By imperial decree, His Majesty summons Crown Prince Xu Tiannan to the palace immediately. No delay permitted. Thus decreed!
Inside the study, Xu Tiannan felt as if struck by lightning. His mind exploded, his vision blurred, and his ears rang.
He stared blankly at the floor, suffocated beneath a tide of despair.
It's over… The rumors have reached Father Emperor's ears. If I enter the palace now, he will surely question me about whether I can still perform as a man. What should I do? What can I do?!
He felt like prey forced to the edge of an abyss by a monstrous beast—one step further, and he would plummet to his doom, shattered beyond recovery.
Outside the Crown Prince's residence, Shen Lang, a Court Enforcer, frowned when Xu Tiannan failed to emerge after a long while.
The Crown Prince hasn't come out… That means the rumors may not be false. Otherwise, he would have rushed to the palace already to clear his name.
Since Xu Tiannan remained silent, Shen Lang's figure flickered, and he entered the study directly.
He bore the Emperor's command; whatever the Crown Prince's response, he had to bring him before His Majesty.
Seeing Shen Lang, Xu Tiannan forced a smile and immediately tried to stall.
"Enforcer Shen, I am gravely injured. My body is too weak to move freely—that is why I have delayed. If I appear before Father Emperor in such a state, he will surely be displeased. I beg you, inform His Majesty that I will enter the palace three days later, once I have recovered."
It was his only option now: to buy time and hope to find a way out in the coming days.
Shen Lang's voice was flat:
"Your Highness, His Majesty's decree was clear—you must enter the palace immediately. Or is the Crown Prince intending to defy imperial orders?"
The words defy orders wiped the forced smile off Xu Tiannan's face.
Gritting his teeth, he thought,
Shen Lang, you dare press me with Father's decree? Mark my words—if I ascend the throne one day, I will repay today's humiliation tenfold.
Still, he said with a stiff smile,
"How could I dare defy Father Emperor's will? But my legs are crippled, and I can only sit in a soul tool wheelchair. I must trouble Enforcer Shen to escort me to the palace."
In the Mingde Hall of the imperial palace.
Emperor Xu Jing sat upon the dragon throne, his face dark.
The Crown Prince—a eunuch? The rumor was blazing across all of Mingdu.
If it were true, the Sun Moon Empire would become the laughingstock of the world. It was a humiliation to the royal family itself.
In that case, Xu Tiannan's title as Crown Prince must be abolished.
Fortunately, Xu Jing had discovered it early. If Xu Tiannan had managed to conceal this until he actually ascended the throne, then a eunuch would sit as emperor of the Sun Moon Empire—unthinkable!
Worse, if he could not sire heirs and relied on another's seed, the imperial bloodline itself might be severed.
At that thought, Xu Jing's face grew even darker.
He resolved then and there: whether the rumor was true or not, he would appoint a new Crown Prince.
He had no shortage of sons.
Moments later, a servant outside announced,
"Your Majesty, the Crown Prince has arrived."
"Let him in," Xu Jing said coldly.
The great doors creaked open. Xu Tiannan, seated in his soul tool wheelchair, gazed up at his father and asked, feigning ignorance,
"Your son greets Father Emperor. May I ask, for what purpose have you summoned me?"
Xu Jing had no patience for pleasantries. As the supreme ruler of the Sun Moon Empire, he did whatever he wished—apart from Elder Kong Deming, he need not consider anyone else's opinion.
"Guards! Give the Crown Prince a full examination. I will see with my own eyes whether the rumor is true—whether the Crown Prince has truly lost the ability to father children!"
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
Two attendants stepped forth from behind the throne. Their faces were pale and effeminate, their aura oppressive.
Xu Tiannan's soul nearly fled his body at those words. He had assumed Father Emperor would merely ask questions, but this—this was a forced inspection!
Once his trousers were pulled down, everything would be exposed. His secret would be laid bare. His Crown Prince's title would be stripped away without doubt.
He immediately tried to argue:
"Father Emperor, why do you humiliate your son so? I am the Crown Prince—the heir to the Sun Moon Empire. If you treat me thus, where lies the dignity of the Crown Prince? How can I command respect in the future?"
Xu Jing needed no more proof. If Xu Tiannan were innocent, he would simply allow the examination, and the rumor would collapse. That he resorted to arguing only confirmed the truth: he truly lacked what made a man.
With a wave of his hand, Xu Jing ordered the two attendants to proceed.
They obeyed without hesitation. Like phantoms, they appeared behind Xu Tiannan—one pinning his arms, the other reaching to strip his trousers.
As the attendants' hands drew near, Xu Tiannan completely broke down.
"No, no, don't!!"
Seven soul rings rose around his body—yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, black, black. He struggled desperately.
But no matter how violently he fought, the two attendants remained immovable. Their soul power clung to their bodies like solidified force, restraining Xu Tiannan utterly.
These men were far above him in cultivation. Solidified soul power was the hallmark of a Titled Douluo.
Indeed, the two were no ordinary attendants. They were Xu Jing's closest confidants—Court Enforcers tasked with guarding the Emperor himself.
Only the Emperor of the Sun Moon Empire could afford two Titled Douluo as personal guards.
Annoyed by Xu Tiannan's shouting, Xu Jing said coldly:
"Silence him. I don't want to hear another word."
The attendant pinning his arms sent violent soul power surging into Xu Tiannan's body, forcing his soul power back into his dantian and sealing it completely.
Then, from his storage soul tool, he produced a towel and stuffed it into Xu Tiannan's mouth, gagging him.