00:00could be commuted by one degree, from bisection to punishment by confinement.
00:03This concession was made out of consideration for the emperor's paternal sentiments.
00:07Perhaps finding it too agonizing to execute his own flesh and blood,
00:10the emperor had deliberately proposed a sentence effectively equivalent to life imprisonment.
00:14The crown prince felt there was no need to complicate matters to such an extent,
00:17yet the emperor admired the protagonist's approach,
00:19one that weighed both the letter of the law and the dictates of human emotion when determining a sentence.
00:23Nevertheless, the emperor was no indecisive monarch.
00:26He immediately ordered the crown prince to carry out the judgment.
00:28The emperor was highly pleased with the protagonist,
00:31recognizing that he had shown true consideration for his aging sovereign.
00:34He intended to bestow the first prince's forfeited fiefdom upon the protagonist,
00:38and offer the protagonist immediately and firmly declined.
00:40He reasoned that since the entire incident had been triggered by his own confidential report,
00:44accepting a feudal title as a reward would inevitably encourage other princes
00:48to emulate the first prince's treachery in the future,
00:50leading to endless mutual scheming and internecine strife.
00:53The emperor clarified that granting the fiefdom had merely been an asterisk proposal asterisk,
00:57while he permitted the princes to compete for merit,
00:59he would not tolerate internal fratricide.
01:01Consequently, he decided to alter the reward to a marriage alliance instead.
01:05The protagonist had, after all, reached the appropriate age for formal matrimony.
01:08The chosen bride was the granddaughter of Prince Lai, the emperor's own uncle.
01:12The emperor was convinced that any children born of this union would be exceptionally brilliant,
01:16perhaps even surpassing the protagonist himself in talent.
01:19The protagonist, however, remained remarkably composed.
01:21He offered no objection whatsoever to the emperor's arrangements.
01:24The prime minister marveled at his demeanor.
01:26Not only did the protagonist show no curiosity regarding the nature of his future bride,
01:30but he did not even bother to inquire about her name.
01:33Before long, the first prince met his grim end.
01:35The protagonist decided to award a substantial bonus to the young guard who had assisted him.
01:39After all, the young man could be considered a lifesaver to the protagonist's father.
01:43Furthermore, the maidservant Ruyi no longer needed to live in fear
01:46that her female relatives would be targeted by the first prince's faction.
01:49One day, while traveling through the city,
01:51the protagonist unexpectedly stumbled upon a scene where a large crowd of curious onlookers
01:55had gathered on a side street.
01:56A young maiden was performing street art there,
01:58offering to engage in a combat demonstration with anyone willing to pay a fee of three asterisk
02:03ling star.
02:03The rule was simple.
02:04If you could defeat her in combat, you would win her hand.
02:07However, she proceeded to defeat over a dozen challengers,
02:10all men hoping to win a wife,
02:11until a lecherous-looking man with a goatee suddenly appeared.
02:14Without even paying the entry fee, he launched a sneak attack.
02:17The crowd watched in disbelief as the young woman was instantly knocked unconscious.
02:20Just as it appeared she was about to be dragged away,
02:23the protagonist arrived in the nick of time to intervene.
02:25He publicly exposed the man's treachery,
02:27pointing out that he had resorted to despicable tactics specifically,
02:30using a paralyzing agent and had even positioned an accomplice within the crowd
02:33to turn the duel into an unfair two-against-one fight.
02:36Having made his accusation,
02:37the protagonist immediately moved to rescue the accomplice hidden in the crowd.
02:41The goateed man tried to bluff his way out of it,
02:43claiming he didn't know the accomplice,
02:44but a swift low to the face forced him to admit the truth.
02:47The man lying on the ground was indeed his subordinate.
02:49Despite his sturdy build,
02:50the goateed man still attempted to attack the protagonist.
02:53However, realizing the futility of the situation,
02:55he could only hurl a few empty threats before fleeing in disgrace.
02:58Afterward, the young woman finally realized that it was the protagonist who had saved her.
03:02Curious, he asked why she had been engaging in these duels.
03:05It turned out she was in desperate need of travel funds.
03:07She had come to the Imperial Capital for a special selection trial,
03:10but had failed to be chosen,
03:11leaving her without the fare to return home.
03:13The protagonist found this puzzling.
03:15Given the combat prowess she had just demonstrated,
03:16it seemed highly unlikely she would have been rejected from the selection.
03:20The young woman shared this sentiment.
03:22Upon investigating,
03:23the protagonist discovered she had been deliberately targeted,
03:25specifically because this year's examiner was the lion prince,
03:28a notorious lecher who had summoned her for a private audience beforehand.
