High above, the Sylvia Emperor stroked his beard and spoke, his voice resonating with authority.
"Prince Noah Sky, you are wise, capable, and, above all, exceptionally courteous—a rare gem. I shall accept your gift. But what if… things are not as you claim?"
I bowed respectfully, my tone measured yet firm.
"My father has instructed me: if the matter turns out to be as disgraceful as feared, the Sky Dark Clan will not tolerate a corrupt member among us."
The Sylvia Emperor, seated aloft, seemed to await something more. His gaze fixed on me.
"Is that all?"
"Is there something else Your Majesty requires?" I replied, meeting his eyes.
The Sylvia Emperor let out a long sigh, his gaze distant.
"You bear no fault, only a desire to protect your younger brother. I do not blame you. But what of the consequences of your brother's actions?"
"Naturally, the one who caused the trouble must bear the consequences," I said without hesitation.
A heavy silence fell over the room.
"What would satisfy Your Majesty?" I pressed.
"If you are mistaken," the Sylvia Emperor said, "that man is as good as dead. How could he live to atone for his mistakes? I propose you take his place. What say you?"
"I agree," I responded without pause.
"Good."
I turned and offered a warm smile to Princess Sylvia Claire Flora.
"Your Majesty, if I take his place, does that mean I, too, will wed a princess?"
Princess Sylvia Claire Flora, standing nearby, caught my smile and sensed an ulterior motive. Her irritation flared as she spoke up.
"Father, there may be complications regarding this Prince Eldrin Sky's actions against my sister, but his offense against me is undeniable. Many witnessed it!"
After much back-and-forth, both sides reached a decision: since Prince Eldrin Sky had struck the princess, she would return the blow in kind.
Moments later, Phong Van was summoned. His face was strikingly handsome, his demeanor as if an immortal had descended to the mortal realm, radiating an aura that brightened the surroundings.
"Long live the Emperor!" he declared, kneeling.
"Rise," the Sylvia Emperor commanded. "Prince Noah Sky of the Sky Dark Nation has questions for you. Answer truthfully."
I studied the refined man before me, then pointed to Sa Xiao Ling, who lay unconscious.
"Do you know this woman?"
Phong Van's expression remained calm, though a flicker of pity crossed his eyes.
"I do. She was my childhood friend. As we grew older, we drifted apart."
"Are you aware that she harbors deep feelings for you?"
He seemed taken aback—or perhaps feigned surprise—before shaking his head.
I nodded, accepting his answer for now.
"Then, if you'll indulge me for a moment, young master."
With Phong Van's permission, I bound his hands and feet to a wooden post, gagged him with a cloth, and smeared bloodstains on his clothes.
"What…?" he mumbled, confused.
"I will cover your eyes and ears," I continued. "Please lower your head and remain still. Everyone here must do the same."
I awakened Sa Xiao Ling. Looking into her eyes, I spoke.
"Master Phong Van has confessed everything. Three months ago, under the full moon, he took you to a house behind the mountain—a place where you two used to play as children—and there, you shared an intimate moment. Afterward, he instructed you to seduce Prince Eldrin Sky, using your body to lure him and sabotage his relationship with Princess Sylvia Aeloria Rose. Isn't that right?"
I proceeded to recount a series of secret meetings, coded messages, and intricate details of their clandestine affair until Sa Xiao Ling lowered her head, pleading, "Stop…"
The room fell silent.
"Very well," I declared. "The truth is clear. I beseech Your Majesty to issue an order to execute Sa Xiao Ling and those involved, in accordance with the law. As for Master Phong, his father's great contributions and his apparent remorse may warrant leniency."
"Guards, take him away for sentencing!" I commanded.
A group of soldiers rushed forward to drag Phong Van away.
Sa Xiao Ling stared at the bound man, his head bowed. "Why…?" she whispered, realization dawning. She had been used. Rage consumed her.
"Your Majesty, I've been wronged! Phong Van, you deceived me! Even in death, I'll never forgive you! I know it was the First Prince behind this!"
The Sylvia Emperor's aura grew oppressive as he waved for someone to approach. Sa Xiao Li stepped forward, knelt, and confessed everything: how the scheme began as an attempt to drive a wedge between the two nations, orchestrated by the First Prince. But Eldrin Sky, infatuated with her, had attacked the princess—an accident.
Silence enveloped the room.
"Your Majesty," I said, "the truth is evident. A foreign force seeks to sow discord between our nations. Prince Eldrin Sky has been wronged."
