"Who? Who is calling me?" From a nearby cell came the clinking sound of chains.

"Fourth Prince, I’ve found you." The man in black reached the cell, peering through the bars, glimpsing a disheveled figure under the dim light, unkempt hair with feet chained, every move made a clinking sound. The Fourth Prince looked extremely miserable; if Qi Kong hadn’t recognized his voice, he wouldn’t have known it was him.

"Master, Master, is that you?"

Hearing Lin Kong’s voice, the Fourth Prince nearly burst into tears. Tonight, the meal was especially lavish, with fish, meat, and a jug of fine wine, completely different from the previous meals of just two steamed buns and a bowl of plain water.

The Fourth Prince felt suspicious, and questioned the Prison Head who delivered the meal, only to find out that the Emperor had ordered his execution. At 3 pm tomorrow, he would be beheaded in public in the Capital to serve as a warning.

The Fourth Prince felt deeply unwilling. He had painstakingly cultivated the Evil Cultivation to restore his eyesight, yet his imperial father treated him this way.

The Fourth Prince was filled with hatred towards the Emperor, lamenting how heartless his father was to him, his biological son. How could his father treat him this way?

Indeed, the Fourth Prince had always had a special relationship with the Emperor since childhood, causing all the princes and princesses to envy him. Thus, the Fourth Prince found it hard to accept that the Emperor would personally order his execution.

Like an abandoned puppy, the Fourth Prince curled up in the cell, crying for a long time. Suddenly, hearing Lin Kong call him, it was like a lifeline appeared, ignoring the heavy chains on his feet, he struggled to the cell door and shouted desperately, "Master, Master, is it you?"

"It’s me, my disciple."

"Master, it’s really you! Are you here to save me?"

"Yes."

"Master, you are wonderful, truly like a reborn parent to me."

"Stop the mush! Save those words for later."

Lin Kong drew his sword from his waist and said to the Fourth Prince inside the cell, "My disciple, move back a little. I’m going to break the lock and get you out."

"Alright!"

Elated, the Fourth Prince, since entering the Clan Authority Mansion, hadn’t had any visitors, not even the Empress Mother. He knew something was amiss; normally, the Empress Mother would certainly visit him unless the trouble he caused was too great for the Emperor to allow it.

His master now risked danger to save him, making the Fourth Prince deeply touched, feeling his Master was even better to him than the Empress Mother.

"Bang!"

With a swift motion, Lin Kong chopped down the lock on the cell door and said to the Fourth Prince inside, "Fourth Prince, hurry, hurry, go."

"Clink clink...!"

Looking down at the heavy chains around his feet with a grim face, the Fourth Prince, despite wanting to leave, found his feet shackled not only by chains but also weighted down by iron balls weighing dozens of pounds, making it impossible to run far before being caught.

The dim light prevented Lin Kong from noticing, and he urged, "Fourth Prince, hurry, quickly go. Or else you’ll be discovered and won’t be able to escape."

"Master, I... I can’t move."

"What’s wrong?"

"There are chains and iron balls on my feet, too cumbersome. I’ll be discovered before I even escape."

Upon hearing this, Lin Kong pushed the door open and saw that the Fourth Prince’s feet were indeed shackled not only by chains but also weighed down by two large iron balls that seemed to weigh dozens of pounds together.