The Overbearing Mister Xue! Lightning Counters Reincarnation? That's All?

The First Prince's estate. Normally, the gates of the First Prince's residence were bustling with people coming and going, an endless stream of carriages filling the street with lively activity. Today, however, seemed unusual. The residence was utterly deserted. A large number of guards lay concealed around the perimeter. A luxurious carriage rolled slowly from the distance and came to a stop before the gates. An elderly man who appeared to be a steward walked over briskly. "Welcome, Her Royal Highness the Ninth Princess." The occupant of the carriage was none other than the Ninth Princess, who had recently sparked heated discussions across the capital! The Ninth Princess stepped down slowly from the carriage. Yet she was not alone. A very young-looking man followed immediately behind her, stepping down with equal composure. The steward's eyes went wide. A young man sharing a carriage with the Ninth Princess? Still, the steward dared not speak out of turn. Whatever the circumstances, this was the Ninth Princess's private business, hardly a matter for a mere prince's steward to question. "Please enter, Your Highness. His Highness the First Prince and His Highness the Third Prince have already arrived." The Ninth Princess nodded. Following the steward, the two of them stepped into the First Prince's estate. Soon, they entered the main reception hall. Swish. The moment they crossed the threshold, numerous gazes locked onto the Ninth Princess and Lu Changsheng. The hall was vast. Seated at the head were two young men, both exuding an imposing, weighty aura of regal authority. They were the First Prince and the Third Prince. Seeing that the Ninth Princess had finally arrived, the First Prince took the initiative to speak. "Ninth Sister, you have finally come. Over all these years, this must be the first time you have set foot in my estate, isn't it?" Both the First Prince and the Third Prince had been granted princely titles, giving them exalted status. The other imperial scions had received no such honors. This was also why the First and Third Princes had maintained a distinct advantage in the succession struggle. Now, however, the Ninth Princess had joined their ranks. "Eldest Brother, Third Brother, in the past it was hardly easy for your younger sister to obtain an audience with either of you." The Ninth Princess remained thoroughly composed. She walked straight forward and took the third seat. It was a seat rightfully hers. The First Prince did not seek to humiliate her. There was simply no need. In the succession struggle, the Ninth Princess had already proven herself an equal adversary. Stooping to petty tricks to embarrass her would only bring embarrassment upon himself. Both the First and Third Princes clearly recognized her current standing as someone qualified to sit on equal footing with them. "This must be Master Lu Changsheng, the Princess Estate's Chief Consecrated Elder, I presume?" "Elder Lu's strength is truly extraordinary. I am deeply impressed." "Someone, bring a seat!" The First Prince did not make things difficult for Lu Changsheng either, granting him a seat without hesitation. Evidently, he was well aware of Lu Changsheng's current position within the Princess Estate. The Ninth Princess was satisfied. Still, she knew that the First Prince had not invited the Third Prince and herself here for pleasantries or nostalgia; there was bound to be something of grave importance. "Eldest Brother, why not speak plainly of what brings us here today?" she said. The First Prince looked deeply at her, then nodded. "Very well. Let us speak plainly." "At the start, thirteen participants contested this succession struggle. Now, only eleven remain." "Yet even at eleven, Ninth Sister, do you not think that is far too many?" "Third Brother and I conferred for some time, and we both agreed that eleven is too crowded. A true succession struggle requires only three. What does Ninth Sister think?" The First Prince's words sent a jolt through her heart! She understood his meaning at once. Eleven was too many. Leave only three? They were preparing to clear the field! In fact, had she not risen with such sudden prominence, would the final contenders have been reduced to just two? Only because of her meteoric ascent had the count become three. Yet "clearing the field" was easier said than done. Once the purging began, the remaining imperial scions would likely band together. After all, no secret could stay hidden forever under heaven. Conspiring here today to clear the field meant the news could easily leak tomorrow. Those ambitious princes would never accept defeat meekly. If they truly forged an alliance, they might even succeed in toppling one or two of the foremost princes or princesses. Agreeing to clear the field meant preparing to weather a fierce, coordinated counterattack from the rest. "What of Imperial Father...?" the Ninth Princess hesitated. Siblings vying against one another in the succession struggle was expected. But rushing to clear the field now suggested that something had gone amiss within the imperial palace. Her rise had been sudden. She had barely established an intelligence network of her own, let alone extended her reach deep into the inner palace. News from the imperial quarters rarely reached her ears. The First and Third Princes were different. Their status and backgrounds were extraordinary, and their mothers were both imperial noble consorts. Learning