Hearing their words, Xu Tiannan relaxed his brows, smiling faintly as he lifted his cup and took a light sip.
He said,
"Esteemed ministers, to be able to gather with you all here tonight is truly this palace's fortune. From now on, with everyone's joint efforts, my Sun and Moon Empire will surely grow even more prosperous and powerful."
"Your Highness is wise! We are willing to serve Your Highness like loyal hounds and horses, to charge through boiling cauldrons and raging flames without hesitation!"
The nobles and ministers rose to their feet in unison, raising their cups high, their voices booming through the grand hall.
The banquet grew ever more heated as cups clashed and laughter echoed.
Xu Tiannan gazed upon the scene with a swelling sense of pride. Ever since becoming Crown Prince, more and more officials and powerful cultivators had flocked under his banner each day, strengthening his faction.
His power and influence were expanding at a snowball's pace.
Though no Rank Nine Soul Engineer had yet pledged allegiance, Xu Tiannan was confident that day was not far off. After all, he was the future Emperor—who among the Rank Nines wouldn't want to establish ties early?
For a moment, Xu Tiannan felt intoxicated—not only by the wine but by the illusion of being the new sun of the Sun and Moon Empire, already seeing himself enthroned over the world.
It was inevitable. His entire path so far had been smooth sailing, without any setbacks.
Unlike in the original timeline, where he became crippled, confined to a wheelchair, stripped of his dignity as a man, and turned into a eunuch, this Xu Tiannan was whole, healthy, and only in his early twenties.
To have ascended to Crown Prince at such an age, with flattery and praise showered upon him daily—how could one not become proud and arrogant?
That Xu Tiannan could even maintain a semblance of dignity was already rare.
…
The banquet reached its midway point. The Crown Prince, flushed from drink and drowned in endless praise, was slightly tipsy.
Loosened by wine, his words and actions became more uninhibited.
Looking at the female musicians and dancers in the center of the hall, Xu Tiannan frowned. Their music and dancing had grown weary, lacking the freshness of earlier.
"Come!" he commanded.
"Change them out. Bring in a new group—keep playing, keep dancing for me!"
The ministers and nobles, already drunk, cheered loudly in approval. After all, the delicacies and wine from the Crown Prince's mansion were rare treasures.
At that moment, a strikingly beautiful noblewoman stood up. Though she appeared only around twenty-seven or twenty-eight, her cultivation had already reached the level of Soul Sage. Her face was flushed from drink as she said,
"Your Highness, this humble one is skilled in dance. Please allow me to perform for you."
A female Soul Sage dancing—the atmosphere instantly soared to its climax.
Wherever Soul Sages stood, they were regarded as elites. And for a young and beautiful female Soul Sage to willingly perform a dance—such a sight was rare beyond measure.
Her true intent, however, was obvious. Xu Tiannan still had no Crown Princess, and the position of Crown Princess could very well mean the future Empress.
Naturally, the woman's heart stirred with ambition.
Everyone's gazes were riveted on her performance.
Her body control as a Soul Sage far surpassed ordinary dancers—her flexibility, coordination, and grace unmatched. Every line of her figure was sculpted to near perfection by the baptism of seven soul rings.
Her dance was both delicate and sultry, subtle yet fiery.
The sway of her supple waist, the curves of her body, the alluring movements of her peach-shaped hips—all drew stares wide-eyed and unblinking. Some nobles even drooled quietly, unable to restrain themselves.
Xu Tiannan himself could not hide the heat in his eyes.
To be adored by countless people, to have beauties throwing themselves at him—the seat of the Crown Prince was indeed intoxicating. Being Crown Prince was leagues beyond his days as First Prince.
The banquet lasted several more hours before drawing to a close.
Half-drunken and swaying, Xu Tiannan declared,
"Everyone—half a month from now, this palace shall host a grand banquet at the Minghua Gardens. At that time, we shall gather and celebrate once more!"
Shortly after, he departed with the dancing Soul Sage woman to indulge in pleasures.
The nobles and ministers who witnessed this could not help but feel envy. After all, there were only a few hundred female Soul Sages across the entire Sun and Moon Empire. Excluding the elderly, the plain, and the married, the number of unmarried beauties of such caliber was vanishingly small.
…
While everyone basked in envy, a middle-aged man with yellow hair, inconspicuous among the crowd, muttered to himself:
"Half a month later, Minghua Gardens… If I recall correctly, that's located on the outskirts of Mingdu…
This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I must hurry and report to the Second Prince."
This man was Song Zhong, secretly an undercover agent serving Second Prince Xu Tianyu.
—
Late at night, a masked man entered Xu Tianyu's study.
Once inside, he removed his mask, revealing himself as Song Zhong.
He knelt on one knee and respectfully reported,
"Your Highness, in half a month, Xu Tiannan will travel to Minghua Gardens to host a banquet. I believe this is vital information."
Xu Tianyu's eyes lit up with delight. This was indeed the perfect chance. If Xu Tiannan were ambushed en route, he could be eliminated.
"Song Zhong, well done! This intelligence is invaluable. You will be richly rewarded."
Xu Tianyu retrieved a small wooden box from his storage-type soul tool and handed it to Song Zhong.
Song Zhong accepted it reverently.
"Thank you, Your Highness, for the reward."
"Return now and continue your cover under Xu Tiannan's command," Xu Tianyu ordered.
After Song Zhong left through the secret passage, Xu Tianyu remained alone in the study, his eyes glinting coldly with killing intent.
"Xu Tiannan… if you stayed confined within Mingdu, I truly would have no chance against you. But since you insist on courting death, I will grant your wish."
Without hesitation, he summoned his maternal relatives and the Wang Clan Patriarch, Wang Yan, to discuss how best to set an ambush along the road.
…
Half a month passed in the blink of an eye.
On the outskirts of Mingdu—Amid screams, five terrifyingly powerful figures charged toward the Crown Prince Xu Tiannan's carriage escort…