Chapter 2475: Thoughts Enlightened

Hearing the Saintess's words, the previously somewhat silent council hall immediately became lively. Everyone's long faces instantly lit up with excitement:

"That's right, why didn't I think of that?""The Saintess truly lives up to her name; she can see through everything so clearly.""With the Saintess leading us, why should we worry about failing to drive the demons out of our world?"

No one now suspected that Zu An had drugged the Saintess. She was as wise and intelligent as ever, always able to see what others could not.

The Third Prince was equally shocked, but he forced himself to say, "But the Saintess cannot deny the possibility that the Demon Lord might target us first, using us to boost his prestige and gain leverage. At that point, he would have even more confidence to confront the Lord of Slaughter."

Everyone frowned slightly upon hearing this. They knew the Third Prince was being argumentative, but they had to admit there was indeed a possibility in what he said.

Zu An finally spoke. How could he let Xie Daoyun face all this alone? "Indeed, that is a possibility. So, I will find a way to make the Demon Lord choose a different path."

The Third Prince scoffed, "How formidable is the Demon Lord? And he's also shrewd. Why would he change his mind because of you?"

"That might be an impossible task for you, but it's not difficult for me," Zu An said calmly.

"You!" The Third Prince was furious. "Do you dare to make a military pledge?"

The Saintess frowned slightly. "He is not one of our demon race; he is a distinguished guest here to assist us. Your request, Third Prince, is unreasonable."

The Third Prince said coolly, "Since he just spoke with such confidence, it's clearly not difficult for him. In that case, why not let him accomplish this task as a betrothal gift to marry the Saintess? Otherwise, I fear the entire demon race will not agree to this marriage."

Crown Prince Jinpeng hastily chimed in, "The Third Prince speaks wisely!"

A faint anger clouded the Saintess's brow. At this moment, Zu An also spoke, "The Third Prince seems to be mistaken about one thing. The Saintess and I are deeply in love. Our marriage only requires our mutual consent; we don't need you here to agree or disagree. You are even less qualified to accept my betrothal gift."

The Third Prince sneered, "But if you're unwilling to make even this small effort for the Saintess, we truly can't believe the depth of your feelings for her. Wouldn't you all agree?"

"Exactly!" Those usually close to the Third Prince and Crown Prince Jinpeng voiced their agreement, and nearly half the council hall erupted in shouts.

The Saintess's face darkened. "Third Prince, my personal life has nothing to do with you, nor do I need you to comment on the man I have chosen."

The Third Prince sighed, "Saintess, don't let emotions blind you. Since you are the Saintess of our demon race, your affairs naturally concern the entire demon race."

"It seems I wasn't clear enough just now," the Saintess stood up. "If that's truly the case, then I will no longer be the Saintess."

Hearing her words, the leaders of the other surrounding tribes grew anxious and quickly rose to console her. Some said the Third Prince had indeed gone too far, while others suggested that the Third Prince's intentions were good and that it wouldn't hurt for Zu An to prove himself, and so on. Their words only made her more irritated.

Just as she was about to speak, Zu An preempted her, saying, "No problem, I can go to the Demon Lord and persuade him to instigate conflict with the Lord of Slaughter."

Hearing him say this, the Third Prince and Crown Prince Jinpeng exchanged glances, both seeing the slight upturn of the other's lips. Crown Prince Jinpeng secretly admired him. Indeed, the Third Prince was more cunning. Although that fellow (Zu An) was powerful, he was still being played like a fiddle by the Third Prince. The Demon Lord was not to be trifled with; no matter how powerful this guy was, going there would be a near-certain death. Moreover, if he succeeded, it would be even better; the demon race would see dawn. They couldn't lose either way. "I've truly learned something," he thought. "No matter how powerful one's cultivation, if one lacks brains, they can only be a tool for those in power. From now on, I can't be as impulsive as before; I must learn more from the Third Prince."

Just as the two were feeling pleased, Zu An's voice came from behind them: "It's just that I'm quite displeased right now. I'll do this once my mind is clear."

Someone nearby was momentarily stunned and subconsciously asked, "Then how can you clear your mind..."

Before he finished speaking, his eyes blurred. Zu An seemed to have just left his spot, yet also seemed not to have moved at all.

Zu An wiped a streak of blood from his finger and said calmly, "My mind is clear now."

