"Uncle Chai is a man of great integrity; even if he won't aid us, he certainly won't help that good-for-nothing. He’s only a bit displeased with my marriage alliance with the Xue family, but a simple explanation later will have Uncle Chai understanding."

Zong Shi's tone remained confident and domineering as he strode down from the dais, hands clasped behind his back.

Looking around at the opulent surroundings and the throne behind him, he felt a sudden, inexplicable surge of emotion. "Truthfully, I, Zong Shi, respect the late Monarch the most. He started from nothing, and in just ten years, established this massive foundation, reigning supreme over the western expanse of the Eastlin Cloud Continent. It's a pity his grand ambitions were cut short by his untimely death. If I, Zong Shi, were to ascend, I would surely carry on his will and sweep the entirety of Eastlin clean!"

Hearing this, Zong Ming nodded slightly, stroking his beard with one hand. "The late Monarch did indeed render great service to our Celestial Fox Zong Clan. That is why, even though he forcibly seized the position of Clan Head from the direct lineage of our clan, I, Zong Ming, have never held a grudge against him. However, whether it be the position of Demon King or Clan Head, it ultimately belongs in the hands of the direct lineage of the Zong family—that is the proper order! This is the will of Heaven."

A fierce surge of anger welled up in the eyes of Zong Shiyuan, yet for some unknown reason, he forcibly suppressed his temper. With a flicker of apprehension, he glanced at Xue Moyan, whose mouth curved into a knowing, half-smile.

Ling Fakong frowned again, sharply restraining his displeasure. "I care nothing for all this. I only ask about the Crown Prince Zong Shou; Young Master, how do you plan to handle him?"

Zong Shi’s expression remained unchanged as he turned, meeting Ling Fakong’s gaze squarely. "May I ask, Uncle Ling, if Zong Shou were to ascend to the throne of the Demon King, would he spare my life?"

Seeing the other's expression shift, Zong Shi shook his head again. "Naturally. I still remember my promise to Uncle Ling. As long as he remains obedient, I won't kill him; at worst, he’ll be confined. If he agrees to abdicate willingly, I might even allow him to leave Eastlin. But should he cling to foolish ambitions, I, Zong Shi, will certainly show no mercy."

Only then did Ling Fakong relax his features, nodding slightly. "It is good that you remember. I only hope you will keep your promises in the future."

Zong Shi smiled, a mere flicker of coldness flashing in his eyes before vanishing. He remained standing with his hands behind his back, gazing out past the hall.

After today, the throne of the Demon King atop Mount Qiantian would be firmly in his grasp! Wielding command over millions of troops, his power would be absolute!

No one in this world would ever dream of taking it from his hands!

Inside the hall, Zong Ming watched Zong Shi's retreating figure, filled with satisfaction and relief.

The matter would likely be settled today.

The descendants of their Zong lineage were indeed extraordinary. Even Zong Yang was quite capable.

What was that Zong Weiran? Merely a temporary display of arrogance.

***X

Still on the peak of a mountain a thousand zhang from the main peak of Mount Qiantian, atop the stone platform.

Hu Qianqiu returned from a distance, a look of mocking disdain on his face. When he reached Qiu Wei’s side, his voice dropped to a low, serious tone. "Patriarch Qiu, why don't you take a guess what that messenger Zong Shi sent just now told me?"

Seeing Qiu Wei’s momentary confusion, tinged with curiosity, Hu Qianqiu gave a cold laugh, his expression of contempt deepening. "He said that if you and I refuse to go see him, he will set fire to, slaughter, and loot everything in Mount Qiantian City. Simply put: if we don't let him win this hand of cards, he’ll flip the entire table. It’s a direct hit to the vital spot, even more ruthless than his dead, wretched father."

Qiu Wei’s teeth instantly clenched, grinding together audibly. The silver-white mace he held gripped in his hands actually caused the stone ground beneath him to sink several feet in that instant.

Then, concern creased his brow as he looked towards Hu Qianqiu. He hadn't been entirely unprepared for this possibility beforehand, but his current worry was that Hu Qianqiu might waver because of it.

Mount Qiantian City housed all the demon clan dependents. If Zong Shi made a move, there would inevitably be heavy casualties. And given the disposition of this Duke of Ba State, he was very likely to hesitate out of concern for them.

"That wolf cub is indeed venomous, and frighteningly intelligent. That fellow has truly seen through me, Hu Qianqiu!"

He paused mid-sentence, seeing Qiu Wei beside him already adopting a defensive posture. Hu Qianqiu couldn't help but roll his eyes in exasperation. "Relax! If this were six months ago, perhaps I would have fallen for his scheme and been blackmailed. But today, even if he truly wants to start a war and slaughter every old man and weak woman in the city, I, Hu Qianqiu, will absolutely not go. At worst, I’ll fight him to the death."

This time, Qiu Wei was genuinely astonished. He stared intently at Hu Qianqiu’s face, missing not the slightest shift in expression or gaze. Only when Hu Qianqiu began to feel uneasy under the scrutiny did he finally look away.

"It’s truly strange! Brother Hu, this doesn't sound like your usual character. Forgive my bluntness, but I genuinely cannot fathom a reason for you to refuse an audience with Zong Shi."

"It doesn't."

Hu Qianqiu gave a self-mocking smile, then looked up toward the heavens with an expression akin to pilgrimage. "As for the reason, it’s because I, Hu Qianqiu, know that if I yield to Zong Shi’s will today, not only will I betray the Monarch, but in the future, Mount Qiantian will still face ruin. That Crown Prince, though seemingly lacking ambition, does not look like someone who would stand by and watch the Monarch's foundation be usurped. And ultimately, the Crown Prince is the one who will prevail."

