The number one Fist Technique in the world, the Five Elements Fist, contains an immensely powerful move called the Chong Mountain Seal.

Chong Mountain.

The foremost of the world’s famous mountains.

Due to the bustling trade from traveling merchants, a city had formed at its base.

The Wuh Mansion was built bordering the marketplace. It occupied a vast area, a tranquil sanctuary amid the clamor, yet today it hosted a group of guests from every corner of the land.

Zhu Ju scanned the diverse crowd in the hall and asked:

"Is this all?"

Over twenty people. It seemed like a lot, but expecting them to assassinate the Third Prince, Zheng Hong, on the eve of his ascension was a fool’s errand.

"This is already a considerable number," Fu Huanlian sighed.

"The Court holds the mantle of righteousness, and we have no conclusive evidence. Who would dare act against the new emperor?"

"Indeed," an old man in the hall nodded.

"Some people are hesitant, worried that the Red Blood Sect rebellion has yet to be fully suppressed. They fear that if the Court falls into chaos now, it will harm the common folk, so they’ve chosen not to get involved."

"Hmph!"

He snorted coldly, his voice filled with anger.

"I can’t afford to worry about all that!"

"This is Elder Pang of the Pang Family from Xiyue," Fu Huanlian introduced with a gesture.

"Two months ago, a group of mysterious figures stormed the Pang Family estate and massacred everyone. Of the entire great Pang Family, only Elder Pang is left."

"The events of that day were certainly not the work of the Red Blood Sect, so..."

"Correct!" Elder Pang nodded.

"It was the Court, acting under the guise of the Red Blood Sect. No matter what, I will kill that whelp Zheng Hong!"

"Shii Ming of the Crocodile Gang," a burly, middle-aged man said, cupping his fist.

"My story is similar to Elder Pang’s. The local Government Office dispatched troops and annihilated my gang, accusing us of colluding with the Red Blood Sect."

"My parents, wife, and children were all brutally murdered. I will hold Zheng Hong accountable for this debt of blood."

"The same goes for me!"

"And us!"

"..."

It was clear that most who had answered the call and gathered here today bore a blood feud against the Court and Zheng Hong. Many had even come with the resolve to die.

"Besides those present, another group of allies has yet to arrive. All told, there will be over a hundred of us," Ye Liuyun said.

"But that’s the extent of our numbers."

"On his return to the Capital City, Zheng Hong will pass through Chong Mountain. It’s highly probable he will ascend the mountain to perform a sacrificial rite to Heaven," Fu Huanlian said in a solemn voice.

"This is our only chance!"

Once he returns to the Capital City and ascends the throne, he will be protected by the elite Capital Camp and the guards of the Imperial City. Assassinating him then would be nigh impossible.

As the succeeding ’new emperor,’ he will be escorted by a large army along the way, making any attempt difficult.

Only the rugged mountain paths, unable to accommodate a large force, offer us a chance to create an opportunity.

Someone whispered:

"But what if he doesn’t ascend the mountain for the ritual?"

A deathly silence fell over the hall.

Fu Huanlian lowered her gaze.

"If that happens, it means Heaven has chosen not to forsake Zheng Hong. There would be nothing more to say. We would simply go our separate ways."

"BANG!"

A loud crack echoed.

It was Elder Pang, who had smashed the table before him with a single palm strike.

*

*

*

The Winter Festival.

The sun reaches its southernmost point.

The air, bitterly cold.

The King of Qii ascended Chong Mountain to offer sacrifices to Heaven.

The mountain paths were too treacherous for the main army to follow. They could only make camp at the base, dispatching soldiers to ascend ahead and secure the route.

"To the vastness of Heaven and Earth, I offer my reverence. Upon this hallowed altar, I seek the proper path. With solemn rites I make this offering, amid the swirling incense smoke. In finest embroidered robes, I receive the grace of the most high Deities."

Zheng Hong, clad in his princely robes, stood in the center of the grand hall. Holding three sticks of burning incense, he bowed to the Deities in every direction.

"Prince!"

A man drew near and whispered:

"Members of the Martial World have appeared on the mountainside. They’ve clashed with the escorting guards and, by the looks of it, are trying to storm the summit."

"Mm," Zheng Hong replied, his expression unchanged.

"Let them. Proceed to the next part of the ceremony."

"Yes, sir." The nearby Ceremonial Officer acknowledged the order and announced:

"Present the offerings! Kneel and recite the prayer..."

"Prince, you have not yet formally ascended the throne. This cannot be delegated to the Priest. You must perform it personally."

"It matters not." Zheng Hong waved his hand, motioning for the prayer cushion to be removed. He lifted his long robes, knelt upon both knees, and raised his head to gaze at the Deities.

"At this Winter Solstice, when the six vital energies begin anew, I follow the sacred rites in reverence. With offerings of jade, silk, and sacred grains, I present this sacrifice to the highest celestial sovereign."

"..."

A clear, solemn voice echoed throughout the grand hall.

"WHOOSH..."

The mountain wind suddenly intensified.

A bone-chilling gust of wind surged into the grand hall, kicking up dust that swirled about before slowly settling on Zheng Hong.

The voice paused.

His brow furrowed slightly. He stopped his recitation and rose slowly, turning his gaze toward the three figures who had just stormed the hall.

"Why bother?"

"Deep down, you should know. You cannot win."

"CLANK... CLANK..."

A troop of fully armored soldiers emerged from both sides. Together with the pursuers from behind, they completely surrounded the three intruders.