03:31The protagonist cut her off,
03:32telling her there was no need to elaborate.
03:34He knew his imperial brother's character all too well
03:36and had already guessed his nefarious intentions.
03:39The protagonist generously offered to cover her living expenses
03:41until the next selection trial
03:43and even promised to provide her with lodging,
03:45simply because he admired people who refused to take shortcuts in life.
03:48Unexpectedly,
03:49at that very moment,
03:50the goateed man returned with a group of cronies,
03:52seeking revenge.
03:53Just as the flame realm within the protagonist flared with a crimson glow,
03:56signaling his readiness to strike,
03:57he linked it with his armor realm,
03:59channeling their combined power to form a pair of flaming gauntlets.
04:02The protagonist then turned to the remaining attackers,
04:04silently challenging them to make their move.
04:06However,
04:07the young woman suddenly recognized one of the armored men as a knight.
04:10In the service of the lion prince,
04:12Upon realizing his identity had been exposed,
04:14the knight immediately dropped to his knees and begged for mercy.
04:17It was only then that the young woman discovered the protagonist's true identity.
04:20He was the 13th prince.
04:21Yet,
04:22he had never flaunted his status or used his authority to bully others.
04:25Seeing that the protagonist had no intention of pursuing the matter further,
04:28having never intended to resort to violence in the first place,
04:31the incident was finally laid to rest.
04:33Unexpectedly,
04:34a wild and uninhibited blonde-haired old man suddenly appeared nearby.
04:37He praised the protagonist,
04:38declaring that his looks and strength were both absolutely top-tier.
04:41The protagonist,
04:42in turn,
04:43recognized the golden gourd hanging by the old man's side.
04:45Its owner was none other than Prince Lehi.
04:47Decades ago,
04:48back when the current emperor had just ascended the throne
04:50and was still too young and inexperienced to rule effectively,
04:53the entire empire had plunged into chaos.
04:55At that time,
04:56Prince Lehi,
04:57acting as regent,
04:58wielded immense power and used an iron fist to ruthlessly suppress all unrest.
05:01Five years later,
05:02once the emperor had come of age,
05:04Prince Lehi voluntarily relinquished his authority
05:06and retreated to his own Vedum,
05:07where he has lived in seclusion ever since.
05:09Grateful for his meritorious service as a mentor and aide,
05:12the emperor had bestowed upon him the title of Prince Lehi.
05:15As expected,
05:16the reason Prince Lehi had made this personal visit
05:18was to assess the character of his future grandson-in-law.
05:21After all,
05:21his granddaughter's lifelong happiness hinged on this match.
05:24If the protagonist failed to meet his exacting standards,
05:26even if the marriage had been decreed by the emperor himself,
05:29he would never consent to his granddaughter marrying him.
05:31No sooner had the words left his lips
05:33than the protagonist felt a sudden surge of pressure bearing down on him,
05:36much like the pressure he himself would exert upon enemies using the power of his demonic sword.
05:40Although the protagonist could have easily mustered his own strength
05:43to push back and overwhelm his opponent,
05:44he decided against it.
05:45After all,
05:46he might one day have to address this man as grandfather,
05:48and it would be unseemly to publicly humiliate him.
05:51The protagonist deliberately restrained his power,
05:53fighting Prince Lehi to a perfect stalemate.
05:55Yet,
05:55given Prince Lehi's caliber,
05:57a man of such legendary stature,
05:58he naturally perceived the protagonist's deliberate restraint.
06:01Thus,
06:01he graciously conceded defeat,
06:03acknowledged the protagonist's character,
06:04and agreed to entrust his beloved granddaughter to his care.
06:07As a betrothal gift and a bonus cheat ability to boot,
06:09he presented the protagonist with a ring that possessed a sentient consciousness of its own.
06:13The protagonist's consciousness was instantly transported to a vast,
06:16lush grassland,
06:17where a golden ox suddenly materialized and charged straight at him.
06:20However,
06:21the protagonist effortlessly dispelled the creature using the power of his demonic sword.
06:25In doing so,
06:26the protagonist's own light attribute powers received a significant boost.
06:29The golden ox,
06:30which identified itself as by Meng,
06:31then pledged its allegiance to the protagonist.
06:34Witnessing the protagonist's ability to turn stone into gold by instantly taming by Meng,
06:38a feat even he,
06:39Prince Lehi,
06:39had failed to accomplish,
06:40the old man was left utterly astonished.
