Betrayal! Betrayal! Betrayal!
Ao Sheng asked three times, and most of the subordinates Ao Shun brought betrayed him three times. Only three hundred dragons and three sub-dragons remained loyal to him.
Ao Shun showed despair on his face. Am I really unsuited to be the crown prince? In just a short while, nearly everyone betrayed me?
When I called out, not a single dragon of the ten thousand-odd dragons in the surrounding sea region appeared at all. Not a single dragon showed up to support me?
Ao Shun felt that the world before him turned completely black in an instant.
“Ha! Haha! Hahahahaha! Completely cleaned out? Excellently cleaned out!” Ao Shun gave off bleak, bitter laughter.
When Ao Shun got chased off the crown prince position, he had only felt anger, not disappointment, firmly believing that he would rise again.
Many of the dragons doted on him. They just did not want to participate in the internal battles of the dragon race. He believed that at least ten thousand dragons would answer him if he issued a call.
However, Ao Shun now discovered that he had overthought this.
No one but the three hundred dragons and three hundred sub-dragons behind him supported him.
Am I really unsuited to be the crown prince?
Ao Shun appeared sorrowful. Then, his expression suddenly changed.
“That’s not right. Where’s Uncle Lin? Where’s Uncle Gen? They did not come? Why did they not come?” Ao Shun glared at the Soaring Palace Hall.
“Them? Ha! Royal Brother, if you were me, what would you do?” Ao Sheng’s voice rang out again.
Like before, Ao Sheng’s voice did not give a straight answer. However, when Ao Shun heard it, his expression changed dramatically.
“You killed them? Did you kill Uncle Lin? Did you kill Uncle Gen? Ao Sheng, they watched you grow up. To think that you killed them?” Ao Shun looked like he would erupt.
“They are not dead!” Ao Sheng’s voice rang out at a suitable time, immediately extinguishing Ao Shun’s rage.
“Not dead? Not dead?” Ao Shun soared at the Soaring Palace Hall.
“However, they are about there. They encouraged internal conflict within the dragon race, equal to betraying the dragon race. That is punishable by death!” Ao Sheng’s voice said coldly.
“Capital punishment? No! No! How can Uncle Lin and Uncle Gen die?! Ao Sheng, don’t kill them! They are the closest people to me! Don’t kill them!” Ao Shun said while showing despair.
“Royal Brother, I told you before. We have already grown up—not just our bodies, but our minds as well. After making a mistake, we have to suffer the consequences. It does not matter how close we are. Royal Brother, I hope you can clearly recognize the situation,” Ao Sheng’s voice immediately rejected.
“Crown Prince, fight to the end!” a dragon behind Ao Shun cried out in despair.
“Roar!”
The dragons on the other side roared. Clearly, Ao Shun could not fight, even though he wanted to. He was at the end of his rope, caught in difficult circumstances. The fight for succession had always been cruel. This was the same, no matter what race.
Fight and die together?
No. That will only result in all the dragons that support me being slaughtered. Ao Sheng will not suffer any losses.
“Crown Prince, how could we lose?! How did we lose?!”
“Crown Prince, we will always support you. Only you are our crown prince. We acknowledge only you!”
“Crown Prince, let me die. I will never hesitate because I acknowledge only you!”
Three hundred dragons and three hundred sub-dragons expressed their loyalty to Ao Shun in their despair. It seemed like they would be killed soon, so they expressed the loyalty in their hearts to their limits.
Ao Shun looked at the loyal gazes of his subordinates, and his eyes instantly turned moist.
These were the dragons who were the most loyal to him. Yet, he had not treated them well in the past, even bringing them into a desperate situation, plunging them into despair.
“You won’t die. With me around, you won’t die. Uncle Gen and Uncle Lin can’t die, either!” Ao Shun said in a quivering voice through clenched teeth.
Suddenly, Ao Shun turned his head and looked at the Soaring Palace Hall in sorrow and rage.
“Ao Sheng, you win! Hahahahaha! My good younger brother, you win. I admit, you are the dragon crown prince. Will that do? I acknowledge my defeat. However, you cannot kill them. You cannot kill Uncle Gen, Uncle Lin, and the others in the dragon palace. Do it for your brother…for your brother…” Ao Shun closed his eyes, feeling unreconciled with this situation.
“I beg you, as your brother!” Ao Shun sorrowfully cried out, feeling humiliated.
“Crown Prince, don’t! We will fight Ao Sheng to the end!”
“Crown Prince, don’t bow to him! My life is not worth it!”
The dragons shot into the air, appearing to care for nothing as they charged towards the Soaring Palace Hall, wanting to salvage whatever pride and dignity Ao Shun had left.
“Hold it!” Ao Shun roared.
