Chapter 1269: Irreconcilable Enemies

Consort Qin was so enraged by the sight that her chest heaved violently.

Tian Chen put down the weapon and let out a low sigh. "Mother, over the years, I've followed your wishes in almost everything. Can you listen to me just this one?"

Consort Qin had initially intended to explode in anger, but on second thought, she realized that her fury would do no good in this situation. Taking a deep breath, she suppressed the fire in her heart, sat down, and coldly replied, "Listen to you? And let you walk into your own ruin?"

Tian Chen firmly replied, "Mother, do you really think I'm a fool?"

Consort Qin stared at him and asked, "What do you mean by that?"

"Mother, though I haven't spent much time with Brother Ye, all signs suggest he's not an ordinary person," Tian Chen earnestly said, "Think about it, I'm a prince of the Heavenly Tomb Empire.

"Ordinary people, when interacting with me, are either obsequious or full of reverence, but he doesn't care about my status at all, and it's not a mere act.

"What does that mean? It means he has seen much greater things. In his eyes, my position isn't something to admire or be proud of..."

Consort Qin's face remained grim, but she said nothing.

Tian Chen continued, "Moreover, just like last time, everyone is watching me. If I, out of fear of the Genesis Daoist Temple, strike him down to save myself, how will the people see me?

"They'll think of me as a cowardly and ungrateful individual. They'll think I'm a man who repays kindness with betrayal. They'll think that I'm willing to kill my own friend for the sake of profit.

"Mother, if that happens, not only will outsiders look down on me, but even our own people will hold me in contempt.

"And Mother, I genuinely don't want to betray a friend. If I were to commit such an act today, I wouldn't be myself anymore.

"Once a person goes against their principles, it won't stop with just that one time. Today, I might betray a friend for profit, and in the future, I can betray my own mother for the same reason."

Consort Qin stared at her son for a long time, but the anger in her heart was starting to disappear.

"Mother, I understand your concerns. If Brother joins forces with the Genesis Daoist Temple, I will indeed be in a difficult position. However, if I were to sacrifice Brother Ye to ensure my own safety, I would earn the scorn of everyone.

"The citizens of the Heavenly Tomb Empire would never accept a prince, who has betrayed his friends for personal gains, as their emperor."

Consort Qin remained silent for a long time before slowly standing up. "Take me to see him. I want to meet the young man who has earned such a high approval from you."

Tian Chen heaved a sigh of relief at that, and the two of them left the palace.

At Tian Chen's palace, Ye Guan and Fan Shan were sitting on the stone steps leading to the palace's hall. Fan Shan was leaning against him, gazing at the distant Gu Fa and the others.

"Ye Guan, can you beat them?" she asked.

Ye Guan casually replied, "It'll probably just take one sword strike."

Fan Shan's eyes widened in astonishment. "Just one sword strike?"

"Yes," Ye Guan replied, nodding.

Fan Shan gave him a big thumbs-up. "Ye Guan, you're truly amazing!"

Ye Guan chuckled heartily.

"How bold!" A guard standing beside Gu Fa stepped forward and said, "How about a little sparring match?"

Ye Guan looked at the guard.

"Step back!" Gu Fa shouted.

The guard retorted angrily, "He has disrespected us."

Gu Fa glared coldly at the guard, who bowed respectfully and retreated.

Gu Fa turned to Ye Guan and cupped his fists, saying, "Young Master Ye, my subordinate was being inconsiderate, please forgive him."

He wasn't sure who the person in front of him was, but the fact that the Genesis Daoist Temple had issued a bounty for him proved that he was definitely not an ordinary person.

Moreover, whether he was an enemy or an ally was still unclear.

Why provoke him when it was unnecessary?

Just then, Tian Chen and a beautiful lady in palace robes walked into the estate.

The faces of Gu Fa and the others changed slightly upon seeing the two, and they quickly bowed respectfully. "We greet the Consort and His Highness."

Consort Qin nodded and then looked at Ye Guan and Fan Shan, who were sitting nearby.

Ye Guan stood up, holding Fan Shan's hand, and walked toward Consort Qin and Tian Chen.

"Greetings, Your Majesty,"

Fan Shan also smiled slightly. "Greetings, Your Majesty."

Consort Qin examined Ye Guan and was a bit surprised. The young man was neither humble nor arrogant, exuding confidence and composure. It was a rare sight. His demeanor alone suggested that he wasn't an ordinary person.

After thinking for a moment, Consort Qin asked, "Would you mind telling me what grievance you have with the Genesis Daoist Temple?"

Ye Guan coldly replied, "We are irreconcilable enemies. I know this can cause trouble for Brother Chen, so we're going to leave now."

Consort Qin shook her head. "You can't leave right now. The First Prince's men are already outside. If you try to leave, they'll capture you and deliver you to the Genesis Daoist Temple."

Ye Guan glanced at the gates and then said, "I don't think they can stop me, though."

"But if you kill them, you'll alert the strongest experts of the Heavenly Tomb Empire, and you'll become their sworn enemy."

Ye Guan thought for a moment and nodded. "That would indeed cause some trouble."

