Imperial City Chaos, Thousand Army Breaker

A sinister gleam flickered across the assassins' daggers, and the Blood Qi rippling along their blades was exceedingly powerful.

Assassins whom the Crown Prince had gone to such lengths to place beside the Fourteenth Prince for so long without being discovered were naturally no easy opponents. Every one of them was a foremost elite selected from the army and the palace.

Any truly ordinary palace servant or guard who stood in their way was dispatched with a palm strike or a dagger thrust. The others were flung against the walls and turned into lumps of bloody pulp before they could even scream, or had their throats slit and crumpled to the ground. Not a moment was wasted.

There were four assassins around them who had drawn daggers, two of whom were approaching the Fourteenth Prince from Xie Yuan's direction.

Seeing Xie Yuan standing directly in their path, the two assassins showed no expression. They revealed their daggers at the same time, intending to eliminate this obstacle before taking the life of the gorgeously robed man behind him.

The assassins' daggers flashed like lightning. One plunged directly into Xie Yuan's chest, while the other pierced his throat. Having effortlessly dealt with the obstruction, the two continued toward the Fourteenth Prince.

Having removed the man blocking their way with unparalleled ease, they entertained no other thoughts. Their only goal was to kill their target.

Suddenly, just as the two assassins took another step, one man's head flew high into the air. A pillar of blood shot skyward from his severed neck, while his headless body still brandished its dagger and charged toward the Fourteenth Prince.

The other paused in a slight daze. Then his eyes bulged as a section of a lightless shortsword suddenly thrust out through his back.

He felt the shortsword embedded in his chest tremble twice, expertly and ruthlessly destroying every last shred of a warrior's formidable vitality. Then it was cleanly withdrawn, taking his final breath with it.

A master...

That was the last thought of this carefully trained assassin.

Xie Yuan revealed himself and gave the shortsword in his hand a shake. Turning his head, he saw that the Fourteenth Prince's ever-present personal guards had already dealt with the other two assassins. Meanwhile, the beheaded assassin's corpse had fallen at the prince's feet and been blocked by a guard, yet the powerful blood spraying from its neck had still drenched the prince's magnificent robes and even his face.

The Fourteenth Prince remained calm. He wiped his face with his broad sleeve, only to smear it further until it was a sheet of crimson.

He nodded at Xie Yuan.

"Young Master Xie, thank you."

Xie Yuan scrutinized him. Seeing the guards outside being forced back step by step beneath the Imperial Guards' assault, while the experts who had stormed in cut through the Fourteenth Prince's ordinary guards like tigers among sheep, he said in a grave voice, "Fourteenth Highness, do you have a plan?"

The Fourteenth Highness looked at Xie Yuan and sighed softly.

"What other way is there? When soldiers come, generals block them; when water comes, earth dams it."

Xie Yuan frowned. He felt that this prince either had something up his sleeve and was refusing to tell the truth, or he was a slow-witted fool. Otherwise, how could he still look so unruffled at a time like this?

Considering that he had won the old emperor's favor and had secretly been designated as successor, he clearly could not be a fool. He simply did not trust Xie Yuan, which was why he kept things hidden.

If he did not trust him, then so be it.

Xie Yuan was not determined to help him. Amid this chaos, he would still have a fair chance of breaking out with Situ Qin by using the Heaven Concealing Art.

Yet the palace was layered with restrictions and riddled with killing intent. Even a true dragon's pool or tiger's den could not compare with the palace at this moment.

Especially with the entire Imperial City under martial lockdown, one wrong step could prove fatal. With Grandmasters entangling one another outside, it would likely be difficult for Xie Yuan and Situ Qin to simply leave. The Heaven Concealing Art was not omnipotent, after all—what could not be crossed could not be crossed.

Moreover, if the Crown Prince truly succeeded in eliminating the Fourteenth Prince and ascending the throne, rather than stabilizing the situation, the new emperor would likely first seek to eliminate everyone who knew—or might possibly know—the contents of the Imperial Edict. Having been Crown Prince for forty years, that old Crown Prince, already past fifty, would probably not spare a single factor that could affect his succession.

Though the Xie Family offered protection, this was no trifling matter like killing two insignificant county magistrates. It might even sour relations between the Xie Family and the Imperial Court. In the worst-case scenario, so as not to implicate the Xie Family, Xie Yuan might have to leave and hide on his own. Great Li held the Central Plains in a deep grip and had countless powerful experts; life would likely be difficult then...

Too complicated. Why not just stab the Fourteenth Prince now, offer him to the Crown Prince, then pat his backside and slip away? Surely the Crown Prince would not stop him?

On a sudden whim, Xie Yuan's eyes swept over the Fourteenth Prince twice, making him immediately retreat two steps in vigilance as his personal guards surrounded him.

He truly was cautious enough.

