at full speed, and they were already less than a hundred thousand miles away!

Meanwhile, Di Pingjian's own main force of the Shadow Kill Squad was skillfully following behind the First Prince, always maintaining a certain distance to avoid being noticed by him and his men.

After some careful consideration, Di Pingjian and the Heir changed their original plan of rushing back to Chaotian City. They decided to lead their force of several thousand to camp and rest on the spot, waiting for the enemy at their leisure.

At this time, Di Pingjian, the Heir, and the others were still tens of thousands of miles away from exiting the Bujin Mountains.

Facing such a long journey, they knew they couldn't act in haste.

Thus, they meticulously planned an ambush, waiting for the First Prince's ten-thousand-strong army to enter Endless Mountains.

Although the First Prince's force only numbered ten thousand, most of them were battle-hardened elite soldiers, and their combat power was not to be underestimated.

Even more concerning was that there were several thousand Jinyi Soldiers in this force, whose strength was even more formidable.

If they relied solely on the thirty-seven thousand Shadow Kill Squad members behind the First Prince's force to eliminate them, while success was possible, it would be extremely difficult to completely annihilate the First Prince's army.

After all, the First Prince's troops were well-trained and possessed considerable combat experience.

Therefore, to achieve the goal of total annihilation, they had to come up with a foolproof plan.

And Wujin Mountain, a place with steep terrain that was easy to defend but hard to attack, happened to be the ideal ambush site for implementing this plan.

Time flowed quietly like water, and every moment seemed so long.

Di Pingjian and the Heir were tensely preparing the ambush plan. They meticulously deployed over three thousand soldiers. Although their numbers were relatively small, they believed that as long as the timing was right, they could definitely deal a heavy blow to the First Prince's ten-thousand-man force.

Once the main force of the Shadow Kill Squad arrived, they would surely be able to completely annihilate the First Prince's army.

After a long wait of a day and a night, the First Prince's force finally slowly entered Endless Mountains.

Di Pingjian, the Heir, and the others widened their eyes, staring closely at the movement in the distance, their hearts filled with anticipation and anxiety.

Finally, the First Prince's entire force walked into the ambush circle they had meticulously prepared.

The Heir could not hide his excitement and shouted loudly, "Kill! Shadow Warriors, the annihilation of the Jinyi Squad depends on this single move!"

This command exploded in the mountain forest like a thunderclap.

The three thousand five hundred Shadow Kill Squad members who had already been lying in ambush around Di Pingjian and the Heir charged out from the dense forests on both sides of the road like tigers descending a mountain, lunging straight at the First Prince and his men.

Initially, the First Prince and his men were startled by the sudden appearance of the black-shadowed figures, their hearts nearly jumping out of their throats!

But when they looked closely and saw that these masked black shadows numbered only a mere three thousand or so, the fear in their hearts instantly dissipated, replaced by a sense of relief.

"Hahahaha, with just this many people, you dare to come out and make fools of yourselves?"

The First Prince laughed arrogantly, "Soldiers, kill them for this Prince! These black-shadowed figures must be the so-called 'trump cards' that my good younger brother, the playboy Heir, has been secretly cultivating!

Today, if we can annihilate them all, this Prince will reward you handsomely! Whoever can personally kill the Heir, this Prince will immediately appoint him as the Invincible Great General!"

The First Prince's voice exploded on the battlefield like thunder. His roar not only boosted his own side's morale but also made the hearts of the black-shadowed figures tremble.

Before his words had even finished echoing, the First Prince suddenly drew the sword at his waist. The blade flashed like a bolt of lightning piercing the night sky, pointing straight to the clouds!

"Yes, First Prince!"

Seeing this, the generals around the First Prince also shouted in response, "Soldiers, follow me to kill the enemy and perform great deeds! Today is the day for us to make a name for ourselves!"

With the generals' command, the soldiers who had been standing ready charged at the black-shadowed figures like a pack of hungry tigers, howling as they went.

In an instant, the sounds of shouting and the clashing of weapons echoed throughout the battlefield as the two armies immediately fell into a fierce, inextricable struggle.

Not only that, but even in the sky, soldiers riding Flying Horses were fighting intensely.

They either held long spears or brandished curved sabers, coming and going in the air, refusing to give an inch. From time to time, soldiers fell from their horses, screaming as they plummeted to the ground.

The deafening sounds of battle and slaughter seemed as if they would tear the world apart, spreading far and wide.

These terrifying sounds filled the nearby Vicious Beasts with dread, and they fled in panic, fearing they would be swept into this horrific battle.

Even one of the kings among the Vicious Beasts, the majestic Vicious Beast Black Tiger, was so frightened by the terrifying sounds of slaughter that it dared not approach, only able to watch the human battlefield from one or two mountains away with fear and trembling.

Standing in a corner of the battlefield, the Heir watched the fierce combat before him, and a sense of desolation couldn't help but well up in his heart.

He had originally thought that when the previous Jinyi Squad said they wanted to kill him, it was just the squad leaders being greedy for merit, wanting to take his head to his elder brother in exchange for a title or high office.

However, looking at it now, things were far from being as simple as he had imagined.

His elder brother really wanted to kill him, and he had even used such an enticing reward as the title of Invincible Great General as bait.

"Big brother is truly ruthless! He actually wants my head."

The Heir shook his head in disappointment, his heart filled with a sense of loss.

He had always valued the bond between brothers, but his elder brother's current actions made him feel incredibly chilled.

In fact, in the depths of the Heir's heart, he did not want to deal a fatal blow to his brothers.

