Chapter 10: The Fall of a First-Rank Expert

“Master Su……”

Xu Xiaohan walked over, trembling.

Although he didn’t know why Su Chen wanted to hide his strength, since it was something Master Su wanted to do, there must be a reason for it.

“Master Su, I will not tell a soul about what happened tonight.”

Xu Xiaohan said solemnly.

This kid was quite sensible.

Su Chen wiped the blood from his hands and raised his eyes to look at him.

Although Xu Xiaohan was nominally Zhang Gui’s godson, in reality, he had served Su Chen far longer than he had served Zhang Gui. If Su Chen were willing, Xu Xiaohan would likely have changed his allegiance and called him godfather on the spot.

Without waiting for Su Chen to ask, Xu Xiaohan stood by his side, adding charcoal to the brazier and brewing tea for him. He carefully weighed his words as he recounted the shifting winds and clouds of the Imperial City.

“Master Su might not know.”

“Ever since the First Prince died unjustly, the Second Prince and the Fifth Prince, while fighting fiercely on the surface, have been frantically reaching out to experts of the third rank and above in the Jianghu in secret, hoping to protect themselves.”

“Master Su, who do you think was the first person whose heart and liver the old Emperor consumed? A mysterious person told the two princes that after replacing his heart with that of a demon, His Majesty survived, but due to organ rejection, he can only delay the agony by consuming the blood, flesh, and hearts of others through secret arts.”

“Last night, the two princes finally found the body of the First Prince, who had been missing, and his heart and liver had already been hollowed out……”

As Xu Xiaohan spoke, Su Chen finally understood.

During this period.

The old Emperor, finding that consuming the hearts and livers of ordinary people or even cultivators no longer eased his pain much, was preparing to extend his demonic claws toward his own offspring.

The old Emperor had only three sons left.

“So, the two princes have joined forces to save their own lives?”

Su Chen asked.

“Yes.”

“If they succeed tonight, the dynasty will change, and the new monarch will surely be one of these two princes……”

Hearing these secrets, Su Chen looked toward the distant Imperial Palace. Even from over ten miles away, he could clearly see the terrifying figures of two First-Rank entities clashing.

The First Supervisor in the purple robe, a Grandmaster of True Essence.

The First-Rank Daoist from the Celestial Master’s Mansion, also a Grandmaster of True Essence.

“Who do you think will win?”

Su Chen began to walk toward the top floor of the library, with Xu Xiaohan following him step by step.

Upon hearing this, Xu Xiaohan replied.

“It should be the First-Rank Daoist Ziwei of the Celestial Master’s Mansion.”

“He is a peak First-Rank, in the prime of his life.”

“This First Supervisor in the purple robe is a remnant of the previous dynasty, over ninety years old; I fear he is decrepit and has little lifespan left. Furthermore, I have never heard of him having any notable combat record during the previous dynasty……”

Standing atop the library, Su Chen watched the battle, but he sighed.

“The two princes are too naive.”

“Go tell Zhang Gui.”

“Daoist Ziwei will surely lose.”

“Tell him to prepare early.”

Hearing this, Xu Xiaohan instinctively wanted to refute it. However, looking at Su Chen—who stood with a straight spine, hands behind his back, eyes shining like stars as he gazed at the battle—he chose to believe him by instinct.

Xu Xiaohan took the order and left in a flash.

Su Chen did not know the relative strengths of First-Rankers, but as a monster of longevity, he could vaguely perceive the vitality within these two First-Rank entities.

Daoist Ziwei’s vitality was too weak.

Conversely, the First Supervisor in the purple robe, who appeared decrepit with cloudy eyes, had terrifying vitality hidden within his body, ready to explode at any moment to command even greater power.

“It’s time to go see the changing of the dynasty.”

With that, Su Chen casually grabbed a cloak and draped it over his shoulders.

A full moon.

The snow fell heavier and heavier, and the palace grew colder and colder.

By the time Su Chen arrived, the area outside the Imperial Study was already a scene of slaughter. Thousands of the Killing Martial Guards, who were stationed outside the city and supposed to protect the Imperial City, were now decapitating the Imperial Palace’s Feathered Forest Guards.

Blood covered the ground, and corpses piled up like mountains.

In the center of these ten thousand elite Killing Martial Guards stood two figures in white robes embroidered with dragons. One was thin and handsome, with bright eyes and a smile of certain victory always playing on his lips.