It was still more in Xie Yuan's interests for the Fourteenth Prince to take the throne. He had no grudge or entanglement with this prince, whereas the Crown Prince had already made it clear that he intended to raze this palace to the ground and not let even a bird escape. Xie Yuan could hardly say that the Crown Prince would spare him even if he rendered a service. To people like them, the two words "legitimate succession" could sometimes outweigh the heavens themselves.

Countless thoughts flashed through Xie Yuan's mind in an instant. The struggle for the throne was incomparably complex, and he had no wish to involve himself in it, yet circumstances had carried him here, into this palace.

Situ Qin rushed over at this moment, tugged on Xie Yuan's sleeve, then turned her bright eyes toward the Fourteenth Prince.

"Your Highness, if we do not know what exactly you intend to do, how can we assist you? Are we breaking out or holding our ground? Please make it clear."

The Fourteenth Prince looked at Situ Qin, helplessness appearing on his young yet imposing face.

"Qin Mei, the Crown Prince moved too quickly. Even if I had anticipated this, I had no time to prepare. Given the current circumstances, we can only resist with all our strength and wait for a miracle.

"Qin Mei, how much longer can General Li hold out? Can he capture the Crown Prince directly? Perhaps then we may yet have a chance to turn defeat into victory?"

Hope filled his face, but Situ Qin merely looked at him and shook her head.

"There are four formidable Grandmasters on the other side. Tai Bo is facing two alone; I fear he has no strength left to capture the Crown Prince amid the chaos of battle."

The Fourteenth Prince sighed.

"So that is how it is. Fine..."

After pondering for a moment, he looked at Xie Yuan and Situ Qin.

"The two of you, there may be one final chance. Can you escort this prince through the Imperial Guards and bring me within thirty zhang of the Crown Prince?"

The Fourteenth Prince held the title of Prince of the Commandery, though he had never gone to his fief.

Within thirty zhang? What means did he possess?

But whatever the means, if it could only succeed within that range, it would not be easy.

Xie Yuan and Situ Qin turned to look at the ranks upon ranks of Imperial Guards outside the hall. The Crown Prince stood even farther away, surrounded three layers deep within and three layers thick without.

In such a scene, let alone the Heaven Concealing Art, even a teleportation array would find nowhere to set foot beside the Crown Prince. The bodies of his personal guards packed every available space.

But if they only needed to get within thirty zhang...

Xie Yuan gauged the distance, pondered briefly, and felt the immense surging force of the grandmasters battling outside. Then he exchanged a look with Situ Qin, and the two nodded slightly at the same time.

"If no grandmaster blocks us, then we can."

Xie Yuan said in a low voice.

The Fourteenth Prince abruptly raised his head, his eyes blazing as delight appeared on his face.

"Is that true?"

"Of course I would not speak falsely."

Xie Yuan nodded.

The Fourteenth Prince laughed twice and waved his hand.

"Good! This prince will go don his gear at once. Please wait a moment, both of you. We'll charge through their formation together shortly! To think, I have long yearned for the martial world. To have the chance to fight shoulder to shoulder with a Hidden Dragon Hero and gifted Qin Mei is a joyful thing indeed!"

He waved again and strode toward the rear hall with his two personal guards. Even as the guards in the hall fought a bloody battle with the Imperial Guard elites who had stormed in, he did not spare them a single glance.

Xie Yuan and Situ Qin exchanged looks, neither knowing what means the Fourteenth Prince possessed.

"How strong is he?"

Xie Yuan asked.

Situ Qin shook her head slightly.

"As far as I know, nothing exceptional. An ordinary Qi and Blood Transformation Realm cultivator."

These princes were all masters at palace intrigue, but their cultivation talent seemed rather ordinary.

Seeing that the first wave of Imperial Guard experts who had rushed in had already slaughtered through the guards' formation, with several charging straight toward them, Xie Yuan's expression grew grave.

The enemy formation was pressing ever farther forward. How could it be easy to fight their way out?

Xie Yuan drew a breath. Facing the enemies charging at him with eyes wide in fury and battle cries shaking the air, his figure flashed as he crashed into their midst.

His short sword pierced through the chest of the foremost man like a shadowless phantom. Then Xie Yuan seized the spear in the man's hand, kicked the corpse away, and sent it crashing into the man behind him.

The two slammed together, producing a crack of shattering bones and a muffled groan of pain.

Xie Yuan swept his spear, straightened its point, and turned the short sword in his left hand into a longsword. His right hand shook the spear, instantly sending a blaze of spear blossoms sweeping out to engulf the fastest-charging enemies ahead!

"Argh!"

Screams rang out one after another. The moment Xie Yuan unleashed the Heaven Burning World Destroying Spear, the experts who had slaughtered through the guards fell in heaps. Two men narrowly evaded the spear blossoms and rushed close. Even these elite Imperial Guards were struck dumb with shock, inwardly crying out, What kind of spear technique is this? Not even the instructors of the eight hundred thousand Imperial Guards possessed such skill with the spear.

