"Lin Changqing certainly had that in mind, but he must have had other considerations too."
Dongfang Lin said calmly, "With such an outstanding son, no father would let him die young!"
"True enough!"
Dongfang Anbang nodded.
"Since Lin Changqing wants us to take a stance, we can't leave him without an answer."
Dongfang Lin pondered for a moment, then continued, "Let's do this. Send someone to the Chishui Royal Palace with a message: once Little Prince Lin Heng has finished his confinement, he may come to the Great Xia Divine Martial Institute to further his studies."
"Bring Lin Heng over here?"
Dongfang Anbang was somewhat surprised.
"Isn't a martial genius like him worth winning over early?"
Dongfang Lin asked in return.
"Of course he is!"
"Yaoyao has already entered the Divine Martial Institute. If Lin Heng comes, the two of them can spend more time together and perhaps develop feelings for each other sooner!"
Dongfang Lin said.
After the invincible goddess Liu Ling'er ascended to the God Realm, Dongfang Lin and the entire Great Xia Imperial Clan had considered breaking off the engagement between Lin Heng and Dongfang Yao.
They had never found a suitable excuse, however, so it had remained just a thought.
But now that he had heard Lin Heng had displayed martial talent beyond imagination, Dongfang Lin had changed his mind!
"I understand, uncle. I'll send someone to the Chishui Kingdom right away!"
Dongfang Anbang knew that having Lin Heng enter the Great Xia Divine Martial Institute was a very wise choice.
The invincible goddess had already ascended. Even if the Great Xia Imperial Clan was willing to continue recognizing the engagement, it was reluctant to marry Dongfang Yao off to the Chishui Kingdom!
If Lin Heng came here and received the Great Xia Imperial Clan's care and guidance, he would surely develop deep affection for and dependence on the clan over time!
When Lin Heng and Dongfang Yao married, it would be considered Lin Heng marrying into the Great Xia Imperial Clan!
In the blink of an eye, Lin Heng had been confined in the Ten Fiends Prison for seven days.
Lin Heng thought that the Su Clan and Shi Feifei, the principal consort, really could bide their time. They had actually waited this long without making a move!
That day.
Su Ying returned to her family home again!
"Father, I just received word that the Great Xia emperor sent a message saying that once that little bastard's confinement ends, he is invited to enter the Great Xia Divine Martial Institute!"
Su Ying said urgently, "We have no other choice now. Otherwise, once he leaves the Ten Fiends Prison, he'll go to the Great Xia Empire. By then, I'm afraid we'll never get another chance to strike!"
"Oh?"
Su Song frowned. "The king is willing to send Lin Heng to the Great Xia Divine Martial Institute?"
"What can he do if he isn't?"
Su Ying curled her lip. "Would the king dare defy the Great Xia emperor's decree?"
"What does the principal consort say?"
Su Song asked again.
"She's the one who told me the news!"
Su Ying replied, "She's extremely anxious. She sent me to let you know that experts from the Lingxi Kingdom will enter the royal city in the next two days. She hopes the Demon-Subduing Army headquarters can cooperate!"
"Go back and tell the principal consort that the experts from the Lingxi Kingdom will have an unobstructed passage!"
Su Song said.
"All right!"
Su Ying immediately returned to the palace.
Late on the tenth night of his confinement in the Ten Fiends Prison, Lin Heng suddenly opened his eyes.
Hong San, who had been helping Lin Heng fend off the lightning and fire, also showed a slight change in expression.
Someone was coming!
The prison door opened, and Lin Heng and Hong San saw two people!
The corners of Lin Heng's mouth rose slightly, and he gave a mocking smile.
His divine sense discovered that both men had Martial Emperor Realm cultivation!
Normally, two Martial Thearchs would have been enough!
"I didn't expect the grand commander to take action personally!"
Hong San recognized one of them.
The man had a full beard and an exceptionally broad build. Even in the dim prison, Hong San could tell that he was Su Song!