"Some trouble..." Consort Qin's eyebrows twitched. She looked at Ye Guan, a bit surprised. She had to admit that the young man was indeed extraordinary. Her son's words sounded a bit grounded now.

Ye Guan was definitely being cultivated by an extraordinary force.

Thinking this over, Consort Qin considered her options and suggested, "How about this? We will try to find a way to send you out of the Heavenly Tomb Empire.

"However, I must be honest with you, we can't help you fight against the Genesis Daoist Temple. Once you leave the Heavenly Tomb Empire, everything will be up to you."

Ye Guan said solemnly, "That will implicate you..."

Although his cultivation base had yet to fully recover, he had cultivated anew, cultivating strength far beyond that of ordinary cultivators. At least, those "strong" experts outside were no more than mere chickens to him.

Consort Qin glanced at Tian Chen and said, "There's no choice. My son is stubborn. According to my plan, we should have captured you first and delivered you to the Genesis Daoist Temple to build a good relationship with them.

"However, this fool actually put a blade to his neck and said that if I did that, he would end the family line. It nearly drove me crazy."

Ye Guan looked at Tian Chen, stunned.

"Hahaha." Tian Chen chuckled. "Mother, don't be mad. I was just joking, just joking!"

Tian Chen then looked at Ye Guan and said seriously, "Brother Ye, I know your strength is formidable, but as my mother mentioned, if you kill the people outside, stronger ones will immediately come after you, and the situation will become very messy.

"It's better if we just help you leave!"

Ye Guan thought for a moment and nodded. "Alright."

He truly didn't want to cause any conflict with the Heavenly Tomb Empire.

Consort Qin said, "Follow me."

With that, she led Ye Guan, Tian Chen, and the others into the grand hall. She glanced at the sky, her brows furrowing slightly. "They've surrounded us from above. If you act now, it will definitely alert them..."

Ye Guan suddenly said, "I have a way, but I need your help."

Consort Qin looked at Ye Guan.

Ye Guan opened his palm, and the tiny pagoda appeared in his hand. "I, along with Fan Shan, will enter the pagoda. You can carry this pagoda and take me out. They won't be able to detect it."

Consort Qin looked at the tiny pagoda. "Are you sure?"

Ye Guan nodded. "Yes."

"All right," Consort Qin said.

Ye Guan turned to Fan Shan and said, "Let's go into the pagoda."

With that, he pulled her into the tiny pagoda.

Tian Chen accepted the tiny pagoda and said, "Mother, you have a special status. Leaving the city will surely attract attention. It's better if I take it with me instead."

Consort Qin thought for a moment and then nodded. "Alright, but be careful."

Tian Chen smiled and reassured her, "I will be."

With that, he put away the tiny pagoda and walked outside.

Although the people outside were monitoring Ye Guan and Fan Shan, they didn't pay any attention to Tian Chen. They dared not stop him, as he was a prince with great power.

Unless there were an edict from the emperor, no one would dare to touch a prince.

Tian Chen didn't leave the city. Instead, he took a stroll around the city before leaving. After leaving the city, Tian Chen appeared in the starry skies above the empire.

He was planning to send Ye Guan to another universe region.

However, he didn't get very far when a voice suddenly echoed from behind him. "Ninth Brother, where are you going?"

Tian Chen immediately frowned. He turned around and saw the First Prince, Tian Xing, walking toward him with Prime Minister Ji.

Seeing the Prime Minister Ji, Tian Chen's face darkened.

Something was wrong. It seemed that there was an information leak from a traitor.

Tian Xing smiled and asked, "Ninth Brother, why do you look a little off?"

Tian Chen looked at Tian Xing and calmly asked, "Do you need something?"

Tian Xing said, "Nothing, I'm just asking."

Tian Chen indifferently said, "If there's nothing, then I'm leaving."

He turned around to leave, but an aura suddenly locked onto him.

Tian Chen looked at Tian Xing and smiled. "Eldest Brother, are you challenging me to a duel?"

Tian Xing shook his head. "I wouldn't dare to. After all, you were born with the ancestral dragon energy. Who could possibly be a match for you?"

Under normal circumstances, the position of Crown Prince of the Heavenly Tomb Empire was supposed to naturally go to Tian Xing, as he was the oldest legitimate son, so he ought to be the most rightful heir.

However, Tian Chen emerged out of nowhere, and he was harboring the ancestral dragon energy, a solid sign of extraordinary talent.

Among the princes, he had the highest aptitude for cultivation. At such a young age, he was already a Supreme Ancestor Realm expert—a feat unprecedented in the history of the empire.

The last person born with ancestral dragon energy was none other than Emperor Tian Zhao, the founding emperor of the Heavenly Tomb Empire. Thus, the position of Crown Prince was still undecided.

Tian Chen said, "If you're not going to fight, then I'm leaving."

With that, he turned around to leave once again.

Rumble!

A powerful aura rushed toward them from the depths of the starry skies.

Tian Xing smiled. "Ninth Brother, I'm afraid you can't leave. The experts from the Genesis Daoist Temple are here."