I glanced at my brother, a spear piercing his body, his eyes vacant, his face ashen as he stared at the kneeling woman before him. A tragic fate.
The Sylvia Emperor, after a long pause, spoke.
"The matter is clear. I will handle our royal family's affairs later. As for Eldrin Sky's actions against Princess Sylvia Aeloria Rose, they are undeniable. How, in your view, should this be resolved?"
"Your Majesty, this was a misunderstanding between lovers. Let them reconcile. A joyful resolution remains a joyful resolution."
The Sylvia Emperor's eyes gleamed.
"Prince Noah Sky, you are clever, and I am impressed. Stay and resolve this case before returning home. In return, I shall betroth Princess Sylvia Claire Flora to you."
"Father!" Princess Sylvia Claire Flora protested.
The Sylvia Emperor silenced her with a wave and fixed his gaze on me.
I raised my voice, letting joy ring through my words.
"My deepest thanks for Your Majesty's grace. I will not disappoint you, nor Princess Sylvia Claire Flora."
I flashed another friendly smile at Princess Sylvia Claire Flora.
That day, a widespread purge swept through the royal court.
The next day, life resumed as if nothing had happened, save for the Second Prince ascending to power.
The day after, in the Sylvia Emperor's Royal Study:
"Father, reconsider! That Noah is utterly talentless, cowardly, and without notable achievements. He's all talk! Marrying me to him is like throwing your daughter into a pit of fire!" Princess Sylvia Claire Flora pleaded.
The Sylvia Emperor waved her off, exhaustion etched on his face.
"I'm tired, spare me…"
"Sylvia Claire Flora," he continued, "you don't understand. That man's talents are not insignificant; he's just not particularly handsome. His bloodline may be weak, but as the eldest, his chances of inheriting the throne are high. Marrying him won't be a loss."
Sylvia Claire Flora wailed louder.
"Claire Flora, I'll only marry you to him if he solves the case. If you're clever, you can ensure he fails while uncovering the true culprit yourself."
Sylvia Claire Flora stopped crying, her mind racing.
"What are you waiting for? Go!" the Emperor urged.
"Father, I'm going!" she replied, determination in her voice.
Prince Noah Sky was no ordinary man. His fearless gaze, his ability to turn the tide amidst a crowd of officials, and his knack for twisting black into white were admirable. He had powerful backing, too. His only flaw was his lackluster talent, but what did that matter? The Sylvia Emperor trusted that Victor Sky, his father, recognized his son's potential. If a marriage alliance was proposed, he would accept.
A month later, I watched as the tribulation clouds in the sky dissipated. These clouds struck monthly, each time fiercer than the last. My soul was straining under the burden. A few more, and I might not withstand them.
This tribulation was strange. Normally, heavenly tribulations descended when something underwent a profound transformation, surpassing its limits and ascending to a new realm, disrupting the balance of its environment. The tribulation served to restore equilibrium—pass, and you ascend; fail, and you return to your former state. But this tribulation targeted me specifically, as if it sought my utter annihilation.
Could it be because I borrowed the energy of heaven and earth? Perhaps I should limit its use…
As I pondered, a guard rushed in.
"Prince, the Sylvia Emperor summons you."
"I understand."
Over the past week, Princess Sylvia Claire Flora had frequently visited, claiming to assist with the investigation. But what was there to investigate? Her presence, or someone else's, was likely meant to probe and monitor me. Whether this was the Sylvia Emperor's idea or hers, it mattered little.
In the Sylvia Emperor's Royal Study:
"Your Majesty."
"Have you rested well these past few days?" he asked.
"Thanks to Your Majesty's boundless hospitality, we have been well cared for."
The Sylvia Emperor nodded.
"Just now, I noticed a heavenly tribulation descending upon your residence."
"One of my subordinates achieved a breakthrough," I explained.
"And your investigation—how far has it progressed?"
"Your Majesty, I've sent men to gather information and analyzed various angles. I've reached a conclusion: the one orchestrating conflict between our nations can only be a foreign tribe."
I continued, "My initial suspicion points to the Soul Clan. Though my brother remembers little of that day, his soul bears signs of tampering—likely the work of the Soul Clan."
"The Soul Clan?" the Sylvia Emperor mused. "Summon your brother."
Eldrin Sky arrived, trembling, but upon seeing me, he calmed. With swift, respectful movements, he knelt and declared, "Long live the Sylvia Emperor!"
