The Little Rakshasa King’s nose wrinkled slightly. Severing Beilian’s tendons and breaking his limbs was already an extremely severe punishment for him.
Yet Lan Ling had directly demanded that he be castrated. He wanted to completely destroy him.
Inheritance was also extremely important among the demon race. Without descendants, there would be no hope for the future.
Castrating Prince Beilian would not only destroy him personally, but also destroy Elder Mokan’s entire lineage.
The key point was that Elder Mokan had an extremely close relationship with the Rakshasa King!
The two were not only biological brothers, but also comrades-in-arms and the best of friends.
For decades, Elder Mokan had always stood behind the Rakshasa King. He could completely be regarded as the Rakshasa King’s closest ally, which was why he was not only an elder of the Rakshasa royal family, but also an elder of the Rakshasa clan.
There was no position of Prime Minister in the Rakshasa clan. If there had been one, Elder Mokan would have been equivalent to the Prime Minister of the Rakshasa clan, while also serving as half of its spiritual leader.
Beilian’s broken limbs could still be treated, and even severed tendons might be reconnected, although his cultivation would be affected.
But castration was irreversible. He was not like Lan Ling, whose demonic bloodline defied the heavens.
Prince Beilian was the fourth successor in line to the Rakshasa throne, even ahead of Princess Shayan. Once he was castrated, it would probably cross His Majesty the Rakshasa King’s bottom line.
However, the Little Rakshasa King did not hesitate for even a second. Instead, an evil look appeared in his eyes as he said, “Yes, that is reasonable!”
Then he waved his hand. “Carry it out!”
Immediately, four Shadow Warriors stepped forward and restrained Prince Beilian.
“How dare you… how dare you…” Prince Beilian shouted sternly. “My father is His Majesty the Rakshasa King’s closest comrade-in-arms. He is a royal family elder and a Rakshasa clan elder. I am the fourth successor to the Rakshasa throne. How dare you…”
The Shadow Warriors had been rescued from ancient ruins by the Little Rakshasa King during his travels. They were loyal only to him. How could they care about Prince Beilian’s threats?
“Are you all dead? All of you, stand up! Resist this unlawful order!” Prince Beilian shouted at the more than one thousand noble youths behind him. “Can’t you see that the Little Rakshasa King and Lan Ling have conspired against me? Stand up! Stand up!”
It would have been better if Prince Beilian had not shouted. Once he did, the noble youths behind him were almost scared out of their wits. They immediately retreated more than ten steps, desperately trying to distance themselves from him.
“Begin…” the Little Rakshasa King said calmly.
The Shadow Warriors drew four special daggers.
They had been forged from Starry Sky Magic Power meteorite, the ordinary kind, like the material Lan Ling had used to kill the three-headed Chimera beasts. They were not like the black-hole energy substance in the Little Rakshasa King’s heart.
The so-called Starry Sky Magic Power meteorite was, at most, a contaminated form of black-hole energy.
These dark daggers also required special energy crystal sheaths.
The Shadow Warriors carried out the punishment, leaving Prince Beilian unable to resist.
“Ah…” Prince Beilian let out a miserable cry.
The more than one thousand noble youths behind him trembled violently.
The punishment continued until his limbs were left severely damaged.
“Ah… ah… ah… ah…”
Wave after wave of anguished cries echoed through the hall, making everyone extremely uneasy.
In truth, Prince Beilian did not feel that physical pain was the worst part. What he felt most strongly was fear, an agony that came from his mind and spirit.
Originally, he had been full of confidence. He had sounded the horn of the struggle for the throne.
Moreover, he had believed that it would be easy to put Lan Ling to death and leave the Little Rakshasa King humiliated. Although he could not completely shake his position as Crown Prince, he believed he could at least damage his authority severely.
Yet he had never expected…
The situation had been overturned with ease, and he had suffered a devastating defeat.
He had always thought that such punishments were extremely distant from someone of his status as a noble member of the demon race.
Yet he had never expected something so terrible to happen to him personally.
This made everything feel unreal, and filled him with overwhelming fear.
As for the more than one thousand noble youths who had followed him, their faces were even paler.
How long had it been since something this terrifying had happened to the Rakshasa royal family in Rakshasa City?
Prince Beilian was one of the highest-ranking members of the Rakshasa royal family, yet he had now been reduced to such a state.
Then these people were even less significant. They could be destroyed at any moment.
……
“Flame Demon Banner Lord Lan Ling, you are one of the people involved. How about you carry out the final punishment?” the Little Rakshasa King suddenly asked.
Lan Ling’s eyes lit up. “Thank you, Your Highness the Crown Prince.”
He then extended his hand.
A Shadow Warrior handed him a Starry Sky Magic Power meteorite dagger, which was sealed inside a special crystal sheath.
Even ordinary Starry Sky Magic Power meteorite possessed terrifying devouring energy, so one absolutely could not be careless.
Lan Ling said, “Please hold Prince Beilian up…”
Four Shadow Warriors lifted the weakened Prince Beilian.
Prince Beilian had originally been extremely handsome, even more beautiful than many women. But now his face was completely pale, twisted by pain and fear.
Lan Ling stepped forward and sneered, “Who gave you the confidence to interfere in the struggle for the throne?”
