Chen Rui just smiled faintly, “Murder the legion commander of the capital garrison, fornicate and ‘kill’ the uncle’s widow… These may not be enough? Well, how about adding an ‘assassinating the ruler’?”
The last sentence made Lex the Great’s eyes turned fierce as he looked straight into Chen Rui’s eyes. However, apart from indifference, he didn’t see anything extra there.
“Your Majesty doesn’t want to do this?” Chen Rui looked Lex the Great directly in the eyes. “This is giving you a favorable opportunity once and for all. Isn’t this the ‘most important’ quality of a ruler?”
The rhythm of Lex the Great’s breathing quickened a bit. He took a deep breath, and it gradually calmed down, “So, you already have this awareness when you come here without bringing a guardian?”
“From the time I came to this palace… No, from the day ‘Arthur’ was born in this palace, I should have had this kind of awareness.” Chen Rui shook his head lightly, “The most ruthless is the ruler family. For the sake of power and survival, the more relatives you have, the more you will fight to the death. The tree wants to be quiet yet the wind is constant. It’s impossible to live a carefree life. Even the son you once loved the most may one day shake your throne and become an obstacle in the way of power pursuit, and you will not hesitate to remove him.”
“If that’s the case, why did you come back? Why did you show such amazing ability after you came back? Is it just for that woman? The woman you’ve already got rid of? All your efforts revolve around this kind love affair, and this is how it ends in the end?”
“It’s my own business. I don’t want to answer too much,” Chen Rui didn’t answer directly and changed the subject, “However, when it comes to Veronica, since I’ve completely settled with her, then… should our agreement be fulfilled as promised?”
“To completely remove the remnants of the Cloud Rider Empire? Even if you don’t tell me, I’ll do it.” Lex the Great sneered, “But I’m curious that you are still caring about this matter in this situation. What do you want actually?”
“If there’s anything I want to take away, it’s the Holy Light Robe.” Chen Rui pointed to his head, “But for ‘Arthur’, what he really wants is not this, because he is more naive and gentle than me. Foolish guy… but it’s pointless to say that now, Your Majesty. Now it’s not what I want, it’s what you want?”
The ruler on the throne was silent as tapped the armrest with his index finger. In this silent hall, it seemed extremely loud.
The atmosphere solidified for a while. After a while, Lex seemed to have made some kind of decision. With a wave of his hand, a space ring came out and floated in front of Chen Rui.
“This is what you want to take away.”
Chen Rui probed with his consciousness, and there was only 1 thing inside, a white robe as thin as a cicada’s wings, emitting a silvery white brilliance. He could sense the pure light breath with just the contact of consciousness, which was not inferior to the level of the Crown of Thorns and Holy Grail.
The highest holy relic of the Dragon Bright Empire, which was the last of the 3 holy relics – Holy Light Robe!
Chen Rui was stunned. It was indeed a bit unexpected that he could get the Holy Light Robe that he had always wanted so easily.
Lex noticed that puzzled look, and there was an inexplicable sense of relief as he said coldly, “Why? Isn’t that what you want?”
“Of course, it’s just a bit unexpected.” Although surprised, Chen Rui would definitely not refuse this good thing that was presented to him. He kept the space ring in the storage warehouse, “Then, Your Majesty… Next, what should I do as a prince?”
“Didn’t you plan it long ago?” Lex sneered, “I’m now finally sure that from the very beginning of your return, you don’t intend to stay here at all. Golden Estate, magic game, yellow dragon wine are just your chips.”
“Oh?” Chen Rui raised his eyebrows, “Your Majesty is sure there is no other conspiracy here?”
“Hmph! Don’t treat everyone except yourself as an idiot. Although I don’t know what you want, I already know what you don’t want.” Lex gave Chen Rui a deep look, “I don’t know if I should breathe a sigh of relief or sigh. I admit that I have wandered between inheritors and the throne I control, but no matter how great a ruler in history, there is always such hesitation. As many people think, you’re indeed the best successor to this empire. Why are you so dismissive of it?”
“Everyone’s pursuit is different. Of course, I also have my own peristence, but the throne and power are not among them. Moreover, I’m confident that I have the ability to transcend certain shackles and truly pursue what I want.”
Lex was silent for a moment, “What else do you wish for?”
Wish? A smile appeared on the corner of Chen Rui’s mouth, “Freya. Although she has never raised any objection, it can be seen that she is reluctant to the political marriage you arranged. I hope that in the future, she will have the right to freely choose a marriage.”
