Chapter 1512: Widowmaker

**Fantasy & Magic**

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Noticing the Grand Elder's gaze, the Second Prince's heart tightened. He quickly explained, "Grand Elder, you must understand, it was not I who harmed my brothers, but the Crown Prince! After our imperial father's demise, he feared that we, his brothers, would threaten his position. So, he dispatched troops overnight to eliminate us. I only resisted out of desperation."

"For example, our third and fourth brothers were both killed by the Crown Prince's men. I haven't harmed a single brother myself. If you don't believe me, Grand Elder, you can ask everyone present; many can testify for us." As for the Crown Prince, since he was trying to kill him, he naturally wouldn't be considered a brother.

The Grand Elder's gaze fell upon several Golden Crow Guard generals and a few high-ranking ministers. They instantly felt as though they were seen through, body and soul, and dared not utter a lie.

Trembling, they successively reported to the Grand Elder what had transpired that night, their accounts largely consistent with the Second Prince's.

"The Demon Emperor has passed away..." The Grand Elder seemed momentarily lost in thought. Although the royal court had descended into chaos today, for someone of his standing, it was merely a minor disturbance.

The death of the Demon Emperor, however, was a far more serious matter. An era had ended, and the demon race was now at a critical juncture, facing a matter of life or death.

He composed himself and looked down at the Second Prince and the young prince. "So, the imperial bloodline of the Demon Emperor now consists only of the two of you?"

The Second Prince's spirits lifted. "That is correct. We implore the Grand Elder to preside over the situation."

With only two heirs remaining, wasn't it obvious who should be chosen as the Demon Emperor, especially compared to his young brother?

He had previously resented that years of painstaking effort had amounted to nothing, believing that fate did not favor the diligent. Now, he realized that fate was, in fact, still kind to him.

How could the Grandmasters he had previously courted compare to a single word from the Grand Elder?

The young Demon Empress at the palace gate felt a pang in her heart. She, too, understood that her son had little competitiveness compared to the Second Prince. If the Grand Elder were to make the decision, all would be lost.

Fortunately, a calm voice then rang out: "The Demon Emperor, on his deathbed, bequeathed the throne to the young prince, with the Sun-Shooting Bow as proof!"

As he spoke, he held the Sun-Shooting Bow high.

"The Demon Emperor's dying wish? What's going on?" Seeing the Sun-Shooting Bow, several elders showed expressions of shock. The Grand Elder's eyes emitted two beams of clear light, fixed intently on Zu An.

Zu An felt a divine sense scanning him, the clear light akin to a lie detector.

Most people, when illuminated by these beams of light, would have been terrified, spilling every detail. If questioned thoroughly enough, they might even confess to peeking at the neighbor's aunt bathing as children.

But Zu An was no ordinary person. He had encountered countless powerful beings, conversed freely with figures like the Demon Emperor and Human Emperor, and even witnessed the might of the Heavenly Emperor. While this Grand Elder was formidable, he was not worth mentioning compared to those individuals.

Thus, he calmly accepted the elder's gaze and repeated his previous statement. The Grand Elder showed a strange expression; he knew that ordinary people, enveloped by his gaze, would have been trembling with fear. How could someone reply with such composure?

It made him question whether his clear light was even working.

However, he quickly dismissed the thought. What cultivation level did this young man possess? How could he possibly deceive him?

"The Crown Prince was truly audacious!" The Grand Elder formally rebuked the deceased Crown Prince for a while, then turned to Zu An, his gaze becoming inexplicably fervent. "Do you still have the immortality medicine you just mentioned?"

Zu An secretly chuckled. These old monsters, with one foot already in the grave, indeed had an inexplicable craving for longevity.

He shook his head. "Even the Demon Emperor did not obtain it back then. Moreover, with the secret realm now closed, I'm afraid we'll have to wait until it reopens next time."

Several elders immediately showed disappointment. The Grand Elder knew well that the reopening of such a secret realm would surely take a very long time, perhaps hundreds or thousands of years, and even a few decades was too long for him to wait.

He cast a suspicious glance at Zu An, thinking, *Could this young man be holding something back?* He decided he would find an opportunity to ask him in private; of course, he wouldn't tell the truth in front of so many people.

Seeing the two seem to be getting along more and more as they talked, the Second Prince grew anxious. "I protest! Throughout history, Demon Emperors have always been recognized as powerful individuals, capable of leading the demon race to resist foreign enemies and achieve prosperity. How could our imperial father possibly pass the throne to a mere child? Wouldn't that put the demon race in grave danger? I suspect this Zu An fellow is fabricating the imperial decree!"

