Chapter 1504: Doing Someone Else's Work

I was a recognized prodigy, admired and envied by my peers since childhood, not only for my status but also for my cultivation. Thanks to my imperial father's personal guidance and my truly exceptional talent, my cultivation advanced by leaps and bounds.

If I recall correctly, my second brother used to eagerly trail behind me as a child, begging me to teach him some skills. Back then, I saw him as nothing more than an ant; a casual spill from my fingertips was enough to keep him happy for ages. How could I have imagined then that I would one day die by his hand?

How did he grow to such a point? Did he sell his soul to a demon?

No, in fact, his cultivation level wasn't that high; his true strength was still weaker than mine. But I distinctly felt I couldn't unleash my peak power.

Was it because of several crushing defeats at the hands of that fellow, Zuan, which damaged my willpower?

In contrast, the second prince was unyielding and resilient. Moreover, his heart was filled with injustice and resentment, allowing him to unleash 120% of his strength. With my power diminished and his amplified, I was defeated by him.

I hate this so much!

I was just about to become the Demon Emperor, so why did this happen?

“Crown Prince!” Elder Wu, who was fighting in the distance, saw this and his eyes nearly split with rage. He instantly flew towards me.

However, mid-flight, a ripple of black energy suddenly appeared in the air. A long, slender, jet-black sword extended from it.

Like a scythe from the grim reaper of hell, it carved a sinister and treacherous arc. Then, Elder Wu’s head flew into the sky.

Most of Elder Wu’s attention had been on rescuing the Crown Prince, with a small portion focused on fully guarding against an ambush from Sixth Uncle's side. He never expected another Grandmaster-level figure to appear out of thin air.

The spinning head vaguely saw an eerie, handsome figure emerge from the black vortex. His mouth gaped open: “Dark Elf!”

Unfortunately, those words were all he could utter. Soon, his entire being plunged into eternal darkness.

After cultivators reach a high level, their self-recovery abilities become very powerful. Even if they suffer severe injuries, they can gradually recover after a period of recuperation.

Even severed limbs can potentially regrow.

However, this is all based on not sustaining a fatal injury.

The head is the most vital part of the body; no one whose head has been severed can ever grow it back.

The Golden Crow Crown Prince recognized the black figure. It was Duan Tianchou, the Dark Elf King's younger brother, a famously talented master among the Dark Elves.

He never imagined the second prince had even managed to enlist him. His defeat this time was certainly not unjust.

Although the second prince's side clearly had the advantage in high-level combatants, he had kept Duan Tianchou hidden, restraining him from acting. His single move had decided the ultimate outcome. It was indeed a brilliant and insidious plan.

However, he was unwilling to die like this. Silently, he activated the Golden Crow Sacred Flame to repair his damaged heart.

The Golden Crow Sacred Flame was the Golden Crow Royal Family's most potent regenerative ability. Previously, when his entire lower body was blasted apart by Zuan, it had regrown. Given time, his heart would naturally heal as well.

Fearing that his opponent would notice something amiss, he didn't dare to fully unleash the Golden Crow Sacred Flame. He could only feign death, then meticulously control the Golden Crow Sacred Flame to envelop his heart and secretly repair it.

He knew that tonight he had suffered a complete defeat, but as long as he was alive, there was a chance to turn the tables.

However, a gust of wind swept past, and the second prince's voice echoed in his ear: “Do you know how thoroughly I've studied you over the years, just to deal with you? I know every detail of your life, every skill you possess, like the back of my hand. I even know exactly how long you can last with a woman. Did you really think I'd make a mistake and let you feign death and revive?”

At the same time, his hand plunged directly through the Golden Crow Crown Prince’s body. When it reappeared, it was clutching a heart enveloped in the Golden Crow Sacred Flame. Faintly, one could still see the heart slowly beating within the flames.

The second prince swallowed the heart in one gulp. A satisfied smile spread across his face: “Ah, the heart of a powerful being is so delicious! I feel my entire body brimming with power! I've grown larger, and stronger!”

The Golden Crow Crown Prince could no longer hold on, spitting out a mouthful of blood. He finally gasped his last breath and died.

The second prince lifted the Golden Crow Crown Prince’s corpse like a dead dog, displaying it to the crowd: “The Crown Prince is dead! Cease your futile resistance! Those who surrender shall live!”