“Ridiculous!” Lex said contemptuously. “Since she’s a princess, she should always be prepared to sacrifice her life for the empire, not to mention a mere marriage?”
“Only weak empires need to sacrifice their women’s happiness for temporary stability. I don’t think the Dragon Bright Empire and Your Majesty need to do that. If… you love Freya as much as you seem.”
Lex didn’t answer, but he asked out of the blue, “Is the Holy Grail in your hands too?”
Chen Rui looked into Lex’s eyes and nodded slowly.
“So that’s the case…” Lex nodded slowly, seeming to understand a lot, “The refusal to marry at the Blue Glory Empire was just a deal with Landbis.”
“That’s a deal of her own choice.”
“Just like between us now?”
“If… Your Majesty thinks so.’” Chen Rui stared at Lex for a moment, then he shrugged. “If there’s nothing else, I’ll leave first.”
“Are you going to bid farewell like this?” Lex said ‘farewell’ instead of ‘goodbye’.
“Yes.” Chen Rui took a deep breath, “I’m ready.”
“You have your own choices. I can’t stop you.” Lex was silent for a while, “I’ll just say one thing. It’s not too late for you to change your mind. It’s not a courtesy, you should know.”
“I think ‘Arthur’ has no regrets. No matter what he wants to do, there is always a father who takes him to heart.” Chen Rui bowed deeply to Lex and turned away.
Behind him, Lex’s low voice came, “You’ve been trying to separate yourself and the ‘Arthur’ who disappeared into 2 different people, but no matter what changes you’ve gone through, no matter what identity or ability you have, the blood of the Roland family has always flowed in your body. No matter what you do, you can’t deny the root.”
“So, this is the way I bid farewell.” Chen Rui didn’t explain anything. He turned his head and looked at the figure standing up on the throne. He felt a long-lost feeling in his heart as a certain image overlapped in his memory, “So, farewell, father.”
At this moment, Chen Rui felt that the last consciousness of ‘Arthur’ also dissipated, or it was completely integrated into his soul without any flaws or loopholes. They were no longer separated from each other. The power of the soul became unprecedentedly pure and abundant. Both quality and quantity had been greatly improved.
Just like before the advancement to [Red Pole Star Transformation], this improvement was equivalent to laying a solid and sturdy foundation for the advancement to the next realm. Next, he only needed an opportunity to induce qualitative change.
This opportunity was the creation origin!
Chen Rui’s last sentence was not loud, but Lex still heard it. His body shook slightly, staring at the back of the lone walker, only to feel that his vision suddenly blurred.
After all, Lex was the emperor who controlled the entire empire. Previously, his vision was obscured because he had always been vigilant of ‘Arthur”s talent and prestige, but when he jumped out of that frame now, he really saw a lot of things.
‘Arthur’ turned the Golden Estate into a great income source with his great talent, then he passed it on to him in this way.
Golden Estate, magic game, yellow dragon wine… They were not bargaining chips, but a gift.
A gift for his father.
Next, what ‘Arthur’ was going to do must be extremely dangerous. Judging from Holy Grail and Holy Light Robe, it was likely to involve the behemoth Holy Church. Therefore, before that, it was necessary to draw a line with the Dragon Bright Empire and his father, so Arthur gave him a piece of paper at that time. What happened next was planned on the paper, which was also Arthur’s best choice of bidding farewell.
Lex suddenly felt grateful for the choice he made in the end. Although ‘Arthur’ was about to bid farewell and take a path that even he could not have predicted, he did not lose his son anyway.
“See, Ikrina, our son…”
After a long time, the blurred vision gradually became clear, and the hunched figure regained its uprightness as he slowly sat on the throne.
“Ulse!”
Ulse, the captain of the imperial guard team, who had been on standby somewhere, immediately appeared in the main hall, “Your Majesty.”
“Has Arthur left?”
“Yes, Your Majesty. His Highness Arthur has left the palace, but the strange thing is that he seems to disappear out of thin air. Even Gus’ sensing ability can’t detect His Highness Arthur’s whereabouts.”
Lex the Great nodded calmly, “Immediately inform the whole city that Third Prince Arthur killed Veronica, the widow of the late Prince Sophil, and assassinated the legion commander Trinis of the Golden Estate, the capital garrison. He is now absconding. Order the Firewing Legion to pursue him all night, and be sure to capture Arthur back to the capital! Order the dragon knight legion to unite with the Iron Scale Legion of the Golden Estate and immediately control the entire Golden Estate. Kill anyone who disobeys!”
“Yes!” Ulse took the order without hesitation.