Several elders exchanged glances, all feeling there was some truth to his words. In the long history of the demon race, there had never been a precedent of a child becoming Demon Emperor.

The young Demon Empress's heart sank. This was her son's biggest disadvantage. She had originally thought they could rely on powerful allies like Zu An to ascend to power, but now that the Elder Council was involved, it seemed they were doomed to fail.

Just then, Zu An said in a clear voice, "If even your thick skull can grasp such a simple truth, do you think the Demon Emperor couldn't? Let me ask everyone, who is the greatest enemy of the demon race?"

"Of course, it's the Human Emperor, Zhao Hao!" the Second Prince blurted out, a thought that echoed in everyone else's minds present.

For so many years, that name had weighed upon the demon race like a massive mountain. Especially those who were older and more experienced had witnessed Zhao Hao's terror firsthand.

For example, several elders' expressions were rather grim.

"Exactly. To the Human Emperor Zhao Hao, both the young prince and you, Second Prince, are mere children, utterly insignificant. So, whether you ascend to the throne or the young prince does, does it truly make a difference?"

"I..." The Second Prince wanted to retort, but even with all his arrogance, he dared not claim any difference in Zhao Hao's eyes. Both could be crushed with a single finger. Would Zhao Hao care if this ant was slightly stronger or weaker? They were all just ants, after all.

At that moment, a clear voice echoed: "I find some truth in what Zu An says. Since it makes little difference to the human race who becomes Demon Emperor, and given the demon race has endured too much turmoil and bloodshed lately, what is needed now is a benevolent ruler to lead everyone in recuperation and not allow further bloodshed."

She wore a flowing, wide-sleeved celestial gown in ocean blue, its graceful lines appearing naturally sculpted as if by moonlight. The dress was adorned with shimmering pearls and beautiful coral, making her identity easily recognizable.

"The Mermaid Princess!"

Ordinary soldiers merely marveled at the Mermaid Princess's captivating beauty, but the upper echelons of the royal court knew of her profound influence within the merfolk. Her words clearly represented the will of the sea race.

The sea race supported the young prince!

Zu An breathed a sigh of relief. So she had been hiding in the shadows all along, just like the Great Elf King. Although they claimed not to interfere, leaving a fallback for their families, they would still step forward to help at critical moments.

With the Elf race and the Sea race leading the way, representatives of the Demon race and others also came forward to support the young prince.

Tiger Qianxiao regretted so much that he nearly slapped his thighs raw. These individuals usually held their heads high, yet when it came to flattery, they outdid everyone. He'd fallen behind the moment he lost focus.

He also rushed out to declare his loyalty, speaking with such genuine sincerity that various factions glanced at him askance, wondering if he was truly the Tiger Clan leader or perhaps an imposter from the Dog Clan.

Seeing that all these significant powers of the demon race supported the young prince, the Second Prince's face turned utterly pale. He knew that the tide had turned and he was finished.

Just then, a five-colored divine light suddenly descended from the sky. "Our Peacock Royal Clan also supports the young prince, and furthermore..."

The newcomer paused, then turned to stare coldly at the Second Prince. "The Second Prince murdered the Crown Prince and has caused the entire royal court to run with blood tonight. This needs to be thoroughly settled."

"Peacock King Ming!"

Upon recognizing the newcomer, everyone in the hall exclaimed in surprise.

Two of the demon race's three great royal clans had arrived, and both supported the young prince.

It should be known that Peacock King Ming, the Great Elf King, and the Great Golden Peng King held transcendent statuses.

They were virtually the only beings in the demon race second only to the Demon Emperor, and their words could, to some extent, represent the will of the demon race.

Given how Peacock King Ming was now targeting the Second Prince, it seemed unlikely to end well for him.

Peacock King Ming, at this moment, was also seething with rage. He had not supported the Crown Prince's actions today, nor had he wished to get involved.

But who would have expected that the Crown Prince, that good-for-nothing, would make the first move and get himself killed? His death wasn't truly Peacock King Ming's concern, but the crucial point was that the Demon Emperor had recently betrothed the Crown Prince to his beloved daughter—Kong Nanwu, who was to be the Crown Princess!

He had originally been somewhat hesitant about this marriage, but who could have known that before she even married, his precious daughter would become a widow? How could he not be enraged?

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