"Take her away!"
At the gates of the Royal Academy.
The Empress waved her hand indifferently. The vehicle slowly began to move.
Meng Hongchen, wearing shackles on her hands and feet, was escorted by two royal guards into a soul tool vehicle. Her expression appeared calm, but she was still a young girl—under the eyes of the public, her composure was starting to crumble.
As they watched the car slowly depart, several teachers exchanged uneasy glances.
They had sent someone to find the director of education, but he happened to be on a business trip to Mingdu's Soul Tool Academy. Elder Jing and Elder Cheng had also been contacted, but none of them were at the Academy.
One bruised and bloodied teacher was being supported by two colleagues. "Damn it, did the royal family plan this timing?"
He had resisted earlier, only to be savagely beaten by the Royal Inspection Squad...
"Good thing His Highness Xu Cheng is here. Nana should've gone to inform him already. The real problem is that they've cloaked all of this under the guise of righteousness. And the people who could intervene are nowhere to be found… sigh. Who would've thought the real danger would come from within the Sun Moon Empire and not..."
"Sigh…"
"My son, here's what you must do… Remember, time is tight. It's best if you succeed in one go. Once the deed is done, I don't believe Jing Hongchen would still side with Xu Cheng. If we can win over Mingde Hall, your chances in the succession struggle will grow exponentially!"
The Empress gave her instructions seriously.
"But…" Xu Jiran frowned slightly.
Old ambitions that had long gone quiet began to stir once again.
"You may not be as strong as she is, but she's shackled and her soul power sealed. Right now, she's no different from an ordinary girl. If you can make her your woman, then the poison in your younger brother becomes irrelevant. You could even take this chance to grasp for the throne!"
"Jing Hongchen dotes on his granddaughter. As long as…"
The Empress whispered, a smile growing on her face.
"But that man is a madman!" Xu Jiran clearly feared Xu Cheng. "And the power behind him runs deep. If he insists on…"
"What are you afraid of? You are a prince!" The Empress snorted coldly.
"Know this—before your father dies, Xu Cheng would never dare kill you! Afterward, you can marry her formally and show Jing Hongchen your sincerity. It'll all be fine…"
"You have just the time it takes for one incense stick to burn—remember that!" the Empress reminded him again.
"Alright!"
Xu Jiran finally steeled himself and nodded gravely.
After getting off the carriage, Xu Jiran hurried impatiently into the Prince's Residence.
His mother had officially claimed she was taking Meng Hongchen for questioning, but had secretly sent her into his estate instead.
All that was left was…
Two handmaidens knelt at the gate to help him change shoes, but Xu Jiran kicked them aside impatiently.
Time was tight. If Xu Cheng found out first, the consequences would be unimaginable.
"Where is she?"
He strode quickly into the inner chamber.
Seeing the beauty sitting on the bed, a smile crept across his face.
"What do you want?"
Meng Hongchen looked terrified, but her hands and feet were bound by soul tools—she couldn't move.
"It'll be over soon. Don't worry…"
Xu Jiran's lips curled upward.
He hated Xu Cheng, even more than the Empress did.
Now that he could take Xu Cheng's woman—an ugly pleasure swelled uncontrollably in his heart.
So he didn't notice the faint, strange smile Meng Hongchen tried to hide as she lowered her head.
"Heh heh heh…"
Xu Jiran pounced.
The room filled with a charged atmosphere.
Outside the door—
Xu Cheng shook his head with a sigh.He glanced at the Empress, who was screaming and struggling in horror, and shrugged:"Elder Jing, keep an eye on her. Don't let her ruin the fun inside."
"Rest assured, Your Highness. Even if I die here, I won't let anyone lay a finger on her."
Jing Hongchen's face was dark as he stared coldly at the Empress, who looked devastated, and the noble elders beside her who were sighing helplessly."To dare act against my granddaughter while I'm away… Xu Qingbai, this is a blood feud!"
Meng Hongchen clung tightly to Xu Cheng's arm, stealing a glance into the room, her face flushed.
Inside—two grown men engaging in unspeakable acts.
"Sigh, even I didn't expect this…" an elder muttered.
"Pfft!"
Before he finished, he was suddenly blasted backwards, crashing into the courtyard walls with a thunderous impact, bringing several sections of wall down in a cloud of dust.
"Didn't expect it? Then die."
Xu Cheng said coldly.
"Xu Cheng, how dare you show such disrespect to a noble elder!"
Two younger nobles near the fallen man roared in anger.
At the same time, seven soul rings emerged under their feet—both were seventh-level Soul Engineers, twin brothers no less.
Yellow, Yellow, Purple, Purple, Black, Black, Black.
A perfect soul ring combination.
Their pressure alone forced nearby attendants to kneel in fear.
Both were strong warriors of the royal clan, around forty years old—by any measure, top-tier talent in the Sun Moon Empire.
But in the next moment—
"Pfft!"
Their expressions froze. Each took out a short soul tool dagger and slit their own throats.
No one saw when Xu Cheng acted. All they saw were two elite Soul Engineers suddenly drop dead.
Blood soaked the steps, cascading downward in streams, staining the Empress's robes nearby—she was too scared to even speak.
The eerie scene made everyone present swallow nervously, not daring to breathe.
"Xu Cheng, you, you…"
The other nobles accompanying the elder looked on in horror.
"Frankly, I don't think the royal clan deserves to exist anymore."
Xu Cheng smiled faintly.
"Xu Cheng, don't you dare!"
A royal elder charged forward in fury, blood dripping from his lips, but eight soul rings flared behind him—his power undeniable.
"Begone."
Xu Cheng waved his hand dismissively.
As if swatting a fly.
The elder was instantly sent flying again.
A chorus of explosions followed.
Elder Bai was smashed into the collapsed wall—life or death unknown…
Silence fell over the entire area.
Xu Cheng glanced once more into the room.
Inside, the roles had reversed. Xu Jiran had clearly realized something was wrong, but it was far too late—he was now the one being taken advantage of…
Xu Cheng frowned with distaste.
He turned to Nana and said, "Make sure the Recording Stone is kept safe. I want every citizen in the Sun Moon Empire to see this."
"NO!!!" the Empress screamed.
"You'll destroy your royal brother!"
"No. Very soon, he won't be anymore…" Xu Cheng smiled.
"And neither will you."
(End of Chapter)