C18 Who Do You Think You Are?
As the Second Prince was sent hurtling back through the air, the Sect Master of the Fiend Sect swiftly appeared behind him, catching him in a flash. Upon contact, the Sect Master's eyes, previously dull as a stagnant pond, sharpened instantly. He slammed one foot down, channeling Genuine Qi into his legs with such force that his foot sank deep into the earth. Despite this effort, he couldn't halt their backward momentum.
The Second Prince and the Sect Master retreated nearly ten meters before finally coming to a stop. The Second Prince looked ghastly pale, a trickle of blood at the corner of his mouth. His cultivation level, once at the ninth rank of Martial Disciple, plummeted rapidly as Genuine Qi seeped out uncontrollably.
The Sect Master of the Fiend Sect quickly infused Genuine Qi into the Second Prince, assessing his injuries. But no matter how much Genuine Qi he released, it refused to enter the Second Prince's body. He suspected the worst, and there was only one explanation: the Genuine Qi couldn't enter because the Second Prince's meridians were completely severed.
With a feeble lift of his ashen face, the Second Prince addressed the Sect Master of the Fiend Sect. "Father, don't waste your Genuine Qi on me. I know my time is near. Forgive me for failing our plan. Remember... to avenge me." With those final words, the last of his Genuine Qi drained away, his pale face falling limp, devoid of life.
Ignoring the danger, the Second Imperial Consort rushed forward, snatching her son, Lee Yuan, from the Sect Master's grasp and clutching him desperately to her chest. "Yuan'er! Yuan'er, don't frighten your mother. Please, wake up! Yuan'er! My dear Yuan'er!" She caressed the Second Prince's face, shaking his lifeless body, as tears streamed down her face, dropping onto his pallid cheeks.
Meanwhile, Lee Feng felt his mind reel with shock. He had heard it clearly—the Second Prince had called the Sect Master of the Fiend Sect 'father.' There was no mistaking the implication. The Second Imperial Consort had been unfaithful to him, and worse yet, he had unwittingly raised the Sect Master's child for over a decade.
Overwhelmed with fury, Lee Feng's legs gave out, and he collapsed to the ground.
Despite his imperial status, his harem was not filled with three thousand beauties like those of other emperors; he had only ever taken two wives.
One was the mother of Lee Cann, and the other, the Second Imperial Consort.
The mysterious death of Lee Cann's mother years ago had left the Second Imperial Consort as his sole spouse.
In the intervening years, he had not sought another wife, devoting his heart solely to the Second Imperial Consort. Little did he know, she had betrayed him over a decade ago, even bearing a son!
Among emperors, Lee Feng's plight could be considered the most pitiable.
When the Second Imperial Consort had forcefully taken the Second Prince from his grasp, the Sect Master of the Fiend Sect rose to his feet.
His piercing gaze fixated on the study's doorway, seething with rage, eager to confront whoever had slain his son.
Lee Cann, having just sent the Second Prince sprawling, sauntered into the study with an air of nonchalance.
The murderous intent in the Fiend Sect Master's eyes did nothing to faze him.
He had no reason to be concerned; upon entering, he had immediately identified the Sect Master as the highest-ranking individual present.
Yet, the Sect Master was merely a fourth-rank Martial General.
A rank below Lee Cann, who was confident he could overpower the Sect Master.
Seeing Lee Cann, Lee Feng initially thought his son had brought a formidable ally. But as time passed and no one else entered, it became clear that Lee Cann was alone.
Lee Feng, frantic with worry, stood and cried out to his son.
"Cann, get out of here! It's too dangerous. You're no match for him. You're my only son; our Lee family cannot be left without an heir!"
Lee Cann, seeing his father's state, felt a touch of relief—his visit had not been in vain.
With a gentle wave of his hand, he signaled for Lee Feng to find peace.
"Father, there's no need to panic. I wouldn't be here if I weren't confident in my abilities."
With those words, he unleashed the formidable presence of a fifth-rank Martial General.
Everyone present gasped in shock.
A fifth-rank Martial General!
Wasn't it said that the highest rank in the entire Southern Tang Kingdom was only a third-rank Martial General?
And this was the Crown Prince?
Wasn't he known for his devotion to the arts of chess and calligraphy?
How had he become a fifth-rank Martial General?
Their flurry of questions hung unanswered in the air, as only Lee Cann himself knew the truth.
"Are you the one who killed my son?" the Sect Master of the Fiend Sect demanded in a low, threatening tone.
Lee Cann met his gaze unflinchingly, aware that the Sect Master was only slightly less formidable than himself.
"Yes, I killed him. He sought to usurp my authority and framed me. Why shouldn't I have killed him?" Lee Cann replied with a hint of scorn.
"You're seeking your own death!" the Sect Master of the Fiend Sect hissed through clenched teeth, then lunged at Lee Cann, transforming into a blur of shadows.
Lee Cann's expression turned grave.
"Shh!"
The Sect Master drew his dagger and slashed at Lee Cann's throat.
In a flash, Lee Cann drew the Dragon Cry Sword, intercepting the Sect Master's blade.
Their eyes locked, and the Sect Master's expression turned savage. With a surge of strength, he pressed the Dragon Cry Sword back.
Sensing the Sect Master's growing power, Lee Cann's resolve hardened. He channeled Genuine Qi into his sword and shoved forcefully. The dagger spun from the Sect Master's grasp and flew across the room, striking a support pillar in the study.
As the pillar gave way, the study began to tremble precariously.
Clouds of dust cascaded from above.
None of those present were fools; they all fled the study.
With a thunderous crash, the room collapsed, raising a massive cloud of dust.
Lee Cann and the Sect Master of the Fiend Sect faced off, their gazes locked. Disarmed, the Sect Master appeared significantly weakened in Lee Cann's estimation.
But then, right under Lee Cann's watchful eye, the Sect Master produced a long, black staff.
As Genuine Qi flowed into the staff, it began to morph ominously.
The staff was etched with densely packed runes, and thick tendrils of black Qi began to emanate from it, enveloping the weapon in darkness.
This staff was none other than the personal weapon of the Fiend Sect's Sect Master, a weapon forged through the slaughter of countless cities, a process that had drained him of much of his blood essence.
The Sect Master of the Fiend Sect hoisted the staff skyward and brought it down towards Lee Cann with a vicious chop.
As he did, the sky darkened ominously, and mournful wails from an unknown source sent shivers down the spines of all who heard them.
Black Qi filled the air, coalescing into an enormous skull adorned with faces twisted in agony, their cries of despair seeming to emanate from the very visages upon the skull's surface.
Lee Cann, undeterred, channeled his Genuine Qi into the Dragon Cry Sword and flicked it with a flourish. A majestic golden dragon, a hundred meters in length, burst forth from the blade.
The dragon, having grown alongside Lee Cann's rise in strength, soared joyfully through the air, reveling in the freedom of the world beyond.
After several loops, the golden dragon lifted its head and let out a thunderous roar at the black skull.
The roar echoed across the Imperial Capital, stirring up a gale that scattered the black Qi surrounding the skull.
The immense skull, defiant in the face of this challenge, opened its maw wide and unleashed a series of chilling wails.
Provoked, the golden dragon snorted a plume of white smoke and lashed its colossal tail at the skull, sending it hurtling away like a kicked ball, crashing through numerous palaces.
With a haughty lift of its head, the golden dragon scornfully watched the skull's retreat, its demeanor suggesting a taunt: "Off with you, you're out of your league!"