Prince Beilian looked at Lan Ling and said coldly through his trembling voice, “My father and Prince Youming will avenge me. They will never let you go.”
Lan Ling drew another dagger and moved it across Prince Beilian’s face.
“Ah…”
Prince Beilian cried out sharply.
Lan Ling said coldly, “You sounded the horn that began the struggle for the throne. Did you really think there would be a pause? You say they will not let me go, as if we will let them go either. Once something like this begins, it cannot be stopped. We are destined to step over your father’s power and Prince Youming’s downfall to ascend the throne.”
These words were heard not only by Prince Beilian, but also by many powerful shamans and elders.
At that moment, they truly wished they had never heard them.
The Little Rakshasa King was also forced to grimace slightly. Lan Ling, the unknown Demon Emperor, truly seemed determined to stir up trouble and openly expose the struggle for the throne.
Lan Ling continued coldly, “Do you think the suffering you are experiencing is the end of this struggle? No, no, no. This is only the beginning!”
The punishment then continued, leaving Prince Beilian in extreme distress.
The entire hall was filled with horror.
Princess Shayan, behind the screen, also trembled violently.
She had truly not expected the scene before her to become so brutal.
Of course, she had seen even more frightening scenes before, but this was the first time she had seen such treatment inflicted on a top-ranking member of the Rakshasa royal family.
The Little Rakshasa King also gritted his teeth and wrinkled his nose. He somewhat regretted allowing Lan Ling to carry out the punishment.
This Demon Emperor was simply too good at taking things too far.
“Prince Beilian shouted at His Highness the Crown Prince and committed an offence against his superior. For his disrespect, both eyes should be taken, but considering that he is a member of the royal family, only one eye shall be taken as a warning to others!” an extremely elderly Rakshasa clan elder hurriedly shouted.
He was the oldest shaman. He had once been the Rakshasa King’s teacher and was now also the Little Rakshasa King’s teacher, Elder Luzhu!
The name sounded rather like that of a human scholar, but he was actually from the Spirit Race. He had a large head, short limbs and an extremely ugly appearance, but his race was exceptionally intelligent.
Elder Luzhu was the Little Rakshasa King’s most steadfast supporter.
The Little Rakshasa King was worried that Lan Ling would take the opportunity to go too far, so he said, “Flame Demon Banner Lord, carry out the punishment!”
Lan Ling raised the Starry Sky Magic Power meteorite dagger and prepared to carry out the final punishment.
Just then…
An incomparably powerful energy aura enveloped the entire hall.
It was like Mount Tai pressing down from above.
This energy was not merely magical energy. It was also spiritual energy.
Then the palace doors opened, and a tall yet thin figure walked in.
Lan Ling had never encountered anyone who made him feel such fear.
He was extremely tall, standing more than two metres thirty, yet very thin.
His nose was particularly prominent, his eye sockets were deeply sunken, and he wore a black robe embroidered with golden threads.
His eyes seemed like black flames, yet also like dry wells. A single glance from him seemed capable of swallowing a person’s soul.
His face was extremely pale, as though it contained no colour at all.
His eyebrows and hair were also completely white.
He walked slowly into the main hall.
Immediately, everyone instinctively bowed.
His aura almost completely suppressed everyone present, including the members of the Rakshasa Council of Elders.
Only three people remained standing.
Lan Ling, the Little Rakshasa King, and the Little Rakshasa King’s teacher, Elder Luzhu.
Without a doubt, this supreme martial expert and supreme spiritual expert was Prince Beilian’s father, Elder Mokan.
He was the Rakshasa King’s elder brother, the most powerful person in the entire Rakshasa clan, equivalent to the Prime Minister of the Rakshasa domain and half of its spiritual leader.
The Little Rakshasa King descended from his throne and gave Elder Mokan a partial bow. “Greetings, Uncle!”
Even as Crown Prince, he had to show respect to Elder Mokan.
Elder Mokan also gave the Little Rakshasa King a partial bow. “This old subject greets Your Highness the Crown Prince!”
The Little Rakshasa King said, “I heard that Uncle has been unwell. Why are you not resting at home?”
Elder Mokan said, “I heard that my son had caused trouble, so I could not rest. I came specifically to plead with Your Highness. Could you spare my rebellious son Beilian this once? Besides, he has already been punished.”
Then Elder Mokan looked coldly at Lan Ling and said, “You are Flame Demon Banner Lord Lan Ling, are you not? You should know when enough is enough. Do not take all the benefits for yourself, and do not insist on being right about everything. Know when to stop, otherwise you will bring disaster upon yourself.”
The demon race truly was the demon race. Even a top-ranking figure issued such a bare threat without much attempt to conceal it.
Lan Ling slowly said, “Elder Mokan, now that you have appeared, I must give you face. But unfortunately, there are some things I have already said. I said that Prince Beilian would be castrated. Once I have said something, I must carry it out!”
Then he stared at Elder Mokan and made a slight movement with his hand.
The punishment was completed.
Prince Beilian let out an anguished cry.
Lan Ling had actually carried out the punishment against Elder Mokan’s son and heir right in front of him.
Everyone in the hall was completely stunned, and many were deeply shaken.
Even Princess Shayan’s heart gave a violent beat at that moment.