inner palace secrets was naturally effortless for them. The Third Prince glanced at her and said calmly, "Word has come from within the palace. Imperial Father caught a chill, and his condition grows weaker by the day. Even with the imperial physicians attending to him with utmost care, there is no improvement." "Therefore, preparations must be made for certain eventualities." The Third Prince did not ask her to withdraw from the succession struggle. Such words would be meaningless. Why would she bow out? Had she any intention of retreating, would she have waited until now? Yet without drawing the Ninth Princess in, how could the First and Third Princes clear the field on their own? If she were to ally with the other imperial scions instead, who ended up being cleared from the board would be entirely up in the air. Only by pulling her to their side could the three of them ensure that clearing the field went off without a hitch. At the end of the day, everything boiled down to two words: Strength! Only strength mattered above all else! Right now, the Ninth Princess possessed enough power that the First and Third Princes had no choice but to court her and negotiate. Otherwise, their attempt to clear the board carried a tremendous risk of failure. "Ninth Sister, what is your view?" the First Prince asked. He and the Third Prince had already coordinated their stance. They were merely waiting for her reply. The Ninth Princess narrowed her eyes slightly, falling into brief contemplation. She understood that if their imperial father's health was failing, he could pass away at any moment. After all, divine items granted tremendous power, but for the inhabitants of the Kunwu World, failing to reach perfection in one's spirit body or divine body meant one's lifespan could never be extended. Their lives remained capped at a few short decades, still subject to the ravages of aging, sickness, and death. If they did not clear the field now, the situation would only become far more chaotic and hostile once the Emperor passed. Of course, once the field was cleared, there would be no more opportunities to fish in troubled waters. She would have to confront the First and Third Princes directly. There were pros and cons, but the benefits certainly outweighed the risks. Once the purging began, the Princess Estate could seize the opportunity to annex major factions, vastly bolstering its own influence. More importantly, she could secure a vast number of divine items! She already knew that the more divine items Lu Changsheng absorbed, the stronger his might grew. Once they swallowed several factions and obtained a multitude of divine items, just how terrifying would Lu Changsheng become? Even when the final three stood locked in a standoff and began the ultimate clash, who could stand against him? If none could resist Lu Changsheng, then the throne would unquestionably belong to her. With that thought, she hesitated no longer. "Agreed." "However, if we are clearing the field, of the remaining eight princes, my Princess Estate must take charge of three!" She stated her terms plainly. With eight candidates left, dividing them among three factions meant an inevitable split of three, three, and two. She had no intention of settling for two. Handling two carried less pressure, but the harvest would undoubtedly be smaller. The First and Third Princes exchanged a glance. They had assumed she would choose fewer targets, as her foundation was admittedly the weakest of the three. Who would have guessed she would take the initiative to demand three princes? Was she looking to rapidly expand her power regardless of whether she could actually handle three imperial scions? Regardless, even if she failed, the loss would fall entirely on the Princess Estate. It was not even out of the question that the combined strength of the three princes might defeat her instead. Should that happen, it would only be a boon to the First and Third Princes. With that in mind, both nodded. "Very well, we shall follow Ninth Sister's wish." "Three princes shall be left to you to handle." "Now, we may divide our opponents..." And so, the three began deliberating which opponents each would take. Two hours later, the carriage rolled slowly out of the First Prince's estate and made its way back to the Princess Estate. Upon returning, the Ninth Princess did not immediately summon her subordinates. Instead, she turned to Lu Changsheng. "Master Lu, this presents an opportunity for our estate, but it is equally a test. The First and Third Princes brought me in as one of the Three Chieftains largely to see whether the Princess Estate possesses the strength to stand among them." "Thus, handling these three princes is of paramount importance. Succeed, and we enter the final, decisive stage of the succession struggle. Fail, and everything ends here." "I fear I must trouble Master Lu once again!" She understood clearly that this was both a trial and an opportunity to truly cement her place among the Three Chieftains. And seizing such an opportunity depended entirely on Lu Changsheng. Without him, the Princess Estate had no hope of dealing with three princes. "Rest assured, Your Highness. If there are experts under those three princes, leave them to me." "From beginning to end, I have had only one goal: divine items!" Lu Changsheng stated his requirement directly. The Ninth Princess gave an immediate answer. "Of course. Any divine items obtained from the three princes' factions shall belong entirely to Master Lu as spoils