Chapter 107: Chapter 107: The Unexpected Ninth Princess
The Second Prince’s grand procession didn’t head toward Shen Daoxing and the Ninth Princess. Instead, it turned and made its way toward the Imperial Palace. The Second Prince was going to have an audience with the emperor.
Warriors in black armor escorted the prisoner cart, following the procession onto the official road leading to the Imperial Palace.
The surrounding commoners were still pointing at the prisoner cart, throwing all sorts of things at it.
But just then...
"URGH!"
The usually docile prisoner suddenly roared. With a great heave of his arms and legs, the chains binding him snapped.
Wang Ben struck the prisoner cart with his palm, and with a loud BANG, it shattered into pieces.
"Ah!"
"Oh no! The prisoner has escaped!"
The crowd immediately fell into chaos, scattering in a panic.
Wang Ben bellowed and thrust out his palm. BOOM! A black-armored soldier who had stepped forward to apprehend him was instantly blown to bits.
He then leaped into the air, soaring over the crowd, and was on the verge of escaping.
A gorgeously dressed young master suddenly flew out. A flash of red light streaked past Wang Ben like a meteor.
Wang Ben’s body froze, coming to an abrupt halt in mid-air.
The young master landed gently on the ground. Without even a glance at Wang Ben behind him, he slowly slid a fiery, deep-red longsword into the scabbard at his waist.
BANG!
Wang Ben’s body exploded in the sky, turning into countless fragments. Then, crimson flames began to burn eerily on the pieces, incinerating everything to ash in moments.
"Xia Junze killed Wang Ben, the Tiger General of the Li Kingdom, with a single strike! That... That’s incredible!"
The people around them stared with wide eyes.
"Xia is worthy of his title as the Martial Kingdom’s number one genius. That stunning, decisive strike was simply breathtaking."
The Second Prince, who was walking at the head of the procession, turned and offered his praise in a refined and gentle manner.
"Isn’t Xia Junze’s cultivation at the Seventh Layer of Grotto Heaven? How could he kill Wang Ben, who was at the Eighth Layer of Grotto Heaven, with a single sword strike?"
"Hehehe, that just shows what you don’t know. If a genius couldn’t defeat enemies of a higher level, how could they be called a genius?"
Murmurs of praise and discussion rose from the crowd, an unceasing buzz.
’Xia Junze!’
Shen Daoxing looked up and studied Xia Junze again with a serious expression, somewhat surprised. ’Clearly, his strength is even greater than I imagined.’
In the distance, Xia Junze noticed Shen Daoxing’s gaze. He shot him a disinterested glance, dismissing him as unimportant, and turned to walk toward the Second Prince.
"Defeating someone one level higher is nothing special. I heard that Shen Daoxing, at the first layer of Grotto Heaven, killed Luo Fei from Celestial City Academy. Luo Fei was a master at the Fourth Layer of Grotto Heaven. That’s a full three levels higher!"
A dissenting voice rose from the crowd, speaking with confidence. "And back then, Shen Daoxing wasn’t just facing Luo Fei alone."
Hearing this, Xia Junze’s steps faltered. He turned his head and shot a cold look at the speaker, his sword sliding just an inch out of its scabbard.
In an instant, sword light flared. The large tree next to the man who had just spoken was sliced in two, frightening him so badly that his face paled and he fell silent as a cicada in winter.
Soon, the Second Prince’s grand procession was on its way again, heading toward the Imperial Palace.
"Shen, let’s go."
Seeing the Second Prince depart, the Ninth Princess continued to lead the way to the Celestial Joy Tower.
After passing through the crowded streets, the two soon arrived before a magnificent, opulent restaurant.
The Ninth Princess led Shen Daoxing to a private room on the third floor.
Shen Daoxing had just reached the third floor when the Eldest Prince and the Seventh Prince came out to greet him.
