Chapter 1508: Netherworld Seal

The Second Prince’s expression changed, as he clearly realized this point as well.

Speaking of which, the Crown Prince was far too overconfident today. If he had split his forces to deal with several brothers simultaneously, instead of bringing the Peacock King, the Lion Clan, the Tiger Clan, and other powerful helpers all together, he would absolutely not have been a match for him.

However, then he thought, even if he had defeated me, he would still have to face the demon-like Zu'an, ultimately just paving the way for someone else.

“Peacock King, please understand, it wasn't my intention to kill the Crown Prince; he was trying to kill me. I was merely acting in self-defense,” the Second Prince said, now calm. He realized the throne was out of reach, and his priority was to preserve his life. As the saying goes, ‘As long as the green hills remain, there’ll be wood to burn.’

“Self-defense?” the Peacock King sneered. “I don’t care about the feud between you two. Anyone who harms my daughter’s reputation deserves to die!”

With that, he unleashed a five-colored divine light directly at the Second Prince.

The Second Prince’s face fell. Being within the royal court, how could he not know the formidable power of the Peacock Royal Clan’s five-colored divine light?

He tried to dodge, but enveloped by the five-colored divine light, he felt as if his entire body was immobilized. He could only channel his cultivation with all his might, manifesting black flames around himself to resist the divine light.

However, his entire body was visibly smoking, suggesting he would soon turn to ash.

Zu'an was somewhat surprised, never expecting Kong Nanwu’s father to be so domineering. And handsome too, he mused, otherwise he couldn't have sired such a beautiful daughter.

He couldn't help but glance at the Great Elf King, making a private comparison. His de facto father-in-law was still a tiny bit more handsome, but the Peacock King exuded an strong aura of power that made him seem far more dependable than his goofy, narcissistic father-in-law.

Just then, a golden light swept past, dispersing the Peacock King’s five-colored divine light.

The Peacock King’s face darkened as he looked in another direction. “Young Golden Peng King, are you trying to stop me?”

A flash of golden light revealed a young man in golden armor on a nearby rooftop. It was none other than the Young Golden Peng King, current patriarch of the Golden Peng Royal Clan.

Everyone inwardly gasped in astonishment at his incredible speed. It was no wonder the Golden Peng Clan was widely acknowledged as the fastest among the demon races, with only the Golden Crow Streamer from the imperial family being able to rival it.

The Young Golden Peng King smiled faintly. “Peacock King, please calm your anger. I know you are very upset, but the princes’ fratricide has nearly severed the Old Demon Emperor’s bloodline. Now, only the Second Prince and the Young Prince remain. If the Second Prince is killed now, and the Young Prince is still too young, what if something were to happen to him? Wouldn't that mean the Demon Emperor’s lineage would be completely cut off?”

He then offered an apologetic smile to the Young Demon Empress. “Your Majesty, please forgive me. I’m not cursing the Young Prince; I’m considering the well-being of the entire demon race.”

The Young Demon Empress snorted. As a mother hearing such inauspicious words, she naturally wouldn't give him a good look.

The Peacock King’s brows furrowed. In this situation, if he insisted, wouldn't he be accused of causing the Demon Emperor’s lineage to die out?

What was going on with this Young Golden Peng King?

His father had died under mysterious circumstances, so he should have deeply resented the Golden Crow Imperial Family. If anyone truly wanted the Old Demon Emperor’s lineage to end, it should have been him. Why was he speaking up for them instead?

At this moment, several elders nodded in agreement. The Grand Elder said, “Indeed, the Young Golden Peng King has a point.” The Peacock King sneered, “The Second Prince caused such a bloody mess in the royal court today. Are you saying we should just let it go?”

The Young Golden Peng King shook his head slightly. “Both the Crown Prince and the Second Prince are responsible for today’s disaster. The Crown Prince is dead, so that’s that. As for the Second Prince, while he may be spared capital punishment, he cannot escape severe retribution. I just received news that there’s been unusual activity at the Netherworld Seal, and the Ghost Race seems to be invading again. It would be fitting to dispatch the Second Prince to suppress them, thus cleansing him of his sins.”

“The Netherworld Seal!” The expressions of the demon race members present changed drastically. They exchanged anxious whispers, each looking as if they were facing a formidable enemy.

“The Netherworld Seal? The Ghost Race?” Zu'an was puzzled. Why had he never heard any information about this before?

The Young Demon Empress seemed to sense his confusion and kindly explained, “The so-called Ghost Race is a general term for various dark, evil creatures that seem to originate from another terrifying dimension. A long, long time ago, the Demon Ancestor united with other races in the world to repel the invading Ghost Race and successfully sealed the breach through which they entered this world. That is what’s known as the Netherworld Seal.”

Zu'an’s heart stirred. The Reverse Scale Death Worm he encountered in the Yu Clan’s mine also seemed like a monster that had invaded from another dimension. He wondered if they were also part of the Ghost Race.

“The battle against the Ghost Race was brutal and bloody, claiming countless top experts from various races. Otherwise, humanity wouldn't have had the chance to rise,” she said. As she finished the last sentence, the Young Demon Empress realized Zu'an was also human and quickly gave him an apologetic glance. Her sparkling, watery eyes seemed to speak, making it impossible for anyone to stay angry.

