But at that moment, Princess Quinn Xiao suddenly declared, "Sean Xiao may have ascended, but he can't be Crown Prince of Drake Abyss!"
Henry Xiao sneered coldly, "Princess Quinn, you sure are bold! You think you can override Heaven's will?"
Quinn ignored him and passionately continued, "Because he's someone the Gatekeeper rejected! Back then at the Gatekeeper Shrine, a ton of people saw it! The moment he arrived, he got struck by lightning! The Gatekeeper is the ruler of the Spirit Realm. If she rejects someone, how could he possibly lead the Three Realms? Wouldn't that be disrespectful to the Gatekeeper?"
Lily Bai rolled her eyes, "That old joke again? You're still bringing it up?" She looked straight at Quinn. "Princess Quinn, and all you High Gods, take a look at this—"
She glanced at Sean Xiao.
In front of Sean, an object slowly appeared—it was the Tenfold Annihilation Arrow.
"Tenfold Annihilation!"
"That's the Gatekeeper's Tenfold Annihilation Arrow!"
"The Gatekeeper's weapon, actually—no, of course—she gave it to him!"
Everyone who knew the story saw it with their own eyes now.
Those who didn't know the story were utterly stunned.
Sean Xiao took hold of the Tenfold Annihilation Arrow and said, "Back then, the Gatekeeper sent down lightning as a sign for me to go to the undersea Crystal Palace. When I arrived, she personally granted me this arrow."
He looked at the assembled gods and spoke softly, "From today, I, as Crown Prince, will take charge of state affairs at the Celestial Palace until my father returns! Those who wish to follow me, come into the hall with me. Those who do not... surrender your military authority."
With that, he strode inside.
The Guardian Drake Lord followed close behind.
The River Drake Lord followed as well.
Lord Wynn Drake hurried after them.
And their subordinate Divine Generals quickly filed into the hall as well.
By the tribulation crater, only the Azure Dragon Lord and the dazed Celestial Empress and her faction remained.
The Azure Dragon Lord sighed, walked up to the Empress, and said, "Your Majesty... try to accept it! Heaven's will is what it is; no one can change it."
"How could it be him? Why him?" The Empress kept shaking her head. "Why, out of the Celestial Emperor's five sons, is it that bastard—the one I didn't give birth to—who became Crown Prince? Why!"
"Your Majesty," the Azure Dragon Lord frowned, "This is reality now. You should focus on... reconciliation! Wake First Prince Brandon up quickly. With him here, things will be much better!"
The Empress suddenly snapped back to clarity, her gaze growing cold. "Then why are you still standing here? Waiting for him to appoint a new Azure Dragon Lord? Get inside—don't lose your military power!"
The Azure Dragon Lord nodded and went in as well.
The Empress stared at Henry Xiao and Princess Quinn Xiao, took a deep breath, and whispered viciously, "He must not be allowed to live! If he dies, Heaven will choose a new Crown Prince, and it can only be your eldest brother!"
Quinn nodded hard, her face twisted with cruelty. "We absolutely cannot let that bastard ride on our heads!"
Henry, however, said nothing.
Ever since Sean Xiao's ascension, he'd been in a daze.
"Henry, did you hear me?" the Empress asked in a chilling voice.
Henry slowly turned his eyes toward his mother.
Her eyes were full of shadow and madness.
Suddenly, she seemed unfamiliar.
Her face was the same as always, unchanged from before, yet she suddenly felt like a stranger.
Maybe... Heaven's choice made him start doubting everything.
Everything he'd always thought was right—could it have been wrong?
The mother he'd always believed in—was she just a comforting illusion he'd conjured up?
So in that instant, the woman before him—the one crazed with the urge to kill Sean Xiao—felt utterly unfamiliar...
Suddenly, Henry spun around and flew away.
"Henry! Henry Xiao!" the Empress screamed after him, frantic.
But he vanished without a trace...
......