Soul Land 5: The Rebirth of Tang San

Chapter 177: Peacock Valor

Wang Yan decided to use the Beauty and the Beasts Squad's camp to rest for a bit, to treat his wounds, and to plan tomorrow's actions. Unexpectedly, after all their searching, Mei Gongzi had returned on her own, and alone at that. Moreover, his arrival seemed to be of no concern to Mei Gongzi.

What is this situation?

Wang Yan's anger stemmed more from the humiliation of being underestimated and ignored.

“I don’t know,” Mei Gongzi replied indifferently, then slowly stood and turned toward the five of them.

“Capture her!” Wang Yan commanded loudly.

His four subordinates immediately surrounded Mei Gongzi but kept a nervous watch on their surroundings, as the previous crossbow attack had left them with a profound sense of foreboding.

The feeling of being unable to dodge was terrifying; while it had not been fatal this time, what if a crossbow bolt hit a vital spot like the eyes? One of them had even gotten his palm pierced while trying to protect his eyes.

Mei Gongzi looked at them and shook her head gently. “You think you can lay your dirty hands on me? Get down, now.”

As she spoke, she waved her hand gently.

Immediately, a bizarre scene unfolded: the four Peacock Demons approaching her swayed and slowly collapsed to the ground.

Wang Yan was stunned and exclaimed, “What did you do to them?”

Mei Gongzi looked at him intensely. “What punishment is due for plotting against the royal family? Calling you a fool would be an insult to the word. Have you forgotten even the secret arts of our race?”

“Peacock Valor? You... you can wield the power of Peacock Valor? Impossible, you’re a half-blood...” Wang Yan was shocked, his gaze filled with disbelief as he looked at Mei Gongzi.

Mei Gongzi gently waved her right hand, and a peacock plume appeared in her grasp. The slender quill of the plume was in her hand, and the colorful barbs at the top swayed gently. The patterns formed by the peacock blue on the feather emitted a faint halo, within which countless rings of light seemed to orbit and bloom.

The feathers on Wang Yan’s back instantly spread out, and his tail plumes emitted a similar halo. However, upon closer inspection, the blue on the plume in Mei Gongzi's hand appeared deeper, with a more pronounced halo. The light emitted by Wang Yan's peacock plumes seemed somewhat paler in comparison.

“No, this can’t be. Why is your bloodline stronger than mine? Impossible!” Wang Yan exclaimed in disbelief.

The richness of a bloodline signified its nobility. He could not believe that Mei Gongzi, who had human blood, could possess a more potent Peacock Demon bloodline than himself.

Peacock Valor was one of the innate abilities of the Peacock Demon race. It emitted an intangible aura, and only those of the purest bloodline among the royal family could activate the power of Peacock Valor upon reaching adulthood. Should any member of the race threaten a member of the royal family, under the deterrence of Peacock Valor, they would temporarily lose all the powers of their Peacock Demon bloodline.

Mei Gongzi was still a few years away from adulthood; according to the Peacock Demon race's age norms, one was considered an adult at sixteen. Wang Yan, of course, was already an adult and possessed the ability of Peacock Valor, but it posed no threat to those of the royal bloodline like Mei Gongzi, so he had not activated it earlier. He never could have imagined that Mei Gongzi would be stronger than him in this aspect.

They were of the same royal lineage, but still, having a weaker bloodline meant being somewhat suppressed.

The four Peacock Demons who had fallen to the ground were now trembling in fear. Plotting against a royal family was an absolute great sin among any demon race, with consequences extending to one's family.

Previously, they had unhesitatingly attacked Mei Gongzi because she was a half-blood, but how could they have imagined that not only was Mei Gongzi's royal peacock bloodline richer than Wang Yan's, but she had also awakened the power of Peacock Valor before reaching adulthood? Her talent was peerless, she was clearly a rare genius among the Peacock Demon race.

“Aren’t you contesting the throne’s succession with me? Then today is a perfect opportunity. Let us duel here, with them as witnesses. Whoever loses dies,” Mei Gongzi said indifferently while slowly lifting the peacock plume.

The originally ivory-colored quill of the peacock plume gradually turned peacock blue, emitting a demonic glow. Her long black hair also turned peacock blue at this moment, blue light twinkled in her eyes, and her delicate body slowly levitated up from the ground. Enormous wings unfolded behind her, and her aura rose.

The vast space around her was bathed in peacock blue.

A speck of golden light slowly shone on her forehead, turning into a golden line that extended diagonally upward from between her brows, sketching out a magnificent golden pattern on her forehead, as if she was wearing a crown.

“Seventh order!” Wang Yan cried out in shock, staring intensely at the golden pattern on Mei Gongzi’s forehead, his face turning ashen.

Wang Yan’s mind went blank at this moment. As a royal family member, he was all too familiar with the golden pattern on Mei Gongzi's forehead. It was the mark of the peacock royal family, the Peacock Golden Crown. Only those of the purest bloodline in the peacock royal family could awaken it. Awakening the Peacock Golden Crown signified the talent to break through limits and achieve the status of a Demon Emperor, not just a Demon King.

Although possessing such talent did not guarantee becoming a Demon King, at least their father, the current Peacock Demon King, had not achieved the status of Demon Emperor. However, this at least represented a chance. Most importantly, Wang Yan himself had not yet formed his own Peacock Golden Crown.

The formation of the Peacock Golden Crown had nothing to do with cultivation level but was related to potential and talent. It also represented an undeniable right to succession.

Only now did Wang Yan truly understand why Mei Gongzi, despite being a human hybrid, was granted the right to succession. When his father, the king, had announced this, nearly all the family elders had opposed it. Yet, his father had merely remarked, "We'll discuss this later," without further explanation.

Of course there was no further explanation! What explanation was needed? The Peacock Golden Crown was a first-class ticket to succession rights! Moreover, this was the first Peacock Golden Crown in their generation! He, the so-called legitimate eldest son, only had a faint outline of the Peacock Golden Crown.

Seeing the golden crown was like witnessing the king's presence!

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