Fortunately, they were already close!

The two hardened their expressions and charged to kill Xie Yuan. Yet before they could reach him, it was as if they saw a flying dragon baring its fangs and brandishing its claws as it emerged from the mist. Their vision went black, and they lost consciousness.

Xie Yuan watched blood seep from between their brows as they slowly collapsed, then let out a breath.

With spear and sword unleashed together, the experts who had stormed into the hall had been completely wiped out, their bodies already carpeting the floor.

Still, these Imperial Guard vanguards were no weaklings. Though Xie Yuan had killed them in moments, it had cost him some exertion. Fortunately, the quality of his blood and qi had improved, making it more resistant to depletion, while the Great Golden River Skill surged in unending waves, flowing on without end. It feared neither prolonged battle nor expenditure.

Not a single enemy remained within the hall. The main Imperial Guard force was locked in a standoff with the palace guards on the steps outside, making the hall itself seem increasingly quiet for the moment.

The prince's guards, who had suffered grievous losses, looked at Xie Yuan with shock in their eyes. The Imperial Guard experts who had just beaten them until they were scattered like fallen blossoms had been slaughtered clean by Xie Yuan's spear and sword in mere moments?

The prince's guards were naturally handpicked elites, but the Imperial Guard vanguard elites were the elite among elites.

This vanguard that had charged inside was led by several Imperial Guard commanders and included a squad of Imperial Guard instructors, every one of them a Third Transformation Realm expert. These instructors usually taught the guards and trained them in martial arts. When faced with their usual masters, aside from a few captains, the rest could not even withstand a single exchange. They could only use their own flesh and blood to hold them back.

Yet this young master who had emerged from the artificial mountain had merely stood here, swept his spear, thrust his sword, and cleared away those mighty Imperial Guard figures of immense prestige and strength like fallen leaves? The way those instructors slaughtered them was the way this young master slaughtered the instructors—no, it was even easier than that.

It felt as though even the two personal eunuchs at His Highness's side were inferior to the man before them.

As the guards watched Xie Yuan with astonishment, admiration, and the relief of surviving a calamity, a shout came from the entrance. The guards outside had already retreated behind the main doors.

The guards were instantly dragged back to reality, their faces turning pale again.

Surrounding them were the Imperial Guards, the Great Li Dynasty's true elite army. They were merely the guards of a single hall, the prince's guards; whether in numbers or strength, they were worlds apart. Even if there were one or two experts—even ten experts like this—what use would it be?

Yet in this situation, they were not allowed to surrender. In palace struggles, even surrender would brand them disloyal, and they would die all the same. What was more, they were now considered rebels.

Many guards could not think that far ahead. All they could think of was how to deal with the blades, swords, and spears before them.

The palace hall had become a pot of boiling porridge. Under the hoarse commands of their commanders, the remaining guards desperately defended the hall doors, thrusting at the Imperial Guards through the air with long spears as screams continued without end. Behind them, many palace maids and eunuchs fled in panic, while others took the chance to stuff valuables into their arms and make off with possessions.

Tables and chairs lay overturned, vases shattered, and everything was a complete mess, complete chaos.

Xie Yuan frowned quietly. Why had the Fourteenth Prince not come out yet? The palace hall was about to fall!

He suddenly met Situ Qin's eyes. That fellow—he had been planning to run away all along?

Situ Qin's face turned cold. She and Xie Yuan were both quick-witted, intelligent people. With a turn of thought, they understood that the Fourteenth Prince had used the two of them as shields.

She snorted coldly.

"What a fine scheme."

Ever since Situ Qin had entered the capital, the Fourteenth Prince had been exceptionally warm toward her and had insisted on accompanying her around. Though Situ Qin knew there was little familial affection within the imperial family, much less between people who had barely interacted to begin with, only now did she understand why.

Perhaps it was partly the late emperor's intention, but more likely it was because of Situ Qin's own power—such as the two powerful grandmasters at her side, who could be called upon for aid, such as now.

Even among princes, only those exceedingly favored had grandmasters protecting them. For someone like the Fourteenth Prince to have two grandmasters hidden within the palace, one in the open and one in the shadows, meant he was the emperor's secretly favored choice. Even the Crown Prince, who controlled most of the Imperial Guards, currently had only four powerful grandmasters under his command. The power behind Situ Qin, even though the Prince of Western Peace had been dead for so many years, was truly not to be underestimated.

Yet though Situ Qin was somewhat annoyed, she could not simply have Li Tai and Red Aunt turn around and leave, because she was still here, Xie Yuan was still here, and the Crown Prince clearly would not let them go so easily.

