Li Qianyuan didn’t know about Li Mo’s true identity; instead, he thought of Li Mo as the only man who could challenge him among the Li royalty. Furthermore, given his title as the Slaughtering King, Li Qianyuan had always been worried that Li Mo would threaten his hard-fought position as emperor.

In fact, he had even planned for all sorts of contingencies ever since Li Mo and Yun Ruoyan’s return to the capital, but he had never needed to make use of them. Given Li Mo’s inaction toward him, Li Qianyuan gradually began to relax, and even began thinking about trying to curry favor with Li Mo.

He had tried to summon Li Mo to the palace quite a few times, but had been rejected on every occasion. When Li Qianyuan received news that Li Mo had been travelling out of the capital to an unknown location, he was unable to remain cool any longer.

Even though Li Qianyuan was now the emperor of the Li kingdom, his ascension was considered somewhat illegitimate, and he was always paranoid that there were schemes all over the Li kingdom to remove him from the throne. As a result, Li Mo’s strength and unknown motives made him a thorn in Li Qianyuan’s heart.

Dong Tiehe, who had sworn allegiance to Li Qianyuan, then suggested a plan to him. “Your Highness, every man has something they hold dear. As long as you’re able to find what it is that Li Mo cares about more than his own life, you’ll be able to control him.”

Dong Tiehe’s intention was for Li Qianyuan to kidnap both Yun Ruoyan and Li Yan, then to threaten Li Mo using the two of them as hostages. However, given Yun Ruoyan’s advanced cultivation, they soon changed their plan to target Li Yan alone.

Li Qianyuan didn’t think that he would be able to control Li Mo just with his boy as a hostage, so he decided to take a more moderate approach that would lead to less reprisal from Li Mo.

“You wanted to see me, and now I’m here. What do you want?” Li Mo asked.

Li Qianyuan smiled. “I’d like a vow from you, Uncle.”

“What vow?”

“Uncle, as long as you promise you won’t threaten my position, I’ll return your son to you immediately.”

“And you think you’re deserving of such a vow?” Li Mo chuckled coldly.

“Yes, a vow with your consort and son’s honor on the balance,” Li Qianyuan continued, as though he couldn’t see Li Mo’s face turning colder with rage. “As long as you—”

Before Li Qianyuan could finish, Li Mo had stood up and grabbed Li Qianyuan by the neck. “You’re the first person to dare to threaten me like this on the Chenyuan continent,” he murmured.

“Slaughtering King, let go of the emperor! Let’s chat amiably,” Dong Tiehe requested as he stepped forward. A dozen imperial guards surrounded him and drew their swords.

Su Nan and Su Bei stood guarding their liege, their weapons drawn.

“Stand down,” Li Qianyuan commanded. He knew of Li Mo’s strength, and none of his guards would be able to deal with even Li Mo’s two guards, let alone Li Mo himself. His only hope was to rely on how much Li Mo cared about Yun Ruoyan and his newborn son.

“Uncle, as long as you swear not to threaten my rule, I’ll return your son to you immediately. But if you kill me, you’ll never see him again,” Li Qianyuan repeated.

Li Mo gripped his neck more and more tightly, and Li Qianyuan’s face turned paler and paler. Just as he was about to suffocate, Li Mo suddenly let go. Li Qianyuan relaxed, thinking that Li Mo was about to agree, when Li Mo suddenly smiled. “I’ve never cared for these struggles for power, but you seem determined to involve me in your affairs. Do you really think that you’re able to threaten me?”

Li Qianyuan involuntarily took a step back. “What do you mean? I have your son, so think wisely before you act!”

A woman suddenly spoke up. “Li Qianyuan, you’re really courting your own death.”

Li Qianyuan turned to the voice to find a woman in a pale green dress, her voluminous black hair haloed around her head. She wore no makeup, but was still as beautiful as a fairy from the heavens. However, she was staring at Li Qianyuan with evident anger.

The woman was none other than Yun Ruoyan. In her arms was her newly recovered baby, Li Yan.

“Master Dong, Master Dong!” A swordsman rushed into the room and called out toward Dong Tiehe. “Master Dong, someone snatched the young master away!”

The swordsman turned to see Yun Ruoyan in the room and was so scared that he stumbled back and fell to the ground. He pointed at her and began yelling, “It’s her, she’s a demon! She was the one who snatched the boy away and baked some of my fellow guards alive!”