The other was slightly plump, his small eyes flashing with sharp light from time to time.

If the Emperor died, the new monarch would certainly be one of these two.

“It seems Daoist Ziwei is going to win.”

Both said simultaneously.

In an instant, the Killing Martial Guards moved at the word, ready to charge into the Imperial Study to usher in a new era.

Just then, Xu Xiaohan arrived.

In front of these ten thousand warriors, he looked tremblingly at a black-robed man beside the thin Fifth Prince and spoke slowly.

“Master Su asked me to bring a message: Daoist Ziwei is going to lose.”

As soon as these words were spoken, the Killing Martial Guards were stunned for a moment before bursting into uproarious laughter.

“Hahaha!”

“Where did this fool come from?”

“Daoist Ziwei is a newly promoted First-Rank expert of this generation, the current head of the Celestial Master’s Mansion, an absolute peak expert. The First Supervisor in the purple robe is already coughing up blood……”

The battle in the sky was clear.

Daoist Ziwei, with his immortal demeanor, beautiful beard, and the appearance of a handsome middle-aged Daoist, was suppressing the decrepit First Supervisor in the purple robe. The First Supervisor had just coughed up his ninth mouthful of blood.

“Where did this fool come from, spouting nonsense and talking like a madman?”

The Fifth Prince laughed heartily.

But he suddenly noticed that his confidant, Zhang Gui, was wavering.

“Su Chen……”

The black-robed man, Zhang Gui, hesitated, his brows locked in a frown. He was actually wavering, seemingly believing the words of the little eunuch in the green robe, and even had the intention to withdraw.

“Zhang Gui, if you leave now, you won’t have a share in the merit of supporting the new emperor.”

“You had better think clearly.”

The Fifth Prince frowned as he spoke.

“I think Daoist Ziwei might really lose.”

Zhang Gui finally made up his mind and prepared to leave.

A Third-Rank expert, still so young—even if he were the future monarch, he would want to recruit him. If Zhang Gui wanted to leave, no one could truly stop him.

“What evidence do you have?”

The Second Prince also frowned and looked over.

No matter how one looked at the battle, the First Supervisor in the purple robe was surely going to die.

“No evidence, I just trust my friend.”

With that, Zhang Gui withdrew and left.

The Fifth Prince immediately spoke with indignation.

“This idiot, daring to leave at such a critical moment. He must be mad to think Daoist Ziwei will lose! Ridiculous, truly ridiculous. He and his so-called friend are all fools.”

Having said that, he looked up abruptly, urging the First-Rank expert above.

“Lord Ziwei, please strike quickly and execute…”

Boom!

The next instant.

The world changed color in a flash.

The ten thousand Killing Martial Guards present, as well as the two noble princes in white dragon-embroidered robes, were all wide-eyed with terror, their fear reaching its peak.

They saw thousands of snowflakes gather to form a sword in the hand of the First Supervisor in the purple robe. The First Supervisor no longer looked like he was on the verge of death; he had rejuvenated like a withered tree in spring, transforming into the appearance of a young man.

“I have lived for one hundred and three years, and this is the first time I have encountered someone who could force me to draw this sword!”

“So, go to hell.”

The wind and snow within three hundred miles of the Imperial City transformed into a sword in the hand of the purple-robed youth. With one strike, the heavens and earth changed color. Before the shocked and furious Daoist Ziwei could react, this peak First-Rank expert of the Celestial Master’s Mansion was severed in two and fell from the sky.

“A First-Rank has fallen.”

Led by the two princes, everyone was terrified to the point of despair. It had actually been predicted correctly by Zhang Gui’s so-called friend. How could this be? This was a peerless duel between peak First-Rankers…

“Kill!”

The Killing Martial Guards instantly surged, drawing their blades.

“That’s right.”

“We still have a chance to capture and kill this demonic Emperor…”

The two princes awoke as if from a dream, raising their arms and shouting.

However, the next instant, their expressions froze.

The Imperial City Killing Martial Guards, who had been surrounding them, instantly turned on them, surrounding the two and hacking away with their blades.

On a palace pavilion, Su Chen watched this scene, a wave of emotion in his heart.

This was the deterrent power of a First-Ranker.

Before a First-Ranker, all living beings are like ants; even ten thousand cultivators must submit.

Tonight, the dust has settled.

I fear there will be no more of these two noble and peerless princes in this world.