Becoming Invincible By Marrying The Ultimate Villainess - Chapter 42 - Chapter 42 – The Banquet Gifts, Someone’s Barking Like a Dog!

As the guard’s voice fell, the nobles gathered within the Yang Xin Hall all rose to their feet.

Even Princess Wu Yao stood up this time, and every gaze turned respectfully toward the entrance.

At that moment, two figures slowly stepped into the grand hall.

The Crown Prince, Wu Chen, was clad in a flowing black qilin-patterned robe. His features were devilishly handsome, and he wore a warm, inviting smile that made one feel as if bathed in a spring breeze. Yet within his deep, obsidian eyes was a sovereign majesty befitting an emperor descended upon the world. His entire being radiated a powerful and commanding presence that demanded reverence.

Beside him was the Crown Princess, Mu Lin, dressed in an opulent gown woven with golden threads. She dazzled like a divine lotus in full bloom. Her flawless beauty, lightly touched with makeup, was peerless—rosy cheeks like snow, features as poetic as a painting. Cold yet alluring, noble yet graceful. She was as divine and distant as a goddess, making others hesitant to meet her gaze.

“Greetings, Crown Prince!”

“Greetings, Crown Princess!”

As the two entered the Yang Xin Hall, all the nobles immediately rose and bowed, their eyes filled with deep reverence.

The Crown Prince Wu Chen was known as a genius unmatched in wisdom, with countless followers under his command. He held great prestige in the Junlin Empire and was recognized as the next emperor, appointed by Emperor Wu himself.

The Second Prince Wu Lintian, on the other hand, was renowned for his unparalleled talent in cultivation. He had received recognition from the Nine Heavens Fengyu Tower and aspired to forge an invincible path across the heavens.

These two, known as the Twin Dragons of the Wu fammily—one held the capital, and the other led conquests abroad. For years, their names echoed throughout the Eastern Wilderness, beloved by hundreds of millions of the Junlin Empire’s citizens. They were widely acknowledged as the future of the realm.

As for the Crown Princess Mu Lin, her background remained mysterious. There were rumors that she was the princess of a secluded noble family. From the moment she appeared in Wudu, she was hailed as a disaster-bringing beauty. Wherever she went, crowds would gather, leading to conflicts among the nobles. It wasn’t until Emperor Wu arranged her marriage with Crown Prince Wu Chen that peace returned to Wudu.

“Mu Lin.”

“Princess Consort.”

“But in truth, she’s also… the personal disciple of the Empress, or rather, personal disciple of the former Saintess of the Yin-Yang Sect, Mu Lingxi!”

“Could it be that tonight she’s here to make her move against me?”

Observing Mu Lin’s stunning yet dangerous features, Ning Ye furrowed his brows.

Just as his thoughts wandered, Wu Chen and Mu Lin had already taken their seats on the high throne.

“Everyone!”

“Today is my birthday celebration!”

“Please, don’t be so formal!”

Wu Chen smiled warmly, waving at the nobles of Junlin.

After saying this, he noticed Ning Ye, who was still lost in thought. Chuckling, Wu Chen picked up a cup of wine and addressed him.

“Didn’t expect the Tenth Prince to grace this East Palace with his presence. Truly, it’s an honor for this prince.”

In response, Ning Ye snapped out of his daze and raised his wine cup nonchalantly.

“Your Highness is too polite.”

The two exchanged a brief glance and then downed their wine together.

During this interval of drinking, Ning Ye carefully scanned Wu Chen from head to toe but didn’t detect any trace of the secret jade from the Scroll Hall, nor did he spot any storage ring on Wu Chen’s hand.

“So… this guy really hid the secret jade in his chambers?”

Ning Ye’s thoughts raced, but suddenly, he felt a complex, mournful gaze directed at him. Turning his head, he noticed Mu Lin’s eyes watching him intently.

“What’s going on?”

Ning Ye frowned. From Mu Lin’s gaze, he could detect a mix of emotions—resentment, frustration, liberation, even a trace of shyness…

However, in the blink of an eye, Mu Lin quickly averted her gaze, focusing on her wine as if lost in her own world.

“This woman… what exactly is she up to?”

As Ning Ye pondered, the Third Prince Wu You rose and approached Wu Chen with a smile.

“Big Brother.”

“Today is your birthday.”

“Not only has Yao’er returned from Misty Peak…”

“But Second Brother has also sent you a very special gift!”

Oh?

Wu Chen paused in surprise, then smiled and asked, “Really?”

“Of course!”

Wu You nodded, then turned toward the entrance of the Yang Xin Hall and gave an order.

“Come in!”

With those words, two figures entered the hall.

One was an elderly man wearing a straw hat, his face etched with deep lines of age. He held a beautifully crafted gift box adorned with intricate dragon carvings.

