# Chapter 208: Seventh Prince Zhang Tianqui
Hua Minggong nodded and said, "I will have someone investigate immediately. We must find out the identity of that mysterious youth who can control spatial power."
Hua Minggong glanced at Hua Qingshan again, a look of appreciation in his eyes.
He was quite satisfied with this only son. Not only did he possess extraordinary talent, but he was also exceptionally intelligent. It was just that his personality was somewhat rebellious.
But which exceptional genius wasn't rebellious?
In the Black Market, if one's personality wasn't rebellious and ruthless enough, they could never become a true overlord.
"Right now, he's not even thirty years old, yet his name has already spread throughout the thirty-six commanderies of Demon Ridge. Among the younger generation, he is absolutely a top-tier figure. Given time, his martial arts cultivation will surely step into the Heavenly Extreme Realm and become a legend in martial arts." Hua Minggong thought to himself, his earlier anger already cast beyond the nine clouds.
Hua Minggong's expression turned serious. "We must intensify the search for Princess Yanchen and that mysterious youth. If we cannot find them within three days, we will have to leave Fire Earth City and return to the Royal City to make new plans."
Hua Qingshan snorted coldly. "We have the Red Spider Giant Ship. Even if experts from Thousand Water Commandery, the Martial Market Academy, and Cloud Wu Commandery rush to Fire Earth City, what is there to fear?"
"The Black Market is called the Black Market because we hide in the shadows. That's why the Martial Market Academy and official forces can't do anything to us. But now that Fire Earth City has been exposed, it will definitely become a target for various forces. Add to that the involvement of Thousand Water Commandery, and even with the Red Spider Giant Ship, we absolutely cannot withstand it." Hua Minggong said.
Although Hua Qingshan was arrogant, he understood the limits. He nodded and said, "Fine. Within three days, we will spare no expense to find them. If we can't, we'll have to return to the Royal City first."
Hua Minggong said, "The Royal City is where the true decisive battle will take place. Whether it's the Martial Market Academy or the Moon Worship Demon Sect, almost all the top experts are gathered there. As long as we return to the Royal City, the Moon Worship Demon Sect will naturally share the pressure for us."
For the next three days, the Poison Spider Merchant Association dispatched all their martial artists to search throughout Fire Earth City for Zhang Ruochen and Huang Yanchen, but found nothing.
Meanwhile, news arrived that the Cloud Wu Commandery King had dispatched the military's number one figure, Wan Chengzhong, leading eighty thousand troops toward Fire Earth City, with the apparent intention of wiping it out.
Si Xingkong, the number one expert of the Martial Market Academy's Inner Academy, acting on orders from the academy elders and carrying a Half-Saint Blood Letter, had left Heavenly Demon Martial City and had already arrived within Cloud Wu Commandery's borders, with his spearhead pointed directly at Fire Earth City.
Si Xingkong was an expert on the Earth Ranking, ranked first in combat power among the younger generation of the thirty-six commanderies of Demon Ridge. He had once killed a Heavenly Extreme Realm expert, and now he carried a Half-Saint Blood Letter, seemingly specifically to suppress the Red Spider Giant Ship.
Although Cloud Wu Commandery's Seventh Prince, Zhang Tianqui, was hailed as the number one genius of the thirty-six commanderies of Demon Ridge, he was ultimately still too young. In terms of strength, there was still a gap between him and Si Xingkong.
At the same time, Thousand Water Commandery had also dispatched two Heavenly Extreme Realm martial arts legends, carrying ninth-rank True Martial Treasures, rushing to Fire Earth City.
Under the deterrence of these various forces, Hua Minggong and Hua Qingshan had no choice but to board the Red Spider Giant Ship and flee Fire Earth City.
...
In a forest, a squad of armored soldiers rode bell horses to the shores of Hidden Mist Lake.
It was winter. The leaves had long fallen, and the birds had vanished. Only the heavy sound of iron hooves could be heard.
Wan Chengzhong rode a scale-armored beast over ten meters tall, clad in red battle armor. He gazed at the mist-covered lake surface, his eyes seeming to contain lightning, exuding an imposing deterrence.
"Grand Commander, the Red Spider Giant Ship has already sailed out of Hidden Mist Lake. Hua Minggong seems to want to escape. Should we pursue?" a spirited soldier asked.
Wan Chengzhong shook his head. "Hua Minggong is piloting the Red Spider Giant Ship. If he wants to escape, we can't stop him. Of course, escaping won't be easy for him. The experts from the Martial Market Academy and Thousand Water Commandery have already gone to deal with him."
"Then what is our purpose in coming to Fire Earth City?" the soldier asked.
Wan Chengzhong said, "Since Hua Minggong has already fled, the other Black Market forces should also be trying to escape Fire Earth City. Our mission is to wipe out all the Black Market evil people in Fire Earth City, leaving none behind. Only then can the Commandery King give an account to Thousand Water Commandery. Otherwise, the fact that Princess Yanchen was captured by the Black Market within Cloud Wu Commandery's borders—this responsibility, our Cloud Wu Commandery cannot bear."
"I see."
Wan Chengzhong's expression was grave. "For now, we can only hope that Princess Yanchen is safe. Otherwise, the consequences would be unthinkable."
"Wasn't Princess Yanchen already rescued by someone?" the soldier said.
Wan Chengzhong glared at him. "Who actually saw it? Only by finding Princess Yanchen can we confirm she's truly out of danger."
"Rumble!"
A soldier who had reached the Mysterious Extreme Realm rode a bell horse and stopped ten zhang away. He leaped down from the horse's back, came before Wan Chengzhong, knelt on one knee, and said, "Reporting to the Grand Commander, the Seventh Prince has arrived!"
"The Seventh Prince?"