of war. The Princess Estate will not claim a single one!" This was her pledge. She saw things with absolute clarity. Formidable divine items—such as those capable of forging a divine body—were useless to her for the time being. None of her subordinates possessed the capability to refine such a treasure. If she did not give them to Lu Changsheng, were they to sit gathering dust? Only by handing them over to him could she maximize their value. "Good." "Time is of the essence. Let us strike today." "If I recall correctly from the discussions at the First Prince's estate, Your Highness took responsibility for the Fifth Prince, the Seventh Prince, and the Eleventh Prince?" "Correct." "Then let us begin with the Eleventh Prince." "Tonight, I shall pay a visit to his residence!" Lu Changsheng spoke in a calm, even voice. Though he sounded casual, an immense confidence permeated his words. To casually say he would pay a visit to a prince's estate... What supreme confidence! What domineering pride! He treated an imperial scion's residence as though it were nothing! Even other experts who had forged the foundation of a divine body would never dare to act so brazenly. Yet to Lu Changsheng, looking across the entire Divine Capital, nothing and no one could truly instill fear in him aside from that mysterious, terrifying national divine item spoken of in legends. The national divine item was his sole concern. Yet it rested deep within the imperial palace, beyond the power of even the Emperor to wield at will without the authorization of the imperial elders. Since the national divine item could not be deployed lightly, Lu Changsheng had no reason for restraint. Furthermore, in the succession struggle, any means were fair game so long as the imperial siblings did not directly murder one another. "Tonight?" "Very well. However, the Eleventh Prince has several experts under his command you must watch out for." "In fact, I suspect he also possesses an expert who has forged a divine body foundation, kept hidden all this time. You must exercise caution," she warned. Which of the princes contending for the throne was an easy target? For the Eleventh Prince to remain in the struggle for so long without falling, he unquestionably had means of his own. He had kept an extraordinarily low profile—even lower than the Ninth Princess had. Most factions possessed little to no intelligence regarding him. Even the Ninth Princess had only caught faint traces indicating he was concealing something, without knowing what it truly was. Still, with Lu Changsheng taking the field, she felt confident. "I will be mindful." "By the way, as per our usual practice, Your Highness should send people to take over the businesses and properties under the Eleventh Prince." This time, Lu Changsheng made no mention of the Ouyang family. Taking over the Sun family's assets had already fully sated them. If he directed the spoils of three entire princes to them as well, it would go far beyond merely feeding them full—it would make them dangerously overgrown, drawing the Ninth Princess's suspicion. Certain matters required restraint; one could not afford to be too greedy. "I shall make the arrangements. Master Lu may set his mind at ease." Lu Changsheng nodded. With long strides, he departed the Princess Estate, quickly melting into the darkness of the night. It was already late in the night. Curiously, the Eleventh Prince's estate remained brightly illuminated. While not bustling with crowds, clamorous voices drifted from within. Footsteps echoed continuously through the compound, accompanied even by shouts and battle cries. What were they doing? Inside the estate's reception hall, the Eleventh Prince wore a dark, sullen expression. He had maintained a low profile, but keeping quiet was not the same as being foolish. On the contrary, he was exceedingly clever. By keeping his head down, he had appeared utterly unremarkable among the original thirteen contenders. He had intended to play the role of the oriole waiting behind the mantis and the cicada, biding his time for the right moment. Yet before he could spring his trap, disastrous news had struck. The First Prince, the Third Prince, and the Ninth Princess had decided to clear the field! Those three were now the true Three Chieftains of the succession struggle, their power visibly a cut above the rest. The hidden forces under the Eleventh Prince were formidable, but because he had kept them concealed, he was now treated as just another ordinary prince to be swept off the board by the Three Chieftains. To make matters worse, he had been assigned to the Ninth Princess's targets. This infuriated him. Yet he could hardly blame them. Who told him to maintain such an unassuming facade? Had he displayed his strength openly, there might have been Four Chieftains rather than Three. Now, the chance was gone. The Three Chieftains had reached an accord, and the purge was imminent. His sole remaining option was to withstand the Ninth Princess's offensive, perhaps even supplant her to become one of the new Three Chieftains. Yet the cost of doing so would be enormous, and the difficulty staggering—it amounted to an early clash between top contenders. After all, he believed his power was more than enough to qualify him as a chieftain. His intelligence capabilities alone proved as much. A mere two hours had passed since the three had concluded their meeting, yet the Eleventh Prince had already caught wind of it. Such efficiency far surpassed that of the Ninth