“The Ghost Race is truly powerful, and the Netherworld Seal has become less stable with the passage of time. So, every now and then, some Ghost Race members will infiltrate. Of course, the scale is much smaller compared to the original invasion. Therefore, the demon race frequently dispatches armies to eliminate these invading Ghosts, while also sending experts to reinforce the Netherworld Seal.”

Zu'an nodded silently. Just as this world contained various secret realms that both humans and demons could explore for treasure, this world was also a unique ‘secret realm’ for the Ghost Race. They naturally desired to invade this beautiful and rich world, and its inhabitants would, of course, rise up in resistance.

“Even though the scale of the invading Ghost Race is not large, eliminating them always comes at a heavy cost. According to the Young Golden Peng King, this invasion involves more Ghost Race members than ever before, making their eradication an extremely perilous task,” the Young Demon Empress’s voice was filled with hesitation.

At this point, the Grand Elder’s ethereal projection looked towards the Second Prince. “Are you willing to guard the Netherworld Seal and atone for your crimes through service?”

The Second Prince’s expression flickered. He naturally knew how dangerous the Netherworld Seal was. In the past, whenever troops were sent to quell disturbances there, at least twenty percent of them would suffer casualties. This time, with a larger scale, it would surely be even more perilous.

Even if it wasn't a matter of near-certain death, his painstakingly assembled core troops would undoubtedly suffer heavy losses there.

Normally, he would never accept such a grueling assignment, but given today's situation, refusing would likely cost him his life.

After weighing his options, he gritted his teeth and said, “I accept!”

The Grand Elder’s gaze then fell upon the Young Demon Empress. “What is Your Majesty’s opinion?”

The Young Demon Empress nodded slightly. “If the Second Prince is willing to dedicate himself to the entire demon race, I naturally have no objections.” Zu'an frowned slightly and transmitted a message: “Letting the tiger return to the mountain – is that truly wise?”

The Young Demon Empress softly replied, “It’s fine. For one, the Netherworld Seal truly needs a fierce general to guard it. Every time there’s an uprising there, it takes several years to quell, and this time the scale is larger, so it will take even longer. Additionally, the Young Golden Peng King has a point. The Young Prince is still young, the imperial bloodline is dwindling, and the various clan powers are becoming too entrenched. The Four Great Generals each command vast armies. Keeping the Second Prince as a 'knife' to make these ambitious individuals wary is also a good idea.”

Her voice was soft and enchanting, making it difficult for anyone to refuse such gentle, sweet words.

Zu'an warned, “But this knife is too sharp; if not careful, it could easily turn on its master.”

The Young Demon Empress smiled sweetly, a flirtatious charm in her eyes. “Don’t I still have you?”

Zu'an’s heart skipped a beat. This woman truly was a temptress. Despite being a mature young woman, she could still look at him with such adoration, like a young girl. Her soft gaze, paradoxically, made his entire body stiffen.

The sudden rise of wicked thoughts made his heart clench. It seemed to be a side effect of the power he had just absorbed from Mr. Bat. He needed to find a chance to properly meditate and refine it soon, or there would be major problems.

Seeing that the Young Demon Empress did not object, the Grand Elder said to the Second Prince, “In that case, we assign you the task of handling the Netherworld Seal. You are not to return to the royal court until the Ghost Race is eradicated. Depart immediately!”

The Second Prince cast a deep, resentful look at the imperial palace, but still gritted his teeth and said, “As you command!”

Next, the elders together announced that the Young Prince would succeed as the new Demon Emperor. Although he was young, only he could satisfy all factions, so his age was not an issue.

Furthermore, those who deserved punishment would be punished, and those who deserved reward would be rewarded.

The most dangerous individuals had already been dealt with by Zu'an. Sixth Uncle was taken away by the Elder Council, leaving only Duan Tianchou.

This man had countless people’s blood on his hands, and everyone unanimously demanded his execution.

However, the Great Elf King proposed taking him away.

Naturally, his father-in-law’s request had to be granted, so Zu'an did not object. He merely asked out of curiosity, “How does uncle intend to deal with him?”

The Great Elf King replied, “Why, of course, he’ll look at me in the mirror every day.”

Zu'an wore a puzzled expression. Then the Great Elf King haughtily added, “He’ll be mesmerized to death!”

Zu'an: “...”

With these principal offenders dealt with, the Young Demon Empress’s subordinates would naturally handle the rest, without Zu'an needing to intervene.

Immediately after, preparations for the Young Prince’s enthronement ceremony the next day began in full swing within the imperial palace.

Given the chaotic situation today, Zu'an dared not leave the imperial palace, lest any unforeseen incident occur.

He guarded a side hall within the Young Demon Empress’s sleeping quarters, ready to rush to their rescue at the first sign of danger to the Young Demon Empress and her son.

While there, he also meditated and regulated his breathing. He didn’t know how much time had passed when the Young Demon Empress’s soft voice came from outside the door: “May I come in?”