Chapter 972: Meeting in the Imperial Palace (2/2, Requesting Moon Tickets)

The crowd was in a panic, but You Xingchen stepped forward to steady their morale, then looked up at the dark, heavy sky, his face grim as he led the team forward swiftly.

This time, the journey was relatively smooth, aside from a few strange attacks by the Wu Yu tribe, they encountered virtually no other incidents.

The only problem was that they met many civilians along the way; upon seeing they were from the Qing Si, the civilians showed expressions of relief and joined the team.

But under Night Rain, the growing numbers became a liability—yet they couldn't be driven away, clinging to the team like drowning people grasping at the last straw, until over a hundred were drowned by the rain, and three others died after taking pills: their Qi and Blood surged, only to be consumed by pill toxins.

Non-warriors could not endure long when accumulating pill toxins from ingesting pills.

Thus, half-dragging, half-urging forward, they finally reached the Imperial Palace.

As soon as they entered the Imperial Palace, You Xingchen headed straight for Shi Sheng Lin!

Because he had heard that the Zi Dian Hall Master and the Zidian Huowei were both in Shi Sheng Lin.

But as he traveled there, You Xingchen froze.

Because he realized something had happened inside the Imperial Palace—bloodstains and corpses were everywhere, and every Zidian Huowei bore wounds, some minor, some severe.

Only when he reached the entrance of Shi Sheng Lin and saw the two Zidian Huowei along with a large number of Zidian Huowei guarding the gate did You Xingchen finally show relief.

"Where is the Zi Dian Hall Master? The Seventh Crown Prince is not dead—I have crucial information about him to discuss with him!"

The Seventh Crown Prince?!

The two Zidian Huowei instinctively drew their swords with a clang, surrounding You Xingchen and his group.

"Heaven has a path you refuse to take, yet you rush headlong into hell! You just attacked the First Crown Prince, fled the Imperial Palace, and now send people here to spy? Speak! Where has the traitor, the Seventh Crown Prince, fled to?!"

"So the You Fu has also fully betrayed, just like the Hong Bu, and sided with the Seventh Crown Prince! Then there's nothing left to say—seize them!"

You Xingchen was instantly stunned.

This, this this this—what is going on?

Traitor?

The Seventh Crown Prince?

What is this even about?!

Didn't the Seventh Crown Prince just revive in Qi Huang Fu? How can it be said here that he attacked the First Crown Prince? The timelines don't match at all!

As they prepared to strike, You Xingchen, still dazed, snapped back to his senses and shouted: "Wait! I don't know what you're talking about—I only know that the Seventh Crown Prince has awakened his bloodline power! The power of True Phoenix Blood! The Four Great Families all have ancestral edicts, right? Any prince who inherits the Emperor's bloodline power shall become the next Crown Prince! The Four Great Families must pledge unconditional loyalty!"

Awakened bloodline power? The Seventh Crown Prince?

The two Zidian Huowei nearly burst out laughing.

"Foolish, You Xingchen, you've lost your mind! I don't know what you saw or how the Seventh Crown Prince deceived you, but I can tell you this: the Seventh Crown Prince absolutely did not awaken his bloodline power—because just now, inside Shi Sheng Lin, the Guardian Stone Lion did not respond to him at all!"

Bloodline power is not merely strength—it is… the key to controlling the Guardian Stone Lion!

And at that time, the Guardian Stone Lion responded to the First Crown Prince—so the Zi Dian's choice is obvious.

If the Seventh Crown Prince had truly awakened his bloodline power back then, he would never have acted that way—he would have been locked in a struggle with the First Crown Prince for control of the Guardian Stone Lion!

Therefore, to the two Zidian Huowei, You Xingchen was either deceived by the Seventh Crown Prince or spouting nonsense.

"No more talk! Seize him immediately!"

The Zi Dian forces surrounded You Xingchen and his group; though You Xingchen didn't understand what was happening, he still drew his sword and stood his ground—the atmosphere grew tense.

And just then…

"Let them in."

The First Crown Prince's voice suddenly echoed from within Shi Sheng Lin.

Hearing this, the two Zidian Huowei exchanged glances, then sheathed their weapons.

"Since it is the First Crown Prince's order, you may enter."

You Xingchen frowned, took a deep breath, and led his group into Shi Sheng Lin.

As a forbidden zone of the Imperial Palace, even he, from one of the Four Great Families, had never entered Shi Sheng Lin before.

But the scenery inside was utterly monotonous—all he saw were dense, countless stone pillars; only at the very center was there a flat, open square.

And in the center of the square stood—undeniably—the legendary… Guardian Stone Lion!

The towering Guardian Stone Lion, merely viewed from afar, sent chills down the spine.

When they reached the center of the square, You Xingchen realized it was not only the First Crown Prince inside—it was also his trusted aide, the Lame Old Man, and the Zi Dian Hall Master.

Upon arrival, the Zi Dian Hall Master's threatening gaze immediately locked onto You Xingchen and his group.

Even You Xingchen felt immense pressure under that gaze.

Only Lord Han and Master Qiankun, who had come with him, reacted differently—one looked up at the Guardian Stone Lion with faint nostalgia, the other scanned the surroundings with curiosity.

"Captain You, I heard everything you said outside. You claim the Seventh Crown Prince awakened his bloodline power? Is this true?"

The First Crown Prince, seated on the ground, slowly opened his eyes and fixed You Xingchen with a piercing, murderous stare.

The First Crown Prince rarely revealed his emotions so openly—but this time, he had truly cracked.

That Seventh Brother had awakened the bloodline—achieved what I could never accomplish in my entire life! This is impossible!

Even during the earlier battle, that man showed not the slightest sign of awakening bloodline power!

"Was he hiding it all along—or did he suddenly awaken?"

The First Crown Prince's greatest trump card was his own cultivation art, which forcibly linked him to the Guardian Stone Lion through fortune.

But if the Seventh Crown Prince awakened his bloodline power, that meant the man could effortlessly seize control of the Guardian Stone Lion!

Then all his advantages would vanish in an instant, leaving him crushed beneath the other's weight.

The Seventh Brother must not be allowed to live!

A sharp gleam flashed in the First Crown Prince's eyes.

But at this moment, You Xingchen spoke a version utterly different from his own understanding—a Seventh Crown Prince unlike any he had known.

"You mean… the Seventh Crown Prince truly died in Qi Huang Fu, yet came back to life and awakened his bloodline power??"

The First Crown Prince froze—could such a thing truly be possible?

If this is true, then who came to kill me?

Moreover, both in terms of time and distance, the two Seventh Princes are not the same person!

"Zi Dian Hall Master, which of the Seventh Princes do you believe is the true Seventh Prince?"

The Zi Dian Hall Master bowed slightly: "I believe they are both false."

"Oh? Then where is the true Seventh Prince?"

"He never existed," said the Zi Dian Hall Master calmly.

The First Prince smiled.

"In that case, I will have Crooked Old Man and you accompany Xing Chen Captain to search for the Seventh Prince's whereabouts and bring him back to the Imperial Palace."

"Yes, Your Highness!"

"I have no objections."

(End of Chapter)