"Crash~~~"
With a sharp cry, a servant in the grand hall of the imperial palace, which was hosting the many honored guests of the Xu family, turned pale as he stared at the floor. The tray he had been carrying fell, shattering into countless pieces, along with the dishes of food it contained, which spilled all over the ground.
Even the high-ranking officials and noble guests passing by were splattered with the mess.
"Damn it!" A greasy, pudgy man cursed angrily, but he was quickly pulled back by a companion beside him, who gestured toward the distance. When the pudgy man saw the young masters swaggering over without a care, his expression changed instantly, shrinking back in fear.
"Do you not have eyes when you walk?!" He vented his anger by kicking the servant.
The servant staggered again, trembling, head lowered, not daring to utter a word.
As the evening banquet approached, more and more people arrived, yet no one dared to speak up against these few arrogant and domineering young masters. After all, among all the attendees, there were only a handful of people who could scold them as elders.
The young masters surrounded the pudgy man, eyeing him with amusement.
"I…" The pudgy man swallowed nervously, feeling an immense pressure. He knew that what he had just said had been overheard. In desperation to save himself, he lifted his thick hand, intending to slap the servant as a show of strength. But before his palm could land, a hand suddenly grasped his wrist.
"Get lost! Are you looking for death?!" The pudgy man was instantly enraged. These young masters were all watching—if he showed weakness now, he might find himself feeding crocodiles in the moat by tomorrow...
But when he looked up—
A strikingly handsome face came into view. Crimson-red blood-colored eyes gazed at him silently, with a faint, unreadable smile.
"Xu Cheng… Your Highness?!!" The pudgy man's pupils shrank sharply, his body turning rigid as he trembled uncontrollably.
If provoking those imperial young masters just now was akin to provoking tigers and wolves, then this man before him was a true behemoth—an unstoppable force. The pillar of the empire, most likely the future ruler of the Sun-Moon Empire, the emperor's personally appointed successor, the one who held real power over the military, the man whom countless Sun-Moon citizens dreamed of currying favor with yet found utterly elusive—the Eleventh Prince, Xu Cheng.
It was like a dream. He had long hoped to meet this young man, yet now, under the scrutiny of those terrifying crimson eyes, all he could feel was amusement—not admiration, but mockery.
The sky had collapsed!!!
Inside the now-silent hall, countless people secretly let out sighs of relief.
Finally, someone who could control the scene had arrived.
But this particular person… was far more than just someone who could "control" the situation.
"Why did you stop him? I wasn't done watching!" Xu Xiaofeng, noticing the relief in the eyes of those around him, instantly became dissatisfied. He stepped forward and confronted Xu Cheng.
"Watching what? A spectacle?" Xu Cheng's handsome face bore a warm smile, but the people around him felt a chill run down their spines.
This Eleventh Prince, despite lacking any maternal family support, had crushed the Fourth Prince's faction into near extinction, rendered the Crown Prince Xu Tianran a complete failure, seized military power, and even had the backing of the Holy Spirit Church, skillfully maneuvering between these forces.
Most terrifying of all—his strength was enough to fight a Rank 98 Body Sect expert to a standstill.
Such a man never revealed his emotions easily.
"…" Xu Xiaofeng met Xu Cheng's calm gaze and instinctively shrank back, turning his head while muttering under his breath.
"They're just a bunch of servants. Why make a fuss?"
"Servants? You're slapping my face here…" Xu Cheng sighed softly. "No, you're slapping Father's face. Acting so recklessly at such an important gathering… I can't be bothered to argue with you, but your elders will have to take responsibility."
The atmosphere in the hall instantly turned tense, and people instinctively took a step back.
Was this prince about to make a move again?
"What are you trying to do? If you have a problem, come at me!" Xu Xiaofeng panicked.
If his grandfather found out about this incident, he would literally be beaten to death!
Buzz!
A terrifying aura swept across the hall.
Xu Cheng cast an indifferent glance at the trembling Xu Xiaofeng and merely smiled.
"And you, Xu Shi, where do you think you're going?" Xu Cheng's gaze shifted past the crowd.
"I… uh… I just remembered that I have a stomachache." Xu Shi turned back awkwardly.
"Running around with him? Let me handle you on behalf of your grandfather." Xu Cheng sighed, as if helpless.
He reached out.
Xu Shi's face turned pale with terror as he was lifted off the ground from a distance.
Xu Cheng gently pushed his palm forward.
A terrifying boom echoed through the hall.
An invisible force surged toward Xu Shi, obliterating everything in its path.
"Save me!!!"
Xu Shi shut his eyes tightly, screaming in terror.
A few imperial guards immediately appeared, surrounding him.
Just as Xu Shi felt a fleeting sense of relief, his expression froze.