Moreover, four immense auras flared to life, locking onto the trio from afar.

Limit-Breaking!

Here stood not only the ’number one master in the world,’ Third Prince Zheng Hong, but also four Limit-Breaking Grandmasters, each one every bit as powerful as the Whale Rider, Mui Beiting.

Which faction in the world boasted the most Limit-Breaking Powerhouses?

Without a doubt.

The Court!

High officials, generals, the Imperial Guard, the Secret Guard... no one knew exactly how many Limit-Breaking Grandmasters the Court truly had at its disposal.

"Fu Huanlian! Ye Liuyun! Zhu Ju!"

Yan Jun, Commander of the Imperial Guard, leveled his longspear at the three of them.

"The Prince has long known of your rebellious hearts! He knew you would storm the mountain today in an assassination attempt, and he was right!"

"Surrender now!"

"In this world, there are things a person must do, and things they must not," Ye Liuyun said, holding his longsword and pointing it forward sharply.

"Zheng Hong!"

"Even if you are the greatest in the world, I am not afraid!"

"Oh?" Zheng Hong raised an eyebrow.

"Interesting. Your wounds healed surprisingly fast. And you still have the nerve to wield a sword before me."

"Worthy of the man I chose. Your will is indeed unshakable."

When the Demon Saber is drawn, those who face its blade either die or go mad. Ye Liuyun, too, was affected by its Sword Intent that day.

But who would have thought he would recover so quickly? And what’s more, he now possessed a solid, focused aura. Given time, he might even reach a higher level.

"It seems my decision to ascend the mountain for the ritual was the correct one." He folded his long sleeves, a faint smile on his face.

"There are always those who hold onto resentment. By dealing with you all at once, I can eliminate a future source of trouble."

"Miss Fu!"

Turning his head toward Fu Huanlian, Zheng Hong shook it gently.

"Compared to Ye Liuyun, you have been a great disappointment to me. Could you truly not see that today was a trap?"

"And if you did see the trap yet came anyway, that is nothing but pointless bravado—hardly the action of an intelligent person."

"I was not actually certain whether the Prince would ascend the mountain for the ritual," Fu Huanlian said, her voice even.

"But I do know that the Prince is a meticulous man who detests leaving loose ends. I reasoned that if we laid an ambush here to round up everyone with a grudge, you, Prince, would come to us nine times out of ten."

"Actually..."

A faint smile touched her lips.

"Prince, you didn’t have to do this at all. If you had proceeded to the Capital City, we would likely never have had another chance for revenge in our lifetimes."

"Oh!" Zheng Hong’s eyes narrowed.

"So, your true purpose in gathering these members of the Martial World was to bait me into ascending the mountain, creating this very opportunity?"

"Precisely," Fu Huanlian nodded.

"With over a hundred people, it was inevitable that some would be Court spies. And even if there were none, a group that large is bound to have loose tongues. The news was certain to get out."

"The Prince is already the world’s greatest master, accompanied by a great army and Limit-Breaking Guards. Naturally, you would not see us as a threat and would, nine times out of ten, choose to ascend the mountain for the ritual."

"Indeed," Zheng Hong mused.

"But since you dared to come, you must have an ace up your sleeve."

"Zhu Ju?"

"Prince," Zhu Ju said, taking a step forward.

"We meet again."

"Indeed."

Zheng Hong nodded, his tone tinged with a hint of wonder.

"We meet again indeed. Who could have imagined that a merchant who appeared from nowhere could leap off the game board and become Female Knight Fu’s trump card for turning the tables from an impossible position?"

"Do you truly intend to be my enemy?"

"Not at all," Zhu Ju shook his head.

"It is the Prince who has no intention of sparing me. First, you sent Mui Beiting after me, and then you put a price on my head across the entire nation."

"Heh..."

"I, too, have been left with no choice!"

"Oh?" Zheng Hong stroked his chin.

"Are you confident?"

"Confident?" Zhu Ju chuckled. He took another step forward, pressing his chest right against the tip of the spear.

"Zheng Hong!"

"You murdered your father and killed your brothers, a betrayal of all human decency! This is disloyalty! And a lack of filial piety!"

"For your own selfish ambition, you ignored the lives and deaths of the common people, leaving countless displaced and homeless! This is cruelty! And injustice!"

"You climbed to your high station through vile and cunning schemes; how could the court officials ever truly respect you? This is foolishness! You possess unparalleled power, yet you are unwilling to face an opponent in a fair fight. This is cowardice!"

"Disloyal!"

"Unfilial!"

"Cruel!"

"Unjust!"

"Foolish!"

"Cowardly!"

"A Saber Technique cultivated by such a person dares to call itself the Cross and Vertical Saber. It is nothing more than a Demon Saber wielded by a treacherous man! What reason do I have to fear it?"

His voice boomed, echoing throughout the grand hall like the furious roar of a god. The faces of everyone present changed dramatically.

The eyes of the soldiers and Imperial Guards flickered with uncertainty. Yan Jun and the other Limit-Breaking experts lowered their heads slightly, remaining silent.

As for Zheng Hong...

His face was livid, his eyes locked onto Zhu Ju.

"Good!"

He beckoned lightly, and a personal guard presented a long saber to him.

"What nerve!"

Zheng Hong gripped the hilt, his voice low.

"If your goal was to provoke me into a one-on-one duel... then you have failed."

"Attack!"

"Kill them!"

Even with his absolute confidence, Zheng Hong had no intention of giving them any chance at all. At his command, the guards charged forward as one.