Princess, showing just how deeply he had hidden his network. "Your Highness, there is no time to lose. We must strike preemptively, assaulting the Princess Estate to dismantle her forces completely, take her place, and become one of the new Three Chieftains." "If we wait for the Princess Estate to strike first, we will be entirely on the defensive." "Indeed! Especially that Consecrated Elder Lu Changsheng—it is said he has forged the foundation of a divine body, and his might is unfathomable. If he comes attacking, I fear..." Around the hall, the Eleventh Prince's retainers and confidants urged him to take immediate action. They were profoundly wary of Lu Changsheng. The Eleventh Prince's face remained grim. "When soldiers arrive, we deploy generals to block them; when floodwaters come, we raise earth to dam them. If the Ninth Princess has an expert with a divine body foundation, does this prince lack one?" "Besides, I have Mister Xue." "Mister Xue, I must trouble you. How confident are you in dealing with that Lu Changsheng of the Princess Estate?" Following his gaze, everyone turned to look at a poised, graceful man who appeared more like an elegant scholar. Yet he was no mere scholar. He was the strongest expert serving under the Eleventh Prince: Mister Xue, a powerhouse who had forged a divine body foundation! Unlike Lu Changsheng, Mister Xue had followed the Eleventh Prince's strategy, maintaining an utterly low profile without a shred of public renown. Many people had no inkling whatsoever that such a peerless expert lay hidden under the prince's wing. Even some of the prince's close confidants were learning of this for the first time, demonstrating just how deeply the prince had buried his cards. "What? Mister Xue has forged a divine body foundation?" "Isn't Mister Xue merely an advisor to His Highness? How has he suddenly become an expert with a divine body?" "Can't you see? His Highness concealed him intentionally to catch everyone off guard!" "Yet hiding him so deeply has brought us to the brink of being cleared from the board, forced into an early showdown against the Three Chieftains..." Many felt the Eleventh Prince had carried his caution too far, shooting himself in the foot. Instead of becoming the waiting oriole, he had been treated as small fry slated for elimination. Every eye turned toward Mister Xue. Mister Xue remained thoroughly placid, exuding relaxed confidence. He offered a faint smile, speaking with airy nonchalance. "I dare not claim absolute certainty, as Lu Changsheng has also forged a divine body foundation. However, eighty or ninety percent should pose no difficulty." "Though both of us have forged a divine body foundation, there are vast differences between them. My foundation is one few under heaven can match." "If Your Highness grants permission, I shall go forth now to slay Lu Changsheng and sweep away the obstacle before you!" Mister Xue's confidence was absolute. He treated Lu Changsheng as though he were inconsequential. This left many in the hall startled. Did His Highness truly possess such a formidable expert? To regard Lu Changsheng as nothing... One had to remember that Lu Changsheng's fame was not fabricated; it was built upon hard-won, bloody battle records. The recent destruction of the Sun family was living proof! Lu Changsheng was the single greatest factor behind the Ninth Princess's rise to become one of the Three Chieftains. Unable to hold back, someone asked, "Mister Xue, that Lu Changsheng's reputation is well-earned. We hear he personally slew five experts from the Sun family who had forged spirit body foundations." Mister Xue shook his head, remarking indifferently, "A mere five cultivators with spirit body foundations. Slaying them would be as easy as turning my palm." Hearing this, silence fell over the hall. With such bold words, Mister Xue was unlikely to be speaking without foundation. Given Lu Changsheng's dazzling record, for Mister Xue to remain so confident meant he surely possessed the strength to back it up. Relief and excitement swept through the retainers. It seemed the Eleventh Prince had good reason for keeping such a low profile after all. With a powerhouse like Mister Xue at hand, biding his time to act as the hidden oriole was entirely natural. If Mister Xue truly possessed such strength, the Eleventh Prince might indeed have had a chance to play that role. Even though circumstances had forced their hand, supplanting the Ninth Princess to claim a seat among the Three Chieftains should be well within reach. "Very well. In that case, I place my trust in Mister Xue." "Slay Lu Changsheng for me! Then destroy the Princess Estate!" The Eleventh Prince gritted his teeth, pronouncing each word with heavy resolve. At last, he would cast aside his restraint. Or rather, restraint was no longer an option. The decision of the Three Chieftains to clear the field meant the succession struggle had reached its endgame. Continuing to hide served no purpose. "Understood." "I shall depart for the Princess Estate at once!" Mister Xue nodded. Finally, the time to strike had arrived. He had waited for this day for far too long. Serving the Eleventh Prince had required utmost discretion, but who among men did not yearn to shine brilliantly and shake the Divine Capital with renown? As for Lu Changsheng, he had become the talk of the capital merely by slaying a few spirit body cultivators. Mister Xue had looked upon that with nothing but contempt. Given the chance, he could have done the same—and far