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Chapter 655: The Wang Clan\'s Betrayal

Nevertheless, it was still difficult to find a peak-grade lifeform. At the very least, despite Zhang Lie and the others having been in the hunting grounds for so long, they had yet to find a peak-grade lifeform, as though such lifeforms were deliberately avoiding Zhang Lie.

According to the rules set out for the hunt, a mutated-grade lifeform was worth one point; a superior-grade, ten points; a peak-grade, one hundred points. It would be far more efficient for Zhang Lie to hunt down peak-grade lifeforms rather than superior-grade ones.

Unfortunately, he wasn\'t even able to use his tried-and-tested strategy—to control these lifeforms and have them search for more of their own kind. Just as he was getting perplexed, Zhang Lie sensed a fight breaking out in the distance.

He and the ninth prince crept over to find the third and fifth princes embroiled in an argument. When he then saw the mountainous peak-grade lifeform\'s carcass between them, Zhang Lie understood the source of the conflict.

The third and fifth princes were fighting over the peak-grade lifeform\'s carcass, and their retinues had begun to fight. The men of the Wang clan and the fifth prince\'s guards were embroiled in the heat of battle.

The third prince\'s sword glowed with sword energy, which smashed down on the fifth prince\'s troops.

Zhang Lie turned around. "Ninth prince, didn\'t the crown prince claim that the relationship between the third prince and the Wang clan was fraying?"

The ninth prince nodded.

Zhang Lie smirked. "If the Wang clan suddenly betray the third prince at a critical juncture, do you think that relationship would snap?"

The ninth prince replied, "Of course! Do you have a plan, Master?"

"Heh—just you watch."

The third prince roared in laughter. "Fifth brother, this is your last chance. Leave now, and I won\'t kill your men."

The fifth prince stood at the back of his forces and allowed them to fight the third prince on his behalf. He replied calmly, "Who can say how the battle will go?"

The third prince shook his head. "Fifth brother, you know we\'re different. You\'ve never liked swordplay even from a young age.

Meanwhile, I\'ve been trained by the Wang clan since my childhood. Our father founded his kingdom on the basis of martial strength. He became the king of the realm because he was at the pinnacle of his power. As princes and successors, we have to emulate him."

The fifth prince nodded, drawing his sword. "Oh, I very much agree!"

The third prince laughed. "You, a swordsman? Haha! Do you fatty really think you can compare to me?"

"Let\'s test it, shall we?" the fifth prince replied coolly.

The third prince lifted his blade high overhead. The aura of royalty emanated from him as he swept his blade straight down. The fifth prince\'s aura of wealth merged with his sword energy and defended against the third prince\'s strike.

.

Strong as the third prince\'s royal aura was, the fifth prince\'s aura of wealth eclipsed it on the basis of sheer magnitude alone.

When the third prince found himself forced back, he cried out, "Y-You know the Wang clan\'s arts?!"

Just then, a flash of sword energy struck the third prince\'s chest from behind. Before the energy could strike his body, a thin barrier of light materialized into existence and nullified the attack.

Given the third prince\'s status, it was only natural that he would possess such life-saving artifacts. In order to protect his nine sons, the king of the realm had infused part of his own energy into jade pendants which he had handed out to them. At that crucial moment, the third prince\'s pendant protected him from the life-threatening blow.

Suddenly, the members of the Wang clan rose up and slaughtered the rest of the third prince\'s guards.

The third prince thundered in anger, "Betrayal from the Wang clan, then?! Betrayal of my blood!"

The fifth prince himself was rather shocked. He had prepared an excuse as to why he knew about the Wang clan\'s arts, not expecting that the Wang clan would reveal their betrayal so publicly.

They hadn\'t even mentioned a word of this to the fifth prince beforehand, but it was certainly a welcome surprise.

The third prince called out, "When did the Wang clan get in cahoots with the fifth prince?!"

None of the Wang retainers answered. Their eyes shining with a rainbow sheen, they sliced at the third prince.

The third prince snorted and swung his sword in a wide arc, slaughtering the betrayers—and leaving himself unguarded for the fifth prince\'s counterattack.

The third prince stumbled back, significantly wounded by the assault. He spat fresh blood out of his mouth. The betrayal of the Wang clan was a heavy blow, both spiritual and corporeal.

The fifth prince smiled. "On account of our fraternity, I\'ll end matters here. You\'re no match for me."

"Do you think you can overcome me?!"

The fifth prince shook his head. "You don\'t understand, do you? Your aura is meant to be a king\'s, but you\'re nothing more than a prince—and the third prince, at that. Above you lie the crown and second princes, and you\'re a fake king twice over."

"And so what?"

The fifth prince\'s aura blossomed. "On the other hand, my aura is one of wealth and prosperity. It can grow without extent—and given my fortune, my sword shall be peerless.

The third prince snorted. "Your fundamentals are lacking. No matter the strength of your aura, your sword will be weak."

The fifth prince began to laugh. "But as we\'ve seen, money solves all problems. Regardless of how lacking my fundamentals are, as long as I keep cultivating my aura, my wealth shall make up for any other deficiency."

The third prince\'s guards had been suppressed. The members of the Wang clan and the fifth prince\'s guards surrounded the third prince.

The third prince sighed. "I had intended to demonstrate this sword technique on my eldest and second brothers, but it looks as though you\'ll be my guinea pig instead. Indeed, I can\'t underestimate any of my royal brothers."

The fifth prince smiled insincerely. "At this point, what can you do?"

The ninth prince was shocked by how affairs had played out. He was sure no one expected the Wang clan\'s sudden betrayal, but Zhang Lie only laughed at the sight as though he had anticipated it well in advance.

He turned and scrutinized Zhang Lie\'s expression. "Master, did you know this was going to happen beforehand?"

"More or less."

Frowning, the ninth prince continued, "Master, did you arrange this beforehand?"

Zhang Lie\'s smile grew wider. He was naturally the mastermind behind the Wang clan\'s sudden betrayal.

In truth, even before the hunt began, Zhang Lie had activated his disaster-grade mistmeld clam soulshard on everyone present—everyone save the princes, who had were protected by the king of the realm\'s authority.

However, their retinues were unprotected, and Zhang Lie easily put them under his control. That was the cause behind the Wang clan\'s sudden betrayal.