Before his eyes, the six elite guards, all at least Soul Kings, and even one Soul Emperor—were instantly reduced to nothing but a mist of blood.
They hadn't even had the chance to activate their Invincible Barriers.
Boom!
The invisible force struck Xu Shi. His face twisted in terror.
This was real!
Xu Cheng truly meant to kill him—without the slightest mercy!
But his struggles were futile.
Buzz!
Just as Xu Shi coughed up blood and fell into despair—
A shadow appeared.
With a gentle wave of his hand, the terrifying force dissipated.
"Huff… huff… huff…" Xu Shi gasped for air, his mind blank. Ever since birth, he had lived a life of luxury, surrounded by people who catered to him. Feeling the presence of death so closely was a first.
After a long while, he turned and looked at the familiar, comforting figure, then burst into tears.
"Grandfather!"
"…"
Xu Jiangnian gazed at the young man before him—who still wore a gentle smile—and hesitated for a moment before slightly bowing.
"Thank you, Your Highness."
"You're too polite, Uncle Jiangnian," Xu Cheng responded with a return bow.
"Ah Cheng…" A woman in luxurious robes, Zhang Lexuan, approached with concern, having witnessed the entire scene.
She hadn't expected such turmoil at a recognition banquet…
"I apologize, but there are some matters that need to be handled tonight," Xu Cheng patted her hand, offering an apologetic smile.
Zhang Lexuan said nothing, merely standing quietly behind him.
Xu Jiangnian glanced at Zhang Lexuan, his brows furrowing slightly in confusion, but noticing her icy gaze, he said nothing further and dragged the terrified Xu Shi toward the inner hall.
The surrounding guests, however, were left completely bewildered.
The banquet had not yet begun, and everyone was left bewildered.
However, quite a few people revealed expressions of sudden realization.
Xu Xiaofeng stood right beside Xu Cheng, feeling the overwhelming aura radiating from him. His eyes were filled with terror. Even when Xu Cheng had walked away, he was still trembling uncontrollably.
"Brother, are you going to kill them?"
Xu Tianzhen, dressed in a cute princess dress, quietly scooted up to Xu Cheng's side, her big, watery eyes filled with excitement. "I've long thought they weren't good people! They're always bullying others. If you ask me, just get rid of them all! That would be like the Six Evils Purge, wouldn't it?"
Xu Cheng almost lost his composure while meditating and shot a glare at his sister, who was deliberately acting cute.
He pressed down on her little head and ruffled her hair hard. "Just be a good little princess and don't meddle in these things."
"What the heck! I'm one of the top students at the academy, okay? In the future, I'm definitely going to the battlefield to become a great general! Commanding troops and strategizing…" Xu Tianzhen imagined grandly.
It wasn't entirely her fault for thinking this way.
After all, even though Mingdu Soul Engineering Academy had admitted quite a few disciples from hidden sects in recent years, she still held onto the top rank in her grade with an iron grip.
But, unfortunately, everyone in their family was a monster, especially this eleventh brother of hers—he was an absolute super freak.
At home, he was the rag used to wipe the pots. Outside, he was the pillar holding everything up…
Xu Tianzhen sighed.
Soon, with the arrival of the Prime Minister, the royal princes, and finally the Emperor, the banquet officially began.
The Emperor sat in the highest seat, smiling as he looked at the gathered crowd.
"Father, your son has something to report."
Just as the atmosphere was warm and harmonious—
Xu Cheng rose leisurely, stepping to the center of the grand hall and bowing toward Xu Zhen, who sat on the throne.
"..."
The hall fell into sudden silence.
Countless eyes landed on Xu Cheng, their hearts involuntarily tightening.
"Oh?" Xu Zhen's smile remained as he spoke. "What is it? Speak. It just so happens that everyone is here."
"When the banquet began today, there were a few children running around in the hall, recklessly playing. They placed bets on whether they could hit the trays in the hands of the attendants using soul tool laser beams, disturbing the peace of the royal palace."
Xu Cheng glanced at the trembling Xu Xiaofeng and several pale-faced noble "young masters" before smiling. "They've slapped Your Highness right in the face. To dare to act like this in the heart of the imperial palace—doesn't that mean that, in their eyes, you are as good as nonexistent?"
The Prime Minister's old face twitched violently.
He glared at Xu Cheng. "Your Highness, the Eleventh Prince, they are just children acting mischievously. They merely lacked discipline—do you have to put such a serious label on it?"
"Oh, so it turns out he's your grandson…" Xu Cheng chuckled.
"Xu Zhe, in the imperial palace, showing blatant disrespect to the sovereign and killing without restraint—what is the crime for that?"
The chief eunuch beside Xu Zhen was dumbfounded. He opened his mouth but looked around hesitantly, not knowing how to respond.
"Are you mute?" Xu Cheng frowned slightly.
