Strongest War Emperor

The day after Shen Lang seized the Demon Seal, the great battle on Cangxia Mountain was still raging.

Within the Imperial City of the Imperial Capital, the Third Prince was meditating in his hall with his eyes closed.

Within a faint, shimmering barrier, Netherworld Qi, as if from Hell itself, completely enveloped the Third Prince.

Sinister winds howled around him, a thousand souls wailed in the night, and a Demon Chaos Dance blurred the lines of Yin and Yang. The scene was just like the Asura Hell.

The Third Prince’s eyes snapped open, and he flicked his index fingers several times in quick succession!

POP! POP! POP!

Several sharp streaks of Finger Wind struck the light barrier with incredible speed, causing it to tremble violently.

Sweat dripped from the Third Prince’s forehead, and a look of dejection filled his eyes as he muttered, ’The Silent Extinction Netherworld Finger truly is a Demon Technique of Supreme Yin and ultimate evil. I can only make significant progress in its Cultivation by training in a place with dense Netherworld Qi.’

’In my current state, even if I risked my body exploding from the Netherworld Qi and pushed this technique to its absolute limit, I probably still couldn’t kill Shen Lang... Why! Why is it that even when I use all my strength, and with the help of an Elemental Power Fragment, I’m still so far behind him?’

A look of savage fury filled the Third Prince’s eyes. He threw a punch in uncontrollable rage, making the light barrier tremble violently.

After a short while, the savage look in the Third Prince’s eyes receded like a tide, and his expression became as tranquil as still water once more.

’According to Master Zhulong, the chances of finding an Elemental Power Fragment in the Yumu Cave Blessed Land are extremely high... If I can really find one inside and present it to Master Zhulong, I can at least beg him to let me practice my Cultivation beside it for another year and a half!’

’If I can spend a year practicing my Cultivation beside an Elemental Power Fragment like last time, I can definitely seize this chance and raise my Cultivation to the King Martial Realm Sixth Heaven or beyond!’

’By then, with my Silent Extinction Netherworld Finger, I’ll definitely be able to annihilate Shen Lang!’

The Third Prince waved his hand, dismissing the protective Barrier. He then picked up a glass of blood-red wine from the table and took a small sip.

’I heard from those secretive types that Taotie’s people have also started making a play for the Yumu Cave Blessed Land. Taotie and Master Zhulong are mortal enemies, so their goal probably isn’t the Elemental Power Fragment, but to go after Master Zhulong’s followers.’

’My current identity as a Prince of the Purple Chu Country means I don’t have to worry about them noticing me. Even if I can’t find an Elemental Power Fragment, if I can secretly help Master Zhulong’s subordinates and earn some merit, I’ll still have a chance to get near an Elemental Power Fragment again!’

At this thought, the Third Prince’s expression softened, and his tightly furrowed brow relaxed.

Just then, the Third Prince’s expression twitched. A hint of disgust flickered in his eyes as he said flatly, ”Let her in.”

The doors to the hall immediately creaked open, and in walked Shui Ningxin, the same woman who had relentlessly taunted Shen Lang on Cangxia Mountain.

”Third Prince, are you still cultivating?”

Shui Ningxin said, a little shyly.

Her gentle demeanor was a world apart from how she had acted when facing Shen Lang just the other day.

The Third Prince set down his wine glass, shot Shui Ningxin an indifferent glance, and said, ”Xin’Er, aren’t you supposed to be at the tournament on Cangxia Mountain? Why have you come running to me?”

Shui Ningxin threw her hands up in a huff. ”Don’t even ask! Yesterday on the summit of Cangxia Mountain, I tore into that guy named Shen Lang, and my cousin knocked me unconscious and confined me!”

”That bastard is a real piece of trash, daring to oppose you, Third Prince!”

”Hmph! Some nobody from a minor family in the middle of nowhere dares to be so arrogant and domineering. It’s outrageous! Too bad I’m not strong enough, or I would’ve killed him long ago!”

The Third Prince’s eyes flickered, and he smiled. ”So it was Shui Qingwu who confined you? Does that mean you snuck out?”

Shui Ningxin grinned. ”That’s right... They’re all busy with the situation on Cangxia Mountain. How could they possibly keep me confined? I just used a little trick to sneak out and see you, my Prince.”

The Third Prince’s gaze swept coolly over Shui Ningxin as he said slowly, ”Xin’Er, do you like me? Are you willing to do anything for me?”

Shui Ningxin never imagined the Third Prince would be so direct. She froze for a moment, her face instantly flushing pink. ”I... I...”

Although she didn’t answer, the adoring look in her eyes said everything.

The Third Prince continued to ask, ”If you like me, are you willing to help me deal with Shen Lang?”

Shui Ningxin had been so shy she’d kept her head bowed, not daring to look at the Third Prince. But at his words, she snapped her head up and declared, ”I am willing! I’ll do anything for you, my Prince!”

”Rest assured, my Prince. I will help you deal with Shen Lang. I absolutely will not let that bastard live!”

”Is that so? How wonderful. However...” The Third Prince smirked sinisterly. ”You don’t have to wait. You can help me right now.”

”Hm?” A chill ran down Shui Ningxin’s spine; she didn’t understand what the Third Prince meant.