As for surrendering without resistance and awaiting punishment, neither Xie Yuan nor Situ Qin would ever agree to that, given their temperaments. They were not people who placed their own fate in the hands of others.

They could only keep serving as this shield.

Xie Yuan shook his head and pulled Situ Qin toward the rear hall.

"Let's take a look!"

The two stepped into the rear hall, only to find it completely empty. Shouts of battle rose from the distance as well; clearly, the guards by the back gate were also locked in fierce combat.

The Imperial Guards had surely sealed this palace off, three layers within and three layers without.

Xie Yuan and Situ Qin exchanged a glance and spoke as one.

"There's a secret passage."

He blinked.

"The Crown Prince doesn't know about this passage? If he did, then the Fourteenth Prince would be walking straight into a dead end."

Situ Qin nodded lightly.

"It seems the late emperor truly had the Fourteenth Prince set in his heart as his successor. But the Crown Prince has held his position for forty years; even the late emperor could not easily move against him. Now that it has come to this, perhaps he means to see what fate they make for themselves?"

"Perhaps he was raising venomous insects in a jar, too. Or perhaps there were other arrangements?"

Xie Yuan sighed. Royal Family affairs truly were troublesome and impossible to fathom—far less simple than practicing martial arts.

Situ Qin pursed her lips.

"It likely won't be easy for Tai Bo and Red Aunt to take the two of us away. Since there is a secret passage leading out, we should leave through it as well. That will give us a sliver of hope.

"Once we are safe, Tai Bo's movement technique is unmatched, and Red Aunt moves like a ghost. In this chaos, no one should be able to keep them behind. They will be safe as well."

Though the Crown Prince controlled the Imperial City, that did not mean everyone in the entire city obeyed him. The matter had erupted too suddenly, and many were still watching from the sidelines. Even the Imperial Guards might not be of one mind. He could only mobilize part of them; otherwise, he would have charged straight in long ago.

Xie Yuan nodded as well and began searching for the secret passage together with Situ Qin.

Vases, calligraphy and paintings, potted plants, dwarf pines, an ancient zither—the Fourteenth Prince's bedchamber was rather elegant. Yet after searching all these places, Xie Yuan still could not find the entrance.

He frowned, thinking to himself that there was an expert at the prince's side. Every trace had been concealed so well that even he and Situ Qin, with their keen eyesight, could not spot it.

Situ Qin made a round of the room and likewise found nothing. She could not help frowning in thought. Then, as she looked at the ancient zither in the corner, her eyes lit up.

"Got it!"

She walked behind the zither and gracefully sat down on the floor. She even found the mood to smile.

"This time, there's no time for me to play for you."

"Indeed. Once we get out, I'll have to properly listen to Miss Qin play, see whether your skills have rusted after all this time."

Xie Yuan smiled as well.

Situ Qin shot him a rather seductive sidelong glance, making Xie Yuan's heart sway. At twenty, she had a little more charm than a young girl, yet a little less worldliness than a mature woman—the very age at which her allure was greatest.

"Hmph. How could I ever neglect practicing the zither? Sometimes, I would even think about what tune to play for you when we met again, playing and playing without end..."

Situ Qin smiled, her slender hand resting on the strings. Without tuning it, she plucked several notes directly.

One long, one short, one long, one short—the zither notes echoed through the bedchamber, seeming to follow a peculiar rhythm that made the walls tremble.

She tilted her head to listen. After a moment, she pressed down on the strings and nodded.

"Found it! Under the bed..."

The two looked at each other, both surprised. They had naturally inspected such an obvious place several times, yet had found nothing.

They went to the Brocade Couch and pressed their heads together, examining it closely, but still could not find the mechanism.

Xie Yuan exhaled. The Mystic Weapon in his hand shifted, turning into an axe.

"The things in the Imperial Palace are exquisite. It doesn't matter if we can't see through it—as long as we've found the place."

"But be careful. There might be some mechanism."

Xie Yuan nodded, had Situ Qin step aside, drew in a slight breath, and then chopped down fiercely.

BOOM—

The Brocade Couch split apart at once, revealing a dark pit beneath it, where the faint glow of candlelight flickered.

Xie Yuan had not relied on brute force alone. He had also sent a trembling force through it, shattering any possible self-destruct mechanisms and the like. For the moment, it seemed to have gone smoothly.

His gaze flashed.

"So he really ran through here. What a rat."

After glancing at Situ Qin, a faint golden glow rose around Xie Yuan as he jumped down first.

Situ Qin smiled faintly, suddenly recalling what Xie Yuan had said to her back in the Sword Cave.

Though he had yet to surpass her, he truly could fight shoulder to shoulder with her now...

Situ Qin leisurely followed Xie Yuan down into the pit, casually scooping up the ancient zither in one hand.

Below lay a passageway, built reasonably wide. Situ Qin had no trouble walking through it while carrying the ancient zither.

