Chapter 1351 - 979: Flaying Alive

Aren’t I Father’s most beloved son?

How could Father order my death?

"Grand Steward, could you have made a mistake?" At this moment, the Third Prince’s eyes were filled with horror, staring intently at the Grand Steward, his eyes full of disbelief.

He could not believe that the Father who loved him most would bestow death upon him!

Even when he had caused trouble for the ancestors before, Father only punished him with confinement. How could Father have him killed?

He could not believe his ears!

Not only the Third Prince, but even the guests and the concubine in his mansion also raised their heads in disbelief, unsure of what mistake the Third Prince had made to provoke the Great King into ordering his death.

Dugu Qiu heard the words, looked at the Third Prince, a touch of sentiment in his eyes, but he said nothing, only let out a sigh.

"Grand Steward, are you sure there’s no mistake? How could the Great King sentence the Third Prince to death?" Zhang Gaoqiu, attending the banquet, was anxious. He hadn’t lived enough, how could he die here willingly? So he stood up and questioned.

The Grand Steward did not speak, but simply raised his hand to order the execution. Zhang Chen, who had been watching coldly from the side, finally got the chance to speak: "Grand Steward, I have some friendship with the Third Prince, why not let me personally see him off?"

Dugu Qiu did not speak upon hearing this, indicating tacit approval, turning his head to look into the distance.

"How does the Third Prince wish to die? Do you want to be sliced to death, burned alive bit by bit, or perhaps chewed to death by dogs?" Zhang Chen came before the Third Prince, smiling down at him. The once lofty Third Prince now reduced to this state, even Zhang Chen could not help but sigh. All human might must rely on oneself; all power and wealth are illusions, mere external things. In the face of absolute power, they are just fleeting clouds.

"This is your doing!" The Third Prince raised his head, looking at Zhang Chen, a cold glint in his eyes.

"That’s right, it was me!" Zhang Chen said with a smile: "I requested the Great King to execute you. I can’t believe the Great King was so fond of you; without my firm stance, perhaps you would have escaped."

"Zhang Chen, state your terms! As long as you spare my life, I can agree to anything." The Third Prince looked at Zhang Chen, pleading in his words.

Upon hearing the Third Prince, Zhang Chen raised an eyebrow: "Now you regret it? Now you’re afraid? Too late! From the moment you coveted Zhong Xiang, I had already sentenced you to death by a thousand cuts."

As Zhang Chen spoke, he pulled out a small knife from his sleeve. The knife was small but gleamed brightly in the sunlight: "Today, you must die!"

Then Zhang Chen looked between the Third Prince’s legs: "I’ll start with the first slice here. I’ll cut a hundred times, slicing away that piece bit by bit."

"Someone, strip his trousers." Zhang Chen ordered sharply.

The Imperial Guard beside hesitated slightly, glancing at Dugu Qiu, who helplessly waved his hand. The next moment, the guard charged forward like a wolf or tiger, grabbed the Third Prince, and began to strip his trousers.

"Wait! I have something to say!" The Third Prince, like a frightened wild horse, struggled and shouted hastily.

The guard paused, and Zhang Chen caressed his small knife: "What more do you have to say on the brink of death?"

"A Human King should die like a Human King, Dukes should die like Dukes. I am a Marquis of the Great Victory, and should die a noble’s death!" Knowing his fate was sealed, the Third Prince sought an honorable death.

Zhang Chen laughed coldly: "Who do you think you are? Come, strip him, I want to cut his little piece first!"

Upon hearing Zhang Chen, the guard moved again. Seeing this, the Third Prince realized there was no point in compromise, and began to curse vehemently: "Zhang Chen, you despicable vile man, dare to humiliate me so! I curse you to a wretched end, to be slashed a thousand times, dying a painful death!"

Hearing the Third Prince’s words, Zhang Chen chuckled: "I don’t know how I’ll die, but I know you’re dead for sure now."

As he spoke, Zhang Chen looked at the stripped trousers, clicking his tongue: "I was wrong earlier, your piece is too small, can’t be sliced a thousand times, a hundred cuts would be the limit."

"Zhang Chen, you beast, I’ll fight you to the end!" The Third Prince flushed with rage, the evil energy in his eyes seeming to burst forth, struggling desperately.

For him, Zhang Chen’s verbal humiliation was more unbearable than death itself.

Zhang Chen didn’t speak, he just aimed the small knife in his hand at the Third Prince’s crotch and cut down, accompanied by shrill screams of agony, the Third Prince kept cursing furiously:

"Zhang Chen, you beast, I curse you to die a terrible death!"

"How dare you humiliate a solitary king like this, the Great Victory Royal Family will never spare you!"

"Zhang Chen, I curse your descendants to be cut off!"

"..."

The Prince’s Mansion’s ministers shivered as they listened to the Third Prince’s incessant cries of agony, and the surrounding Imperial Guards were also intimidated by Zhang Chen’s brutal methods, each holding their breath in fear.