The dragons instantly stopped and cried out sorrowfully, “Crown Prince!”
Ao Shun looked at the Soaring Palace Hall and said, “Ao Sheng, did you hear that? Did you hear what I said?”
The Soaring Palace Hall remained silent. The dragons also turned silent.
After a while, a sigh came from the Soaring Palace Hall. “Royal Brother, we are brothers, after all, and should not be forcing each other’s hands like this. However, this matter involves the prosperity of the dragon race. There are times when I have to harden my heart. Do you want me to let go of all the dragons who participated in the rebellion? All of them?”
“That’s right. You can do whatever you want to me as long as you let them go. Anything you want!” Ao Shun said sorrowfully.
“Hah! Since Royal Brother put it like that, I’ll give them all a chance. They will all be branded as sin dragons. However, I worry that they will eventually rebel again with you. At that time, won’t all my efforts go to naught? Royal Brother, I have an island manor in the Northern Sea. How about Royal Brother stay there in the future? I will send dragons to serve you. Aside from not leaving the island, you can do whatever you want there. What do you think?” Ao Sheng’s voice said indifferently.
“You want to put me under house arrest?” Ao Shun asked reluctantly.
“Royal Brother, that is all I can do,” Ao Sheng’s voice sighed in the Soaring Palace Hall.
Ao Shun appeared unsightly as he reared his head to the sky and smiled bitterly. “Ao Sheng, my good younger brother! Hahahaha! My good younger brother! Hahahahahahahaha!”
“Crown Prince, don’t listen to him. He means you harm! We will fight to the end!” the loyal dragons urged in anger.
Ao Shun shook his head and said, “He doesn’t dare to. Royal Father is still well and healthy. However, I implicated all of you. Your statuses as sin dragons cannot be removed for now.”
“Sob! Sob! Our lives are not valuable, but Crown Prince holds a noble status. However…” the loyal dragons cried as they sobbed.
“The winner is king, and the loser is evil. Haha! I finally understand what this saying means. The winner is king, and the loser is evil; this is really the case. Ao Sheng, I agree to your demands. You are not to seek trouble for Uncle Gen, Uncle Lin, and all the other people who support me in the dragon race, not at all!” Ao Shun roared as though showing whatever pride and prestige he had left.
“Royal Brother, don’t worry. Although I was forced into this, I do not really want them dead, either. As long as you can ease my worries, they will definitely remain alive. We are brothers, after all. I do not want to take personal action. You were previously the crown prince; none of the other dragons are qualified to do anything to you. Do it yourself. Seal your cultivation, and today’s matter comes to an end!” Ao Sheng’s voice rang out again.
The surroundings turned quiet. The countless observers goggled.
At Sima Changkong’s location:
“Milord, isn’t this Ao Sheng quite magnanimous? Only putting Ao Shun under house arrest?”
“Indeed. If I were Ao Shun, I would be able to accept this too. It is just house arrest. Humph! When the dragon king comes out, Ao Shun could rise again.”
“Indeed, as long as the dragon king does not say anything about this, Ao Shun would definitely still have a chance. As long as the people who support him live, what could be more important?”
Sima Changkong’s subordinates praised Ao Sheng’s magnanimity and Ao Shun’s flexibility.
Only Sima Changkong gaped.
“That can’t be, right? He dealt with a Heavenly Palace Realm cultivator just like that?” Sima Changkong appeared shocked.
Boom!
Ao Shun slammed his palm onto his head. Colorful light erupted around his body, rushing to his head. It seemed to form a restriction imprinted on his head.
Buzz!
Ao Shun’s body trembled, and he turned significantly spiritless.
“Sealing the Heavenly Palaces? Ao Shun sealed his Heavenly Palaces, no longer able to make use of the power of his three spiritual souls?” someone exclaimed.
“Crown Prince!” Ao Shun’s loyal subordinates cried out in sorrow.
“I have sealed my Heavenly Palaces. Right now, I’ll seal my dantian. Ao Sheng, watch carefully,” Ao Shun said coldly.
Boom!
Suddenly, beams of purple light shot out from his palms towards his internal organs.
Boom!
“Sealing the heart aperture!
“Sealing the liver aperture!
“Sealing the lung aperture!
“Sealing the spleen aperture!
“Sealing the kidney aperture!”
Boom!
“Sealing the dantian!”
Bang!
Ao Shun sealed all his cultivation. The moment he lost his cultivation, he landed on the Soaring Palace Hall’s plaza.
The loyal dragons immediately revealed sorrowful expressions. Their crown prince suffered such humiliation to save them. Right now, these dragons became even more loyal to Ao Shun. All of them showed hatred on their faces.
They would wait for the day when the dragon king came out of closed-door cultivation. When Ao Shun issued a call, they would definitely fight for him without regard for their lives.