After the two descended, they found that all the candles along the walls had been lit. The Fourteenth Prince had not concealed his presence below; aside from the stale air, there was also the trace of human presence. They had indeed come this way.

They could get out!

Xie Yuan's spirits lifted. Just as he was about to step forward, Situ Qin grabbed him from behind.

"Wait!"

Xie Yuan turned back and saw her pretty face, still dazzlingly bright beneath the dim candlelight.

"Even if they passed through here, there may still be traps. I have a few little gadgets that can scout the way."

She took a wooden mouse from her sleeve, twisted it a few times to wind its mechanism, then set it on the ground. The wooden mouse immediately squeaked as it scurried forward.

Situ Qin smiled. "A skilled craftsman in the residence made this for me. Back then, he was the chief engineer of the Army of the West's mechanism battalion. Later, he made me all sorts of little toys—fun and useful. This mouse has Blood Qi and an array inside it. It's perfect for scouting the way."

Xie Yuan nodded in praise. "It really is a fine thing."

"Not bad, right?"

Situ Qin beamed, as though sharing her toy with Xie Yuan.

The mouse ran straight ahead, and the two followed its path. For a while, they did not trigger any traps.

But after they rounded another corner, the mouse seemed to notice the uneven ground. The instant it stepped on it, it triggered a mechanism, and a shower of arrows suddenly poured down from the ceiling.

Fortunately, Xie Yuan and Situ Qin had been following far behind the mouse, so the arrow rain posed no threat to them.

Xie Yuan was just mourning the little wooden mouse when he saw it continue squeaking and running forward. It was so small that, despite the dense arrow rain, the arrows had actually missed it.

Once the arrows ceased, Xie Yuan and Situ Qin followed after it again.

They avoided several more traps in this fashion, though they lost one poor little mouse. Situ Qin pulled out another one, and the two swiftly made their way down the passage. At the forks in the path, with the mechanism mice and their own observations, they continued tracking the Fourteenth Prince's trail.

Gradually, the two heard voices ahead, and the people in front had clearly noticed the two behind them as well.

At the corner, Xie Yuan's foot, which had been about to step around it, abruptly halted, narrowly avoiding the long blade thrust toward him.

Xie Yuan sneered. The short sword in his hand, which had long since recovered, slashed down fiercely, chopping the long blade straight into the wall.

The man was startled and hurriedly tried to pull his blade free, then stared at Xie Yuan and Situ Qin as they came around the corner as though facing formidable enemies.

Xie Yuan saw the Fourteenth Prince and two personal guards standing there, watching the pair with grave, somewhat astonished expressions.

"Fourteenth Highness, I was still waiting to fight shoulder to shoulder with you. Why are you here?"

Xie Yuan asked with a smile.

The Fourteenth Prince's expression did not change. "I had intended to fight alongside Young Master Xie and Qin Mei, but the people at my side disagreed and insisted on bringing me down here. I failed to keep my subordinates in line. That is my fault."

Before Xie Yuan and Situ Qin could speak, another guard beside the Fourteenth Prince slightly lowered his head and said, "This subordinate was concerned for Your Highness's safety. I ask Your Highness, Young Master Xie, and Miss Qin not to blame me."

Xie Yuan and Situ Qin looked at the guard. Sensing the powerful aura emanating from him, their expressions immediately grew solemn.

Since when had this guard become a grandmaster?

They had never noticed that the Fourteenth Prince's personal guards included a grandmaster. They had assumed there were merely two powerful Third Transformation Realm cultivators.

Sure enough, there had been an expert hidden at his side all along. With this, the Fourteenth Prince had two grandmaster guard commanders leading the resistance, along with this personal grandmaster guard—three in all. He far surpassed the other princes, and was not much inferior even to the Crown Prince.

Moreover, this grandmaster had concealed himself deeply. The Eastern Palace likely had no knowledge of him either; even face-to-face, Xie Yuan had failed to see through him. Yet he was now revealing his aura, clearly warning the two not to act rashly.

Situ Qin pressed her lips together and said, "Your Highness, neither of us bears any ill intent. We merely wish to find a way out alive."

The Fourteenth Prince glanced at her, then at Xie Yuan, and nodded. "Of course. We ought to escape together in the first place. Why would I refuse?"

After that, the two groups continued onward through the seemingly endless passage, one before the other, keeping a distance that put them both at ease as they wound their way forward.

Time itself seemed to blur beneath the passage. Xie Yuan and Situ Qin were no longer sure how long they had walked when daylight appeared ahead. It was a water well, with the passage exit in its side wall above the waterline.

The Fourteenth Prince examined Xie Yuan and Situ Qin, then instructed the grandmaster guard, "Commander Wang, please go up and take a look."

