Chapter 945

The Seventh Prince's expression immediately darkened.

"Who gave you permission to act? In the Nine Dragons' Struggle for the Throne, even if a dragon son must die, he can only be killed by another dragon son—what are you, to dare kill one of our imperial clan?"

The Seventh Prince's aura surged wildly, visibly escalating as he stomped forward—but someone blocked his path.

"Nian Tianjiao!"

The Seventh Prince spoke coldly, but Nian Tianjiao showed no sign of retreat, matching the surge in aura.

In raw power, the Seventh Prince overshadowed him—but… he still needed the Red Division's strength.

Holding power isn't just about killing—it requires allies and subordinates. He couldn't act on impulse and lose the Red Division's support.

The Seventh Prince gradually reined in his aura, casting a long, deep glance at Ming, who hid behind Nian Tianjiao.

"Hehe, don't get so angry. If you're that upset, just stab the Fifth Huang Nu a few more times—say it was you who did it."

Hearing Ming's utterly disrespectful words, the Seventh Prince's barely contained temper nearly flared again.

But one point was true.

The rule that only dragon sons may kill dragon sons is merely an imperial custom—a matter of ritual and face.

Even he, if he ever failed, would prefer to die at the hands of another prince rather than a mere mortal.

It would be undignified. It would disgrace the imperial authority.

Of course, beyond symbolism, this unwritten rule—that only dragon sons may end dragon sons—is meaningless.

Thus, after carefully inspecting the Fifth Huang Nu's corpse, the Seventh Prince merely withdrew his sword, then drove it again into her already still heart, piercing through her chest to complete this symbolic killing—and made no other move.

"What's the First Prince doing?"

Pulling the long sword from the Fifth Huang Nu's chest, the Seventh Prince flicked off the blood and asked Ming.

"How would I know such things…? So scary! Seventh Prince Brother's gaze is terrifying! Unlike my eyes, which only blink blink and glow cutely!"

"I don't want to hear nonsense."

"Alright, alright—I do know something. The First Prince entered the Imperial Palace and learned the Emperor had left, but he's still lingering in the palace's forbidden zone, never coming out."

"The Imperial Palace's forbidden zone… 【Shi Sheng Lin】?"

"Besides that, what other forbidden zone does the Imperial Palace have?"

"Why would he go to see the Guardian Stone Lions?"

"Who knows? You imperial clan's secrets—how would outsiders like us know?"

Ming grinned cheerfully, but the Seventh Prince's expression clearly soured.

Shi Sheng Lin is a uniquely restricted place—only the Emperor and the current Four Elders are permitted to enter.

The First Prince, due to looser early rules, was also allowed to come and go freely.

After him, even the Second Prince never caught that last train—he had no right to step into that forbidden zone.

Folk tales often claim the First Prince is the true heir because he alone could freely enter 【Shi Sheng Lin】.

But those of us in the inner circle know: entering 【Shi Sheng Lin】 means nothing. The real threat is communicating with the Guardian Stone Lions and earning their recognition!

And the First Prince has no such qualifications.

The Guardian Stone Lions speak to no one except the Emperor.

"It seems the First Prince either plans to watch from afar in Shi Sheng Lin and reap the benefits of our chaos… or he's made a new discovery inside 【Shi Sheng Lin】."

Neither possibility is good news.

Especially if the First Prince remains locked inside 【Shi Sheng Lin】—I won't get any chance to strike.

If we wait until Father returns to the capital, such opportunities for mutual slaughter will vanish.

"The Second and Third Princes are locked in open and covert battles over control of Juan Niao Lou—they've nearly torn each other's brains out. The winner will emerge soon, and their next target will be me—or the hidden Eighth or Ninth Huang Nu."

The Seventh Prince closed his eyes and thought quickly: the Eighth Huang Nu is quiet by nature—she's probably just hiding.

But the Ninth Huang Nu is extreme, reckless, and unlikely to submit easily—she's probably biding her time, plotting mischief.

But both are women with insufficient strength—they lack the power to challenge me.

Thus, I must focus only on the Second and Third Princes.

When their struggle reaches its fiercest point—that's when I'll strike as the beneficiary!

With the 【Dixia Midao】, I'm confident I can eliminate both brothers in one move—just need patience, and to wait for the right moment.

Calming his thoughts, the Seventh Prince turned to Ming beside him.

This woman must be dealt with now.

The Red Division has submitted—her existence is merely an eyesore.

But eliminating her must be done without Nian Tianjiao noticing, and without shaking the Red Division's loyalty.

That requires some cleverness—but fortunately… Ming is merely a mortal. Dealing with her won't be hard.

"Oh my, Seventh Prince Lord, are you thinking of how to eliminate me? Husband, so scary! Seventh Prince Lord is terrifying! Unlike me—I only care for you~"

Ming playfully pressed against Nian Tianjiao, who immediately beamed a dumb, happy smile.

The Seventh Prince: …

He felt like he'd eaten dog food—but worse, like he'd eaten dog shit. The sensation was strangely nauseating.

"Seventh Prince Lord, you really don't need to rush to eliminate me. Killing me would make my husband go berserk—and if he goes berserk, the Red Division will lose morale. Besides, I have important intelligence to offer you."

The Seventh Prince's heart stirred.

"What intelligence?"

"About Mu Liu planning to defect to the 【Phoenix Organization】! My son Nian Wushuang provided it as a favor!"

The Phoenix Organization?!

Is it Niúzuò?

How careless of me—I've exposed myself!

The seventh prince's emotions churned within, but his expression remained calm.

"Is that so? I'm somewhat interested in the Phoenix Organization's intelligence—elaborate."

The fish has taken the bait.

Ming smiled faintly.

Human hearts are sometimes this simple.

Give it what it wants, and it will move on its own.

After receiving the intelligence, the seventh prince listened carefully, then had no time even to arrange for the fifth princess's corpse, directly ordered Ming to handle it, and hurried into the underground passageway.

As the stone door of the underground passageway slowly closed, Ming's smile gradually faded.

Rise again, my fifth princess.

His lips moved slightly; beside him, Nian Tianjiao repeated the words aloud.

Crack!

The corpse of the fifth princess, already dead moments before, suddenly emitted a sound of bones snapping.

Turning back, a thick, pale hand, like a corpse's, burst forth from the fifth princess's abdomen and emerged!

Then came a second hand, a third, a fourth… until the eighth hand stopped.

These hands, alive and writhing, bent backward to lift the twisted, deformed corpse of the fifth princess, flipped it over in a leap, and hung inverted from the ceiling, eight arms clinging to the wall; the fifth princess's head, now utterly lifeless, dangled, swaying with each movement of the eight arms.

That posture—merely hanging inverted from the ceiling—sent a chilling sensation through anyone who saw it, yet blind Ming opened his arms as if welcoming a newborn infant, and said happily:

"The thing Niu Zuo gave me? Not bad—I like it!"

(End of Chapter)