"You..." The Third Prince, on the other side, pointed at him in utter horror, but a trickle of blood escaped his lips, rendering him unable to speak. After barely uttering a single word, he collapsed to the ground with a thud.

Those nearby rushed to check on him, only to find him unconscious, his body limp. They couldn't sense any energy fluctuations in him, and all his meridians were severed. The entire council hall instantly erupted in an uproar. This guy had just crippled the Third Prince in a fit of pique?

The Saintess was also somewhat surprised, but recalling what had just happened, she reacted quickly, stating calmly, "The Third Prince has consistently tried to sow discord among us and weaken our strength against the demons. As the saying goes, 'to resist external threats, one must first stabilize internally.' This is also my intention."

Seeing her readily take responsibility for the incident, Zu An couldn't help but chuckle. Xie Daoyun had clearly warned him just moments ago, but he had still acted without hesitation. Primarily, he knew that while this act would cause a series of severe immediate consequences, the Third Prince had looked at him with such venomous eyes and even seemed to harbor intentions toward the Saintess. Rather than planting a ticking time bomb that would explode sometime in the future, it was better to cut the Gordian knot and nip the threat in the bud.

"Saintess, what is the meaning of this?!" Some factions usually allied with the Third Prince rose up, both shocked and enraged, surrounding her.

The Saintess said calmly, "Our demon race can no longer afford any more turmoil. Rather than letting him divide us, it's better to deal with him now."

"The Third Prince merely questioned you a few times, and you resorted to such heavy-handed measures. Are you trying to establish a dictatorship?" Crown Prince Jinpeng was equally shocked and enraged. Just a second ago, he had been admiring the Third Prince's cunning tactics, and now this had happened.

The Saintess was also having a headache at this moment, but she harbored no resentment toward Zu An. The Third Prince had indeed been a hidden danger, and such a decisive move was not a bad solution, as they didn't have much time to waste here.

At this point, Zu An stepped forward. "Crown Prince, you seem to have such a good relationship with the Third Prince; it appears you wish to end up like him."

Crown Prince Jinpeng recoiled several steps, waving his hands frantically. "No, no, no, Your Excellency misunderstands..."

Seeing his reaction, the previously agitated crowd gradually calmed down. This person was unfathomable. The Third Prince was considered a master, yet he was crippled before anyone could even see clearly. Who dared to speak out at this point?

After a long pause, an older individual finally stepped forward and said: "The Third Prince was indeed at fault, but such extreme punishment seems a bit excessive..."

Everyone exchanged glances, noting the softening in his tone.

Zu An said calmly, "He offended me repeatedly. I spared his life only out of consideration for the Saintess and the Princess."

The crowd was stunned, only then realizing that this was a world where the strong ruled. The other party was a supreme expert capable of annihilating even King Bulan and his demon army; it was normal for him to be angered by such repeated offenses. If the Third Prince had been so arrogant before King Bulan, he would likely have met a much worse end, not to mention that this person was even more powerful than King Bulan. It was simply the Third Prince's foolishness, thinking the other party was young and disbelieving earlier rumors, that led to such a heavy loss. After all, everyone was pragmatic. In this world where might made right, no one would stand up for a crippled prince, especially when that prince had brought it upon himself.

At this point, factions usually at odds with the Third Prince, as well as the Saintess's loyal supporters, also came forward to denounce the Third Prince and endorse the Saintess's decision. The remaining people no longer dared to say anything.

Having experienced many trials and tribulations, Zu An had long anticipated the crowd's reaction, so he said, "Rest assured, everyone. Now that my mind is clear, I will deal with the Demon Lord for you, for the Saintess's sake."

Hearing this, everyone was overjoyed. "Thank you for your trouble, Your Excellency, and thank you, Saintess!"

Sacrificing one Third Prince seemed like a huge gain if it could resolve their major underlying threat.

Next, the Saintess began to handle the aftermath. Although the Third Prince was incapacitated, his forces remained, and it was crucial to immediately control his loyalists to prevent them from causing chaos. Zu An watched from the side, nodding repeatedly. Before, Xie Daoyun was merely a young lady from a prominent family. Now, her mature handling of affairs was no less skilled than that of the Little Demon Empress or Bi Linglong. It seemed that even though they had been apart for a short time, she had experienced a very long period here and matured immensely.

He was waiting for her to finish handling things to inquire about the demon race's authority, when Princess Peacock came to his side, her eyes red, and asked, "Big brother, were all the things you said before a lie?"