Chapter 136: Young Master Changyuan

As the words echoed, everyone turned in unison toward the source of the sound.

Prince Changyuan stepped through the air, followed by an elderly man. Although the elder’s appearance was unremarkable, he radiated an imposing aura, his every gesture imbued with the formidable power of heaven and earth. The sight of such presence caused the members of the Si Kingdom to narrow their eyes, their expressions growing solemn. It was clear that these visitors were of high standing. However, they remained curious as to where these two had come from and what business they had in the Si Kingdom.

Li Yuan, upon seeing that the newcomer was none other than Prince Changyuan, was taken aback. "Why are you here?"

Prince Changyuan sneered, "If you, the Crown Prince of the Tianyuan Kingdom, can come, why can't I? Though, looking at you, it seems your trip hasn't gone very smoothly!"

"You..." Li Yuan was incensed, but he quickly composed himself. "So, the Nether Kingdom also intends to recruit the Flying King. I must say, I am impressed that your kingdom remains so composed after the death of Prince Wuji."

"Hahaha." Prince Changyuan knew Li Yuan was trying to humiliate him, but little did the prince know that while he and Prince Wuji were brothers by blood, they were also bitter rivals. He laughed dismissively and walked toward the high platform.

"Stop!" As Prince Changyuan approached, the Corpse King, Su Munhe, and the others grew vigilant.

Seeing this, Prince Changyuan paused with a faint smile and looked up at Jiang Xiaofei, who sat on the dais. "I am Prince Changyuan, the First Prince of the Nether Kingdom."

"What? Someone from the Nether Kingdom?" The people of the Si Kingdom were stunned. Since Prince Wuji had also been a prince of the Nether Kingdom, did this mean they had come for revenge? Unease rippled through the crowd; the Nether Kingdom was a powerful force, far beyond the reach of the Si Kingdom. The atmosphere turned heavy.

Sensing the tension, Prince Changyuan smiled with a hint of smugness. "Everyone, there is no need to be nervous. I have not come today because of the matter regarding Prince Wuji."

"Then what is your purpose?" Jiang Xiaofei asked in a low, sharp voice. The people of the Si Kingdom stared intently at the prince, wondering what else he could possibly want if not for vengeance.

Prince Changyuan smiled. "I have come today to offer an alliance. I invite the Flying King to join the Nether Kingdom. Not only will the past be forgiven, but the Si Kingdom will also be granted the status of a legitimate nation."

"Doesn't that just mean becoming a vassal state of the Nether Kingdom?" The crowd erupted in dissatisfaction. Though they feared the Nether Kingdom, they had their pride. As ghosts of the Yin Administration, they would remain loyal to it even in death, and they would never submit to another nation.

Jiang Xiaofei was surprised. First, the Tianyuan Kingdom had tried to recruit him, and now the Nether Kingdom offered an alliance. He wondered if he had truly become such a coveted prize. However, the idea of submitting to others was impossible. He said in a low voice, "What if I refuse?"

"Refuse?" His words shocked the delegation from the Tianyuan Kingdom, though they quickly wore smug expressions. Since they had failed to recruit him, they certainly didn't want the Nether Kingdom to succeed. Li Yuan, in particular, looked on with mockery; he had never liked Prince Changyuan and was delighted to see him humiliated.

Prince Changyuan’s expression darkened. Having traveled thousands of miles and offered such terms, he had not expected this outcome. However, recalling his connection to the Human Emperor, he suppressed his anger. "I am offering you sound advice. If you insist on refusing, I have nothing more to say. But the Nether Kingdom will certainly pursue the matter of Prince Wuji to the end. If you change your mind now, it may not be too late."

"No need to consider it," Jiang Xiaofei said coldly. "Prince Wuji provoked the Yin Administration first; he deserved his fate. As for you, the Nether Kingdom dares to provoke me as well? You won't be leaving here today."

"What?" Not only were the people of the Si Kingdom stunned, but the Tianyuan delegation was also left in shock.

Prince Changyuan, not expecting such arrogance from Jiang Xiaofei, said with a grim look, "It seems you are determined to make an enemy of the Nether Kingdom!"

"An enemy?" Jiang Xiaofei laughed coldly. "It is your Nether Kingdom that is being overbearing; I am merely defending myself! If you retreat now, I can pretend I saw nothing. Otherwise, none of you will leave."

Prince Changyuan frowned and snorted, "Do not think that because you killed Wuji, you can defeat me. If I wish to leave, you are far from capable of stopping me."

"Oh, is that so?" Jiang Xiaofei’s eyes turned icy. With a wave of his hand, a Phoenix Domain manifested and descended upon the prince.

The Tianyuan delegation was shocked; even Li Yuan looked at Jiang Xiaofei with newfound respect. After all, the target was the First Prince of the Nether Kingdom—did Jiang Xiaofei not fear the destruction of his own kingdom by acting so rashly?

Prince Changyuan hadn't expected such a violent response. Feeling the immense pressure of the domain, he struck out with his hand, unleashing vast Nether power to create an energy barrier. Taking advantage of this, he shouted to the old man beside him, "Elder Ye, strike now! Capture the Flying King!"

Elder Ye stepped forward and struck out, his palm seemingly imbued with the power of heaven and earth, shattering the Phoenix Domain instantly.

The sight sent a chill through the hearts of everyone in the Si Kingdom. They knew that the Flying King’s Phoenix Domain could trap even a peak-level Dao-Extreme expert. Did this mean Elder Ye was a Half-Step Deity?

The Tianyuan delegation was also astonished. They had known the old man was a Half-Step Deity, but seeing one in action was still terrifying. Beneath the level of a true god, mortals were merely ants, and until a deity descended, a Half-Step Deity was a king among men.

Sensing the aura emanating from Elder Ye, Jiang Xiaofei felt the weight of the situation. He did not know the full extent of a Half-Step Deity's power, but he knew they were infinitely close to divinity, a strength he could not hope to overcome alone. He turned his gaze toward Old Man Feng, who sat below.

Sensing the gaze, Old Man Feng nodded slightly. He stood up and faced Elder Ye, a terrifying aura beginning to permeate the area.

It was also the aura of a Half-Step Deity—and it seemed even more profound than Elder Ye’s.

The Tianyuan delegation was shocked, particularly the elder among them, who wore an expression of disbelief.

Li Yuan frowned, curious. "Elder Wan, why do you look like that? Do you recognize this man?"

Elder Wan shook his head. "I cannot be sure, but his aura is remarkably similar to that of Feng Qingyang from years ago."

"Oh!" Li Yuan frowned, turning his eyes to Old Man Feng. The name Feng Qingyang was legendary—a god of war who had once fought his way into the Nether Realm. Had it not been for the realm's own boundaries forcing him back, the Nether Realm might have ceased to exist long ago. How could such a figure appear in the Si Kingdom, and why was he taking orders from the Flying King?

Under the watchful eyes of all, Old Man Feng stepped forward. He stood like an abyss of wind, his invisible aura so sharp it seemed to slice through space itself.