Dai Weisi struggled to lower his eyes.
He had imagined dying while fighting his second brother for the throne.
He had imagined Dai Mubai growing up and blindsiding him.
But he had never imagined losing a one-on-one fight to Dai Yunzhao!
Dai Yunzhao rose to his feet.
"History will record that the Crown Prince of Star Luo, Dai Yunzhao, killed Dai Weisi within the palace walls!"
Dai Weisi's closed eyelids trembled.
Dai Yunzhao actually didn't care about his reputation!
He truly didn't care!
What kind of confidence did it take to believe his achievements would drown out those voices?
Shadow appeared beside Dai Yunzhao. Behind him lay a field of corpses.
Shadow raised the dagger in his hand, about to cut off Dai Weisi's head.
But Dai Yunzhao stopped him.
"The imperial family has its own way of dying. Leave him whole. It's the least we can do to show him some dignity."
Dai Weisi's lashes trembled, and two streams of tears ran down his face.
"Thank you... Fourth Brother!"
Dai Yunzhao gave a scornful smile. "See? He still has to thank us!"
Shadow plunged the dagger into Dai Weisi's heart!
Dai Weisi was well and truly dead.
Dai Yunzhao had no time to put on a show of brotherly affection with Dai Weisi.
The other man had wanted to kill him, and had already made his move.
So there was no reason to leave him any chance to strike again!
He only remembered their brotherly bond when he was about to die?
Where had that been before!
Dai Yunzhao left the palace walls, then turned back to Shadow. "I'm still more used to you pushing me."
Shadow took a wheelchair from his Storage Soul Tool.
Dai Yunzhao sat back down in the wheelchair and covered himself with a blanket.
Untouched by a speck of dust.
The main hall of the Star Luo Imperial Palace.
The Star Luo Emperor had worn a dark expression throughout court that day.
The civil and military officials below kept submitting memorials, too.
All of them were about trivial matters!
Everyone knew that after today, the next Crown Prince of the Star Luo Empire would practically be decided.
The Star Luo Emperor couldn't leave early. If he went back and saw that scene, he wouldn't be able to bear it as a father.
He remained on the throne, listening to those irrelevant memorials below.
The Star Luo Emperor was growing increasingly irritable!
Since ancient times, parents had always loved their youngest sons most!
The Star Luo Emperor was no exception.
But...
That was only how he chose to act.
He put on the appearance of doting on his sickly youngest son.
He showed his fondness for Dai Yunzhao, and had given him special protection over the years.
But the Star Luo Empire needed a powerful emperor with political savvy!
Dai Yunzhao did have ability, but could an emperor in a wheelchair keep his throne?
Could Dai Yunzhao, whose Soul Power was low, keep this empire of soldiers in line?
In the end, the Star Luo Emperor's love had to yield to the empire.
He had silently approved Dai Weisi's repeated requests!
This was the son in whom he had truly placed his hopes.
He knew Dai Weisi had reached a critical stage, too.
If he refused Dai Weisi and let Dai Yunzhao become a demon in his heart, that wouldn't be good for the Star Luo Empire either.
Everyone could see the Star Luo Emperor's love for Dai Yunzhao.
Even now, there were still people at court who supported the Fourth Prince.
But their voices were very, very faint.
Everyone had more or less already decided that the older, more ruthless, and more powerful Dai Weisi would be the next emperor!
That morning's court session was unusually long.
Everyone was waiting for the final outcome.
Of course, everyone already knew what that outcome would be.
The only thing left to speculate about was what the Star Luo Emperor would think once it was announced.
Should they show their delight?
After all, the emperor had lost a son!
But if they didn't look happy, would the new emperor turn his wrath on them when he took the throne?
The court was full of divided hearts.
They all glanced at one another, but no one brought it up.
At last, someone reminded him, "Your Majesty, no one else has a matter to report."
The Star Luo Emperor, who had been lost in thought, finally waved a hand.
"Do none of you have anything else to report?"
Clearly, the Star Luo Emperor still didn't want to end the court session.
But the officials all looked at one another, at a loss for what to say.
After all, their thoughts were all fixed on one thing.
It had happened within the palace walls!
For a moment, silence filled the hall.
Then a shrill voice rang out: "His Highness the prince requests an audience~~~"
His Highness the prince?
Which prince?!
The civil and military officials turned to look.
Against the light, a towering figure appeared at the entrance to the hall.
Was that... Dai Weisi?
No!
He didn't look like Dai Weisi!
Dai Weisi wasn't that burly!
As their vision gradually cleared, the officials saw a suit of dark armor.
The enormous armor engulfed the person inside.
But the master of the armor wasn't the main character of the day!
The dark-armored warrior was pushing a nanmu wheelchair.
The creaking wheels tugged at everyone's hearts!
Dai Yunzhao!!!
The one who had survived was Dai Yunzhao?
Then where was Dai Weisi?
The main hall was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.
Only the creaking of Shadow pushing Dai Yunzhao's wheelchair rang out.
The wheelchair rolled to the center of the hall, then slowly came to a stop.
The Star Luo Emperor's pupils shook, too.
He knew his fourth son had his ways.
He also knew that many people were helping Dai Yunzhao.
But the forces within the imperial city were mostly in Dai Weisi's hands.
How had Dai Yunzhao won?
Dai Yunzhao bowed slightly. "Your son pays his respects to Father."
The Star Luo Emperor's gaze passed over Dai Yunzhao and fell on Shadow behind him.
"Yunzhao, who is this?"
Only then did everyone's eyes fall in unison on Shadow.
Dai Yunzhao smiled faintly. "Your son met this talented man in the army during the northern campaign against Heaven Dou. I couldn't bear to see him go to waste, so I kept him by my side and trained him."
Shadow stood beside Dai Yunzhao, his body as steady as an iron tower.
The Star Luo Emperor stared at Dai Yunzhao.
He wanted to see right through his son!
But Dai Yunzhao still wore that indifferent gaze, smiling as he met his eyes.
In an instant, the Star Luo Emperor recovered his imperial dignity.
"Fourth Prince, I ask you: where is the First Prince?"
A flicker passed through Dai Yunzhao's eyes. What he said made everyone present break out in a cold sweat.
"May I ask: is that a father questioning his son, or an emperor questioning his subject?"
This was defiance!
Only the sound of the officials breathing sharply filled the hall!
The Star Luo Emperor stared at Dai Yunzhao.
"In this hall, it is a lord questioning his subject!"
Dai Yunzhao nodded slightly.
"Since this is a question between lord and subject, then I shall answer."
"Within the palace walls, Dai Weisi brought six Soul Emperors to kill me."
"A prince joined forces with outsiders and forced his way into the imperial palace. I didn't know if they meant only to kill me or had other designs."
"I dared not put the emperor's safety at risk!"
"The six traitors have been executed. Dai Weisi disrupted the palace and was also killed by my hand!"
Every sentence claimed to be for the Star Luo Emperor. Every word described brothers turning against each other!
The Star Luo Emperor's body swayed for a moment.
He knew the Star Luo Empire's sky had fallen.
Dai Weisi was dead. Who would shoulder the burden of the Star Luo Empire?
This Dai Yunzhao in a wheelchair, who couldn't even stand?!
The Star Luo Emperor's face went pale. "Guards! Go, bring Mubai back."
The Star Luo Empire absolutely could not let someone with less than half a level of Soul Power take the throne!
Before you continue