06:42With the emperor now moving to depose the rebellious crown prince,
06:45and the protagonist having secured the backing of the four ancient sages,
06:48his part of victory and the ultimate seizure of power appeared virtually inevitable.
06:51For as the protagonist successfully gathered the four great techniques,
06:54his consciousness was drawn into a mysterious realm.
06:57The four sages rejoiced at the opportunity to reunite once more,
07:00their last gathering having taken place back in the Silver Age,
07:03under the stewardship of a master just like him.
07:05Endowed with extraordinary talent and boasting an impressive level of 255,
07:09he successfully recruited the four of them and even helped them regain their lost powers.
07:12Snapping back to reality,
07:14the protagonist's consciousness suddenly returned to the present moment.
07:17He initially thought the entire experience had been a mere hallucination,
07:20but to his surprise,
07:21everyone around him had heard it all.
07:23They interpreted it as a sign that the gods above held high expectations for him.
07:27The robust protagonist immediately instructed his maid,
07:29Sadie,
07:30to distribute treats to the crowd.
07:31For solitary joy pales in comparison to share joy,
07:33and sharing one's good fortune with a common focus,
07:35after all,
07:36a noble's duty.
07:37Those who perform this duty begrudgingly are third-rate nobles.
07:40Those who do so only under duress are second-rate nobles,
07:42but those who fulfill it as a matter of course,
07:44as a natural obligation,
07:46are truly first-rate nobles.
07:47Suddenly,
07:47the young girl declared that she would refuse the protagonist's assistance.
07:50She had resolved to become his knight,
07:52vowing to hone her skills through her own efforts,
07:54until she was worthy to stand by his side,
07:56a declaration that was instantly met with a magical rebuke.
07:59While accepting aid only to grow complacent is indeed reprehensible,
08:02stubbornly refusing aid altogether is the mark of a second-rate knight.
08:05If one aspires to be a first-rate knight,
08:07one must not view receiving assistance as a source of shame.
08:10One need only repay one's liege with even more outstanding performance.
08:13Even Prince Lae was impressed by the protagonist,
08:16marveling that he had managed to cultivate such a promising subordinate,
08:19with nothing more than a few well-chosen words.
08:21The emperor suddenly appeared,
08:22declaring that the protagonist's excellence had been proven,
08:25which was precisely why he had arranged for him
08:27to marry his imperial uncle's granddaughter.
08:29Just to be safe,
08:30the protagonist immediately activated his power of the titan.
08:33Fortunately,
08:33the onlookers harbored no malicious intent.
08:35Although the emperor chided him for making a mountain out of a molehill,
08:38the protagonist's composure nonetheless astonished Prince Lae.
08:41It seemed inevitable that he would prove to be the most outstanding of all the princes.
08:45The emperor did not deny this fact,
08:47which explained why he had bestowed upon him the title of Prince of Leisure.
08:50The protagonist's leisurely endeavors were now poised to begin in earnest.
08:53After all,
08:54for his very first campaign,
08:55he had decided to venture forth entirely on his own.
08:57The crowd looked on in disbelief.
08:59In the past,
08:59such expeditions had always required a complex,
09:02multi-layered support structure.
09:03Yet,
09:03if it was asterisk 13th Prince Asterisk undertaking the task,
09:06it suddenly made perfect sense.
09:08Noticing that all eyes were fixed upon him,
09:09the protagonist instantly grasped the emperor's true intent.
09:12Such an arrangement would be far more conducive to ensuring the emperor's safety.
09:15The emperor, too, was pleased with this outcome.
09:17He then turned to Prince Lae and explained the deeper meaning behind his earlier remarks.
09:21Specifically,
09:22his decision to spare his eldest brother's life by commuting his sentence to life imprisonment.
09:26Yet the crown prince stubbornly insisted on executing the eldest prince.
09:29This left the emperor utterly disheartened,
09:31and upon hearing the account,
09:33Prince Lae felt a chill run down his spine as well.
09:35If such a man were ever to ascend the throne,
09:37he would undoubtedly launch a bloody purge of his own kin.
09:40The first to fall would surely be the fourth,
09:42eighth,
09:42and thirteenth princes.
09:43The crown prince was narrow-minded and cruel by nature.
09:46His becoming emperor could only spell disaster.
09:48Yet,
09:48for all that,
09:49the emperor had not yet decided whom to appoint as the new crown prince.
09:52Prince Lae was left speechless.
09:54Failing to designate a successor in advance meant that if the emperor were to suddenly pass away,
09:58the nation would instantly fragment.
09:59However,
10:00announcing a successor right now would only spark needless strife.
10:03The protagonist suggested a compromise.
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