“Ao Sheng, will this do?” Ao Shun had sealed his cultivation. Somehow, he could smile calmly now. His entire body felt relaxed.
“Hah! Royal Brother, come in. Don’t worry. I will uphold my promise!” Ao Sheng’s voice rang out again.
Ao Shun took a deep breath and slowly walked towards the Soaring Palace Hall.
Just at this moment, Gu Qin and the various civil and military officials parted, opening a path on the Soaring Palace Hall’s plaza. The scene of Ao Shun sealing his cultivation shocked many people. Gu Qin felt like giving him a thumbs-up. A true man. Ruthless to his enemies and even more ruthless to himself.
Ao Shun trudged towards the Soaring Palace Hall with heavy footsteps.
After he entered the Soaring Palace Hall and took a few steps in, he immediately saw the situation inside the Soaring Palace Hall.
He found only three people in the Soaring Palace Hall: Gu Hai, Miao Chen, and Ensnaring Performance.
Aside from Gu Hai, both Miao Chen and Ensnaring Performance goggled at Ao Shun in surprise.
“This…he got tricked into entering?” Miao Chen rubbed his eyes, still somewhat in disbelief.
“Gu Hai? You already returned? Where’s Ao Sheng? Where is Ao Sheng?” Ao Shun said in confusion.
“Royal Brother, you don’t recognize me?” Gu Hai smiled faintly.
Ensnaring Performance vibrated the zither strings in the air, transforming Gu Hai’s voice into Ao Sheng’s voice.
Ao Shun could not immediately come to terms with this. At first, he felt startled. Then, his complexion alternated between white and red, looking extremely interesting. Finally, he goggled with disbelief, stammering, “You! You! You!”
Creak!
Suddenly, the Soaring Palace Hall’s doors closed.
The instant after Ao Shun entered the Soaring Palace Hall and the doors closed, the expressions of the dragons loyal to Ao Shun changed.
“What are you doing?” those dragons immediately cried out.
Just at this moment, Ao Sheng’s voice came from the Soaring Palace Hall. “I’m going to have to break my word today. For the dragon race to have lasting peace, we cannot permit the existence of traitors. All traitors are to be executed!”
“What?” The three hundred dragons and three hundred sub-dragons glared.
“Ao Sheng, you vile scum!” the dragons immediately roared.
Ao Sheng’s voice rang out again. “The dragons who gave up the wrong way of life and turned to a better one, since you claim that, then prove it. Prove that you are on opposing sides from this group of traitors. This is the time to prove yourselves. Kill all the traitors, do not leave a single one alive. Use your blood to wash away your sins. Kill them! Also, the other dragons are not to interfere!”
“Roar!”
The dragons that went over to Ao Sheng’s side immediately roared, showing ferocious expressions. Of course, some of the dragons appeared unwilling. However, this was no longer a matter of willingness. This was an extremely serious political problem. How could they be at peace if they did not kill the other dragons?
“Sorry for the offense!”
“Sorry for the offense!”
“The winner is king, and the loser is evil. You chose this yourself, so you can’t blame us!”
“Sorry!”
“Roar!”
Boom!
The dragons started a frenzied slaughter above the Soaring Palace Hall.
As a result of the chaotic battle, dark clouds suddenly filled the place, and torrential rain poured down.
Gu Qin activated the ritual arrays at a suitable time, protecting the palace from damage.
“Roar!”
“Die!”
“Kill!”
Ao Sheng’s voice ordered the dragons in the surrounding sea regions not to interfere. The sky instantly appeared like it would crumble at any moment.
Countless observers fled in all directions. After all, the shock waves were too powerful and ferocious.
At Sima Changkong’s location:
“Crown Prince Ao Sheng went back on his word?”
“That is very normal. A succession battle is always extremely cruel. There is no leeway for kindness and morals.”
“As long as one can stabilize one’s position, one can abandon all morals!”
Sima Changkong’s subordinates discussed the orders of Ao Sheng’s voice. Only Sima Changkong knew what was going on. He showed a bitter expression, not knowing what to say.
The danger that is Ao Shun got resolved already?
Ao Shun got pushed into despair step by step, pushed towards death? From the start to the end, all he faced was an imaginary enemy?
Indeed, it is an imaginary enemy, a person that Gu Hai created, someone not real.
Then, this imaginary person managed to drive the dragons into a desperate situation, forcing Ao Shun towards death?
Gu Hai did not use even a single soldier to destroy this vast dragon army?
When Sima Changkong first arrived, he imagined many possibilities. However, he never expected such a result.
Gu Hai managed to destroy the dragon army with just his mouth? Gu Hai’s mouth rivals a vast army?