Commander Wang glanced at Xie Yuan and Situ Qin, somewhat hesitant. The Fourteenth Prince shook his head, his face full of sincerity. "How could Qin Mei and Young Master Xie possibly harm me? Go up without worry."

Xie Yuan and Situ Qin both sneered inwardly, their expressions becoming ever more alike.

Commander Wang nodded and took the lead, climbing up the wall of the well.

He peered over the well's rim and looked around, then flipped himself out. After swiftly investigating the courtyard, he returned and called down, "Your Highness, everything above is normal. You may... Hmph!"

He suddenly let out a muffled groan.

Below, Xie Yuan and the others saw Commander Wang's body jerk in the daylight spilling through the well mouth. He suddenly sprayed out a great mist of blood, then turned and began fighting someone.

Several dull bangs rang out, followed by a tremendous crash! Even the deep tunnel beneath the well shook, as if an earth dragon had turned over.

A muffled groan came from above. In the next instant, the daylight at the well mouth darkened again. Xie Yuan and the others drew back at once and stood in the passageway, only to see Commander Wang fall helplessly into the well. With a splash, water flew up and soaked the Fourteenth Prince's boots beside the passage.

His expression darkened. Then a laugh drifted down from above, followed by a young man's voice:

"Brother, will you come up on your own, or shall I have them invite you up?"

The Fourteenth Prince looked quietly at Xie Yuan and Situ Qin, mouthing the words:

"Save me!"

Xie Yuan looked at him, blinked, and mouthed back:

"The person who was supposed to save you was left behind in the palace. They didn't come."

The Fourteenth Prince's expression changed at once, but an impatient voice sounded outside:

"Brother, it seems you're unwilling to come up by yourself?"

The Fourteenth Prince drew a deep breath and said evenly:

"Don't rush. I'm coming."

He gave Xie Yuan and Situ Qin a deep look, then continued mouthing:

"The Crown Prince is as good as dead. If I ascend the throne, your Merit of Supporting the Dragon will be richly rewarded."

Xie Yuan and Situ Qin exchanged a glance, each seeing the strange look in the other's eyes.

The Crown Prince was as good as dead?

The Fourteenth Prince had said it with certainty. He did not seem to be spouting nonsense.

How could he be as good as dead?

Xie Yuan said nothing.

Commander Wang looked half-dead already. Even if it had been a sneak attack, there had to be a grandmaster above. Even if Xie Yuan wanted to save him, he could not.

The Heaven Concealing Art? In such a cramped passage, covering three people—if that grandmaster came down and searched along the tunnel, he would stumble into them even by accident.

The Fourteenth Prince seemed to know what he was thinking and nodded. "He has only one grandmaster, and he must be seriously injured. I will tell you his condition. If you save this prince, you shall have a promise from the Son of Heaven."

Xie Yuan neither confirmed nor denied it. He did not refuse, but neither did he agree.

Seeing this, the Fourteenth Prince looked at Situ Qin with a somewhat pleading gaze. Situ Qin merely tipped her chin toward Xie Yuan, indicating that he should make the decision.

The Fourteenth Prince looked at Xie Yuan again, his gaze far more earnest now.

When Xie Yuan still showed no reaction, the Fourteenth Prince drew a light breath and climbed up along the well wall with his guard.

Xie Yuan looked at Situ Qin, smiled slightly, and mouthed:

"Now there are only the two of us."

Situ Qin had been analyzing the situation. When she saw Xie Yuan's mouth, she thought she had misread it, and an adorably stunned expression appeared on her exquisitely beautiful face.

He was still thinking about that at a time like this?

Not knowing whether to laugh or cry, she lightly smacked Xie Yuan.

Still, she understood that the two of them could relax a little now.

At this point, they had effectively already left the passage and found the exit. Afterward, with only the two of them, even if the Fourteenth Prince exposed them, Xie Yuan would have a good chance of escaping with the Heaven Concealing Art.

Now, Xie Yuan would wait to see what the Fourteenth Prince had to say. If he performed well, there was still room to consider it.

But if he tried to force them into taking part by threatening to expose them again, then Xie Yuan's Heaven Concealing Art could fit Situ Qin alone just fine, as long as they stayed close.

"If we really save him, and he truly ascends the throne, will he keep his promise?"

Xie Yuan asked.

Situ Qin thought for a while, then slowly nodded.

"He possesses the bearing of the late emperor. He should possess the promise of an emperor as well."

Xie Yuan nodded faintly. Then the Fourteenth Prince's cold voice came from above:

"Brother, we share the same mother. I truly never expected you to be waiting for me here."

Situ Qin blinked, understanding dawning on her face. She had thought that voice sounded familiar. It was the Fourteenth Prince's younger full brother, the Nineteenth Prince.

The young man's voice giggled.

"Brother, others may not know that you once came to this Cold Palace, but I do. I was merely passing by this time, and happened to catch you climbing into a water well. What a coincidence..."