Upon seeing the Golden Crow Crown Prince’s corpse, many loyal retainers on the Crown Prince’s side immediately burst into tears and wailed loudly.

Immediately after, many committed suicide with their swords. They knew that as the Crown Prince’s trusted aides, they would certainly not fare well. Rather than falling into the second prince’s hands and suffering a fate worse than death, it was better to die with dignity, and thus avoid implicating their families.

With this, the morale of the other mid- and low-ranking soldiers completely collapsed. They no longer had any thoughts of resistance. One after another, they threw their weapons to the ground and knelt before the second prince, begging for surrender.

Seeing the Crown Prince’s forces entirely under his command, the second prince could no longer contain himself and began to laugh maniacally, covering his face: “Hahahahaha…”

He had waited for this day for far too long. Decades of painstaking and meticulous planning. Even with his unwavering resolve, there had been countless moments of doubt and wavering, for to anyone else, this had seemed like a task with no hope of success.

Yet, I achieved this utterly impossible feat!

Now that I have absorbed the Crown Prince's subordinates, I am undoubtedly the strongest in the entire royal court. Tell me, who else but me is fit for the position of Demon Emperor!

At that moment, Duan Tianchou’s sinister voice drifted over: “Second Prince, the Crown Prince has been eliminated. The immediate priority is to enter the palace and seize control of everything, then summon all civil and military officials for an audience.”

A flicker of madness gleamed in his eyes. When the time comes, the Great Elf King will also have to enter the palace by summons. I will ambush and kill him. This will bring an end to the millennium-long feud between the Elves and the Dark Elves.

By then, my brother will surely be utterly shocked. Just thinking about his expression then, it's truly amusing, hehe.

Lost in thought, a hint of fervent, twisted madness appeared in Duan Tianchou’s eyes.

The second prince instinctively distanced himself from him. The Dark Elves were all lunatics, and lunatics who excelled at assassination.

No one wanted a Dark Elf within three feet of them. At that range, their life and death would no longer be their own.

“Very well, let’s advance to the Imperial Palace!”

Soon, his subordinates reorganized the Crown Prince’s forces. They marched majestically towards the Imperial Palace.

They hadn't gone far when sounds of fighting suddenly erupted ahead. The second prince frowned. A subordinate quickly reported: “It seems to be Grand Minister Heichi Fei’s forces clashing with General of the Right Niudao’s men.”

The second prince sneered inwardly. The Crown Prince had been too arrogant. If he had concentrated his forces against him, the second prince might not have been guaranteed a victory. But he insisted on dividing his troops; if he didn't lose, who would?

At this point, the sounds of fighting gradually subsided. When the second prince and his retinue approached for a closer look, they saw that Heichi Fei’s and Niudao’s troops were engaged in an internal conflict.

Niudao was clutching the third prince, both lying lifeless in a pool of blood.

It seemed Niudao, loyal to the old Demon Emperor, had believed this operation was merely to apprehend the third prince. He had disagreed with Heichi Fei’s decision to execute the third prince. This led to a dispute between them, which escalated into an internecine battle.

Niudao was no match for Heichi Fei. Furthermore, Heichi Fei commanded the Crown Prince's banner, which caused many Golden Crow Guards to stand by and watch.

Ultimately, Niudao was outnumbered and outmatched. Heichi Fei and his men directly surrounded and killed him.

“Ignorant fool!” Heichi Fei spat.

Suddenly noticing the second prince's entourage, he was overjoyed: “Crown Prince, you’ve returned... Eh, why is it you!”

The second prince’s gaze fell upon the corpses of Niudao and the third prince. He thought, ‘The Crown Prince has truly paved the way for me.’ He had originally found his other brothers troublesome, but now he didn't need to lift a finger himself.

“Why can't it be me?” The second prince revelled in Heichi Fei’s panicked expression, waving his hand. “Were you waiting for him?”

At that moment, his subordinates lifted a wooden rack. Bound to it was the Crown Prince's corpse, and hanging from it were the heads of Elder Wu, Captain of the Guards Wu Li, and General of the Left Ma Tian, among others.

Upon seeing this scene, Heichi Fei felt as if he had plunged into an ice cellar. He let out a cry and immediately turned to flee.

At that moment, a black vortex suddenly appeared before him. A slender sword slashed out, and a head flew into the sky.

Duan Tianchou extended his slender tongue and licked the blade: “The taste of blood is so delicious, especially the blood of the strong.”