Sage Monarch

The Crown Prince had come, emerging from a chaotic aspect of space-time, using such incredible power that he seemed like a heavenly god stepping out of primeval times.

The hearts of many of the spectators began to pound, some with excitement, some with fervor, and some with anxiety. After all, this was a person of legendary fame, the Crown Prince.

He was the founder of the Crown Prince Society, and had power and connections everywhere in the world. Many people would feel suffocated just at the mention of his name. Supposedly, he was already at the peak of the Legendary level, and was just on the verge of becoming a Great Sage. He was the type of individual that ordinary persons couldn't compare to, and in fact, the current chancellor of the Demi-Immortal Institute, and even many of the prime elders, all knew that he would succeed as the next chancellor.

Soon, he would control the entire institute.

Yang Qi felt so much pressure weighing down on him that he had to suppress the urge to drop flat onto the ground. If it weren't for the Strength of the Hell-Crushing Godmammoth, and his connection to the golden imp, he would already be coughing up blood.

This was true power, and he was so shaken by it that he had no choice but to back up, until he was at the very edge of the fighting arena. Only there could he pull himself together and stand his ground.

The Crown Prince looked like a young man of about twenty years of age. However, there was something extraordinary about him. He had angular features, and stood as tall and straight as a god from heaven, his hands clasped behind his back. His eyes were captivating, and overall, he looked like a spear ready to stab the heavens through and through.

He was the type of individual who could prop up the sky with his hands, and had an aura that would urge anyone affected by it to drop to the ground in worship.

If it weren't for Yang Qi's unusual willpower, he would definitely be doing that very thing.

'So strong. Too strong! Like a king of gods from primeval times! I have to reach the Legendary level, and succeed with both the Portal to Hell and the God Legion Paradise. Only then might I be able to fight him. Right now, I definitely can't.' Yang Qi already felt his mind weakening, and his body bending on the verge of dropping down into prostration.

The Pearl of the Thousand Illusions World looked like little more than a toy as the Crown Prince grabbed it. Then he spoke again in that sonorous voice. "What incredible gall you have. I can't believe you actually dared to touch the Pearl of the Thousand Illusions World. What makes you think you deserve to do that? Answer me!"

Under the battering of the voice, Yang Qi thought, 'Not even the legion of gods could suppress me. I have the power to suppress hell and control the netherworld. I command the forces of death….'

The Strength of the Hell-Crushing Godmammoth surged out from his sea of energy, accompanied by cracking sounds from his bones because of the immense weight crushing down upon him.

However, he still managed to force himself to stand tall and stare back at the Crown Prince.

"I defeated every opponent I faced in this competition. I'm the victor, and I have the right to plunder my defeated foes. I beat Yun Hailan, so why shouldn't I be able to take her pearl?"

As his voice echoed out across the arena, many onlookers reacted with visible shock. 'I can't believe he's actually talking back to the Crown Prince. Incredible! This guy is really gutsy!'

Even the Legendary grand elders were completely shocked by what they were seeing. After all, the Crown Prince was a peak Legendary. Even some Legendaries would be frightened in his presence, and wouldn't dare to speak out of turn. And yet Yang Qi didn't hesitate to do just that. Clearly, he was either completely reckless, or didn't fear death at all.

As for Holy Daughter Manyflowers, she was already preparing to step out and defend Yang Qi if the Crown Prince attacked him.

Yang Qi had won the competition, and was to be acknowledged by the institute as a true genius. However, if the Crown Prince attacked him, nobody would come to his defense, unless it happened to be the chancellor himself.

And nobody knew where the chancellor stood on the subject.

"Oh?" the Crown Prince said, visibly surprised. How could he have guessed that Yang Qi would talk back to him? Causing more power to fill the area, he said, "Not bad. You're actually able to stand up to my might for a time. Interesting. What sort of miracle have you come across? That sword technique you used against Yun Hailan just now must be some secret legacy from the distant past, right? Well, I founded the Crown Prince Society, and I have followers everywhere under heaven. What makes you think you qualify to squabble about Demi-Immortal Institute rules with me? I make the rules!"

There was no way Yang Qi was going to let himself be intimidated by the Crown Prince. "The Demi-Immortal Institute has prime elders, prime paragon elders, and the chancellor himself. Considering you're not the chancellor, how could you possibly say that you make the rules? You call yourself Crown Prince, but the truth is that the Sage Ancestor Dynasty still rules over the Rich-Lush Continent. The emperor still lives, and his son is the real crown prince! With no true status, why do you call yourself Crown Prince?!"

The Crown Prince was Yun Hailan's biggest backer, so if he let himself be crushed by him, it was the same as being crushed by Yun Hailan.

Up in the observation deck, Prince Wei rose to his feet. 'Well said! In front of all these people, he actually dares to give voice to the true sentiments of the Sage Ancestor Dynasty. He must be protected. If he isn't, then who would dare to declare loyalty to the dynasty in the future?'

"No true status?" The Crown Prince's gaze seemed so sharp that it could pierce all barriers, and thus see deep into Yang Qi, despite whatever true energy defenses he had.

In fact, Yang Qi could tell that it if weren't for the Strength of the Hell-Crushing Godmammoth protecting him, he would have burst into flames already.

