The Prince's Death, The Curtain Falls

As Lin Hanzhou pushed open the heavy palace gates and stepped into the imperial plaza, he immediately sensed a massive surge of spiritual energy.

Ten figures were locked in combat across the plaza, their movements as swift as lightning.

Every collision erupted with a deafening roar, whipping up visible shockwaves in the air.

Even the sturdy white jade floor tiles were shattered, spiderweb-like cracks spreading across their surfaces.

Blade light, sword shadows, fists, and palms wove together into a brilliant yet lethal web of light.

This was a battle between Xiantian experts!

Lin Hanzhou's gaze swept rapidly across the entire battlefield.

Aside from the Ninth Prince Lin Hao, who had not personally entered the fray, everyone else was engaged in combat.

Among the combatants were five Xiantian experts under the Ninth Prince, as well as four Xiantian experts under the Third Prince, along with the Third Prince himself.

Currently, the strength of both sides was evenly matched, making it difficult to determine a victor in the short term.

Two particular skirmishes were especially eye-catching.

One involved an elderly Xiantian Second Layer expert under the Third Prince, pitted against a Xiantian Second Layer retainer from the Ninth Prince's side.

The two traded blows back and forth, unable to gain the upper hand.

The other was the battlefield of the Third Prince Lin Tai himself.

At this moment, clad in golden python robes and wielding a crimson spear, he thrust like a dragon, his every move exuding the domineering majesty of imperial martial arts.

His opponent was a guest advisor under the Ninth Prince.

Although they were both at the Xiantian First Layer, the advisor's aura was clearly a notch weaker.

This served as a testament to the profound heritage of the royal family, far beyond what ordinary martial artists could compare to.

Yet, even so, it was proving extremely difficult for Lin Tai to secure a quick victory.

That guest advisor possessed combat experience far superior to Lin Tai's, dodging attacks with the slipperiness of an eel.

This left Lin Tai both anxious and enraged, feeling the frustration of striking at cotton.

After another period of stalemate, Lin Tai still could not take down the advisor.

Left with no choice, he decided to use that hidden weapon to finish his opponent off quickly.

With the current situation at a deadlock, not a single Xiantian expert could spare a hand.

This meant that if he could kill the advisor before him, he could strike directly at the Ninth Prince himself.

One had to remember that the Ninth Prince was merely at the Houtian stage; he wouldn't be able to withstand a single blow.

Once the Ninth Prince was dead, he would be the one calling the shots here.

Immediately, Lin Tai lunged forward with his spear again, the crimson weapon thrusting out violently.

The advisor dared not take the blow head-on, dodging hastily and preparing a counterattack from the flank.

But just then, Lin Tai suddenly threw a pitch-black bead he had been concealing in his hand toward the advisor.

Having done this, he immediately pivoted and charged fiercely toward the Ninth Prince.

At this moment, his face was filled with a smug and ferocious grin.

In his view, the advisor had been struck by his Shadowless Needle Bead; even if he didn't die, he would be severely wounded.

With that, no one left on the field could stop him.

With no one to intervene, it would take him only one strike to kill a Houtian martial artist.

The outcome, it seemed, was already decided!

However, facing the menacing Lin Tai, the Ninth Prince Lin Hao's face showed not a hint of panic.

His gentle eyes watched the Third Prince, who believed victory was already in his grasp, with a cold, mocking smile curling his lips.

This expression was the indifference of a hunter watching prey about to step into a trap.

He knew the opportunity had arrived.

Just as the Third Prince Lin Tai closed in, preparing to deliver the killing blow, a sudden change occurred.

Behind his flank, a Xiantian martial artist from the Ninth Prince's side, who had been locked in fierce combat, suddenly broke away from his opponent without warning.

The man moved like lightning, transforming into a blur, his long sword thrusting silently toward the center of Lin Tai's back.

Sensing the crisis, Lin Tai twisted his body, barely managing to evade the strike.

This turn of events left Lin Tai horrified; he had not expected the opponent's Xiantian expert to be able to free himself.

Which piece of trash is it? Failing me at such a critical moment.

Just as Lin Tai was pondering this, the sound of a blade piercing flesh echoed out.

"Puchi!"

Although the Third Prince had sensed the danger at the final moment through pure combat instinct and narrowly avoided a fatal blow, the poisoned sword still plunged deep into his left shoulder, piercing straight through and drawing a stream of black blood.

"Ah--!"

A searing pain and numbness instantly surged through his entire body, and Lin Tai let out a roar of shock and fury.

He turned his head in disbelief, only to see the Elder Li, the retainer who had followed him for years and whom he had considered his most trusted confidant!

"Li Xuan! You... how dare you betray me?!"

The Third Prince gritted his teeth, his bloodshot eyes glaring fixedly at Li Xuan.

"A wise bird chooses its tree to perch upon, Third Highness. You... are simply too stupid."

The turncoat Elder Li sneered, and having succeeded with his strike, he quickly withdrew his sword and retreated.

This sudden turn of events brought the entire battlefield to a standstill!

The other Xiantian experts under the Third Prince were struck with horror, while the side of the Ninth Prince was invigorated.

"Attack!"

The Ninth Prince Lin Hao finally issued the final order.

Two Xiantian experts moved in unison, launching a lethal pincer attack from two directions against the heavily wounded Third Prince.

"Protect His Highness!"

Seeing this, the strongest Xiantian Second Layer elder under the Third Prince's command felt his eyes split with rage, desperate to break away and provide aid.

However, the Ninth Prince's retainer, also a Xiantian Second Layer expert, held him fast, making it impossible for him to escape!

In an instant, the Third Prince Lin Tai was plunged into a desperate, isolated situation.

"No--!"

Facing a pincer attack from two experts of the same rank, while heavily wounded and suffering from the encroaching poison, he could no longer defend himself.

His domineering spear technique became chaotic and disorganized, and deep, bone-baring wounds began to cover his body.

Before long, both of his arms were severed, and his chest was pierced through by a longsword.

"I... am not reconciled..."

Lin Tai spat out a mouthful of blood, his eyes filled with resentment as his body crashed backward, his life force rapidly fading away.

This prince, who had held the most momentum in the struggle for the throne, met his end right there in such a humiliating fashion.

With the fall of the Third Prince, the four remaining Xiantian experts under his command essentially lost all will to fight.

Only the Xiantian Second Layer elder refused to surrender and chose to fight to the death, while the other three Xiantian experts all surrendered.

A short while later, the Xiantian Second Layer elder was killed in battle.

Thus, the heart-pounding struggle for imperial power came to an end with a complete victory for the Ninth Prince Lin Hao.

The scent of blood permeated the plaza.

The Ninth Prince Lin Hao walked forward slowly, a victor's smile on his face, preparing to enjoy the fruits of his triumph.

However, as his gaze swept across the area, it suddenly froze at the entrance of the plaza.

There, at some unknown moment, another person had appeared.

A youth dressed in fine silk stood there quietly.

He seemed like an outsider, having witnessed everything that had just transpired from beginning to end.

No joy or anger could be discerned on his face; he was as calm as a bottomless lake.

The moment he saw the stranger, the pupils of the Ninth Prince Lin Hao constricted sharply.