A girl in green burst in from the outside, accompanied by seven or eight guards at the Foundation Establishment Realm. As everyone filed in and saw Steward Li being trampled under Su Han's foot, their expressions instantly turned grim.
But they were all incredibly puzzled. Isn't Su Han already crippled? How could he have defeated Steward Li, who was at the Fifth Layer of the Foundation Establishment Realm? Could his cultivation have been restored?
The girl shook her head, finding the notion absurd.
The situation is already set in stone. With the Great Crown Prince's Dragon Phoenix Saint Body awakening, more and more people at court are choosing sides. In the autumn imperial examination one month from now, with the Great Crown Prince's current innate talent and influence, the position of Crown Prince is his for the taking. Su Han is nothing but a stepping stone for the Great Crown Prince. Even if he luckily recovered some of his strength, he can't make any waves now.
"Su Han, I don't care how you managed to recover some of your strength, but you're no longer the favored son of heaven you once were. If it weren't for that bitch Lu Yunxian trading her Spiritual Blood to save your life, you would have been dead long ago. And now you dare to act so violently in the Lu Family home?" Lu Xiaoqing's tone was cold and her words harsh, devoid of any past affection.
CLANG!
A longsword was drawn from its sheath, its chilling light aimed straight at Su Han.
"Lu Xiaoqing!"
Su Han's eyes narrowed as he recognized the girl in green. He now understood that he was not in the royal palace but at the Lu Family estate. The Lu Family was his mother's family; they had once been poor, but with Su Han's support, they had become one of the most prominent families in the Imperial Capital. Lu Xiaoqing was his cousin, and her father, Lu Mingxuan, was the Patriarch of the Lu Family.
Without me, how could the Lu Family have ever achieved its current status in the Imperial Capital? Back then, Lu Xiaoqing was so eager to curry favor with me, her cousin, always addressing me so warmly. And now she draws her sword against me!
Her gaze was fixed on Su Han, the blade in her hand shimmering, ready to strike at any moment.
"I believe I treated your Lu Family well. Everything the Lu Family has, I gave you. And now you draw your sword on me? Is this the will of the Lu Family?" Su Han asked, his foot still pressing down on Steward Li. He looked coldly at Lu Xiaoqing, his heart filled with bitter desolation.
"This is my will, and my father's!" Lu Xiaoqing scoffed. "The King has already decided that in the autumn imperial examination one month from now, the strongest among the princes will be appointed Crown Prince. The Great Crown Prince is now ascendant and even possesses the Dragon Phoenix Saint Body. The title of Crown Prince is already his!"
"You're a cripple now. Release Steward Li at once, cripple your own cultivation, and go beg the Great Crown Prince and the Queen for forgiveness. You might just save your own life!" Lu Xiaoqing declared with an air of arrogance, though her tone became respectful when she mentioned the Great Crown Prince.
The entire Lu Family was now fawning over the Queen and the Great Crown Prince. In their minds, it was a foregone conclusion that he would become the next Crown Prince.
Su Han laughed scornfully, a cold glint exploding in his eyes.
One month. That's enough time. With the Devouring Heaven Demonic Art, I will rise again! I will take back my Dragon Soul!
Ignoring Lu Xiaoqing completely, Su Han looked toward the wretched figure of Fairy Sister Yun Xian on the floor. "Fairy Sister Yun Xian," he said with resolve, "from this day forward, I won't let anyone bully you again! Whoever dares to touch you, I will kill!"
He could tolerate being bullied himself, but Fairy Sister Yun Xian was his reverse scale—anyone who touched it would die.
"Ridiculous. You're completely useless now," Lu Xiaoqing sneered, her eyes filled with disdain and contempt. "You regain a sliver of cultivation and dare to spout such nonsense? You are a member of the Lu Family, so you should contribute to the family's strength. Right now, the only way for our Lu Family to flourish is by currying favor with the Great Crown Prince and the Queen."
Does he still think he's the favored son of heaven? He's nothing but trash now!
"So what if the Queen and the Great Crown Prince are ascendant? They're nothing but treacherous swine!" Su Han could not be bothered to waste any more words on her. He suddenly stomped on Steward Li's throat.
CRACK!
The sound of a bone snapping echoed clearly. Steward Li's eyes bulged with disbelief.
I'm one of the Great Crown Prince's men! How could he kill me? How dare he kill me?
Unfortunately for him, he was destined never to receive an answer. His head lolled to the side as his life faded, and he died on the spot.
The suddenness of the act stunned everyone. No one had expected Su Han to be so ruthless and decisive, to actually dare kill one of the Great Crown Prince's men.
This… This is utter madness!
"Su Han, you've committed a heinous crime!" Lu Xiaoqing bellowed, her voice like a final judgment. "Seize him! Break his limbs and turn him into a complete cripple! We will hand him over to the Queen and the Great Crown Prince for judgment!"
Instantly, the seven or eight Lu Family guards, all at the Sixth Layer of the Foundation Establishment Realm, drew their weapons and charged at Su Han.
Sensing the cold steel at his back, Su Han remained calm, instead turning to Lu Yunxian with a faint smile. "Fairy Sister Yun Xian, from today on, I will protect you."
With that, he spun around, his killing intent flaring.
Black Demonic Qi surged from his body like venomous snakes, slithering over Steward Li's corpse.
"Devouring Heaven Demonic Art!"
At Su Han's command, the Demonic Qi engulfed Steward Li. In the blink of an eye, it devoured his flesh and bone, leaving nothing behind.
Fifth Layer of the Foundation Establishment Realm!
Sixth Layer of the Foundation Establishment Realm!
After consuming Steward Li, Su Han's strength surged once more, terrifyingly reaching the Sixth Layer of the Foundation Establishment Realm.
BANG!
Su Han shot forward. He kicked one guard away, then sent another flying with a spinning whip kick. In an instant, all the guards were on the ground, wailing in agony.
Fear gripped everyone's hearts as they stared at Su Han in disbelief. They never imagined he possessed such formidable combat power.
Su Han then charged directly at Lu Xiaoqing. Seeing him approach, she channeled her Spiritual Energy, her sword cutting through the air in a fierce slash. She was confident in her strength at the Seventh Layer of the Foundation Establishment Realm. This strike would surely bring her victory!
CLANG!
But to everyone's shock, she was defeated in a single blow. The longsword was knocked from her hand, and an instant later, Su Han's fist crashed into her. Unable to withstand the blow, she was sent flying three or four meters before collapsing to the ground, spitting blood.
"Your combat body was destroyed! How can you still be this strong?" Lu Xiaoqing stared at Su Han, incredulous. Not even a cultivator at the Eighth or Ninth Layer of the Foundation Establishment Realm could have escaped unscathed from such a siege, yet Su Han had won. And she, a cultivator at the Seventh Layer, had been defeated in a single move!
After the brief shock passed, Lu Xiaoqing shook her head. In her view, Su Han seeking revenge was like an egg hitting a rock; he was doomed to failure and certain death.
"It's useless, Su Han! In one month, he will become the Crown Prince. If you go to the Queen and the Great Crown Prince now and beg for forgiveness, you might still keep your life. If you persist in this delusion, you will surely die!"
Su Han snorted, the cold light in his eyes intensifying.
"And one more thing. The Dragon Soul is mine. No one can take it from me!"
"In one month, at the autumn imperial examination, I will defeat the Great Crown Prince and take back everything that belongs to me!"