Terror filled Su Xihua's eyes, and he scrambled to his feet, bolting out of the bamboo fence with an urgency bordering on desperation.
Boom!
The golden-red flames erupted like a roaring fire-breathing lion, racing forward at a breakneck pace, instantly consuming Su Xihua's body.
Seventh Yan soared through the air, emitting a furious roar before transforming into a luminous golden column that shot directly into the slightly raised right palm of His Highness the Crown Prince.
"Ah Hua!" Mo Xikang finally reacted and dashed out of the enclosure.
Moments later, he returned, bearing Charcoal, whose head drooped, and whose body was scorched.
Rage blazed in his eyes as he clutched his brother's lifeless form, his voice shaking with anger. "Crown Prince!"
"If I wish to end his life, who would dare to thwart me!" Crown Prince Mo's cold gaze swept over, and he declared to Mo Xikang with icy resolve, "It's your dispute to resolve with me!"
"Your brother's fate was sealed by my hand."
"The person I've marked for death will not see the light of tomorrow's dawn!"
The onlookers' hearts constricted, and they instinctively took a step back.
This sentiment held especially true for those who had initially come to witness the spectacle. At this moment, they fervently wished they could give themselves a resounding slap in the face.
Why had they chosen to attend this event, courting disaster unknowingly?
Now, with the Divine Province's Crown Prince and the Zheng Prince locked in a bitter dispute and the brothers on the brink of confrontation, it was clear that the Crown Prince's fury might not remain contained and could soon spill over to affect the crowd.
"Be your Zheng Prince." Mo Lian spoke these words, lifting Qiao Mu, who had bowed her head in silence, and promptly departed.
After walking a few steps, he suddenly halted, wheeling around to fix Mentor Ma and the others, who stood by the door, with a fierce glare, their shock evident in their expressions.
"Cancel my leave!" he demanded.
"Alright, alright, I'll cancel my leave! I'll do it right away!" Mentor Ma responded hastily, wis.h.i.+ng he could give himself a resounding slap on the face.
Was this the conduct befitting a mentor toward a student? He couldn't bear the thought of appearing like such an obsequious bootlicker.
Holy Son Miyan, hovering on the brink of fury and exasperation, sensed for the umpteenth time that his words were utterly impotent in the presence of Mo Lian and Qiao Mu.
This couple was entirely indifferent to his authority.
A young priest standing behind him meekly chimed in, "Your Excellency Holy Son, perhaps, in this matter, it might be best to, well, just observe and not interfere…"
The young priest faltered, unable to complete his thought, as he wanted to suggest a more subtle approach.
However, Holy Son Miyan swiftly spun around and delivered a resounding smack to the young priest's head, letting out an infuriated growl. "Silence!"
The young priest suppressed his sobs and concealed his inner tears. He found his predicament profoundly pitiful. He had meant to caution the Holy Son against further missteps, but his well-intentioned words had led to this unpleasant consequence.
Holy Son Miyan departed hastily. His primary motivation was the intense embarra.s.sment he felt at being scrutinized in this manner.
As for Zheng Prince Mo Xikang, he lowered his head and regarded his gravely wounded younger brother, whose life appeared to be hanging by a thread. His face had drained of color, and the parting words of Mo Lian echoed incessantly in his mind.
"Be your Zheng Prince."
"Be your Zheng Prince…"
The threat in his words was so strong that it was about to spew out!
Mo Xikang clenched his fists and his breathing quickened.