After a thorough examination, it was confirmed: Prince Eldrin Sky's soul bore traces of manipulation, likely by the Soul Clan.
The Sylvia Emperor's fury erupted.
"The Soul Clan dares to scheme against our two nations!"
He paused, then added, "Aeloria Rose has just emerged from seclusion. I'll summon her to clarify this matter."
Princess Sylvia Aeloria Rose, the central figure of the incident, had remained in seclusion since the failed assassination attempt. Some said she was gravely injured; others claimed she had achieved a breakthrough in her cultivation. According to Eldrin Sky's fragmented memories, after he stabbed her through the heart, her sister, Sylvia Claire Flora, discovered him, and he fled. Her fate remained unclear.
In the garden, Sylvia Aeloria Rose gazed at falling petals, her thoughts drifting to the past. She had come to terms with much, thanks to two people. She wondered how they were now. She knew of the Sky Dark Nation Prince's arrival to negotiate peace, and it was time to face him—the one who had betrayed her.
"Sister, Father summons you," Sylvia Claire Flora called.
"I know," Sylvia Aeloria Rose replied.
Sylvia Claire Flora studied her sister. Since the incident, Sylvia Aeloria Rose had changed—her bloodline talent had awakened dramatically, a blessing amidst misfortune. But her calmness worried Sylvia Claire Flora.
"Sister, are you alright?"
Sylvia Aeloria Rose smiled faintly. "I'm fine. You're the one to worry about, always going on about Prince Noah Sky this and that."
Sylvia Claire Flora waved dismissively. "Father and Prince Noah Sky are waiting."
Sylvia Aeloria Rose sighed. Her little sister had grown up, even fallen in love. Whoever could make my heartless sister feel this way must be extraordinary. But if he hurts her, I'll skin him alive.
"Alright, I'm going."
Sylvia Aeloria Rose entered the Royal Study, where several figures awaited. Her father sat above, and below stood a man in white robes adorned with gold patterns—Prince Noah Sky, no doubt. His back was to her, but beside him was someone she recognized: Prince Eldrin Sky. Her heart ached. You can know a face but not a heart. Today, she would confront him and end it all.
"Father," she greeted.
The Sylvia Emperor smiled warmly. His daughter had finally freed herself.
"Aeloria Rose, I've called you to explain why Prince Eldrin Sky tried to kill you. Prince Noah Sky will clarify everything."
The air grew still. I met Princess Sylvia Aeloria Rose's gaze as she stared back, unflinching.
It's really her. Though her aura and appearance had changed, her soul was unmistakable. Must I face her like this? I sighed inwardly.
"Princess," I began, "Eldrin Sky's actions against you were not intentional but orchestrated by someone behind the scenes. I'll let you two speak."
Eldrin Sky stepped forward eagerly. "Princess, I—"
Sylvia Aeloria Rose raised a hand, silencing him.
She fixed her gaze on me. "Boss says his actions were due to someone's manipulation. Is that true?"
I froze. She's ruined my plan.
Sylvia Aeloria Rose exhaled, then, in a flash, drove her hand into Eldrin Sky's chest, ripping out his heart. Eldrin Sky stared in shock, first at her, then at me, before collapsing.
I shuddered. Since when did she become so ruthless?
Sylvia Claire Flora gaped at the scene. "Sister, you know Prince Noah Sky? Why do you call him so familiarly?"
Sylvia Aeloria Rose turned to her father. "Father, Prince Noah Sky is my savior—the one who helped me."
The Sylvia Emperor watched the reunion unfold, his mind racing. Sylvia Aeloria Rose had died but miraculously revived. She claimed someone in the soul realm had aided her, allowing her to return to life. She described him as an ordinary person, yet capable of moving freely between the soul and spirit realms—something only an immortal could do. But the man before him couldn't be an immortal; heaven forbade their descent, even as a mere thought. Who was he, then? A scion of the Sky Dark Nation Royal Clan, with unremarkable strength yet the ability to traverse realms.
No matter. He seemed to bear no ill will. Recalling all Noah Sky had done, the Sylvia Emperor spoke.
"On behalf of Aeloria Rose, I thank you, Prince Noah Sky, for your aid. But why go to such lengths to push us toward war with the Soul Clan?"
Plan B.
"Your Majesty, since fate has brought us together, I'll be frank. I seek to rescue the souls of my people trapped in the Soul Clan's ancient killing formation. To do so, I need your help to subdue their tribe."
….