Chapter 1042: Rules Exist Because of Power

Jiang Ding followed the Mountain-Sinking King, walking step by step toward the Imperial Palace, as if walking into the bloody maw of a primeval giant beast.

This Imperial Palace, though called one, was in fact a vast, towering complex of palaces, where many high-ranking, powerful kings of the Flame Stone Clan and numerous blood-relation kin of the Great Emperor resided.

This place possessed the finest spiritual energy density in the Flame Stone Star Domain, the most excellent treasure ground for body-tempering cultivation, and countless powerhouses of the Flame Stone Star Domain had spent their youthful years here.

As for the Great Emperor, he was not here; the Minor Thousand Worlds were too cramped for him — tolerable, perhaps, but not a fitting residence.

The Great Emperor's true residence was in the starry sky.

After walking for a moment, a trace of surprise appeared on Jiang Ding's face.

"This direction doesn't seem to be where the Flame-Flow Crown Prince's Heir Palace is located?"

He said, surprised.

"Dong Xue He Wang, you should address the Crown Prince as Master."

The Demon Mountain King had arrived at some unknown time, and said coldly: "The Crown Prince does not wish to see you right now. You have been assigned to the Household Hall, to wait until the Crown Prince wishes to summon you."

"As for the timing, that depends on the Crown Prince's mood."

"Is that so?"

Dong Xue He Wang revealed a faint smile.

The several kings moved quickly; in just a moment, they had already arrived at a cramped, narrow, and very old palace — calling it a palace was generous, it was really just a three-story small building, shabby in every respect.

This was the Flame Stone Clan's Household Hall, an institution in charge of fiscal and tax administration for over a dozen Minor Thousand Worlds — its authority and responsibilities were enormous, yet its status and rank were deliberately kept low, artificially suppressed to maintain a certain balance.

The main personnel of the Household Hall were all slave-tribesfolk of the seventh, eighth, and ninth ranks; members of the Flame Stone Clan only served as overseers, holding no actual posts.

This was a change brought about during Dong Xue He Wang's tenure administering the Household Hall. His reasoning was that only servants would be absolutely loyal to the Great Emperor, and that Crown Princes and Princesses would not embezzle or be corrupt, thereby generating the greatest profit for the Great Emperor.

And the result was indeed just as he had predicted.

Slaves bore slave-seals and could be beaten to death at any moment — unlike members of the Flame Stone Clan, who, as kin of the Great Emperor, had the confidence to engage in graft, resulting in inefficiency and much waste.

During Dong Xue He Wang's administration, every industry of the Flame Stone Clan flourished, and tax revenues surged by thirty percent.

That was thirty percent of eleven Minor Thousand Worlds!

This was an enormous fortune, and it was because of it that Dong Xue He Wang rose to prominence, advancing to Soul Transformation, and even reaching the peak of Soul Transformation.

The price, however, was offending every king of the Horned Demon Imperial Clan and every slave-tribe king — a truly lone minister.

Back then, Dong Xue He Wang's feigned death — besides his own desire to spy on the Imperial Realm — was also driven in large part by the frenzied framing by the kings of the Horned Demon Imperial Clan and the slave-tribe kings; one could say he had enemies everywhere.

Now, a Dong Xue He Wang assigned to a cramped, narrow Household Hall — this was

fitting.

But an invincible king of the Flame Stone Star Domain being assigned here was a clear humiliation, not really befitting his status.

"Household Hall…"

A look of nostalgia crossed Jiang Ding's face. Sweeping with his divine sense, he discovered that the personnel working inside had all become Horned Demon Imperial Clan members; the slave-tribesfolk were now only serving in simple menial roles, not participating in tax work — some counterattack by old forces was underway. He could not help but smile faintly: "This sovereign's reforms have been abolished?"

"Heavy use of blood-kin, cultivating blood-kin — that is the true Way."

The Mountain-Sinking King sneered coldly: "You heretic, you got away with it for a while through trickery, and now you still want to keep bewitching the Crown Prince?"

"Haha, that's true enough."

Jiang Ding laughed heartily: "Still, in this sovereign's estimation, this should only be the Flame-Flow Crown Prince's temporary compromise, a pacification. Once he has secured his footing, he will probably restart this sovereign's reforms. Your righteous-sounding grand talk is useless."