Qiu Wei narrowed his eyes. This was the fourth time Hu Qianqiu had mentioned the Crown Prince, and his words were brimming with expectation and confidence. What trickery was this fellow up to?

"I’m afraid you won’t believe me even if I tell you!"

Hu Qianqiu turned his head, his expression solemn and serious. "Six months ago, I met the Crown Prince. His swordsmanship was divinely inspired; he defeated me with a single sword strike while still in the Innate Realm. His spiritual attainment has already reached the Night Roaming Realm. He is truly a rare genius in this world! Even if he doesn't inherit Mount Qiantian, with his abilities, he could undoubtedly build an enterprise greater than this city."

Qiu Wei’s brow furrowed deeply. Looking closely at Hu Qianqiu’s expression, it didn't seem like he was joking. After a long pause, he finally raised his bushy eyebrows. "Duke of Ba State, are you sure you aren't jesting? Or perhaps you’ve taken the wrong medicine? To reach the Night Roaming Realm at fourteen—only a handful of sacred lineage sects have ever recorded such a feat. As far as I know, the Crown Prince has only been at the Linhai Academy for three years. Even if you are joking, there must be a limit. I know your hopes for the Crown Prince are immense, and your disappointment perhaps the deepest. But he is still young; with the help of a skilled Alchemist in the future, he still has a chance to cultivate martial arts..."

Hu Qianqiu froze for a moment, then shrugged helplessly. See? he thought. Even if I tell Qiu Wei, he won't believe it.

The elders in his own clan were the same, and even his old friend Chai Yuan held similar doubts. If he told Zong Shi and the others, they would likely laugh their heads off. Only by letting these people personally test the cold gleam of the Crown Prince's sword would they awaken and engrave the truth onto their hearts.

He wondered what reaction the man beside him would have when that time came. Thinking of this, Hu Qianqiu's lips twitched, and he strained to keep the smile from his face. He remembered the Monarch once lecturing him on keeping his emotions hidden and cultivating some subtlety. Hu Qianqiu had always remembered it, but at this moment, it felt exceptionally difficult.

***X

Fifty li was only about half an hour's ride on a Wind-Taming Steed. However, this time, it wasn't just a meager two thousand cavalry. The Garrison Pass was defended by three thousand elite cavalrymen in addition to the infantry. Furthermore, several thousand warhorses were brought along, with Hu Zhongyuan, Zong Lan, and Zong Yuan personally selecting five thousand elite foot soldiers to follow mounted.

Across the plain beneath Mount Qiantian, nearly ten thousand soldiers riding warhorses charged mightily toward the East Gate of Mount Qiantian City.

The riders of the Black Fox Iron Cavalry and the Black Armor Wind Dragon Cavalry were high in fighting spirit, and the selected elites from Garrison Pass were eager for battle, fire burning in their eyes, desperate to fight immediately and wash away the shame and the name of 'traitor.' About two quarters of an hour later, Zong Shou's vision caught sight of the few scattered lights atop Mount Qiantian.

He first marveled at the grandeur of Mount Qiantian City—the entire thousand-zhang high mountain had been excavated to form the city itself. With a circumference of sixty to seventy li, buildings stretched continuously, overlooking the entire Qiantian Plain from the summit. The city walls were also immensely imposing: sixty-zhang high, with a giant Four-Armed Ballista placed approximately every ten zhang.

Yet, this colossal city was currently dead silent. Few lights shone on the mountain, and the view below was blocked by the walls, making it impossible to gauge the situation inside. Looking from afar, countless sharp rays of murderous intent pierced the sky. A single glance was terrifying. It felt several times more formidable than the 400,000 allied troops from Mount Yunxia and Flame Mountain in the Ruohai Strait four years ago!

"What a magnificent city!"

Zong Shou sucked in a sharp breath. In his memory from four years ago, the city was nowhere near this majestic when he left Mount Qiantian. The protective spirit array blanketing the sixty to seventy li expanse alone was hard to imagine.

"The construction of this city cost Mount Qiantian four full years of revenue to achieve such magnificence. Inside, there are not only the eight million demon clansmen of Mount Qiantian but also six million human beings, plus countless itinerant merchants, totaling nearly eighteen million people. Actually, the Monarch initially didn't want to build a city, saying that by the time Mount Qiantian needed to defend itself, it would already be too late for survival. It was only after my father and the others vehemently persuaded him that he reluctantly paid a heavy price to hire experts to construct the protective spirit array to shield the clan's elderly and young. It was only completed a year ago," Hu Zhongyuan explained proudly beside Zong Shou, then added with a slight, knowing smile, "It's a pity the protective spirit array isn't open today. Otherwise, it would be even more spectacular."

Zong Shou pursed his lips. If that protective spirit array were open, he truly wouldn't have a chance; the best course of action would be to turn back immediately. But he figured Hu Qianqiu and Qiu Wei were competent enough not to fail at even that small task. Since the array wasn't open now, he had already won ninety-nine percent of the battle. If he weren't concerned with maintaining appearances and knew this battle still required extreme caution, Zong Shou would have been overcome with triumph right now, hands on hips, bellowing with laughter. With a slight movement of his intent, Zong Shou mimicked the heroic figures in old dramas, pointing his riding crop forward. His expression was profoundly serious, radiating kingly dominance. "You generals—who can bring me the head of the East City Commander?"

The surroundings fell instantly silent. After a long moment, fine sweat began to bead on Zong Shou's forehead. His first attempt at posturing had resulted in an awkward silence.