"Why?"

The Fourteenth Prince cut off the Nineteenth Prince's nonsense.

He could move about freely at a time like this, so he had clearly already thrown in with the Crown Prince.

But why had he not told the Crown Prince about this place? There was probably only one possibility.

Outside, there was silence for a moment before the Nineteenth Prince's smiling voice drifted over:

"Though we were born of the same mother, Father favored you alone. How unfair. Brother, hand over the Imperial Edict. I might even grant you the title of Grand Prince and let you live as an idle man of wealth and honor. Wouldn't that be wonderful?"

"Hmph. Do you have that kind of ability? Don't think you've won. Your guard commander is seriously wounded as well—he's likely no match even for an ordinary Third Transformation Realm cultivator. What makes you so certain you can take me down?"

"Heh heh."

After the sounds of two blows being exchanged, a miserable scream rang out.

Xie Yuan and Situ Qin saw another figure fall down—it was the Fourteenth Prince's other guard.

"The might of a Grandmaster cannot be lightly insulted."

The Nineteenth Prince's voice rang out, tinged with mockery:

"Still less can it be compared to your trifling three-legged-cat skills, Brother."

"Pity I don't have a Third Transformation Realm cultivator."

The Fourteenth Prince sighed.

A somewhat hoarse middle-aged man's voice sounded:

"Fourteenth Highness, with your aptitude, even a Third Transformation Realm cultivator would be unable to do anything to me. Unless it were an experienced, peerless madman among geniuses like Peerless Maniac Xie Yuan, who repeatedly challenges Grandmasters, even with injuries like mine, taking care of a Third Transformation Realm martial artist would still be as easy as turning my hand over."

At the bottom of the well, Situ Qin let out a muffled snort, nearly laughing aloud.

Xie Yuan's temple twitched twice. Frowning, he said:

"He's calling me out by name."

"I can't stay out of this even if I want to."

Situ Qin's eyes sparkled, seemingly full of interest:

"Peerless Maniac, want to give it a try?"

Xie Yuan said nothing. Darkness shrouded the two of them.

On the clearing beside the well, the Fourteenth Prince stood alone. Among the layers of guards opposite him stood a young prince who bore a thirty-percent resemblance to him, and beside that prince was a Golden Armored Guard with blood at the corner of his mouth, his aura weak but still formidable.

The Golden Armored Guard cupped his hands.

"Fourteenth Highness, then forgive my offense."

The Fourteenth Prince was growing anxious. Why was there still no movement from the well? Had they still been frightened off? After all, they were facing a Grandmaster, even one seriously wounded.

His thoughts raced. He wanted to reveal the information about the two beneath the well to his blood brother across from him, both to force their hand and distract the others, so that he might have a chance to survive amid the chaos.

Yet he hesitated and remained silent. He had already dragged the two into trouble once, and Xie Yuan had seemed rather upset by it. If he forcibly pulled them in again now, it might backfire. What should he do? Wait a little longer...

The Fourteenth Prince watched helplessly as the Golden Armored Guard walked toward him. He slowly backed away, his hand unable to stop itself from reaching toward his chest.

If it came down to it, he could only use the Imperial Edict to threaten them.

From amid the guards, the Nineteenth Prince saw the Fourteenth Prince's movement clearly, and his eyes lit up.

"Brother, slow down! If you want to jump into the well, wait for your little brother to send you down personally. Don't go damaging that treasure!"

He shouted excitedly, feeling that victory was already in his grasp.

The Grandmaster could subdue his brother at any moment. Once the Imperial Edict was in his hands, all he had to do was alter it a little, and he would have a chance to ascend the throne!

At that point, no matter who came—even the Crown Prince—no one could stop him!

He clapped his hands again and again, excitedly envisioning the realm in his grasp, when he suddenly saw a vague figure slowly emerge behind the Golden Armored Guard.

What was that?

The Nineteenth Prince froze.

The figure held a massive axe. His silhouette was dark, his face obscured by the backlight of the sun, like an immortal spirit wielding an axe.

The Golden Armored Commander reacted sluggishly for a moment before sensing that something was wrong behind him. He spun around at once.

He saw nothing else, only a massive axe carving a black cross through the air.

Thousand Army Breaker.

An intense sense of danger welled up in his heart. Even when he had exchanged life-and-death blows with that Grandmaster just now, he had not felt such danger.

The Golden Armored Commander roared, abruptly raising his sword. Dense vital energy condensed upon it, instantly igniting into flames of force that swept up a fiery whirlwind.

At that very moment, a perfectly timed note from a qin reached his ears just as his vital energy surged forth, making his breath stall and his heart skip a beat.