"Grand Steward, save me! Grand Steward, help me!" The Third Prince was in excruciating pain, begging Dugu Qiu for help.

Dugu Qiu listened to the Third Prince’s screams, a look of reluctance appeared on his face. He turned to Zhang Chen: "Zhang Chen, this boy grew up under my watch, to put it disrespectfully, he’s no different from my grandson. Could you give him a quick death for my sake?"

Zhang Chen turned to look at Dugu Qiu, and facing his sincere gaze, he shook his head and directly rejected Dugu Qiu: "No! Today he fell into my hands, he deserves this retribution. He went to my mansion to take people away, directly targeting Zhong Xiang. I can’t even imagine if I couldn’t rise again today, what terrible consequences would await if Zhong Xiang fell into this scoundrel’s hands. Now that I have risen, he is the one to suffer, he must face all my wrath."

Zhang Chen’s words left Dugu Qiu speechless, unable to plead further, with a trace of helplessness in his eyes, he could only turn his head away from the tragic scene.

Zhang Chen’s face bore a gentle smile, but his hand continued moving, and strips of flesh slid off the Third Prince’s body, his screams of agony unceasing, yet death eluded him for the time being.

Until three hours later, the Third Prince’s body was reduced to mere white bones, his final breath held by his organs, devoid of strength to scream any longer, before Zhang Chen finally made the cut to his heart, ending his vitality.

The Third Prince cast a sinister gaze at Zhang Chen, eyes filled with resentment and unwillingness, a heavy grievance shrouding his entire body: "Zhang Chen, even as a ghost I will never spare you, I will definitely come back to seek revenge on you!" With words full of venom, he finally died, his soul trying to escape, yet suppressed by Zhang Chen’s Yama Authority, and Zhang Chen captured it into his palm.

"Zhang Chen, what are you doing? Killing someone is a matter of a moment, let go of my soul!" The soul of the Third Prince, bound by Zhang Chen, was now even more frantic.

Upon hearing the Third Prince’s words, Zhang Chen chuckled: "Didn’t you say even as a ghost you wouldn’t spare me? What a coincidence, I won’t spare you either! I will keep your soul to light the heavenly flame, make you endure the torment of soul refining day and night, leave you without a resting place for eternity."

After saying this, he directly took out a lamp and used a Sealing Rune to imprison the soul within.

"Zhang Chen!" Seeing this, Dugu Qiu’s face changed, and he called out.

"Please do not plead anymore, you have just heard, he wouldn’t spare me even as a ghost, so how could I spare him?" Zhang Chen turned to Dugu Qiu, smiling as he spoke, though his eyes revealed slight dissatisfaction. Dugu Qiu’s repeated pleas made Zhang Chen quite displeased.

However, not only was Zhang Chen displeased, at this moment, Dugu Qiu was also filled with dissatisfaction towards Zhang Chen’s actions: "Murdering someone is a momentary act, what you did is excessive, after all, he is a bloodline of the Great Victory Royal Family, you’ve already killed him, why deprive even the chance of reincarnation?"

Dugu Qiu’s words unabashedly showcased his dissatisfaction, a hint of estrangement and reproach in his voice.

Hearing Dugu Qiu’s reproach, Zhang Chen turned to look at him: "In what tone are you speaking to me? What status are you using to speak to me? Even the Human King of Great Victory wouldn’t dare berate me like this, do you really think you’re my father?"

Today, if I can rise again, naturally I must annihilate all. If I couldn’t rise, this tragic fate would have been mine.

"You..." Dugu Qiu, choked up with anger, pointed at Zhang Chen, unable to speak further.

Given Zhang Chen’s current status and position, where does Dugu Qiu find the right to criticize him?

Zhang Chen was very disappointed with Dugu Qiu, despite Dugu Qiu’s kindness to him, he had no right to dictate Zhang Chen’s actions.

Zhang Chen had skills, that’s why he got the opportunity to rise again, if he lacked abilities and fell into the Third Prince’s hands, the Third Prince surely wouldn’t spare him, not only would his family be ruined, but Zhong Xiang would also have been tormented to death, so Zhang Chen wonders if his actions towards the Third Prince are excessive? Zhang Chen thinks not at all!

If not so, it would be hard to vent the hatred in his heart! If not so, his skills would have been cultivated in vain!

A hint of killing intent appeared in Zhang Chen’s eyes as he turned to scan the ministers in the Third Prince’s Mansion; his gaze, combined with his brutal methods that skinned the Third Prince alive, made everyone lower their heads, shivering in silence.

"Elder brother, spare me!" At this moment, Zhang Gaoqiu couldn’t hold back anymore, falling to the ground, pleading constantly with Zhang Chen: "Elder brother, we’re all family, I beg of you to spare me this time."