"If you feel like dying, so be it," the Crown Prince said. "But why drag your family into it? Why hurt your brothers, sisters, family and friends? I'm feeling generous today, and considering that you did win the competition, I'll give you one chance to live: cripple your own energy arts. If you do, I'll let all your friends and family off the hook. But if you refuse, they will all die. And it won't be peacefully, understand? Don't push me."

The Crown Prince was being completely overbearing. In fact, he was acting like an emperor who had the authority over the lives and deaths of everyone around him, and who could exterminate entire clans at a whim.

He expected Yang Qi to cripple his own martial arts just like that?

For someone of Yang Qi's level to have their martial arts crippled was a fate worse than death, and for the Crown Prince to try to force the champion of the competition to do it right now made just about everyone in attendance feel a twinge of pity. However, they knew that it was all because Yang Qi had ruined the Crown Prince's plans, which was a big blow to his reputation.

It was no surprise that, considering he had rushed over so quickly, he would immediately begin to throw his weight around.

The grand elders could theoretically have stepped forward to interfere, but none of them wanted to offend the Crown Prince either, not even those from the other three institutes.

"Drag my friends and family into it?" Suddenly, he looked out into the crowd, raised his voice, and said, "Are there any sworn brothers and sisters of mine out there who would be willing to stand with me against this supercilious Crown Prince? Is there anyone out there willing to face life and death with me?"

His voice was so loud that it boomed throughout the entire arena, and immediately cause a stir in the crowd.

"What does he think he's doing?"

"He has friends and sworn siblings? Well, even if he does, there's no way any of them would dare to defy the Crown Prince."

The Legendary grand elders were all watching closely to see what would happen.

"Brother, we'll face life and death with you!" Li He, Liang Dong, He Jili and Hua Yinhu all rose to their feet and flew down to stand next to Yang Qi on the fighting platform!

"Oh, you four," the Crown Prince said scornfully. Considering his level of power and authority, he wouldn't be fazed even if there were more people facing him. "Now we have a whole gang of useless dogs. You're all sworn brothers?"

Of course, the onlookers were quite taken aback.

"Are they all suicidal? Who do they think they are to stand up to the Crown Prince?"

"Their clans are only middling at best. Aren't they worried about being wiped out?"

All of a sudden, a volcanic blast of fire erupted from the audience and flew down toward Yang Qi.

"Brother, I'll face life and death with you!"

This aura was incredibly mighty, being that of a Nonary Lifeseizer!

It was Flame Clearspring, son of the pontifex of the Tabernacle of Flame. Back when he became Yang Qi's sworn brother on the island of peach blossoms, he had been an Octonary Lifeseizer. But now, three months later, he had advanced by leaps and bounds, all for the purpose of attending this competition.

"That's the son of the pontifex of the Tabernacle of Flame! When did he become a sworn brother of Yang Qi?" Many faces flickered with astonishment. After all, Flame Clearspring might not be much on his own, but he was backed by the Tabernacle of Flame, which was no small organization, and could only be outranked by the likes of the four institutes.

"Another suicidal fool?" the Crown Prince said coolly. "Any more out there?"

"Me!" Lu Wangxian stood up from his place amongst the forces of the House of Spring and Autumn, then flew down to stand by Yang Qi.

"And me!" Hua Fengfeng also flew down.

"I'm here for you, Brother!" Jun Tianchou didn't hesitate to fly forth from the forces of the Sea God Institute.

Next, everyone who had become a sworn sibling of Yang Qi on the island of peach blossoms flew out to stand with him. Zhao Wuhun from the House of Martial Saints. The three brothers from the Soaring Clan of the House of Soaring Clouds. Soaring Cloudheaven, Soaring Cloudwyrm, and Soaring Cloudgrit.

Meng Qingshan. Yuan Tiankong. Sun Qian. Li Zhengdao. Su Ximing. Ji Xiaoman. Ji Xiaorong.

"Brother," Jun Tianchou said, "it was with supreme honor and righteousness that you came to our rescue on Fiend-Devil Island. How could we just stand by and watch the Crown Prince trying to intimidate you? We already said that if we didn't live and die together, we would be exterminated by heaven and executed by the earth!"

"That's right!" Flame Clearspring added. "Perhaps we weren't born on the same day, but all of us will die on the same day! Even if you were facing a horde of primeval devils, we wouldn't hesitate to fight with you!"

Laughing heartily, Su Ximing said, "I might be just a rogue cultivator, but when I swear brotherhood, it's for life!"

"Little Bro Qi," Hua Fengfeng said, "it's not common for women to become sworn siblings with a man, but I'll never forget my oath."

"Same with us!" Ji Xiaoman and Ji Xiaorong said in unison.

Next up were the three brothers from the Soaring Clan. "Our clan has no Great Sages, but anyone who tries to kill a sworn brother of ours will have to do so over our dead bodies!"

"True siblings one and all!" Yang Qi said. Taking a step forward, he unleashed an aura as deep as the sea to resist the Crown Prince.

"We live together and we die together!" Flame Clearspring shouted. "Anyone who bullies a brother of ours will have to fight us to the bitter end!"

"Live together, die together! Fight until rivers of blood flow! He who insults our brother will die!"

The shouts of Yang Qi's sworn siblings were so loud that the arena trembled!