The news that the Demon Dragon Empire had crowned a new Crown Prince sent shockwaves across the continent, though for the Holy Word Alliance, it was somewhat reassuring; at least there was no longer a fear of the Demon Dragon Empire defecting at a critical moment. The day after the announcement, envoys from various nations stationed in the Demon Dragon Empire came in droves to offer congratulations on behalf of their respective royal houses. Meanwhile, nobles from all over our own domain converged on Demon Dragon City, offering their felicitations in various ways, yet the celebratory mood was noticeably subdued due to the recent abduction of Shen Xu and Shen Yin.

Coupled with the sudden, immense upheaval of recent times that had nearly pushed Cangyue and Biqi to draw swords against the Demon Dragon Empire, even though the incident had passed, an undercurrent of awkwardness remained. Consequently, after presenting their tribute gifts, the envoys from the two nations did not linger long before departing the Imperial Palace.

The Imperial Palace settled back into its familiar tranquility.

Naturally, the Demon Dragon Empire's action had achieved the intended effect. The armies of Cangyue and Biqi, previously stationed near the Demon Dragon Empire's border along the Red Sea and Blue Sea areas, began to withdraw, reallocating their forces to the campaign against the Demon Sealing Empire, acting as if nothing untoward had ever occurred between them.

However, I could clearly sense the deep-seated anger and frustration within Jiuyao Chongyang. Among the four empires, the Demon Dragon Empire possessed the weakest military might.

Had it not been for my sudden appearance and subsequent appointment as Crown Prince, I believe an allied force from Biqi and Cangyue alone would have been enough to obliterate the Demon Dragon Empire, even without the Demon Sealing Empire making a move.

Perhaps he also hadn't anticipated how close we came to turning hostile toward Biqi and Cangyue, especially given the attitude of the Cangyue Empire, which had been infuriating. The envoy sent to offer congratulations carried himself with such arrogance that it deeply aggravated the entire court of the Demon Dragon Empire.

Recalling Shen Yin’s ordeal in Cangyue, I vaguely sensed that relations between the Cangyue Empire and the Demon Dragon Empire were far from cordial.

But we had little headspace to dwell on such matters. The Demon Sealing Empire still offered no definitive response regarding the disposition of Shen Yin and Shen Xu.

This uncertainty left us deeply uneasy.

After the morning court session, I proceeded to the Hall of Quiet Contemplation.

Inside the vast hall, every face was grim, save for Jiuyao Chongyang and Jiuyao Zhutian; Ji Du, Luo Hou, Yue Yao, Shui Yao, Mu Yao, and Tu Yao were all present. All the Celestial Demon Warriors from the Jin Yao Imperial Lineage, who were guarding Yuncheng, had gathered in the Hall of Quiet Contemplation.

I quickly took a seat beside Jiuyao Chongyang.

“The Demon Sealing Empire remains noncommittal,” Jiuyao Chongyang worried. “It seems Mo Luo Yinsha is entertaining some new ideas.”

“This complicates things,” Yue Yao admitted, a flicker of anxiety in his eyes. “I know Mo Luo Yinsha too well; she stops at nothing to achieve her aims. I fear our worries are about to materialize.”

“Surely they are not unwilling to release them?” I asked, perplexed. “Wouldn't an exchange—the Crown Prince and the Princess for the Heart of the Fire Dragon and the Soul-Devouring Staff—be far more advantageous?”

“Matters are not as simple as Your Highness imagines,” the Divine Matriarch sighed softly. “Your Highness does not yet grasp the paramount importance of royal bloodlines to every nation.”

“Royal bloodlines.” I felt a jolt of surprise and a creeping sense of unease, though I couldn't quite articulate what felt wrong.

“Your Highness, attaining the rank of Celestial Demon Warrior before the age of twenty is a feat rarely seen in a millennium,” Ji Du stated formally. “Perhaps only the first Dragon Shadow Master from a thousand years ago could compare to your current achievements.”

“Well,” I mumbled, feeling slightly embarrassed by Ji Du’s high praise.

“This may simply stem from Your Highness’s innate talent and comprehension, which far surpass ordinary men,” Ji Du continued. “But no matter how high someone's comprehension and talent soar, they cannot reach the level Your Highness has achieved—becoming a Celestial Demon Warrior at seventeen. I recall that at Your Highness’s age, I had only just mastered the Blazing Sword Technique and entered the ranks of the Crimson Moon Warriors.”

“General, are you suggesting that a significant portion of my achievements is due to the bloodline flowing within me?” I asked, somewhat stunned.

“Indeed,” Ji Du confirmed. “The Demon-Devouring Body is a mutation derived from the Biqi Royal Family’s Blood Spirit Guardian technique; it is the most suitable physique for cultivating Battle Qi. Otherwise, given your body’s inherent weakness, you could never withstand the astonishing Battle Qi energy within. Furthermore, coupled with the Demon Dragon Royal Family’s Divine Protection, which grants you the Berserk ability, and the innate magical immunity of the Demon-Devouring Body, Your Highness possesses the most perfect set of innate qualities—the ideal base form. Perhaps the only defect is that your physical resilience is too fragile, which limits your progress.”

