The Golden Throne Room was silent. Two reports sat on the Emperor's desk: one about a great victory, and one about a tragic death.
The head eunuch read them aloud. "Victory in the north! Li Tianhan crushed the enemy in Broken Bone Valley. But Wei Tian, the Marshal's son, has died a hero's death while protecting the army."
The Azure Emperor remained calm. He promised to reward Li Tianhan and give Wei Tian a grand funeral. But the peace didn't last. Marshal Wei burst into the hall, looking broken and angry. He grabbed the report about his son being a hero and tore it to pieces.
"It's a lie!" the Marshal screamed. He pulled out a bloody letter. "My son died because Li Tianhan refused to help him! Li Tianhan is using the war to kill his rivals! I want justice!"
The room erupted into arguments. The First Prince's followers demanded Li Tianhan be arrested. The Fifth Prince acted sad and suggested a "fair" investigation. The Emperor was about to agree when a messenger rushed in with a secret report from Li Tianhan.
The Emperor read it and his face darkened. "Read this!" he ordered.
The first part of the report revealed that Li Tianhan had saved Young Master Liu, the son of a powerful neutral official. Liu had written a letter explaining the truth: Wei Tian was a fool who ignored every warning and led his men into a trap. "His death was his own fault," the letter said.
The second part was even worse. Li Tianhan had found a fake map on Wei Tian's body. It didn't come from the army; it came from someone in the capital.
The Emperor's eyes scanned his sons. The First Prince looked at the floor, and the Fifth Prince's heart raced. The evidence now pointed to a plot within the palace.
"What a disgrace!" the Emperor roared. He stripped the Marshal of his title and ordered him locked away. The plan to destroy Li Tianhan had failed.
Five years passed. The war ended in a total victory. The Emperor's health began to fail, and his sons started a bloody fight for the throne. The empire fell into chaos.
But Li Tianhan was no longer a boy hiding in the shadows. He was now the most famous general in the land with a massive army behind him. He had also become a Spirit Lord, a level of power most people could only dream of.
Eight more years went by. The struggle for the throne grew even more violent. Li Tianhan reached the third level of the Spirit Lord Realm. In this deadly game for the crown, he was no longer a piece to be moved. He was the one playing the game.
....
..
One year later.
The wedding between Li Tianhan and Princess Ling was a massive event, filled with honors. The Azure Emperor personally gave him a new title: General of the South. He was ordered to leave immediately to guard the empire's peaceful southern border, far away from the capital.
Inside the Golden Throne Room, the First Prince and his followers looked pleased. Even though Li Tianhan hadn't tried to take the throne, he was too talented and had a powerful army behind him. Sending a fierce tiger to a quiet, gilded cage was a perfect way to neutralize him.
Li Tianhan, dressed in wedding red, looked at his father-in-law, the Prince of the South. Neither man showed any emotion. Li Tianhan bowed and accepted the "honor," knowing it was a trap. In the peaceful south, there would be no more chances for glory. A life of comfort would slowly dull his edge. Li Tianhan understood this perfectly.
For now, staying in the shadows was his only choice.
Life in the south was as quiet as a still pond. Li Tianhan spent his days training troops and handling paperwork, acting like a border official who was happy to just enjoy life.
But back in the capital, the storm grew worse. The First Prince was no longer happy just staying in power; he wanted to destroy the Second Prince once and for all.
A year later, he saw his chance. The First Prince faked evidence that the Second Prince was working with the remnants of the Frost-Fang Kingdom. He even bribed one of the Second Prince's generals to stage a fake defeat at the border. With "proof" and witnesses everywhere, the Second Prince was backed into a corner.
He had no choice but to fight back. He started a rebellion, calling it a move to "clean the court of traitors." History would call it the Great Fire Rebellion.
The empire was swallowed by war. The flames spread from the borders to the very heart of the country. At his mansion in the south, Li Tianhan sent three letters asking to join the fight and protect the capital. Every single one was rejected by the First Prince, who claimed the south was "too important to leave."
Li Tianhan was stuck. In his study, he watched the map of the empire turn red with blood. The Second Prince was a good fighter, but the First Prince was ruthless. He didn't care how many cities burned or how many people died; he only wanted his brother dead. The empire's strength was fading fast.
"General," a guard whispered.
"How is the progress?" Li Tianhan asked without looking up.
"We have used the Prince of the South's connections to reach fifteen generals who hate the First Prince," the guard replied.
"Good."
"Also, we found proof that the First Prince leaked secrets to the Frost-Fang remnants just to set up the Second Prince."
Li Tianhan finally looked up, a cold light in his eyes. "Stay hidden. We wait for the right moment."
Three more years passed.
The rebellion ended with the Second Prince's death. His followers were wiped out, and rivers of blood flowed through the streets. As the man who "saved" the empire, the First Prince now held all the power.
The Azure Emperor, dying from an old illness, went into deep seclusion and stopped caring about the world. That same year, Li Tianhan's power reached a new peak. He was now a Level 4 Spirit Lord. In the entire empire, only a few legendary old masters could threaten him now.
With his enemies gone, the First Prince turned his blade toward the last threat: the Third Prince. He stripped him of his titles, killed his friends, and made up crimes to ruin him. The Third Prince lived in constant fear. He knew his only hope was Li Tianhan, who had finally been called back to the capital and told to "retire" at home.
The First Prince wanted to keep Li Tianhan close so he could kill him, too. Li Tianhan knew this. He had been waiting for this game to start.
Late at night, at Li Tianhan's mansion.
The Third Prince snuck past the spies and risked his life to visit. All his royal pride was gone; his face was as white as paper. When he saw Li Tianhan, his legs gave out and he fell to his knees.
"Save me, brother!" he cried.
Li Tianhan didn't move to help him up. He just watched him. "Why have you come so late, brother?"
The Third Prince crawled forward and grabbed Li Tianhan's robe. "The First Prince wants to kill me! He killed our second brother, and I'm next! Our father is hidden away, and the court is full of his men. You and your father-in-law have the only army left! If you help me take the throne, I will make you a King! We will rule together!"
He made a grand promise, but the room stayed deathly silent. Li Tianhan waited so long the hope in the Third Prince's eyes began to die.
"I cannot help you," Li Tianhan said, his voice as cold as iron.
The Third Prince stared in shock. "Why?"
"First, we are too weak," Li Tianhan said slowly. "The First Prince controls 70% of the army. If I fight now, I will be crushed. Second, we have no reason that the people will support. If I attack without proof, I'm just another traitor."
The Third Prince began to shake. His last bit of strength left him, and he collapsed. His servants had to carry him away. He looked like a walking corpse.
The door closed. Princess Ling stepped out from behind a screen, looking confused. "Husband... are we really just going to watch him die?"
Li Tianhan walked over to a giant map. He picked up a black chess piece and placed it on the capital.
"The Third Prince is not an ally," he said softly. "He is a pawn. A pawn I will use to show the world the First Prince's crimes."
Ling gasped.
Li Tianhan tapped the capital on the map. "They can fight for the throne. Why can't I?"
The words hit like a thunderclap. Ling looked at him with wide eyes.
"Our eldest brother killed one brother and is about to kill the other," Li Tianhan said. "Instead of waiting for him to kill me, I am going to take everything."
"But you refused to help the Third Prince..."
"Because he is already dead," Li Tianhan interrupted. "But I want his death to matter. Once the First Prince kills him, he will lose the support of the people. Only then can I strike in the name of justice."
Ling realized then that Li Tianhan wasn't running away. He was waiting for the perfect moment—the moment that would let him take the crown legally.