Chapter 1056: Chapter 1028: Gongsun Zhi’s Tyranny

"Your Highness the Crown Prince, if this goes on we’re all going to die!"

Somewhere in the Demon Forest, a deafening beastly roar rang out.

A Demon as massive as a male lion, its whole body wreathed in violet Flame, was roaring madly inside a ring of dozens of Swordsmen.

The clearly visible wounds all over its body showed that this Demon was slowly approaching its end.

Just then—

Magic Power suddenly surged wildly from Gongsun Zhi, who stood outside the crowd with a resolute expression.

A massive wave of energy formed a tide of Magic above his head, and as it gathered there, Gongsun Zhi roared:

"I am the Emperor of the Jialan Empire."

"Who dares kill me!"

Right after, Gongsun Zhi slammed the exquisite one‑meter Magic Staff in his hand into the ground, a crazed look on his face as he said:

"Go die."

With his movement, that tide of Magic poured completely into Gongsun Zhi’s body.

Then, through the Magic Staff on his arm, it flooded down into the earth.

Someone nearby saw this and cried out in alarm:

"Spread out!"

"Hurry, spread out!"

"Huai Ke, get out of there!"

Several men who were in Close Combat with the Demon, Great Swords in hand, suddenly felt a chill run down their spines.

But before they could react—

A gigantic Earth Spike suddenly shot up from beneath the ground:

"Pchh~"

The spike pierced straight through the Demon’s abdomen and burst out its back.

The Demon that had been locked in battle with them for so long didn’t even manage a final scream before it was nailed in midair, motionless.

Bright red blood flowed from the wound in its belly, instantly dyeing the spike crimson.

And the few who had been in Close Combat with the Demon and hadn’t had time to dodge were blasted away by that massive Earth Spike, crashing into the surrounding bushes.

Everyone around sucked in a sharp breath.

But soon, the wails from the side snapped them out of it.

Suddenly, a shrill scream rang out:

"Ah!"

Everyone turned toward the sound in confusion.

They saw a girl staring at the bushes in terror, as if there were something in there that utterly horrified her, her body retreating backward again and again.

And as she retreated, she even stumbled and fell to the ground.

Even after falling, the girl kept scrambling backward. Someone called out:

"Kesha?"

"What is it, what happened?"

The woman named Kesha pointed at that patch of bushes with a trembling finger, and suddenly burst into tears:

"Huai Ke, he, he, he..."

Seeing Kesha unable to get a coherent word out for so long,

Yasien, son of the Jialan Empire’s Northern Suppression King, simply walked over.

But when Yasien stepped closer, he saw a man staring at him wide‑eyed.

Yasien was instantly stunned by the sight before him.

He subconsciously shouted the man’s name:

"Huai Ke!!!"

But the friend who had just a moment ago shoved him out of the way to protect him could no longer respond.

Staring at the arm‑thick tree branch that had pierced straight through the man’s chest, Yasien’s legs suddenly went weak and he collapsed to his knees.

The others saw this and hurried over to see what was going on.

Yet when they saw the man’s horribly mangled corpse, everyone froze.

Yasien suddenly turned toward Gongsun Zhi and stood up.

Facing Gongsun Zhi, Crown Prince of the Jialan Empire, he had no choice but to force down his rage and speak, word by word:

"May I ask, Your Highness the Crown Prince."

"Why didn’t you say anything before you made your move just now?"

"Huai Ke didn’t have to die."

As he spoke, Yasien unconsciously raised his voice, finally roaring in accusation:

"Why!!!"

At this moment, Gongsun Zhi also walked over.

But he merely glanced indifferently at the bushes and said carelessly:

"The Demon was killed by me."

"His death was an accident, but he can only blame his own bad luck."

Gongsun Zhi glanced at the other two who’d also been blasted away by his Magic Skills just now and said flatly:

"Didn’t you see they’re fine?"

Hearing such inhuman words, Yasien exploded in fury:

"If you’d just warned us beforehand, Huai Ke wouldn’t have died at all."

"Huai Ke’s been helping us all the way here, and now you got him killed. You don’t even have a word of apology?"

His final sentence was squeezed out from between Yasien’s clenched teeth:

"My Crown Prince!!!"

Suddenly!

Gongsun Zhi struck without warning, grabbing Yasien by the collar, his gaze sharp as a blade:

"Watch your tone, Viscount Yasien."

As he spoke, Gongsun Zhi flicked a glance at the corpse beside them, a trace of cold indifference flashing in his eyes as he said:

"A mere Guard Commander’s son—do you really think he’s worthy of my apology?"

Gongsun Zhi glared viciously at Yasien and likewise spoke, word by word:

"He should be grateful he died by my hand and not in a Demon’s claws."

With that, he shoved Yasien away and left him one last icy line:

"Put away that look in your eyes, unless you want to bring disaster down on your family."

Not only did these words leave Yasien stunned, even the men and women who had still been steeped in grief all fell into Silence.

Gongsun Zhi couldn’t care less.

Because he hadn’t only said those words for Yasien; they were also meant for everyone present.

As if any of them didn’t understand that?

But even if they did, so what?

Here, Gongsun Zhi was heaven.

As Crown Prince of the Jialan Empire, that identity alone granted him supreme authority and majesty.

Plus his overwhelming strength—right now, everyone was hoping to rely on him to complete this trial.

Not offend the one person who could help them survive, for the sake of someone already dead.

At this moment, in most hearts, victory and defeat no longer mattered.

If they could truly make it to the end,

then this day’s experience would surely become a Nightmare that haunted everyone present for life.

A Nightmare they would never want to go through a second time.

Just as everyone was trembling in Silence, a rustling suddenly came from the nearby bushes.

Gongsun Zhi immediately shouted:

"Prepare!"

But right after, a familiar voice came from the bushes:

"Don’t attack, it’s me."

Under everyone’s startled gazes, Charles, Eldest Prince of the Ao Sheng Empire, burst out from the side.

Only now, Charles looked nothing like the high‑spirited youth who’d set out earlier—his whole body was filthy and disheveled, utterly bedraggled.

And behind Charles trailed dozens of men and women who looked just as bad.

Gongsun Zhi looked at the newcomer with interest:

"Charles, it’s you."

Charles chuckled:

"Who else did Your Highness the Crown Prince think it’d be?"

Gongsun Zhi ignored Charles’s question, instead frowning slightly at the nearly hundred people around them.

Before Gongsun Zhi could speak, Charles had already cut in:

"Let’s work together."

"That’s the only way we might survive tonight."

But this time, to Charles’s surprise, Gongsun Zhi agreed without even thinking:

"Fine."

Just as Charles was still a bit taken aback, Gongsun Zhi added:

"But I have one condition."