Chapter 437: The Crown Prince Arrives

The Crown Prince Arrives

The sound was leisurely.

Almost playful.

It did not belong to someone frightened by the thousands of soldiers surrounding the street.

It came from Leon.

"Haha, exciting, too exciting..."

Leon slowly walked out from the crowd.

His long black hair shifted over his shoulders as he stepped forward.

His midnight robes moved with him, the thin amethyst embroidery glimmering faintly beneath the surrounding lights.

There was a strange expression on his face.

He looked at General.

Then at James.

His purple eyes held an unmistakable trace of amusement.

It was almost as if he had been watching a performance rather than witnessing a confrontation that could shake the entire city.

He stretched lazily.

His shoulders relaxed.

Then he sighed lightly.

"Looks like I won’t be able to leave Ashford City today without stretching my body."

His voice was calm.

There was not even the slightest trace of nervousness.

He looked around at the surrounding army.

Then his gaze returned to James and General.

"Alright, since the two of you are so interested, I’ll play with you..."

The moment those words were spoken, Cavir Walton’s expression changed.

His pupils contracted.

Others might not understand what Leon meant.

They might even believe that Leon was simply arrogant.

But Cavir Walton knew better.

He knew exactly how terrifying Leon was.

The young man standing before him was not someone an army could casually surround.

He was not someone a single city could provoke and then simply walk away from.

If Leon truly became serious...

Cavir Walton did not even dare imagine what would happen next.

Would anyone in Ashford City survive?

His heart tightened.

He immediately stepped forward.

"Respected One, don’t be angry."

His tone was hurried now.

There was genuine concern beneath every word.

"How can we trouble you with such a small matter? I’ll settle it..."

For the sake of Ashford City’s citizens, Cavir boldly persuaded him.

He knew very well how terrifying pinnacle experts were.

At that level, ordinary cultivators could no longer comprehend the difference in strength.

One casual strike from Leon could probably turn half of Ashford City into ruins.

If Leon truly lost his patience, no army could stop him.

No formation could save them.

And no amount of authority could make a difference.

Cavir’s fingers tightened inside his sleeves.

He had seen too many powerful cultivators in his life. He had also witnessed the consequences when someone at the pinnacle Realm became genuinely enraged.

That was precisely why he was trying so desperately to prevent this from happening.

As the shopkeeper of the Whitelist Restaurant, he had been stationed in Ashford City for many years.

He had watched the city grow.

He had made friends here.

He had seen children grow into adults, merchants establish their businesses, and ordinary families build peaceful lives beneath the same sky.

Over the years, Ashford City had become more than just another place of business to him.

It had become a place he cared about.

He did not want the entire city destroyed because of two arrogant fools.

And James and the General of Ashford City had no idea how close they were to bringing disaster upon themselves.

Cavir took a slow breath.

Then he stepped forward.

Leon turned his head and glanced at him.

His long, shoulder-length black hair shifted gently with the breeze.

Those purple eyes remained calm, but the faint coldness within them had not disappeared.

Leon understood what Cavir was trying to do.

Cavir had helped him several times.

More importantly, the man was genuinely sincere.

He was not protecting James.

He was protecting the people who had nothing to do with this conflict.

Leon considered it for a moment.

Since Cavir had given him face, he could give Cavir some face in return.

Still, that did not mean his patience was unlimited.

Leon looked toward him and spoke coldly.

"Shopkeeper Cavir, my patience is limited."

His voice was not loud.

Yet the moment it entered the air, everyone nearby became quiet.

"I’ll give you three minutes."

Leon paused.

His purple eyes swept across the opposing army.

"If you can’t resolve it, then I’ll have to resolve it myself..."

The final words were quiet.

Almost casual.

But everyone understood the threat hidden beneath them.

Cavir’s heart finally loosened slightly.

He had been afraid of exactly one thing.

That Leon would decide he had waited long enough.

"Alright, Respected One, don’t worry."

Cavir bowed slightly.

"I will definitely resolve it..."

A long breath escaped his lungs.

He had finally bought some time.

He wasn’t afraid of James.

Nor was he particularly afraid of the General of Ashford City.

What frightened him was the possibility that Leon would stop holding back.

If that happened, how many innocent citizens would be caught in the aftermath?

A hundred?

A thousand?

Perhaps more.

Cavir did not dare imagine it.

He slowly turned around.

The gentleness that had been present when speaking to Leon disappeared.

His expression became cold.

His eyes swept across James and the soldiers standing behind him.

"Hmph."

His sleeve fluttered as he took another step forward.

"You can’t do anything since I’m here today."

His voice carried across the street.

"If you have the guts, take a step forward."

The words fell.

Silence.

The air seemed to become heavier.

On one side stood the soldiers of the Drake empire.

Their weapons were already drawn.

Cold steel reflected the afternoon sunlight.

On the other side stood the cultivators from the Treasure Pavilion.

Thousands of figures had gathered.

Mana quietly circulated through their bodies.

Some tightened their grips around their weapons.

Others stared coldly at the opposing army.

No one moved.

Yet everyone knew what would happen if even one person took that first step.

The atmosphere became tense enough to suffocate.

Neither side was willing to retreat.

Neither side wanted to surrender face.

For several breaths, the entire street remained locked in a dangerous stalemate.

Then—

A distant sound suddenly reached them.

Hooves.

Wheels.

The rhythmic movement of an approaching procession.

At first, the sound was faint.

Then it grew louder.

Tap.

Tap.

Tap.

The crowd slowly turned toward the end of the street.

A team was approaching from afar.

People instinctively moved aside.

A luxurious carriage slowly emerged from the distance.

Its decorations were unmistakably imperial.

The banners fluttering above it carried the symbol of the royal household.

The imperial carriage.

"What’s going on?"

Another group had arrived.

The crowd immediately became restless.

"Another group of people came?"

Whispers spread through the street.

Everyone looked toward the approaching procession.

Their curiosity toward Leon became even stronger.

Just who was this young man?

First, Cavir Walton had stood on his side.

Then thousands of cultivators from the Treasure Pavilion and Whitelist Restaurant had appeared.

Now even an imperial carriage had arrived.

One by one, major figures were appearing because of him.

The spectators could not help wondering what kind of identity Leon possessed.

The carriage slowly stopped.

The curtain lifted.

A young man stepped out.

He was handsome.

His posture was straight.

His features carried the sharpness of someone born into royalty, while his bearing possessed an extraordinary dignity that ordinary people could never imitate.

The moment he appeared, the expressions of everyone present changed.

Some people immediately recognized him.

"Your Highness!"

The cry spread through the crowd.

It was none other than Kai, the Crown Prince of the Drake empire.

Kai hurriedly descended from the carriage.

His expression was dark.

There was no trace of the relaxed royal bearing one would normally expect from a Crown Prince.

His steps were quick.

Almost urgent.

He did not stop to acknowledge the surrounding officials.

He did not even glance toward the soldiers.

His eyes immediately locked onto Leon.

Then he walked straight toward him.

Behind him, the guards followed closely.

The atmosphere changed again.

James stared in disbelief.

For a moment, he thought he had misunderstood the situation.

Then a smile slowly appeared on his old face.

The arrival of the Crown Prince made him believe that his position had finally become secure.

He had assumed Kai had come to support him.

After all, they were family.

James immediately prepared to step forward.

"Your Highness—"