After all, they had grown up together and shared deep feelings.

But his elder brother's actions this time had caused his belief in this brotherly bond to be deeply shaken and doubted.

"Your Highness, Pingjian has said before that family affection has always been the thinnest thing in imperial households. Now that Your Highness has witnessed it, if you wish to unify the surrounding dynasties, you cannot be swayed by emotions!"

Di Pingjian spoke with earnest sincerity, seemingly deeply worried about the Heir's future.

She knew well the ruthlessness of imperial families; this was not groundless talk but a testament of history. In the vortex of power, family ties were often swallowed by interests, becoming extremely fragile.

Di Pingjian couldn't help but recall the stories of imperial ruthlessness she had once told the Heir.

She hoped that through these stories, the Heir would understand that on the path to pursuing hegemony, being emotional would only become a stumbling block.

However, the Heir didn't seem to have fully grasped the profound meaning within.

Although he nodded in agreement on the surface, Di Pingjian knew in her heart that besides being addicted to pleasure, the Heir also had a bit of a soft heart.

He was always dwelling on the happy times he spent playing with his royal brothers when they were children; his attachment to family affection made it difficult for him to let go.

Di Pingjian sighed inwardly, understanding that the Heir's character could not be changed overnight.

But if the Heir could not put down these emotional burdens, he would likely encounter numerous difficulties on the road to unifying the surrounding dynasties.

However, after several years of tempering on the front lines, the Heir's changes were truly remarkable.

He was no longer the profligate youth he once was, but instead displayed a mature and steady temperament.

In his current self, almost no trace of his former playboy air could be seen; instead, it was replaced by a kind of majesty, a monarch's power that made people involuntarily fall for him.

This change not only surprised Di Pingjian but also made many people look at the Heir in a new light.

According to common logic, having undergone the baptism of war on the front lines, the Heir should have been tainted with more Evil Qi and Killing Intent.

If the tempering effect were even more significant, he should have exuded a fearless Grand General's Aura, the kind of Aura sufficient to deter enemies and inspire awe.

However, the reality was not so.

The Heir did not show the kind of Grand General's air that people expected; instead, he had gained a bit more of a Monarch's Aura.

This shift in temperament couldn't help but feel a bit strange.

After all, a Monarch's Aura was usually associated with the throne, while the Heir's current status was still just that of an Heir.

"Yes, Pingjian, what you say is very true. In the past, this Heir was indeed too merciful in small ways. Only after witnessing our Human Race slaughtering each other on the front lines did I suddenly realize that my mercy not only failed to bring blessings to my kind but instead caused more people to endure endless pain.

Only by achieving the unification of humanity can people be free from the suffering of war and live and work in peace. This is the true great compassion."

The Heir nodded in contemplation, speaking thoughtfully.

The Heir's gaze gradually became profound, as if he were seeing a more distant future through the scene before him.

An unprecedented light flickered in his eyes, a deep insight into all things in the world and a persistent pursuit of great goodness.

"For Your Highness to harbor such great ambitions is truly a blessing for the Human Race!"

Di Pingjian couldn't help but praise, "With Your Highness's wisdom and determination, you will surely be able to realize this great wish in the future!"

Di Pingjian thought to herself that her previous goal was merely to make the Commoner Districts of the Chaotian Dynasty disappear.

However, if the Heir truly could unify the surrounding dynasties, allowing more poor people to enjoy the rights that ordinary people should have, then her wish would naturally be fulfilled even more.

Thinking of this, Di Pingjian's expectations for the Heir grew even deeper.

Just as Di Pingjian and the Heir were in the middle of their conversation, suddenly, those hundreds of mysterious people appeared behind them like ghosts, as if they had emerged from the Void Realm.

This sudden turn of events shocked the several hundred Shadow Kill Squad members closest to the Heir and Di Pingjian. They didn't hesitate to act quickly, like well-trained warriors, immediately surrounding the Heir and Di Pingjian to protect them in the center, forming an indestructible line of defense.

However, unexpectedly, although these mysterious people in black had arrived so abruptly, they did not launch an attack as everyone expected, nor did they show any intention of joining the battle.

They just stood there quietly, like a group of silent ghosts, their hands tightly gripping sharp blades, emitting a heart-chilling coldness.

Di Pingjian and the Heir exchanged a look, both seeing a trace of doubt in each other's eyes.

They gazed at these several hundred mysterious leaders in black, trying to decipher their intentions from their expressions and movements.

However, these people were like puppets wearing masks, making them difficult to fathom.

Meanwhile, not far away, the First Prince's army was engaged in a fierce struggle with the Shadow Kill Squad.

The First Prince's army was numerous and aggressive, forcing the three thousand or so Shadow Kill Squad members to retreat repeatedly.

However, at this critical moment, the main force of over thirty thousand Shadow Kill Squad members arrived in time like a surging torrent, charging out from behind the First Prince's army.

In an instant, the sounds of shouting and the clashing of weapons on the battlefield reached the clouds, and the slaughter between the two sides became even more intense and inseparable.

Flashes of blades and shadows of swords crossed, blood splattered everywhere, and the scene was exceptionally tragic.

However, this fierce battle did not last long.

Although the First Prince's army was numerous, they were ultimately unable to withstand the powerful offensive of the Shadow Kill Squad.

Soon, the First Prince's ten-thousand-man army suffered heavy losses and was almost completely wiped out.

And the First Prince himself was captured alive by the Shadow Kill Squad during the melee, becoming a prisoner.

...