NOVEL NEXT Chapter 3: The Prince’s Reign Begins
"System, what is the current prestige value of my Jiang Dynasty?"
[Ding! Jiang Dynasty Prestige Value: 1200]
[Ding! Special Reminder: The host can only increase the dynasty's prestige value after officially ascending the throne.]
[Ding! For every 100 points of prestige value gained, the host will receive a reward. Additionally, milestone achievements at 2,000, 3,000, 5,000 prestige points, etc., will grant system achievement gift packs with generous rewards.]
Hearing the system's response, Jiang HuanYu nodded slightly.
"It seems my first priority is to inherit the throne; everything else can wait."
As Jiang HuanYu pondered this, he suddenly heard a commotion at the door.
The four God-Slaying Guards sensed the approach of unfamiliar individuals and were about to strike, but Jiang HuanYu gestured for them to hold back.
"After today, the Jiang Dynasty will completely belong to the Second Prince. We've endured for so long, and now it's finally our time to rise."
"To be honest, I still don't understand why His Majesty named Jiang HuanYu as crown prince. How could a useless womanizer like him compare to the brilliance of the Second Prince?"
"Why dwell on it? His Highness has already gathered the court officials in the main hall for his coronation. All we need to do is deliver Jiang HuanYu's corpse to complete our task."
With his current high cultivation level, Jiang HuanYu easily overheard the hushed conversation between two approaching men. Their footsteps drew closer and closer. Without even bothering to knock, certain of Jiang HuanYu's death, they pushed the door open and walked in.
Creak!
The two middle-aged men stepped into the room. Their calm expressions froze the moment their eyes met Jiang HuanYu's steady gaze.
"Jiang HuanYu!"
"No… Your… Your Highness the Crown Prince!"
"You… How are you…"
Their faces turned ashen. Clad in armor, the two men were rendered speechless at the sight of Jiang HuanYu, alive and well, accompanied by four God-Slaying Guards.
How could this be? How was Jiang HuanYu still alive?
Could the Second Prince's intelligence have been wrong?
A whirlwind of questions swirled in their minds as they stood rooted to the spot, unable to come up with an explanation.
"Captain Li, Captain Lin, what is the meaning of this unannounced intrusion into my palace?"
Jiang HuanYu smirked playfully, his tone calm but laced with subtle menace.
"We… We…"
The two captains fumbled for words, clearly caught off guard.
"I overheard you mention that the Second Prince has gathered the court to prepare for his coronation?"
"Well, it seems that with me alive, his plans are destined to fail," Jiang HuanYu remarked nonchalantly, his voice steady and composed.
The two captains were visibly startled by his words.
"You… You know?" one of them asked in shock.
"Did he think sending a woman to poison me would be enough to end me?" Jiang HuanYu sneered. "He has truly underestimated me."
Though Jiang HuanYu spoke with confidence, he knew that if it were the original crown prince in this situation, the scheme would have succeeded without a hitch.
The two captains shuddered at his words. After exchanging a glance, their eyes filled with resolve.
Swish! Swish!
In an instant, both men lunged forward, daggers drawn. Their Soul Realm cultivation erupted, creating a forceful suppression that locked Jiang HuanYu in place.
"Jiang HuanYu, since you're alive, we'll just kill you ourselves!"
"The Second Prince's grand plan cannot be thwarted by a waste like you!"
One from the left, the other from the right, they attacked in tandem, aiming to eliminate Jiang HuanYu. With his body in hand, they could still fulfill their mission.
However, as the two closed in, Jiang HuanYu stood still, making no attempt to evade. His expression remained calm, exuding an air of confidence.
Boom!
Just as their weapons were about to strike him, a sudden blade aura swept through the room like a whirlwind. A powerful force knocked the two captains back, leaving their bodies battered and their meridians shattered as they crashed onto the ground.
One of the God-Slaying Guards had intervened.
Without even unsheathing his sword, the guard had used a simple gesture merging his fingers to emit a blade of energy, to severely injure the two captains, rendering them crippled.
"Ugh!"
"How… How is this possible?"
"Who are these powerful individuals by your side?"
The two captains coughed up blood as they lay on the ground, their eyes filled with terror and disbelief.
Jiang HuanYu chuckled, releasing a faint wisp of Heavenly Realm pressure. He kept the energy contained within his chamber but directed it toward the two captains.
"H-Heavenly Realm?!"
The two crippled captains gasped in unison, their faces pale with horror.
To them, it was as if they had seen a ghost.
A crown prince notorious for being a wastrel had somehow reached the Heavenly Realm, a level unmatched even within the Jiang Dynasty.
The thought was incomprehensible.
Under the crushing weight of Jiang HuanYu's pressure, their bodies trembled until they could no longer withstand it.
Boom! Boom!
In an instant, the captains were crushed into nothing but blood mist, their remains scattered into the air.
After eliminating the two insignificant threats, Jiang HuanYu smirked wickedly and said, "The court officials and the coronation ceremony… I wonder what their expressions will be when they see me."
"Let's go. To the main hall!"
"Yes, Your Highness!" the four God-Slaying Guards responded in unison.