"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.