Wan Chengzhong's eyes narrowed slightly. "Wasn't the Seventh Prince in closed-door cultivation at Cloud Platform Sect Manor? Why has he suddenly come here? Where is he now?"
"Spirit Peak Town," the soldier said.
"Leave this to you. Any Black Market evil people who escape from Hidden Mist Lake from Fire Earth City—kill them all without mercy." Wan Chengzhong's expression was somewhat solemn. He couldn't guess the reason for the Seventh Prince's sudden return to the country, but he had to go to welcome him.
Wan Chengzhong arrived at Spirit Peak Town and soon saw the Seventh Prince.
Seventh Prince Zhang Tianqui stood with his hands behind his back at the town entrance. He appeared to be in his early twenties, wearing a purple brocade robe. His features were delicate, and his bearing was proud and outstanding.
Even just standing casually, he exuded a powerful oppressive force.
The soldiers around him couldn't withstand the momentum of his aura and all knelt on the ground, not daring to raise their heads.
"No wonder he's the number one genius of the thirty-six commanderies of Demon Ridge. Even I feel some pressure. In just a few years, he's already reached such heights?" Wan Chengzhong stared at Zhang Tianqui from afar, then walked over, slightly cupped his hands in salute, and said, "Greetings to the Seventh Prince."
Zhang Tianqui immediately stepped forward, grasped Wan Chengzhong's hands, and said warmly with a smile, "Uncle Wan, you are a Heavenly Extreme Realm martial arts legend and my father's right-hand brother. If you bow to me, when we return to the Royal City, my father will surely not let me off."
Wan Chengzhong straightened up again and looked at Zhang Tianqui once more, only to find that Zhang Tianqui had already moved ten steps away. He was slightly startled again. "With the Seventh Prince's current martial arts cultivation, I'm afraid he could already enter the Earth Ranking."
Every expert on the Earth Ranking had the strength to contend with Heavenly Extreme Realm martial arts legends. And Zhang Tianqui was only in his early twenties. If he could enter the Earth Ranking at such an age, it would be absolutely astonishing.
Zhang Tianqui smiled. "I have indeed entered the Earth Ranking, but compared to Uncle Wan, there is still a gap."
"Why has the Seventh Prince come to Spirit Peak Town?" Wan Chengzhong asked solemnly.
Zhang Tianqui said, "I heard that the Ninth Brother's fiancée was captured by Black Market evil people in Spirit Peak Town and imprisoned in Fire Earth City. I was very worried, so I immediately came out of seclusion, ready to help the Ninth Brother and rescue his fiancée. By the time I arrived at Spirit Peak Town, I heard that Princess Yanchen had already been rescued. What a relief."
"These Black Market evil people are too arrogant. Within Cloud Wu Commandery's borders, they dared to imprison a prince's fiancée. It's lawlessness. If we don't teach them a lesson, where is the royal clan's dignity? Uncle Wan, I'll leave this to you. Make sure to wipe out all those evil path martial artists in Fire Earth City and avenge the Ninth Brother. If there's anything you need me for, I'm at your disposal."
Wan Chengzhong was well aware that the relationship between the Seventh Prince and the Ninth Prince was not good. How could the Seventh Prince have specifically come out of seclusion to save Princess Yanchen?
Suddenly, Zhang Tianqui added, "Next month is the sacrificial ceremony. I heard that my father intends to appoint the heir during the ceremony. Uncle Wan, have you heard about this?"
Wan Chengzhong's heart stirred. So this was why he had returned to Cloud Wu Commandery—for the title of heir.
A top-tier genius like Zhang Tianqui wouldn't stay in a mere Cloud Wu Commandery in the future.
But the title of heir to Cloud Wu Commandery was very important because the heir could inherit the kingship of Cloud Wu Commandery.
Whether it was a lower-rank commandery king, a middle-rank commandery king, or even an upper-rank commandery king, their royal titles could only be conferred by Empress Chi Yao of the First Central Empire.
Once one had a title, there would be many benefits in the future. It would also bring many conveniences in martial arts cultivation.
Therefore, what Zhang Tianqui cared about was the title of king, not the position of Cloud Wu Commandery King.
In the past, the heir of Cloud Wu Commandery would undoubtedly have been Zhang Tianqui.
But now a Ninth Prince had emerged—Zhang Ruochen—and Zhang Ruochen had the support of Thousand Water Commandery. Who would end up with the heir position was hard to say.
Had Zhang Tianqui rushed to Fire Earth City so urgently to actually save Princess Yanchen?
Clearly not.
If Wan Chengzhong wasn't mistaken, Zhang Tianqui had actually come to kill Princess Yanchen.
As long as Princess Yanchen died, Zhang Ruochen would naturally lose the support of Thousand Water Commandery. Then what would Zhang Ruochen have to compete with him for the heir position?
"The Commandery King wants to appoint an heir? I haven't heard of it." Wan Chengzhong shook his head. "The Black Market, the Moon Worship Demon Sect, and the Martial Market Academy have thrown Cloud Wu Commandery into chaos. The Commandery King's energy is all spent on this matter. He shouldn't be appointing an heir at this time."
"I was just asking casually. Why is Uncle Wan so nervous?"
Zhang Tianqui smiled again. "Since Princess Yanchen has already been rescued, I wonder where she is now and whether she is safe."
"I'm not sure. She should still be trapped in Fire Earth City," Wan Chengzhong said.
A strange light flashed in Zhang Tianqui's eyes, and the corner of his mouth curled up. "In that case, I'll have to go to Fire Earth City myself. Let's hope nothing unexpected happens. Uncle Wan, I'll take my leave now."
Zhang Tianqui cupped his hands in salute to Wan Chengzhong, then led two junior brothers from Cloud Platform Sect Manor away from Spirit Peak Town, heading toward Hidden Mist Lake.