The other was a tall, imposing figure, his face hidden behind a black mask. He carried a massive bronze coffin on his back, each step shaking the hall as if the ground beneath trembled.

“What’s the meaning of this?”

Wu Chen furrowed his brows, perplexed.

Heh.

Wu You let out a soft chuckle, then gave a nod to the elderly man wearing the bamboo hat.

The old man stepped forward and placed the ornate gift box onto the table in front of Wu Chen.

Wu Chen opened it—and his eyes lit up. Inside lay an ancient sword engraved with intricate dragon patterns.

“This… Dragon Yao Sword!” Wu Chen exclaimed.

“Reporting to His Highness the Crown Prince!”

“This is indeed the Dragon Yao sent by the Second Prince!”

“Today marks Your Highness’s birthday, so he specially prepared this sword as a birthday gift.”

The old man bowed respectfully toward Wu Chen.

“Second Brother truly has a kind heart!” Wu Chen sighed in amazement. Then, as if suddenly remembering something, he pointed toward the tall figure standing at the center of the hall and asked curiously, “What about him?”

“Is he also a birthday gift from Second Brother?”

“Indeed!”

The old man nodded and replied, “This is Kuang San, the third disciple under the Barbarian War God’s command!”

“After being defeated by the Second Prince, Wu Lintian, he had his spiritual awareness erased and became a sharp blade under the Second Prince’s command.”

With these words, a wave of astonishment spread through the hall.

The Barbarian Nation was the Junlin Empire’s foremost enemy in the Eastern Wilderness. The Barbarian War God, their leader, held a legendary reputation that echoed across the continent. His disciples were known as rare prodigies of cultivation, unmatched in combat prowess.

But sadly, they encountered the Second Prince, Wu Lintian, who was like a towering mountain above all.

“Second Brother truly lives up to his reputation!”

“But I don’t understand. Why did the Second Brother send him to Wudu?” Wu Chen shook his head with a wry smile, turning his gaze toward Kuang San.

Haha!

The old man chuckled and replied, “Naturally, to test the sharpness of the Dragon Yao sword, Your Highness.”

As he spoke, the old man’s eyes turned cold as he suddenly shifted his focus to Ning Ye, who had been quietly sipping wine.

“Tenth Prince of Yanyun—might we ask you to test the sharpness of Dragon Yao sword for His Highness the Crown Prince?”

The moment these words were spoken, all the nobles in the hall turned their attention to Ning Ye.

They were all seasoned figures—naturally, they understood what this was: The Second Prince Wu Lintian was making a statement—delivering a warning.

He was showing Ning Ye exactly where his reverse scale lay—what could not be touched.

“This… doesn’t seem appropriate.”

“After all, this is the Crown Prince’s birthday banquet!”

“Even if Second Brother insists, it’s only right to ask for the Tenth Prince’s consent first.”

Wu Chen shrugged, looking at Ning Ye with a helpless expression. Clearly, he didn’t want to offend the Second Prince, so he passed the issue to Ning Ye.

Ah, I see.

The elderly man seemed to have anticipated Wu Chen’s response. He turned and walked back to stand beside Kuang San, patting the bronze coffin behind him as he spoke with a grin.

“Tenth Prince of Yanyun!”
“My lord says, if you’re unwilling to test the sword on behalf of the Crown Prince, it’s perfectly fine!”
“After all, he’ll be returning to Wudu in a few days.”
“When the time comes, he’ll test the sword himself for the Crown Prince.”
“As the saying goes—You can run, but you can’t hide!”

Provocation!

Naked provocation!

Everyone present could hear the message behind the Second Prince’s words loud and clear—even if Ning Ye backed down now, it would be useless. Once they returned to the capital, the Second Prince would personally make sure Ning Ye ended up inside that coffin.

Sigh…

Wu Yao shook her head, letting out a long sigh. She never imagined that, even after all these years, her Second Brother was still as hot-headed and reckless as ever.

“The so-called top genius of the Eastern Wilderness?”
“Tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk!”
Wu You smacked his lips, his face full of disdain.

“Heh…”
“Surely His Highness the Tenth Prince understands the truth of there’s always a taller mountain, yes?”
“Truly wise of you!”

Nian Nujiao glanced at the silent Ning Ye and let out a sneering laugh, her tone laced with mockery.

“So noisy.”

Hearing this, Ning Ye took another sip of his wine. His gaze swept over Wu You and Nian Nujiao before finally resting on the elderly man beside Kuang San.

To be honest, Ning Ye had no interest in the Second Prince’s little schemes. But he also knew—if a dog keeps barking at you, you can ignore it, sure… but that’ll only make it bark louder. And right now? The barking in this hall was becoming unbearable.

He needed some peace and quiet.

Besides, now that he thought about it, his so-called fiancée hadn’t made any moves yet…

Maybe taking a moment to amuse himself wouldn’t be so bad.