At the same time, in the residence of the Second Prince, Xu Tianyu.
Inside a highly concealed secret chamber, Xu Tianyu sat in the main seat with a grave expression, looking at the three powerful figures sitting below him. He said solemnly,
"Grandfather, Uncle, Elder Wang, I have invited you here today to discuss our next move."
The maternal family of the Second Prince Xu Tianyu was extremely powerful. His maternal grandfather, Song Zhan, and his uncle, Song Peng, were both formidable Soul Douluo-level experts.
This was precisely why Wang Yan had chosen the Second Prince as the target to bet on.
Song Zhan, the Second Prince's grandfather, spoke slowly, "Now that Xu Tiannan has become the Crown Prince, a large number of opportunists will inevitably join his ranks. From now on, with each passing day, his influence will only grow stronger."
Song Peng, the Second Prince's uncle, wore a gloomy expression and said nothing.
The rise of the Song family had begun only because his younger sister had become the favored concubine of the Emperor.
If not for that, the Song family—whose martial souls were not particularly powerful—would never have had the resources to cultivate two Soul Douluo-level experts.
It was precisely because of this familial tie that the Song family had become the staunchest supporters of the Second Prince, Xu Tianyu.
In truth, as long as they could help Xu Tianyu ascend the throne, the Song family was guaranteed an enormous reward.
They would then be able to nurture a Title Douluo-level expert and a rank-nine Soul Engineer, becoming a top-tier family like the Hongchen Clan.
From then on, their fate would be tied to that of the Empire itself—so long as they did not rebel, they would stand unshaken, transforming from mere chess pieces into players qualified to command the board.
In the Sun Moon Empire, only a rank-nine Soul Engineer counted as a true high-ranking figure—a strategic-level powerhouse. Those below rank nine were all pawns to be manipulated.
As a middle-aged man, Song Peng lacked the experience of his father, Song Zhan, and Wang Yan. Thus, upon hearing that Xu Tiannan had become Crown Prince, he felt immense pressure and anxiety.
He knew very well that if Xu Tianyu failed to claim the throne, the Song family's fate would be utterly tragic.
While Song Peng was burdened with such heavy pressure and remained silent—
Wang Yan spoke to the Second Prince Xu Tianyu:
"Your Highness, at this moment, you must act decisively. The longer you delay, the stronger Xu Tiannan's influence will grow, and the harder it will be to turn the tables."
The Second Prince turned to look at Wang Yan, only to find that his eyes were so cold and emotionless that Xu Tianyu couldn't help feeling a chill of fear.
At that moment, Song Zhan stroked his beard and said in agreement,
"Indeed, Elder Wang speaks the truth. We cannot delay. We must eliminate Xu Tiannan before he truly matures.
Otherwise, when the Emperor's health declines and he appoints the Crown Prince to oversee the government, there will be no chance left.
Once the Crown Prince begins to govern, Xu Tiannan will practically be half an emperor. Even rank-nine Soul Engineers will have to obey his commands. By then, we will be nothing but fish on the chopping block, waiting to be carved apart."
Hearing his grandfather's words, the sense of crisis in Xu Tianyu's heart grew stronger.
He immediately said, "Grandfather, Elder Wang, what should we do then?"
Song Zhan and Wang Yan—two old men who already had half a foot in the grave—exchanged glances. They both understood the thought in the other's mind.
Song Zhan spoke first. "Elder Wang, allow me."
His tone turned cold and sharp. "The living Xu Tiannan is the Crown Prince. The dead one is not."
The moment those words were spoken, the Second Prince Xu Tianyu broke out in a cold sweat, his scalp tingling in horror.
His grandfather's meaning was clear—he was suggesting assassinating Xu Tiannan!
He knew well that assassination was the greatest taboo in any struggle for power. If it failed, the backlash would be catastrophic.
And to assassinate the Crown Prince—nothing could be more dangerous.
If they failed, Xu Tianyu wouldn't even need to wait until Xu Tiannan became regent or ascended the throne. His father, the Emperor, would personally have him executed.
Hearing his father's words, Song Peng, who had been silent until now, was so frightened that he couldn't help but curse,
"Father, are you insane? Assassinating the Crown Prince—this is treason! If it fails, our entire family will be executed!"
Song Zhan looked at his panicked son with obvious disdain and snorted coldly.
"Such fuss over nothing! Didn't His Majesty kill his own elder brother to ascend the throne?
"As long as the job succeeds, who will care?
"If we conceal our identities and eliminate all evidence—leave no witnesses, only corpses—and find a few scapegoats, everything will be fine.
"Do you really think His Majesty would execute Yu'er for killing a dead Xu Tiannan?"
Hearing his father's words, Song Peng couldn't help recalling the rise of the current Emperor, Xu Jing.
During the Bloody Night, Xu Jing had slaughtered the imperial palace until rivers of blood flowed. The former emperor, his children, the concubines, and the loyal courtiers—all were wiped out without exception.
The stench of blood had lingered for three months.
Seeing the hesitation in Xu Tianyu's eyes, Wang Yan added from the side,
"Your Highness, the choice lies entirely with you. If you disagree, we will think of another way."
Xu Tianyu's brows furrowed tightly. He closed his eyes in painful contemplation.
For a long time, the secret chamber was utterly silent—only the sound of their breathing could be heard.
Time ticked by, and after half an hour, Xu Tianyu finally opened his eyes. Bloodshot and ferocious, they gleamed with ruthless resolve.
"I've decided. Kill him! Once we succeed, I'll be the new Crown Prince of the Sun Moon Empire.
"If we fail, it's only death. Xu Tiannan won't spare me anyway—whether I die now or later, what's the difference?"
After making this decision, the Second Prince Xu Tianyu underwent a shocking transformation.
His spirit, his energy, and even his aura rose dramatically.
Seeing this newfound determination, Wang Yan, Song Zhan, and Song Peng—the three Soul Douluo-level experts—immediately bowed and said,
"Your Highness, we shall not fail you!"
At the same time.
At the headquarters of the Ordinary Alliance.
Wang Chen sat in his office, wearing a black robe and a mask, quietly studying the latest intelligence from Mingdu.
Looking at the report about Xu Tiannan becoming Crown Prince, Wang Chen spoke softly to himself,
"The curtain has been drawn. The assassination of Xu Tiannan should not be far off now."
His gaze was deep, his aura chilling. Six pitch-black soul rings rose and circled around his body.
He had prepared long and hard for this day.
Over the past three years, his cultivation had advanced by leaps and bounds. He was now a six-ring Soul Emperor.
Even so, the main reason he hadn't advanced further was that after reaching level fifty, each level required exponentially more soul power.
In just three years, he had advanced thirty levels—a feat that would sound utterly unbelievable to others, who would surely dismiss it as boasting.
Aside from his tremendous increase in soul power, Wang Chen's spiritual power had also grown immensely. It had now reached the level of a Soul Douluo.
Moreover, he had successfully mastered the combat technique Dominating the World, greatly enhancing his fighting strength.
And not only had his personal power grown—his influence had as well.
After concealing his true identity, he had joined the Ordinary Alliance, and by now, he had become one of its senior members.