The battlefield no longer looked like a battlefield.
It looked like heaven and hell had signed a joint agreement to ruin my brother's evening.
Blue ghost flames burned across the valley.
Golden phoenix fire turned the eastern ridge into a permanent warning.
Silver moonlight still lingered where Luna Yuexin had politely dropped divine judgement on the royal army.
Half the Black Iron cavalry was gone.
War beasts were reconsidering their loyalty.
Several royal soldiers had reached spiritual enlightenment through fear alone.
Honestly?
Excellent progress.
I stood in the centre of the snow with the ancestral spear in hand, Feng Yuehuang on my right, Luna Yuexin on my left, and enough emotional danger around me to qualify as a forbidden technique.
Hu Mei looked down from the ridge and sighed dramatically.
"Master."
I nodded.
"Yes."
"You look like the villain in someone else's love story."
I thought about it.
Then nodded.
"Fair."
Very fair.
Across the battlefield—
Chen Lie still stood.
Of course he did.
The man treated impossible situations like personal invitations.
His black-and-gold robes were torn now, ash and snow staining the perfection.
Good.
He looked more human.
Still annoyingly handsome.
Still a problem.
But more human.
General Han stood behind him, bleeding.
The Crimson Guard was broken.
The royal formation had collapsed.
And yet—
Chen Lie's expression remained calm.
That was why he was dangerous.
Not because he was stronger.
Because he refused to break where other men panicked.
He looked at the battlefield.
Then at me.
Then at the two goddesses standing beside me.
And smiled.
Small.
Sharp.
The smile of a man who had just decided peace was officially overrated.
Wonderful.
He slowly lifted his sword.
Its silver-black edge reflected moonlight and ghost fire together.
"I underestimated exile."
His voice carried clearly through the frozen valley.
I smiled.
"Many people do."
He nodded once.
"Yes."
Then his eyes sharpened.
"But they usually correct that mistake before becoming inconvenient."
Ah.
Threats.
Family tradition.
I stepped forward.
Snow cracked beneath my boots.
I pointed the ancestral spear directly at him.
"Third Brother…"
I looked around the battlefield.
At the burning camps.
At the broken army.
The heavens are literally helping me.
Then smiled.
"Even heaven is against you."
Silence.
Hu Mei whispered loudly,
"That line deserves a statue."
I agreed.
It really did.
Chen Lie looked upward.
At the moon.
At the phoenix's flames.
At the ghost army beneath the snow.
Then back at me.
And for the first time—
He laughed.
Actually laughed.
Not cold.
Not fake.
Real.
Dangerous.
Very dangerous.
That was worse than anger.
Much worse.
He shook his head slowly.
"Fifth Brother…"
His voice lowered.
"…you still misunderstand."
The spiritual pressure around him changed.
Not stronger.
Deeper.
Older.
Like something hidden was finally waking.
Feng Yuehuang's expression changed instantly.
Golden flames rose.
Luna Yuexin's silver eyes narrowed.
Even Bai Wuchen took one step forward.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
I frowned.
I did not enjoy it when multiple ancient monsters looked concerned at the same time.
That usually meant paperwork.
Chen Lie placed one hand over his chest.
Then—
He tore open the inner seal beneath his royal robes.
A black mark appeared across his heart.
Ancient.
Violent.
Alive.
The moment it was revealed—
The sky darkened.
Moonlight trembled.
Ghost flames bent.
Even the snow itself seemed afraid.
Hu Mei dropped her chestnut.
"Oh."
She blinked.
"That seems bad."
Correct.
Extremely correct.
Luna Yuexin's voice became colder.
"...Devil Emperor inheritance."
Silence.
I turned slowly.
Excuse me?
What?
Feng Yuehuang's flames sharpened.
"That should not exist."
Ah.
Wonderful.
Ancient forbidden inheritance.
My favourite family surprise.
I looked at Chen Lie.
Then, the black mark was spreading like a living shadow across his skin.
Then back at him.
"Third Brother…"
I sighed.
"…you really could have mentioned you were secretly dramatic on a demonic level."
He ignored that, which was rude.
The dark aura around him grew heavier.
Royal soldiers retreated instinctively.
Even his own army feared it.
Good sign.
Terrible situation.
His voice came lower now.
Layered.
Like someone—or something—older was speaking beneath it.
"The throne is not inherited by kindness."
The black mark spread to his neck.
"To rule…"
His sword darkened.
"…one must be willing to become feared."
I looked at him.
At the monster hidden beneath royal perfection.
At the prince who thought cruelty was a responsibility.
And suddenly—
So many things made sense.
Why did he never hesitate?
Why did Father trust him?
Why does the palace fear him?
Because Chen Lie had never been chosen despite darkness.
He had been chosen because of it.
I smiled.
Slowly.
Honestly.
"Good."
That made everyone pause.
Even him.
I stepped forward again.
Because if my brother were revealing forbidden demonic inheritance in the middle of war—
Then clearly this family had fully committed to chaos.
I pointed the spear at his heart.
"Because now I can stop pretending this is politics."
Ghost flames rose behind me.
Moonlight brightened.
Phoenix fire answered.
I looked him directly in the eyes.
"This is not about the throne."
My voice was quiet.
Heavy.
True.
"It is about making sure men like you never get to decide what a kingdom deserves."
Silence.
Absolute silence.
No jokes.
No flirting.
Only truth.
Chen Lie stared at me.
Then smiled.
Dark.
Sharp.
Almost relieved.
Good.
He understood.
Finally.
Brother to brother.
No masks.
No palace lies.
Only choice.
He raised his sword.
Black spiritual light split the valley.
Then he said—
"Then come stop me."
Perfect.
I lowered my stance.
Feng Yuehuang's flames exploded upward.
Luna Yuexin lifted her hand toward the moon.
Bai Wuchen raised the sword of ten thousand dead soldiers.
And I—
laughed.
Because honestly?
This was exactly the kind of disaster I had been transmigrated for.
I looked at my brother.
At the Devil Emperor mark burning on his chest.
And smiled.
"Third Brother…"
The spear pointed forward.
"…even heaven hates your personality."
And then—
The valley chose violence again.