"Eunuch Hong, we're acquainted, so by rights I shouldn't lay a hand on you. But you followed someone you shouldn't have, so I can only disregard our old ties!"
Su Song stepped forward and was the first to enter the cell!
The other Martial Thearch followed him inside.
The Ten Fiends Prison's formations had stopped, and the lightning and fire no longer raged!
"I came personally so I could avenge my grandson with my own hands!"
Su Song added.
"If I'm not mistaken, the man beside you must be from the Lingxi Kingdom, right?"
Lin Heng spoke up as well.
"Little prince, you truly are exceptionally clever!"
Su Song smiled and nodded, then said, "But what a pity. You're destined to become one of the departed souls in this Ten Fiends Prison!"
"Two Martial Thearchs bullying a three-year-old child. You really have no shame!"
Lin Heng sneered.
"You can't put it that way. After all, you're the child of an invincible God Realm expert. Of course we have to show you due respect. If we let you die at the hands of an ordinary martial artist, it would be unworthy of your status!"
Su Song replied with a curl of his lip.
"Hong San, they think so highly of us, so let's not disappoint them!"
Lin Heng waved his hand and instructed Hong San, "Since he doesn't care about your old ties, you don't have to hold back either!"
"This old servant obeys!"
Hong San looked at Su Song and the other man, a cold, contemptuous smile appearing in his eyes.
"You're nothing but a cripple at death's door. Do you still think you're the Quasi-God you once were?"
Su Song shouted, then blurred forward and pounced straight at Hong San.
The Martial Thearch from the Lingxi Kingdom had no qualms about a grown man bullying a child either. He immediately charged at Lin Heng to kill him.
"Hmph!"
Hong San shifted sideways two zhang and blocked the Lingxi Martial Thearch!
"Huh?"
The Lingxi Martial Thearch's heart skipped a beat. Hong San was far too fast.
Whoosh!
Hong San simply thrust out his right arm and reached for the Lingxi Martial Thearch's neck!
Before the Lingxi Martial Thearch could react, his neck was caught in a vise-like grip!
Terror appeared in his eyes!
Only then did he realize there was a vast gap between his realm and Hong San's!
The gap was so great that Hong San could easily crush him!
"What's going on?"
Su Song was stunned by the sight as well!
Hadn't Hong San's Divine Body collapsed long ago, with his power falling to the Martial Emperor Realm?
How could he grab a Martial Thearch by the neck like that?
Hong San's power surged from his right hand into the Lingxi Martial Thearch's body, restraining him while continually injuring him.
"This is bad!"
Su Song immediately sensed trouble.
He wanted to flee, but Hong San would not give him the chance!
Hong San flashed forward again and reached for Su Song's neck!
Su Song's reaction was not slow either. He threw a punch at Hong San's palm with all his might!
Hong San neither dodged nor evaded. He caught Su Song's fist and used his overwhelming power to restrain him as well!
A Martial Thearch stood no chance against the High Stage of the Quasi-God Realm!
"Y-you... you're still a Quasi-God?!"
Su Song said in astonishment.
"That's right, I'm still a Quasi-God, and I'm considerably stronger than before!"
Hong San said indifferently.
"How is that possible? Your Divine Body collapsed. It's impossible..."
Su Song could hardly believe it.
"Nothing is impossible. As long as one isn't dead, anything is possible!"
Hong San said, "Unfortunately, you're about to die!"
As Hong San's overwhelming power ravaged the Lingxi Martial Thearch, his bodily injuries rapidly worsened. He soon crashed to the ground, becoming a lifeless corpse without a sound!
"Eunuch Hong, spare me! Little prince, spare me..."
Su Song's eyes went wide as he begged for mercy again and again.
"My mother gave you all a chance, but you didn't cherish it. There's nothing I can do."
Lin Heng waved his hand again, signaling Hong San not to delay.