Su Ying returned to her maiden home again under the pretext of visiting her injured nephew, only returning to the royal palace late that night.
She did not hurry back to her own Fragrance Palace, but went to Yongning Palace first.
As she had expected, the principal consort, Shi Feifei, was neither asleep nor cultivating.
Shi Feifei lay on her bed in her chambers, her expression grave. She was clearly in a foul mood.
"Greetings, Principal Consort!"
"There's no need for such formalities between us sisters!"
Shi Feifei slowly sat up straight and reached out as if to help her up.
Then she dismissed the palace maids, leaving only Nanny Xu behind.
"Principal Consort, is the eldest prince any better?"
Su Ying asked, seemingly concerned.
"His life was spared, and nothing more!"
Shi Feifei's voice was mournful.
With his Purple Mansion destroyed, even a God Realm expert could do nothing for him, unless they could obtain the legendary divine pill capable of rebuilding a Purple Mansion!
The hope of restoring Lin Xuan to his former self was vanishingly slim, even though he was a prince!
Shi Feifei was heartbroken and furious for her son. Lin Xuan had also suffered a severe blow, sinking into despair and confusion, and had even considered suicide!
Unable to continue cultivating, Lin Xuan had no chance whatsoever of winning the Chishui Royal Clan's recognition, let alone inheriting the throne someday!
"Principal Consort, please take care of yourself. At worst, you can have another prince with His Majesty. I'm sure he wouldn't refuse!"
Su Ying comforted her. "You're a princess of the Lingxi Kingdom. A prince born to you and His Majesty would have the strongest claim to become the next ruler!"
"Let's hope so!"
Shi Feifei then pretended to show concern as well and asked in return, "How is your nephew Su Zhenyu?"
"He survived, but he'll need at least half a year of rest to recover!"
Su Ying sighed and continued, "He failed to pass the selection this year, so he'll have to wait two years to enter the academy!"
"He's the grand commander's grandson. Entering the academy a little later won't make much difference."
Shi Feifei added, "That little bastard has been locked up in the Ten Fiends Prison. I wonder what Consort Su and the grand commander intend to do?"
Shi Feifei had already joined forces with the Su Clan once before, so she had no need to hold back when discussing such matters with Su Ying.
"Father intends to wait a while first and let that little bastard suffer some more. That way, we can make it look as though the formation killed him, rather than an assassin!"
Su Ying replied.
"With Hong San protecting him, he'll have no trouble holding out for two months in the Ten Fiends Prison!"
Shi Feifei said, "Although Hong San's Divine Body collapsed long ago and his cultivation has declined badly, I reckon he still has the strength of the Martial Emperor Realm. He's only a three-year-old child who has experienced too little, so the illusions created by the formation won't have much effect on him either."
"Father has another concern."
"What concern?"
"His Majesty knows full well that I and the entire Su Clan hate that little bastard. Why would he still lock him up in the Ten Fiends Prison?"
"What's the use of thinking about that?"
Shi Feifei said unhappily, "Are we supposed to stand by and watch such a once-in-a-thousand-years opportunity slip through our fingers because of those concerns?"
"That's what I told Father too!"
Su Ying chimed in. "In any case, Father said to wait a while first!"
"The grand commander is waiting for my people to arrive from the Lingxi Kingdom, isn't he?"
"Uh... Principal Consort, please don't misunderstand. I don't think that's what Father has in mind!"
"Whether it is or not makes no difference. I want revenge, and I certainly won't rely solely on killing with a borrowed knife!"
Shi Feifei said coldly, "We can't delay any longer. That little bastard is growing at an unimaginable rate. Once he grows up, none of us can expect a good end!"
She had made up her mind long ago: even if the Su Clan did not act, she would kill that little bastard herself!
She could also bear the consequences if the matter came to light. With the entire Lingxi Royal Clan backing her, Lin Changqing would not do anything to her.
When Lin Heng signed in at the Ten Fiends Prison the next day, his system reward was only a high-grade profound weapon, leaving him slightly disappointed.
Still, that was only natural!
The more formidable criminals were generally executed on the spot rather than being imprisoned here.
Lin Heng could have Hong San take him and fight their way out.
Hong San was at the high level of the Quasi-God Realm, and with the Golden Thunder Divine Sword in hand, breaking open the prison door would be as easy as turning over his palm.
Lin Heng did not do that, because he knew an exciting story was about to unfold.
The lightning and flames here could only help him temper his Divine Body; they posed no threat to him whatsoever.
As for the illusions the formation created from time to time, they could not possibly confound his divine soul either!
Lin Heng sat quietly on the ground with his legs crossed, waiting patiently.
Seeing Lin Heng's tranquil expression and complete lack of anything amiss, Hong San finally stopped worrying altogether and devoted himself to shielding Lin Heng from the lightning and fire.
The imperial city of Great Xia!
Inside the imperial palace was a sizable garden, where the imperial uncle Dongfang Lin and his family lived.
Dongfang Lin did not actually like living in the imperial palace, but as a God Realm expert of the Great Xia Imperial Clan, he had a duty to protect it.
At that moment, Dongfang Lin was fishing beside a small pond.
He had just caught a fish when a palace maid reported that His Imperial Majesty had arrived.
He did not rise to greet him, merely grunting in acknowledgment before casting his hook back into the pond.
Before long, the reigning emperor of Great Xia, Dongfang Anbang, arrived.
"Your nephew greets you, Third Uncle!"
Dongfang Anbang, who looked somewhat old, with black and white streaked through his hair and beard, walked up to Dongfang Lin and bowed respectfully in greeting.
He was the emperor, but his cultivation was only at the ninth level of the Martial Emperor Realm. Facing his own uncle, who was in the God Realm, he naturally did not dare put on imperial airs.
In truth, he could break through to the Quasi-God Realm at any time, but he did not want to.
The Great Xia Imperial Clan had a rule: if the emperor reached the Quasi-God Realm, he had to abdicate!
"Your Majesty came here in person. Something important must have happened, I take it?"
As Dongfang Lin spoke, his gaze remained fixed on the float in the pond.
When he fished, he made himself completely like an ordinary person.
"News came from the Chishui Kingdom that Lin Heng, who is betrothed to Sister Yao, has been imprisoned by the ruler of Chishui!"
"Oh?"
Only then did Dongfang Lin turn his head and glance at his imperial nephew. "Why?"
"Apparently, Lin Heng displayed astonishing talent and strength at the Chishui Kingdom's biennial martial arts tournament!"
Dongfang Anbang explained, "First, he threw an iron ball weighing two hundred jin more than thirty zhang, injuring Su Song's grandson. Su Song is the grand commander of the Chishui Kingdom's Demon-Subduing Army. Then Lin Heng challenged more than thirty young elite geniuses on his own and injured every one of them!"
"Most importantly, Lin Heng destroyed the Purple Mansion of the ruler of Chishui's eldest son with a single kick!"
Hearing this, Dongfang Lin frowned slightly.
"As expected of the child of an invincible God Realm expert. He truly is extraordinary!"
After pondering for a moment, Dongfang Lin smiled and said, "Even without his invincible God Realm mother, a divine child like him might be worthy of my daughter someday!"
"Third Uncle, Lin Changqing, the ruler of Chishui, locked Lin Heng in a place called the Ten Fiends Prison. It's no ordinary prison. They say anyone below the Quasi-God Realm could die in there!"
Dongfang Anbang said in puzzlement, "I can't quite understand why Lin Changqing would lock Lin Heng up in a place like that!"
"Could Lin Changqing be using this to test our Great Xia Imperial Clan's attitude toward Lin Heng?"