𝑜𝗏𝑙xt.𝗇𝓔t
Shi Lang stood in the void, looking down at the Imperial Palace before him as he called out to the crown prince by his name, Tian Longjian. It was not only the people inside the imperial Palace, but the entire imperial capital was shocked by the roar. They had never expected to hear such a thing, at least not in the imperial capital.
The masses all came out of the house to watch the show. Shi Lang waited a few minutes before he said, “Tian Longjian, I am Shi Lang, the core disciple of the sword peak from the Spirit Heart Sect. Are you people trying to disrespect me and my senior brothers and sisters after we just sorted the enter southern region for you all?”
The people realized that the people in the sky were cultivators and were the force behind the demonic cultivator hunt in the southern peaks. They all began to discuss, and at this time, a voice echoed from the Imperial Palace, “Forgive me for my mistake, Seniors. I was cultivating just now.”
Then, everyone saw the Crown Prince wearing a white robe with a golden python stitched on the back to fly up to meet the people. Liang Ping raised his brow for a second, then calmed down. He said, using spiritual communication, ‘This guy is at an immortal soul level cultivator, but his spirit energy seems to be suppressed. It seems like the Crown prince is an ambitious one.’
Xu Guang replied with a chuckle, ‘He is the one born with the sword heart. This much is to be expected.’
Bai Yan said, ‘Guys, shall we focus on the situation?’
They all nodded and watched the Crown prince look at them. He replied, “Greetings, Seniors. Thank you for aiding the Tian Kingdom in dealing with the southern peak.”
Shi Lang waved his hand and replied, “It is the duty of those who wield the sword to fight for a righteous cause. However, you, Crown Prince Tian Longjian, have disappointed me greatly.”
The crown prince pursed his lips and did not say anything in refusal. Shi Lang continued, “You are smart enough to know what I am discussing. Can you tell me why you sent Shi Ning to the front when you knew she was not yet qualified to handle such a thing?”
Tian Longjian had been caught in a bind by Shi Lang. The terran was not only on point but also drilling deep into the crown prince’s heart. Tian Longjian knew well that Shi Ning could not handle such a situation. It was not like the royal family was sitting ducks while the demonic cultivators had shredded the people.
Since he sent Shi Ning forward, it only meant one thing. He was trying to fish for Shi Lang and drag him into this mess. He did not expect that Shi Lang would come and point him out in public. The terran continued. “You do not seem to understand that since you wanted my help, you should have asked for my help. As a future ruler, you have to speculate every minute effect your action can have on the people.”
Tian Longjian nodded and said, “I will keep this in mind for the next time, Teacher.”
Shi Lang shook his head and replied, “You seem to misunderstand. There will be no next time. It is not my task to save the kingdom. That is your job. Also, if you used my family as a tool to suppress me, I would have the entire family relocate outside the kingdom.”
Tian Longjian was shocked to hear this. He did not expect that Shi Lang could do something like this. He was angry. He could not understand what was so bad about his cooperation with the Shi Family. Why did this guy reject him so much? While the rest of the families all over the country were trying to establish a better connection with him, they were Shi Lang.
When did he ever suffer such humiliation? He asked, “Am I that intolerable to you?”
Shi Lang raised his brow and asked, “Do you think you would tolerate someone who affects your family?”
The Crown prince shouted, “She is not even your family! What difference does it make?”
Shi Lang took a deep breath and asked, “What did you just say?”
Tian Longjian shivered in his spot. He realized that he had said something odd. Shi Lang’s killing intent was locked onto him. However, he still repeated, “What difference does it make to you if that lass dies?”
Shi Lang raised his head, and his eyes were filled with Lightning. Liang Ping, Xu Guang, and Hu Shan stood beside Shi Lang, feeling the surge in his aura. They took a few steps back. They knew he was friendly but still wary of his Lightning. The void around him bent from the lightning fluctuation.
The Terran asked, “Do you have someone in the Immortal Lord realm around here? I do not want to bully you, a junior.”
Tian Longjian woke up from his fury. He still remembered that when he met Shi Lang last time, he was not even in the Immortal soul realm, and now he stood before him as an immortal lord. This was shocking to him. He stuttered, “You, you, how could you…”
Shi Lang said, “Where is Elder Ye? Call him out.”
His tone was calm, but the voice echoed throughout the city, and chaos ensued.
A voice sounded from the Palace, “I wonder what crime my descendant has committed that enraged fellow Daoist so much.”
The old voice sounded, and an old man appeared beside Tian Longjian. Shi Lang cupped his fist and said, “Shi Lang greets senior.”
The old man stroked his beard and nodded lightly. Shi Lang said, “Senior, your descendant is blessed by heaven and has a special gift. He is destined to be a great ruler in the world. However bold as it may sound, I did my best for him to reach this level. I can take a Dao Oath to verify.
However, for the sake of petty popularity, your descendant has not only put my family at risk, but he is now disrespecting my emotions. I am a cultivator with pride and some achievement. How can I stand back and watch him badmouth my family and values?”
The people were surprised when they found him talking to an immortal king with such ease. Even the old man was shocked by this. Shi Lang stopped talking after he finished his point. The old man nodded and asked, “Then what do you want?”
Shi Lang said, “I will fight an Immortal Lord realm fighter, and if I win, the Crown Prince will have to lower his head before me. If I lost, I would bow and leave this place while shouting that I was wrong.”
The old man frowned and said, “I cannot allow the Crown Prince to lower his head. He is the pride of the nation.”
Shi Lang thought about it and said, “Very well, since that is the case, please allow me to draw a line between the royal family and the Shi Family. We have already paid the debts that the nation has given us by cleaning the southern peaks and serving the royal court.”
The old man asked, “Young man, you are a cultivator, but do you have what it takes to protect the people of your family? You wish for all the officials of the Shi Family to be relieved, but don’t you know the damage it will cause to the court? Why shall I listen to you?”
Shi Lang narrowed his gaze, and the wind around him cooled down. He looked at a distant peak in the distance outside the Imperial City. He said, “I will show you why you should listen to me. Pardon the rudeness.”
That said, the young man took out his spirit sword and channeled his sword intent at the tip of the blade. He was not in a hurry but said, “You all should know I am a core disciple of the Spirit Heart Sect’s Sword Peak. My elders and teachers are not the people you wish to mess with.”
His words were not light, and it was a direct threat. Tian Longjian spoke arrogantly, “Do you know who this personage is? He is the imperial guardian of the Tian Kingdom. Do you wish to die?”
Shi Lang did not pay him any heed, and his sword flickered. A sword’s energy condensed and flashed in the void before it vanished. Tian Longjian chuckled mockingly and said, “That was what you wanted us to see?”
Shi Lang smirked and said, “Frog at the bottom of well.”
Tian Longjian was about to explode when the cliff in the distance shook, and an ear-grating sound originated from it. The people watched as the cliff crumbled down, revealing a smooth surface like a mirror. Shi Lang said, “Senior, this is the end of fate between the Tian Kingdom and the Shi Family.”