Chapter 657: He Wants to Commit Regicide

"Eighth Prince, your eyes..." The Beili Emperor flinched in surprise.

Sang Zhi’s scarlet pupils shifted slightly, and the expression in them made even the Beili Emperor grow solemn. But after only a glance, he continued walking forward.

A sudden, profound emptiness gripped the Beili Emperor. His fingers touched his chest. ’Am I afraid?’

’Am I afraid of this child?’

’No!’

’How could I be afraid of my own son? Impossible.’

Sang Zhi strode into the fray, and the Imperial Guards hurriedly backed off.

"Don’t harm the Eighth Prince!" the Beili Emperor shouted, snapping out of his daze and rushing forward.

The Imperial Guards had just retracted their blades when a massive longsword swept out horizontally. The Eighth Prince was right in its path. With no time to think, an Imperial Guard tackled Sang Zhi, rolling them both out of the way.

CRASH!

The bluestone slab where they had just been standing instantly shattered, leaving a large crater in the ground.

Xiang Minghou was in a frenzy, completely unable to see who was before him. All he knew was that he had to kill the obstacle in his way.

"Stop! Stop at once!"

Dean Chen and Zhan Yi came rushing over.

"Du Zhong," the Beili Emperor called in a deep voice, relieved to see Sang Zhi was unharmed.

A black-clad figure shot into the fray. This was a duel between experts; the Imperial Guards couldn’t get involved at all.

Blades flashed and swords danced, moving too fast for the eye to follow. The clang of steel on steel rang out as sparks flew in all directions.

"Your Majesty, Xiang Minghou acted rashly on a momentary impulse. I beseech Your Majesty to forgive him." Zhan Yi turned and bowed to the Emperor.

"Forgive him? He was attempting regicide."

"Your Majesty, once he calms down, he will surely come to you to atone for his crime."

"Zhan Yi, there is no need to say more." The Beili Emperor would not allow a wild beast that could go mad at any moment to remain by his side.

Zhan Yi’s heart leaped in alarm. ’The Emperor’s attitude...’

’Xiang Minghou was far too reckless. To storm the Imperial Palace right after entering the Capital City... On the way here, Dean Chen and I saw so many dead and wounded Imperial Guards. He’s been absolutely ruthless.’

’There’s no way to smooth over a scene like this.’

’Ye Qianning is dead, her body still hasn’t been found, and Old Master Gu is comatose. If Xiang Minghou loses his life now too...’

’How devastated that child would be if she knew of this in the afterlife.’

SCHLICK!

"Eighth Prince...!"

Before anyone could react, they were jolted back to their senses by a sharp cry of alarm.

The Beili Emperor looked up to see the guard who had been protecting Sang Zhi lying on the ground in a pool of his own blood.

Sang Zhi stood with a dagger in his hand. Expressionlessly, he pulled the blade from the Imperial Guard’s body. His unnaturally red eyes scanned the crowd. "If you want to kill him, then I’ll kill you."

Dean Chen met his gaze. ’The Eighth Prince’s eyes... they’ve changed color. Can he see color now?’

"Eighth Prince," the Beili Emperor said gravely.

"Whoever tries to kill him, I’ll kill them," Sang Zhi said, his red eyes fixed on the Beili Emperor. His voice was hoarse and faintly sinister; even its pitch seemed to have changed.

Zhan Yi noticed how strange Sang Zhi had become. ’The Eighth Prince’s bone structure seems different, and he even looks a little taller... What happened to this child?’

"Your Majesty, a powerful surge of Inner Strength is running rampant through the Eighth Prince’s body."

"Inner Strength?"

"Yes, Your Majesty. Look at the Eighth Prince’s neck. His Inner Strength is highly unstable. You absolutely must not anger him right now. If he can’t suppress the Inner Strength, he will explode." Zhan Yi didn’t know where the Inner Strength had come from, but he was astounded that the boy had been infused with such power at his age and somehow endured the searing pain.

And what’s more, he’d managed to contain its aura. It was unbelievable.

The Beili Emperor looked at Sang Zhi’s neck and saw something surging under the skin, following his veins. The Emperor’s eyes darkened. ’Inner Strength... Who transferred so much Inner Strength to him?’

’And why have his eyes changed color? Did he give the secret within them to someone else?’

’Is that why they changed?’