She then saw the Third Prince slowly raise his right hand as an aura of Supreme Yin and bone-chilling cold began to coalesce in his palm.

Under the influence of this aura, the temperature in the entire hall seemed to plummet.

”My Prince, what are you doing...?” A sudden, inexplicable fear washed over Shui Ningxin.

But her trust in the Third Prince was so absolute that she didn’t entertain any other thoughts, nor did she feel any suspicion.

”It’s nothing. I’m just letting you fulfill your promise, Xin’Er,” the Third Prince chuckled, then flicked his finger!

POP!

A sharp bolt of Finger Wind flashed out, piercing through Shui Ningxin’s forehead in an instant!

Shui Ningxin, still basking in her happiness, had never imagined that the Third Prince would actually attack her.

And with that one move, he had killed her!

Shui Ningxin’s eyes flew wide, the life within them vanishing in an instant as she collapsed heavily backward onto the floor.

Then, the Third Prince grinned viciously. He spread his fingers toward Shui Ningxin’s corpse and made a sudden grasping motion!

A wisp of black mist was pulled from Shui Ningxin’s corpse. It took on her appearance and was seized by the Third Prince’s telekinetic grasp!

”Ugh... ugh...”

Shui Ningxin’s soul was easily seized by the Third Prince. It struggled desperately, its hands clawing at its own throat.

It was as if an invisible hand were squeezing its neck.

”Xin’Er, didn’t you just say you would help me deal with Shen Lang? Don’t struggle. Don’t resist. Let me absorb your soul... My Cultivation of the Silent Extinction Netherworld Finger needs to be replenished with precisely this kind of pure soul power...”

”Only when my Silent Extinction Netherworld Finger reaches the Great Success Realm can I finally kill Shen Lang... Hahahaha!”

The Third Prince cackled madly as a powerful suction force from his right palm pulled Shui Ningxin’s soul right in front of him.

”Ugh! Ugh!”

Shui Ningxin’s soul continued to struggle, its eyes filled with sorrow and despair.

Even now, she couldn’t believe this was happening.

How could the Prince who had always cherished her, who she had adored, possibly kill her and even try to perform Soul Extraction and Refining on her!

”Xin’Er, believe me, I truly want you to help me... Didn’t you just say you liked me and would do anything for me?” The Third Prince’s voice was ice-cold. ”Stop resisting. A willing soul is far more beneficial to me than one I have to devour by force, you see!”

The consciousness of Shui Ningxin’s soul was fading, but it still writhed and struggled with all its might.

The smile on the Third Prince’s face slowly faded. ”Hmph. You women are all worthless. You’ll go back on your word in a heartbeat... Fine. Whether you’re willing or not no longer matters. Since things have already reached this point, you should just accept your fate!”

”I’m going to devour your soul now... Don’t blame me. You’re the one who said you’d do anything for me.”

The power in the Third Prince’s right hand suddenly surged several times over, violently pulling Shui Ningxin’s soul toward him!

Just then...

A flash of pain appeared in the Third Prince’s eyes. The power in his hand had just surged, but it immediately and completely dissipated!

And at that same moment, his left hand shot out, seized his right wrist, and wrenched it back!

”Xin’Er, go! Go now!”

the Third Prince bellowed hysterically.

Shui Ningxin’s soul stared blankly at the scene, cowering and trembling in a corner.

”Go!”

The Third Prince’s left hand desperately gripped his right. His body writhed as he threw his head back and let out a wild roar!

It was as if two souls were inside the Third Prince’s body, fighting for control.

Hearing that wild roar, filled with despair and grief, Shui Ningxin’s form trembled. She finally snapped out of it and, with a sob, transformed into a cloud of black mist and shot out through the main doors!

Back in the hall, the Third Prince collapsed onto his chair, eyes shut tight, his left hand still locked in a death grip on his right.

More than half an hour passed before the Third Prince’s left hand finally loosened its grip and he opened his eyes.

’Tantai Lanshan, oh, Tantai Lanshan, you really are a romantic fool. To think you’d fight me to the death over an arrogant, domineering little brat?’

’Did you really think your feeble power could contend with me, Xu Daolin?’

’If I didn’t need to perfectly fuse with your soul to gain full control of this body, did you think this mere wisp of your Soul Thought would have survived this long?’

’How dare you ruin my plans!’

The Third Prince muttered to himself as he stood up. He glanced coolly at Shui Ningxin’s corpse on the floor, a cruel smile touching his lips.

But in a bizarre twist, while that cruel smile played on his lips, two streams of clear tears slid down from his eyes...

”Hm?”

Sensing the anomaly, the Third Prince wiped the tears from his face, looked at his fingers, and began to laugh again. ’Tsk, tsk, tsk, what a moving love story... You, Tantai Lanshan, a man of peerless talent, far surpassing the other Princes, and you’re crying over a foolish little girl who doesn’t know life from death?’

’Don’t cry anymore, Tantai Lanshan. You and I will soon become one... When my Cultivation reaches Great Success, Shen Lang will die, the people of the Imperial Dragon Sect will die! Everyone here will die!’

’I will extract their souls to refine my Silent Extinction Netherworld Finger. Then, the entire Purple Chu Country will be mine to rule! The Eighteen Snow Countries will all be mine!’

’A world for me, Xu Daolin!’