Chapter 131: Dark Prison’s Thorn

Chapter 131: Chapter 131: Dark Prison’s Thorn

The venue for the Battle Department’s celebration banquet had been rearranged.

This time, it was even more grand and formal.

It was all to apologize to the Night Emperor.

But what they didn’t know was that the entire place was already under the complete control of Qin Tianxuan’s Dark Prison Hall.

Though it was broad daylight, terrifying assassins from the Dark Prison Hall were already lurking in the shadows.

The Dark Prison Hall, the organization Qin Tianxuan valued most and took the greatest pride in, had never once let him down.

He discreetly gestured to the hidden assassins and strolled into the banquet hall.

All uninvolved personnel had already been asked to leave. The only ones remaining were representatives from the major powers, the Celestial Hall, the Battle Department Military God, and the ashen-faced members of the Qin and Ye Families.

"Tianxuan, you’re finally here!"

The Celestial Pavilion Elders and Battle Department representatives all came over joyfully.

They eagerly pulled him to the seat of honor at the head table. The elders and representatives then wrung their hands, looking a little embarrassed.

"Tianxuan, before your celebration banquet officially begins, we’d like to act as mediators on behalf of the Imperial Capital."

The senior figures from the Celestial Hall and the Battle Department felt helpless. They had originally wanted to severely punish the Qin and Ye Families, but certain higher-ups in the Imperial Capital had given them stricter orders: they were to act as mediators and resolve the feud between the Qin and Ye Families and the Night Emperor.

Besides, these Celestial Pavilion Elders and Battle Department representatives had their own financial ties to the Qin and Ye Families.

They couldn’t bring themselves to move directly against the two families.

"We must consider the bigger picture. Peace is what’s most important!" The elders and representatives forced smiles. "The future belongs to you, Night Emperor. You’re about to advance to a First-Grade Celestial King, and your potential is limitless. All the more reason you need the help of a powerful family!"

CLATTER. Qin Tianxuan tossed his chopsticks aside and arrogantly propped his feet directly onto the table.

He used a snow-white napkin to wipe his combat boots. "Oh? You want me to make peace with the Qin and Ye Families?"

"Yes, exactly!" the elders and representatives replied, their faces full of anticipation.

Qin Tianxuan chuckled, then slapped them across their faces. The force of the blow left the elders and representatives dumbfounded.

"Mediators? Are you even worthy? Go fuck yourselves!" Qin Tianxuan lifted his foot and kicked the old men—men with whom he’d once had a decent relationship—to the ground.

"Don’t you fucking think that just because we were on good terms before, you can stop me from avenging a blood debt?"

Qin Tianxuan shot to his feet, glaring viciously at the would-be mediators. "Any more fucking nonsense, and I’ll slaughter you all right along with them!"

He was terrifying.

It was as if he’d disowned everyone he knew.

None of the Celestial Pavilion Elders or Battle Department representatives had expected Qin Tianxuan to turn on them so suddenly.

They stammered, their faces flushing red and pale with shame and anger.

Qin Tianxuan’s expression was savage. "Don’t think I’m a fool. The Intelligence Hall has already done its work. You elders have twelve family businesses tied to the Qin Family! And as for the Battle Department representatives, you’re practically sworn brothers with the Ye Family!"

They were all cut from the same cloth. With their interests so entangled, how could they possibly side with Qin Tianxuan?

The Celestial Pavilion Elders and Battle Department representatives sat on the floor in a pathetic state, all of them scared into silence.

They knew the Night Emperor’s temper.

They also knew what methods Qin Tianxuan was capable of.

"Tianxuan, you can’t act rashly! We may have ties to the Qin and Ye Families, but across all of Da Xia, at least ninety percent of the upper echelon has business dealings with those two great houses. If you move against them, you’ll be making an enemy of the entire world!"

Qin Tianxuan raised the strong liquor before him and drained it in a single gulp.

An image of his gentle, pitiable mother flashed before his eyes.

Then, he saw Shuanghua, the love of his life.

"I will avenge my mother and purge the wicked for my wife. Heaven and earth are my witnesses—I have no regrets!"

CRACK! He smashed the table with a palm strike and spun to face the members of the Qin and Ye Families.

In his fury, blood seeped from his wounds. His face grew a little pale, and he couldn’t help but let out a cough.

Across from him, the two elders from the Qin Family were inwardly ecstatic.

’He’s injured!’

’He’s bleeding!’

’Just as we thought! He still hasn’t recovered from his bloody battle with the Celestial Demon King!’

’He’s all alone now. Our intel is confirmed—the Night Emperor’s Five Palaces and Nine Armies are recuperating at the second line of defense!’

’This is the perfect chance to kill him!’

An elder from the Ye Family couldn’t wait any longer, raising his arm and shouting, "The Night Emperor has rebelled! He’s grown arrogant from his achievements and is spouting drunken treason! He’s betraying Da Xia!"

"That’s right! We have evidence that he secretly let the Celestial Demon King escape at Longshou Hill! That’s a capital offense!"

The scoundrels from the Qin and Ye Families had clearly come prepared.

They had already decided on the crimes they would pin on Qin Tianxuan.

They clapped their hands, and from behind a screen at the banquet, two groups of masters burst forth!

From the Qin Family, thirty-seven top-tier War Generals!

From the Ye Family, twenty-six elite assassins skilled in the use of poison!

This was a textbook trap.

The Celestial Pavilion Elders and Battle Department representatives on the floor scrambled to their feet, shouting in disbelief, "Have the two of you, the Qin and Ye Families, gone mad? You dare to set up an ambush with assassins? You’re the ones who are rebelling!"

The elders of the Qin and Ye Families sneered, their faces savage. "Apologies, honored elders and representatives, but you’re targets as well. To prevent any leaks... hehe, you’ll have to be sacrificed!"

The faces of the Celestial Pavilion Elders turned deathly pale.

However, the representative who was a Battle Department Military God gripped his weapon and stood protectively in front of Qin Tianxuan.

"We’re sorry, Tianxuan. We were old fools!"

They were utterly ashamed. To think they had been so spineless, so easily swayed by the Qin and Ye Families—they wished they could dig a hole and crawl into it.

Qin Tianxuan glanced at the old veterans and shook his head gently. "Stay behind me. Don’t move."

Ah!

Seeing the Night Emperor so calm, they were both shocked and delighted. ’Could it be...?’

While they were still lost in thought, the masters from the Qin Family pounced, charging like savage beasts.

Unfortunately for them, they never made it within three feet of Qin Tianxuan.

Because a dark thorn shot down from above.

An assassin from the Dark Prison Hall, camouflaged in the ceiling, struck like lightning. With a flash of the thorn, the head of the lead Qin Family master went flying.

The very air seemed to freeze.

It was followed by a chorus of bloodcurdling screams.

The Celestial Pavilion Elders hiding behind Qin Tianxuan were overcome with wild joy. "The Dark Prison’s Thorn! It’s the Dark Prison Hall! It’s the Night Emperor’s Dark Prison Hall!"