"No matter how righteous and dignified it sounds, compared to glistening spirit stones, it's far too empty."

"Besides, you are all very weak — utterly incapable of stopping it."

The so-called checks and balances of bureaucratic institutions were useless to a powerhouse whose great might resided in his own person. If one batch refused to submit, he would simply kill them and replace them with another. To delude oneself into thinking that seniority and righteousness could suppress him was truly wishful thinking.

There was a reason Dong Xue He Wang had been able to carry out his reforms smoothly back then.

"You, a mere servant, short-sighted as a mouse — what ability do you have to guess the Crown Prince's thoughts?"

The Mountain-Sinking King's face darkened as he rebuked.

At some unknown point after entering this palace complex, his courage had grown greater and greater — he actually dared to rebuke Dong Xue He Wang, even though outside the palace he had always been cautious and careful.

"Haha! Interesting!"

Jiang Ding laughed even louder.

"Dong Xue He Wang."

"The Crown Prince orders you to hand over the Azure Sky Crown Prince — hand him over immediately!"

The Mountain-Sinking King had run out of patience. His face dark, he spoke in a commanding tone, no longer bothering with courtesy or pretense.

The Azure Sky Crown Prince was still held captive by Dong Xue He Wang to this day. He could not die, because he bore the protective means of the Ancient Emperor of Pale Flame — no living being other than a Crown Prince could kill him.

Dong Xue He Wang could seal him, humiliate him, defeat him, even sever his arm — all of that was fine. In the Great Emperor's eyes, these were necessary trials and would not be minded.

But that did not include the Azure Sky Crown Prince's life.

Only a Crown Prince could kill a Crown Prince.

The Azure Sky Crown Prince was only sealed now, not yet dead — which meant the Crown Prince's War had not yet ended, and the Flame-Flow Crown Prince could not yet truly claim the Crown Prince's crown.

"And if I refuse to hand him over?"

Jiang Ding asked.

Wisps and strands of killing intent, unnoticed, bloomed—

released.

The Mountain-Sinking King and the Demon Mountain King instinctively shivered, their hearts engulfed by terror and a sky-tide of blood — like mortals facing a fierce tiger, as if they would die the next instant, utterly powerless to resist.

The gap between them was terrifyingly vast!

Only when truly facing an invincible king — a king comparable to a king-rank Crown Prince — did the two finally understand how those dozens of Horned Demon Imperial Clan kings had died.

"You may try."

The Mountain-Sinking King said icily, each word bitten off.

Even under such circumstances, he still dared to threaten — so domineering.

"... Is that so?"

Jiang Ding fell silent, understanding something.

In the battle of the Emperor's Sons, the Great Emperors would not intervene, nor would any emperor-grade formations appear — this was the rule of the Horned Demon Imperial Clan.

However, there is no rule in this world that is an ironclad law, forever beyond shaking.

The enforcement of all rules and laws must rest upon martial force as its foundation; otherwise they are merely words written on paper, utterly meaningless.

This Emperor's Son battle was no different.

The smooth conduct of the Emperor's Son battle relied entirely upon the mutual standoff and balance between Ancient Emperor Cang Yan, Great Emperor Yan Shi, and the traditions and political correctness of the Horned Demon Imperial Clan — only thus could the fairness of the Emperor's Son battle be guaranteed.

They were the makers and masters of the rules, not their followers.

In such circumstances, a servant wishing to rely on so-called rules to oppose a Great Emperor, to bind a Great Emperor?

That is truly a joke.

If you want a Great Emperor to abide by the rules, you yourself must have a Great Emperor backing you!

And now, Ancient Emperor Cang Yan behind Emperor's Son Cang Kong cannot possibly support Dong Xue He Wang, so the so-called rules are no longer rules.

This isn't a procedure where one can exploit loopholes to achieve anything.

"Take it."

Jiang Ding smiled, took out a person-sized blood cocoon and handed it to the two Kings.

Dong Xue He Wang's sole chance of survival from beginning to end was his own value — the possibility of becoming a servant-Emperor for the Yan Shi family.

That was all, nothing else.