"Kid, let's have a chat!"

"Hey, stop cultivating, wake up, I've got something important to tell you!"

"Li... Young Master, I know you can hear me, don't play dead!"

"Damn it, damn it, how dare you act like I don't even exist?"

"I was wrong, Crown Prince, I'm begging you, please talk to me."

Boom!

"Ah~~~"

Yet another round of torment begins!

Xu Yang, deep in cultivation, was completely oblivious to the outside world. Even Gu Jun, in the end, grew impatient and shut off all external perception.

Xu Yang felt like a sponge. After recultivating, his understanding of the three Heaven-locking Seals skyrocketed!

Things he hadn't noticed before now appeared crystal clear before his eyes.

The Spirit Lock Seal doesn't just lock spiritual energy—it locks change itself, the change of all powers between heaven and earth, restoring them to their origin!

The Lock God Seal doesn't simply seal the soul, but the very threads of heaven and earth. Anything traceable can be locked!

The Heaven-locking Seal, it's not just heaven and earth—it locks whatever you can see, whatever your heart beholds!

Day by day passed.

The aura surging from Xu Yang grew more and more astonishing.

After a month.

It was already swirling around him for nearly ten feet.

It looked feeble, but one had to know—the sealing force of this place could imprison even top True Lords.

Even though this aura was similar to that, to reach such a level was earth-shaking, ghost-weeping!

Whenever the torment pauses, Zhou Xiong couldn't even catch his breath. He lay flat on the ground, staring—eyes burning with greedy, feverish desire, like a tidal wave spilling out.

He craved it too much.

Xu Yang's power was weak, but he was strong.

If he mastered such a technique, even if he couldn't match Xu Yang, he had time on his side.

One year, ten years, a hundred years…

Besides, anyone who could cultivate up to True Lord—whatever their race or status—was born with monstrous talent, could they ever truly be weak?

No matter how slim the hope, hope was hope.

As long as he could comprehend it to a certain degree and merge with the sealing strength of this hell, they'd become perfectly blended—inseparable—from then on, the bindings would dissolve by themselves!

Zhou Xiong didn't dare imagine anymore.

The more he thought about it, the wilder he became!

What he feared most was seeing hope and having it snuffed out cruelly!

If it weren't for the Spirit Lock Seal stopping him, he'd have charged over already.

Even if it meant losing all dignity and groveling before Xu Yang, he wanted it done!

Whatever you want, I'll do!

But damn it, Xu Yang just wouldn't wake up.

He was going to explode from anxiety.

Meanwhile—

In Daqian, a message blasted out from the imperial court, spreading at lightning speed through every part of Daqian.

"King Beixuan, Zheng Xuan—real name Can Xuan, is the emperor's own elder brother!"

"King Beixuan has fallen; Xu Yang succeeds as Crown Prince!"

"In two months, he will fight to the death against Great Hao's Song Yuanhao, as Daqian's Crown Prince!"

...

In an instant, all of Daqian was shaken!

Before this, only the very highest echelon knew the truth.

And without the imperial family's permission, they didn't dare tell even their own clansmen.

Now—the truth was out, public and open!

Countless martial artists from all factions were losing their minds.

"Is this real? This is insane."

"That guy actually became the Crown Prince?" 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝘦𝓌𝑒𝑏𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝘭.𝒸𝘰𝑚

"Unbelievable, but the court's proclamation is official—no doubt!"

"Hiss!"

"This is a heaven-shaking secret—the guy was a live-in son-in-law…"

"Live-in son-in-law? That's the Crown Prince now!"

...

The Yunshan Clan of Qingzhou had long fled Qingzhou.

But they'd suffered devastating losses and their strength plummeted—a recovery would take decades.

After hearing the news, every Yunshan Clan elite was dumbstruck.

Bang!

Yun Changge slammed the table, stamping his foot, letting out a wail of grief and outrage.

"Zhang Lingqiao! Your damn Zhang Family!"

"The Zhang Family ruined us!"

If Zhang Lingqiao hadn't meddled, the Yunshan Clan's relationship with Xu Yang wouldn't be such a mess right now!

Sure, they'd helped Xu Yang, but Xu Yang paid them back!

That's all!

Everything after that—Zhang Lingqiao secretly kept the Yunshan Clan out of it, never giving them a chance to get involved.

Right now, Yun Changge was kicking himself with regret.

If they'd known, they would've bet everything, even their entire clan, just to get on board!

Senior members of the Yunshan Clan—gritting their teeth, murderous aura billowing, some even unsheathing their swords.

"Fuck it, let's kill those Zhang Family dogs!"

...

Wuhou Hall.

Two people remained alive.

Zheng Qi, Chen Chong!

Once among the rare, top prodigies of Wuhou Hall.

Now, they'd become cripples, and were completely abandoned.

Wuhou Hall hadn't driven them out, just tossed them in a dusty corner, ignored by everyone.

"Xu Yang is actually the Crown Prince—this is nuts."

"When I found out, I almost knelt down!"

"Us and Xu Yang—no, the Crown Prince…"

"Now I get why things went so quiet—the Hall Master probably knew all along."

"Look, isn't that Zheng Qi and Chen Chong? Tsk tsk, serves them right!"

"Those two deserved it, death wouldn't be enough!"

Seeing Zheng Qi and Chen Chong, the crowd showed no respect, only sneering ridicule and mockery.

The two seemed deaf to it all, eyes lost and vacant.

"Crown Prince… His Highness?"

"How is this possible?"

Zheng Qi was dumbstruck: "My father is the emperor's brother—then I should be the Crown Prince!"

Pu!

Zheng Qi spewed blood, eyes rolling up, fainting on the spot.

Chen Chong glanced numbly at the unconscious Zheng Qi, gave a bleak laugh, and smashed his head against the stone pillar beside him.

Bang!

Skull split and bleeding, dead on the spot!

...

Across Daqian, turmoil raged!

Anyone who'd ever crossed paths with Xu Yang—or even met him once—was shell-shocked!

Now, not a word of disrespect was heard!

Even in private, people were extremely cautious, terrified of having their loose talk reported.

That wasn't just deadly—it could mean the extermination of nine clans!

For most, after the shock came excitement.

The showdown!

Daqian, after so long dormant, suddenly had a decisive battle—felt like a long-awaited chance to vent!

How strong was Xu Yang?

Those who'd witnessed him—thought him miraculous.

Those who hadn't, even the rumors were enough to make them tremble!

Now he was Crown Prince—imagine the resources he'll get!

This battle, the whole world was watching!

Some even rushed ahead to wait outside the Qingzhou border, awaiting the clash in secret.

Great Hao, of course, also received the news.

This was Daqian's declaration of war!

Great Hao would never back down!

In the temporary palace of Great Hao, Song Yuanhao and his father sat facing each other.

At the moment, both were full of shock.

"Never thought Zheng Xuan was royal blood."

"Can Sutian's elder brother… then back in the day… hiss!"

Song Tianchou sucked in a cold breath.

Such secrecy—even he felt chilled!

Song Yuanhao narrowed his eyes: "Father, it looks like everything was in Can Sutian's grasp from the start!"

Song Tianchou's gaze flickered, then he smiled mildly: "So what if it was under his control? Can Sutian and Daqian's base lies in the Qian King's Seal, and now they've lost three pieces!"

"Even if he's got more tricks up his sleeve—don't forget, our Great Hao's strength is far more than that!"

"But you—are you confident for this battle?"

Meeting Song Tianchou's eyes, Song Yuanhao licked his lips and smiled arrogantly: "Father, under True Lord level, I'm invincible!"