Chapter 90: The Dark Heart Was Shattered!

The emperor Duan Qingcang fell silent for a moment, his eyes flickering; it was clear his desire for the ancient Chaotic Origin had reached its limit, but in the end he slowly shook his head, a deep sense of dread flashing in his eyes.

"One must still give face to Shenzun."

His voice deepened a few notches.

"At the very least, we must not be too blatant, handing the reins to others."

"That person… is a master without any taboos."

"And he is extremely protective of his own."

"It is said that during the ancient ages, countless great powers were wiped out by his hand, simply for offending those close to him!"

"But."

"The ancient Chaotic Origin is crucial; we cannot just ignore it… it must be reclaimed…"

At that moment, a steady and confident footfall echoed from the Great Hall entrance, accompanied by several bright, soaring youthful voices.

"Heh, why make such a fuss? Father Emperor, a mere mud‑leg from the lower three heavens who luckily got some opportunity—why should the elders bother?"

"Exactly! Father Emperor, leave this matter to us! We guarantee swift capture!"

"My son is willing to go! I will retrieve the priceless treasure for Father Emperor!"

Three young princes, clad in python robes, with sharp features and a majestic, overwhelming aura, strode into the Great Hall like dragons and tigers.

The foremost, whose face resembled Duan Xingming in some ways but was more heroic, with a sharp edge between his brows, was the Seventh Prince Duan Jingshen.

The second, gentle‑faced with a perpetual smile at the corners of his mouth yet deep eyes, was the Fifteenth Prince Duan Mingzhe.

The third, whose aura was more restrained yet faint dragon shadows coiled around him, was likewise extraordinary—the Twenty‑Ninth Prince Duan Wudao.

Seeing the three princes, the emperor Duan Qingcang's gloomy expression eased slightly, a faint smile appearing: "Oh? Little Seven, Little Fifteen, Little Twenty‑Nine, you have left the pass."

The Seventh Prince Duan Jingshen bowed, brimming with confidence and said:

"Father Emperor! It's merely Ye Wuque, a man of terrible luck! Senior Shenzun certainly contributed to creation, but in the contest among us juniors, someone of his stature would not intervene lightly. Entrust this to us, and we will handle it flawlessly, presenting the priceless treasure whole before you!"

The Fifteenth Prince Duan Mingzhe also smiled: "Seventh brother speaks truly. The younger generation competes on merit; even if Shenzun knows, there is no blame. My son will go together with Seventh brother; we shall be absolutely infallible."

The Twenty‑Ninth Prince Duan Wudao also nodded in agreement.

The emperor heard this, his smile widening further, clearly pleased with these outstanding sons: "Very well! Then the matter is yours three. Remember, you must bring that priceless treasure back to me! If you succeed, I shall reward you richly!"

"We will faithfully obey Father Emperor's command! We shall not disgrace the mission!" The three princes bowed together, their voices resonant and powerful, full of absolute confidence.

However, the emperor Duan Qingcang seemed to recall something and added, his tone leaving no room for doubt: "But there is one point you must remember. In the contest, try… not to endanger Ye Wuque's life. Capture him and retrieve the treasure, that's all."

As soon as those words were spoken, the three princes—especially the most sharp‑tongued Seventh Prince Duan Jingshen—furrowed his brow slightly and couldn't help but ask:

"Father Emperor, why is that? Could it be… you truly fear Shenzun so much? He's merely a protected junior; even if we accidentally kill him, would Shenzun wage war against our entire Immortal Dynasty because of it?"

The other two also showed signs of confusion.

The emperor Duan Qingcang heard this, his smile gradually receded, his gaze deepening. He sighed softly, waved his hand, and without answering directly said:

"No need to ask further; just do as I said. Capture him alive; only if absolutely necessary may you harm his life. Go."

Seeing the Father Emperor's resolute stance, the three princes, though still doubtful, dared not ask further and bowed, replying: "Yes, we obey the command."

They then left the Great Hall.

After the princes departed, the imperial uncle Duan Tianxiao stepped forward, his face also puzzled, and whispered:

"Emperor, what is this? Ye Wuque's decisive killing is not something easy to deal with; if we restrict the princes from using lethal force, they may be hamstrung, should…?"

The emperor Duan Qingcang's gaze swept to him, he fell silent for a moment, as if sinking into a distant memory, then said slowly:

"Tianxiao, do you know why my great‑grandfather, your senior‑uncle, suddenly sealed himself in the Ancestral Land back then and never stepped out until he attained ascension?"

Duan Tianxiao was startled, shook his head: "I only know that the Ancestor seemed to have suffered a severe injury back then…"

"Severe injury?" the emperor sneered, a bitter, reverent edge in his smile, "It was more than that… the Dark Heart was shattered!"

His voice dropped to a whisper, as if fearing some presence might hear.

"That was several Dark Eras ago, when our Immortal Dynasty was at its peak, expanding rapidly."

"My great‑grandfather, having contributed to creation, was ambitious, believing the world was his to take… yet he failed to grasp the limits of heaven and earth, and dared to challenge the Shenzun, already famed across the Zhutian."

Duan Tianxiao held his breath.

"Result…"

The emperor's voice carried an indescribable tremor.

"My great‑grandfather… was subdued by Shenzun… with just a single finger! A casual finger point completely suppressed him, his Flesh shattered, his spirit severely wounded; had Shenzun not been reluctant to strike, my great‑grandfather would have faced Body and Spirit Annihilation on the spot!"

"One finger?!" Duan Tianxiao gasped, his face filled with horror!

"He knew just how terrifying my great‑grandfather's power had been—at least Beyond Immortal, having ventured far beyond Immortal, perhaps even reaching the Supreme realm—yet Shenzun suppressed that terrifying existence with a casual finger…"

"Since then, my great‑grandfather's Dark Heart shattered; he sealed himself in the Ancestral Land, never emerging in his lifetime, and in his later years often murmured to posterity: 'Shenzun cannot be opposed; do not provoke him lightly!'"

The emperor's tone was exceedingly solemn: "Thus, it is not that I am timid, but that Shenzun's power far exceeds our imagination! His temperament is even more unfathomable. To quarrel fully with such a being over a few treasures is far from wise. The younger generation's contest still has room for reversal; if we truly kill someone he cherishes… the consequences are unimaginable!"

After listening, Duan Tianxiao's back was already soaked with cold sweat; he finally fully grasped the emperor's deep meaning and dread, and hurriedly bowed, saying: "Your Majesty's foresight is profound; I understand!"

"Hmm." The emperor nodded slightly, pondered a moment, then added: "However, that priceless treasure must not be abandoned. Tianxiao, you go yourself, shadow them, safeguard Jingshen and the others, and also ensure Ye Wuque's life remains safe. At minimum, he must not die at the hands of anyone from our Immortal Dynasty."

"Yes! I obey! I will arrange it at once!" Duan Tianxiao solemnly took the command, his figure slowly stepping back, merging into the shadows, and vanished.

In the Great Hall, only the emperor Duan Qingcang remained; his gaze turned toward the vast starry sky beyond, his fingers lightly tapping the armrest of the Dragon Throne, his eyes profoundly deep.