The Palace, a year later
"Ezio, welcome, welcome." Xiao Chen said with a smile as he put his hand behind Ezio's back. "The guest of honor is here, ladies and gentlemen."
"Thank you, my King. I am honored." Ezio said with a smile. He was wearing fancy clothes black in color. There were golden engravings that looked a lot like letters, but no one in the room recognized them. They seemed like randomly incised on the fabric. He let Xiao Chen lead him to the seat of honor next to a pretty girl. The girl was as beautiful as Princess Moon, she only lacked the aura the Princess had because of her title. She was Princess Moon's sister, Lan Jingzhu.
"Today, we gathered to celebrate a happy occasion." Xiao Chen said with a bright smile. "A hero of our Kingdom, Ezio, will be engaged to the Princess of the Kingdom, Jing'er."
The guest started to applaud. While Xiao Chen was talking, people kept on entering the room. The Third Prince walked in with Envoys of Earth Kingdom, Adrian, and Grandma Qiu Tu. He was looking at Ezio with murder in his eyes. His eyes looked at his smiling foolish face, stupid clothes and stupid golden engraves. He was swelling with rage.
Adrian looked chill compared to him. He didn't like Ezio anyway, he didn't care what happened to him. Grandma had a sorrowful look etched on her face, but she kept her sigh back. Envoys, they were just looking around.
The Second Prince disappeared about a year ago, and no one heard from him ever since. Everyone had a guess, but no one worded it out. The Kingdom was different now, and there were new rules. The new King didn't like people questioning his authority.
The guests kept coming, but Ezio didn't care. He was talking with people around him and accepting their congratulations. He was eating the food and drinking the blissful beverages. He was having the time of his life.
"Excuse me, I will go and check some details." Xiao Chen slapped his shoulder as he said, "You have fun."
He then walked to the palace. Taro Mars was sitting on a balcony where he could see the gathering. He was looking at the guests and Ezio, but no expression could be seen on his face.
"Uncle." Xiao Chen greeted as he sat beside him. "What do you think?"
"It was a nice move, Nephew. I am impressed." Taro said as he raised his glass slightly. "With this, his master will not be able to do us anything."
"I still can't believe the bastard could hoodwink Master Yontu to accept him as his disciple." Xiao Chen said as he looked down in hatred. "I was about to kill him when that old bas—"
"Shut up!" Taro Mars said as he looked at his nephew sternly. "Don't insult him openly, idiot."
"He cannot hear us here." Xiao Chen said with a wronged expression. "We are behind a formation."
"It might not be the case." Taro shook his head, "Zeus's Fury was destroyed in the same manner as Poseidon's Kiss. Master Yontu might be an expert on Formations. I suspect he can control them; that is how he kills anyone without fighting with them."
"Are you sure about that, Uncle?" Xiao Chen asked. "There were no bodies in Zeus's Fury. I thought you were suspecting something was going on."
"The smell of death was too heavy and remnants of souls were numerous. There had been a massacre there. I don't know how he had done it, but it is certain that every member of the sect has perished." Taro said. "Since Old Man Yontu is protecting this little kid, we cannot touch him. But it doesn't mean we can't control him."
"He didn't come though, don't you think that is suspicious?" Xiao Chen asked.
"I would be more suspicious if he came. Although it is his disciple getting engaged, this is enemy territory." Taro shook his head.
"Too bad my bastard Uncle died." Xiao Chen smirked. "When my father explained to me that the Sect Leader of Zeus's Fury was his bastard brother, I was shocked. I wasn't expecting him to submit to me, but he was very helpful. It would be a lot harder without him."
"Don't forget, Nephew, you are also an illegitimate child. That is why your father had to send you away to this backward Kingdom." Taro said with a smile. "Thank every God you have that your mother is my sister, or you would have long died like street dogs."
Xiao Chen didn't say anything, but his face was wry. His father, the King of the Violet Kingdom, sent him to conquer the Azure Kingdom so they would have their lands back. When the bandits stole them from him, Violet Kingdom was weak, but his father was different from previous Kings.
With his father came a new era. He had many children with extremely good aptitudes. His father told him that the Crown Prince could go higher than anyone in the last thousand years. That way, their ranking would go above Duke I tier. They would be equal to his mother's sect.
His father also wanted to clean away the shame. Xiao Chen was destined to achieve his father's dream and would conquer this Kingdom, but when he was still on his way to the Kingdom, envoys from his mother's sect came to find him. They explain who he really was, and what his bloodline meant. His father was no one. What mattered was his mother's blood. With it, not only he could rule this kingdom, one day, he would rule the Purple Lands!
The rest were easy. He had one of the envoys poison the King. Blamed it on the Crown Prince. Incited the Second Prince to execute his brother. Then had him fight with the Third Prince. When the war was at its peak, he arrived with the Princess to end the war and saved the Kingdom. Then it was just a waiting game.