"Shen, that day, we were blind and failed to recognize your greatness. We wronged you. Today, we have arranged this banquet specifically to apologize. Please, come in!"
As they spoke, the two princes gestured toward a private room.
"Eldest Prince, Seventh Prince, there’s no need to worry about it. It was all a misunderstanding."
Shen Daoxing smiled faintly. Since the two Princes were being so respectful and courteous, and he wasn’t a petty person, he naturally held no more grudges.
"Yes, yes, yes, all a misunderstanding!"
The Eldest Prince and the Seventh Prince exchanged a look and laughed heartily.
Afterward, Shen Daoxing entered the private room and took a seat, drinking and conversing freely with the Eldest Prince and the Seventh Prince.
The Ninth Young Master sat beside them, her cheeks cupped in her hands, very happy to see Shen Daoxing getting along so well with her two older brothers.
After three rounds of drinks, everyone was pleasantly buzzed.
Shen Daoxing looked at the two princes and said with profound meaning:
"Eldest Prince, Seventh Prince, you two invited me here today for more than just an apology, I presume?"
"Hahaha, Shen, you are as perceptive as a prophet! Nothing can be hidden from you."
The Eldest Prince threw his head back and laughed. "Shen, have you heard of the Dragon Vein Trial?"
Hearing this, Shen Daoxing turned to the Ninth Princess. "I’ve heard a little about it."
"The Dragon Vein Trial is a trial for the Martial Kingdom’s Royal Family to awaken the power of their bloodline," the Eldest Prince explained. He paused for a moment before continuing,
"However, that is not the most critical part. The most crucial aspect is that if one can gain the recognition of the Dragon Vein during the trial and obtain its power, they can become the next emperor of the Martial Kingdom."
"And when we disciples of the Royal Family enter, we can choose a genius of the same generation to assist us. That’s why we were so eager to recruit young geniuses before."
"That’s right, that’s right!"
The Seventh Prince, at the side, nodded repeatedly. "So, Shen, are you willing to assist me and enter the Dragon Vein Trial with this Prince to help me obtain the Dragon Vein’s recognition?"
"Hey! Seventh Brother, you’re going too far! I was the one who invited Shen first."
Seeing the Seventh Prince jump the gun, the Eldest Prince was momentarily stunned and quickly cut him off. "Shen, are you willing to assist me? If you can help me obtain the throne, I will enfeoff you as the National Preceptor of the Martial Kingdom, second to only one man and above all others."
"Hey, Eldest Brother, you’re so cunning! That’s a classic case of trying to get something for nothing! Shen, if you assist me, if you choose me, all the cultivation resources in my residence will be fully available to you from now on."
"Who doesn’t have Celestial and Earthly Treasures? Shen, choose me! Whatever treasures you want, just name them," the Eldest Prince said hastily.
Watching the two Princes argue back and forth until they were red in the face, Shen Daoxing couldn’t help but laugh. "Eldest Prince, Seventh Prince, I am deeply honored by your favor and would very much like to lend you both a hand, but..."
Shen Daoxing paused here. "It’s just that I have already given my word to the Ninth Princess."
"The Ninth Princess! What!"
The Eldest Prince and Seventh Prince froze simultaneously, then looked over in astonishment at Gu Yawei. "Ninth Sister, you’re participating in the Dragon Vein Trial too?"
Seeing the Eldest Prince’s fierce glare, the Ninth Princess jumped in fright and waved her hands frantically. "Eldest Brother, Seventh Brother, I’m only participating in the Dragon Vein Trial to awaken my bloodline’s power! I won’t compete with you for the throne, I..."
As she spoke, the Ninth Princess’s gaze suddenly hardened with resolve. She stood up and said seriously, "I want to go to the battlefield and kill our enemies, just like Second Brother! I don’t want to be useless! I want to save our Fourth Sister!"
The Eldest Prince and the Seventh Prince were both stunned. They never expected the perpetually timid and weak Ninth Princess to possess such courage.
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