"He… He should be sentenced to death! His entire clan should be exterminated!" Xu Zhe, under Xu Cheng's indifferent gaze, broke into a cold sweat, dripping like rain.
"…" The Prime Minister's brow twitched.Killing! What the hell, killing?Weren't they just being a little naughty…?
"Prime Minister, what, do you think the lives of attendants don't count as lives? All under heaven belong to the Emperor, and all the people are his subjects. If you regard that common attendant as nothing more than livestock, are you not trampling upon His Majesty's dignity?" Xu Cheng smiled.
"Absurd!"
"Are you saying what I said is wrong, Prime Minister?"
"I…"
"Then remember this well." Xu Cheng gave a faint smile and clapped his hands lightly.
The Prime Minister's eyes went blank. Then, as if in a trance, he suddenly grabbed a dagger from a nearby attendant and plunged it into his own stomach.
Cries of shock erupted throughout the hall.
Only then did the Prime Minister snap out of it. He glared at Xu Cheng in fury. "You… What did you do to me?!"
"I just taught you a lesson. Even a Son of Heaven is punished the same as a commoner for wrongdoing. And you? You're merely the Prime Minister." Xu Cheng remained indifferent.
"The next time you see the scar on your stomach, don't forget what happened today."
"I…" The Prime Minister was furious.
He was about to order his attendants to fight—
"Enough!"
Xu Zhen suddenly spoke.
"You're already at this age. Look at yourself—what kind of disgraceful sight is this?"
The Prime Minister was stunned. "Your Majesty…"
"Enough. Your grandson did indeed cause the trouble first. This matter shall be settled thus: Xu Cheng, as a prince, shall have his salary docked for five years. As for you, Prime Minister… Go home and recover. You look so pitiful—I won't punish you further." Xu Zhen waved his hand dismissively.
The Prime Minister fell silent. After a long moment, he finally bowed. "Your Majesty, I respectfully request to retire and return home!"
Upon hearing this, the entire hall was taken aback.
Especially the Fourth Prince, who had been enjoying the spectacle—he immediately stiffened.
"Father! The Prime Minister has rendered great service, dedicating his life to the Sun and Moon Empire. Even if he has no merits, he has worked hard! You…"
"This is news to me!!" Xu Zhen's voice suddenly sharpened.
"Granted!"
It was as if he were announcing a joyous occasion.
The Prime Minister: "..."
The Fourth Prince: "..."
Their faction: "..."
The Fourth Prince cast a resentful look at the Prime Minister. Without you, how am I supposed to play my game now?!
The Prime Minister could only shake his head helplessly. How was I supposed to know His Majesty would approve…?
A country is not entirely controlled by the military; many civil officials also play crucial roles. The Prime Minister's influence had always relied on these officials. In other words, without them, the administrative machine of the state would suffer severe setbacks.
If things truly escalated, it wouldn't be easy to clean up the mess.
But…
If you're going to show favoritism, at least try to be subtle about it!
——
"Grandfather, Xu Cheng really wanted to kill me!"
In a secluded corner, Xu Shi's face was pale as he repeated his words in a panic.
Though there was no one else around, Xu Jiangnian glanced at him coldly. "If he truly wanted to kill you, you'd already be dead."
"You… You wouldn't stop him?!!" Xu Shi cried in terror.
To him, his grandfather was the strongest person in the world, his greatest pillar of support.
But was Xu Cheng really that terrifying?
"I wouldn't be able to stop him—not if he truly wished to kill you," Xu Jiangnian said as he slowly closed his eyes.
"But… but you're a Rank Nine Soul Engineer!" Xu Shi stammered.
"He made enough noise for me to detect him. Otherwise, I wouldn't have reacted in time. And since he could make the Prime Minister stab himself in front of everyone, he could also make you die silently," Xu Jiangnian said in a low voice.
What shocked him the most, however, was His Majesty's reaction.
He had never expected that the Eleventh Prince would be so favored.
"Today, his actions served as a warning to me," Xu Jiangnian sighed.
"No, it was a warning to everyone. I had thought he was just like the others—just more talented and stronger—but now… His ambitions are far beyond what ordinary people can fathom."
"A warning to you? Didn't he try to win you over?" Xu Shi asked in confusion.
"He did try…" Xu Jiangnian sighed deeply, looking at his foolish grandson.
"Me?" Xu Shi widened his eyes.
"Yes."
Xu Jiangnian pondered.
He hadn't expected this Eleventh Prince to believe in benevolent governance.
Like how King Chu's love for thin waists had led his entire court to starve themselves—this was the same principle.
When a ruler sets a precedent, his subordinates will follow suit. Given his status and future as Emperor, countless people would seek to please him. Now that his "preferences" were known, the results would be profound.
Moreover, it was also an incredibly powerful form of deterrence…