Martial Arts Crossover: Something's Wrong with This Evil Sect

As Shan Tianxie finished speaking, the courtyard fell into a deathly silence, with only the faint sobbing sound brought by the smell of blood carried by the night wind.

The shock on the third prince's face gradually faded, replaced by a complex expression of almost frantic doubt and longing. He opened his mouth, his throat so dry he couldn't utter a sound, and after a long while, he managed to squeeze out a few words: "Your... is this true? This... how is this possible?"

The Giant Whale Gang, based in the East China Sea, is incredibly wealthy, with tens of thousands of members and a global reach in maritime trade. It is one of the Crown Prince's most relied-upon sources of wealth and military support. Losing the Giant Whale Gang would be like losing an arm, severely weakening the Crown Prince's power.

Dan Tianxie remained as nonchalant as ever, as if he had merely remarked, "The weather is nice today." He even casually flicked non-existent dust off his sleeves.

"Impossible...absolutely impossible..." the Third Prince muttered to himself, as if trying to convince himself. "The leader of the Giant Whale Gang, Wang Giant Whale, is loyal to my eldest brother. Their interests are intertwined. How could he easily turn against me? Is the young master perhaps toying with me?"

"Playing games?" Shan Tianxie chuckled, a hint of mockery in his voice. "Your Highness, do you think I went through all this trouble to make you take the 'Midnight Intestine-Severing Powder' and watch you clean house, just to play games with you when I had nothing better to do?"

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the corpses lying haphazardly on the ground, his tone calm yet carrying an undeniable power: "Wang Jujing is loyal, but he is more loyal to interests and more afraid of death. When he discovers that the risks of supporting the First Prince far outweigh the benefits, while supporting you—my dear Third Prince—will bring him more and allow him to live longer, he will naturally make the 'right' choice."

Gu Santong, who had been silently observing, had a glint of light flash in his cloudy old eyes. He turned his head slightly, seemingly showing some interest in Shan Tianxie's words, but that was all. He remained standing in place like a stone statue.

The Third Prince's breathing became rapid, his chest heaving violently. Dan Tianxie's words were like a hammer blow, shattering his preconceived notions. Yes, this mysterious young master possessed extraordinary abilities; he could infiltrate his residence silently, produce such bizarre poison, and even have an old monster like Gu Santong accompanying him… Perhaps, subduing the Giant Whale Gang wasn't impossible for him?

Once the flame of hope is ignited, it burns fiercely. The doubt in the Third Prince's eyes was quickly replaced by burning greed and ambition: "If...if that's truly the case! Your Excellency's great kindness will be forever etched in my memory! If we have the help of the Giant Whale Gang, my elder brother..."

"The advantage remains." Shan Tianxie bluntly interrupted his reverie. "The support from the Giant Whale Gang has only opened a crack for you, giving you the qualification to sit at the table and play the game, not a guarantee of victory. Don't forget, your eldest brother is the legitimate son, and the legitimacy and righteousness are on his side. He also has deep roots among the old ministers in the court who support him. As for your second brother, he has been biding his time for many years, and he has many talented people under his command. His strength may not be much weaker than your eldest brother's."

The third prince, as if doused with cold water, calmed down slightly, but his eyes remained burning: "Your Highness is right, it was I who was presumptuous. And what about next..."

Dan Tianxie finally stopped keeping them in suspense and slowly said, "The news of the Giant Whale Gang changing hands will not be made public for the time being. This will be a hidden move on our part. Now, you need to do two things."