Supreme Emperor of Mist

"We'll be going, your highness," said a group of cultivators as they cupped their fists together towards Sun Ding Tian. The second prince's expression remained unbothered as he nods at them before reaching his hand out for something.

"Wine," he said.

The female servant that stands beside him immediately passes a bottle of warmed Rock Lotus Fragrance on the prince's hand.

"Have you done all the arrangements for today's battle?" Sun Ding Tian asked. His action was somewhat inappropriate to a royal prince right now based on how he was totally absorbed into the wine and women.

"Yes, your highness. As per your order, we have prepared two batches of experts for today's battle. The victory for today's engagement will be ours for sure." the messenger replied. There was a hint of disappointment plastered on his face, likely due to Sun Ding Tian's manner towards this.

"Good. Leave me alone. Let me enjoy my drink."

"You'll be handling the rest on my behalf." Sun Ding Tian said as he chugged the Rock Lotus Fragrance Wine like no tomorrow. In a flash, he emptied the bottle of wine and put his hand out once more.

"Wine!" he shouted.

...

"Can we really rely on a prince like that? How can our elder's eyes be so blind to pledge their loyalty to him?" one of the cultivators from the group of experts said after leaving Sun Ding Tian's tent.

"Silence. Without knowing the story behind our elder's decision, you're not to run your foul mouth right in front of so many junior and senior disciples. Do you think you're the only one with eyes to see and a brain to separate right from wrong?" another cultivator, likely the senior of this expert, harshly reprimand him.

"I - I..." the expert held his fist tightly to the point it was trembling. He eventually followed the other cultivator's order obediently.

"Haih... If there is anything in your mind, just blame them on your useless elder. It was our mistake to invest wrongly in this spoilt prince." Elder Impertinence from the Thousand Blades Manor sigh as he looks at the disciples from his force.

The same situation was going on at the seventh prince's camp too. But the only difference here is instead of randomly picking a few factions to participate in the battle, they're fighting for the slot.

"Who told you that the Medicinal Sword Tower got the quota to fight in this battle? The right has been given to our Frozen Tomb Sect even before the allotment started!" they're fighting amongst themselves.

"Your highness, are you doing this on purpose?" Sun Chen Long's adjutant asked. Yesterday, after he brought the fifty crates of Rock Lotus Fragrance Wine back, a jar of wine was distributed to each of the factions that pledges loyalty to the seventh prince.

Not a single drop of wine went into Sun Chen Long's mouth as he was busy scheming behind the scene for today.

"Purpose or not, does it matter? What we need the most now are spirit and morale. You have to remember that our opponent is Yang Yuan. He's well known around the Kuanglei Province for his ability to lead soldiers to victory through all kinds of uncivil ways." Sun Chen Long said.

"But yesterday, we've won against Yang Yuan twice. Forgive this subordinate for being honest, but I see nothing extraordinary about this individual called Yang Yuan," he said.

The adjutant openly comments about Sun Chen Long's caution towards Yang Yuan. This shows how close is the bond between them for him to speak with Sun Chen Long this way.

"What if I say... Yang Yuan's defeat was on purpose?" Sun Chen Long suddenly smiled as he took a sip of the water. Placing the cup back on the table, he gave the adjutant's arm a tug as he hinted him to follow.

"Yang Yuan is just like me, a schemer. There's a motive behind his action, and I believe it's all for today. If not, how do you explain the sudden suggestion for a battle royale through our elders?" Sun Chen Long said.

The two of them stand by the cliff overseeing the entire battlefield between him and Yang Yuan.

"In this battle, all kind of tricks, tactics, and abilities is useless. This battle is a scheme, a fight to see who ended up choosing the shorter stick." Sun Chen Long said.

"Is this why... Your highness made the fodders in our army fought for the chance to go out there?" the adjutant whispered instead of speaking out loudly. He knew that if his word was heard by the passerby and the elders above them, it might end up differently.

"What fodder you're talking about? There are no fodders in my seventh prince's army. If they want to live, then they'll have to fight with all they have. All I am doing was telling them where the Life-door is located." Sun Chen Long smiled as his gaze landed intensely across the battlefield.

Just like him, Yang Yuan is staring back at Sun Chen Long as the two entered a battle of wits through their eyes.

"Adjutant." Sun Chen Long called.

"Yes, your highness." the adjutant kneeled on a knee as he ready to listen to Sun Chen Long's order.

"Pass my order to the loyal soldiers under the seventh prince's banner. Move forward and slay the invaders from the Country of Wei. For every expert that returned with three kills, I will reward them with a bottle of Blood Genesis Pill, Seventh Manor's Token, and ten Precelestial Essence drops!" Sun Chen Long said.

"His highness has given his order! Raise the flags!" the adjutant raised his hand up. Following his hand gesture are over a hundred flagpoles rising up by the flagbearers waiting behind them.

"Move forward!" the adjutant said as he swings his hand towards the battlefield.

And just like this, the curtain to the second-day battle started... 

Half an hour later, Sun Ding Tian and Sun Chen Long were made speechless... As their army of two thousand experts was murdered instantly without killing a single opponent.