“Physical resilience.” I sighed internally, feeling helpless about my own frame. Although my height was gradually approaching that of my previous life, standing at 170 centimeters was akin to being partially disabled in the Mafa World. It was no wonder Ji Du mentioned it.

“Even so, Your Highness’s lineage remains the most exceptional warrior bloodline on the continent,” Ji Du asserted. “To the outside world, Your Highness’s twin sister, Princess Shen Yin, should possess the same heritage.”

“Are they planning to…” I nearly leaped from my seat.

“It seems Your Highness has already surmised,” Luo Hou said, his expression darkening.

“Regardless of the cost, they must be rescued. This cannot be delayed any further,” I declared. I couldn't fathom what unspeakable acts the Demon Sealing Empire might commit given their established methods.

“Calm yourself,” Jiuyao Chongyang said sternly. “The Emperor and Ji Du, among others, wish to rescue Shen Yin and Shen Xu as much as you do. But the current situation offers us no recourse.”

“We could dispatch experts to infiltrate Demon Sealing City to rescue them,” I muttered.

“Do you think that after the Lightning Flame Legion managed to abduct Shen Yin and Shen Xu through a surprise strike, they would allow us to successfully infiltrate their city? Anyone sent would likely just be fodder,” Jiuyao Chongyang countered helplessly. “Infiltration and rescue are impossible. Moreover, our Demon Dragon Empire cannot afford any losses right now.”

“..................” I understood perfectly what Jiuyao Chongyang meant, but could I stand by and watch Shen Yin suffer? My entire being felt like it was about to explode, yet I could conceive of no solution.

“The only way to rescue the Crown Prince and the Princess is if the entirety of Demon Sealing City is breached,” Yue Yao stated, his face etched with resignation, clearly recognizing his words as empty platitudes.

“Breaching Demon Sealing City,” Mu Yao offered a wry smile. “If that were so easy, the Mo Luo Alliance would have been eradicated long ago.”

“So, let us put the rescue of Shen Yin and Shen Xu aside for the moment,” Jiuyao Chongyang said, his voice laced with pain, prioritizing the larger picture. “What we must discuss now is how to coordinate with the Holy Word Alliance to shatter the Demon Sealing Empire’s defensive line at Misi Bi. Once that line breaks, the Mo Luo Alliance will be in dire peril.”

“Your Majesty, you know that is nearly impossible,” the Divine Matriarch interjected. “The Demon Sealing Empire alone possesses twelve Celestial Demon Warriors exclusive to the Royal Family, supplemented by twenty-eight from the Church. They have twenty Celestial Rainbow Archmages exclusive to the Royal Family, along with a Celestial Rainbow Archmage and thirty Cardinal Priests from the Church, plus eight Heavenly Venerable Daoists. The total troop count of their seven regular legions exceeds sixteen million. To defeat such a force is sheer fantasy.”

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“Ah! The Mo Luo Alliance is that formidable?” I exclaimed in shock. “Then how strong is the military might of our Holy Word Alliance?”

“The overall strength of the Holy Word Alliance is comparable to that of the Mo Luo Alliance,” the Divine Matriarch replied solemnly. “The combined number of Celestial Demon Warriors from the three nations, plus those exclusive to the Church, totals fifty—ten more than the Mo Luo Alliance. However, the combined total of Celestial Rainbow Archmages and Cardinal Priests is only twenty, with sixteen Heavenly Venerable Daoists. The total troop count of our regular legions is twenty-eight million.”

“Except for having fewer Celestial Rainbow Archmages and Cardinal Priests than the Mo Luo Alliance, our military power seems significantly stronger,” I expressed my confusion. “Why can’t we still defeat the Mo Luo Alliance?”

“The Holy Word Alliance is a union of one Church and three nations,” Jiuyao Chongyang sighed helplessly. “While we hold a numerical advantage, we lack unified command and coordinated effort. Furthermore, old grievances and lingering conflicts sow considerable discord between the three nations.” Jiuyao Chongyang continued with a long sigh. “Your Highness should recall Shen Yin’s experiences on the Cangyue Continent; that was the most direct manifestation of the opposition within Cangyue hating the Demon Dragon Empire. In Cangyue, powerful ministers hold sway, and the King of Wei harbors ambition, while although King Biqi possesses both talent and strategy, he cannot unify the disunited Cangyue. Although our Demon Dragon Empire is willing to strive, our weakened state prevents us from playing any significant role. As for the Church itself, the infighting and scheming for power are truly disheartening.” At this point, Jiuyao Chongyang sighed again, lamenting, “Contrast that with the Demon Sealing Empire. Though their territory is smaller, their people are martial and warlike, and the Royal Family and the Church are intimately linked, adhering to a policy of political and religious unity. The Royal Family manages daily civil affairs, while the Church is responsible for cultivating talented individuals, educating the populace, promoting martial spirit and patriotism, and honoring the sovereign. The successive Demon Sealing Empresses, though female, possess strategic acumen no less than any man, and the successive Mo Luo Popes are figures of unparalleled cunning. Under their leadership, the Mo Luo Alliance thrives; despite continuous warfare over the centuries, they grow stronger with every battle. Conversely, the Holy Word Alliance grows weaker, now relying solely on heavy troop concentrations at vital checkpoints to hold back the relentless advance of the Mo Luo Alliance.”