“What nonsense are you speaking?! This is the consort of the Slaughtering King! Scram!” Dong Tiehe kicked away the shocked guard, then bowed toward Yun Ruoyan. “I apologize for my subordinate’s behavior, Consort Yun.”

Yun Ruoyan glanced askance at Dong Tiehe. “Master Dong, it’s not your subordinates that I care about. How dare you kidnap my son from me in broad daylight?!”

“I wouldn’t dare, Consort Yun,” Dong Tiehe immediately protested. “I was only working for the emperor.”

“Yan’er, come over here.” Li Mo extended a hand at Yun Ruoyan, who smiled at Li Mo and walked over with Li Yan.

“Is Li Yan alright?” Li Mo asked.

“He’s fine,” Yun Ruoyan replied. “When I found him, he was still awake. He just fell asleep.”

“Good.” Li Mo relaxed and had Yun Ruoyan stand to the side as he turned to Li Qianyuan, his eyes brimming with cold fury.

“Uncle…” Li Qianyuan’s back shook as he faced Li Mo’s gaze. “Uncle, I was only playing a joke on you.”

“Your joke’s a little audacious, don’t you think? I hadn’t cared who the new Li emperor was, but now that you’ve roped me into your little game, it looks as though anyone would be a better candidate than you!”

Li Qianyuan was both shocked and angered by Li Mo’s words. Ever since his coronation more than a year ago, no one had dared to threaten him so openly. Li Qianyuan had known ever since he was little that Li Mo was a force to be reckoned with. Even his own father and the emperors of the other three kingdoms treated him with respect, but no matter what, he belonged to the Li kingdom and was subject to the Li emperor’s rule.

“Uncle, what do you mean? Are you planning to stage a coup?!”

“A coup? Ha! If anything, I’m just clearing the royal family of any impertinent weeds.” He again reached out toward Li Qianyuan. As though his palm was generating some sort of suction, Li Qianyuan’s neck moved toward him of its own accord.

“Guards!” Li Qianyuan yelled.

“Your Highness, you can’t kill the Li emperor!” Dong Tiehe shouted, but he didn’t try to stop Li Mo. By his side, Li Qianyue shouted, “Brother!” He tried to step forward, but Dong Tiehe pulled him back, signalling him to stay with his eyes. Only if Li Qianyuan dies will you have a chance to be the next emperor.

Li Qianyue stilled. He, the emperor? After all, he was a prince, and imperial blood flowed through his veins. Li Qianyuan had seized the throne using exceptional means, and Li Qianyue had inwardly begrudged him for it. But if Li Qianyuan were to die…

“Help!” Li Qianyuan screamed again. His pitiful cultivation was nothing to Yun Ruoyan, let alone Li Mo. A dozen imperial guards swarmed Li Mo, but they were easily defeated by Su Nan and Su Bei.

Li Qianyuan found his vision turning dark. He hadn’t expected that Li Mo would really dare to kill him, but there was nothing he could do now.

When Li Mo finally released his grip on Li Qianyuan’s neck, he fell to the ground in a heap, no longer breathing. The imperial guards had all been killed to the last by Su Nan and Su Bei.

Dong Tiehe and Li Qianyue stood by the side of the room watching it all unfold, as though Li Qianyuan’s kidnapping of Li Yan had nothing to do with either of them.

When Li Mo turned to the two of them, Dong Tiehe immediately bowed and said, “I and Qianyue will surely keep what happened today a secret. We won’t reveal any of it to anyone, or we’ll die a terrible death.”

The old and wily Dong Tiehe was clearly very adept at reading the atmosphere.

“Li Qianyuan claimed the throne by killing his father, and I’m simply punishing him for his crimes. There’s no need to hide anything,” Li Mo replied coolly. “Let the palace know what happened here, then have them handle the rest.”

“Yes, Your Highness,” Dong Tiehe replied after a momentary pause.

Li Mo turned to leave with Yun Ruoyan, and Dong Tiehe and Li Qianyue followed them out. Just as they were leaving the Yuelu Villa, Li Mo suddenly turned back and glanced sharply at Dong Tiehe. “Master Dong, are you aware that beastkin are not to be sold as slaves within the Li kingdom?”

Dong Tiehe’s heart leaped. “Of course, Your Highness. I immediately released the beastkin upon receiving your notice. I had previously been unaware that they were under your protection, or I wouldn’t have dared act against them.”

“Hear me now: all beastkin of the Chenyuan continent are subject to my protection.”

“I understand, Your Highness,” Dong Tiehe replied. If Li Mo dared to kill even the Li emperor himself, killing him would be as easy as squashing an ant.