One of the merchants in Wang Jian's faction was clamouring about the situation.
"Your Highness, attacking the Crimson Guards who are members of the Crown Prince's faction was a reckless move. What if the Crown Prince seeks vengeance against us? This could mean trouble for our faction."
It had been four days since the attack, and the news had spread like wildfire throughout the Empire.
It had caused a ripple of fear and uncertainty among individuals within Wang Jian's faction.
They were all wondering if the Crown Prince would retaliate against them.
However, Wang Jian was not the least bit scared. He knew that his eldest brother had sent the Crimson Guards just to scare him.
"Those fools came into my territory and were interrogating members of the clans in my faction. The fact that I didn't kill them is already me showing mercy. If my brother wants to pursue this matter, then I'm willing to fight it out with him."
Wang Jian's commanding tone made the merchants realize that they were dealing with a dangerous man.
"If there is anyone who is terrified of the consequences, I offer you to leave my faction immediately. The situation will only become more chaotic," he declared.
The ultimatum caused a flurry of activity among the merchants. Some decided to stay by Wang Jian's side, while others thought it best to leave the faction.
One of the merchants who decided to stay spoke up, "Your Highness, we trust you to handle this situation. We believe in your leadership and are willing to stand by you."
Wang Jian nodded in satisfaction.
"Good. We will not back down from a fight, especially one that involves defending our own territory."
The merchants left the meeting feeling a sense of unease.
They knew that they had aligned themselves with a man who was willing to go to great lengths to protect what was his.
The consequences of such actions could be disastrous, but they also knew that the rewards could be great if they played their cards right.
After the departure of the merchants, a stunning event transpired within Wang Jian's palace.
An envoy representing the Crown Prince's faction arrived, seeking an apology for the unruly behavior exhibited by the Crimson Guards.
The unexpected gesture took everyone by surprise, as they had anticipated a retaliatory response from the opposing faction.
Wang Jian, however, maintained his composure and graciously accepted the apology before releasing the envoy.
He realized that Wang Hao was likely aware that the Night Dagger Clan was not responsible for the assassination of the elders.
Nevertheless, Wang Hao dispatched the Crimson Guards to create a disturbance and utilize it as a pretext to undermine Wang Jian's reputation.
If successful, this maneuver would have severely diminished Wang Jian's prestige and demonstrated the Crown Prince's faction's dominance.
It would have empowered them to disrupt Wang Jian's operations with impunity, creating an environment that would deter other organizations from joining Wang Jian's faction.
However, Wang Jian's calm and resolute handling of the situation produced the opposite effect.
His response illustrated that he was not intimidated by the Crown Prince's faction and was unwilling to be provoked or intimidated.
It demonstrated his strength of character and earned him the respect and admiration of his followers.
In the meantime, the second princess Wang Ying was extremely startled. Firstly, she never expected Wang Jian to actually attack the members of the Crimson Guards.
Secondly, she didn't think that Wang Hao would let this matter go by sending an envoy to seek an apology from Wang Jian.
As second princess Wang Ying sat in her chambers, two of her servants entered with news about Ye Chen.
"Princess, we have news about Ye Chen," said one of the servants. "Apparently, he was seen hunting demons in the western region."
The princess perked up at the mention of Ye Chen's name. "What? Hunting demons? How many?" she asked eagerly.
"It's said that he slaughtered nearly hundreds of demons in that area," replied the other servant.
Wang Ying was startled by the news but also pleased.
Finally, she thought Ye Chen was doing something to improve his image and regain his standing in society.
"Good. Tell him to keep this up," she said, smiling. "He can slowly change the public's view of himself."
One of the servants nodded, "Yes, princess. We will send word to him immediately."
…
Unbeknownst to many, a month had passed, and within that time, a significant event had taken place in the western region.
The demon forces had launched a brutal assault on the beast races living within the dense forest and had seized control of the forest of the Beast Race.
The area was rich in spiritual energy, which was a highly coveted resource for the demons, but that was not the primary reason for their assault.
A chain of events led to the demon forces launching their attack.
It began with Ye Chen's continuous attacks on the demons in the western region, which had caused them to call for reinforcements from the Jade Sea Empire.
When the reinforcements arrived, they brought with them one of the four great devil clans of the demon race and effortlessly defeated Ye Chen, forcing him to retreat.
However, instead of returning to their own territory after dealing with Ye Chen, these demons chose to remain in the Everlasting Mystic Empire and explore the area further.
They soon stumbled upon a special forest filled with Elemental Law Sparks, a valuable resource coveted by all beasts in the region.
In order to seize control of the forest and claim the Sparks for themselves, the demon horde launched a violent attack on the peaceful beast race living in the area.
The Elemental Law Sparks were protected by a powerful seal that could only be opened by the Queen of the Butterfly Race.
Every ten years, the Queen would open the seal, allowing any beast in the forest, regardless of their race, to receive the blessings of the Elemental Law Sparks.
This practice helped beasts break through bottlenecks and advance quickly to higher realms of power.
However, this time, when the seal was opened, the demons launched a sudden attack, catching the Beast Race off guard.
The marauding demon forces that attacked the beast races in the forest were composed of a vast number of ruthless Demon Kings who relished in slaughtering any beast that dared to oppose them.
These Demon Kings were not only incredibly powerful but also skilled at the art of war, which they used to deadly effect during the assault.
The Queen of the Butterfly Race, despite her best efforts to save her kin, could only manage to lead a minority of her kind and some other beasts to safety, as the demon forces were simply too overwhelming for her to overcome.
The rest of the butterfly race and countless other beasts, who were unable to escape, were captured by the demons.
As of right now, the Queen of the Butterfly Race and her group of beasts were residing in a hideout that was concealed with a special illusionary array near the forest. They were trying to come up with a strategy that would let them save their comrades.
However, they were aware of the daunting task ahead, considering the stark difference in the strength of their forces compared to the demons.
Finally, the Queen of the Butterfly Race came up with a solution that might turn the tides in their favor.
She decided to seek the aid of the humans, knowing that the Everlasting Mystic Empire was ruled by powerful human beings who could potentially defeat the demons.
With this in mind, a few brave beasts set out to a nearby human settlement to deliver the Queen's proposal.
One of the beasts, a tall and imposing figure with sleek black fur and piercing amber eyes, stepped forward and addressed the guards in a clear and powerful voice.
"We come on behalf of the Butterfly Spirit Race," he declared. "Our people have been taken captive by the demon forces, and we are in dire need of your assistance. We believe that the humans of this land possess great strength and resourcefulness, and we humbly request your aid in fighting our common foe."
The guards exchanged uncertain glances, clearly taken aback by the gravity of the situation. The beast continued, his voice resolute and unwavering.
"In return for your aid, the Queen of the Butterfly Spirit Race herself will personally present the Butterfly Spirit Queen's Mark to the human who relieves us from this calamity. This mark is a symbol of our utmost respect and gratitude."
The guards looked at one another, unsure of how to respond.
After a moment of silence, one of the guards stepped forward and spoke in a deep, authoritative voice.
"We understand the gravity of your situation and will relay this message to the Royal Palace," he said.
The beast's eyes shone with relief and gratitude, and he bowed deeply to the guard. "Thank you," he said. "The fate of our race rests in your hands."
Thus, this news spread around the entire Empire quickly. It caused create ripples across all factions, organizations, and sects.
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