In the eyes of the nearby guards and the two princes, the Golden Armored Commander seemed to have been frightened stiff by the axe. He watched helplessly as the black cross was about to slash into his face, then finally let out a furious roar and tried to raise his sword to block it—but it was already too late.

With a boom, the Golden Armored Guard was blasted away.

His upper body, along with his suit of golden armor, shattered into pieces. Then he crashed onto the ground, plowing a long furrow through the earth.

A Grandmaster's protective vital energy was as fragile as paper at this moment, not worth mentioning at all.

Xie Yuan blinked, raised his axe, and looked at it twice in surprise.

This Thousand Army Breaker could shatter even a Grandmaster's protective energy so easily?

Its power seemed to be far greater than he had imagined.

As he examined his axe, the arena fell deathly silent.

Even Situ Qin was somewhat surprised. Only after a moment did she smile, lifting her slender hand and gently brushing the strings.

A string of light zither notes flowed through the air, as though celebrating Xie Yuan's victory and shattering the silence.

The Fourteenth Prince stared fixedly at Xie Yuan, then suddenly burst out laughing. His usually composed face revealed uncontrollable excitement—wild ecstasy, even.

The Nineteenth Prince's face went deathly pale. His gaze darted back and forth between the mangled golden-armored commander and Xie Yuan. His lips trembled twice before he shrieked, "You're that Xie Yuan! That madman Xie Yuan! You actually—you really can kill a grandmaster!"

He was beside himself with fury. That commander had always had a crow's beak, and in the end, his foul mouth had truly brought it upon himself!

The other guards were all somewhat fearful. It was not as though they had never seen experts before, but to smash a golden-armored grandmaster commander into such a state with a single axe blow—even if he had been badly wounded beforehand—was simply beyond comprehension.

"Take him down for me!"

The Nineteenth Prince was panicking now, all his earlier smugness gone as he screamed.

Though fearful, the guards still moved at the command.

Facing the charging guards, Xie Yuan transformed his axe into a long spear. One thrust at a time, he sent every one of them flying.

In the midst of battle formations, the long spear was king, unmatched by any other weapon.

Whenever a formidable opponent or a sneak attacker appeared, zither notes rang out at just the right moment. That person would immediately stiffen all over; some even crumpled to the ground, utterly unable to harm Xie Yuan in the slightest.

With Situ Qin behind him, overseeing the entire field, Xie Yuan naturally had nothing to fear.

In only a short while, countless guards had been killed or wounded, carpeting the ground. The few remaining ones trembled as they surrounded the Nineteenth Prince, a group of men paler than powder-faced dancing girls.

"Y-you, don't come any closer!"

the Nineteenth Prince shrieked.

Xie Yuan seemed not to hear him. He swept his long spear left and right, knocking away all the remaining guards, then grabbed the mediocre Nineteenth Prince and lifted him in one hand.

He turned, walked to the Fourteenth Prince's side, and casually tossed the Nineteenth Prince onto the ground.

The Fourteenth Prince's eyelid twitched at the sight.

It was not merely because he sensed the dense Sha Qi surrounding Xie Yuan. More importantly, it was Xie Yuan's attitude toward his dear younger brother.

Though he himself wished he could eat his flesh and drink his blood, this was still imperial blood—a dignified prince. Was this aristocratic son, who did not even possess a single title, not being a little too presumptuous?

The Fourteenth Prince remained impassive. He courteously cupped his hands toward Xie Yuan, then crouched and patted the terrified Nineteenth Prince on the shoulder, his expression gentle.

"Brother, why are you lying on the ground?"

The Nineteenth Prince swallowed.

"Brother, we were born of the same mother. Can you forgive your younger brother? Spare my life, and I'll help you defeat His Highness the Crown Prince!"

"The Crown Prince? By now, he should already be dead."

The Fourteenth Prince smiled.

"What?"

The Nineteenth Prince looked shocked, then his face turned even uglier. Trembling, he said, "B-brother, when brothers glare at each other across the wall, Mother Consort will be heartbroken..."

"That is true."

The Fourteenth Prince nodded, then smiled.

"But all we have to do is not let her know, isn't it? That was what you thought before too, wasn't it?"

The Nineteenth Prince's face went white.

"N-no... Urgh—"

A pained expression abruptly crossed his face. He lowered his head to look at the gold-handled dagger plunged into his chest. He tried to speak, but bright red blood poured from his mouth in great gulps.

The Fourteenth Prince viciously twisted the dagger twice more, driving it deep into his younger brother's heart. Only when blood had splattered all over his hand did a look of satisfaction appear on his face.

He seized the Nineteenth Prince by the hair, dragged him to the well, leaned close to his ear, and smiled.

"The Nineteenth Prince has no interest in conflict. He left the palace to roam the mountains and rivers, crossed the seas in search of immortals, and wandered free and unfettered, his whereabouts unknown.

"That is what I will tell Mother Consort. Farewell, brother."