Chapter 203
The man wore bronze battle armor, his physique burly and robust, carrying a nine-foot-long broadsword on his back, his appearance exceedingly majestic, his face sharply contoured as if carved by knife and axe.
He looked exactly like a great general who had long fought on the battlefield, his entire body radiating imposing majesty that commanded respect without needing anger.
Seeing an incredibly domineering War tattooed on the man’s iron-block-like biceps... Alex instantly knew this person’s identity. Wearing a smile, he stepped forward and nodded slightly.
"Greetings, Your Highness the Prince."
This person was exactly Aurelia’s closest younger cousin from the same clan. The Prince Who Guards the South, Albert.
"Hmm?" Albert glanced at Alex and asked faintly.
"Who are you?"
"I am the Hale family’s Saint Lord, Alex."
Upon hearing the name, Albert’s eyes finally opened completely. Re-examining him from head to toe.
"Oh? So Your Excellency is the famous Saint Lord Alex."
"While at the border passes, this prince has long admired your great name."
Alex smiled faintly. "Not at all. Your Highness possesses world-covering bravery and martial prowess, shaking the Southern Wastelands. It is I who has long admired your prestigious name."
After the two exchanged a round of obligatory business flattery, Alex asked with deep interest.
"Your Highness came here also to request an audience with Her Majesty the Empress?"
"Correct." Albert nodded.
"I have already been waiting here for an entire night."
"Miss Maris, do you still not plan to let me go in and take a look at my Royal Sister?"
Marissaid apologetically. "Her Majesty the Empress is truly unwell and refuses to receive anyone. Please forgive this, Your Highness."
"Is that so?" Albert narrowed his eyes slightly.
"My Royal Sister has always had a strong and unyielding temperament. How could she be entangled by a minor illness?"
"Moreover, I specially hurried back from the Southern Wastelands this time. Could it be that just because of a minor illness, my Royal Sister won’t even see me?"
"Maris, you had better confess honestly."
"Is my Royal Sister truly just unwell, or has her illness already... reached her vitals?"
A trace of panic clearly flashed across Maris’s eyes, but she immediately recovered her calm, shaking her head heavily.
"Her Majesty the Empress simply caught a cold by chance. Her body is weak and she is lethargic. Please do not make wild guesses, Your Highness."
Albert narrowed his eyes, staring fixedly at Maris. After a long while, a chilling smile curled at the corners of his mouth, he nodded slightly.
"Fine!"
"Since my Royal Sister cannot see me, then I will simply return to the Southern Wastelands."
He turned his head to look at Alex. "Saint Lord Alex, you should head back first too."
"I see that within the next few days, it will be impossible for Her Majesty the Empress to receive anyone."
Alex grasped Albert’s underlying meaning, smiling and nodding.
"Many thanks for the reminder, Your Highness."
...
Leaving the Azure Phoenix Pavilion, he and Albert departed their separate ways without another word.
On the way back to the Divine Blade Sect, Alex remained deep in thought.
"It seems that under my successive manipulations, the original novel’s timeline has been completely thrown into chaos."
"The Heavenly Flame Empress’s illness has arrived ahead of schedule."
In the original novel, during the middle stages, after Aurelia became part of Knox’s harem, she practically lost all presence.
The next time she had any screen time was when she fell severely ill, entangled by yin energy.
After Knox learned of this, he immediately rushed back from the Immortal Realm, but was still a step too late.
Aurelia’s dantian was eroded by the yin energy, and she died of a sudden, violent illness. All that was left was a Glazed Phoenix Heart, which became an important late-stage item for Knox.
Looking at it now, this cold yin poison illness flaring up early meant that Albert’s seizure of power was also likely going to arrive ahead of schedule.
That’s right, that Prince Albert who had just spoken a few words to him was actually a traitor with a bone of rebellion.
On the surface, it was all Royal Sister this and Royal Sister that.
Acting extremely respectful toward Aurelia, but in reality, he had long coveted the throne of the Heavenly Flame Dynasty, drooling over it for who knows how many years.
And once Aurelia fell gravely ill, he became impatient. Uniting with several Great Elders to launch a coup and openly seize power.
Ultimately, he was killed with a single palm strike by Knox, who had already become a Saint by that time. Then, using the high-sounding excuse of protecting the Heavenly Flame Dynasty on behalf of Aurelia, Knox logically and rightfully took over the throne.
This caused the tens of thousands of years of royal lineage passed down from the Ancient Phoenix King to finally fall into the hands of an outsider.
Very protagonist-like.
"Aurelia’s illness has already reached her vitals, and Albert’s ambition is already vividly portrayed and ready to burst forth." Alex muttered to himself.
"It seems this Heavenly Flame Capital is going to be plunged into conflict once again."
He contacted Adrian, told him he didn’t need to monitor Knox anymore.
Instead, he was to monitor the Heavenly Flame Capital day and night without stopping, especially Albert’s movements.
If there was any anomaly, report it immediately.
After planting this informant, he finally felt slightly relieved. Riding an cloud, he returned to the Divine Blade Sect. Arriving at Broken Sword Peak around dusk.
Upon arriving, he saw Sylra sitting in a rocking chair, humming a little tune while basking in the sun.
Alex descended from the sky on the auspicious cloud, nodded slightly and smiled faintly.
"Senior, I have returned."
"Oh." Sylra only gave a casual response, seeming too lazy to pay much attention to Alex.
Alex thought this old geezer was throwing a temper tantrum with him, he helplessly apologized.
"Senior Sylra, something suddenly came up at home a few days ago, and I went to busy myself for a couple of days."
"I failed to serve Senior at Broken Sword Peak. I hope Senior will forgive my sin."
Sylra lifted his eyelids to glance at Alex and laughed.
"Brat, this old man hasn’t broken his arms or legs; do I still need you to serve me?"