better! Now, his opportunity was here. Tonight, he would dazzle the world! "There is no need to travel to the Princess Estate to slay me." "I am already here." "To think the Eleventh Prince truly harbored an expert of note." "It seems I have indeed come to the right place." Just as Mister Xue prepared to set out, an unfamiliar voice drifted in from beyond the hall. Swish. Color drained from every face. Countless gazes snapped toward the courtyard outside. Through the nighttime shadows, a lone figure came into view. With hands clasped behind his back, the figure strolled forward with easy grace, stepping slowly and deliberately into the reception hall. "You are..." "The Princess Estate's Chief Consecrated Elder, the expert who forged a divine body foundation—Lu Changsheng!" Someone cried out in horror. Lu Changsheng! The figure was none other than Lu Changsheng! In today's Divine Capital, his name was no longer obscure. He shook the entire metropolis! The moment he arrived, an invisible, suffocating pressure seemed to settle over the hall. Everyone felt as though a colossal boulder were weighing down upon their chests, squeezing the breath from their lungs. Such was the aura of a true powerhouse! A person's fame was like the shadow cast by a great tree. No matter how dismissively they had spoken of him moments before, standing in his actual presence filled them with terrifying clarity regarding just how monstrous he was. Before him, they could not summon even a shred of will to resist. Except for Mister Xue! "Good! Splendid, Lu Changsheng! You truly have nerve!" "To dare march in alone to throw your life away at a time like this... even I must admire your courage." Lu Changsheng remained impassive. He looked upon Mister Xue as though watching a clown. In fact, he was not the only one; the others felt the same. Compared to the loud, boasting Mister Xue, Lu Changsheng simply stood quietly in the hall. Yet his bearing and overwhelming presence made the difference between them glaringly obvious at a glance. Unease gnawed at the hearts of the retainers. Could Mister Xue truly match Lu Changsheng? Even the Eleventh Prince grew flustered. He had plotted to strike the Ninth Princess and Lu Changsheng, yet now that the man stood before him, dread crept into his chest. Lu Changsheng's purpose in appearing here tonight required no guessing. To clear the field! He had come to sweep them aside! Yet showing up all by himself showed utter contempt for the Eleventh Prince's estate. "Mister Xue, kill him!" the Eleventh Prince barked immediately. "Your Highness, rest assured. Watch how I sever his head!" A sharp gleam flared in Mister Xue's eyes. Boom! The next instant, a ferocious aura erupted from him, shooting straight toward the heavens. Faintly, streaks of lightning began to flicker around his form. Rumble! The void trembled violently. Arcs of electric light snapped through the air amid the roar of thunder. This was unequivocally the aura of a divine body—and no ordinary one at that. "This is... the Lightning Divine Body?" Lu Changsheng showed a flicker of genuine interest, mildly surprised. A Lightning Divine Body was exceedingly rare. "Hahaha! Precisely. This is the Innate Lightning Divine Body!" "Lu Changsheng, I know you cultivate the Reincarnation Divine Body. The moment you strike, death energy billows forth with considerable might." "Yet your body releases mere death energy, while mine wields the righteous, supreme yang power of lightning, specifically meant to counter the death energy of reincarnation!" "No matter how formidable your Reincarnation Divine Body may be, before my lightning, death is your only end!" Mister Xue laughed with wild abandon. Though arrogant, he had reasons for his confidence. He had not taken Lu Changsheng lightly; on the contrary, he had investigated thoroughly and confirmed that Lu Changsheng cultivated the Reincarnation Divine Body, which his lightning happened to counter perfectly. Only because of this had he dared make such bold claims. Lu Changsheng nodded. "Indeed. A Lightning Divine Body counters the death energy of the Reincarnation Divine Body." "No wonder you are so confident." "However, do you truly understand me?" "Or rather... do you truly understand my Reincarnation Divine Body?" Lu Changsheng's expression remained tranquil. The next moment, he raised a hand. Hum! The aura radiating from him shifted instantly. A terrifying presence surged forth. The Reincarnation Divine Body! No, it was far more than that. Without hesitation, Lu Changsheng fused four divine bodies at once! With all four bodies merged under the primary aspect of the Reincarnation Divine Body, the aura he projected appeared to be that of reincarnation—yet magnified to an unimaginable extreme. A tide of death energy, so dense it seemed nearly tangible, surged outward in every direction. It engulfed Mister Xue in an instant. Crackle. A solitary spark of lightning flickered once. And then... there was nothing more. No further arcs of lightning danced. The entire hall seemed plunged into an abyss of pitch-black death energy, and with it, every trace of Mister Xue's aura vanished without a trace. "D-dead...?" Everyone stood frozen in utter shock. Inwardly, they were already cursing him to high heaven. What happened to countering the Reincarnation Divine Body? What happened to Lu Changsheng marching to his own demise? In the end, that was all? The loud-mouthed Mister Xue... The overbearing Mister Xue... Without even putting up a struggle, he had already perished.