Chapter 1075: The Crown Princes

The Battle for the Throne had now reached its final stage. With the three Emperor seats officially determined, it meant that very soon, the Ancestral Court would likely welcome three new Emperors.

Holding one of these seats was no simple matter. It signified direct support from the Ancestral Court—help in cultivation, access to resources, and even aid in overcoming the tribulation on the path to ascension. Most importantly, it represented the Ancestral Court's formal recognition. No one could ascend without it. To do so would be to oppose the entire Ancestral Court and all of its Emperors, and the only outcome could be one's demise. The fall of that Human Emperor of old was solid proof.

This had been one of the most crucial rules since the founding of the Ancestral Court. From the very day it was established, the Emperors who created it swore an oath: Any power that stood outside the collective would be treated as an enemy and destroyed immediately. Anyone that wished to ascend had to become part of the collective.

Now, Tang San, Mei Gongzi, and Xu An'yu had earned that qualification. Although they had not yet officially ascended, they were no longer referred to as Great Demon Kings or whatever other title. They were now... the three Crown Princes. Their status was second only to the reigning Emperors.

The Blue Gold Tree clan, the Peacock Demon clan, and the dragon race would each gain a new Emperor. This was a momentous development for all three, one that would reshape the entire continent. The Peacock Demon clan and the Blue Gold Tree clan would regain their esteemed status; as for the dragon race... The day Xu An'yu officially became an Emperor would also mark the rise of a new Dragon Lord and Lord of Crystal City. Nothing else mattered.

Xu An'yu had long been preparing for this, laying foundations even before becoming an Emperor. And in his view, the most important move was forging strong ties with Jin Miaolin.

In recent days, everything the Blue Gold Tree clan had done—well, more accurately, everything Jin Miaolin had done—had drawn the attention of the continent's most powerful. Never mind their wealth; by this point, nobody could rob a single coin from them. The important part was their life energy that could transform the mundane into the miraculous, grant long life, and even bring back people from the brink of death!

Artifacts that others couldn't use, a Scourge Dragon no one could control... all of them had become his assets. What could be more shocking than that? Word had begun to spread among top powerhouses that Jin Miaolin might be a "junior Ancestral Tree" himself. If he ascended, he might even recreate the glory of the Ancestral Tree.

Among the common folk, the term "Amethystine Warrior" was a joke, a sign of popularity. But in the eyes of the strong, Jin Miaolin had not earned his Emperor Seat with money alone. At the core of his success was his incredible vision and tactical prowess, as well as that peerless life energy. It was this energy that allowed him to power divine artifacts and subdue all rivals. Even a domineering divine item like the Misfortune Pearl had rebounded against its owner because of it. The holy energy he had shown was of incredible rarity, and as for the creation-destruction combination that he had displayed together with the Scourge Dragon, that was something that had never appeared in the entire history. No one could yet predict how far those powers might develop in the future.

The greatest advantage of Tang San's high-level life energy was that it could even benefit Emperors directly. For the aging Emperors, that meant an extension of their lifespan. Thus, Tang San won the unanimous approval of the Council.

Inside the Ancestral Court, there were already discussions about the proceedings: If Jin Miaolin encountered difficulty during his tribulation, the Council would offer direct aid to ensure his successful ascension. Furthermore, they published the official details of the Blue Gold Tree clan's neutrality, namely that clan members at the tenth order or above would be sent to the main cities and other large cities to cultivate and gather life energy.

The moment this was announced, the Blue Gold Tree clan stood at the center of a storm, and Jin Miaolin's reputation received yet another boost.

For most spectators, the final ranking matches between the three Crown Princes no longer felt as important. After all, they had already secured their future. Who came first or last seemed trivial. Save for exceptional circumstances, all three would ascend eventually. And while Mei Gongzi and Xu An'yu had little direct impact on others' interests, Jin Miaolin was different.

Even Tang San hadn't anticipated how quickly his reputation would soar within the Ancestral Court; in fact, it was now rivaling that of the Emperors themselves. As a result, even the Blue Gold Tree clan's elders were being showered with attention.

At the White Tiger Hotel, the clan had received a flood of invitations from powerful clans and city representatives, all requesting to meet with representatives of the Blue Gold Tree clan. Some even submitted formal pledges, all with the same message: They welcomed Blue Gold Tree envoys and would guarantee their safety, sparing no effort in supporting them as they cultivated life energy in their cities.

Now, when Blue Gold Tree clan elders walked the streets, they held their heads high. Their clan was no longer a bunch of weaklings pushed around by others, but a growing power—just like the Celestial Fox clan, in fact. It went to show that while combat power was certainly a good thing to have, even those without it could become well respected.

Tang San, however, didn't concern himself with any of this. After the matches ended, he returned straight to his room and resumed closed-door cultivation. His mindset remained stable, unaffected by whatever was going on around him.

Even the Blue Gold Tree elders believed there was no need for him to compete further. Why risk anything? Whether it was Mei Gongzi's fearsome Asura Sword or Xu An'yu's Radiant Dragon might, both were dangerous adversaries. A third-place finish was more than enough.

Because the top three had already been determined, when the next day's matches arrived, the tournament's popularity had clearly declined. Many speculated the competition might end that very day. Perhaps someone would concede, or perhaps both matches would be resolved through negotiation. There might not be any more fights at all.

And so, under this atmosphere, Tang San, Mei Gongzi, and Xu An'yu once again arrived at the battlefield.

The pavilions in the competitors' rest area had been outright demolished and the six original thrones had been replaced by three. The seats themselves had become even more resplendent; they were made of a golden metal and decorated with precious stones that glimmered under the sunlight.

As the three contestants approached their seats, the crowd erupted into thunderous cheers.

"Crown Princes! Crown Princes! Crown Princes!"

After two shocking deaths, the Ancestral Court was about to welcome new Emperors again. That fact would have a profound impact on the entire continent, but especially the dragon race, the Peacock Demon clan, and the Blue Gold Tree clan.

Mei Gongzi sat in the first seat, Tang San in the second, Xu An'yu in the third. These were the rankings, at least for now.

Mei Gongzi didn't have a match, but she was still here. After all, her final opponent would be the victor between Tang San and Xu An'yu.