“How can this be?” I was momentarily stunned. “I never realized the internal complexities of the Holy Word Alliance were so profound.”

Silence descended upon the hall once more. Perhaps everyone understood that this was an impasse, a dead end so difficult to unravel that defeating the Mo Luo Alliance seemed more impossible than ascending to the heavens.

And a secret infiltration and rescue mission was no different from volunteering for death. What was to be done?

To conquer the Demon Sealing Empire, their very foundations needed to be shaken. Suddenly, I recalled the panic Blood Tiger Luo Jiang had sown across the Demon Dragon Continent, and I drew a parallel to my past life, where the immensely powerful United States was constantly preoccupied fighting various forms of extreme terrorism.

Something clicked in my mind: the sturdiest fortresses are often breached from within. Even with the Demon Dragon Empire's strength, the mere presence of one Blood Tiger Luo Jiang had thrown them into turmoil. If Ji Du hadn't captured Luo Jiang just in time, the problems would have been far greater!

Damn it, I might as well emulate him. I could infiltrate the Demon Sealing Empire and wreak havoc! Cause chaos within their borders until their domestic production ground to a halt, potentially undermining the very livelihood of the Demon Sealing Empire.

However, I certainly wouldn't be as foolish as Luo Jiang, engaging in direct combat with their Celestial Demon Warriors only to be defeated and killed. My version of terror would focus primarily on sabotage. As long as I avoided direct confrontation with their Celestial Demon Warriors, I believed no one could truly touch me, especially since I was a master of escape. Hit-and-run tactics—even if I couldn't save Shen Yin and Shen Xu, I would at least turn the Demon Sealing Empire upside down!

The more I thought about it, the more viable the plan seemed. Yet, this was an idea I dared not mention to Jiuyao Chongyang or Ji Du.

After all, I currently bore the title of Crown Prince—a temporary designation, perhaps, but its importance was undeniable. If they discovered my intentions, they would surely lock me down! And perhaps, by causing this chaos, the Demon Sealing Empire might reveal some weakness that I could exploit.

Moreover, I had another objective: rescuing Yun Chang. I figured if anyone discovered my presence on the Demon Sealing Continent, their immediate assumption would be that I was there to save Shen Yin and Shen Xu.

Perhaps in the past, I wouldn't have been confident, but rescuing Yun Chang now that I was a Celestial Demon Warrior would be a trivial matter compared to dealing with a mere Brotherhood.

Jiuyao Chongyang and the others were still debating operational plans for the border, but I had little interest in listening. I was secretly calculating feasible steps and procedures.

Ji Du and the others assumed my distraction was due to anxiety over Shen Yin’s safety and said nothing.

The Hall of Quiet Contemplation was where the Demon Dragon Emperor convened military councils. Only Celestial Demon Warriors, the Divine Matriarch, and the controllers of the Dove Group intelligence network were qualified to attend. The Imperial Court, on the other hand, was where the Emperor handled domestic governance; important military deployments were generally not discussed there. In essence, the political sphere, the military, and the world of the Celestial Demon Warriors operated as relatively separate domains. The primary duty of most ministers was to foster economic prosperity, stabilize domestic production, and ensure logistical support for the regular legions.

The division of labor was clear, and the unique economic system of the Demon Dragon Continent resulted in a remarkably simple yet highly efficient bureaucratic structure.

External policies and military deployments were jointly formulated by the Emperor—a Celestial Demon Warrior—and the Grand Celestial Master, among others.

The three-hour meeting concluded with the future operational plans for the Demon Dragon Empire finalized, and then everyone dispersed.

By the time I returned to Dongyang Palace, it was around two in the afternoon. After a quick meal, I began the urgent task of packing my provisions for departure.

Of course, all of this had to be done in secret.

I truly wished I could wait a few more days; the Divine Matriarch had mentioned that Biqi Mama should arrive here within a week at the latest. I hadn't seen my mother in over two years. Yet, I knew the situation concerning Shen Yin and Shen Xu could not wait. The mere thought of the fate awaiting Shen Yin made me desperate to fly to the Demon Sealing Empire immediately.

Soon, everything was prepared. My spatial pouch was stuffed with everything I deemed necessary.

The next step was to wait for an opportunity to slip out of the palace unnoticed. As for how to infiltrate the Demon Sealing Empire, I hadn't devised that part yet, but I trusted that a way would present itself.