Faced with such a tragic scene, the Seventh Prince's face instantly turned ashen. He never imagined things would escalate to this point, catching him off guard and making it difficult to bear.
Meanwhile, the Princess's eyes were filled with disarray. With the heir just born, his life was in grave danger under these circumstances. This was what she most wished to avoid, but it now seemed unavoidable.
"Princess, rest assured, even if I have to exhaust all my strength, I will protect our child!" the Seventh Prince declared. "We'll leave now and fight our way out!"
"You were the Seventh Prince of the Heavenly Court, already holding a high and powerful position. Why would you do something so foolish?" the Princess shook her head, her eyes filled with helplessness.
"There are things you don't understand, and I can't elaborate further. But you must leave with me now!"
The Seventh Prince's expression was serious, not daring to show any negligence. He took the Princess by the arm, ready to leave, his face grave. He knew very well that if he were captured by the Ninth Prince, it would mean certain death.
"We swear to protect Your Highness with our lives!"
The followers clasped their fists in unison. They were the loyal guards of the Seventh Prince's manor, appearing fearless in the face of death, as if they had cast aside all other concerns. Their sole purpose now was to protect the Seventh Prince and ensure his successful escape.
The Seventh Prince glanced at them and bowed his head in return, "Thank you all!"
After the Seventh Prince spoke, the followers fell silent and immediately charged towards the Ninth Prince and his assembled armies, appearing ready to die, as if they already considered themselves doomed.
At the same time, Lu Fan and the Ninth Prince observed the unfolding scene without making a move. The combined forces of the Northwest Prince's manor and the Ninth Prince’s army were more than enough to eradicate the entire Seventh Prince's manor.
"Seventh Brother, it's time for you to show yourself. You cannot escape today!" the Ninth Prince's voice boomed, without any attempt to conceal his intentions.
"With you alone, I doubt you can capture me!" the Seventh Prince's voice was icy. He leaped into the air, carrying his Princess and their heir, intending to flee the Seventh Prince's manor and escape towards the Underworld Dynasty.
Seeing this, the Ninth Prince immediately stepped forward and produced a treasure. In his hands, the treasure began to grow larger and larger, eventually casting a dark shadow across the sky, exuding immense deterrence.
"The Linglong Pagoda!"
Upon seeing this, the Seventh Prince's face turned ashen. He never imagined that the royal family's divine artifact would be brought forth.
"If I didn't have the Linglong Pagoda in hand, how could I be so calm!"
The Ninth Prince smiled slightly, "Seventh Brother, it's best not to struggle. Things have come to this point; no matter how much you struggle, it will be futile!"
"Do you truly intend to force me to my death!"
The Seventh Prince’s gaze fell upon the Ninth Prince. "You should know that we are brothers. If you let me go, I might still live. But if you are determined to kill me, then today I will surely die!"
"Then do you know that before I came, I already issued a military order, stating that if I fail to capture you, I will face extreme punishment!" the Ninth Prince stated directly. "Do you think the Heavenly Emperor would let a traitor live? This Linglong Pagoda was personally brought out by him, with the sole purpose of me killing you!"
"Truly unconcerned with brotherhood, worthy of the Heavenly Emperor!" the Seventh Prince roared with laughter, a hint of rage in his voice.
In response to these words, the Ninth Prince shook his head, "If you weren't so headstrong and committed such grave crimes, you wouldn't be in this situation. You cannot blame others now!"
"Don't speak so nobly. Don't think I don't know your arrival here is merely to capture me and claim credit. Our past camaraderie is long gone!" the Seventh Prince said coldly.
"Say whatever you wish. Things have reached this point; even if I didn't want to trap you, it's not something I can control!"
The Ninth Prince stated plainly, "Therefore, the only thing you can do now is surrender. After all, no one can save you. At the very least, if you surrender, the many citizens of the royal city will not suffer because of you!"
"Laughter, truly laughable!"
The Seventh Prince erupted in anger, "I will not let you succeed. I absolutely will not!"
With that, streaks of light surged around the Seventh Prince. He intended to forcibly break through the restrictions of the Linglong Pagoda, for only then could he escape and perhaps have a sliver of hope for survival in the future.
"This is an ancient divine artifact, the Linglong Pagoda. How can you possibly escape!"
The Ninth Prince's eyes were sharp as he spoke, his imposing aura radiating. He had come to the Seventh Prince's manor today and would not allow tragedy to repeat itself. Therefore, the Seventh Prince must die.
Lu Fan stood rooted to the spot, his gaze filled with helplessness. He most disliked witnessing such fratricidal conflict, but he was powerless to intervene. The situation had escalated beyond his control.
"Ninth Brother, please spare my life!"
The Princess's voice rang out. "My Seventh Brother was ignorant, and I just gave birth to the heir. He cannot be without a father!"
"This is not something I can decide. I can spare his life and take him back to the imperial city, then plead for him," the Ninth Prince stated directly. "However, if he insists on escaping, I will have no choice but to forcefully suppress and kill him!"
"The Heavenly Emperor's nature is such that he would rather kill ten thousand innocents than let one guilty person go. How could he easily let me live? Even if I return to the imperial city with you, it would only be a path to death!" the Seventh Prince said with a cold laugh, forcefully ramming against the Linglong Pagoda.
The Linglong Pagoda, being an ancient divine artifact, possessed an supreme aura. As it was fiercely impacted, it continuously emitted resounding roars, causing ripples of disturbance.
Witnessing this scene, the Ninth Prince’s heart was filled with mixed emotions. He did not wish to do this, but unfortunately, the situation had reached a point where it was beyond his control. If he failed to bring back the Seventh Prince, he himself would be punished, and his life might even be in danger.
After all, this was a grave crime of rebellion, one that no one could tolerate. In this imperial court, any act of rebellion would stir up endless turmoil, which was precisely why the Heavenly Emperor was so wary of it.
Boom...
With a thunderous sound, the Seventh Prince was violently thrown backward, a mouthful of blood staining his lips. He never imagined that his life would end this way.
"My Prince!"
The Princess cried out, rushing to the Seventh Prince's side with the infant in her arms. Her appearance was pitiful, her expression heavy with despair. Naturally, she never anticipated things would turn out this way, catching her completely off guard. Suzhou Novel Network
"Why must it be like this!"
Gazing at the dying Seventh Prince, the Ninth Prince's heart was filled with complex emotions. They were brothers, yet they had reached this point.